001I'd like to call the meeting to order. If we could please take a moment of silence. >> Please rise for the flag salute. I pledge algiance 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. In accordance with the provisions of the open public meeting act, a public notice of this meeting has been sent to board members, all district schools, the Herald dunes, the suburban trends, the record, the messenger, West Milford town hall, the county superintendent's office, the board attorney, cable vision of Warwick, and West Milford TV77 and posted in the administration building. Copies of the board meeting calendar resolution were provided to all local media, town hall, township, library, and all district schools. >> Roll call.
002Mrs. Francisco, >> Mrs. Romeo >> here. >> Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. Conlin >> here. >> Mrs. Dwire >> here. >> Mr. Greeno, Mrs. O'Brien >> here. >> Mrs. Lockwood >> here. >> Mr. Stillman >> here. >> Mrs. Van Dyke >> here. >> Mrs. Dwer. Okay. I move to go into executive session at 6:38 for the purpose of um conducting contract negotiations, grievances, and personnel for a period of 90 minutes. The executive session minutes will not be released until such time as the privilege or confidentiality is no longer applicable. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I It says a local. Do you need to do a vocal? >> It's after after session. >> Okay. >> So, we'll be back in 90 minutes. >> 90 minutes. >> Francisco, could you do roll call, please? >> Mr. Conklin,
003>> here. >> Mr. Stillman, >> here. Mrs. Dwer, >> here. Mr. O'Brien, here. Mrs. start our September meeting. We're going to go a little bit out of order because we do have a late start tonight and we do have school tomorrow. So, I'm going to welcome Gabriella Mesa school year. I think you'll find we're a combining group. We wish you here before. Feel free to leave after you make your report. Tomorrow's school day. >> Okay. Thank you. Um my name is Gabrielle Mesa. I'm a senior at West Mford High School and I'm also the president of our student council. Um so just to cover some things we will have our start strong testing for math, English and science coming up. Um each week various colleges will be coming to the high school to meet students.
004Signups are located in the guidance office. We were excited to hold our first pep rally next Friday. On September 8th, our back to school night was well attended. Our marching event and school athletics are off to start. I'm sorry. Is your microphone on? >> I'm holding it down. >> You just press it. You just press it. >> You don't have You're good. >> You're good. >> No. >> He's usually very nice. I don't know why he's picking on >> the marching band hosted their first ever competition at West Milford High School. The student council's annual fundraiser chosen by the president. We are also finalizing all the details for the yearly spectacular on October 29th. We hope to have all information posted on the district website by the end of the week. That concludes our report.
005>> Thank you. >> It gets easier every month. >> Uh next we're going to go a little bit out of order here. We have our College Board National Recognition Program. So, every year the College Board awards over 62,000 students from across the country with academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs for excelling in their classrooms and on College Board assessments. More than 180,000 students from all 50 states were eligible to apply for the College Board National Recognition Program, which grants students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications. This year from West Newford High School, we five juniors and two seniors. Our juniors, congratulations to Ava Murphy, Brandon Spleet, Colin Cassidy Cunns, Maxine Cunns, and Erin Henan. So, congratulations to all students for the year. Next up is our
006HIV ITP information for period number two. That's January 1st of 2022 through the end of June, June 30th. Um, so we report this twice a year to the department uh through the NJ DOE home room. These are our investigations, trainings, and programs that we offer at all of our schools as well as districtwide. So we report out to the board twice a year and then I upload the report the day after the board meeting. So Aptuous School remember this is last spring we had one HIV case investigated and it was affirmed as HIV by the board of ed. We had 10 total trainings in that halfyear period. Maple Road had zero HIV investigations, five trainings, seven training programs total. Upper Greenwood Lake had zero cave investigations, five trainings and five programs. Westbrook had one pave
007investigation and it was affirmed by the BOE as bullying. 11 trainings and 11 total programs. McPin had six investigations. Four were HIV, two were not. One training and five programs. And Westford High School had eight investigations, six were affirmed as HI, two were not, four trainings and one program at the high school. So the district total for last the last five months of the school year were 18 investigations, 12 were affirmed as HIV, six were not. I said this will be uploaded to the department tomorrow. Now, can you go back once again? How many programs does the high school have? I'm sorry. >> High school had four trainings in one program. >> Brian's story. >> And this did not make my report, but I will announce it. So there projects, six people, six guidance counselors
008from across the entire nation are selected to work. And this year, one of those candidates was selected was our very own Dana Lambert, guidance counselor at Westminster High School. So that's out of the whole nation, there are 12 people in this group. Six are selected for two-year terms and one of them is from the high school. So congratulations to Miss Lambert. This is a wonderful resource for our students, our our coaches and our parents. Um this is a nationwide group that works with the NCAA. >> All right. And >> congratulations to Mrs. >> Absolutely. I do have a brief PowerPoint presentation. It's on your tables in the back. I'm going to put up in the uh board here behind us. So, if you want just uh gently move over to see All right. Again, board
009of ed, members of the community, this is our interim report. This is something we've been promising all along. So, the restructuring committee, we announced it last spring in April. We introduced the committee. We formed uh five different subcommittees to help us out. We uh invited parents website. Now all our subcom meeting minutes are on our website. Uh last month Dr. Haber presented his reports to the board of ed meeting those are also on our website and at that same meeting the board approved a redistricting study u by Ross paper. So he's working on that now. do not have uh that report yet. We hope to have it before the next quarter of ed meeting. The interim report is right now. We are going to continue our subcommittee meetings over the next few weeks uh in
010September into October. Um and we will have a recommendation to the board of ed uh by the end of calendar year 2022 either November or December. All right. So just why did we start this? The kindergarten classes have averaged about 210 students for the past six years. Those you who went to West Milford, you may have graduated just nearly 400. So the district's been roughly cut in half for the 12 time. Instead of 13 grades of 400ish, we're eventually going to be having afford to offer eight schools plus right now the answer is no bar a massive increase in state aid which you have not anticipated so this is a district enrollment we went back about 20 years this is the actual and this is the projected here that we have from Dr. paper. Um,
011but to put the line of best fit in there, it's pretty much upper left to lower right. Um, it will stabilize out in this area here as the larger grades which are in high school now uh graduation district, but it will stabilize at around 25 maybe 2600. You can see our elementary enrollment. We're having under 210 per class. We just made 200 last week in kindergarten, but as you can see, there's not a truly large class in that mix. High school, uh, middle school, high school, they're a little bit larger. You can see the drop off between sixth and fifth grade. That seems to be where the cut off is now. And again, every year, one of these classes graduates, and they're replaces one of these classes. So, you see the natural attrition when you
012graduate more seniors than you replace. So for me the path is very the train is very obvious. Um we just looked at it. So next steps we did apply for some we sent it in a couple weeks ago. We hope to hear before the end of 2022. Um they don't give an exact date when they're going to you have to kind of wait for the grant not to go out. Um but as part of the grant the district included a plan of action to stabilize it finance and this is part of it from six elementary. Our final subcommittee meeting will be held in October. Um and we'll be discussing you know previous to this the early meetings we discussed sort of every scenario that we could think of. We brainstormed everything. Now we are going
013to be focusing more on what's school option. I will continue to post everything on our website and our final presentation will be by the before the end of the calendar. Any board members have any? >> Thank you. Thank you. Um I think the community needs to know uh specifically I have I have questions for each administrator and I think that by answering these questions the community will understand more of why we're doing this. First of all um for uh Barbara you know what are the financial benefits to this for you Dr. Anamone? What's the ultimate goal for this? And will this move improve our overall education and our reputation as a district? Dan, where's Mr. Novak? Oh, there you are. What will be the effects on students being moved out of Westbrook? Will there be
014plans in place to adjust these to adjust these students to their new environment? I think you know this should be part of the plan. These questions have to be answered. So I just if you could each respond. >> Sure. Uh so your question to me was will it make the district better? >> Yes. the the right now we have I don't think it would change the academics because our students get taught in Westbrook the same as PK the same as Marshall Hill I you know our curriculum would not change our teaching staff largely would not change it the same people I think where you might see some advantages is right now we have a we have certain grades in certain schools throughout the district if you look at the enrollment report where there's 22 2
015students and there's one teacher, one section and those students go from kindergarten to fifth grade with the same group of students. So sometimes by the upper elementary grades there's a little bit of friction less social opportunities that you would not have any single section grades. You have at least two in every school in every grade in some cases three. So each uh collaborate with I think the social emotional piece. We've talked about that for a while with students giving them a slightly larger social circle in their elementary school. I mean, they're here for six years. I think that can only be helpful. it much it's we've heard lot I've heard negative feedback from parents who they want a second section open so they can split some students apart because 21 students in the grade and
