001I'd like to call the meeting to order. Please everyone have a seat. Roll call. Mr. Merrell. Michaela Giuliani. Mr. Bono will be late. Mr. Fio here. Mr. Harris here. Mr. Holmes here. Mrs. Perez here. Mr. Rivera here. Mr. Silva. Mr. Sabbrano present. Mrs. Katispati present. In compliance with the New Jersey open public meeting law, commonly referred to as the sunshine law, the Violent Board of Education has caused notice and posting of this meeting to be sent 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 Vinland, and the administrative office public bulletin board. Would everyone rise for the flag salute? Wherever up here is fine. Just be careful. Jack Jack turn. To the flag of the United States of
002America and to the stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Applause] Mr. Musterell, do we have resolution for executive session? We do. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of the city of Island School District will convene an executive session for the following reasons outlined in NJSA 104-12. Discussion is about pending litigation, contract negotiation, employment matters, and any matters falling within the attorney clown privilege to the extent that confidentiality is required in order for the attorney to exercise his ethical duties as a lawyer. Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Second. Roll call. Mr. Bono? Yes. Mr. Fokei? Yes. Mr. Harris? Yes. Mr. Holmes? Yes, Mr. Mrs. Perez. Yes, Mr. Rivera. Yes, Mr. Silva. Mr. Sabbrana. Yes, Mrs. Kottis body. Yes. Motion carries. Mr. Yanner, do
003we have any special presentations this evening? Yes, we do. We will be celebrating and honoring support staff members of the year. Please give us a moment to get over to the podium. We We are pleased to announce the 2024 2025 support staff of the year. Uh this evening when we call your name, we would love for you to come on up and uh be celebrated and recognized by our board of education, our cabinet, and our community that's here this evening. So to begin, I'm going to read the name. I want to hear you guys make some noise. And the first school support staff member of the year is Mr. Robert Deacon from the tech department. Mr. Deacon is the unsung hero of our team. Always going above and beyond to ensure that all technology runs
004smoothly. He consistently takes on extra tasks, often working late into the evening and during his days off to resolve issues and keep everything functioning. His dedication and commitment to making sure everything works seamlessly, even outside regular hours, makes him an invaluable asset to the team. Let's hear from Mr. Deacon. Our next member is Cindy Dominic Domo. Cindy is an Cindy is an incredibly thoughtful and considerate person who constantly puts others first. She genuinely values and appreciates her co-workers, always offering support and encouragement. As a hardworking individual, she approaches every task with dedication and focus, never complaining no matter the challenge. Cindy consistently goes the extra mile to help others, doing so with kindness, integrity, and positive attitude. Her willingness to assist in any situation, coupled with her strong work ethic, makes her an indispensable member
005of the team. Congratulations. Next, Linda Carpolarich, transportation. Linda is a district bus driver and an important part of our school community. She knows each student and their families, creating a safe and welcoming environment on her bus. Her kindness, reliability, and personal connection with students make her a key part of their daily school experience. Linda is also actively involved in the Winslow community, always ready to help and support the school. Her dedication makes a real difference in the lives of our students and families. Linda Carpoolich. Fernando Muscat maintenance. There are many reasons why Fernando or Mr. Fernando as we know him at Barcy should be recognized. He always checks our rooms before the school year starts, ensuring everything is set. Mr. Fernando is quick to answer any call for help, whether it's something as small as
006changing a battery in my clock or setting up the risers and chairs for our fifth grade moving up ceremony. He always has everything ready on time and exactly how we need it. Mr. Fernando goes above and beyond for everyone at Dane Varscy. Despite being pulled in many direction, he remained calm and focused. He always He's always working, ready to respond to any emergency from spills to safety situations. His positivity and dedication deserve to be recognized. Congratulations. Next, from East, Liz Torres, who works with ESS as one of our aids. Liz is incredibly reliable and consistently demonstrates a deep dedication to her job. Always punctual and dependable, she can be trusted to handle any task, no matter how big or small, with efficiency and care. Her commitment to her work goes beyond just fulfilling her responsibilities.
007She takes the initiative to ensure everything is done to the highest standard, often going above and beyond what is expected. Her strong work ethic and unwavering dedication make her an essential part of the team, and her consistency is something we everyone can count on. Congratulations, [Applause] West, Stephanie Dy, ESSA. Stephanie is a dedicated and exceptional educator. As a classroom teaching assistant, Stephanie excels at understanding each student's unique learning needs and consistently supports their success. Stephanie's passion for learning and genuine care for her students are evident in everything she does. She uses positive behavior reinforcement effectively and builds meaningful relationships with each child. Her creativity and approach to making learning relatable, whether through singing a student's favorite song or engaging with them in imaginative play make her an invaluable asset to our team. Congratulations from Depalto
008School. Alexa Martier Rodriguez, ESS aid. Alexa is a hard worker, always going above and beyond in everything she does. She's dependable, kind, and a wonderful addition to the school staff. Alexa works patiently with students, offering them the support they need to succeed. Her dedication to their growth and well-being is evident in all of her interactions, and she consistently makes a positive impact on everyone around her. Congratulations, Duran Janet Rep, secretary. Janet is one of those essential team members who has served as a principal secretary for many years. She is the definition of quiet dedication. Janet handles every task with care and efficiency. From managing schedules to keeping the office organized, she anticipates needs before they arise and solves problems before they're noticed. Her calm, professional demeanor and unwavering dedication make her an irreplaceable asset to
009the school. Janet's kindness and commitment leave a lasting impact and though we would ne although she would never ask for it, she truly deserves recognition. Congratulations [Applause] Next from Jstone Middle School, James Jennins from maintenance. James is the backbone of our school. The unsung hero who keeps everything running smoothly. As the sole maintenance staff during the day, he is always there when needed, tirelessly ensuring that every task is completed to perfection. No matter the challenge, he handles it with remark remarkable skill, dedication, and a positive attitude. His hard work and commitment to the school are unmatched. There's no one more deservant, kind, or devoted to their job than Mr. James. He is truly an outstanding worker, and his contributions make a lasting impact on our entire school community. Memorial Heather Spigglemire, Secretary. Heather is a
