001Call this meeting to order. The saluted flag, please. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for allible. Roll, >> please. >> Mr. B here. >> Mr. Aspen here. Mr. G here. Mrs. Miller here. >> Mr. Per, >> Mr. Peny here. >> Mr. Cassber here. >> Mr. Chapman >> here. >> Mr. Gasio >> here. >> In accordance with terms of the sunshine law, adequate notice of this meeting was posted in all school buildings, the administration building, burough clerk's office, public library, three newspapers, and tap on January 7th, 2025. Please be advised there's no smoking on school grounds inside or outside at any time. Please silence all electronic devices. Pursuant to district policy number 0167, each statement
002made by participants shall be limited to 3 minutes duration and no participant may speak more than once on the same topic. Thank you. >> Going up. >> Before we get started, uh I just want to uh on behalf of the board and the administration in the South School District to uh well wishes to everyone in in the in the town. Um we had a rough week. It's been a rough three weeks really. And uh we hope everyone's uh safe and and bailing out. And I know people are still working on emptying their basements and getting their lives back together and in order. And just wanted to let you all know that we are all concerned about uh what's going on out there. We sincerely hope you're making it through this. That's all. >> Thank you,
003Mr. Casio. Couple things to go over this in the superintendent report today. Uh one is the subscription busing. I wanted to give some information about that. We are finalizing the registration process um for subscription busing and it looks like we're going to open up our registration on August 1st, 2025. The district is sending out an email blast to the eligible students with registering um through the registering uh information on their um email address that they have listed in the Genesis system. So please make sure that you have your information um listed in the system so that we have the correct information for contacting you. One email will be sent out on Friday, July 25th. A reminder, ROOC call will be sent out on July 29th. And the last reminder will be sent out again on
004July 31st with both a ROOC call and an email. It's important and we're sending these out to you because it is somewhat of a lottery uh system here. Uh again, please make sure that you have any changes of your information are already listed in the uh Genesis system because we can only send you the information if the information is correct in the system. We have a total of 950 eligible students based on the criteria for subscription busing and there are approximately 184 seats available. That's out of uh as of today. As students move into the district that number um may change. Um but please be advised some of the routes are already filled. We do not have the ability to open up any more seats on routes that are already filled. Again, registration will open
005um on the 1st, August 1st at 8:00 a.m. It will be on a first come first- serve basis. You will be required to enter your uh credit card information into the system and you'll be uh provided two options for busing. The first option will be the uh stop that's closest to your house. The second option will be the obviously the one that's the second closest to your house. Um you must register and confirm your payment that day. If you do not confirm your payment, we have no way to hold it. So there's no way for us to if you haven't done the um confirmation and somebody else comes in and and takes that seat, there's no other option um other than to pick what might be option two or all the seats may be taken
006at that time. So please be advised that you are going to on that day go in on the 1st at 8:00 in the morning uh go in take the seat that's available and make that payment at that time. There'll be no cash or check um accepted. So, just so you know that again, there'll be uh three different ways to receive your um three different emails and robocalls for your information. Secondly, I wanted to talk about the security system that we're installing in the high school. We are planning on having the security system at the high school installed over the last two weeks of August. That's the timeline as of today. In prepar preparation for the use of the system, Mr. Fiscolo and his team will be scheduling two virtual meetings. the first one on August
00722nd and the second on August 25th uh to answer any questions from our students or families that they might have on how to use the system and the process of how we're going to enter the building. Um keep in mind parents and guardians will have to acknowledge that they know the system is in use as the students enter the building through their um Genesis uh parent portal and that's when they sign into the system as they do every year over the summer to get their students um schedules for the 2627 school year. You'll be receiving information regarding the meeting, the dates and the times and how you can sign up for uh for the meeting. In addition, we are also going to make a video so that you can see what the process is. And
008we understand that over the first two couple of weeks of school, it is probably going to be um an issue and just so the students can get used to it. We're going to open up the building a little bit earlier and we will have um some leniency obviously on uh students coming in that might come in a little bit late due to uh our everybody getting used to the system. The opening of student schedules for parents and guardians um looks like it's going to be on August 22nd. That's what we're shooting for. We'll also send out an email on that. Please be sure again to update your information including your secondary contacts and any emergency contact information. It's important that we have all of this information in our system at the start of the school
009year so that you have all that information. It's also important that you complete the free and reduced lunch uh and breakfast application as the total amount um to qualify changes each year and those who are not eligible eligible may be eligible this year. Uh and those that are already part of the program, please know that you have to update your application because they expire each year. And the last thing I wanted to uh let the public know and we're very grateful for both Kennedy and Roosevelt school playgrounds. We were fortunate to receive some grant funding through the state with the support of Senator uh Dyman in the amount of $83,000 uh to be split between the two schools. The district is working with the building administration to order sets that are appropriate for the area
010where they're going to be installed. The total cost of each set with installation is approximately $120,000 per building with the cost of the um of the offset uh being funded through district funds. We know that the PTO's in both Kennedy and Roosevelt have been working hard to raise funds for additional pieces to be added to the playground set later on and we're looking forward to seeing our students playing on the set soon. So, thank you. Thank you. >> At this time, any public comments on agenda items only? Seeing none. Resolution to approve the prior board minutes. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Mr. Both. >> Yes. >> Mr. Espen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Fion. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Miller. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pender. >> Yes. >> Mr. Peny.
