Board of Education Meeting 9/19/23

001Good evening. Uh, welcome to the September 19th board of education meeting. Um, I'd like to call the meeting to order. And first I'd ask, um, please respect a moment of silence. And now, please stand for the flag salute. [Music] I aliance 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 all. [Applause] In accordance with the provisions of the open public meetings act, a public notice of this meeting has been sent to board members, all district schools, Herald News, Suburban Trends, The Record, The Messenger, West Milford Town Hall, County Superintendent's Office, the board attorney, Cable Vision of Warick, and West Milford TV77 that posted in the administration building. Copies of the board meeting calendar resolution were provided to

002all local media, town hall, township library, and all district schools. For the last time, please. Miss Francisco, roll call. >> Mrs. Rico >> here. >> Mr. Sidowitz here. >> Mrs. Lippy. >> Mr. Lippy. I'm sorry. [Applause] Mrs. Dwire and Mr. Green >> here. >> Mrs. O'Brien is here. Mr. Brian is not. >> Um, Mrs. Lockwood >> here. >> Mrs. Van Dyke here. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yay. >> Thank you. Um, [Applause] superintendent report. Dr. Fernari. [Applause] [Music] There we go. Okay. Good evening. Uh, first I'd like to invite uh our West Milford High School senior Mia Harrison to give her report to the board at this time. So recently at the West Milford High School, we held back to school night on the 13th. It was very successful and well attended. Thanks to anyone who

003came out. Um today is actually a dine to donate for West Milford High School, the PTSO at McDonald's. It is from 4 to 8, I believe. So for anyone who doesn't want to cook, you can go over and have some McDonald's. Um, this week was a spirit week leading up to the Lakeland football game that's away on Friday. We wore pink and preppy for Barbie day yesterday and today was pirate day. Tomorrow is bring your childhood stuffed animal to school and Thursday is superhero and super villain day. And for Friday the game, it's black and gold. Next week is homecoming week and we also have some activities for that week, too. Um, we don't have school Monday, but Tuesday is home-cooked meal day and we want all the students to bring in some canned goods

004for donation. And Wednesday is home sweet home where the high schoolers can write chalk messages about why West Mford is our home. Thursday is home room competition, which is a competition we're going to have to see how which classroom has the most purchased homecoming tickets, and whichever one wins will get a pizza party or bagel party. Friday is hometown pride and it's black and gold day again. Um the pep rally is also that day and the big game with announcements of the homecoming court. On Thursday, September 21st, we have a double second with clubs and activities for students who just join the school to be able to join whatever club they like. Um, and Saturday, October 7th are the SATs and they're at West Milford High School, so anyone who needs to take them can

005go to the high school and do it them then. So, we encourage everyone to sign up. Um, on October 14th and 15th, seniors will be painting their parking spots with the West Mford High School PTSO and the Spooktacular is in the works. We need a lot of trunks, so anyone who's interested, please um contact me, Mia Harrison, Nicole Petraillo, or Serena Laorray for more information. Um, all community and groups are welcome. Um, and that is on the 28th. From 4:00 to 8 is the trunk or tree and from 5 to 8 is the haunted hallways. Again, the ticket information will be coming soon. >> Okay. Thank you, Mia. Um, sounds like there's a lot of wonderful school spirit going on and um, if you need an extra trunk, I'll volunteer. >> Okay. So, a great

006deal has happened since our doors opened for students on the 7th of September. Our schools are active and positive places for learning where teachers and students are becoming deeply engaged in the work of the 2023 2024 school year. Back to school nights have begun and will continue through September 28th. The back to school night schedule is posted on the district website. Members of the central office administrative team are visiting schools and attending school activities. We will continue to do so in support of our school communities. As happens every year, some unanticipated issues arise, but we're working to resolve these matters as quickly as possible. Please reach out to your school if you have any questions or concerns, and know that we are here to help. On tonight's agenda is a motion to approve the district

007goals, which I shared in draft form at our last meeting. Once approved, these goals will be posted on the district website. Using these goals and our strategic plan as guides, the uh school administrators and staff are crafting school level goals as well as individual goals. This alignment helps us to ensure that we are all supporting one another and are working toward a common understanding of our mission. At this time, I'd like to ask Mrs. Romeo if I can read a resolution into the agenda. >> Yes, please. Whereas Barbara Francisco, school business administrator, board secretary, will retire after 13 years of outstanding and meritorious service to the West Milford Township Public Schools. And whereas Mrs. Francisco began her career with the West Milford Township Public Schools on October 18th, 2010. And whereas as a result of

008her unwavering commitment to the district, its schools, and its students, she demonstrated her outstanding skills in the oversight and management of the operational and fiscal needs of the school system. And whereas in recognition of her dedication, professionalism, and vigilance in service to the West West Milford Township public schools, Mrs. Francisco has rightfully earned the respect of her colleagues and professional peers as well as that of the West Milford Board of Education. And whereas through her many years of service, Mrs. Francisco has served the school community of West Milford Township with skill, objectivity, and care of our students. Therefore, be it resolved that we, the members of the board of education, do hereby extend to Barbara Francisco, School Business Administrator, board secretary, our sincere and grateful appreciation for her dedicated service to the West Milford Township

009Public Schools, our congratulations on her well- earned retirement and our best wishes for continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come. read on this 19th day of September, 2023 at the public meeting of the West Milford Township Public Schools Board of Education. [Applause] [Music] Uh, I think they did this intentionally just to see me get teeyed. Um but um I just like to uh thank everybody for the recognition and for the um the support that they've given me. Um my staff is out here and they are just so amazing. They have just made me look good because they're so dedicated to the community and the students and the staff of this this uh school district. Um it's been a fast 13 years, I have to say. and I um I know in

010my heart that the school district will be left in really good hands moving forward and I thank you for everything that uh you've given to me um to help me grow as a person. So appreciate it and um thank you West Milford. [Applause] Thank you. >> Uh, would you like to make comments? >> Yeah, >> I thought so. Um, go ahead, Linda. You can go first. We'll just go around. Okay. >> Well, I'm going to miss you. You have always put the kids of the district first and you have been a good friend and a compliment to me in times when I really needed a shoulder. But I have always seen the love of the district come through. And I want to thank you for caring so much about a community which you do not

011live in but that you worked and broke grew to love. We will all miss you. Um, you're always you have always been there. I've seen you there till 10 11:00 at night working burning those midnight hours and I I don't know that that's something that you know we will ever see again. But we appreciate all and you have gone through one of our toughest times with all of these state aid cuts. And as bad as it got, you always said, "Don't worry, we're going to do it. It's going to work." And somehow it worked. All I can say is thank you and I hope that you enjoy your retirement and that you have a beautiful life ahead of you in I will miss you. We all will. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um the other

012day you're the only one that >> push the button on the mic please. >> I can. >> All right. Thank you. I'll start that from the beginning. It dawned on me the other day that you're the only one around this table that has been with me from the get-go. Everybody else is new. And from the moment I met you, I knew that you were somebody that I can turn to for understanding, for support, for guidance, especially those first few years when you really are kind of green behind the ears. And in a small world setting, who knew that you and I have a shared friendship with a a gentleman that is a family friend of yours and was a colleague of mine. Um, thank you is probably the best I can say to you at

