001[Music] Hello, good evening and welcome to tonight's uh public board of education meeting. Nice to see you all. We called our meeting to order earlier in our closed executive session. So, we are ready to begin. And uh first, actually, I would like to ask our student representatives to give us their report. Uh we have from High School North we have Ana Slal and Logan Klene. And then after well I'm not sure who's going first but um high school south we have Anna Chen and Alice Net Dochi. Um so who would like to start off? >> Perfect. Thanks. >> Sorry. Hello. Thank you for having us again. We are so grateful for the successful start to this school year. We kicked off the year with class assemblies and for seniors senior sunrise and Disney registration. Senior
002nights have also been underway with our fall sports starting off strong. The tennis team recently competed at the individual states tournaments with seniors Sana Deay, Caris Co, and Alice Nocchi representing South. Our cross country team had an incredible race at Great Adventure with the varsity boys finishing in first place. In both soccer and field hockey, our seniors Sophia Latif Estafon and Isabella Zola reached an amazing accomplishment of 200 saves. We are so proud of our seniors and our athletes, especially with the North Sweep at the Red Cancer Red Card Cancer soccer game and the Serbup Hope girls volleyball game. The Red Card Cancer and the Serbup Hope game each raised $1,670 and $1,280 for the American Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, respectively. Moving on to clubs and activities. Although most advisor and student
003led clubs haven't started yet as our club fairs on Thursday, student council has been active and hosted their annual movie night last Friday featuring Hotel Transennsylvania. Along with the movie, there was public pumpkin painting and bingo night where students had the opportunity to win prizes such as homecoming tickets, um South Super fan shirts, fall drama tickets, and more. So, speaking of um homecoming, student council has a packed next couple of weeks with South's annual homecoming game and dance with the theme of video games. So, our spirit week will run from October 21st to 24th with our theme days including pajama day on Tuesday, sports jersey day on Wednesday, twin day on Thursday, and class color day on Friday. We also hope to host one of our annual sports events including dodgeball, volleyball, and hopefully a
004new sport, pinkle ball, which is meant to be a twist on pickle ball to help fundra for breast cancer research. As for the upcoming events, South will definitely be busy with the back to school night tomorrow and PAT on Thursday. For back to school night, some of our peer leaders and members of National Honor Society will help guide parents. During the PAT day, students will attend a student panel discussing AI as well as TED talks led by the TED club at South to engage in meaningful discussions and future oriented learning. Finally, as mentioned in the beginning, South's fall drama, She Kills Monsters, is currently in production and is set to run from October 20th to 22nd. This drama will feature along performances from South students as well as a look at LGBTQ plus perspectives. We
005are excited, super excited to look at Pirates and for them to bring their talent to the stage. And with this school year beginning to find its rhythm, we can't wait to see what the 2025 to 2026 school year will bring to us. Now, we'd like to pass it on to North. >> Thank you so much. Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for having us here again. Um, to start off in a little more serious note, earlier this year we experienced a loss of one of our peers, Alan Zing. We extend our heartful condolences to his family and loved ones and honor his memory as a part of our school community. >> Before school started, North Student Council came in and chalk positive messages in front of the school for students to see on the
006first day of school. We also put our back to school bulletins to welcome kids back to school. Senior sunrise was a hit and special thanks to RPTA who organized it. Seniors got to come together on the first day of school to watch the sunrise and enjoy breakfast together. It was a lot of fun and a memorable way for seniors to start their last year of high school. Uh during the first two days of school, we had the class assemblies when we introduced the school expectations and the code of conduct to each grade level. It was a great way for students to go over important information such as the attendance policy and fun events that students should look forward to. We also introduced our administration. Our new administration vicees principal birth. In addition to our class
007assemblies, senior class adviser held a Disney meeting with senior parents and first payments were due on September 15th. For our juniors, we had our first Washington seminar informational meeting with parents at the start of September and first payments are due October 10th. Additionally, we successfully ran our annual club fair. Attendance was a lot better than last year and many new clubs got a chance to introduce themselves. I am glad so many students are taking initiative by getting involved in our school community. In addition to clubs, fall sports are up and running and many teams are in the peak of their season. Girls tennis is off to a great start with an 11-2 win loss record. Girls volleyball is sadly at a loss right now with a 611 win loss record, but we are hopeful that
008we can balance it out. Looking ahead a little bit, North is having their homecoming game on Friday, October 17th, and the homecoming dance on Saturday, October 18th. In preparation for homecoming, we have our spirit week next week, which we chose the days for in our last student council meeting with the days chosen as following. Monday is PJ day. Tuesday is character day. Wednesday is white lie day. Thursday is Smurf versus Minion. And Friday is our traditional class colors day. Seniors have also started submitting college applications with the October 15th and November 1st deadline coming up quickly and have been meeting with their counselors. Good luck to all the seniors going through the application process right now. On the topic with college, North has had multiple college representative visits during lunch to help our seniors through
009the application process. Additionally, today the North Student Council had the opportunity to attend the New Jersey Association of Student Council's annual fall conference. It was a great way of supporting one of our very own executive board members who is serving as a secretary on state council. We also look forward to back to school night tomorrow, giving parents a throwback to their high school days as they as they navigate through the halls with the help of peer leaders and student council. Lastly, the PSAT is on Thursday for the sophomores and juniors, and we wish them good luck. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Alice, uh, Anna, Ana, and Logan. Um, we always enjoy hearing updates from the both high schools and so much going on, especially for the seniors already. It's only October and the