016we can't open a second section so adding you know 12 students to that grade now you have two classes and it's a little bit better for the students >> we're going in order >> oh >> not right >> so so I I think you know to to be just you know pretty simple in in answered absolutely yes. Um I think it's more than just an answer that I can answer. I I think the uh staff needs to be involved in in what that process would be. We've already brainstormed with administrators and and some schools have things called a moving up ceremony where the you know a kindergarten class would go and uh experience what it's like to be a first grade opportunity possibly to um have a you know experience for for students who are
017you know in this process getting reassigned to um but again those are all conversations very early I think to have those conversations um but those are plans in place to >> I think it's it needs to be a needs to be a community discussion needs to be staff members uh it's not just students who are moving it's it's teachers who are moving also so um I think it's a big discussion I think it's a great question uh just at this time there's no definitive plan we've talked about uh in budget cuts over the past few years. Um our project adventure program has seen some cuts because we've had less phys teachers in the uh in the schools. Uh right now project adventure is one of our um biggest sources of social emotional learning and and
018team building and that sort of thing. So, one of the discussions that we've been having is to, you know, increase that amount of project adventure in the schools for next year, even if it's for a one-year or two-year thing, while um, you know, while schools, you know, readjust, you know, probably going to be on my agenda for um the final um committee when we >> I just want to see the kids. I just want to make sure they're okay. >> Sure. >> Okay. Liz. >> Sure. Is you know I think I I've explained to the board and I believe the public and through our committee meetings that the IEPs of students with special needs still have to be delivered and implemented. So I just want to assure everyone that no matter where they are, what
019the IEP looks like, that's going to still have to be followed. you know, it is a legal document. That being said, though, your question about how will it benefit students or how will it benefit us to come into a school, which at the last board meeting, the presentation identified Westbrook being that building. Well, one, we said that it would be a cost savings because you would not be paying for the lease of Highlander Academy. Um, the other benefit is that you're still going to give those students a therapeutic type placement in an offsite location. Even though it's one of our school buildings, it's still not the high school building. You will still as a board me as a board, you will continue to save out of district dollars because those students will be serviced in
020West Milford instead of having to go out. Mr. Novc was saying about involving stakeholders as far as the staff and the kids. I've had conversations with both the Highlander Academy benefit would be that it's on our own, you know, land or our own building. So, we then have the ability to plan for and improve on certain things that we did were out of our control when you're leasing a facility from a building. So, that's the part where they will be a part of the planning and determine what else they need. So for instance, I know the therapy space right now at Highlander Academy is a shared the two CA social workers have a shared space. So if students go to C get counseledled by one or the other, it's in the same room. Obviously, one
021of the recommendations is they would really benefit from having their own separate spaces. So things like that, but I do think the special services committee is still going to be meeting in in October. That would be further discussed as far as the other benefits go. And then I I do think the academy staff should be involved and the students So I don't look at it from financial benefits. I look at it from financial necessity. You have no other way of being able to something to make it more efficient, more cost effective. Um If you start just cutting programs, there's nothing. So, I think that um consolidating your buildings and repurposing them for programs that could be very costly um is a necessity, but it'll also be beneficial for the community at large. Um we we
022want to try to make things better and um with the money that we've already lost and what's projected to be lost over the next 3 years while S2 is still being implemented um the impact is great and um you know I think our our goal administratively is to try to make that impact not be felt. in the um student body. >> Thank you. Thanks. I hope for that's what I'm hoping. So, thank you. >> I have a question. Now >> you had a question. >> Yeah, thanks. I see in the next steps um that the subcommittee meetings are going to be held in September and October. Um I know it's it was an idea um and I really liked it for someone else and I'm wondering if it's possible to bring all the committees together
023similar to um you know when we had meetings at Macken and each subcommittee could come in and say this is what we talked about and this is what we thought and everybody could see what all the work was on this because even as a board member there were a lot of discussions that you know I'm only on one committee. Um >> early potential issue we'd be limited to four board members. I believe we could limit to four board members meeting. >> Well, we would have >> what was the meeting with Kathy Hela? >> Right. What was that called? >> At the strategic plan. Of course. That's what I'm saying. >> So you have an extra board meeting with >> Yes, sir. >> All I'm saying is I just see a lot of benefit if I
024could hear and you could hear what we talked about and we can all come together rather than there be all these separate committees that I don't know, you know, and you don't know what was at my, you know, I just think it's a good idea. I really liked it and yes, I know that only four of us are allowed to be in one place all the time. acted as a >> unless you're all like I just want to hear, you know, I want as much information as possible before it goes to a vote. That's my purpose. Thank you, >> Courtney. Um, I have some questions. Um, I've asked this a couple times and I haven't gotten a definitive answer, so I hope I do get it tonight. Closing Westbrook school will save the programs. Correct,
025Barbara? Programs. I think the Westbrook's configuration lends itself to um being able to bring in the Highlander Academy without our incurring a lot of construction costs. So, I think that the transition costs and the other thing is that um it's centrally located. Uh there are classes that they take at the high school. So proximity for the high school is is good for the Highlander Academy program, but the Maple Road school is an elementary building. It looks like an elementary building. has always functioned as an elementary building where this one is a little bit more almost like a middle school type of uh construction. You have a lot of flexibility with the space because of the way it's made. So that's basically why Westbrook school um seems to be the most feasible. And as far as
026programs go, I think it's going to be more beneficial because we won't you're going to have a natural progression with your population and the decreasing population. there's going to be changes, but I think that we do it when we implemented the social workers a number of years ago. Right, Mr. Foody? We started with three for six building and well we started with three one and a half for three build six six building and then we expanded it to three. So now we have um a shared social worker between two buildings um but initially there was only they there were only one and a half people. So, what I'm asking is, is closing Westbrook school going to save this district? Is it going to be enough? That's what I'm asking. >> In what way? >> Well,
027you keep getting cut on funding and I'm just want you to say that yes, this is going to be enough. >> Probably not. There's probably going to be other areas that we're going to have to trim, but again, it's going to be with the population. Thank you. I also um want to know when exactly we are going to start with the definitive plan. Mr. Novak, you said to Mrs. that there is no definitive plan of when we're starting, but there's a lot of layers. >> When is this starting? >> I think that starts with finalization of the >> So if we vote by the end of 2022, >> we start after that point. So that's why our >> once the vote comes through then you can start >> once it's official then yes. So that
028gives us the idea was not to do this excuse me the idea was to do this slowly from April of 22 to September of 23 is about a year and a half. So it's about maybe three quarters of a year of planning and meeting and discussing then bring it to a vote and then I still we still have from January through you know really June to iron out all the details. The staffing stuff is the moving target because we may have a plan to move this person from Westbrook to Maple Road and then in March they say I'm actually retiring this June. So that that changes things a little bit. That's always a little bit of a moving part, but the sooner we let people know the better. So for this neighborhood that gets re
029gets reszoned from West to Maple Road, the sooner parents know the better. How many students do you think probably have a percentage? >> Is there an amount? Are we talking 10%? Are we talking 30%? all of Westbrook. So that's all six roughly >> but then there may be some other students and other schools who move around. So >> if you start with just Westbrook that's 16 of the elementary students >> but I wonder how many others are going to be. >> Well we're waiting to hear back from Dr. Hap. So uh he's been approved to do that and >> you're going to have to move kids from other schools in order to make room for the West students but it depends on how many students are in the student population at that time in which
030building they're going to. Um so it makes me think that there's going to be, you know, more than one six obviously of students who are going to move. So um Barbara, you said that the impact we hope is not felt by the student body, but it is going to be felt by the student body. It's going to be felt by all of Westbrook as well as other students. Um closing a school is going to impact the whole entire community. What we were talking about academic programs said was the impact is not going to be felt by student body. Anyone else have any questions? >> Mr. Novak, update on the new school year. >> All right. Uh, thank you. I just want to um you know talk it's our first meeting since the students have returned.