013this time. Um, but you you mean so much to this community. You do have a phenomenal staff, no doubt about it. Um, and we are blessed in that regard as well. But thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you've done for our families and our communities and our students and our faculty and staff here in West Milford. May you have many years of great health and happiness. >> I just wanted to say thank you Barbara. Um, you really have been uh somebody that's been there for me since I've come on the board. Always answered any questions that I had, no matter how silly they seemed. You always um just were very truthful and honest and everything that you've done. I mean, I've been a part of board meetings for many years

014coming in the audience and I got to see you stand there, you know, and answer some very tough questions and then I got to see the other side of you on the board side where you came from that compassionate but also very strong side and you really do care about this district and this community and I thank you for that from a parent standpoint who has children in this district. That meant a lot. Um, I wish you luck. Enjoy those grandb babies and all the time that you're going to have on your hands and get some rest. >> Thank you. I don't think a lot of people outside of this days and the the central office realize the impact that you have on our community. And I just want you to know that it's not

015taken for granted. And you will absolutely be missed. And I really hope that um you really enjoy your retirement cuz you really deserve it. You've put in a lot of time and a lot of heartache into our community and I hope that you take that time for yourself now. >> All right. I got nothing to say. No. Um, he like I just thinking about Barbara. I think what you said said it well. People don't know you outside of this circle and the folks in the home office, but um you're tough. You're fair, but you do it with humility and you do it with compassion. And humility in the sense that I know you don't even like this happening right now. So that's why I kind of said I got nothing to say because I know

016Barbara doesn't like this happening right now. Um but I I appreciate all you've done for the school district cuz that has not been easy. It is it is not an easy job what you had to do over these past years and to be the I know business administrator, the CFO, whatever you want to call it. Um, sometimes, you know, people look at that and and that's thankless and and those of us that know you can't thank you enough. Um, and we all still have your cell phone number and I and I know that it might get used. I'm just so so thank you, Barbara. and thanks for being my wrestling partner in the on the school board cuz I know you're a big fan of so Barbara our our relationship began in 2015 when I

017came in like a big ball of fire and despite whatever question I may have had you were always willing to open the doors to me to explain things to give me a better understanding um our relationship as a trustee administrative standpoint uh really started when we went through the transportation remediation uh project and you and I had discussed with the board at the time a resolution that kind of omitted a section of a proposal that saved $200,000 to the district. um that's not really something that's known to the public, but from that point on, I think that moment really solidified that you treated me as a colleague respectfully and always were willing to do so despite our differences. And by the end of our tenure, there were times when you were comforting me because I

018was still a ball of fire and there were times where I needed to see the future versus the present. So, thank you so much for everything that you've done. Congratulations on your retirement and I look forward to hearing all the good things that happened during your retirement. >> If I could my my short tenure here of not only nine months I have definitely learned that while Mrs. Lippy would like to be here to congratulate you. Um you you are definitely a a pillar uh in this in this district. you you are everything else goes through you and everyone knows that you know what whenever I had a question it was well ask Barbara ask Barbara she knows so that I thank you very much for your guidance and I wish you all the best I

019won't go too long uh I I could echo every sentiment around this table uh I think a testament also is to the you know the central office staff who's come here see your last meeting. Um, you know, that that tells us everything. Um, those people are here to see you and say goodbye to you because of what you've been. Um, there's two things that I want to talk about tonight in my presentation and your fingerprints are all over them as well. Um, you always cared about kids. You always let me sit in that chair and dream big and then you would try to figure out how to how to make those things happen. So, I mean, you your fingerprints are on everything in this district that we've seen grow over the last 15, 16, 17,

020how many years? 13 years. Feels feels longer. Feels longer. From the from the from the fieldhouse to the turf to the auditorium to the new math program I'm going to present tonight. Uh, you're you've been involved in it. The pre the playgrounds in all of our schools. Um, you know, every vendor. You've got that wealth of knowledge. So, I you know, I I've said goodbye to a lot of colleagues um over the last few years. Um but I've been around with you the longest and it hasn't really hit me until, you know, seeing this and that happens to me often. I try not to think too far ahead, but um this one is going to be to have to uh overcome. So, I know I've got another night where I'm going to speak about you.

021So, I'm going to save all the all the good stuff. Um, but I just wanted to make sure that I I said, you know, for your last meeting, thank you for everything you've done for West Milford. As a parent, as an employee, as a resident, as someone who has um parents here who are taxpayers, you've meant a lot to West Milford, and I just want to make sure that we leave here today being able to say that loud. Thank you, >> Barbara. our time hasn't been very long, but it's been very impactful. Uh you um demonstrate, and I've heard it a few times, such cander, but such compassion at the same time. And as a director of special services, um I have been so fortunate to see that uh how much compassion you have for

022those with special needs and for the programs that we have here. and I just have really treasured our conversations and all the wisdom that you've been able to bestow upon me in the short time that I have been here. So, just wish you all the best and uh enjoy every moment. Welcome. Um, as a board member, when you're on personnel committee, I think it is, you get to sit with the non-affiliated administration and discuss their race. Um, my first year as a board member, I was absolutely blown away. And you come into that meeting and you said, "Don't give me a raise. I don't need what everyone else is asking for, but give it to the other people because they're your future at West Milford. And that's always sat with me like your unselfishness um

023and your giving spirit to West Milford and to the students and to the staff. Um honestly, I've never seen anyone else do that. Um, and it was in that moment that I knew that you deserve all respect as a human. Um, in knowing how a district runs and just your humility, all of the things that everyone said, I echo all of that. Um, I'm going to miss you. And, um, last night I heard you say something really impactful. I've been thinking about it all day and oddly it connected to the book that I was reading on my today too which Barbara said something along the lines this is not a direct quote but something like that she's never had a time in her life where she wasn't like on a schedule that she had to

024wake up to get somewhere right whether it was school or a job um that this will be the first time in her life where it's just real freedom um and the book I'm reading is called One Italian Summer and they were talking about how retirement can really be such a difficult time and people don't understand that at first because it's such a joyous celebration too. Um, so I just want to remind you that how important you are, even if you don't have something to wake up to um, in October. Um, and find new hobbies and do great things um, like working in a garden and going out late to dinner, but most of all enjoy those sleepovers with your grandkids. Thank you for everything. and it is a testament to see your staff show up

025not clapping but crying. You know, it really means a lot. So, thank you everyone. And now we're going to move on to uh the director of education's report, Mr. Matt. >> It's a tough uh that's a tough transition. >> Tough one to follow. I know. >> Uh before we shift gear here, so I'm going to um display a presentation. So, if you're in a spot where you can't see, we have the front row uh available for you to move. Uh before you move, I just want to talk about um prior to our board meeting tonight, we held our first um fourth and fifth grade parent night in our new learning unlimited center, which is over at the um former music room of the Westbrook school, now Highlander Academy. Um we're calling it our learning unlimited

026lab. And it was it was um we've been doing a lot of work in there. Like I said, I was going to talk about a few things that that Barbara had a very big hand in. Uh there's been a lot of work done, a lot of support, a lot of ordering, a lot of building, a lot of painting, a lot of a lot of putting stuff together for kids. Uh it was great tonight to see parents uh sitting in that room ready ready to welcome students in there. So, uh I just wanted to comment on that. It was a it was a great night and then we'll um move on to our um math presentation. >> Hang on. Did you say fourth and fifth grade math night? Was that the LU room? >> Sorry. Fourth

027and fifth grade parent night >> was for learning unlimited. >> Okay. >> Learn learning unlimited fourth grade. Fourth and fifth grade parents. >> Something wrong. Okay. >> Sorry. Did I say it wrong? >> No. Heat. You can use that mic. The other one's not working. >> Are you missing a remote? I have I have >> not It's not working. >> I I can go up. Well, the mic is right here. >> Okay. Sorry about that. Um, is it Nate? Is it okay for me to hold it like this? Is it going to fall apart or anything? >> Yeah, it's fine. >> Okay. >> Well, just hold it from the bottom. >> Yes, it's going to fall apart or Yes, it's fine. >> Hold it from the bottom. >> Oh my goodness. All right. All right.

