001Good evening. We'll call this meeting to order. Roll call, please, Mr. Mustariel. Obi Akafor. Mr. Bono. Here. Mr. Fiocchi. >> Here. Mr. Harris. Here. Mrs. Perez. Here. Mr. Santiago. Present. Mr. Silva. Mrs. Vasquez. Here. Mr. Rivera. Here. Mr. Holmes. Here. In compliance with the New Jersey Open Public Meeting Law, commonly referred to as the Sunshine Law, the Vineland Board of Education has caused notice and posting of this meeting to present to the following announcing time, place, agenda, etc. The Daily Journal, SNJ Today, The Press of Atlantic City, Vista Bueno, the clerk for the city of Vineland, and the administrative office public bulletin board. Sabatier will now come up to lead us in the flag salute. Please stand. >> [applause] [laughter] [applause] >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Okay, Scott, is there a
002resolution for executive session? There is none. Thank you. Interim Superintendent Dr. McCann, special presentations, please. Good evening. This evening there's a special presentation. Ms. Jackie Roman Alvarez, supervisor of world languages, will recognize Mrs. Vlada Jackson for receiving the American Council of Teachers of Russian Excellence Award for 2026. >> [applause] >> Good evening, President Holmes, Acting Superintendent Dr. McCann, and members of the Board Once again, I'm Jackie Alvarez, supervisor of multilingual learners, world languages, and 9 through 12 performing arts for the Vineland Public School District. And tonight, it is my honor to recognize Ms. Vlada Jackson, our 9 through 12 Russian teacher and former ESL educator, who has received the 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Council of Teachers of Russian. At this time, I would like to share excerpts from the official letter
003announcing this recognition. The American Council of Teachers of Russian is pleased to announce Vlada Jackson as a recipient of the ACTR Excellence in Teaching Russian Award for 2026. Vlada began her career as a professor of English at Kherson State University in Ukraine. In 1999, she and her young daughter arrived in the United States, where Vlada quickly set about earning her teaching certificate. She began teaching Russian and English at New Jersey's Vineland High School in 2001, where for the past 25 years, she has built a reputation among students and colleagues as a devoted and tireless educator. At Vineland, Vlada has a reputation among students and colleagues as a devoted and tireless educator. She has spearheaded the development of a robust Russian program. Vlada started the Vineland's Russian Club, and the chapter of Slav the National School
004Slavic Honor Society. And she has prepared numerous students for the ACTR National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. Under her guidance, students at Vineland have taken the prototype AP Russian exam and seal of biliteracy tests. Vlada has encouraged her students to take their Russian skills to the next level, participating in study abroad programs facilitated by the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. In addition to her exceptional work in the classroom, Vlada has also been a very act has been very active in the wider professional community. Beginning in 2012, she participated in STARTALK in a STARTALK program for Russian and Chinese teachers facilitated by the University of Iowa. First, as a participant and then as a program instructor. She and colleagues helped develop the first digital library of learning objects for the study
005of Russian, featuring resources for teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening, and culture to both second language learners and heritage learners. In 2020, Vlada was chosen to serve as the ETS Praxis Russian Development Advisory Committee on on that committee and the National Advisory Committee helping to develop the Praxis certification exam for K-12 Russian teachers. Outside of school, Vlada has been a resource for many Ukrainian and Russian students and their families. She has provided essential translation services and has been instrumental in assisting dozens of refugees who have sought asylum in Cumberland County during the Russian-Ukrainian War. Vlada's rec- record of exceptional teaching and service led her to being selected as the Vineland High School Teacher of the Year in 2025. Moreover, she has been nominated by her students for the National Society of High School Scholars as a
006Class of Nobel Educator of Distinction for the last 2 years in a row. Her reputation among students and families and colleagues is that of an organized, dedicated, and compassionate educator. On behalf of ACTR, the K-12 Awards Committee congratulates Vlada Jackson on as being the recipient of the ACTR Award. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Jackson on this well-deserved honor and celebrating this proud moment [applause] for our district. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Mrs. DeMarche and Ms. Cat Rivera will recognize CTE programs. I'll take a few moments to talk about Vlada. We started in 2001 here at Landis School and when we had started the uh small learning community for the bilingual students. It started here with Dr. Kuipers and Vlada Jackson was so instrumental in developing that for the students that came here from other
007countries. And the beautiful part about of it is that her story is the story that happened here in the United States, according to Ms. Alvarez. But her backstory is amazing. Come get getting out of the Soviet Union and getting here to this country is something that she'll That's her story to tell sometime. You could write a book. It's amazing how she did what she did and she was a superstar here. As you could tell, she was Teacher of the Year at Landis School. She was a role model for students that were really deprived and really brought them up and had them succeed. So, I as principal when I got here with Vlada and the person that brought Vlada to me was Ms. Millie Ramos, who was the supervisor at the time. And she says, "Dr.
008McCann" or Tom McCann, whatever she called me, >> [clears throat] >> "We have someone that's really unbelievable." And you are. Thank you. Nice round of applause for Vlada Jackson. You got to feel a few [applause] words. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm definitely very honored. I am as my career is ending at the end of this calendar year, I couldn't wish for for more. You know, it's a very very strong standing and there's one very famous Russian producer and he has a very famous quote and it says, "It's a talent to know when to leave." So, this is my moment to take a bow as I'm leaving. Thank you so much. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Mr. Marchi, Ms. Rivera, please. Thanks. Good evening. Good evening, Mr. Holmes, President, Vice President Mr. Rivera, members
009of the Board of Education, Dr. McCann, central administration, and members of the community. This evening, we will share the continued growth and impact of our career and technical education programs at Vineland High School. Our CTE programs provide students with hands-on learning experiences, industry-recognized certifications, dual credit opportunities, and well and real-world career pathways that prepare them for success beyond high school. From health science and construction trades to graphic design, agriculture, automotive, and informational technology, our students are developing the technical expertise and workplace skills necessary to thrive in high-demand fields. From the middle school CTE exposure, the success of our CTE Student Store, the annual CTE Carnival, and our pursuit of the PACE Grant that Ms. Rivera will be discussing shortly, all demonstrate our commitment to building strong, aligned career pathways for our students. At this time,
010it's my privilege to introduce Ms. Katherine Rivera, our Career and Technical Education Science Supervisor. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Mrs. DeMarche. Good evening, Board, community members. Um I'm excited to be here to talk about our CTE programs. So, I also have a few staff and students that are going to join me and talk about their experiences and their programs. So, what is CTE? Career and technical education equips our students with industry-aligned skills, hands-on experiences, and career exploration opportunities that prepare students for either post-secondary education, technical training, or entry right into the workforce. So, why is CTE valuable in high school? Students develop career-ready skills, they explore career pathways, engage in hands-on learning, and we bridge education and work. And the one unique thing about our school in particular is if a student goes into a
011program into year one and decides that is not what, you know, they expected and they want to try something else, we offer them that opportunity the following year to explore another program. Uh some reasons why a student should take CTE courses at Vineland High School. So, we are affiliated with colleges for students to earn college credit. We partner with RCSJ, Rutgers University, Stockton University, and Delaware Valley University. Our students are able to earn industry-recognized certifications that they can take along with them after graduation. And some of them they can earn Photoshop using Adobe program. In automotive, there are nine ASE certifications they can test for. We can earn OSHA, CPR, NOCTI, AutoCAD, and Cisco. And the last reason why you should take a course is you get work-based learning experience. And as Mr. Marchi said,
0123 years ago we started introducing CTE into middle school and it's a 30-day block that students take and they learn and explore each of the programs that we offer at the high school. So, here I have listed what they learn in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. And just talking to the students and some of the principals, it's one of the courses that the students really enjoy taking. So, these are the current programs that we offer at Vineland High School, and we are definitely looking to pursue and expand this list in the near future. So, now we'll talk about each of the programs, and if one of the staff members are here, I'll introduce them for them to talk. So, first we have Miss Castellini to talk about our agriculture program. Uh good evening. I'm Anneliese