010dedicated worker with a strong work ethic that has been a positive impact at Veterans Memorial School. She consistently goes above and beyond her job to ensure everything runs smoothly and creates a supportive environment for both staff and students. Her attention to detail, reliability, and problem solving skills have been invaluable. Her ability to anticipate needs and act without acting without pro promp prompting makes her an essential part of our team. She also fosters a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, building strong relationships with colleagues and promoting collaboration. Her kindness and professionalisms make everyone feel valued and heard. Congratulations. Next from many school, Felicia Brown, playgroom aid. Felicia is an invaluable part of our school, showing dedication, leadership, and genuine care for the students. Her positive attitude and ability to connect with the children make her stand out, creating
011a space where every child feels safe, respected, and valued. Felicia is a true mentor and role model, and the respect she earns from both students and staff reflects her positive impact. We are lucky to have her on our team, and she makes our school a better place every [Applause] day. From Petway School, Bernardet Rodriguez, food service. Bernardet is a deeply dedicated and passionate about food service. She ensures that students receive hot, healthy, and delicious meals while creating a fun and welcoming atmosphere in the lunch line. Bernardet goes above and beyond by designing holiday themed lunches and snacks and always finding something for even the pickiest eaters. She does all of this with a smile and kindness, making every student feel valued and cared for. Pill Marne Hendershot Secretary Marne is always ready to help with
012any need, no matter how big or small, at a moment's notice. Her dedication and hard work are evident in everything she does, consistently going above and beyond to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Whether it's stepping in to assist with tasks or offering support to anyone in need, Marne's commitment and reliability make her an invaluable part of the team. Her willingness to pitch in without hesitation showcases showcases her strong work ethic and genuine care for those around her. [Applause] Congratulations. I'm sorry. Okay, next from Rossi Elementary School, Jana Duket, Secretary Jana is incredibly talented at designing flyers, invitations, and programs for our school, always ensuring they look polished and professional. She pays great attention to detail. She takes the initiative to make upgrades as needed, always striving for excellence. Her positive energy and sense of humor
013light up our office, bringing a smile and a laugh to everyone who walks in. Jana is a team player, and we are very fortunate to have her as part of our team from Sabotair Elementary School. Rosa neves vidette sec security Rosa consistently goes above and beyond for students her for staff for visitors. She is always positive, helpful and proactive in handling her duties and ensuring safety throughout the school. Students love her because she shows genuine care especially when they are having a tough time. She has earned the respect of her colleagues by being a great listener and always offered help when needed. She participates in school events with enthusiasm. Rosa shows her commitment to the school every day. It's truly a pleasure working with her. Vinland High School North Kimberly Gross Secretary Kimberly truly deserves
014this recognition for always going above and beyond to help others no matter the situation. She approaches every task with dedication and finishes it with a smile. Kimberly makes everyone feel welcome and supported. Her kindness, reliability, and positive attitude leave a lasting impression on everyone she meets. Kimberly is truly an asset to our building and a wonderful person to work with. from Violent High School South, Alfredo Laboy. Security. Freddy is always friendly with both students and staff. Going above and beyond to make sure students feel heard and stay safe. He's excellent at handling situations before they escalate. and the VHS staff feel lucky to work with him because they know he's dedicated to keeping the school a safe place for everyone. Freddy works tirelessly to ensure the safety of the VHS Southa building. His incredible work
015ethic and dedication make him an inval invaluable part of the team. Wallace Deandon secretary Deianne is the epitome of dedication, trustworthiness, and dependability. These qualities are the backbone of our child study team office, allowing it to run smoothly and efficiently beyond managing critical administrative tasks and ensuring organization. Deianne goes above goes the extra mile to genuinely connect with our students and their families. Her ability to understand each student's unique needs and programming is an invaluable asset, especially when making decisions or planning for future changes. Deian consistently goes above and beyond in her role, making a significant contribution to our team success without hesitation. Congratulations from Winsel Elementary School. Justin Vasquez, ESS substitute. Justin is loved by everyone at Winsow School for his positive attitude and dedication. He's always ready to help in any area and
016treats both students and staff with respect. His professionalism and caring nature make him a great role model and leader. Justin supports all students with patience and kindness, and his impact goes beyond the classroom. Justin's warmth and dedication make a lasting difference. Winsow School is truly fortunate to have him. Let's hear it for all of our recipients today. And Justin Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Thank you. Good. Okay, we're good. Yeah, lovely. [Music] Oh, thank you. [Applause] That worked out nice, right? It's cute, right? Yeah. [Applause] We're going to continue with our presentations. There's a lot of excitement in the air. So, thank you for being here tonight. Our next special presentation. I know for some reason I can hear Dr. Speakman over everyone. Okay. So, I'm going to
017invite Miss Dena Redo, supervisor of student services, who will give an overview of the middle school peer group connection program. Miss Dena Ralpho, I'm going to just have do my spiel. A couple of the kids are going to be speaking and then um and then I'll call them all up one time. Is that okay? Do you have them in order? How do we give you the search? I have them in the order that that they that's the order that I have. Yeah, it looks like they're pretty close. So, okay. I hope. Hello everybody. My name is Dina Ralfalo. I am the supervisor of school counseling here in the district. I just wanted to give an overview of the peerroup connection middle school program that we just implemented um this past school year. So the program