028Okay. This is um this presentation is a >> Can I Can I go? All right. So, this presentation is a long time coming. I want to um I want to say thank you to uh Dr. Dana Schwarz, the new principal of the uh Apua School uh who who's coming with me to present. Uh she is a good representative of the uh math textbook selection committee that I'm going to talk about um throughout this presentation. uh Ana also represents um the strong um input that we had from our principles and just the roll up our sleeves nature and and it didn't matter if you were administrator, a basic skills teacher, a teacher, we all worked together on this project and which makes it one of the um I guess one of the curriculum projects that we're

029more proud of um in in recent years just because of the true team nature of it and this being long overdue. Um, one of the uh, discussions in these slides is about how we um, started this process pre- pandemic. This process got paused during the pandemic and we we came back to it and and we uh, put a great team together and and and finished the finished the job. Um the first slide is just uh u we we added a couple pictures just to kind of set the tone for the major shift that our families should uh see from what we're going with going from with our go current go math program or last year's go math program to our new Eureka math squared program. Uh and that is a dedication to hands-on mathematics. The

030the interaction with um what we call in, you know, the the things that children use, the counters, the shapes in the mathemat math world, we call that manipulatives. So, you're going to hear that word a lot. Uh so that's a a strong tone of everything that we do now um in our um in our math curriculum. And that's a that's a K through uh 12 discussion. You're seeing this more in our high school now. You're seeing students not sitting in rows facing forward. You're seeing collaboration. You're seeing students interacting with um with hands-on materials to to you know deepen and strengthen mathematical concepts. So our our journey began last summer. We put a uh we put a team together with the goal in mind to um investigate whether we are um moving away from go

031math or not. You know, we we didn't come into this with the preconceived notion that we had to abandon Go Math. Go Math had um new updates. Go Math had been, you know, our our Go Math program wasn't out of date. You know, we had it a long time, but it it did adjust with mathematics standards over time. Uh so it's not necessarily something that we had to abandon but we had been using it for so long that that we thought it was a good time to investigate should we move away from it. Uh from this slide a couple things to highlight is just the um the process for um working through materials. So, so the process that we um uh began was the uh invitation of vendors to come in and present their materials

032to us. In that process, a textbook vendor would um share sample materials with us. Our staff members would uh be able to interact with those for for a few weeks. They'd be able to try samples out in the classroom with their students. uh they'd hear from the company on in terms of how these things um highlight uh you know highlight different aspects of of new curriculums. On this slide we've highlighted uh some of the programs that we took a very uh deep look into. Uh these are the envision uh envision investigations math Eureka math squared math and focus and into math. These were the programs where we did a deep dive. We got our hands on our materials. We saw them in action. We investigated, you know, the process. One of the one of the

033things that um we encouraged our members of the committee to do was to reach out to colleagues that they had in our district, in other districts, uh if they were staff members who didn't live in town, but their children used another math program. We we encourage a really um robust process for teachers to talk to other teachers and and get a good idea of of what's going on in in the field. And these are the programs that we uh we reviewed. Uh the picture that's being highlighted here, um what we were able to do in many of our classrooms and and we will hopefully finish this process over the next uh next two or three budget cycles. Uh that is a dry erase table which we've placed in uh we probably have three or four

034in every building uh at this point. Uh these were these were some of the math materials we supported through uh through the budget last year. We saw these in action when we visited other districts to um you know to see the math math programs in action and these were a tremendous tool. The kids absolutely love them. So you see a lot of pictures of kids just you know having fun drawing on the table with their with their dry erase markers or working with manipulatives and and um you know really really getting engaged. Uh our committee consisted of myself, our elementary principles, a team of uh general education teachers, special education teachers, encore encore basic skills. So we had a um cross-sections of every building. Uh I think the committee was um including administration we were

035in the mid20s and we had every building every grade level every um every level represented a plant. So in that process we we took u you know this this takes months of time scheduling we had um we use some of our professional development day time to to do these presentations. there was volunteer time by our staff who could um who would stay after hours and and you know sit through these presentations and have these great discussions. Um once we uh saw enough of our uh different programs in place, we scheduled um visits to other districts. Uh we saw uh programs from Curriculum Associates which is also the parent company of I Ready which we'll talk about um a little bit later and and something we'll be talking about um over time. Uh we went to

036Wayne and saw uh the Envisions program which was um probably the more trendy um you know one of the more trendy. It's a Pearson product so it's you know it gets put a lot of money in advertising so you hear a lot about this program. Uh so we got we got to see that. Uh we also saw uh Envision in the um in the Hawthorne schools and this was a a tremendous opportunity. Hawthorne was great and they they allowed us to bring as many staff members as we wanted. So we were able to see lessons in multiple grade levels. We allowed to bring a large large portion of our staff. Uh and that was to see the I said the Envisions program. And then um our last observations were to go see Eureka Squared and

037that was in Pmpton Lakes and they brought us in to see multiple grade levels and and get our staff in there. Our staff were given the opportunity to watch a lesson uh go off with the teacher and and debrief and talk about what they saw, talk about the pros and cons and really really get the perspective from educators who are using this uh using these materials. Uh last February, we talked a lot about our uh together towards tomorrow professional development day. That was one of those um that was one of those uh breakthrough sort of days where we were able to spend a good amount of time and really just talk all about everything that we've done to this point and and um you know and investigate our our process going forward and talk about

038narrowing it down a little bit. This this session was actually facilitated by Dr. Schwarz who um who met with that staff and and started putting together the survey discussions and and really um really to move this toward towards a final stage. So after we uh after that discussion we did we went to a vote actually we did two rounds of two rounds of voting. Our first our first round was to narrow out uh narrow it down to a final a final three. Uh our staff um you know were pretty clear about the last three programs that we were going to look at. Uh then we uh you know we did some more observations. We got some more information. We did a deep dive in something called ed reports which is going to be on our

039uh which is going to be on the next slide. Um and then we um and we did our final vote which resulted in a new recon. So I'm just going to uh ed reports is a tool that empowers districts to gather information regarding the program and its alignment to standards and usability. So I'm just going to click on one of those links to show you a little bit about what we get from um from Edwards. So, what Edward Reports does, it's a uh it's a nonprofit nonprofit web um organization that rates curriculum for all subjects, all grade levels. This is this is the K through five pages for the ratings that we see. When we first started into this process, we we looked at a number of the highly rated programs. Eureka math was one

040of the highest rated programs in terms of um alignment to standards was very important to us because we're talking about you know one of the things we talked awful lot about is improving our standardized test scores improving our um in-house uh diagnostics with things like link and now uh and now I ready um it also gives a a usability um factor which is also about user friendliness for staff that's that was very important to us in the process um so That's a little bit of what you get from ED reports and it's more than just graphs. There's there's a lot of uh detailed information that they provide. This was something that our committee looked into. So, we're comfortable with the um you know with the reports as they as they came through through ED reports.