010year is flying by so fast. So, we really appreciate you coming out and uh feel free to, you know, scalo back to I know I'm sure you have like more things to do tonight uh before as you prepare for tomorrow. So, thanks again. >> Uh next, I would like to invite Dr. Adterhold up for his comments um and um for this evening, he actually has uh a visual presentation to share as well. Good evening everyone. Um so tonight um we're going to do something a little bit out of order. Um but I'm going to take uh uh the privilege as being superintendent doing superintendent comments to make some comments about something happened in our community. But before we do, um I do have a couple special guests here tonight uh that well they'll be coming
011into the room momentarily um for for a recognition uh for someone in the room. So um just give me a moment and I'm going to invite those individuals into the room to to join us. Good evening everyone. My name is Tim Pernell, executive director of New Jersey School Boards Association. Since 2005, the New Jersey School Boards Association has honored one exceptional local board of education member as board member of the year. This recognition goes to someone who reflects an extraordinary dedication not only to the students in their district but also to the advancement of public education in our state. And this evening, I am honored to recognize Dana Krug as the 2025. >> I'm not done yet, but [Applause] elected five times to West Windsor Plainsboro Board of Education, receiving the highest number of votes
012on each election, Dana has served the board for 13 years. Over that time, she has taken on numer numerous leadership roles as board curriculum committee chair, board finance curriculum chair, board administration and facilities committee chair, and WWPA teachers association negotiations chair. Dana Krug embodies everything the New Jersey School Boards Association Board of Educ uh Board of Education member of the year represents. visionary leadership, unshakable commitment to the students of the Garden State, and a deeprooted belief in the power of community. Dana has been instrumental in revitalizing the uh county association by actively recruiting board members to give them a voice countywide in the dialogue. In addition to her work as a board member, she has been a consistent presence in your community, attending local events, engaging with stakeholders, and lending her support where needed. She
013exemplifies the spirit of service. What you don't know is that Dana is very involved or you may not know that she's very involved statewide at the New Jersey School Boards Association. She's on our board of directors, delegate assembly, county association leadership, finance committee, and the dues reassessment committee. She also demonstrated exceptional commitment to professional development, earning all three levels of certification. The certified board member, master board member, and certified board leader. On behalf of New Jersey School Boards Association, Dana, thank you for your outstanding hard work for the students of the Garden State. We thank you for all of all that you have done to make this world better, starting with the children. [Applause] I don't know if I'm going to give be able to not cry. I come from Clifton, New Jersey, and I
014nominated Dana because we met at a county and state event. I'm president of state county school boards association. I've been on my board for about 14 years now. I've met her on Cal and all the other committees that we sit on and I am proud. I wrote a seven-page nomination. I even printed out the email with the nomination to confirm that I got it. It got sent in because I was really worried about getting in on the deadline. I am proud of you. You are everything that a school board member should be. You are a leader. You're a friend. You're a rock and you you were there for everyone no matter what happens, Dana. You're a good person and you're very respected throughout the wave of county and state. I'm proud I was proud to
015nominate you and I drove all the way down just to see you tonight and I was on the phone with her on Saturday. We were talking about what are you doing at workshop and I I had known Tim had called me and I was trying to get through that phone call without busting a gut. I've been dying all weekend. So, I'm so excited. Congratulations. And we're also joined by our field service representative, Maryann Freriedman, who you should know. If you don't, please get to know her. As well as our chief membership engagement officer, Ray Penny. >> Do you mind if we do a photo? We want you in the photo as well. >> We're gonna do a big photo. Is that okay? And by the way, you have a speech to give in a couple
016weeks at work. >> Congratulations, Yeah, we got it officially. >> Where would you like to stand in front of? >> Sure. >> Come on, guys. This is Nice. Oh, that's a great shot. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you speeches especially for the steam tank. >> Okay. Well, we're we're getting resettled. All right. >> Congratulations, Dana. >> All right. >> So, so that doesn't happen every day. So, congratulations, Dana. >> I can honestly say it's a first for here uh for the district and a welldeserved congratulations to Dana. Um, so it's a How do I transition? There's no good transition for that. U so I'll I'll start with a a happy event today. We we were as as a district we had the opportunity to host a delegation uh through u Taiwan
017economic uh culture um organization Tiko out of um New York. Uh we were asked to host uh theQing Chang uh Taiwan uh delegation today. We had the mayor and uh 13 delegates uh visiting uh three of our schools. um working to try to think of future partnerships, exchange opportunities, um teacher exchange potentially in summer, um thinking in terms of uh where D our DLI programs will go in the next several years as our students enter high school and uh thinking about will we at some point want to consider an abroad opportunity um for our students in the DLI program. So um was really pleased with the visit and appreciated the camaraderie. Um, also as our North students shared, uh, the last two weeks have been challenging to say the least with the loss of a
018student. So, I also wanted to extend, um, my condolences to Alan Zang's family. Um, and they just had the services this past weekend. Um, and it should not also be lost that we did have another tragedy in the community with a with a fire that impacted four families, uh, three district families, one staff member and two, um, student families. Um, Village and North impacted, uh, for students. Um, and so I just want to recognize Windsor Ponds and the the challenges that that community has gone through as well. um those those particular um events um are all this we've had other things happening in the community. We've had wonderful things happening with our students as they've returned and the successes that we've heard from our students and we've had some uh local challenges with respect to