018is a school-based program designed to support and ease the transition into middle school by using our older eighth grade students to foster a nurturing welcoming environment for the newcomers. Um this is also meant to teach our um build some leadership skills in our eighth grade students as well. how it works. Our eighth grade students that are selected to uh they attend a peer leadership class every day. Once a week, the peer leaders experience an outreach that is facilitated by our peer adviserss. These outreaches are on topics such as connectedness, self-awareness, self-management, and decision-making skills. These peer leaders then practice and prepare. Then they will eventually that week go into the classrooms of the eighth grade sixth grade students and deliver this lesson to the sixth grade students um during their outreaches. So essentially it's building
019that connection between the eighth graders and the sixth graders and helping them um in middle school to ease that transition. the next steps for the program. Due to the restrictions of the grant that we had this year, um we could not provide these outreaches to all sixth grade students. Next year, we will no longer have those restrictions. So, we anticipate and we plan to expand the program to all sixth grade students so that they will all get the peer leadership outreaches. So, before I have a few of the students I have many of the students here, a few of the students wish to speak a little bit about the program. Um but before I do that um I want to introduce our peer advisors. So um I just want to express my gratitude. This program
020it was not easy. It was there were so many restrictions and so many demands and they just rolled. They they really rolled with it. Um we had 11 days of training. We had to go stay away off site for three days. Um we have people coming in all the time to review. It was just there were a lot of a lot of hoops to jump through and they did it. So I just want to introduce them. Um from Pill I have Lauren Addly and Kelly Stypes. Where are they [Applause] from? Thank you from Wallace, Jamie Ekret, and Sharon [Applause] Shioone from Jstone, Brook Smith and Val Carbonara. Thank you. Excellent. And then from Memorial, Grace Gagan and Maria Cohensky. [Applause] So the first Oh. Oh, sure. Okay, so first up we have an eighth grade
021student from Pill, Janasia. Floyd, are you out there? Where are you, Jan? There you are. All right. Um, my name is Janasia Floyd and I'm a peer leader at Pillow Middle School and I've really enjoyed peer group connection because it is a break from regular school work and I'm doing really well in it. Um, and I made really a lot of friends with people I didn't expect to. And I really enjoy the outreaches that we do with the sixth graders because it could be really good for them. And even though my group is really challenging, I'm doing amazing at it cuz I'm wonderful. And thank you. And when I was in sixth grade, I was like not the best. So I'm glad that I could help them like be better. And I'm glad that they
022gave me a chance to do this and they saw my growth. Thank you from Memorial. Sorry, I can't see. Um, Dena Margolan. Good evening, members of the board of education. Thank you for allowing me to speak with you today. My name is Dina Margolan and I'm proud to represent our school's peer group connection mentoring program. A program where eighth graders are matched with sixth grade students to provide guidance, encouragement, and support as they transition into middle school. I want to share just how powerful this program has been for our school community, motivating both our mentors and mentees. Starting middle school can be overwhelming. For sixth graders, it's not just about new classes. It's about finding their way, making new friends, and adjusting to a whole new environment. That's where we, the eighth grade peer mentors,
023come in. We're not just there to answer questions. We're there to listen, help them feel seen, and show them that they belong. What's amazing is how quickly the relationships build. Sixth graders start the year unsure and a little nervous, but within weeks, you can see their confidence grow. They ask more questions. They raise their hands in class and become more inquisitive. They start greeting you in the hallways because they know someone is in their corner and has their back. But the impact isn't one-sided. As mentors, we've learned responsibility, patience, and how to be role models. We've had to think about our behavior and the example we're setting. It's taught us leadership and empathy, skills we'll take far beyond middle school. Because of peer group, we are not just helping our students, but this program created
024a culture of kindness and connection at our school. It's helping younger students succeed in shaping us eighth graders into strong, compassionate leaders. It is also shaping sixth graders to become confident and self- assured so that they can proceed further into their middle school years without worrying about how complex intermediate grades seem to them in elementary school. with the help of their mentees. We're grateful for the support you've given to make this possible and we hope you'll continue to support and expand this program so it can keep making a difference from Johnstone. [Applause] Ariana. Good evening everyone. My name is Ariana and I'm honored to stand here as one of your eighth grade peer leaders from Johnstone Middle School. Being a peer leader means a lot to me. At first, I thought it would be hard
025to teach the sixth graders, but they completely surprised me. They were kind, respectful, and eager to learn. In sixth grade, I was quiet and hesitant to ask questions. It took time for me to realize that it's okay to speak up, and I'm grateful for the teachers who created a supportive environment that helped me grow. Middle school is a time of change. We're all figuring out who we are and how to handle challenges. Some days are fun, but others are tough. As a peer leader, I have learned that simply being there and listening can make a big difference. Leadership, I found, starts with kindness. We work hard to plan lessons that help sixth graders grow, not just in school, but as people. Before I end, I'd like to thank my parents for always encouraging me to
026step out of my comfort zone and Miss Smith, our JSON STEM and PGC teacher, for juggling so much and still inspiring us every day. It's been an amazing experience and I'm truly grateful. Thank you for listening. And our last speaker, we've heard from our eighth grade peer leaders. Um, now we have one of our sixth grade students that would like to speak about her experience, and that is [Applause] Leah. Hi, my name is Leah Daniels. I'm a sixth grader from Johnstone. I feel that PGC is an amazing place where you can speak and share your feelings about yourself or a certain topic. The PGC leaders there are interested in what we like and what we want to do. The people there care about what you have to say or what we feel. I love that