031Um we've been out and about in the hallways and and seeing you know everyone uh happy to be back and and um really getting off to a great start. We had a couple we had a uh small um hiccup with the storm that led to uh internet outage for our first two days. Um it was uh very interesting to see how our staff managed in that uh in that situation. You don't you don't realize how many I know we all know at home when you know the kids can't get on the iPad or you can't watch the Yankee game or whatever uh without the internet now. Uh but in the classroom our teachers rely on the internet for attendance for their Google classrooms for so many uh their class lists on the first day of
032school. Their rosters are are in that system. Um just to see how everyone came together and and made those first two days uh great for our kids. Uh, in light of September 21st, we celebrated uh pin wheels for peace, which is uh goes along with the international day of peace here uh in West Milford for uh probably since around um I think 2000 probably 2009 uh was when we when we began. Um each school celebrates this activity. Uh it's run by our uh art department. They do they do a great job um getting everyone moving and and interacting in the first days of school. Um our uh I compared notes with Gabriella just so I wasn't going to repeat a lot of the things that she said. Um but uh I wanted to mention you
033know start strong assessment is uh is currently in place. that is the beginning of the year assessment that is um provided by the provided by the state of New Jersey. Uh we're already in process of looking at those results come back instantly. Uh so students who took the they they were able to do uh we're working with our staff to give them that access so that they also can see how this comes uh how this works and how they can get that access as soon as as soon as they can. Um the uh just to connectished I believe over the um it was over the summer when we met one of the goals that is on our uh district goals for the year has to do with the math program. Uh we talked about training,
034we talked about replacement of materials, we talked about um materials for in the classroom, not just textbooks, etc. So, I just want to give an update on on where we're going with that. Uh, we're off to a good start. We have a number of um programs already scheduled to come in and talk to uh talk to a group of our um teachers and administrators to present new materials for grades uh K through five. Uh we have also started the conquer math training that we we talked about with um the conquer math program that's out of the quantic. We've had um probably six different grade levels um go out already this year to participate in those trainings. The feedback has been uh the feedback has been I'm working on a letter to the community to talk
035about our math training. Uh, one of the things I'm going to highlight is that um, if you find your maybe, you know, about five or six days a year, it's uh, it is because of the training that we're sending them to and it's been uh, it's been tremendous. We've had feedback from the um, parents of kids in grades three and four last year, some of the things that they saw from the training. So, we're off to a good start with that. Um, also wanted to announce the uh last year uh was the first time our students took the NJSLA, which is the New Jersey uh assessment for the student learning standards. Um, that's the first time we've had it since before uh before the pandemic. Those uh parent reports will be coming out on October
0363rd. You're going to expect it. It's going to go home with uh with the student in the backpack in an envelope. We're going to do an announcement at the end of this week and then we're going to uh I'm going to do a district announcement. Individual schools will announce it also uh on the day that they go home just so parents can be ready to to see these uh see these results. Um uh it's being held on October 6th. There is a district message coming out soon. Um, this highlights many of the program targeted for students in grades 5 through 8. You know, kids who are, you know, going into our high school or um, you know, maybe considering other options. We want to make sure that everyone's quite well aware of all the great
037things that West Milford uh, West Milford has to offer. Uh, there's prizes and giveaways and all that kind of stuff. I think there's a um food voucher, pizza pizza gift certificate from Macan Pizza for the first 100 people who register. So um if you haven't registered yet, make sure that you make sure you do October. Uh it's on October 6th. Um Gabriella also mentioned our first band competition. Uh that was a tremendous uh was a tremendous moment and if you didn't get a chance to be there um you know it was really uh I guess the culmination of the I guess you know Barbara you can jump in how many years you've been working on the complex the this the field the stands Uh it was just great detail oriented event that I feel like
038only the West Milford marching band can uh can pull off. So, I know the feedback that they got from the the guests at the event or the judges or the organization who runs the event, um they were just blown away by, you know, how well West Milford pulled it off for for the first time. So, um you know, not only was it a great event for the band, it was a great event for West Milford because it showed off all those facilities that had been upgraded over the years and the pandemic uh limited our ability to showcase those uh those things. So to see it all in one place was uh was really great. Um and the last one is more of a placeholder. It's a very important uh night. We haven't had it in
039the district since I think 2018. Do you know what I'm you know where I'm going? Am I stealing your thunder for later? Okay. Uh we are going to be offering a program called hidden in plain sight. The tenative date is November 30th and I'm working with the municipal alliance and um our um grant opportunities to see if we can provide uh dinner for family attendance. Um, in years past when we've we've had this event, um, if you're not not sure what the event is, Hidden in Plain Sight is a um, it's geared for district uh, for parents to come and see, you know, it's a replica of a um, teenager's uh, bedroom and it shows where all the places that um, some things could be found that you, you know, that you'd want to find
040um, you know, in a in that type of environment. So, it's a it's a great presentation. Um, there's been times in the past when we've had five uh people visit after all the planning to uh set it up and then there's been times when we've had over a hundred. So, um the time we had over 100 is when we provided food. Um so, that's what we're going to try and do. So, >> a lot of so we're going to we're going to try and time food with the event to try and get as many people to to it as we can. Right now, the tenative date is the 30th. We're just still waiting for confirmation. um from the organization, but we're happy to we're happy to bring them back. Um missed something, but I went
041through the the agenda and I didn't see this. Um, there were summer committees this summer and there was supposed to be a summer uh committee on homework and I just wanted to know what the result of that was because I know there was a question about homework not being given in some of the elementary grades. >> Yeah, I've answered this question many times. Um, there is no um process in place that says there's no homework. Um we and I don't remember there was I don't think there was a homework committee approved on the um >> summer approved one for the summer committee. >> No there was there wasn't one that there wasn't one that I have had approved or one that I uh participated in. Um the homework conversation comes up. um you know during
042the pandemic you know the hybrid year there was a um I guess less homework being given for a variety of reasons when we met prior to the 2122 we're looking to re return an organized process for homework that was consistent across all the buildings because that's always been very important and you know to the community to know what's going on. Um, reading has been independent reading is an expectation for all students. Yeah. So, reading is expected for all students in grades K through five. Math practice is also expected for all students in grades K through five. And in grades four and five, there's a discussion of um study skills and what that what that looks like. How do you get a child ready for the middle school? study skills could mean anything from um a
043long-term project or a um you know research bringing research on a on a famous explorer or that or that type of thing. So those are the discussions that we've had that um have been shared at uh grade level meetings. So, like I said, K through five, reading, K through 5, math, K through 5, grades four and five, uh, introduction to study skills. >> We may love to see some homework free nights like on a homecoming dance night for the high school or just random nights. Maybe we can a policy about homework. >> You can put it on the agenda. >> Yeah, I thought we did have a policy about we have family days >> that we implemented probably four or five years ago. >> I'd love for them to be coordinated with the events that
044are happening at the schools. You know, if there's a homecoming dance, those kids shouldn't have home. >> Agreed. Um, special reports, Mrs. Francisco. >> Yes. Um, you have the board minutes from uh, August 3rd where you had Kathy Ho come in to do the goals. Um, August 23rd workshop and regular meeting and August 23rd executive session. I need a motion. I'll make a motion to move um August 3rd from special meeting, August 23rd workshop regular meeting and August 23rd executive session. >> Um all those in favor? >> Any opposed? Uh president's report. I don't have anything tonight. I think I gave my last report um today. Um, we'll move right to public comment. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda only.
045Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. Each speaker will be given five minutes for a period of 30 minutes. Then time permitting other public comment limited to five minutes per speaker will be allowed until the 30 minute time period has transpired. All members of the public speaking during the public comment period are asked to address topics listed in the agenda. All speakers are asked to sign the register provided and to give their full name, spell their last name, group affiliation if appropriate, and provide their name and address. Issues raised by members of the public may or may not be responded to by the board. All comments will be considered and a response will be forthcoming coming with if and when appropriate. The
046board asks that members of the public be courteous and respectful of the rights of other individuals when speaking are discouraged and the board and the administration will not respond to them. Students and employees have specific legal rights accorded to them by the laws of New Jersey. The board is not responsible and is not liable for any comment made by members of the public. Members of the public should consider their comments in the light of the legal rights of those affected or identified in their comment. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Has anyone signed up for um public comment? Yes. Marissa. Can everyone hear me? Yes. Yes. Speak. My name is Dr. Mark Sagoth. It's spelled G O U G H. And I'm currently a resident
047of West Milford. I live in I am here today to bring information to the board that will hopefully postpone your decision to close West Brook School and to relocate the Highlander Academy. Co has changed our day-to-day lives and made us all reconsider what's important. These truly have been unprecedented times. There has been over 2100 homes that have sold in West Milford in the last 36 months. When you search for homes, including single family, multif family, apartments, condos, there are a total of 49 homes that are available for sale. That's it. There is nothing left. Since the pandemic has started, people families are desperate, desperate to find a home in our town. I received valuable information from a real estate attorney who lives in our town that said there has been a huge shift in our
048market since early 2020. This odd shift includes binning wars, cash offers, early retirement and empty nesters selling to young families earlier because they are getting top dollar for their homes. This source has been a huge amount has seen a huge amount of sh sales in one area. And guess what? That zone goes to Westbrook. There are little to no listings available. That is a huge area to have to redistrict. The population may not increase because of the Highlands Act as been stated by Dr. Haber, but the demographic is certainly changing and that's what I want to reconsider. I have to add what I have personally seen in the local daycarees. Both of my children have attended daycare since they were very small. These daycarees have also seen a big shift since the start of the
049pandemic. After everything being shut down or modified for so long, parents want to send their kids back to school for more reasons than one. Just in our daycare alone, they had to put up two temporary rooms in the auditorium to accommodate an influx of toddlers. Where do these two to three year olds have to go in two three years time in our after listening through the demographics presentation on the August meeting it appears that we are projecting a decrease in enrollment but basing it off the difference between the 2016 and 17 year and 2021 school years difference in the school district overall. I believe that projection needs to be recalculated again based off of our changing population. And this is something I don't have written down, but from what I read, it looked like the
050mean age was about 45 years old. And I also agree that that is going to be changed because a lot of those empty nesters have left and people such as myself have been moving into this town. Before you make your final decision, I beg you to consider how the census in our town has changed since 2020. I remember those people knocking on my door in March 2020 telling me my door like Max everybody co going on and to consult with the local daycarees with their current enrollment. I know the census is conducted every 10 years and there has to be a shift in the number of young families that now live in this town compared to 2019. I can attest to that and so many of the other parents that I close with that I
051am close with. Areas like UGL are seeing permanent residents rather than summer travel as is a more desirable place to live. The other elementary schools simply will not be able to accommodate and the new families that are coming in. I have met many parents with all the social activities, all the extracurricular activities. all these parents. With some of the technical schools outside of our town being held under fire, more families are looking to keep their children slim. And from what I can see from prior meetings, you may have traditionally seen a decrease in enrollment, but let's face it, because let's face it, my generation isn't having as many as children as years past. However, two things have happened during co. One of those big things is what we call the co baby. These families decided
052that they wanted to have more privacy, more space to raise their family. That place is none other than our beautiful town. our town that offers mass transportation, shopping centers, state parks, nearby malls, orchards, playgrounds galore, and it is only a stones throw away from New York City. There's a reason that so many young families are literally fighting over these homes. I >> I do have the 5 minutes is the time. >> Oh, it is. Okay, that's what the timer is. Sorry. >> I'm just going to give my thank you. I give you tremendous credit for evaluating this data. I understand your beliefs to stabilize the district's financial the finances and that it's cost effective solution to the rising costs. As you have stated previously, you have found ways to combat the price will change in
053the years to come. We would need more space and staff to accommodate our rising population and would ultimately have to reopen this public. Would anyone else like to speak? Good evening everyone. James Hoody, the Tuka Shopper Trail North, New Jersey. Um, we've got a decision to make and and for everything that I've read in the paper, I'm going to throw my two cents in because this is something that I've thought about for a long time. Westbrook School isn't the school to close. It's our youngest elementary school. the capacity of this school, 508 students, you could easily close Maple Road and move all of the students from Maple Road here without disrupting anybody's lives. Easily. I I don't know why something like that page 122 in the audit report. Um as far as closing moving in
054your academy, again this deals with our school capacities. A high school has a capacity of over 1,800 students. We're in the 900 range of students. Like Dr. Anamo had said, we're almost cut in half. We can't find room for 26 kids at the high school when we have the capacity for 800 more students. Something is seriously wrong. I I don't know why you guys aren't thinking about this. you know, and when you close a school, Maple Road, you close it. At least in my book, that's what I would do. Jordan Transportation disappears. There's almost a million dollars there. You save because our own uh bus drivers can take over that route because we hire Jordan Transportation just to cover actual school. So, in in doing that, you uh you save money together. kids from Westbrook,
055you know, to close this school and then spread them out through the district doesn't make Maple Road school and moving them here keeps all those families together. And since our going to be decreasing over time as what's been told to us by uh Ross Gabber Associates, it only makes sense that that be the option that should be under consideration by the board. It it doesn't make sense to close one school and spread all of these kids out amongst the the district. redistricting should be Westbrook and Maple Road becoming one. I mean, the money that we put into this school is over the years is is tremendous. As far as Maple Road goes, I think you guys could easily sell that. And if it was me, I would sell it where you guys hold the paper.