041uh one of the um sources of comfort that we you know try to find when we look at a program. We don't want to be the we don't want to be the the first the first district to use something. It's nice to um have some background and have some um you know knowledge of districts that use them and and implement them and and you know speak highly of them. So this is just a few of the uh northern New Jersey districts that uh currently use Eureka Math Squared or Eureka Math. So Eureka math squared is the next level of Eureka. So there are districts who are um Eureka customers who are you know transitioning to Eureka Math Squared. >> Sure. So after we made our final selection for each grade level, full kits and full

042materials were purchased for the district. So every teacher has access to the entire program and all of its minor and major components. Teacher modules are available to teachers which are fully scripted but also give teachers alternatives to those scripts. And they're broken into six modules per grade level for each teacher. And we've made those available also to our special education teachers, our basic skills teachers. So everybody has access to the same information as well as the digital component of those teacher modules and resources. Every student with the exception of kindergarten has a learn book and an apply book. So a learnbook is a workbook that's in the classroom that works with the lessons with the teacher module that is available K through five is the apply book that's only first through fifth grade. That apply

043book is uh something that drew me personally to this program. The apply book is is a a book where students can work independently in school or at home on the concepts taught during the school day. But there are two pages to start each lesson of practice in that apply book that actually script the students thinking for problem solving. So it goes step by step for the student and or the parent working with the student saying okay when I look at the number two I think of one piece and another piece and it breaks down each step of thinking in the examples and then has the student practice which is limited to between two and six problems depending on the activity and the grade level. Every teacher, every special education teacher, and our basic skills teachers

044received full manipulative kits that have hands-on activities for, I believe it's 24 students per kit and teacher manipulatives for them to model in the classroom. And there's a full range of digital access for students, for teachers, as well as then components for home for parents to be following along and learning the different materials and the language that we're using in the classroom. Dr. the teach along with the school resources. Every teacher has everything that we have here is available in vision format. So if there are worksheets for their other activities that they want to um you know produce visually they have that. also has the mic. Sorry, the mic. >> Sorry, I went wasn't red. Um, we also have um interactive activities as well through uh through Eureka Math. So, it's not just to be

045able to print, it's also um an interaction for uh assessments, which our staff um we're we're in the process of determining what level we're going to use in terms of digital assessments versus paper and pencil. One of the um one of the things we've been working very hard in our work with Conquer Math, which is on a on a few slides ahead, uh is the you know the return to, you know, that that paper and pencil skill set and being able to work something out. It it's, you know, the the research behind that is is very encouraging for resiliency and perseverance and those types of things. Uh so the the technology piece the the ability to enter um to perform mathematics in a digital format is a necessity now with with the way state assessments

046are. So we're preparing our students to be able to interact with those platforms while being able to have a connection to that hands-on that hands-on world. That's always been a part of the digital assessments is that students are offered scrap paper or or paper to work. So our students are going to be better trained to be able to do both rather than just act it all out on online. Training has been pretty um intense uh for our for our staff and our administrative team. Uh we did a full day of training on our professional development day. Uh as many of you know that day was you know 90 something. It felt like 110. Uh so we uh made sure that you know our our staff was very we they know we how appreciative we were

047for the the time that they put in when you know new teacher coming back after the summer. They think about their bolding boards. They think about getting their you know everything in their classroom ready. So to to be um you know to to give up this type of time for training it was important for the process that we're in. Um but we wanted to make sure that we were appreciative of their of their time. Um, one of the things that we connect greatly to this process is how we have been working with Conquer Math uh for the last few years and how we've been training for the teaching of mathematics regardless of the program that that we purchased. So that to me is the um the biggest success of this is that we have a

048uh a trained mathematics staff or or staff members who are in the process of that training. So that when we were able to to look at and choose a textbook series, we were able to look at it with a with a little bit more detailed eye and look for something that supports the training that we've been working through, which which really is hands-on manipulatives, as Dr. Schwarz uh explained in our in our um what parents will find is that there's pages are less busy. There's there's not so many um you know it's not a confusing looking layout which is was many of the um many of the um negative feedbacks we had for go math was that it was a confusing page. Uh this is really um a simple platform easy to use easy for

049students to to interact and and be able to to focus. Uh there's a additional support that we added to the program which is called Zern. Uh Zern is it's a K5 math program. It is a uh digital tool that works handinhand with um with Eureka Math. So this was it's not part of the Eureka Math platform. It's not part of their sales pitch. It's um but it is a uh it is a digital platform that was built to support Eureka. Uh when we visited districts, we saw this as a tremendous tool and and so far this is this is probably One of the things I hear the most feedback about already with the first few weeks of school behind us is how much the kids and the teachers love uh working with Zern. >> Teachers

050spent about an hour and a half with representative um virtually to train in Zern learn how to use the platform. They got to play with it a little bit as a student which was so valuable. They were so excited as as a staff. The staff members that I met with were absolutely thrilled to see something so interactive that was correcting student errors by reteing from the mistakes they made and giving them another attempt to solve the problem. Um something else that was very exciting for teachers when they saw this was that the modules the teacher modules uh broken into lessons align with the activities in the Zern modules. So they are progressing through the same topics, the same lessons at their own pace while they're being corrected and rettaught with this digital practice to complement

051what goes on in Eureka. There you go. [Music] >> So you can see module one for second grade is place value in Zern. It they're broken into little missions. The student has student has missions and it kind of goes along with the characters that are are animated within the program. Then the missions are broken into three that align with that module for second first module for second grade. The first three missions then of Zern align with those activities. >> The reason why we we find it important to point that out is we've had a number of digital tools. I'm not going to mention Excel anytime. Okay. Um, this tool, the fact that it aligns directly with our program is different than other digital supports that uh that we've had. So, um, this is a a

052fun add-on that that meets uh a specific need. Um one of the um benefits of um you know I Ready which is the program we've talked about which gives us diagnostic information for success is that Zern has presented has um has given favorable data through I Ready. When students use Zern a certain amount of time they perform better in I Ready. So, there's a lot of uh research uh uh documents that our staff have looked at and we see the connections between a lot of the new things that we've put in place and how we're um how we're trying to build in build in success. There's uh tremendous uh family connections within Eureka Math. Uh and there's you know every every vendor every textbook company now will give you the you know the letter for

053the uh for the handout for for family connection. So that's that's not the the important part that we want to highlight. What we want to highlight is that we are going to be you know offering opportunities for families to ask questions to interact with our program to be able to see these things in action. Uh so we have two things coming up. Um on October 18th, we're going to have a Eureka Squared parent um open house. That's going to be from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. That is just before the meeting for the um new Islander Education Foundation. So hopefully we can get um some people to come in and and uh you know get their hands on and and see our new math program and then stick around and and you know participate in the

054in our uh ed foundation. We're also going to have um on display during parent teacher conferences uh the ability for parents to to get their hands on the manipulatives to see the textbooks to see the books that the students are interacting with to to walk up and and you know play with Zern and and have some activities and just kind of see and feel what their students are are going through. Uh so those are some things to look forward to. We will also have uh our our family math nights are typically scheduled in the spring uh which they'll they'll continue in that way again this year, but they're going to also have a strong element of um getting our families ready for our new our new math program and how to and how to be

055successful with it. I mentioned a little bit before about our the Conquer Math Connection. Uh there's binders on the stage that I that I brought. That's a sample. That's a sample binder um for each grade level for the work that one of the one of the things that we've done with Conquer Math. Uh Conquer Math, our teachers were trained throughout the school year with sessions of professional development where they're surrounded by peers from other districts. We worked over the summer with Conquer Math to take our um new Eureka curriculum and to embed hands-on meaningful authentic lessons the way they've been taught and trained through Conquer Math over the last two years. So now we have, you know, our staff refers to it as the Nancy binder and it was something that they fell in love