013Castellini, the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Vineland High School. We currently have four agriculture classes that students are able to take throughout their high school career. These four classes make up our agriculture pathway and span a range of industries including plant science, food science, and floral design. We also have articulation agreements for our courses with multiple with multiple universities. But tonight, I would like to highlight other opportunities our students are engaging in alongside our daily content. All agriculture students are also members of our FFA chapter. Our chapter offers many opportunities from leadership to career exploration. Most recently, I took 20 students, and we attended the New Jersey FFA winter career competitions, where four teams competed in different industry areas such as food science and agriculture business management. These competitions were held at the New
014Jersey agriculture convention in Atlantic City. As students after their competitions were able to explore the trade show and meet those that work within the agriculture industry. It was a great way for our students to to connect with real industry professionals. Many businesses from Vineland were there as well. Within FFA, students are also gaining hands-on experience providing flowers with our floral design program for many school events. Students prep and design flowers for events such as athletic banquets. We did the track banquet the other day. Prom, which is coming up, and honors banquets. This allows students real experience without having to leave the classroom. Students take pride in seeing their work displayed when they attend these events. Lastly, one of our favorite hands-on learning experiences I would like to highlight is growing our spring plant sale growing
015flowers in our greenhouse. We have a beautiful greenhouse that was built 4 years ago. Um soon, very soon, I'm getting the itch, students are going to start seeding and transplanting flowers in our greenhouse. We're currently cleaning it out and pressure washing. It's been a little messy. All funds during this sale cover costs for FFA competitions cuz we do fundraise to cover all our costs. Uh when students see their plants go from seed to crop, it really gives them great joy in seeing that finished product. Um Students are also learning during this crop care, maintenance, customer service when it comes to our sales. Um and this is my shameless plug to say keep an eye out for our spring plant sale, which is going to be around the first couple weeks of May. Thank you. >>
016[applause] >> Thank you, Mrs. Castellini. Next, we have AFJROTC, and we have Cadet Gonzalez and Miss Maller. Good evening, board members, and good evening, uh community. My name is Miss Maller. I am one of the Air Force JROTC instructors. In order to tell you what we do in Air Force JROTC, we are a cadet-led, instructor-guided program. So, I'm going to get to show you what we do. I'm going to turn this over to our cadet commander, Gonzalez. Good evening. The our unit NJ2009-1 has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to developing responsible, disciplined, and motivated young leaders. Through participation in drill competitions, community service events, color guard presentations, and leadership training activities, cadets gain unforgettable life skills that extend far beyond the classroom. The unit fosters teamwork, accountability, and respect while encouraging strive for academic and
017personal success. One of our outstanding qualities of NA NJ2009-1 is the strong commitment to serving their community. So far, we have completed 1,571 hours of community service. Our cadets supporting local events, assisting veteran organizations, presenting the colors at ceremonies, volunteering at school functions, and participating in civic activities through Vineland. The consistent involvement of our cadets reflect their dedication to the program's emphasis on service before self. Many cadets find that AFJROTC strengthens their resumes, college applications, scholarship opportunities, and overall preparedness for future careers, whether in the military or civilian fields. Additionally, if cadets choose a military route after high school, they earn stripes depending on how long cadets stay in AFJROTC. 3 years equals three stripes, and so that equates to a pay raise in any military branch. Through dedicated service and leadership development, the program
018remains a powerful opportunity for young people to grow into responsible, motivated, and community-minded leaders. >> [applause] >> Thank you. So, for automotive, we offer auto tech one, two, and three, and the auto tech program is ASE certified, and that means it has successfully completed a rigorous national review process to ensure that our curriculum, equipment, and instruction uh meets the industry standard. So, our students are able to take nine certification exams that they can take with them into the workforce. They also are able to earn OSHA certification, and we are we have a relationship with the Subaru University as well as the Ford ACE training, where we have access to their equipment, and if our students choose to, they can get a special certification with Subaru or with Ford if they choose to. For business, we
019have Miss Kay Cronk. Good evening, board members and community. My name is Kay Cronk, and I'm the CTE department head at the VHS Acelta building, as well as the business management teacher this year at the Acelta building. For our business management one and two classes, which are dual credit through RCSJ, our students learn real-world skills. They do the same thing in our accounting and our marketing classes with Miss Canzic. Um real-world marketable skills is what we aim to teach our students so that way when they graduate from Vineland High School, they actually have something to provide to the local businesses when they go out into the community. They learn um how business is already impacting their lives and about future career choices. No matter what um these students choose to do as their career, whether
020they choose to be an artist, a doctor, an engineer, business is all around them is what we try to teach and impart to our students, and through whether it be the accounting class, uh which is two levels, um management and marketing the same thing, these students learn that it's all around them and in their daily lives, and they're already participating in actively in business. So, these classes really allow them to see how that they can engage in other aspects regardless of what they choose at the next level. And understanding how accounting, marketing, and management go together gives our students a massive head start over other students who unfortunately haven't had the great opportunity to take our CTE classes. Thank you. >> [applause] >> CAD, which is computer-aided design, Mr. FilgiAmri. Good evening, board members. Good
021evening, community. And my name is FilgiAmri. I'm the computer-aided design instructor at Vineland High School. I'm also the architectures teacher. Uh we have four levels, CAD one, two, and three, and then architecture at the level four. Um My students participate in a technology student association, where they solve real-world problems. Uh my current students at level one design a CO2 cart car. So, some of you may have remembered that when you were in high school. Um but it's a fun little program. They actually get to design it, they get to create it, they get to manufacture it, and we get to test it. At my level two and three, uh those students are designing a turn signal for an electric bike. We're trying to solve electric bike being so fast and a hazard to the community
022that we wanted headlights and turn signals. That was our theme. Again, real-world problems and how to solve them. So, they are creating that right now. They're doing the circuit boards, and they are creating the lights. Now, all of this is in a virtual world, but at the same time they're getting that hands-on and accurate learning of what it takes to manufacture something. My architecture students are designing a train station uh well, it's an existing train station, converting it to a community center, which can consist of a a senior center and a small community uh museum. Uh so, many of my students uh not only participate in the TSA program, but they also participate with RCSJ uh ACE program. So, as the liaison for Vineland for the ACE program there uh at the county level, uh
023we have offered so many scholarships. I have four students, former students, in Vineland right now just about to sit for the architectural exam. One is in Cape May County, uh four in Vineland and two are in North Jersey just alone. Plus, I'm fortunate enough to say that a many of Atlantic City uh electric companies' engineers are Vineland graduates as well. It's a program that's thriving. It's a fun program, and thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Mr. Giambri. So, construction trades, we offer construction trades one, two, and three. Students um are able to take this as start taking construction as sophomores. It's a very hands-on um class where they gain knowledge in carpentry, mostly carpentry, but they also touch on electrical work, plumbing, masonry, um and the main focus is always safety, teamwork, and use
024of tools, things that they will need out in the industry. Um students are also able to earn the OSHA certification, and we are affiliated with the Thomas Edison University and Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center. If our students successfully complete all 3 years at Vineland High School, they are able to uh earn credit when they apply at either one of those uh schools. Graphic design, we have Ms. Lorraine Griffith. Hi, thank you for having me. Um before I speak about graphic design, I want to talk about how and why I came to Vineland High School. I'm just going to give you a brief um little review. So, I used to actually come speak to Vineland High School when I worked full-time for the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles. I worked for the Philadelphia Eagles for