019um well the best way to say is social media attacks um targeting the district uh by an organization that's newer to New Jersey called Wakeup Call New Jersey. Uh Wakeup Call New Jersey a lot it's raised a lot of questions in the community. It's raised questions about who they are, why they're targeting WWP, what's their motivation. Um, it's not just WWP, it's also Monontlair Public Schools and some other communities, but Montlair and WWP are the prevalent ones. Uh, there's questions about who's behind it, who are their f their funders. We have some of those same questions. What we do know is what their website says. We do know that their website uh talks about um talks about two individuals, Laura Overdck from the Overd Foundation and Peter Schulman, formerly from the New Jersey Department of
020Ed who served as deputy commissioner uh back under the Chris Christie administration. Um after that administration, Pete left the state, I believe, and then has moved around and now he's back uh in Jersey with the wakeup call uh New Jersey. uh what's their what's their motivation? That's a good question. Uh we can speculate uh that that there's it's bigger than us, right? What we know about Wakeup Call in New Jersey is that uh they are tied to uh funders and platforms um or positions that um have supported traditionally GOP based um platforms. their individuals behind those organizations are tied to um political affiliations, political donations andor political appointments that um have been uh rightle leaning. Um, and so why an organization that says they're nonpartisan, um, that says they're nonprofit advocacy, yet they don't have
021a 501c3 filing on record that we can find, at least not under their name, Wakeup Call New Jersey. Um, and they also have issued a seven-week campaign, which for a nonpartisan group, ironically, takes us to the election. So what they have done is they have brought forward data um and they have suggested that WWP is not an excellent district that we have no plan that we have no idea what we're doing but be rest assured they do. Um and they say that we do. In fact that's really all they say that they do. They have the plan and their plan is email you and put something in your strategic goals. Um but what we know um as an administration, as our our educators, um as a board of education is that we have a robust
022plan in place to support our students and that we have decades of data that would show um the excellence over time. Um, and I feel it incumbent upon uh my position to not only defend our staff, but to defend our students and our community because our students um and in their most recent some of their most recent literature, they called WWP community, including our students, our staff, and our our board, our administration, our community complacent. Um, and we're anything but complacent. And as as you all know for the work that you do tirelessly um um and the recognition that Dana received tonight is really um it speaks to the body the body of the board. It speaks to the service that you all give. It speaks to the the way in which you approach your
023your everyday um support of our system but how how you hold us accountable. So, we need to think about this in the terms of, you know, there's something bigger at play. Why would an outside group be pumping millions of dollars into political campaigns or or to this campaign in New Jersey? Why are they showing up in Bordontown, in East Windsor, in Robinsville, putting signage up in flyers? Why are they giving targeted ROOC calls? Why are they uh putting billboard ads up, radio ads up, Roku ads, uh YouTube ads, targeted marketing? You know, why? There's something bigger at foot. It's not our test scores. In fact, these are individuals that have either promoted or profited off of standardized assessment. And we know that Mr. Schulman was the implementer of the park assessment when he was at
024the Department of Ed. We know that he supported SGOs and implemented SGOs and SGP SGPS, student growth objectives and student growth percentiles when he was there. We know he led changes to teacher certification. We know that he led for the implement. We know that he has advocated for stricter testing for the purpose of certification. All these things have led to a der of candidates in the in the certification or are now being teachers. Make no mistake, this is about defunding public education. This is about privatization. This is about for-profit education. This has nothing to do with WWP. This is using WWP as a symbol, as an attempt to sew discontent in the education system. What do we know about our district? Our district dominates almost every academic category that our students enter. Whether it's whether
025it's our clubs and activities and their competition based opportunities or whether it's our standardized assessments, whether it's ACT, SAT, AP. Um, our students distinguish themselves time and time again. I'm not about to let some outside organization that doesn't know anything about our kids try to use WWP as as a as a scapegoat for their politics. Our SATs are amongst the best year over year after year. And though tonight I'm releasing a 14-page letter to our community in that have 10 years of SAT data that will show the state average, the national average and WWP's average. and we hover between the high 1200s and for the last five years over 1300 average. And and when we talk about SAT average, you know, it's it's over 675 to 725 students taking that exam with that kind of
026average. It's a ridiculous ridiculous average. We're not talking about a magnet school that's selective that chooses admissions-based acceptance by GPA and test score. We're talking about a open public school that accepts all students, educates all students, and is dominating year after year after year. You look at our AP scores, 90% 90% of kids that are taking those exams, over 3,700 exams administered. Over 90% of those are three or higher. Over 30 38% are a five. 38% get a five on our on the AP exams. Again, a ludicrous number. That doesn't just happen. That's a system. That's a community. It's parents, students, educators working together over time to develop a system and to promote practices. When we start looking at algebra 1, algebra 2 in middle school, yes, I said algebra 2 in middle school, over
02790% of our students exit middle school taking algebra 1 or algebra 2. So when we look at like math 8 scores, they can point to it, but they don't understand it. They can point to it, but they don't know the number behind it. It represents less than 50 students. Now, that does not mean that we don't want those students achieving. Of course, we do. And we have plans in place. We review the data. We set up very clear practices to ensure that we're making sure that all students are moving ac across a continuum. Under Dr. Gould's leadership, we've instituted a robust MTSS program. We have over 30 interventionists that are working across the K12 spectrum supporting students and staff with both targeted interventions and professional development. We have a robust multiple learning uh language learners