056you the guys be the mortgage holder and instead of selling it for four million you get over eight million for it and whoever buys it they can invest their money to upgrade it for whatever their use now my use that I think it would be it' be something similar to what Milford Manor is they'd probably be interested in buying it I I had uh John brought a gentleman in who wanted to buy Hillrest and do something similar of that the the the want for it and the need for it is there. I think you guys are making a a big a big decision and I think my opinion a big mistake but that's your decision to make and that's your decision to have when you have that discussion but I think that uh Maple Road
057would be the the school to do and keep this one and just combine the two schools all students stay together that that to me is a much better option and splitting up one school and having it be a traumatic experience for for the kids in this school. You keep them all together just it makes a lot of sense and I I would hope that you would at least consider that. I think that's an option that's much better than closing here. Um but that's not my decision to make anymore. That's your advice and good luck with it. >> Thank you. Hello, my name is James Engineo, spelled I N G N I T O. I live at 36 Kill Cross Road in Western Mover, New Jersey. Um, thank you for letting me speak tonight on behalf
058of everyone here. Um, I actually have a daughter in Mrs. Yost's first grade class and she's been here now attending Musber School for two years. Every day that she comes home, she cannot wait to tell daddy the amount and impact that Whisper has put on her. I also have a young uh another young daughter coming any day now that would love to have the same experience come here and express that with what I have heard in the community and whatnot. It seems like Westbrook is now school's closed like everyone has been expressing tonight. I understand that there is a financial standpoint with this, but let's be honest, there's some there could be other options available there. Going off of that with the school buses, um, you know, coming from a family of educators, in my
059hometown of Virtual Park, New Jersey, back in the early 90s to early 2000s, they closed down one elementary school for 8 years, similar to what they were thinking about redistric redistric redistricting West for. And it took a hu huge impact on the community. Once they opened that elementary school open again, not only did people realize that um it drove apart friendships, it drove apart jobs and everything. My mother being a kindergarten education teacher for many years and also was very involved in the community herself on the education side and non-education side. She saw the impact with raising three kids in a small community. West Milford, we all know that this is a small, you know, a small town feel and that's what we want. Also, with, you know, the co babies and everything that's been
060going on, including my baby any day now. I would love to have the same experience for them. Westber School is not the school to close in my opinion and I believe that there can be so many different impacts in different ways and West is not the school to close. Thank you for your time tonight. >> Thank you. >> Uh my name is Tara Rano. R A C A N O. I live at 116 Green Terrace Way in West Albert. Um I'm also here to speak about the repurposing or closing of the school. Um but I think when we talk about repurposing the school, it's important to realize the why. And if anybody's been paying attention the past couple years to the budget meetings, our district is in a dire financial situation. and we need to
061make cuts where we can in order to maintain the level of education that we've all come to love. This isn't news and yes, it stinks and nobody wants it to be their school. But the harsh reality is if we don't do this, we risk our beloved district being taken over by the state. As elected officials, you need to take yourself out of the equation and do what's best for the district as a whole. Will repurposing a school be enough? No. Um Barbara has told us time and time again that we'll have to do other things. But it's a significant start because what's the alternative when our district gets taken over by the state and we have no say in how it's running? We become Camden. I don't want the district to face that fate. And
062I am the PTO president at Maple Road School. And while I don't speak tonight as an official member of the PTO, I can assure you that our school already has plans in place to make this transition a positive experience for the families we will be welcoming. I'm sure the other elementary schools do, too. The entire district will be shaken up, and that's okay. It's not going to be the end of the world. We'll move on as a community stronger than ever in a district that can adequately and successfully send our children into the world well prepared for their future. most importantly under our own control and not at the mercy of the state of New Jersey. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> If not, you have a motion to close. >> I'd like to make
063a motion to close public comments. >> Second. All those in favor? I We need to adopt the agenda. >> Are there any changes to the agenda? >> Oh, wow. >> So, I need a motion to adopt the agenda. >> Motion to adopt the agenda as presented. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Education, Mrs. B. I'd like to move items 1 through 12 for um approval second discussion. Anyone have anything under education? >> I do. Um I do under um curriculum adoption where it says uh history and social science number three. I I don't understand. I I want an explanation of why this is a history and social science class and not a health class. Social emotional learning, the good life. >> You were um did you take a look at
064the curriculum that I shared at the ed committee? >> I was not at the ed committee and from your minutes from the minutes they said nothing to me. >> Right. So, and then I looked I went to the website. I went to the website to look for the curriculum and that website is impossible to use. It's so unfriendly. So, no, I just want an explanation. I don't want to be told what to do. >> Welcome back. >> Thank you. >> It's been a while. So, um it's in that uh title because it does um go through um the history of many of the um psychologists and the um you know the people who were um you know behind some of the studies that are involved in in this work >> connects to our social science
065standards. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I'll email you a PDF of the curriculum so you can take >> I just want to say thank you to Orange and Rottland for the STEM classroom grant for upper Upper Greenwood with Lake and Maple Road school of $675. that I'm sure it works because not every school has orange and as their power >> but thank you that was very any other discussion under education if not rolls >> yes Mrs. Stevenson >> yes >> Mr. Stillman >> yes >> Mrs. Lockwood >> yes >> Mrs. Romeo >> yes >> Mr. Con >> yes >> Mrs. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> This is >> Yes. Thank you. Um, personnel, student affairs. Um, the Debbie, you want to take that? >> Okay. Okay. I need a motion. >> Yep. I like to
066make a motion to move items one through. Put me off guard. I didn't do my counting before the uh one through 42. 42 under personnel suit discussion. Courtney, >> I just would like to thank the teachers that are doing the sixth period class for us. I think that that is admirable. Um because we are in a situation in the science department in the high school, they had to wait an extra week because this meeting was postponed. And I just wanted to give a shout out to them for doing the sixth period and for waiting to get paid. Are they doing the sixth period? >> They're on for approval. >> They're not teaching the period. >> No, we're starting tomorrow. >> They're not teaching yet. >> My fault. I don't >> Yeah. No, it's I think
067there's a there's subs in there, right? >> Tomorrow will start. >> Yeah. >> I got something. >> One second. even worse. >> Um, I'd like to thank Mr. Weedman for his years of service. Um, I don't know if any of you know Bob Weedman, but his classroom is always open to any student who needed a safe harbor, who needed a little extra attention. He was there for them. And this is going to be quite a loss for our district. And thank you, Bob, for your years of service. >> Kate, did you have something? No, it's okay. Thank you. Um, I also want to thank uh Bob Leeman because he's been like a picture in that hallway there and I know how many kids uh, you know, just love him and the staff too. I I
068he's he's a great loss. Um, I wish him well in his retirement, but he is going to be missed. I also um wanted to mention and thank uh Dr. Annamone for creating that second section for UGL for the second grade. For those who don't know the the class that will be >> well thank you to the board for your support >> and that that's an area where I know that you identify as far as the class sizes any other comment if not Mrs. O'Brien. Yes. Mrs. Stevenson. Yes, >> Mrs. Lockwood. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Romeo. >> On 41. Yes, seven. >> Mr. Conlin. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Dwer. Abstain on 13 and 14. No on 29 and 30 and abstain on 35. >> Yes on the rest. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. Mrs.