056with when they visited um Hawthorne where they saw that Hawthorne used Hawthorne didn't uh use Eureka math, but they had what they called the Nancy binder. And that's something that the staff there were just raving about where they could flip through the scope and sequence page by page and see, you know, what they needed to teach. And then he these were the recommended activities um you know to really support that hands-on learning. You know, one one of the biggest um I guess jobs we have when implementing a new program program is is setting ourselves up for success and being able to monitor that success and make sure it's doing what we believe it's supposed to do. So these are just a few examples of how we're um how we're going to monitor that growth and

057that success. Uh this work is never done. You know, we could be doing these things for 5 years, decide, you know, that we need to review again uh and take a look. But this ongoing feedback loop is is very important. So there's Eureka 2 assessments that are within the program. uh as I mentioned earlier some are digital where they the those assessments get collected and we can pull data reports by district by grade level by school um and there's also the paper and pencil that would you know you would be able to do that with zern also pres pre um provides reports for uh usage and effectiveness and and student growth i is the um I guess in this room you've heard me talk about benchmark link at benchmarks forever. So, this is the replacement

058of that. I Ready is a diagnostic that's going to judge uh a student's um ability level at a particular point in time when they take an assessment. That's going to help us judge how we're doing and how we're growing within our math program. uh Zern we just we we spoke about uh this Friday we are sending out a survey to our staff just to determine their comfortabil their comfort with the new program their needs to see if there's anything that else that they need um you know I do a lot of you know seeing them in the hallway and talking to them to the principles but um sending out a survey gives them a good opportunity to have everybody I've I've done a lot of surveys with the math committee um this survey is going

059to be for everybody who's been involved in the involved in the process just to make sure we and support them and their growth while they're using a new tool. Uh as we as we grow in the process, we're going to also reach out to families uh families and students just to to gauge their comfort, what they're seeing at home, uh interaction with homework or the uh digital tools that we have and just to kind of get that. One of the uh other pieces that we can um talk about is um class link. Class link is our um that is our single sign on platform which basically it it allows students to not have to remember or or teachers to remember all the students passwords and have to log into every little thing that we do.

060We we use you know our elementary students probably have 10 to 15 things that they have to log into. Now over the last few years since we brought in class link the students sign in once and then everything is available in class link. The the the reason I point this out is that all three of our new pro uh programs work with Class Link. So, it's a seamless integration. So, our our staff and our students were ready to go day one, they clicked on Class Link, they clicked on the tile that that brings them to it and and the students were were logged in. Class Link also provides us with usage data. So, I can see all of the um resources that we use and and see how they're how they're being utilized. This is

061just a um shout out to our committee. Uh you know this these are the names of the people who worked in this process. Um this is the main committee but we did have other contributors over the summer who worked with our uh worked with our curriculum. Uh in these two pictures you see a perfect example of of the things that I've been talking about. One those dry race white uh whiteboard tables are are just a tremendous tool. uh students working with the the hands-on manipulatives, getting number sense, getting able to, you know, really interact with the concept and smiling. It's always a it's always a good thing to end with. And going forward, um we're going to replicate this process. We we just started the um process for our um language arts program which we're

062going to sol follow very a very similar path. Uh to give Barbara Francisco another shout out. Is Barbara here? Still here? Yes. Um thank you. You know cuz when I I come and say hey I I need a certain amount uh for this program which is you know makes people's eyes bug out a little bit. um Barbara will look at me and say, "You know what? If it's good for kids, we'll find a way." So, that's what this was. Uh without Barbara's support, this doesn't happen. And you know, leaving me in a good place for our for our ELA uh discussions this year. Any any questions? Um the conquer map uh the trainer that does the conquer map for us was she like one of our reasons for picking Eureka Mat? >> No. Um she

063actually recommended a different program. >> Okay. Um I guess the other thing where you said about the the binders, all the teachers have those binders? >> Yes. every administrator has set every >> Yeah, our maintenance team went um on whether it was September 5th or September 6th to because they're they're you know we did the work with Cockermath and they are creating the binders and there's one grade level that's still working on and that's fifth grade. So those are the that's the only grade where we don't have binders but we do have uh the first unit scope and sequence that they were that they were given um on September 6th you >> the training there more training to come >> there is more training to come for um really that's what the feedback is about

064there's there's training to come for whatever they need um scheduled training on October October 9th is with I Ready um and that's uh that's different from you know from the from the math program but they kind of work hand in hand that's the diagnostic tool that that training is to um help our staff look at the data they're getting from the assessments they're taking right now so students are in the process of taking that fall diagnostic like they would have with linkit now they're using I ready October 9th our staff's going to be trained how to look at the data and then assign the learning path individual learning path for uh for those students. >> Now the I ready is that is that K? >> That's K through eight. >> K through eight. Okay. >>

065Yes. And uh kindergarten didn't take the assessment. It was recommended that we wait about 6 to 8 weeks into the school year before giving kindergarters an assessment um online so they can >> excuse me. >> Comfortable with it. >> Could we take our seats so that we could ask questions and turn the lights on? Is that okay? >> Uh sure. >> Thanks. I have one more. Well, and just to add on to the um the training question, the teachers now will be taking the new modules with them when they attend the future conquer math training. So, that will pull together further training um as the year goes on. Some are scheduled for three times, some are scheduled for four times. It it kind of depends on the grade level where they are in the process,

066but that will allow for them to then take the Eureka math to the conquer math training and kind of pull everything together. I think the the one thing that I think is very well put together. I I think you need to maybe be a little ahead of the curve of the ELA and they're not learning David because that that seems to be a difficult one. But I'm sure you're on top of that now, right? Well, you there's challenges in in doing that. I mean, to to train over the summer is is something that you have to pay for. Um, you know, those there there are some challenges to, you know, we have a professional development day. That's typically what it would be for. Um, we were anticipating these materials being delivered um in June. We

067I mean, we made the process. You approved it in May. uh we put the orders together and the person who put the orders together is here. Um and we just had the you know the vendor just didn't get us the those materials. >> In fact that I'm sure some of us have got is the training component was a little >> it's intense. Yeah, >> it was a little difficult. Um, the other thing I would say is I hope that we're going to like really hit the ground running letting the parents know about the parent teacher conference and how important that them getting the information on on the program. So I I had my back to school night last night where we dug into Eureka Math, I Ready and Zern in our general presentation, but then

068also each teacher presented in their classrooms. Um, I have the ELLL program at Aptua. This actually something that um we didn't mention does have a Spanish component activities home home components in Spanish um that can all be turned on for students and they can access that seamlessly. So all of the parent information goes home on a regular basis with each unit. Um we did explain that at back to school night and all the principles that have had their back to school night before. I think that was just PK and the ones following are doing the same thing. We're really exploring it in the general meeting, but then in the classrooms where the parents are starting to even get their hands on things just a little bit in that short session and see what's going on.