027you can do all of these amazing things and that you are able to be yourself without any judgment in any way. I also like that people there don't talk when you are when you are and are happy to hear what you have to say and are interested in listening. We learn how we are all different and the same. I like how we all think about Yeah. think about things and how we feel. PGC is a great place and I'm happy to be in it. So now we're we're just going to call the the PGC people that are here to come up and we have a certificate for you. Okay. So sorry. Sorry. All right. Um we're going to start with Pill. We have Janasia Floyd. Come on up. Just do a group, right? Yeah. Laya
028Bermudez not here. Gian Payton. Chanty Krooks. No. Ayanna Milbourne. No. Lucas Dunales. Yay. [Applause] and just wait up hang out up front. Um, Lori Shaw was a maybe. Is she here? No. And then Emma Hurst. No, that's it for Come on up. Your name's not on here, but we'll we'll get you a certificate. What's your name? I don't know what's your name. Okay, we'll get you a certificate. From Memorial, Dena Margolan. I know James couldn't make it, so James is not here. Stephen Cohansky, Lara Dennis, Allison Witie, I know I probably said that wrong. from Wallace, Aaliyah Rodriguez, Jalia Moore, and from Jstone, Ariana Sonelia, Rihanna Zapata, [Applause] Leah Daniels and Abigail Adams. [Applause] We're going to have to go. [Applause] You playing baseball? Yeah, this offense. Do we have any questions or comments on
029the HIP report? Seeing none, do we have any questions or comments on the minutes? Do I have a motion? So move. Second. Roll call, please. Mr. Bono, yes. Mr. Fokei, yes. Mr. Harris, yes. Mr. Holmes, yes. Mrs. Perez, yes. Mr. Rivera, yes. Mr. Sabrana, yes. Mrs. Scottispati. Yes. Motion carries. Committee reports. Mr. Pio. Yes. Good evening. Finance committee met on uh April 1st at 8 a.m. via Google Meet. In attendance was Mr. Musterel, Mr. Yano, Miss Carrie, Mrs. Perez, Mr. Silva, Mr. Rivera, and myself. Following topics were discussed. Uh reviewed the financials, book and bank balance for budgetary and food service accounts. Uh SDA grant uh was amended to include Duran roof only. Uh renewing contracts for 2526 professional services uh board solicitor, labor council, alternate council, primary physician, alternate school position, architect of record,
030auditor, insurance broker of record, uh non-professional contracts renewing, concrete masonary services, HVAC, plumbing and electrical, painting, roofing, middle school math, reading intervention, online education services, before and after care, uh new contracts, allied universal security services, Uh and RFP for data analysis was awarded to Lincoln. Thank you. Curriculum instruction later on March 31st at 4:30 p.m. Present was uh Mrs. Deari, Miss Galooi, myself and Mr. Sabrina. We discussed the summer reading. Summer reading for our students entering 6th to 12th grade is required. Information regarding summer reading will be shared with students in May. Summer reading will also be posted on our district website. We also discussed the following topics. Upcoming professional development for both staff and administration, Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Partnership, the summer curriculum work, 9th grade academy, and special education updates were given. Program
031locations for the 2526 school year were discussed. On Tuesday, April 1st, the transportation committee met via Google Meet. President was uh Mr. Bermudez, Mr. Musterell, Miss Mason, Mr. Rivera, Mr. Harris, and myself. We have 143 drivers budgeted, 140 route packages, 133 field positions, two drivers on leave, 16 substitute drivers, and four drivers in training. The average absences in the morning of March was 18. Average absences in the afternoon was 20 for the month of March. We discussed the current number of open registration and number of registration completed in March. We also talked about the Genesis registration training for the team. We reviewed the current joints on co-op with our uh other districts. We reviewed the number of accidents in March which were five. Only one injury was reported. We also discussed damage to a bus
032window while on the road. The Violent Police Department assisted with this incident. Uh there were no new transportation registration personnel items. And lastly, we discussed plans to address concerns with gates to the busy yard. Thank you. Any further reports? Do we have a public meeting report by our board solicitor? Uh no update tonight. Thank you. Miss Giuliani. Good evening. My name is Michaela Giuliani and I'm the senior class president at Vinland High School. Um, please forgive me for using my phone. I had a really busy day and my computer died. Um, it's quite tragic. Um, but this meeting is perfectly timed at is it is assistant principles week. In honor of it, I'd like to recognize and extend a special thanks from the student body to our VHSLA assistant principles, Mr. Newton, Mr. Pannis, and
033interim assistant principal, Dr. Cornish at and VHS Tanner's assistant principles, Mrs. Craig, Mr. Lapsley, and Mr. Hall. Last month, the senior class trip was incredibly successful. A group of students from the senior class flew down to Florida in the early hours on Sunday, March 16th. My alarm, much to my chagrin, was set for 2:30 in the morning. We went to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, as well as Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studios in Universal Studios Orlando. I personally rolled my rode my first roller coaster followed by a log flume with an 85 ft drop which I did not know about when I got on the ride. But I had a blast. At the end of the week, the Model Congress Club and AP Government Politics class attended the New
034Jersey Model Congress conference at Ryder University where Adrien Condi, Molina Cortez, Paulina Tomlin, and Eva Ta all successfully passed their legislation in the full Senate or full house, which required them to first pass it within their um respective committees. Since the start of April, VHS has had a career fair with over 10,000 students in attendance, completed the third marking period, and prepared for our spring musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The shows will be 700 p.m. this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, as well as a 2 p.m. matinea show on Saturday. BPS Elementary students were welcomed to VHS to watch the show this week, and I have to say it is amazing, and I can't wait for the community to see it. This Thursday, Vinand will also welcome back some of our alumni athletes to
035be inducted into our athletic hall of fame. This Saturday at on April 12th, VHS and Raft will co-host a spring craft show from 10 to 2:00 p.m. On Monday, our senior class will be attending the Philly Senior Night for the class of 2025. BHS sold the most tickets out of all of the attending schools. Next week also marks the start of spring break and the end of April. May 1st, our senior class will be participating in the National Commitment Day where each student will announce their future plans as well as um if they're planning on going to a four-year institution, they have to place their um down payment for that. May 2nd will mark the third annual run for Ramirez, an inschool event filled with outdoor activities to honor and fundra for the legacy of