02510 years as a graphic designer, and I would come in and speak to their graphic design students about design. I would showcase what I did on a day-to-day basis. And what I would tell the students is everywhere you look, a sign, a poster, a billboard, a vehicle wrap, everything is design. And it's all about visual communication. After um the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, I started doing a lot of college and school visits. I came to Vineland, and I really liked working with the students. So, I decided to end my full-time design career and come on board and teach that skill set because to me, I feel like giving back is the greatest gift. When you see that those kids are um utilizing the skills that you teach them every day, it really resonates
026with you. I feel like that's the that's the biggest takeaway from my job every day. Um the CCE department as a whole, we're a pretty neat group because we've all worked in our industry before we've started in education. So, I'm a 20-year graphic designer. I worked full-time as a graphic designer for 17 years. Um because I've had really good relationships with different organizations and corporate sponsors, I'm able to bring those into the classroom. So, for example, last year, we actually had somebody from Wawa corporate come in, and my graphic design three students not only built the Wawa logo, they rebuilt it, but they had to pitch it to Wawa. Like they were giving a presentation. So, it gave them real-life experience. They're not only designers, but they're also marketers. So, the nice thing about our
027program is we have um different what do you call pathways where we can talk to each other and work together. So, even with the CTE carnival, which most of you came to, my students designed those t-shirts and um we did the signage, and you know, we work with the other teachers that are also creating. So, that's the biggest thing I think that we gift here at Vineland High School is you're getting career technical education without going to a technical high school. Um something great about graphic design here is that they can get certifications in Photoshop or Illustrator. Uh this year, I believe we're going to be doing Illustrator. Um making relationships with colleges that I attended and colleges that work with our school, we're also able to do dual credit with some of those programs.
028Um but just to go over our courses, graphic design one is intro level. It's basis of Photoshop and Illustrator. Once this the students learn that skill set, they can go to graphic design two, which is a little bit more. We go into screen printing. We talk about different media. We talk about production. Graphic design three, you're working on actual projects for the school. So, this year um we're doing a vehicle wrap for the Vineland um public schools. Our students are working on that now for three, and we're also going to be working on the hall theme um event this year. So, thank you for having me. I'm really excited and passionate about this program, and I really enjoy working with all of your kids. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Ms. Griffith. Um for so, for
029health science, we are in our third year of implementation, and the courses our students are able to take elements of health care, medical terminology, legal and ethical issues in health care. All three courses are dual credit certified with RCSJ. So, our students can earn up to nine credits after taking and being successful in those courses. We have also partnered with RCSJ um for four different pathways, and our students are able to go for the CNA path, CCMA path, farm tech, or medical assistant um track. And also this year, our level three students will earn their CPR certification. That's good. For information technology, we offer introduction to programming and AP computer science principles by design. Um we also have a articulation agreement with RCSJ for cybersecurity. We do not have any instructors who are certified to
030teach that track, but we do have if students take some of our technology courses along with um the courses that they offer at RCSJ, which they can take either online or in person, uh the students can earn I believe up to 28 uh college credits for that program. And in addition to that, they're able to get a many different industry uh certifications. Cisco and CompTIA are two out of the four that they can earn. Studio production, we have Ms. Kelly Pritchett. We're almost there. There's a lot of programs, actually. Good evening, everyone. Um I like a little crowd participation. So, how many people actually stay after a movie to watch the credits? Okay. Those are jobs. And what I try to force to the board, thank you first of all for hearing me. Um what
031I try to stress to my students is whatever your niche is, there's an opportunity for you in the film industry and the broadcasting industry. It goes beyond just being the director, the actor, um the editor, and things like that. You need electricians on a film set because every light the watts don't actually you can't just plug it into a certain outlet and things like that. So, you need craft services and things like that. So, it's not just a one-size-fits-all type of industry. Um and that's the beauty of studio production. Um what we do is we're a dual credit program. Um I've had students go on to NYU, the film school of school uh film with full ride scholarships. Right now, we have students working on uh an alumni of Vineland High School has had um
032a genuine genuine uh donation of a $5,000 scholarship to a student from studio production to continue their career and things like that. Um we do the NOCTI exam. We've had students pass that, so they have industry certified um certifications and things like that. So, I admonish you when you watch the credits, actually look at who's actually working. Um because they're long, but that's what I try to stress to my students. You don't have to be a one-size-fits-all type of deal. It is an industry where it it it it can be tailored to you and things like that. Um Sorry, my notes went out. Uh but that's um that's really what I try try get to. Uh New Jersey has a tax credit for a tax credit for film and industry. Martin Scorsese was just here
033who is who did like crazy films and things like that. Um, if you're not familiar with who Martin Scorsese is, he was like in Franklinville. He was here doing film. So, this is an area where it's possible to have your students grow and have your students learn and things like that. And my goal is just to get my students to branch out, learn something else, and to be the best citizens of society that they can be. So, I think studio production is an absolute outlet for them because sometimes they don't get that outlet. Sometimes you don't know when they're going to put a camera in their hand and things like that. Um, and I didn't think when I was in high school when I took this class, I didn't think I was going to go
034on to do it, but I did it. Um, I didn't think this was the outlet. So, I think it's a beautiful program. Um, we're doing fun things. We do the morning announcements. Um, they don't always go off right. Sometimes we're scrambling to try to figure things out, but that's a part of the process. So, um, yeah, studio that's my program. I'm more of the unconventional teacher. I'm more of the fun teacher, but um, that's my program and my goal is honestly to get them to a level where they can be productive members of society and things like that. So, thank you for your time. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Miss Pritchett. And she actually also does work in the industry on the weekends and in the summer. All right. So, this year uh, we opened
035and started a CTE student store and Miss Castellini will briefly tell you a little bit about that. Thank you. Sorry, you get to hear me yap again as the kids would say. Um, so one of our most recent exciting developments at VHS is the opening of our CTE school store. Brooke Kenzig is our CTE marketing teacher. She couldn't be here tonight, but she asked me to say a few words about the store. Um, this store is really a showcase of all of our CTE classes, all of us who talked. This store is student run and student designed. This space in the Aselta cafeteria, formerly known as the Roo store, was transformed into a new and vibrant display of student work. Students in our graphic design classes are still designing and making merchandise to sell such
036as shirts, tote bags, hats, and there's more I'm forgetting. Um, my students are agriculture students. We sell potted plants, uh, fresh flowers, and other decor. Uh, our construction trades classes were a big help in the beginning with installing uh, the new displays. And they also provide student made student made cutting boards and propagation stations that we work with to put plants in. The marketing students designed promotional materials and research and price items to sell within the store. We are currently open two days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All CTE students have the opportunity to apply and be trained as a student worker. Miss Kenzig reviews their grades and attendance for all workers. Working in the school store is treated like a job and students can earn one service learning hour per worked shift. Unfortunately,