069We did share with them there will be family nights. Even our family math night will revolve around Eureka squared. So we are making sure that it's a kind of like a allaround well-rounded process to include families whether they can attend things or not. those parts are in the built right in so they can get those exposures and use that language at home too. >> Okay? Because I I think that with a new program the questions are always out there and the more information that we get out to the parents especially the lower grades it the the better it is. So yeah, thank you for the presentation. >> I'm holding my comments to the end and new business probably because I see some really well behaved students in the audience that I know probably want to

070get home. So, I'll save my questions for later. I'm really really proud of those students that are here. I really am. Um, does anyone else have questions on the presentation? So, um I know I came in on the tail end of this, but I've spent many years in the curriculum office and I have to say this process was so well thought out and so well prepared for it and I really um and then the plan moving forward is very sound. Um I have had experience in districts that are using this program and to a high degree of success. So, I look forward to seeing our student progress. Um, but I just want to say congratulations on on really getting this done and making sure that everyone is is going to be well informed, well taught,

071and uh teachers will have the support they need. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. [Music] >> Moving on. Um, I'll need a motion uh to approve the meeting minutes. I'd like to make a motion to approve the following board of education meeting minutes. August 22nd, 2023 workshop regular meeting. August 22nd, 2023 executive session. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Abstain. >> Um, and now my president's report. September was a busy month of getting settled into our everyday procedures of the 23 24 school year. And I just want to say thank you. I have so much gratitude for every single person that works here, for parents in our community, how much it takes um to just get into the the routines. And I also want to say thank you

072to our students. Um it's been a very successful opening and I'm I'm just very proud um to be a Highlander. Uh, it was incredible to see administrators ride or an administrator ride a bear to work on the first day. Um, it was fun to see exciting um, informative yet fun videos um, to teach parents how to drive um, or whatever it is that uh, that we've received. It's just been a very fun and exciting start to the year. Um, with that, also welcome to our hopefully our regular spot for this school year's board of education meetings. Um, so far we're in the middle of the meeting and I'm actually I really like it here. Um, I won't sing Annie, but um, anyway, I I think that it's just going to be such a great year

073and um, my excitement is overwhelming. And with that, we will go to public comment. All speakers will have 5 minutes to speak until a period of 30 minutes transpires. Before speaking, please state your name, group affiliation, and address for the record. Members of the public who've requested to speak prior to the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. After speaking, all speakers are asked to sign the register provided and give their full name, group affiliation, and their address. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. No participant may address or question board members individually. All speakers are expected to have read the statement within the agenda regarding the regulations concerning public comments. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Do we have anyone that

074would like to speak? >> Oh, no. We have one speaker. >> All right. Mr. Honey. >> Yeah. motion. >> Yeah. U make sure that the there should be a red light on. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Good evening, Madame President, members of the board administration. Matthew Conlin, Co L 33 Orleans Lane, West Builford, or a member of the board councilman. But speaking just as myself tonight, um in compliance with your uh guidelines, I just wanted to state the reason for me coming up to start is to express how pleased I am to see a personnel item um putting Billy Schultz as our new business administrator in this community. Um he has big shoes to fill, but I have no doubt that he's up to the task. Um, and of course we're

075putting him in because of our dear friend Barbara who is leaving us. Um, Barbara has been in her capacity throughout my entire career in public service, which is a lot longer than it looks at this point, maybe a long time. Um whether that was teaching me the rules of the the rules of the road or kind of hit me to say keep it down, you know, wake your turn and and uh reminder P's and Q's up there when I was on the school board and and as a mentor and friend ever since. Um I just felt it'd be remiss if not to come out and I know I gave you a heads up last night and we had our very productive township uh board of ed joint committee meeting that I would be out here

076just to say a few words. And I think it's important for the community too and to our friends watching at home on channel 77 or on the live stream. Um just to for context, so Barbara was here for 13 years. 11 of those years she had a 2% cap that she had to work in under the November election uh change that we made in 2012 under Governor Christie. Uh she's worked through six different superintendent, seven if you include the month when she double dutied as our superintendent and our VA board secretary. um 12 different central office administrators, almost 30 different board members, five different board attorneys, uh 35,000ish different residents, and almost 5,000 students that had their lives directly affected by Barbara Francisco and her day-to-day work in this community. So, Barbara, I know you're

077not from here, but I do know you bleed black and and gold, and West Milford as a district and as a community is a much better place because you decided to come here in October of 2010. So from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the rep residents I represent, I want to thank you and wish you all the best. You deserve that and more. Thank you. >> Is there anyone else that would like to speak during public comment? [Music] >> Daddy. >> Oh, okay. Well, fake me out. Okay. >> Go ahead. I I like to close public comment. >> Second. >> Thank you. Oh, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Um Dr. Fenari, do you have any changes to the agenda? >> Yes, we have three changes. Um board

078members, if you will please turn to page six of your agenda. Uh under personnel motions number nine at the top of the page in about the center of the motion you are going to see that um there's an effective date of September 20th. We are going to change that to read retroactive from September 5th, 2023. Okay. Uh if you move to the next page, um personnel motion number 17. Again, a date change where you see in the text November 10th, 2023. That date should read December 22nd, 2023. And finally, uh at the bottom of the page, motion number 20, uh for staff member EO. On that motion, you're going to see that the designation of special class aid should be corrected to secretary. Those are the three changes to the agenda. >> Thank you. Can

079I get a motion to adopt the agenda? >> I motion to adopt the agenda as presented. It >> changes. >> All in favor? I. >> Any opposed? >> Mrs. Blackwood Education. I make a motion to approve agenda items 1 through 7, which includes the hand carry one um under education. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from the board? thing as none. Oh, >> I guess I just had a question about the hand carry. Um, where that was from the um high impact tutoring grant number seven. >> What was the question? >> Where where is it from? >> Where it came from? >> That's um that's a grant that we're going to submit um on behalf of our um third and fourth graders that was recently um shared by the Department of Education. Um it

080affords us um certain each district has an aotment. Um our aotment uh would afford us the ability to provide um what they call high dosage tutoring for third and fourth graders. That the target of the grant is third and fourth graders, but um we can um work with students outside the scope of third and fourth grade if we identify that need. So, um I'm I'm seeing some um latitude that we can have if we're afforded the grant. From what I understand, sorry, from what I understand, the grant is is very competitive, far more competitive than than the grants I complete each year with title one and title two. Um you know, this is this is statewide and and they've got a certain amount of money that they're going to distribute. So, um part of the

081grant process is to make sure that we have a board um agenda approving that um that submission. >> So, this would be for all students in third and fourth grade, not just the title one schools. >> Correct. >> Thank you. Any other question? >> Seeing as none, roll call, please. >> Mrs. Lockwood, >> yes. Mr. Greeno, >> yes. Mrs. Rico. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sidowitz. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dwyer. Oh, she's out here. Not here. She's in spirit. >> She is with spirit. >> Mrs. Van Dyke. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lippy. >> Ms. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke. Personnel and student affairs, please. >> Thank you. Uh, I'd like to move items one through um 30 31 with the 30 and 31 being part of the hand carry.