069Van Dyke. >> Yes. Operations and finance. >> Make a motion to move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? If not, roll. Mrs. B. Mrs. Stevenson. Yes. Mrs. Lockwood. >> Yes. Mrs. Dwire. No on number two. Yes on everything else. >> Mr. Garino. Oh, >> Mrs. Mrs. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conquer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. Mrs. Van Dyke. >> No. On number two. And yes on everything else. >> Move number five. >> Second. Discussion. roll. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lockwood, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dwer, >> yes. >> Mr. Mrs. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Mr. Conklin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> Mrs. Van, >> abstain. >> Second. >> Discussion. Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> M. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mrs.
070Lockwood. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dwer. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conklin. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke. >> Yes. >> One more. Oh, no. I'm sorry. >> I thought it was another policy. Mrs. Stevenson, >> I'd like to make a motion to approve items one and two. Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> Mr. O'Brien. >> Yes. >> Mr. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Coughlin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Laughlin. Yes, >> Mrs. Dwer. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Van Dyke. >> Yes. >> Committees parks and recreation. >> Uh safety uh our first safety meeting will be uh for this school year is October 19th, right? So, I'll have a report after the October. Uh superintendent. >> So, these are the minutes from
071September 22nd. Um, there was discussion about restructuring and will we be using black and gold as colors in September 2023. While elementary schools should be transitioning to black and gold school colors through this year. Um, if schools are offering a spring spiritware sale, it should be black and gold but can contain current elementary mascots. Mr. Novak is brainstorming ideas to make the change exciting for students and families. suggested was Bucky, the high school mascot, visiting each elementary school and offering a black and gold shirt to elementary mascots to excite the student body about the switch. It was also suggested of involving West Milford TV Science to record and post to the district YouTube so families are able to view the footage and carry the excitement through. As items in the schools need to be replaced,
072they will be replaced with black and gold during their regular replacement cycles. Um there was also a question about the timeline of um restructuring which was discussed obviously tonight. Um linkit and NJSLA was discussed. Um linkit was kind of explained a little bit. It's an educators tool for standards. Benchmark B should correlate with NJSLA. This will be the first year to compare the scores and see if that is the case. Teachers are adjusting assignments based on the results of linkit to better support their students. Second grade will take a phonics assessment in the late fall in place of the link benchmark. A the bubble category students are on the edge of approaching and meeting expectation standards. And then um there was discussion about when the NJS NJ NJSLA results will be coming and paper copies
073of results will be sent home with students on October 3rd. Um there was talk about uh chemistry and physics in the high school. Uh the question was while admittance into college won't be affected by the lower credit offering for the classes required during college may be. What is the district looking to do to alleviate this for families? Mrs. Lambert from uh the West Moped High School, she's a counselor, joined via Google Meet and she answered those questions. She said the credit change from six to five credits is due to the time the students are spending the class. Colleges do not look at credits instead the classes and if the class was full year or halfyear course, it won't have any impact on admissions into college. Um and then the UGL second grade was discussed which
074we know we've approved uh the second section tonight. There was also talk about the graduation parade. Uh can something be done to bring the graduation parade through town back with graduation being at the high school or turf maybe assemble at UGL and families can work their way down to graduation. Uh Dr. Anamone said that he will speak with Mr. Australians about potentially working out a parade this this year. It was also discussed how the community enjoyed the parade and that the mayor also commented that it was missed. Uh foreign language, there was just some clarification about the fact that Italian is still the language set to be phased out over time. Current seventh grade students will be the final grade to have the option to select Italian as their foreign language. There was a question
075about sports physicals and whether they could be brought back um to being provided by the district. Um that obviously goes into the budget planning. Um that's already underway for the 2324 school year and will be discussed. There was talk about the website um and it was explained that a web part-time web master was going to be on the agenda tonight and then also parent teacher conferences were discussed and it was said that 6 through 12 will be virtual with parents having the option to request in person and K through 5 will be in person with parents having the option to request virtual and those were the minutes from Kelly Stiniano the WA president. Thank you. Uh the state county school boards, um there was a meeting on September 12th. Uh the Clifton superintendent gave a
076uh presentation. Um Clifton just passed $155 million referendum >> and um a third of that actually is being picked up by the state with the referendum. It's the largest referendum that's ever been passed in the state. Wow. Um he he had some very and some of it honestly we have done a lot of it has to do with our security the security cameras the vestibules that we put in. Um but they they did a they have like I thought he said 25 schools and all were like over 75 years old. So they have they had to update some. Um also there was a conversation amongst the um representatives there from you know the board about the difficulty in staffing about getting science teachers and and math teachers and many are having the same difficulties as
077we are. The next meeting is uh November 14th. they will be present uh your county uh boards will be present at workshop in uh Atlantic City going into New Jersey school boards. I would just say that uh workshop is coming up October 24th through the 26th in Atlantic City. If you can get an opportunity to go, it's been um very rewarding. You can also do your training if you're due for any of your governance training. can do that at workshop at the time. Legislative, Mrs. O'Brien. >> Sure. Um I know I've I've said these uh um legislative pieces before, but uh again, this has been brought up by the New Jersey School Board Association. U PL 2022 requires any district with a high school to establish a threat assessment team by the 2324 school year.
078The New Jersey Department of Education is currently rolling out training to districts to help them navigate these requirements. Regarding academics and school climate, they noted that as a result of PL 2022, students in the class of 2023 are waved from graduation assessment requirements. The New Jersey School Board Association stated that they oh that the N the NJ GPA that they took not schoolboard associations I'm sorry that they took in March of 2022 will be considered a field test and they are not required to pass any of the alternative assessments for example SAT or ACT or to complete a port portfolio uh assessment As a result of HIP policy changes in PL 2021, districts must incorporate New Jersey Department of Education reporting forms, the HIP 338 forms into their HIP policies. Um there is one form
079for local education agency personnel and a separate form for reporting for by families and caregivers. And the last thing I'd like to report is other bills that they reviewed included the electric school bus grant program, which is a $45 million three-year grant program to help the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determine the reliability and cost effectiveness of replacing diesel-powered school buses with the ledge of school buses and temporary extension of school bus service uh which extends for the 2223 school year only. the service life of school buses by one year. >> Um technology Mr. is not here tonight, but this phone system is all the phones are in there. >> And the website, when is when is the date of when we think it's going to be? >> Well, we approved just approved uh
080the web master part time. So, that person and I will sit down and Mr. Winston to see what else needs to be added. So, we're adding slowly. It's up and running. The beta is on our website. So if you go to our website, you can click on that. It's a very mobile friendly link and we just have to add more and more documents because we didn't transport every single document over from our old website to our new website because some of the documents we found were I think I mentioned we had the 2015 Fairview Lakes trip parent guide, what to pack, what not to pack, and we didn't need to transport that over to our new website. So, we're adding what we need and we have a way now to have document sunset. So, if
081you put it up something up tomorrow, you can say have this basically delete off our website in 30 days or 60 days or on a particular date. So, we don't have to go back in and take it down. But that's usually how it slips through if somebody forgets to take it down. So, we have the ability to add a document tomorrow and have it disappear from our website on the day that we no longer need it. um if it's something about um a family relationship, it'll come down the day after the trip ends or something along those lines. So, uh we hope to see some approvements very shortly. Thank you for the board for supporting that uh motion tonight. Um I think it's uh necessary to have the outside expert come in and and give