037we treat it like a real job, so we've had to fire a few students, but we learn this as a use this as a learning opportunity and review workplace expectations that students would encounter in the real world. They do have the opportunity to earn their job back. This CTE school store is something we hope to grow and expand over the next few years and the response has been amazing from our school and community and our students are proud to see their work displayed in this new tradition at VHS. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Before I forget, all the board members should have received a CTE booklet and that was designed by Miss Griffith in about 24 hours. Um, so we created that for students, parents, and it's located in the guidance office. Guidance is always
038telling us you have so many classes, so many programs. The kids want to learn more about them. So, this is just more informational um, for everyone to use as they're picking their courses. So, this year we had our third annual CTE carnival and this is an event that we have for our ninth graders. Um, most of the courses in CTE they can't take until they're sophomore year. So, this is a great opportunity for our freshmen before they do course selection to come through, see our program, see our classrooms, talk to our teachers, um, talk to some of the upper class level students. And we made it into a carnival theme and in each classroom there is carnival themed game. So, for example, our AP computer science students um, made a program of one of those
039like little eight balls where you ask it a question and it says yes, no, or maybe. So, students would ask a question, hit a button on a computer, and it would give them the answer. And each program uh, picks a game and it's just very successful. Students look forward to it and so does our staff. And the last thing I'm going to talk about is a grant that we are currently applying for. It's through the New Jersey Department of Labor and it's called the PACE grant. It's the pre-apprenticeship in career education. It's very competitive. It's up to $5 million and there are it's not just for schools. It's for anyone in the state of New Jersey. So, we are actually focusing on our health science and construction trades program. We are partnering with RCSJ for
040the certified nursing assistant program as well as the certified clinical medical assistant programs. And with South Jersey Tech for their electrical or HVAC programs. And this grant will pay for all the tuition, all the fees, books, and transportation for our students. So, we're going to be actively recruiting current juniors who will be seniors next year who are interested. And the the whole grant is getting this pre-apprenticeship through South Jersey Tech and RCSJ, but then going directly into the workforce. So, it's a Department of Labor. So, we're looking for partners beyond RCSJ and South Jersey Tech after our students successfully graduate these programs for them to interview and possibly give them work. So, we're looking for Inspira, maybe the city of Vineland with the electrical utility departments to assist us with that. So, thank you guys
041for everything, for all your support, and thank you to my team. As you can see, we all love each other and we collaborate on everything we do. Um, they're very professional. They have a lot of experience to share with our students and I'm fortunate enough to work with them. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Does anybody have any questions about any of our programs? Thank you. Thank you. I have a question for you. Do you invite any local businesses, organizations, companies, you know, from the Vineland Industrial Park or anywhere locally in Cumberland County to possibly be a part of, you know, the CTE program to maybe partnership with, uh, give you up-to-date trends on the industry, stuff like that? Like do we collaborate with any of the local businesses? I know that many of our teachers
042are always reaching out to local businesses and looking for partnerships. Um, I know that within our ag program, um, bringing in culinary experts, um, as well. I see lots of heads shaking, but yes, we do. We are always looking for partners. We are always bringing um, our community members into um, assist us with the newest and latest trends. Um, so we are always also um, seeking professional development to learn about the newest trends within our own field. I know we have Miss Pritchett who actually works right in the field on the weekends and um, in the summer. So, she's always bringing back um, to her students um, all of those amazing opportunities uh, to our students in the classrooms. Awesome. Thank you. I have a quick question, Mr. Marchi. Yes. Close by district who I
043won't name, they have a criminal justice program. Is that something we're looking into here? Absolutely. It is something that we are Miss Rivera and I have talked about this quite often. Um, but we would like to extend it and call it more of a first responder program. We'd like to have branches of not just law enforcement, but also fire, EMS, and even bringing in possible dispatch opportunities. So, yes, we are. It's something that we've continued to talk about and it is something that we would like to add a page to our booklet um in the very near future. That's very Thank you. We just created a student survey that we're going to send out. We have a survey that we are going to be sending out, and I will um be very transparent. This uh
044what we have learned from our students is not only is law enforcement very popular, but we are also looking at culinary is very popular among our students, but cosmetology is also very very popular amongst our students. So, um it is definitely uh programs that we're going to be looking at in the very near future. Um but yes, law enforcement, fire, EMS, they're all programs first responder programs that we would like to bring to Vineland High School. Wonderful. Thank you. Any further questions or comments? Thank you. Ms. Vasquez has certificates to give out. Please come up, take a picture. One to stand up here. Yep. Okay. Here, we'll just stand Thank you. Just stand here. Yeah. Hello. Thank you. Would you like to That's fine. We'll do it first. We'll get a picture. Everybody loves a
045good picture. Then my stuff's in here. So, they were with me. Well, then let me hand them out if everybody's ready. Just stand in front. Thank you for your You guys And you guys can come together. I'll do so. Good morning. All right. Wonderful. Thank you. Our final presentation will be centered around the desired characteristics of the successor superintendent as we continue our search. >> that good. As we discussed before, our focus groups uh came together to gather in-depth qualitative input from diverse stakeholders, um and you'll hear from them tonight. To assist with the identification of the skills and characteristics required for the district's next educational leader, the Vineland Board of Education sought input from students, parents, staff, and community members via focus groups, interviews, community forums, and digital input process. Based on this input,
046the desired characteristics for the new superintendent as expressed by the various stakeholder groups centered around strong instructional leadership, deep community engagement, and sound operational and financial expertise. You'll hear from those focus group um leaders tonight. First will be representing VASS's bargaining unit, which consists of our administrators and supervisors. Tonight representing them will be uh VHS Tanner Principal, Mr. Justin Adams. Good evening uh to our board, Superintendent McCann, um and our members of our community. I am Justin Adams, VHS Tanner Principal. Um this is the first time that President Holmes has asked me to come up to speak, so you're very very brave man cuz you never know what I'm going to say. Um but I just uh before I get into everything, special shout-out to the VHS teachers that came out. We have some incredible
047incredible individuals. Um not just great teachers, >> [applause] >> this is what I was talking about, Mr. Holmes. Uh they're not just great teachers, but they're phenomenal human beings as well, and they're really leading our students uh in the best direction possible. Mr. Rivera says it all the time, we have some of the best people working right here in Vineland, and that is 100% uh true. So, I'll get into what I was told to do now. Uh but on behalf of VASS, uh we would like to thank the board, President Holmes, um and everyone else as part of the stakeholder group for facilitating this focus group and including so many uh community members throughout Vineland and throughout the process. Um and a special thank you to Dr. McCann for his willingness in um and guide
048our district in the direction on which we're headed already. Um first, we spoke about two big pillars um that are important to VASS. Uh the superintendent should have integrity and be at have a level of trust amongst everyone. Um honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, and being able to operate with integrity and civility. And then the next big piece was decisiveness and accountability. With a district this large, um a leader needs to be be bold, decisive, willing to make hard decisions, including saying no, which can be difficult at times, but will be right. Um and who holds not only others accountable, but most importantly themselves to that same standard of accountability as everyone else. So, I appreciate uh the opportunity to come speak to the board and to the public tonight, and I will call up um instructional
049coach, Ms. Noopur Patel. >> [applause] >> Hi, good evening. Um I have been here for This is my 24th year in the district. Um a lot of my uh former students are admin and teachers here. I basically have seen everybody come and go. Um so, I was really glad to be involved in this process. Um so, we looked at student-centered uh leader who puts students first in all decision-making and focuses on student achievement and student success. Uh visionary, someone with a clear and long-term vision who is future-thinking and also instructionally grounded. And then lastly, we uh we're looking at emotional intelligence, described as empathetic, compassionate, kind, and able to foster a positive work climate where employees feel valued. That one is very important. Um okay, and I'm going to call up councilwoman Dr. Elizabeth Arthur.