011>> Yes. >> Mr. Senberg. >> Yes. >> Mr. Chapman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Casio. >> Yes. >> Curriculum A through H. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll the call, please. Mr. Both. >> Yes. >> Mr. Espman, >> yes. >> Mr. Gakus, >> yes. >> Mrs. Miller, yes. >> Mr. Pender, >> yes. >> Mr. Py, >> yes. >> Mr. Sleber, >> yes. >> Mr. Chapman, >> yes. >> Mr. Casio, >> yes. >> Policy A. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Both. >> Yes. >> Mr. Aspen? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gakus? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Miller? >> Yes. >> Mr. Pender? >> Yes. >> Mr. Peny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Cellberg? >> Yes. >> Mr. Chapman? >> Yes. >> Mr. Cassia? >> Yes. on personnel A
012through F. >> So move second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Mr. B. >> Yes. >> Mr. Esman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Giannakis. >> Yes. Abstain on Junior Murray. >> Mrs. Miller. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pender. >> Yes. >> Mr. Peny. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cessleber. >> Yes. >> Mr. Chapman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cassio. >> Yes. Abstaining on any family letter. >> We on finance A through I've never seen this one. >> W. That's a >> W or W. U you you >> let's amend you. >> So move second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. B. >> Yes. >> Mr. Espen? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ganakis? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Miller? >> Yes. >> Mr. Pender? >> Yes. >> Mr. Peny? >> Yes. >> Mr. Cesleberg? >> Yes. >> Mr.
013Chapman? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gio? >> Yes. >> Any public comments on any matter? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Hi. >> You can go to the podium. Please state your name and your address. My name is Lisa Smith. >> What button is button? >> The one on the right. >> Thanks. Lisa Kone Smith. I live at 906 Franklin Avenue and my property touches Franklin School Field. And the reason my husband and I are here is the storm, not this past storm on Monday, which was bad enough, the tornado storm. There's a tree on Franklin Field. Well, all the trees that border our fence are dying. They're all on the school property. They need to be checked, looked at, and possibly removed. But there's a tree right on the Franklin school property that is right where the
014kindergarters go in. And that tree is almost dead. And they're there every morning underneath it. All the kids for this week with the summer programs, they're sitting underneath it. And it is really perilous. Like another bad storm and it's coming down or it's going to come down on them. So, it needs to be looked at. You can see from driving on Franklin Avenue, you can see how dead it is. It's facing the road. >> Which one is that? >> This big huge oak tree right on Franklin Avenue, right next to the kindergarten doors. >> Right on the road. I am aware of it. Uh we need help from the town. The town is too big for us. >> Right. >> The town was going to help us out, but their bucket truck has been damaged.