082>> Second questions or comments. >> Yeah. I'd like to just say that it makes me uh I'm like to welcome Bill Schultz. I'm not going to call you Billy anymore because now you've you're beyond those baseball days for me. I I'm so happy to see that one of our own is going to be stepping into that spot and I can't think of a better choice for the VA for us and I look forward to working with you and I'm glad that you're here. So, [Music] >> anyone else? Go ahead. Um I just want to say before the meeting I went and met um Bill's family which I'm very thankful to have the opportunity to meet the uh fine young men and the lovely wife that is uh the backbone to the Schultz's family. Um I

083did do a a straw poll with the gentleman and I'm going to vote accordingly to what you told me what to do gentlemen. So I appreciate your assistance in the matter and congratulation. Well, well, and I'll leave it at that. >> Congratulations. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. I just want to say congratulations. >> I'm saying congratulations. >> That's right. >> I don't know anybody that's built differently on this, but um I know that Ray, you you feel like you've had a great mentor and for someone from West Milford to to take this job the same way Barbara took this job as if she was from West Milford. Um, I know you don't take that lightly and um, we appreciate everything that you are going to do and going to accomplish, Bill. Um, thank you. >>

084Probably just as humble as Barbara, too. I don't like this stuff. [Applause] Okay. Roll call, please. Yes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lippy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Rico. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lockwood. >> Yes. >> Mr. Greeno. >> Yes. On 1 through 27. Abstain on 28. And then uh yes on 29 through 31. Mrs. Mrs. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Ro Romeo. >> Yes. On one through 25, abstain on 26 and yes on the rest. [Applause] I just want to thank you all. Uh, thank you to the board, Dr. Prinary, and the interview committee for the opportunity and putting your trust in me for this position. I know I have big shoes to fill, and I'm going to give everything I have. I'd like to thank my wife, Christina, my three boys, Billy, Nick, and Jackson,

085who have miraculously sat through this entire thing and who caved, so miracles do happen. Uh they're currently attending Maple Road School. They were Westbrook last year, so they're excited for their new school. Uh I'd like to thank my parents, my mom and dad. Hopefully my mom's watching at home. Uh hopefully she can figure out the live stream. I was trying to walk her through it. Um my dad, people who don't know, my dad worked at the shop in town for 30 years before he passed from uh COVID a few years back. And uh he pushed me the whole way to get my CPA and I wouldn't be here without him. So just want to make sure I said thank you to him. Um and to Mrs. Francisco, I have a lot of great things to

086say about you that everyone else has basically echoed already tonight. Uh, you've been stable and consistent for the last 13 years. Thank you for hiring me 8 years ago as the school district accountant when I started. I've learned a lot from you in 8 years uh, as the accountant and as the assistant business administrator. And I know I have some large shoes to fill, but I'll definitely do my best and definitely keep your phone on because I will be calling you. Um, we've worked on a lot over the last few years together and I really hope you enjoy your retirement and I'm sure I'll be keeping in touch with you. Uh, for those who don't know me, prior to coming here as a district accountant, I was a school district auditor for eight years. I'm

087a lifetime resident of West Milford. I'm raised my family here. I coached my kids in soccer and baseball along with other students of our district. Uh, I'm invested in what's best for the district and the community as a whole financially while helping provide the students and staff with the tools they need to be successful. Uh, West Filford is where I want to be. I look forward to working with the board, Dr. Ferneri, my new assistant PA who was also on the agenda tonight, Melissa Bertagno, uh, the rest of the admin team, the staff, the community, and just look forward to keep pushing the district forward. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Mr. Schultz. Eat those boys home. Thank you for attending, boys. I'm proud of you. Good night. Uh, Mr. Go. Operations and finance, please. >>

088Okay. Um, I'd like to move items number one through five under operations and finance. >> Second. Questions and comments. >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Greeno. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Rico. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lockwood. Yes, >> Mr. Sidowitz. >> Yes, >> Mrs. O'Brien. >> Yes, >> Mr. Lippy. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Van Dyk. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Like to move item number six under operations finance. >> Second. Questions or comments? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Greeno, >> stay. >> Mrs. Rico, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lwood. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sidowitz. >> Yes. >> Mrs. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lippy. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van Djk. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Obstain. >> I'd like to move items uh 7 through 13 and hand carry number three 14- 16. >>

089Second. Questions and comments. Roll call. Mr. Greeno, >> yes. >> Mrs. Rico, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lockwood, >> yes. >> Mr. Sidowitz, >> yes. >> Mrs. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Mr. Lippy, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Side's policy. >> I'd like to move items one through three under policy. >> Second. questions and comments >> for item number three regarding conduct of reduction in force. I'd like to thank the policy committee for making their recommendations and taking their time to address something that was earlier an issue and a matter of respect for our employees. So, thank you on that. >> Anyone else? Roll call. >> Mr. Sidowitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Lippy, >> yes. >> Mr. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Mr. Go, >> yes. >> Mrs.

090Rico, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Djk, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lockwood, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. Now, we'll go to committee reports and these ons. Um, parks and wreck. >> Um, we have our first meeting since May, I believe, on Thursday. So, I will have a report in October. >> Great. Safety. >> Um, at this time there is no uh uh scheduled meetings. I'm hoping to hear about one soon in the future. >> Thank you. Superintendent's round table. >> We have our first meeting since um June on Thursday. So, it is going to be a busy Thursday for me. >> Um thanks P County School Boards Association. So the next meeting is next Tuesday 9:26 um at 6:30 at the barnyard and carriage house in Toawa and I believe it's on finance New

091Jersey schools association. >> The only thing I have is a reminder that workshop is coming up in October. If you have the opportunity, please take it up. >> And legislative. >> Oh yes, please. Can I just add something to that? If you're attending, we're going to need the dates that you will be attending. So, I will send something out to you tomorrow and you can let me know number one if you will be attend and what dates um of that week that you will be attending so we could finalize the arrangements. Does anyone know the dates off hand? Is it the 23rd to the 26th? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. legislative. Um, nothing new to report this time. >> Thank you. Technology. >> Okay. Um, Mr. Sidowitz, Township Board of Education Joint Committee. >> So,

092as Mr. Conlin mentioned uh we had a fruitful meeting uh yesterday and right now the committee is on the exploratory stages of what to do with Hillrest and hopefully God willingly we do end up with a solution down the line. Uh but at this point we vetted the responses to the RFP that uh the board approved for uh last month's meeting and there's further vetting that's going to happen in the near future and we're going to continue down that road. >> Thank you. >> Wester Municipal Alliance, >> we had no meeting this month. Uh the next meeting is scheduled for October 9th. and CPAC. The next meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, 9:26 at 700 p.m. at Maple Road School. >> Could I just ask something? Um, this is new, so it it would be

093helpful if they didn't land on Tuesdays. something that we've kind of put forth as a board that we we don't have certain things on Tuesdays because if we have to rearrange our meetings then we're kind of stuck with that you know with not being able to make something. So, if there's parents that go to CPAC and there's a meeting that night, it it's, you know, at this this time, I don't think it's an issue, but I would hope that we can look forward to not having really anything that a board member would have to attend in case that, you know, it's it's something that's come up for two years now and that we've asked about. So, I just want to reiterate that. >> Thank you. That was also discussed in committee. So, um I think

094we have that handled this month. We didn't know or you know we have a lot of new people so working. Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Um old business. Anyone have any old business? >> Seeing none, I'd like to close old business. >> All in favor? >> I oppose. Does anyone have any new business? Okay, I have just one question. Uh, Eureka Math, those binders over there are amazing. Um, I told you I was seeing my comments. I really feel for kids when I have to sit through meetings, but um, who made those binders? That's what happened in the summer curriculum work. >> Yeah, our staff staff worked throughout that process. >> Wow. So there the Conquer Math facility, our administrators and our staff visited and if you want to jump in, feel free um worked

095with the leadership of Nancy Schultz and her team to go through Eureka. So in that it's an amazing facility. You go in, there's there's a table of West Milford teachers working on Eureka math squared. There's a table from Ridgewood working on Envision. Um, on another table there's our high school algebra teachers working on algebra 1, you know, so it's like this really cool like learning environment where they >> and how Yeah, I was there in the summertime with with several of the the different groups. I was fortunate enough to have that flexibility and to watch them, they they were just behind these big piles of resources with the manipulatives out really digging in to the information in this new program for them that they they hadn't seen till maybe a week before it arrived and