036our former JOTC Master Sergeant Joseph Ramirez. With everything going on, the time is flying by. Our seniors have even started counting the down the days. We have 43 school days left to be exact. Within the few more months, we have a long list of plans. As always, I can't wait for the experience to come and to share them with you next month. Thank you so [Applause] much. Public comment on agenda items only. Do we have any yellow sheets, Mr. Musterel? We do not. Is there anybody from the public that would like to speak? Seeing none, Mr. Yano, do you have resolutions? Absolutely. Uh requesting discussion and approval regarding personal item 1.1. Questions or comments? Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Second. Roll call, please. Mr. Mr. Bono, yes. Mr. Fio, yes. Mr. Harris,
037yes. Mr. Holmes, yes. Mrs. Perez, yes. Mr. Rivera, yes. Mr. Sabbrano, yes. Mrs. Katispati, yes. Motion carries. Requesting discussion and approval regarding procedures and operations items 2.1 through 2.5. Questions or comments? Do I have a motion? Comment. Second. Comments. I have one question as well. Isn't 2.2 something we wanted to discuss um as part of the executive session? No. No. Okay. Yeah, I do have a comment. Um there was a trip that was brought to my attention. I brought it up to uh contacted um Mr. Bermudez today or yesterday and was wondering if there was any discussion about it with the superintendent. Um it was just a community s concern with a lot of violent public school students that are attending a trip in Florida and I'm just wondering you know where it sits um
038presently um they're asking for board approval um so I just don't know what process needs to you know what what was was there many missing parts um just want to get back to the community members I didn't really have much time to bring it up to I'm sorry I had a busy day at work uh yesterday and today I did have a chance to reach out to Ish um but I just wanted to bring it up to your attention because there's a lot of concern there's a lot of students that are attending this trip um and since it's funded by Vinyl Public Schools I I think that we should maybe have a vote whether this it's either tonight or uh at our next meeting in April because the trip is it's kind of timesensitive that's
039why I wanted to bring it up. It's uh May 1st I believe until the 5th of May and it's under Vamp. Okay. So I just wanted to bring that to your attention to see if we could have a discussion tonight. I know we were meeting in executive session so maybe we could discuss it amongst the board to uh have a vote on it tonight if possible. Okay. Yesterday I sent an update to all board members regarding that specific topic. So there's a lot of detail in there as to uh why we were unable to um approve it as a field trip. So I would just ask that maybe if you look at the email and the clarification that's provided in there because we did consider we we've been working with um Mr. Hedley who is
040the director from Vamp about um approving a trip. The district provides stipen payment for the director for the performance. The trip is is a is an extension. It's a it's an extra activity that I believe if there are 60 students, 20 students who uh do not belong to Bond public schools, the other 40 do, you know. So it's not a district sponsored activity, the trip, the actual performance, the play, the use of memorial that's approved through our facilities use uh team as well. So the trip when we reviewed would it qualify as a field trip for the school district, it would not. And we are unable to excuse absences for students on the trip because there are very specific criteria of which events would allow us to excuse an absence. A a school sponsored field
041trip for school district students led by a school district employee. Absolutely. We could do the the trip is led by a non-district employee. There's kids from across the community, not necessarily Vond public schools. If we approved it, our liability for all students would be exposed where 20 of them do not even belong to the school district. I get it. They belong to the community. So this trip was last taken, I believe, in like a 2018 if I recall. So that's the reason why it was not put on as the big concern for the parents is the excuse absence. you know, these children, these students are taking, you know, the time to be a part of an organization within V public schools, extracurricular activity. Um, that's that's the big concern. And traveling, what happens if something
042happens and there are our students, you know, are we liable if something happens in Florida without board approval? Again, these are all questions that that I have. I And you said you sent an email out. Um but again I with busy with work I I didn't get a chance to look uh review that email. My apologies. Um so if we could have a discussion tonight about prior I' I'd like to uh to have a discussion so that maybe we can amend a policy or or possibly vote on it this evening. With all that being said um so maybe we can just get a little bit of background here. Uh what is No, I'll ask what's the what's Yeah. Can you just give me background on that? I'm going to ask Mr. Bermudas to give me
043a hand with some of the background. I'll I'll I'll fill in but come over to the podium just in case I miss something. Do you have so vamp is vin all middle school production correct? Is that is that the correct that is correct? Yes. Can you provide just a quick background of vamp? Yeah, sure. So vamp is violent all middle school production. Um it's an opportunity for any of the middle school students who are part of violent public schools but it is extended to other students within the community to participate in one um one production. uh is currently um hosted at Memorial. Uh Mr. Hedley is the director of of the Vamp uh production as well. Is Mr. Hedley a Ryland Public Schools employee? He is not. He does have a sibling who works in
044district though. Mr. Mr. Mr. Jared Hedley is an employee. So is his mother, Miss Janet. He he is employee of the city of Iowa. Correct. Correct. I'm not certain. I believe possibly. I don't know if I I believe so. Okay. So, can I ask a question? See, that's why I had a little confusion, too, because I know Mr. Hedley was a principal of VHS Tannerville. Yeah. So, that's his brother, I believe, right? Correct. Correct. Uh Jared Hedley is a supervisor special education secondary. He used to be at the high school as an AP, but now he works directly with Miss Galooi here in our special ed office. Okay. So, uh, I would say as I'm hearing it that we don't have, as the superintendent has outlined, a teacher or district employee that is going to
045be chaperoning or running it. Um, and we don't know right now what the consent forms look like, what a type of agreement would look like. I just think at this point there's some unknowns. Um, there is the possibility of amending or adding this trip at a later time. I know you you said May 1st, so I don't know if there'll be time for this year, but at this point it doesn't sound like it would meet the criteria of a field trip, so I can't recommend adding it at this point. Is that correct? There's no Violent Public Schools employees that are going to be a chaperon or any parents that have children. There's over 40 students, I believe. Right. So, is there is no Violent Public Schools chaperons? Just out of curiosity. I I don't know