028program. We have a gifted and talented program. We have a robust special education program. We meet students where they are and we build them forward. Our high school graduation readiness once again distinguish itself with the number of students that are graduating, the number of students that are passing the assessments and those assessments are based on high school NJ GPA scores. And now we're going to have another standardized assessment come in. That's one of the other things that is being um a little confusing here is that assessments have shifted over time and some of the state assessments. In fact, it's which testing vendor do we want to give the contract to? So now we have a new vendor platform coming in this year, the NJ SLA, the adaptive. So now we're going to have a new
029pilot this spring and a new test this spring, excuse me, this fall and this spring. And most likely the department of ed whether whoever wins the governorhip is going to change. So we're not going to have consistency in implementation between the fall administration of the pilot and the spring administration. So yet once again we're going to be in a position and there there's no correlation between just because the initials are similar. There's no correlation between the tests. There's been no study done. There's been that's part of the reason why they want to do the pilot. And they're literally going to be making it up. And that's what you're going to find time and time again that the testing vendors and the departments of ed across the nation trying to figure it out. They're trying to
030meet a federal mandate of assessment at certain grades and a state requirement of assessment at certain grades and implement that with fidelity. And one of the reasons the pilot was so delayed for this year in the announcement of the test was because there was a lawsuit between Pearson and the state because Pearson didn't want to lose the contract. Why? Because it's millions and millions of dollars. And we're not talking three million. We're talking close to 40 million. Right? So this is a for-profit industry and these folks are all connected. So make no mistake that the standardized assessments that our kids are given is one thing and then the tutoring intervention support services are often pro are often being sold by the very same vendors that are offering the contracts. These industries have found a way
031to profit on both sides of the equation. We acknowledge that at certain grade levels and in certain cohorts, in certain demographics with within our student data that we have some challenges that we are actively addressing with a robust plan. There are students that are having trouble meeting the academic levels. We acknowledge that. We've never hidden from that. And if anyone goes back to last year's testing presentation and watch the hour and a half presentation by Dr. in with 60 minutes and 30 minutes of Q&A from this board. The board's asking those hard questions. Barbara's speaking to those hard those hard topics. We are seeing challenges in some of our subgroups. And I'm using subgroups not because it's politically correct because that's how the test gets disagregated and discussed. Right? So we are seeing that and
032we are putting targeted plans in place at the individual student level whether it's a tier one, two, three intervention. Right? and we are working to move students along the continuum upon where they are on their academic journey and how we move them forward. To say we're complacent is is an insult to this school community. Our teachers make us proud each and every day. Our administrators make us proud each and every day. And Lord knows our students make us proud each and every day because they are the most committed learners I've ever had the privilege of serving. Our students are remarkable in the classroom and have a veracity. They have a passion and they have a desire to better themselves on their academic journey. They are we had the opportunity to be in classrooms throughout the
033day today and pride isn't a big enough word that I can say for what we witnessed. So, as we think about um our data, as we think about our scores as a community, we just need to stay very grounded that no matter what political nonsense and noise comes at us, families move to this community for a reason. Our educators stay employed in this community for a reason. Our students thrive in this community for a reason. And we serve this community for a reason. And we should not let one flyer that says the number 34% throw us off our game because it is a one moment in time test. And we don't hide from the 34%. That's not the insulting part. That's a true number. But let's flip it. 66% of our students are getting a
034four or five on the NJSLA, right? So 66% 19% are getting a three. So they're they're right on the cusp. And yes, then there are there's another percentage of students that's really struggling and we are actively working. If you use that same methodology at the state with the state data, this the slogan would say 60% of New Jersey students are not passing the assessment, right? Only 40% are getting across the state are getting a four or five. So the state has a large challenge. And what is the state doing about it? Huge literacy initiative, right? Dr. Gold served on the state task force, right? I served as the chair of the evaluation task force for both appointed by the governor. We're actively working to try to address these u deficiencies, statewide deficiencies by being actively
035engaged in supporting our school, our education community. And then we can take that learning and make sure that we're bringing it back here and turnkeying things back here. So we are piloting two different instructional programs in literacy right now right at our K8 level. Those pilots exist because we've identified some gaps in our language arts lit ELA curriculum and at the recommendation of educators, teachers, supervisors, and principles and central office staff, we've identified two programs and we're actively working on it. Under the direction of Dr. Pearson, for the past decade, we have implemented changes in our mathematics curriculum. What does that show us? When you get to the high school, at some point every year, between 50 and 60% of our students are in some form of calculus, pre-calc, calc, calc, bc, multivariable annually. I
036defy you to find that in any other district around the state, potentially in the nation, when you're talking about 50 to 60% of 3,000 high schoolers ear in some form of calculus annually. These are ridiculous numbers. Ridiculous in the best of way. And once again, we have outside company wants to choose one assessment in fourth grade in one snapshot data to try to make a splash to try to throw people. And they're doing it and we shouldn't let them. We should control the narrative. So, I hope our community looks at the letter for what it is, which is a defense of our district and to set the record straight on some of the data that exists over time in our community that we should be extraordinarily proud of and a lot of it is secondary