050>> [applause] >> Good evening, board members and community. Thank you for allowing me to come and speak on behalf of the mayor. He could not be here. Um but the mayor sends his words, and I'll I'll add a little bit to it. Our uh concentration was on visible and engaged. The new leader must be active, visible, and engaged in the schools, and the broader community, willing to roll up their sleeves. The Vineland Board of Education should seek a transformative leader who embodies the collective voice of our community. A true collaborator. Our next superintendent must be a champion of equity who views the district's rich, multilingual, and multicultural heritage as a primary strength, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, and what I heard here tonight continues to have a clear pathway to success. Where it
051You know, our motto is where it's always growing season, so I'm so glad to see that the curriculum here is growing, and they should also look forward to that true visionary as well as an educational architect. Thank you for your attention. >> [applause] >> Hi, good evening. It feels good to be back. My focus group was cultural awareness. Someone who is well-versed in and able to embrace the community's multiple cultures, socioeconomic development, diversity, and will immerse themselves in the Vineland community. Relationship builder, it's all about relationships. Ability to connect with parents, students, staff, business leaders, and community partners. I would like to introduce community member and teacher, Jeff Martin. >> [applause] >> I'm speaking for uh Mrs. McKeeman Douglas. She had to step out. Um and their focus group talked a lot about um finding
052someone who's an outstanding communicator, um someone who is effective at communicating, a straight shooter, transparent, and provides early and frequent communication. Um they're also looking for someone who is a listener and a unifier. A leader who listens effectively, accepts input and constructive criticism from all stakeholders, and acts as a unifier for this diverse district, and someone who has some political acumen with the ability to navigate local politics, work effectively with the Board of Education as the governing body, and collaborate with the city government without being drawn into political agendas. Um next up is Ms. Terri Godusky. >> [applause] >> Good evening everyone. I am here speaking on behalf of the central office group that was able to speak with Dr. Adams. And tonight I'm speaking about operational and financial expertise when we are looking for
053our next superintendent. We are looking for someone with fiscal fortitude. Uh as we know in today's day and age, uh we're always up against a budget challenge. So, we're looking for someone with a strong financial acumen and budget savvy with the ability to manage shortfalls, allocate resources practically, and work within the limited budget constraints. We're also looking for someone with an operational experience, that they're well-rounded in a large district operation, including transportation, and they have the ability to handle the day-to-day issues while envisioning for our future. Next, I would like to call up Dr. Figgs and Dr. Gruccio. Dr. Figgs. >> [applause] >> Thank you. It's nice to be back. Even though I don't know most of the board members, I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. McCann and Mr. Musterel, and um
054it's a pleasure to be here. Uh Dr. Gruccio had a previous appointment, so she was not sure she'd make it back in time, so I'll pinch it for her, okay? Um we had two areas, instructional focus and staff focus. Before I begin, I will say ditto to all the presenters who showed their responses who shared their responses. Each group provided excellent feedback. Um in regards and and Mr. uh Holmes, I hope you will bear with me because Dr. Gruccio and I felt that um because we both served in positions as superintendent and or assistant superintendent, we need to to to expand on some of these areas. For instructional focus, the superintendent should have experience with sound instructional practices and func- and fundamental skills, be a strong instructional leader in all academic areas. It is essential
055that the superintendent keeps students at the forefront of all decisions being made. The superintendent should be sensitive to the work being done by principals and teachers by making efforts to reduce some of the paperwork that they have to deal with so they can focus more on instruction. There needs to be a strong support for post secondary work with colleges, careers, and trades in order for our students to be well prepared for the competitive workforce. And I will tell you after I heard this excellent presentation by the Vineland High School staff, they're more than well prepared for the the workforce. So, thank you and congratulations, Mrs. DeMarchi and the uh faculty at high school at the high school. Makes me want to come back. But no, not really. There needs to be collaboration between administration and
056community, and that's very very critical for for the superintendent to be successful. Now, for staff focus, the superintendent should have the ability to address the need for teacher and support staff recruitment and retention. You want to be able to keep the teachers, the good teachers that you have hired, and have them feel that they're very much supported here in Vineland and don't feel they have to leave after a year or two or three. Visibility is key for the superintendent. He or she needs to take time to visit schools on a regular basis as well as have an op- an open door policy. There needs to have a clear understanding of special education laws and policies, and he or she needs to ensure that professional development is effective through through training and opportunities to work with
057cross grade levels. I would like to end by saying the process used by the HYA was very thorough and comprehensive. Dr. Gruccio and I really enjoyed sharing our thoughts with Dr. Adams, and I could we commend Mr. Holmes for involving many stakeholders in the process that represent the educational community and the community at large. Good luck, board members, as you begin this extremely important process, and thank you for your attention. >> [applause] >> Outstanding. This shoot This truly shows that it is going to take a village to find our next superintendent, and these desired characteristics will be taken to every single one of our interviews as our search committee up here, great-looking people, are going to interview all of our candidates starting in April. Compensation is in the range of $225,000 subject to actual qualifications,
058experience, and credentials, and subject to negotiations. All right. I want to thank all of our focus groups for your hard work, for being involved, and being open and honest with HYA and Dr. Adams, and really cultivating everything that we needed to do to begin this process. Please come up, take a picture. Anyone that was a part of any one of the focus groups. Thank you. >> [applause] [laughter] >> Yeah, take Take that to the bank. Can I get a couple up up on the stage Okay, that's good. I'm not getting everybody. I'm sorry. All right. How about this? The gentleman, can you kind of Would you guys step up a little bit? And the gentleman, can you walk over behind us back there? That fits right there in the center. Right there. Okay, that should
059Okay, got it. Can you get this? Mr. Adams nice and tall. There you go. Mr. Adams, out a little bit. There you go. Perfect. Oh, yeah, that's it. Okay, how about Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Any questions or comments in regards to the HEBS or suspension report? Seeing none. Any questions or comments in regards to the approval of minutes, February 4th, combined and executive sessions? Do I have a motion and second to approve? So moved. Second. Roll call. Mr. Bona? Yes. Mr. Fiocchi? Yes. Mr. Harris? >> Yes. Mrs. Perez? Yes. Mr. Santiago? Yes. Mrs. Vasquez? >> Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. Mr. Holmes? Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Committee reports are linked to the agenda. Public meeting report by the board solicitor. Nothing to report. Thank you. Thank you. Our senior class president is not here.