046the details of who is who who the uh who was going to attend as a chaperone, but Mr. Hedley as the adviser, he would be the individual who'd be coordinating the event, I would imagine. What about if we looked into it and possibly if we do find somebody, we talk to the solicitor and maybe put it on for the 28th. I mean, they're still going to go no matter what, but this would whether it be excused or not excused. I mean, they're going anyway, correct? Yeah. May 1st to the 5th. Again, it's it's more about having um the insurance. God forbid one of the students gets hurt. You know, this is the concerns from the parents um students absenteeism um which is a problem we just saw this week in in B public schools, you
047know. So, those that those things being said, those two are major in my in my opinion. Yeah. Um, you know, again, these kids are taking time out of their their school year to have a positive impact for Vamp, right, which is a funded, you know, organization through Memorial School, I believe. Right. Correct. There's a paid to the Is there a way we can find out who the other chaperoons are going to be if we have a district employee that's chaperoning or if they have if there is any kind of insurance? The part that I just want to clarify vamp the performance is the district sponsored event, right? The performance the the the stipen that comes out of Memorial School's budget is for the director to for the performance not where all the payments went from
048the parents, right? The trip is completely fundraised and uh donors I'm sorry performing. I believe they are performing while they're down in Disney. Uh but we are we've been going through this since September. Uh looking at, you know, does this qualify as a field trip? You know, we looked at the liability piece of, you know, ensuring or or approving and placing the board um liable for what happens on a trip. That's we internally do not see it as a district sponsored field trip. that that was the sticking point because of the makeup of the organization. It's voluntary. It's it's not a mandatory event. It's not a curriculum event. It's not like um some of the marching band events that go overnight to New York City to perform that's under our umbrella of of programs and
049performances chaperon by our director, let's say. That's covered internally and our insurance covers us. So, that's why we looked at the situation said that this not something we'd be able to prove. Also because there are students who do not belong to our public school district who are on that trip, but they would be excluded, right? There's other students that aren't part of the district. I believe the original request was that it was the complete group that and that was the feedback we provided as well that So yeah. So if you don't mind me asking who who dropped the ball here? Was it Mr. Headley, the department head of this organ this organization? Like where's the missing piece here? I I don't think anyone dropped the ball. Mr. Hedley did a great job. Awesome. Amazing, incredible
050performance. The trip is is an add-on. It's it's an extra activity that he is orchestrating with the support of the families of that after school activity. Uh the we looked at what is a field trip, what allows what are the allowable excused absences. We looked at the state definition of excused versus non-excused. and they're very specific about what you can excuse when the student goes on a trip. If it's a field trip that's of an educational value linked to the curriculum, it's it's it's pretty straightforward. Performing arts isn't part of that. I mean, you could we send our kids to Florida for baseball, you know, sporting activities, other things. So, I just having a hard time with why why we wouldn't back this trip for 40 of our students. If I can jump in for
051two points here. One, I don't think it agree it doesn't meet the definition of field trip. I'm pretty sure you need someone from the school to chaperone it. It sounds more and I don't know anything about you said it. Tell me about it. Sounds more like a community event that involves people that live in the city but not necessarily specific to just the school. Uh second, I would would highly recommend before agreeing to anything to looking at what their requirements are for their contracts, agreements, insurance requirements before anything there. As the madam chair said, there is an April 28th meeting. This could be brought up and discussed at that one. But I think more information is needed before any way yes or no. Perfect. That's what we're looking for could go. Thank you. I don't
052I don't decide that. I'm just saying that's I I'm thanks for saying I mean that's all I want is some discussion on it to see if we can um you know maybe at least present it to the entire board so that everybody can have a vote on it because again 40 of our students are attending this trip. Um they parents did make payments to Memorial School so there are some connections here. Okay, thank you. Thank you for your time guys. Okay. Do I have a motion and second? So move. Second. Roll call, please. Mrs. Perez, you seconded it. Thank you. Mr. Bono, yes. Mr. Fio, yes. Mr. Harris, yes. Mr. Holmes, yes. Mrs. Perez, yes. Mr. Rivera, yes. Mr. Silva, Mr. S. Uh, Mr. Sabrina. Yes. Mrs. Scottisbat. Yes. Motion carries. Requesting discussion and approval
053regarding finance items 4.1 through 4.13. Questions or comments? Roll call. I mean, sorry. Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Who seconded that? Donna. Thank you. Roll call. Mr. Bono. Yes. Mr. Fio. I need to recuse on 4.6 4.7 4.8. Yes. For the remaining items. Thank you, Mr. Harris. I need to recuse from 4.3 and yes to the remaining Mr. Holmes, yes. Mrs. Perez, yes. Mr. Rivera, yes. Mr. Silva. Mr. Sabrana, you'll get it right eventually. I will. Yes. Mrs. Katispati. Yes. Motion carries. At this time, I would like to ask Mr. Bermudas uh to take uh the poem just for a quick announcement and celebration. All right. Thank you, Board of Education. Thank you, Mr. Yano, members of the cabinet for giving me the opportunity to chair. Just a bit of an update
054on some of the initiatives we had regarding safety and security throughout Violent Public Schools. Um, just like to extend my gratitude to everyone for the ongoing support and commitment to making safety a top priority for our students, teachers, and families. Over the past year, we've made some significant strides to strengthening the safety infrastructure of our schools, and we're continuing to build on that momentum. Some key highlights include the expansion and improvement of surveillance c of surveillance systems across the district to ensure more comprehensive monitoring and quicker response times, the addition of Mr. Wolf as director of security for Violent Public Schools, bringing a focus and experienced leadership presence to to this critical area. We are also expanding the use of raptor technology services which include our visitor safe management which is active in all of