037based because that's what's been consistent measures over time. A lot of the elementary data has shifted as the assessments have shifted or its individual district base. But we use norm referenced nor uh criteria, nationally referenced criteria assessments in order to ensure that we're um have benchmarks with our internal metrics. And some of those assessments are listed directly in the literature or in the writing that I'll be submitting to the community tonight. Went to all staff at 8:00. I've lost track of what time it is now. And it's going to all community starting around 8:15 tonight. Uh we'll have it up on the website tomorrow and we'll be starting sending some targeted um correspondents to local media as well to see if they're interested in running that story. this might not be as important to them
038as it is to us, but we should be really proud of the district that we serve. I know I am. Um, and I'm very proud of our students and our staff, and I can't let this kind of organization be out there and not not defend the work of these fine people. So, with that, I'm happy to answer any questions from the board of education. It's not a traditional, you know, Q&A, but why not? >> Anybody? Uh, Lloyd Thank you, Dr. Adhold for um because I think most of us have seen some of these ads um while watching TV on YouTube or whatnot and I you know folks have reached out to um to some of us and said, "Hey, what's going on here?" Because it did seem um out of the ordinary. So, I appreciate
039you uh and the district um uh providing this information to everyone uh tonight. I did want to ask about the um the fourth grade number that they they keep using. Um and I know you mentioned Dr. Gold is working um there's a plan with like MT MTTS and and whatnot. If you just could go into a little bit more in terms of how those students who might be struggling um uh specific things that the district is um is doing to address that >> within the MTS program. If Barbara maybe you >> I'll defer to Dr. Gold. through our multi-tered systems of support. Um we utilize a three- tiered process. Um all of our students receive supports in the classroom first with teachers that are trained both in math and in literacy. Um teachers pull small
040groups of in for instruction. So as students might need additional supports or skill review, they might meet with a teacher several times a week in a small group and have that reinforcement uh within the classroom. In addition, we use um universal screeners. So, you know, all of our students are assessed through a MAP K through eight. Um and we use that to identify students that might need additional supports for a tier 2 support or a tier three. Um for those, we have interventionists throughout the district, uh K through 8, and then we use a slightly different method at the high school level, which I'll talk about in a second. Um, but our interventionists then provide a supplemental support, meaning that they pull students out of the classroom two to three times a week or more
041if they need u more intensified support, sometimes four to five times a week for 20 to 30 minutes outside of their reading or math block. So, it's a rotational basis. So, they're having their regular reading or math block and then they receive additional reading and or math in addition to that in order to supplement any um skills that they may need reinforcement with um to be supported. At the high school level, we use a slightly different way of identifying students. We use what's called an ABC method. So we look at students that might need support as a result of attendance issues or needs um behavioral andor needs or um academic or course failure or incomp completion and we use a variety of other interventions to be able to support them. Sometimes we provide what's called
042a supportive study hall. So, it's a small group study hall where they're um they meet with an additional teacher or a substitute teacher and they're able their teachers are able to send any additional work or reinforcement that they're able to do in there to complete that. They have school counselors that communicate with um parents and families as well as the administration communicates with families on their progress and we've had really great success with that. We also sometimes at the high school use um additional platforms. So we use um you know digital platforms to do reinforcement for students in terms of skillbased needs as well. Those are just some examples. In terms of SEAL, we also have our school counselors um that might be able to support students in small groups. They also pull students for
043different small groupoup supports as well as our um student assistance counselors might do that at the middle and the high school level. So they have small groups that they work with students for needs or one-on-one as needed. >> I should also just note and thank you Dr. Gold um that next board meeting the 28th of October is our annual testing presentation. One of the accusations is that we're not transparent. Um but um every school district in New Jersey has to give an annual testing presentation. There's certain requirements that have to be in it. As I said that we did this last year. Dr. Gold spoke for an hour on different testing. Um and this board asked almost 30 minutes a question um questions and answers. So it was a robust discussion. Uh this has happened
044annually and we can go back in our October meetings for as long as we've been recording and you'll find those there. Um but that's also not just true of us. That's true of school districts across New Jersey. Um, I would also say that our parents have access to their standardized assessments in the Genesis platform. Um, and we are required to mail them home uh to families and notify them of their school, their students scores. Uh, there's new literacy, there's new requirements about testing, uh, K5 K3 level, excuse me. Thank you. K3 level based on some of the new requirements that were passed and signed into law by Governor Murphy this past year. Um, and so there's new assessments and screening that are happening now. Um, but we have to be very mindful of what some
045of those assessments say. You know, there's a fluency screener right now, and I I like giving this example because our kids are quite amazing. Um, we just had two two examples. Uh, so you can understand how the assessment works. We had two kids fail uh the last fluency one read the entire test as a robot because he's seven and he thought but the the screening tool flagged him as failure. But I think that's highly creative and innovative. And he didn't get the words wrong. He just read it as a robot because he's seven. And and one student read the entire assessment backwards because they were bored. I think that sounds like someone who's gifted, not someone that's failing, but she read the entire assessment backwards. So we start they both failed by the fluency screener.