060We will move on to public comment on agenda items. Please limit yourselves to 3 minutes. Please be reminded that the Vineland Board of Education provides an opportunity for public comment in accordance with the open public meetings Act. Speakers are again reminded that the purpose of public comment is to address issues of public concern. Personal, defamatory, or discourteous statements about district staff, students, or members of the public are prohibited. The board reserves the right to curtail remarks that violate these standards. Scott yellow sheets. Victoria Santos Good afternoon. As you know, my name is Victoria Santos. I'm a local parent who pulled our daughter out of public school due to bullying. As I gain a deeper understanding of our district's operations, I want to recognize the departure of key leaders who made meaningful contributions. The previous board
061president, Ms. Esposito, and previous superintendent, Yano, they were phenomenal. We now face a critical transition. What parents and guardians are looking for in a new superintendent is transparency and clear communication. I am here for the fourth time to provide honest, respectful, constructive criticism regarding systemic failures that endanger our children. I am within my legal rights to do so. I must highlight the ongoing failures regarding a parent who joins me today, Ms. Montalvo, who has a son in Wallace Middle School. Her son is in an inclusion class with an IEP. He has suffered multiple unprovoked physical assaults, slapped several times, punched, belittled, clay thrown at him, lunches lunch charges racked up due to students demanding food and more. While some students have been suspended and addressed, the issues persist. The abuse escalated last year despite Ms.
062Montalvo's following proper channels, including an appeal to the anti-bullying coordinator on February 17th, 2025. In person, the system has failed. What is shocking is that incidences were not always documented last year. This year, teachers have shared shared her son's concerns, but there has not been an adequate plan in place to protect her son. As the student continues to experience issues with the mainstream population and special classes, you will hear from me and Ms. Montalvo again regarding an email in the near future. Regarding her incident and matters like, I would like to speak on the current structure of bullying reports as it creates a conflict of interest. The district anti-bullying coordinator, Mr. Ishmael Bermudez, manages both bullying reports and the very principals who report them. This is an imbalance of power as I've said before. And
063this serves the district's reputation over parental rights and student safety. When the principals hold the power to manipulate narrative regarding bullying reports to protect themselves, our children suffer. Regarding the structure of the bullying reporting system, I am calling for separation of the anti-bullying coordinator role from administrative management of principals to eliminate this conflict of interest. I expect the board to fulfill its fiduciary duties to our children and not just district reputation. In regards to inaccurate data, the the recent bullying report claims only two out of 13 bullying reports were substantiated this past month. This is a facade. These numbers do not reflect the reality of children being bullied. The issue remains that by the time these reports reach the board, >> I just want to bring to your attention you have about 5 seconds left.
064Thank you. They are sanitized. Mr. Yano committed to placing me on a committee for parental involvement. I hope that you can take honest feedback. I am pleased to see Mr. Dr. McCann as he was my principal during middle school. I had a phenomenal time during my stay here, but now I'm a parent with rights, and I'm here to represent Ms. Montalvo and all parents alike. We do need the Lord. Thank you, Ms. Santos. Any other yellow sheets? I have none. Is there anybody from the public that wishes to speak? Seeing none. Thank you. Superintendent recommendations for discussion or approval, Dr. McCann. Thank you, Mr. Holmes. Discussion and approval regarding personnel item 1.1 and 1.2. Questions or comments? Motion and second. Motion. Second. Roll call. Ms. Bono? Yes. Mr. Fiocchi? Yes. Mr. Harris? Yes. Mrs. Perez?
065Yes. Mr. Santiago? Yes. Mrs. Vasquez? Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. Mr. Holmes? Yes. Motion carries. Discussion and approval regarding procedures and operations of items 2.1 through 2.8. Questions or comments? Yes. Ms. Perez? >> President Holmes, um I'm questioning 2.7 in the school district calendar, adding the two additional snow days, and was wondering I uh several people reached out to me about possibly using the June 2nd work day instead of um making the school calendar longer. Can you expand on that for me, please? I can Mr. Ramirez. Please come up to the podium and speak to the calendar days, the additional two days. >> All op- all options were considered, just to be clear, and we feel as an administrative, Mr. Green will touch on that, but as an administration, with this calendar guidance. Mr. >> Yeah,
066so we had some discussions with the bargaining units. There was a an agreement that was made that uh forced us to adjust our our calendar as it stood when we approved it to the start of the year to add an additional PD day so that staff and students ended on the same day. So, as a result of that, we had some question or we had some discussion about uh if we had inclement weather days, where would that be added to, and collectively everyone wanted to extend the school year. Um so, that's why we moved in that direction to add those additional days. I'd have to discuss with Mrs. DeMarti. I know that her team um well in advance prepares some of the PD that goes on you know, from now through the end of the
067year. Um so, being able to reschedule those folks for June 2nd may be difficult if they already have some people in place for professional development. Right. I I understand that March March was impossible. Correct. >> not sure why June 2nd couldn't have been maybe adjusted instead of like I said, because that's not only a longer day for for students, but it's also a longer day for staff, and it's a longer day for everyone. I just out of curiosity, and at least it's being taped so they can hear so I don't have to repeat it like the old telephone game. Yeah, I know. For sure. Yeah, well, we consider all options. We do have conversations with the units from time time to time to kind of figure out what's the best best course of action, and
068this was the calendar we used just based on agreement we had previously about how the calendar would be extended if we had inclement weather days. And we have a conversation coming up, I believe, next week to to discuss next year's calendar, but you know, we can certainly have some other discussions around, you know, revisiting this year's as well. I just know that sometimes with things being scheduled, it does it is hard to kind of change some of those PD schedules if you have presenters coming in, so. Quick question. June 2nd is the New Jersey primary election. Our schools are used for voting. That is correct. Yeah, so on those days it was intentional for us to have students away that day because of the fact that we do have members of the community who are
069visiting the buildings. Our staff is still able to participate in professional development, but this also separates students from being in the building when we have you know, an influx of people who are coming in to vote on those days. So, the students won't be there on June 2nd. Correct. Students will not be there June 2nd. But the staff will be for professional development. There was an additional day negotiated into the contract, if you recall, for professional development. Okay. Thank you. I have a question. Yes, Ms. Vasquez. Uh not a a question, but a comment. Uh in last month's meeting, I brought up a concern concerning three policies. I see uh that policy 2535 has been updated, and I just want to thank Vice President uh Rivera for working to add the language that I thought
070thought was very important. It's a start, and I do appreciate him and working with the policy and personnel to uh revise that. Thank you. Thank you. Any further questions or comments for 2.1 through 2.8? Motion and second to approve. So moved. Second. Roll call. Mr. Bono? Yes. Mr. Fiocchi? Yes. Mr. Harris? Um no to We're at 2.1? Yep. So, no to 2.3, and yes to everything else. So, just to be clear, a no to 2.1 and 2.3? >> No. No to 2.3. Okay. And yes to everything else. Thank you. Mrs. Perez? Yes. Mr. Santiago? Yes. Mrs. Vasquez? Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. I'm sorry. >> Mr. Holmes? I'm sorry. No to 2.7. Yes to everything else. I apologize. I got it. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Mr. Rivera? Yes. Mr. Holmes? Yes. Motion carries. Discussion