055our schools to effectively screen and track visitors. And we are looking to expand into the emergency emergency management system. And that's designed to help us prepare for, respond to, and recover for from emergency events with greater coordination and efficiency. Uh, and the newest partnership I'd like to discuss is our partnership with Allied Universal, which will provide armed security guards in each of our schools. This is a major step forward in ensuring our schools remain safe environments for learning and growth. We deeply appreciate the support from the board of education in moving this initiative forward. In particular, I know Mr. Katis, Mrs. Katispati, and Mr. Fio have been uh committed to making this a reality during their time on the board. Um, so we appreciate those efforts of everyone to make this a reality. At this
056time, I'd like to invite Mr. Frank Spano, who is the director of education security services from Allied Universal. And before Mr. Spano, President Katispati want to say a few words. So please, I would like to thank the entire board um, boards in the past who have worked with us for the armed guard services. I'd like to thank central administration for working with us. Um, I especially want to thank Mr. Fio for for being working as hard as he has with along with myself in getting this. But I also need to thank um former board members Tom Alrich and Scott English for having our having our backs, supporting us and encouraging us until we've gotten this. I know they're very excited and happy that our armed guards are going to be coming into effect very soon
057and we welcome you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board, Superintendent Yano. I'd like to introduce my team with me today. Anthony Roby from our operations team, Dan Roose from our government affairs and government services team, and I think a gentleman that needs no introduction in Vinland, Felix Martinez from our business development side. Uh, as Mr. Bermudez said, I'm Frank Spano. I'm Allied Universal's director of education security services. And so my job, I'm not a salesperson, I'm not an operator. It's to make sure that what we do as a company is correct within the academic environment, right? Whether that be K12 or higher ed. Um, as you may be aware, Allied Universal is honored to be the largest provider of education security services in North America. That's the higher ed to K12
058as well as the historically black college and universities. And so what that provides us is an unmatched community of practice where we learn the good, we learn the bad, we learn what works, we learn what we could do better. We bring that together with our team and the communities that we serve to make sure that we bring the right people with the right capabilities and the right mindset to support your school. And so we've really enjoyed the opportunity to work with violent schools and look forward to continuing to do so. I have to say as an educator myself, being here and seeing this today made me miss being back in the classroom and being back in school. Uh I'm very happy that what we do even in an armed security capacity is serving as an
059educator outside the classroom, right? To model that behavior, to work with the team. And on that note, I'd actually I'd love to thank the board in particular uh as well as Director Wolf uh for the vision and for the capability. Superintendent Yano, Mr. Bermudez, thank you for bringing us all together. Uh we very much look forward to advancing the partnership, working together on the training, and making for a safer school. I'm happy to take any questions or comments that you may have uh or any that you may wish to address from the floor. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it. [Applause] Regular agenda? None. Proposed items for review or discussion or adoption by board members? None. Um, approval of bills. Any questions or comments? Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Second. Roll call, please. Mr.
060Bruno, yes. Mr. Fio. Mr. Harris. Yes. Mr. Holmes? Yes. Mrs. Perez? Yes. Mr. Rivera? Yes. I'm not going to stop now. Mr. Silva. Mr. Sabbrana. Yes. Mrs. Katispati? Yes. Motion carries. Emergent items. None. Old business. None. New business. None. Board member comments. I'll start with Mr. Holmes. Nothing at this time. Mr. Bono. Uh, just like to say, uh, last week we had an awesome time at the chili cookoff at Wallace School. Kudos and much respect to Chef Profesh within V R V public schools. He did a phenomenal job. Uh, great event. It's my second one. And um myself, President Kaspati, Vice President Sabrana and Cedric were judges in the contest. And boy, it was a hard one. Every kid brought their agame. They had wellthoughtout recipes and they they cooked them right there tableside, 45
061minutes to prepare a dish with all these spectators. It was an amazing event and I just I just like to thank the administration for letting it happen and everyone that was involved. Uh great job. Um keep it going. A little close to my heart and you know being in the culinary world and uh it was a very nice event. Thank you. Um and then I'd like to congratulate all the violent public school support staff members of the year um the winners and every other staff member within our violent public schools district. you know, they a lot of them go for granted and um and support staff uh members are a huge asset to our district in my opinion. Um because you never know who a child is going to get comfortable with and and open
062up to. So, every support staff member within those walls of of those schools are important asset to our district and it's great it's great to see that uh we acknowledge them for their job well done. So, thank you, Miss Perez. Thank you. Um, first of foremost, thank you to our Pway students for leading us in the flag salute. It's always one of my favorites to see them. Um, second to our peer leaders, staff, and students. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am sure that through your efforts, you made the transition for many sixth graders, students a little easier and less stressful. Great job. It was great to see that. And finally, and last but not least, to our support staff of the year. And to all our support staff, support means to lift up,
063means to hold up. It's a foundation, and they are that to this school district. We appreciate each and every one of you. You are an asset to our school district and represent the backbone of Vinland Public Schools. So, thank you very much, Mr. Aa. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to thank the Petway students for leading us in the flag suit as well. Um, congratulations to all the support staff members, the winners of the year. Um, it's been said, but without you guys. Um, we couldn't do the work that we do here in Violent Public Schools. So, we thank you and congratulations uh to Mrs. Ralpho. Uh, congratulations on your team. Excellent work. I'm looking forward to next year where we can expand that program and see what else what else we can do with that.