015>> So the head of grounds, >> right? So I know the bucket truck's damaged cuz I actually saw the grounds myself. >> Okay. >> But we can't wait for a truck to be fixed. Maybe have to call an outside service. Like it's bad. >> Tom, do you have an ETA on that bucket? >> No, I don't. Uh, we needed ourselves over at um the Roosevelt School, too, cuz we have the partner playground cordoned off because we have tree limbs too high for us to get. >> Okay. >> We'll follow up on that. Make sure something gets taken. >> I mean, cuz it's coming down. >> N it's really they actually the summer program that's outside. I mean, they're literally sitting under that. That's actually part of the wreck. So, I'll I'll make sure that nobody
016is >> under that tree. >> Okay, great. Anybody else? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Hello. Uh, my name is Maggie Drake live at 613 Ritter Avenue. Um, this is my first meeting ever, so I really don't want to embarrass myself. Um I'm just looking for a little bit of understanding in regard to what's been published and tap into about possible tax increases for homeowners. Um and I believe the record of the average price house house price around 160 something,000. Um I just wanted to inquire where that record is available to like the public. >> Can you explain that? >> He's Alex is the post administrator. So, so are you just looking to see where you can get the information yourself or where they come up with that number? 167,000. It's 127 I think. >> Yeah, it's
017127. >> It's 100 125 is the average assessed home. Yes. >> That's the assessed price. >> That's the assessment. It's not what you sell or not what you paid. Only the assessed price. >> Okay. I think that >> and that's not that's not through the school district. That's that's provided to to >> on your tax bill. >> Okay. >> So, that's kind of scary because you would say your house is probably worth a lot more than that. Right. >> Right. Well, I mean, we had a problem when I literally moved not 3 years ago and when we got our final mortgage to sign off on, the payment itself was $300 more. And when I questioned it, I was told that I'd be sued if I tried to back out. But that the reason for that
018was because the tax records had not been >> um updated. >> Updated. >> That's a pretty big >> That's a big number. Sure. That's a big number. That was the year. >> Does that answer your question? >> Very much so. I appreciate it. One other thing. Um do you have any information regarding the subscription busing? I guess more more specifically, will that be back to the mile from school criteria? Uh so if you are in the elementary schools, you must be over one mile. Some of our some of our um schools, so let's say Franklin school for example, they don't have any students who qualify. So they wouldn't be offered any subscription busing. So if it's it's a mile, if you're over in the elementary schools, it's 1.25 grant and above. Okay? >> So you
019have to be over that mileage in order to be put on it. So I I want to be clear so the people understand um we can't change the routes. So, if you happen to live, let's say, you know, 1.35 miles away from Grant, right, >> you're going to be given the option of the closest bus stop that's that's to your home. You may decide that that's too far for your child to go. We can't begin to add other stops because now we're creating a new route, right? >> So, that that won't be possible. But, those will be the those are the the numbers. And anybody who's eligible, they'll receive that email. So you can register. If you don't get an email, that means you don't. But if you wanted to just check for yourself, you
020can call a transportation department. They have everybody's address in the system and they'll tell you exactly how far you are from the schools. >> Okay. >> I appreciate it. No problem. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you very well. You did not embarrass yourself. >> Anybody else? All right. Any board member comments? >> Bill, >> thank you. Uh, first I want to thank Tom Wiggins and the staff and all the buildings for securing the building and all the cleanup efforts that happened after the two storms. Uh, the one on the third which was more wind and trees and such and the one that happened on Monday night which was a lot of water. Um, also I'm wearing the summer drama shirt. We have a newsies. I'd like to invite everybody to come see Newsies August
0211st, 2nd and 3rd right here. here if you hear singing and dancing tonight. They're in the hallways practicing and it it's going to be a great show. And just another um another item that shows you how great the school district is here. Uh tonight for his 10th night in a row, Scott Ricardi is on Jeopardy and he was graduate 2017 in South High School. his teeth too. >> Do you? Yes, I do. >> I mean, he he's been doing great and um you know, he doesn't live in the town anymore, but he he's from here and went through the school system. So, that's nice to see that. >> Say that base is the most important thing, right? >> Yes. >> I can I I'm sorry. Can I just add in that any teacher who's that
022ever taught him has um made claim any any teacher has made they've sent emails. I know it was on um Mr. Shaw had said something of the of the of the you know extracurricular he was on like every single person is making things to >> you go place young too graduate >> 2017 >> yeah 2017 >> anything else >> that's it anybody else >> that's it seeing none we have to go into executive session I apologize seeing nothing else we're going to go into executive session at this time uh no action will be taken forward >> it is for >> we can discuss personel >> personel. Okay. >> So move motion. >> So move.