082us a hand. >> Question with the new phone system. Um are you going to provide a list of new extensions, please? Because I called today and I got uh >> well, you know, put in your ham numbers. I I don't know what it was. >> I think there's going to be a directory. >> Well, the board directory >> and it'll also be listed on the website. >> Yeah. So we we coordinated all the extensions so that they're the same for every >> so the school the principal extension will be the school code plus it's 50 the nurse will be the school code plus 40 and there's different so there's a nurse in every building you'll be able to you know once you know the school code you'll just be able to dial the school code
083and the extension and get through the school nurse school principal it may take a little while to get that but we we'll certainly postc staff PD on the new technology for the fund systems. >> Yes, we have a staff training on this second Monday in October. I believe we're going to offer some to not everybody but key people including secretaries and >> is the um UGL number has that been taken care of? >> The UGL number still has not been ported yet. >> Okay. But what we're doing is we're forwarding that number to a temporary number for that. >> Is there like a hopeful date that it's >> hopefully? Yes. >> Reliably hopeful. Uh I don't know. We're finding that these carriers are very difficult to deal with and hard to nail down as far
084as when they're going to do things. >> Okay. Um township and board of education. No, no uh meeting is set for now. Municipal Alliance. Mrs. Stevenson or Mrs. Romeo? >> Actually, Mrs. Lockwood went Oh, okay. Mrs. So, the West Mila Municipal Alliance met on Monday, September 12th. I um went via Zoom. Discussed was the success of National Night Out, the Wellness Family Festival on Saturday, September 24th. the program, we're not buying it for sixth graders, bringing back hidden in plain sight, and knockout opioid abuse day on October 6. The next meeting is Monday, October 10th at 7 p.m. in the West Mford Library conference room. Meeting will be hybrid. >> And then I guess I well I guess I would like to just ask, how did your wellness festival go? >> Um, extremely well. We
085had over 150 families show up. Um so we had it broken into uh various parts. We had um an out outdoors activities for the for the little ones. Um we did um adult activities such as yoga and meditation um and reiki the energy healing which was very a lot of people did not know anything about that which you know was an eye openener for some. And then we had tables from a lot from the county. Um also Highlands Family Success Center, Association for Special Children Families, um West Milford Municipal Alliance. And uh we had the the hope one van um which if you don't know anything about it is a very interesting uh uh service through the county. They ser they service the entire county. Um they help people who are dealing with drugs and
086alcohol but they also um address mental health as well and they have uh it's a people who've walked the walk so they can talk the talk and um it was we had um Mayor Dale show um some council people show and a lot of again over 150 families show up so it was a very uh the weather was perfect. >> Thank you for asking. >> Thank you. >> Me too. line dancing. >> How was the line dancing? >> Do you know that's a good question there? Yes, I did have line dancing. Um, let me put you this way. Was I part of the line dancing? >> Nope. >> So, I assume it was good. Thank you for asking. >> Mrs. Lwood special education. >> Okay. So, I have a summary statement provided by Caitlyn Babcock
087from the meeting that took place in August. Um Dr. Mcuade started with a staffing update. Um there were questions uh regarding onetoone aids and out of district transportation. They were all answered. Um since the pandemic, we have seen an increase in preschool age students requiring services. Due to this need, another developmental preschool class will be opened in the afternoon this year. The preschool offered a summer meet and greet on September 2nd for the youngest students to meet their teachers and visit their classrooms. This was a great start to their year. Unified PE is now being offered at Magathan and West Muffet High School. Existing resources were utilized and unified grant funding will be forthcoming for expansion on this. This is being offered in addition to unified sports at the high school and the potential of
088expanding this through the grants. Um, Miss Caitlyn Babco, the CPAC chairperson, will be hosting informal parent meetings before each CPAC meeting. Look out for links on Facebook and your email. If you would like to receive emails from CPAC or become a member of their Facebook page, please contact WM Pacmail.com. There was a discussion about an idea to create a program for students mental health needs over the summer using grant money. Unfortunately, the grant had some fine print and there was not enough time to amend the grant or plan for this. The money from the grant is still there and ideas for afterchool programs are in discussion. Um there was talk about um making sure that the staff are taken care of and extra attention is provided to encourage them to stay in West Milford. Teacher
089burnout is a real thing and the district is making efforts towards helping out the staff. Um the parents inquired about a plan for restraint and crisis training now that the trainers have left. Although some new staff may need to be sent out for training, the remainder of the staff should be good until mid year. This will allow for a trainer to be secured. Um there was discussion about case managers and I think everybody should have gotten their case manager assignments, who their case manager um is now. At the time, obviously those weren't given out. And then um parents said that they sometimes feel out of the loop at IEP meetings. this topic was discussed and a recommendation was made to send any concerns or questions ahead of time to your case manager. CPAC will be
090working together to create a toolkit for parents to help them during IEP meetings. And the next meeting is planned for October 12th at 700 p.m. And I believe it's still going to be offered um both live and via Zoom. >> What was the date? October 12th at 7 p.m. >> Thank you, Linda. Um, I'm sorry I missed. When was the last township and board of education joint committee meeting >> other than what we did tonight? >> No, I wasn't sure. Did you have a a report from a meeting that you were at? >> No, I it's been it's been two months since we had a I gave just a life update last time. >> Okay. Um, I just have a question about all these meetings. I really was glad that when I couldn't attend my
091committee meeting and Courtney couldn't attend that we found someone that could. Um, and I know that there have been other meetings um that people have either attended on their own when there's two or three people on there, you know, and I just don't think that people are being invited to fill in on committee meetings. Um, and we give the report or give the report if they're not here is also great, you know. Um, and we've talked about it multiple times. If there are meetings and you can't go, if you could reach out to those of us that can. >> Is this like your old business? Is that where we are? >> Okay. Is that where you >> Oh, because we're going into old business. So, I'm trying to make sure to figure out where we
092are. So, that would be under old business, I guess. >> All right. I I I think that's a valid point. And the other problem with um the committee minutes, like even um when I go and I look at the the committee minutes, um they're not they're not complete. Um education tells about who spoke, but there's no comments from um board members. There's no concerns. Um, it just I I think our committee minutes need to be more complete so that if people have questions, they can go look at the minutes and then call the chairperson or call the administrator who's at the meeting. So, that's just my thought. >> As far as the committee, we are calling uh forever when somebody can't make committee every month. >> Oh, I'm very happy with how that's going. Thank
093you. That was not I agree with what Terry's saying. That is not what I was mentioning tonight in old business. I'm talking about the specific committees um in under committee reports and liaison. If you're a liazison to a committee like how Claire just read our report and she's not on that she covered for us which I was super thankful. Thank you. >> Well, there are there are a number of committees where I have multiple like with Mr. Gino last month I the month before I covered technology because he called me. If I don't know, if we don't know, somebody's not going before. >> No, look, I believe I heard you say at some point, whether it be today, another day, whatever, that you've attended meetings with the town by yourself. So, if three people are
094allowed to attend, please invite me to cover you or invite Claire or Courtney or Mike or Jay or someone else so that if there's three of us allowed to go, three of us can go. >> They're at 9:00 in the morning. >> Oh, well, I have to work. Thank you. And and and I'll be honest, that's why >> I still like to be invited, but I can't go. >> You may have a day off. >> You want to go take a day off for the meeting? >> You know, it's all two days. Mike, >> we could we could possibly be around >> and J, >> you know, I the Mike doesn't mean >> I didn't know even when it was. >> Did you call can anybody cover for you? I thought parks and w you