064And I'm excited about that. So, congratulations. Um, welcome Allied Health. Alli Allied Health. Close enough. Close enough. Allied Security. Um, welcome. Uh, we look forward to our partnership and I look forward to working with you guys and just to have the the feeling of safety in all our in all our school buildings is going to be great for our students, our parents, and us as as administration and board members. So, thank you for coming on board. Um, to our eighth graders that are coming into 9th grade next year, I just have one thing to tell you. You make the school. The school doesn't make you. So, for all you that perhaps got some bad news over the last couple weeks, don't take it as bad news because here at Violent Public Schools, you are going
065to succeed. You are going to have a great high school career and you're going to do amazing things for the rest of your life as a violent high school graduate. Have a great night. Thank you, Mr. Harris. I want to take a moment and thank the children from Pway Elementary School for leading us in the flag salute. Uh want to thank uh say congratulations to the sport staff. Support staff is very important. sometime they go uh unrecognized but uh tell them congratulations and keep up the hard work. Allied security I want to say welcome. I look forward to you guys uh increasing the security in the school as a grandparent of a student. I want to thank Miss Kispotti for pushing this. Uh it's a good thing. I want the kids secure. Thank you Mr.
066Sabrana. Thank you to the usual cast of thousands that we have at our means and bring them on. More the better. Especially our great kids leading the flag salute. Then our support staff. I saw a lot of smiles out there and a pat on the back and a little a certificate always gives you a little bit of a boost for the people that work hard every day. In regard to our security services, um, as Kim said, a lot of people were involved pushing this along the way. Great deal of frustration, a lot of conversations about how do you put a price on a child's life or a staff member or a member of the general public. For the 20 years before I sat in this chair, I was the director of communications. And so, of
067course, it was near a near miracle that we never had any of the terrible things that happened in schools across our nation, but we did have situations where we lost a student one way or the other and or there was some terrible thing happened. And I'm the guy that had to stand in front of all the TV cameras. And I have to say it changed me in a way because I can I can recall every single one of those circumstances. Everything I saw, everything I said, everything I heard and had difficult time sleeping, especially when it happened some other place in the in the country. No one can guarantee safety. And I've heard it over and over again. any school, any time, any day. But we're finally at last doing something about it. And that
068gives me a great feeling of pride just to be associated with it. I didn't do a whole lot other than to say you have to stand in front of a bunch of cameras and people pointing a microphone in your face and asking you hard ball questions until you understand the magnitude of that of that experience. and I don't want anyone, especially no one that works at this school district, to have to do that. So, looking forward to working with you fellows, however long I'm here. I also want to say to our students at home, especially the high school students, this is always the time of the year somewhere in the country and oftentimes in the state, sometimes even nearby, we lose a student because someone was being stupid and reckless and thinking that nothing bad
069could ever happen to them because they're 17 or 18 years old. Well, guess what? It can. And it does. and it it kills a little part of the entire community when it happens. So please students enjoy the activities that we have there many of them but make good decisions be safe and have the smiles on your face at the end of the day that you did in the beginning. Thank you Mr. Yano. Thank you uh to our board members, to our community who came out tonight. Want to say another big thank you to our support staff members who we were able to recognize tonight. What an awesome group of individuals. Just they make our district amazing. Our students who came out this evening again, outstanding peerroup connection students. What a cool program. You know, school-based
070eighth grade students working, advising, connecting to our sixth graders. Incredible experiences. We see it in action every day. Uh Dean and her team are doing a great job and our principles at the middle schools are also doing wonderful work. Uh we had a great eighth grade dialogue on March 26th in this building. was an awesome event to recognize students uh whose character determination, school spirit, leadership, and community service inspired their classmates, teachers, and their community. It was a wonderful Cumberland Countywide event. Uh we are um excited about, you know, what comes into our next future chef competition. Not sure what next year's challenge will be. Uh, but I heard this year's winner, Dallas Johnson from Rossi did a great job with his awesome and incredible, very yummy favorite chili recipe. We had uh 12 students,
071elementary and middle school, who were honored on April 3rd as giraffe heroes, uh, for having big hearts and sticking their necks out to help others and for being persistent in pursuing their goals. Uh, those students, their teachers, their administrators, their families are inspiration to our classmates and to our community. Uh this week, Cap and Dagger, uh performances start tomorrow night, 700 p.m. Friday night, 7 p.m. 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Our third grade students got a sneak peek yesterday. What a cool experience to see our third grade students from across our district watch this performance. It was very just inspiring. You could see the third graders saying, "Wow, this is so cool. I can't wait to be a part of this high school." They were excited and I know our high school students loved
072seeing those faces staring at them and kind of interacting with them during some of the sets. It it was an interesting to see as as our students learned what it is to be a good audience member. Uh tomorrow, incredible event, art K5 Elementary show here, Landis School. Uh come on out. It's going to be a wonderful evening of art and celebration. Um our athletic hall uh of fame induction is also tomorrow. Tickets are closed, but the ceremony will be available on YouTube, so you can view it online and uh welcome Allied to our team. We'll be working very closely. Thank you. I would just like to echo um everything that my fellow board members have said. Congratulations to all of our students. Congratulations to our support staff and all of our staff. We can't do
073this without you guys, and you guys are doing an amazing job this year. Um, I was able to be at the junior chef's competition. It was actually my ninth year judging. It is one of my favorite events and I can't wait to see what next year brings. I was at the eighth grade dialogue and those kids were amazing that came through the um came through that night. Some of the answers just surprised me and they were so grown up. Um, I was able to meet with Allied and with the superintendent and Mr. Wolf and Mr. Bermudez and I was very impressed and I have to tell you after 10 years working with Mr. Alrich and Mr. English and Mr. Pioke and the boards over the years 10 years I felt at peace when I left
074that meeting and I'm so excited and I'm so comfortable with what I heard with you guys. So I welcome you and if you ever need anything from us, the board is here. Thank you everyone. God bless you all. Good night. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Second. All in favor? I