046So So like we have to take all this for a grain in a grain of salt. And when you start looking at some of the things that um Wakeup Call New Jersey is saying, you should also know that this is tied to another movement beyond a group called Go Beyond Grades. Go Beyond Grades, interestingly, also funded by the Overdeck Foundation is in several other states around the nation. And they have very similar, eerily similar billboards. In New Jersey, we're seeing Emma will never be a doctor. But in other states, they have Amelia will never be a doctor. Carter will never be an engineer. Noah will never be an architect. All based on a snapshot standardized assessment giving in one moment of time at a specific grade level. I just don't believe that children's um future
047outcomes are tied to one academic measure. And if you really want to look at this population of students, many of us as parents know that those fourth graders were were four years old at the time we shut down in COVID. Our fifth our sixth graders were our kindergarten babies in 1920. Right? The kids they're targeting are the very kids that some of these same companies made money on o offering tutoring and getting esser dollars at the federal level. And now they're pushing a platform of anti-public pro-forprofit education so that they can benefit on some of the same very federal dollars that are being pulled away from public schools across United States. The larger politics at play here is a defunding of public ed. And if we really look at what's happening at the federal level,
048we have to look at what's happening to Medicaid, right? $1 trillion dollars of Medicaid funding is coming off the books over the next 10 years as passed by the one big beautiful bill, right? That was signed on the 4th of July this year. Why do I raise that? I just submitted an op-ed on this very topic. Because when you talk about $1 trillion coming off the books, how that translates at the state level in New Jersey is somewhere between 3.5 and 5 billion. Well, the total New Jersey education budgets around 11 to 12 billion. So where does the state make up five billion 3.5 to five billion? Now, a chunk of chunk of that uh money goes to hospitals, about three billion or so annually in New Jersey goes to hospitals to supplement services for
049seniors, for those without health care. 40% of births are paid for through Medicaid. 40% of births are paid for Medicaid, by Medicaid by individuals that don't have insurance for the birth of their children. They're going to make this money up off the backs of pensions, school funding, and other large ticket items. And then you start putting in place voucher systems that are being p uh pushed right now, as well as privatization as well as for-profit education. And it's a it's a a movement to shift the balance sheet away from public ed towards for-profit away from public health towards private industry. It's a scary time period and elections matter. And I'll end with that. >> Thank you, Dr. Adderhold. Any other questions? Go ahead, Sha. >> I just had a question for Dr. Adder Hold or
050Dr. Gold. If there's parents um at home that may be concerned about their students struggling or need some help, you know, navigating through test scores, who do you recommend they reach out to? Should it be the classroom teacher, school counselor? >> Yeah, I mean f first and foremost, the relationship between classroom teacher and parent, right? So if there are assessments that have come home that if a family is not sure about um if if it's been administered by or during the year especially with respect to the classroom teacher should reach out to the teacher if there's larger questions at place respect to patterns concerns over multiple years partnership with the counselor partnership with the building administrator um and there are processes that exist in schools there's a um INRS committees um that exists there's There's
051groups of individuals and experts that come together to look at data. So I would just say as a parent myself, if I had a concern about my children, reach out to the teacher. You're not sure, you might need a sec, you want to keep asking, reach out to reach out to the counselor. You're just you want some additional clarity, reach out to the building administrator. We're here to support your children. So, we don't we're not uh we we encourage our families to reach out if they have a concern about the their academic uh development of their children. >> Thank you for the question. >> Um Liz, go ahead. >> Um Dr. Adel, thank you for providing us with this broader context and because it is alarming when we get all this type of notification and
052seeing it in all the different platforms. Uh, I was just curious whether there was any outreach before this was issued to the district to validate the information that they were about to issue. >> No, no, no outreach and that's not to my in my personal opinion that's not their play. >> They're not interested in any outreach to us. They're using WWP to sew political discontent of public education. It's a it's a sexy story to say one of the best districts in the nation has this test score and it leads to questions like if that's happening there >> what's happening in my town >> and that's exactly in my opinion what they're trying to do >> and I um also just appreciate Dr. like comments and yours as well about um looking at children beyond that