071approval regarding finance 4.1 through 4.15. Questions or comments? Motion and second to Wait, 16 just to be This is for 4.1 through 4.16. Motion and second. So moved. Second. Roll call. Mr. Bono. Yes. Mr. Fiocchi. >> Yes. Mr. Harris. I need to recuse from 4.3. And yes to everything else. Thank you. Mrs. Perez. Yes. Mr. Santiago. Yes. Mrs. Vasquez. Yes. Mr. Rivera. Yes. Mr. Holmes. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Approval of bills for January 2026. Any questions or comments? Motion. Second. Roll call. Mr. Bono. Yes. Mr. Fiocchi. >> Yes. Mr. Harris. Again, recuse from vendor number 1074. And vendor number 1333. And yes to everything else. Thank you. Mrs. Perez. Yes. Mr. Santiago. Yes. Mrs. Vasquez. Yes. Mr. Rivera. Yes. Mr. Holmes. Yes. Motion carries. Old business. New business. Board Board member remarks starting with
072Mr. Fiocchi. Nothing at this time. Mr. Santiago. I just want to first um >> [clears throat] >> thank all of the the Sabaday and the the kids that came up to do the flag salute. And I would like to also extend my sincere gratitude to the wonderful staff, faculty, and parents and students who were involved in the first multicultural night at Manny's Elementary School. I told my wife we're going to have a date night and it went well. So, we had a blast, a lot of good food. Um the principal, Mrs. O'Donoghue, the assistant principal, Mr. Di Donato. I thank them for their leadership in this successful event. We also received very kind email from Ms. Myerson, a first-grade teacher, who thanked us for visiting. And we appreciate her thoughtful gesture and dedication to our
073students. And also a thank you to Dr. Abisu and her organization Dream Builders who had a great presentation. They, you know, Celia Cruz appeared. So, it was a it was a great time. Thank you. Ms. Vasquez. >> [clears throat] >> This past past month I was able to attend the CTE Carnival. This was my first and a great turnout. Congratulations, Mrs. DeMarche and all the staff. To which I do feel, especially for the ones that were not here tonight presenting, I am going to uh announce their names for those who were not here. I was so impressed by everything from the studio to uh the the automobile repair, to construction, uh the marketing, and I I I cannot say enough good things about the CTE program. I wish I could have spent more time with
074them that morning, but I was so impressed by how that program continues to grow. And so, I just want to congratulate and thank Annelise Castellini, Sergeant Marcus Nolton, Sergeant Tashia Jackson Medley, Joe Denise Moller, Robert Rush, David Warden, Kate Cronk, Brooke Kenzig, John Procopio, Phil Giambri, Frank Medeo, Lorraine Griffiths, Mike Deuce, Mist Dr. Martha St. John, Tracy Tracy Paterno, Danielle Packard, and Kelly Pritchard for all you do for our program and for our students. Uh additionally, as someone who has worked with individuals living with disabilities for the first 18 years of my professional career, I was amazed by the work that has been done through the Life Skills Cafe. This cafe gives special needs students training and practical skills skills to be able to work after leaving the program. Uh I just want to also
075give a shout-out to Dr. uh Mr. Daniel Chenault, sixth-grade ESL teacher at Wallace Intermediate School, uh for his work with inspiring project on language acquisition. And this was from our Curriculum Corner. Thank you, uh DeMarche, for sending that to us and highlighting the great work that is being done. Congratulations. Uh for his uh students created metaphorical English trees to map their growth, and supports. And again, from the Curriculum Corner, hands-on visually engaging projects strengthen strengthened language skills while empowering students to celebrate their English language journey. Great job empowering our ESL students. Uh uh finally, but not least, I want to thank uh Vlada Jackson for receiving the American Council of Teachers of Russian Excellence. I appreciate that. Um but also, I did visit today uh I read at Rossi School at uh Mr. Martin's class.
076And this is a class act. Not only was I able to read to the students, and to me that's probably my favorite part part of this job, but his uh his level of hospitality, the hospitality of the entire school. They were so gracious as we uh roamed around from classroom to classroom and were nosy and asking questions, and they were just so so so wonderful to us. So, congratulations, Rossi School, on a successful uh reading day, and Mr. Martin for being a class act. I really appreciated that. Thank you. Mrs. Perez. Thank you. Mr. Marche, thank you so much for a wonderful presentation that your staff pulled off. The CTE um the Vineland High School is going to be is and is going to continue to be one of the shining lights of our school.
077So, thank you very much. It was a great presentation and um and actually impressed me. Didn't realize we had quite so much going on. So, that's amazing and I can't wait to see what we add. Just some of the um the courses that you were talking about I think will be a great addition. So, look for our support and we are excited to see what happens moving forward. Uh Ms. Jackson, I know she's not here any longer, but it was amazing to hear her story, a little bit of her story. I understand she has a really cool story behind that. So, um but it was great to see that and I know that she has touched many lives throughout her career. I had the privilege of being at Rossi School as well today. And I
078got to see a couple of my other board members. I was able to read to my to my granddaughter's second-grade class. I was able to read to Miss Stephanie's um music class. But I have to tell you, walking those halls, the amount of effort and work that those teachers put in, Ms. Coya, I know you're very very proud of your staff. It was amazing to see. I have to tell you, it caught me off guard how much I mean, the time and effort that they must have come in, individual pictures of each student, and they really grasped the whole roundup reading and it was just amazing. I will tell you, I had the best I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to go back to work. I didn't want to leave, but it was
079amazing. The the children that you chose to lead us through that um that process that day, they were articulate. These were little third, fourth, fifth graders, the most articulate human beings I think I've met in a long time. So, consider yourself very proud. You should be very proud of your staff. I'm proud that my uh granddaughter is a Rossi L. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Mrs. Perez. Mr. Bono. Good evening, everyone. Thank you again for coming out tonight. Um great job to the the flag saluters. Thanks for coming out. Um the CTE program, um Mrs. Marche, Mr. Rivera, so impressed, uh impressive. Um I've attended several things with um Mrs. Annelise Castellini, uh teacher of the the ag program and the Future Farmers of America. Such a first-class uh job by all the
080CTE programs. I I've visited the carnival. I couldn't make it this year, but I heard everything was was great and awesome attendance and you know, fellow board members um comments that I've heard were all all positive. So, thank you and continue on on that great uh route. Uh special thanks to um uh President Holmes, Vice President Dennis Rivera, uh Sergeant Harris, excuse me, Shane Harris, and Donna Perez on um going forward in a way that involves our community. I I commend you guys. Um you know, we're putting our trust in the four of you to put communities together like this. Like you said, it takes a village. And I 100% agree with that. Um and it's going to be a community um you know, based um decision. And um thank you to all the people
081that came out tonight to speak to us. Um and your input it's it's valuable. Um so, thank you. Looking forward to uh selecting the next uh superintendent. Dr. McCann, thank you for stepping in, filling in for us in time being. We we appreciate it. We're going to uh look forward to your expertise as well. So, thank you. Thank you. And guidance. Um And then lastly, uh just talking about a little about today, I went to like five different schools. I was at Rossi. I was at um uh Petway, um Duran, and uh Petway was yesterday. Durand, uh Dan Barse, and what was very impressive on all the schools was the hospitality when you walked in the building, the welcoming, how clean the facilities are, you know? Um a lot of these buildings are pretty old,