095can't just cover because it's public. Anybody can go. >> Okay. Well, I >> How's it back school? >> I think we try to meet everyone's needs as and at 9:00 in the morning. I don't think and a lot of times I don't know if somebody's coming, especially that particular meeting until that morning. So, I can call you if you want, but I know my Jane and Claire can sometimes meet at 9:00 a.m. So, there >> I can call you all at 9:00 if you want me to to some of us can do and some of us can't, right? But >> it's just >> some of us would like to and some of us don't want to. >> Fair enough. Let's Let's pull. >> And some of us can't and >> I I can, but do
096I want to? >> That's a different story. >> Anything else under old business? >> I have other things. I don't know if they fall under old or new. So, would you rather need saving for new? >> Sure. Might. >> Let's close. >> I'll make a motion to close old business. >> I'll second it. >> All those in favor? >> I close. Go ahead. New business. >> Um, first new business is Can Winston or someone please come to the committees and help us get onto the board of ed pages? Thank you. >> Mhm. I can't get on mine. I has anybody. I thought I was the only one. >> I can't. I'm upset about it. I'm frustrated and I'm very good with technology. I'm not I'm not a technology idiot. I can't figure this out. And
097I can bring my own computer. If we please, if someone can come to committees and help us in small groups, >> Claire, you're the only one on the whole board that can do it. So, there's some magic about your computer because I've tried it on my phone. >> Just a minute. Did you try to go on your phone? >> No, I don't use my phone. >> I I can't get it on my phone. >> Can you get it on? >> I can't get it at all. >> Not even on your computer. >> I I can get it on the phone, but it's not the way it is on the computer. There's three dots. >> She's there, right? >> There's three dots and it says option and then where it says option, then it brings in
098the login, which is >> Yeah, if we could just spend time on that. >> Has any has anybody logged on? >> Like Claire, I think I can't get on. I can't log on. I just logged on yesterday. >> Um maybe maybe maybe Mr. Winston can come to the committee meeting this month and show us how we can log into our website. >> Is there anything else under that? >> Um yes, I have a lot of questions. >> When did we stop doing sports physicals? >> I think that was during the pandemic. is not we're used to it here and during the pandemic the doctor's offices weren't going out to school. So parents have been since then parents have been going to their own pediatrician for a physical for sports. Um and we know it's a
099lot easier when you host it here. So it's something we're looking to bring back for this coming summer for the next school year for athletics. So in the past, isn't it something that was done for each season that our school doctor would come? They set up the nurs's office >> once a year was three times a year and for each beginning of the sports season, they would come. It was like I said, either our school doctor or doctor that we hired to do sports physicals and the line would normally go down the hallway and out the door. So you were saying that since co we haven't had that for our students. >> I think we did it twice. I don't think we did it three times. I think it was the fall season fall season
100in spring. >> So since then families have been going out to their own pediatrician which presents some other problems because not every health plan you know sometimes you only get one physical a year >> through your health you know plan for free. So it's a little bit of a inconvenience we're looking >> to bring the budget for this coming school year as a convenience for parents. Not that everybody can make it that day, but a majority we're anticipating a majority of families. >> I mean, it should be instituted this school year. You're saying? >> Yes. It's never had a budget line. It's never been a like I never took it. I never saw it being taken out of the budget. So, we're doing it this school year is what you're saying. You're looking to set
101it up for this school year. >> We're looking to do it for this coming school year, next school year. >> Okay. I'm not I'm that's something we could talk more about, but as far as budget conversations go, school physicals was never on the chopping block. >> We did not we did not cut it. >> That's what I'm saying. >> What happened was this doctor is now not like affecting us as much. It was never cut. It should be instituted this school year. >> What I would think we'll reach out to the school physician >> medical examiner is in the budget. It it's it's there. It's not cut. Yeah, >> it's getting it's getting it's getting a phys the physician to do the physical because even as I'm sure you're experienced with their doctors, I mean
102pediatricians now they have no night hours. So like you know I know different people. So like it the the doctors are kind of changing some of that. So I I mean we have a school doctor, correct? We have a medical examiner as were required to by law. >> Yeah, they you that used to happen in the past, but I'm pretty sure it was basically um any other new business. >> I I have something, but it's only a question. Um it's come to my attention that there's a website called niche.com and it has listed our district. It has given us a very very poor rating and um I I What do you do about that? >> I didn't get this n i n i h e. >> This is the same thing. I mean it's every
103number where we are. What do you do about it? >> Yeah. What do we do? >> You come up with your own school formula. You offer every AP class. You pay for every kid to take every AP exam. Look at what they're grading. Look at what they're looking at. >> I I don't know. I just I didn't see it. I just heard about it and I was told that our rating is out of 254 schools, we were like 252 or 250. And I don't I don't understand why we're that low. >> I'm not I'm not familiar with the formula they used. It doesn't have to look like >> Yeah, because it's not good for real estate or anything else. Okay. Thank you. Any other new business? >> I have something. >> Um, I'd like us
104to discuss rescheduling board minutes, uh, board meetings, sorry, one night. Um, I know during COVID and the aftermath, there were lots of times when we were sick, the four of us couldn't attend and we would have to reschedu because of sickness or because somebody had a work meeting and we couldn't get everyone here. Um, I'd like to say that we are a governing body and no one vote is more important than another. With us delaying this meeting a week, I thought the teachers weren't getting paid, but actually the students had a sub since the beginning of September, you clarified. Um, and that makes me upset. I think that it's unprofessional for us to be pushing a board meeting back because of one or two board members not being able to attend. I know we all
105want to be here, but we get the board meetings in January. Correct, Alex? So, we need to plan accordingly our vacations and things that come up. That's all I have to say about that. >> Thank you. Any other new business? >> I have one last question under new business. Um, and I'm not sure who gets to answer this one, but um, when a grievance occurs, does the board of ed grievance committee see the actual written grievance? >> Well, there is no grievance committ. >> There's a there's a grievance process, >> right? We don't have agreements committee. we have the board either the full board appears a grievance or a committee of the full board will hear it. Um I can't say for certain now that I think about it whether the board's subcommittee sees the
106all the agreements documents. They may not but they're certainly discussed. >> Thank you. Anything else under new business? >> I got a B minus on West High School. >> That's the high school with the whole district. >> I I need a motion to close new business. Motion to close new business. Second. >> All those in favor? I public comment. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public having a legitimate interest in the action of the board for the purpose of addressing any subject matter pertinent to andor directly related to the operations of the West Milford Public School District. Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. Each speaker will be given five minutes for a period of 30 minutes.
107Then time permitting other public comment limited to five minutes per speaker will be uh allowed until the 30 minute time period transpires. All speakers are asked to sign the register provided and give their full name, spell their last name, group affiliation if appropriate, and provide their address. Issues raised by members of the public may or may not be responded to by the board. All comments will be considered and are responsible before coming if and when appropriate. The board asks that the members of the public be courteous and respectful of the rights of other individuals when speaking specifically comments regarding students and employees of the board are discouraged and the board and the administration will not respond to them. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded to them by the laws of New Jersey. The
108board is not responsible and is not liable for any comment made by members of the public. Members of the public should consider their comments in the light of the legal rights of those affected or identified in their comment. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Any wish anyone wishing to speak? is not. >> Yep. Second one. >> Sorry. Um Okay. Um we've had all those in favor. >> Okay. You need a motion for executive session. Okay. at at 9:58 p.m. I make a motion to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. The executive session minutes will not be released until such time as the privilege or confidentiality is no longer applicable and we will dismiss from the executive session. >> Oh uh it
109shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. >> Second. All those in favor on any opposition noted board members. >> I know. I'll see you on No. I'm not good. >> I will.