053one point in time as a fourth grader and allowing children to develop and find themselves and navigate. It's very complicated and to it's it's very unfair to pigeon hole children in that way and not giving them, you know, the hope and the encouragement to see themselves beyond a score. Appreciate that. Now, and and for all of our programs that require entrance assessments, we use multiple measures so that it's not one assessment that defines them, but we look at a profile of a student as we're determining entrance into honors uh and accelerated programming. >> Go ahead, Louisa. >> So, while there's the broader framework at play, every time I see one of the ads, it is annoying nonetheless. So I am now going to add a tagline on the end of it. So it says that
054while that 34% of West Windsor Plainsboro students are below whatever they call it, I'm going to add the line compared to the statewide level of 60%. Okay, so that statistic actually says that we do substantially better than the statewide average. And so they've written it in a way that it sounds negative. If you add that tagline on which gives you a point of reference, we sound pretty good. So add that in your head if they start annoying you. >> And and I would just encourage to Louise's point, look at the data that's provided and look at the state average, the national average in WWP. You know, almost was it 22 or 23% of our seniors qualify for some form of national merit. It's absurd. That's a crazy number. That's not what happens in other place
055places. That's just not what happens. So again, our students distinguish themselves over and over again. It's why colleges and universities know our name and no one's buying what Wakeup Call New Jersey selling. They're just an annoyance to Louisa's point. >> Go ahead, >> Dana. Please. >> I just um wanted to add I'm not sure it's clear for every everyone and who's listening that um where where they got the data. I think it's the New Jersey performance um performance reports which are publicly available and actually come out um in spring. >> That's correct. >> So you can just start >> publicly available data and we're not we're not hiding from the data but we >> and and you can see it by individual school as well. So >> yes, you can um and just uh with
056respect to their campaign um I have now gone to several businesses about the flyers on their on their buildings. Um, every single company I've spoke to, when I asked them why did they choose to put that up, they said, "Well, someone came and said, can they put something up about the schools, they had no idea what was really in front of their stores, what it stood for, and what it represented. And every time I asked them, you know, why would you put something up that's misleading and is an incomplete story?" The immediate response was, "Would you like me to take it take it down?" To which I said, "Yes, I would because I think it sends an incorrect and incomplete message to our community." And they all took it down. So, everyone I spoke to,
057so I would encourage members of our public, question the businesses, and question where you spend your dollars. And why would a business that's in our community think that it's a good idea to put disparaging information up about a school district? I'd like to add that they've also gone to businesses without asking owners permission. That's correct. >> To put up flyers and brochures because I've personally taken them down and after double-checking with the owner. >> Any other questions? >> You were about to say >> I was just going to say it's it's also interesting who they're targeting, which businesses. It's not the CVS's of the world. It's local companies primarily owned by immigrant owners, cleaners, uh, restaurants, pizzeras. Um, it's it's hardworking individuals that think they're supporting the schools because they're being asked to put something
058up about the district. They truly every single one was a gasast when I started talking about what it really is about. >> Uh, thank you, Dr. Adhold. Thank you. >> Um I don't have any questions, but I I do want to add my two cents. Um I think it's infuriating to see these fear-mongering tactics by this organization uh funded by a lot of money, a lot of money trying to discredit these already underfunded public schools for the purpose of political or financial gain. However, that said, I am confident that our community can withstand the storm. Uh, but I just worry about other districts out there that are going to be targeted next. With that, it is time for our first opportunity for public comments. Uh, the board invites thoughts and reactions on agenda items and
059items of concern from members of our community who are present. Each participant is asked to give his or her name and address prior to making a statement which will be limited to three minutes in accordance with board policy 0167. All statements shall be m directed to the presiding officer. This public comment period shall be limited to 60 minutes. Do we have anyone from the audience who would like to make a public comment? Seeing none, uh move to close this public comment period. And uh we have not met as uh committees so there will be no committee reports and that means we can move on to the very exciting voting portion of our meeting. Um I know you're all waiting for that. Um can I get a motion for administration items numbers one through three? Uh
060Dana and Liz, any questions or comments? >> Okay, we'll start with Miss Krug. >> Yes. >> Miss Jenniera. >> Yes. >> Miss Hoe. >> Yes. Miss Maliga, >> yes. >> Mr. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Miss Sha, >> yes. >> Miss Shetty, >> yes. >> Miss Bonsel, >> yes. >> Miss Mcuan, >> yes. >> Can I get a motion for curriculum and instruction item number one? Uh, Ly and Puja. Uh, any questions or comments? >> Okay. Okay. We'll start we'll start with Miss Maliga. >> Yes. >> Miss Shetty. >> Yes. >> Miss Chennera. >> Yes. >> Miss Ho. >> Yes. >> Miss Grooves. >> Yes. >> Mr. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Miss Sha. >> Yes. Miss Bonsel. >> Yes. >> Miss McAu. >> Yes. Can I get a motion for finance items numbers 1 through 10?