096then they they scheduled these dates. So, they were able to have their hands-on materials before they got there. Um I was there with kindergarten, fourth grade, um and some some um was I there with second grade also? I was there with second grade also. So they we brought the manipulative kits and they were able to really just spread everything out, dig in, speak with Nancy and her staff, ask questions and tie everything together to build the framework for those binders that then Nancy filled in activities that complemented Eureka there. It was really incredible work. Not only the committee all year, but those people that worked there in the summer as well. >> And so what Mrs. Van Djke and Mrs. O'Brien have, those are the textbooks, >> right? One is a learn book. The learn

097book is the classroom book. There's a set coming from the side also. They're all second grade. The learn book is what is worked on in the classroom during the lesson. That's a teacher book. >> That's the teachers module. >> Oh, okay. And then the other workbook is a little bit thicker. That's the apply book that has all the the step by step to do independently do at home with a parent. >> Now, the binder and I might ask questions that we might not know the answer. I don't expect answers to everything, but uh how much does a parent see of what's in that binder? >> The the parents won't see too much from the binder because it's a lot of hands-on to complement what the what the lesson has. Okay. >> A couple of times

098a month, if you kind of flip through, there's a calendar in there for each module. Um, we built in what's called a buffer day, which was the advice of Conquer Math. >> I think that's the part as as a parent also and an educator who knows what goes into writing lesson plans and planning out your year. I mean, every single day, >> yes, >> is mapped out already. >> Incredible work. >> That's essentially like the companion to the teachers manual. So, they'll that's a teaching tool that students won't see that. There might be pages in there that a teacher might reproduce for the students, but that's a that's a teacher manual companion, >> right? We were referring to it as coming out of the book. U this is a complimentary activity that that is scheduled

099for in between lesson one and lesson two and module three. Come out of the book and do some of these hands-on activities to really dig a little deeper, build a further understanding. >> And those are lesson those are thought with the educator in mind. So a textbook company puts together a textbook and they don't account for snow. They don't account for assemblies, Halloweens of course, those types of things. >> Those are the buffer days >> and they don't account for when students, the majority of the students in your class don't get it. And you need to do a review day and that's okay. Right. >> Right. And that's also part of the process is anticipating which um you know we know time over you know you know tested time which types of lessons kids need

100longer to to interact with. So that's what those binders take into account. >> This is amazing. Um, thank you. I know we've spent a lot of time on this tonight and a lot of time really over the last few years, right? Um, >> these books, >> but it's worth it. >> In looking at them, I could see that kids who have issues with focus, this is not busy. And it makes it so that they'll be able to to sit down and not feel overwhelmed when they look at the that look at these. These are really wonderful. >> When you look at them, you can see that every level student, every type of student is is developed into the planning of those pages. >> So, additionally, which I didn't comment on tonight because we were talking

101about K5, Eureka math. Uh, also in those binders, you'll see geometry, you'll see algebra 1, you'll see grade 8. Um, those were the um groups that worked with Nancy over the summer that were not K5. So we we didn't just look at new new curriculum. We looked at existing curriculum and we worked to better align our algebra one our geometry to um standards and for the pace for you know not that we do everything for NJSLA and and for standardized testing but it puts us on a better path with the scope and sequence that we worked on over the summer. So that's an exciting thing that we've we to my knowledge hasn't happened here before. uh the the high school and middle school math is energized um by this process. And and the other part

102of it that's been um exciting is that you know over the years now we have we have algebra one in geometry in the middle school algebra one and geometry at the high school. So to get them all on the same page and aligned um is something that that was exciting to do. So algebra 1 is algebra 1 in in West Milton schools. Geometry is geometry. there's not, you know, middle school geometry or, you know, because that those are one of some of the things you see you see with, you know, our performance data over time is that if you, you know, got an a seventh grade algebra one experience during the pandemic, you know, there's some some gaps in your algebra 2, you know, for example. So, this is also aimed at addressing those learning

103gaps and and making sure that we're getting everyone on the on the right track. And I'll I'll talk I'll talk more about sorry put it to another time but I'm going to talk more about >> um I'm going to talk more about middle school and high school math um at another time because that's also you know you approved district goals tonight continuation of that district goal wasn't just about K5 this is a K it's a K12 discussion there's a lot of exciting things going on our math department is is really energized so it's a it's a exciting time >> thank you so Go ahead. >> I just want to add to what Mrs. Van Djk said. Um, I'm somebody who if there's too much on a page, I become overwhelmed and I'm not a student.

104Um, and I like the fact that the even the colors on the page aren't they're there, but they're not overwhelming. It's and not it's not overly stimulating and it gets to the point. And I and I believe again I'm not a student. I'm not a second grader uh in these books, but it it's great. I I'm very I'm very impressed by what I'm seeing here because I think you can teach without it becoming uh an overkill and an overwhelming experience because math should be fun. Um and I don't think a lot of times it's un and I think a big a big thing for us um as a committee um you know led by the philosophy of Mr. Novak is that we really want to engage our families in supporting what their students are doing.

105And if you look at that apply book, um it really is simple for a parent. It's no longer I can't do my students math. So if you really look at the language of that apply book, I think that really hits home for the mission we have as a district. And >> that was a big complaint for many years um with with parents like a decade ago when I started. that that was a big complaint is they didn't understand they were doing math in such a way that it was it was totally foreign to them and and when that was shown to me I had to agree with them because I did not understand >> they still might not understand it um but we're going to do everything we can to get them on the right

106path >> I need all the help I can get to Move >> so tonight uh in that slide presentation that's the first time we announced the date for the um Eureka math open house um but we will add it to um Mrs. Van Dijk's question earlier, the advertisement of that date. We'll be sending that out school messenger this week so that everyone's aware of October 18th uh and aware of what we're going to have at our uh parent teacher conferences. There was also a request to not only have just that um open house but to also have um like virtual dropin sessions where um myself some staff could be available if you know for an hour periodically for people who want to ask questions. So those are those are things that we have planned throughout

107the school year. This isn't a you know I mentioned in the presentation that this work is never done. Um, so it's our job to make sure that this first year we get all the questions out of the way and we, you know, create that that comfort level with the with the program. >> Mr. Novc, can I assume that any board of ed trustees may come to this open house on October 18th? >> Absolutely. >> And stick around for the new Ed Foundation as well. >> I'm well aware of that. Thank you, sir. >> Any other new business? Thank you. >> All in favor? >> I >> um public comment. Again, all speakers have 5 minutes to speak until a period of 30 minutes transpires. Before speaking, please state your name, group affiliation, and address for

108the record. Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. After speaking, all speakers are asked to sign the register provided and give their full name, group affiliation, and their address. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. No participant may address or question board members individually. All speakers are expected to have read the statement within the agenda regarding the regulations concerning public comments. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Do we have anyone that would like to speak? Seeing none, I'd like to close public comments. Second. >> All in favor? I. >> Any oppose? >> Mrs. Lockwood, executive session. At 8:40 p.m., I make a motion to go into executive session for the

109purpose of discussing negotiations and matters of attorney client privilege. The executive session minutes will not be released until such time as the privilege or confidentiality is no longer applicable. The board will be in executive session for approximately 20 minutes. No action will be taken. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> will we be exc from executive session. We will not be um returning back to the table. >> So have a great night. Um, but I need a second for the executive session. And then all in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Sorry. Well, I was going to ask say that right after, but it's okay. Thank you.