082you know, there's some some old schools in our district, but I was very impressed on how well-kept they are, um how engaged the students were, um and it was very impressive uh across the board. So, kudos to all the uh principals and staffs and and and educators that were involved in in today. So, thank you for allowing me the chance and the opportunity to read to the kids. It's very fulfilling from a board member's uh perspective to see, you know, the end result. So, it's all about the kids, so thank you. Thank you, Mr. Harris. Yes, I also want to add thank you to Mr. Marchi and Mr. Rivera for all your hard work. I appreciate it. Looking forward to that uh first responder course. Uh also want to thank the JROTC students for coming
083out. Glad you guys continue to come out and are interested. Thank you. Uh also had opportunity to visit school and read, and I wanted to say thank you to the Miss Stretch. I went into her classroom, there was only about four or five students, and I take my hat off to them. It looked like it was very difficult. I don't think I could do that, but they kept everything under control. That particular class stood out to me, so uh let them know I appreciate all their hard work. That's it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Harris. Vice President Rivera. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to thank the kids from Sabater for leading us in the flag salute. Um I also had the opportunity to go and read today to some a group of students in Durand
084school. Sorry, Rossi, I didn't get to make out to to Rossi. Next year I'll be there, I promise. Um but it it was a little little special to me cuz it was my last one with my boys. It's their last year of fifth grade. I'm not going to cry. Oh my goodness. >> So, I it's my it's my last it's my last It's their last year of fifth grade. So, it was a little extra special for me to be there to read to them for the last time uh in the school setting, not for the last time. But, um it was you know, it was special. I got to also read to a second grade class, Mrs. Commardo's second grade class. So, um that was special. And and and like Miss uh Perez said, you
085know, I didn't get to go to all schools, but if if if if it's anything like Durand set it up. Durand had like this whole mystery thing going on, where every couple of minutes Greco would get on the intercom and give out clues, and the kids would jump and get their pads and write down the clues and try to figure out It was really great. Like I was really I was like, "Wow, this is really really cool." And I I wish they did stuff like this when I was in elementary school, but it was great. And and I'm sure in all the other elementary schools it was the same way. And so, I I commend each and every elementary school for the effort, the time that you guys put into make these moments special for
086our kids, cuz it's all about our kids, right? And that's and that's all we do it for, and we do it for our kids. So, thank you. Um congratulations to Mrs. uh Vlada Jackson on her award. Uh well deserved. She has an amazing story that we've all heard, and and I would like to listen and hear that story one of these days. Um the CTE program. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Um I've been a fan of you. I've been a proponent of you since my first day on this board, and I I continue to to shout out that this is one of our crown jewels. This is one of our programs that we need to really invest in and really, you know, really bring in more students if we can if
087we have the capability to do so. Bring in culinary arts. Bring in the first responders and and the criminal justice. Make it make it make it that kids don't want to leave Vineland. They want to stay in Vineland High School. They don't want to go to that other place, right? Cuz we don't we don't we you know, no. So, we want them to stay in Vineland. We want them to graduate from Vineland High School. And that's for me, that's that's my goal. My goal is to keep our kids in district, so that way they can say, just like I am, a proud Vineland High School graduate. So, I'm really proud of the the CTE program. I'm really proud of every single instructor, every single student that came and spoke. It's amazing what you guys are
088doing in Vineland, and I look forward to even better things in the future. Um I congratulate the uh thank you to the focus groups. Like many of the board members have spoken, we we are glad that you said yes. That you said yes to the to the process. That you said yes to helping us out to find our next superintendent, and we took all that information cuz we we got a briefing a couple Was it yesterday? Yesterday of all the the the the results from the surveys and the focus groups, and pretty much we were all pretty much in line, all the groups, what they wanted. And it was good to see because we're all on the same page. We what we we know what we want. We know what we don't want. So, I'm
089looking forward to the process. I just I I mentioned to Mr. Harris that they better have breakfast at these uh interviews. They're going to be lasting all day long. So, I hope there's breakfast, at least coffee. And uh so, I look forward. I look forward to finding our next leader, and I look forward uh forward to to the process. Um congratulations to our our basketball teams. They uh they made us proud. They made us proud. Um a couple of us were in attendance in the last uh playoff game, um last Thursday, right? Yeah. Thursday. And the atmosphere was electric in that building. I mean, I wanted to jump in there and start playing. That's how exciting it was. And congratulations to our boys basketball team. They made us proud. Best record, I believe I heard
090in 20 plus years. Um 30 33 years. Amazing. Congratulations, boys. Congratulations to our girls basketball team as well. Congratulations to all our our uh fall sports, and we're looking forward to winter sports. Looking forward to our spring season for all our teams as well. And lastly, I'd like to thank our facilities team once again. They cleaned up our parking lots. They cleaned up our sidewalks. They cleaned up our buildings for our kids and our students and our staff can go in and have a safe uh you know, time at our schools. I also would like to thank the Vineland Road Department for cleaning up the roads. I know all of them didn't get cleaned up right away, but for the most part, the major roads were clean even that same day. And I I thank
091the Vineland Road Department. I thank our facilities team always always up for the task, and uh thank you very much for always saying, you know, being present and being there way before anyone else even wakes up. So, I thank you for that, and with that, thank you and have a great evening. Thank you, Dr. McCann. Thank you, Mr. Holmes. It's an honor and privilege to be here this evening. I am really super proud of the program up at the high school, the CTE program. Uh for my entire high school teaching career, I was always an enthusiast for vocational education, and anytime I had an opportunity to push it, I pushed it hard. Um I even had a school store in this building for the years I worked here. We started school store in the cafeteria,
092and I continued that right up to the high school. So, I'm real proud of what our supervisors are doing to make this better, and I think it's going to go better and better every year as we grow, and be competitive with anybody, but it's very hard to be competitive with Vineland. We have an outstanding school and school district. Uh on a sadder note, I uh wanted to, on behalf of the Vineland Board of Education and Vineland school administrators and everybody in Vineland, we had two great leaders pass away this past week. Dr. Richard Prochaska, who was superintendent here, was an outstanding superintendent. He was a principal. He was a assistant superintendent. He served us well, and he passed away a couple weeks ago, and he was a great guy. And the other uh great leader
093was uh Charles Chuck Neely, who was long-time principal of Vineland High School North, the Tanner building. Another great He was there for a very long time. He was assistant principal in this building before he went to Vineland High School North for many years uh serving as administrator and serving Vineland School District well. Um uh our sympathies go out to the families and the Vineland community. We we're uh heartbroken that they have passed on, but they were very very helpful and beneficial to our entire school community. Thank you. No, I don't know. Yeah, positive. Yeah, no. Everything has been said. Motion for adjournment. Motion. Second. Thank you. All in favor. Aye. Aye. Thank you. I do move it.