061Uh, Louisa and Paul. Any questions or comments? >> Okay, we'll start with Miss Hoe. >> Yes. >> Mr. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Miss Shaw, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. >> Miss Krug, >> yes. >> Miss Maliger, >> yes. >> Miss Shetty, >> yes. >> Miss Bonsel, >> yes. >> Miss Mcuan, >> yes. Can I get a motion for personnel items numbers one? uh number one plus the green and yellow agenda. Uh Schwatha and Liz, any questions or comments? >> Okay, we'll start with Miss Shetty. >> Yes. >> Miss Chenniera, >> yes. >> Miss Ho, >> yes. >> Miss Cruz, >> yes. >> Miss Maliga, >> yes. >> Mr. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Miss Shaw, >> yes. >> Miss Bonsil, >> yes. >> Miss Mcuan, >> yes. Um, and actually before we move on, I'd
062like to recognize a couple of retirements that we just approved. First is Karen Des Sanctus. She's our high school north language arts teacher who um has uh retiring after 31 and a half years at WWP. And we also have uh Leslie Jamarie, a town center teacher resource specialist for instruction and intervention who is retiring after 20 and a half years in district. So, we'd like to congratulate you both and wish you well in your retirement and new adventures. And next, I'd like to move on and ask for a motion to approve board of education minutes from September 16th. Uh, Ajanta and Ly. Uh, all in favor say I. >> I. U., looks like an abstension. So, um, do we have any board leazison reports? Go ahead, Dana. >> Okay. Um I'm a little overwhelmed tonight.
063So, um I want to thank everyone um because I really couldn't have gotten this um recognition without having worked with so many um smart, thoughtful people over the 14 and a half years I've been on the board. Um, so I want to thank you all because that's that's um what helped me throughout this um tenure. So um like I said, I'm a little overwhelmed, but I did want to talk about um Mercer County Schoolboard Association and thank you Gaylin for reminding me and also thank you for coming to our last meeting which was on um September 18th at Lawrence High School. And um we were all treated to a very informative um panel discussion on artificial intelligence which um featured our WWP tech director Peter James and um it was well attended and we got
064to ask a lot of questions. Um our next meeting for Mercer County School Board Association is Thursday, November 20th and that's at Trenton High School. Um and that's a panel of two finance administrators including our um our finance person which is um Derek Meade and um there's opportunity to ask all kinds of questions about how school how schools build um budgets and any other kinds of questions related to that. And as always there's an inerson and um an online component. So if you don't want to go out that night you can sign up and watch from from your own computer. So, um, please consider joining us. It should be a a very informative evening. Thanks. >> Thanks, Nina. Uh, yeah, I got to see her in action as president of the Mercer County School Board
065Association. So, that was that was the pleasure. Um, what are you gonna say? Oh, that's right. And you mentioned um uh register um for the virtual. Actually, if you register and you can't actually watch it live, they will send you a recording. So that was a tip that uh Karen gave me that night and um that was a great AI panel discussion which is a nice segue to encouraging everybody to sign up for the lunch and learn parent university coming up which I believe is on October 24th but you can check your email that was sent on September 26th our superintendence um update the the link to register is there and as always so many great topics are given and shared at the parent universities. So, if you can't make it uh at the same
066time, that's totally fine. But you should check out the website, the district website because the recordings and materials are there on the website. You have to navigate to departments counseling and then parent university and you can find so many resources there. I know we're all super super busy um but it is very helpful uh to to view and learn from experts um in and out of the district. Uh any other leazison reports? Go ahead, Liz. >> This is not related to the PTSA leazison, but we know that the PTSAs have been very active and already uh gearing up for the school year. But I did just want to um make a comment with regard to like the election year coming up. I very much appreciated the the email that was sent out to the 12th
067graders from um Mrs. Seini, the K through 12 supervisor social studies encouraging um you know the it was a very good message to 12th graders and parents about the the importance of voting in any election. It was very neutral messaging and recognized the importance and it also walked them through resources on how to register to vote. And I thought the timing was great because sometimes um students when they're in 12th grade don't realize that they could vote. So it was um very much appreciated because I know that there were some folks who asked what does the school district do to encourage voting in an election and the right to vote. Thank you. >> Thanks Liz. Uh any other reports? Okay. Uh any new business? Nope. And a second opportunity for public comments. The board invites
068comments from members of our community who are present. Each participant is asked to give his or her name and address prior to making a statement which will be limited to three minutes in accordance with board policy 0167. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. This public comment period shall be limited to 15 minutes. Anyone from the audience who would like to make a public comment tonight? Seeing none, I'll close this public comment period and move to adjourn. Can I get a motion to adjourn tonight's meeting? Uh, Loy and Ajanta. Um, all those in favor say I. >> I. Well, thank you everyone for uh attending. [Music]