001I'd like to call the meeting to order and we'll have a moment of silence, please. Please rise to the flag. 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 News, the suburban trend, the record, the messenger, West Milford town hall, the county superintendent's office, the board attorneys, 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 libraries and all district schools. Mr. Francisco, Mrs. Romeo >>
002here. >> Mrs. Stevenson >> here. >> Mr. Conklin >> here. >> Mrs. Dwire >> here. Mr. Green >> here. >> Mrs. O'Brien. >> Mr. Oinsky >> here. >> Mr. Stillman >> here. >> Mrs. Van Dyke >> here. >> Dr. Anna, your report. >> Yes. Good evening everybody. Welcome to our October meeting. Uh two items to report on. Now the district, we have our HIV self- assessment scores. These are scores our uh school administration completes every year. It's based on the year prior. So if we look backwards at what our schools did last year with HIV, there's a checklist, there's a score rubric. Um I would like to report out on the scores. Actual is a 75. Um, now keep in mind it's a 78 point maximum, not a one to 100. So a 50 to
00378 scale. Maple Road 77, Marshall Hill 75, PK 77, Upper Greenwood Lake 75, Westbrook 75, Max 73, and High School 62. But we will send these scores down to the state for review. they will uh certify them later this year, probably not until like around June and then we'll report on those again out in June. Should be the same numbers and then we'll post that report on our website. Next up, our pandemic uh EBT card. We discussed this I think briefly in August probably a couple other times. Um so we know that our free lunch numbers went down last year during the pandemic because we were giving out it was free lunch for everybody irrespective of whether or not you apply for free lunch. So our numbers dipped dramatically last year. We made a concerted
004effort this summer and again into September to get our numbers back and I'm happy to report that we recouped all of our numbers from two years ago. Um 201920 we had 475 students or families on pre- reduced lunch. This year it's 476. Uh the inter seating year last year went down to 383. So it went down 100 and about up 100 in the last two years. So our administration's done a great job with that getting the message out to our families. If somebody wishes to apply for a free lunch it's never too late. They can still apply. They will get in addition to free meals at school. They will get a debit card loaded with money to be used at food establishment to the community, Shopright, McDonald's, uh, Marios, etc. Um, so if you believe
005there's no deadline for free lunch, we do report out on our free lunch numbers all the time, but there is no deadline to apply. You can apply at any time. It's your role in admission. Uh, the debit card that you receive will be from the time you apply moving forward. Uh next up our this year our actual fourth grade was selected uh to participate in the uh in the NAPE the national assessment of educational progress. This is a federal test. It is given to random districts, random schools and random grades every year, every two years. You've often heard of something called the nation's report card where they track reading and math scores. This is it the N. So for this year, our school that was selected was actually a school grade four and we'll be
006administering the name to those students in the spring. Right? The results will not be shared with anybody. They'll go into a to the US Department of Education and they'll be shared on a national level and they'll see where reading scores and math scores are nationwide. Should be interesting uh post pandemic as well. Uh, next stand up. Didn't make my uh, superintendent report, but we just spoke with the West Open Alliance Club this morning. U, they do an annual ambilopia service program for our kindergarten students where they come into our elementary schools and they screen students. Uh, last year it was cancelled. So, this year we're going to start again. It is going to be kindergarten and first grade this year to catch up on what the students we missed last year. Um, we're working with
007an optometrist from Kimlan, Dr. as well as our local alliance group. So we thank them for their volunteerism and we thank them for all their support. That program is being arranged now by our principles uh to screen our students. And lastly, uh Miss Weiss for student report. >> Hello everyone. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. My name is Abby Weiss, president of the city student council. This week in the high school, we finished up our start strong testing. The students were tested in the subjects math, ELA, and science. And next week, we are starting for grades 10 and 11, the PSATs on October 26th. One of our fundraisers right now at the high school is being run by the varsity club, and it's a penny wars in order to raise money for Save
008Our Sisters. On October 4th to the 8th was the week of respect where students were given papers to write kind messages to give to their peers. And during that week, some students even went ahead and wrote on sticky notes kind messages and put them on people's lockers. And this week we are promoting violence awareness week. Yesterday was pajama day to stay snuggy and safe with your friends. Today we wore rainbow to practice mindfulness. Tomorrow we're wearing red, white, and blue to pledge for violence. And Thursday we wear superhero gear to appreciate our hometown heroes. And Friday is black and gold to show that we are all unified and there for each other. And we would like to congratulate all of our sports teams that are working extremely hard in finishing off the strong fall season
009strong. The field hockey team so far has an amazing record of 12 and five. The girls tennis team is 1 and4. The boys varsity soccer team is 4 and 10. And they're currently playing Lakeland right now at the turf. The girls varsity soccer team is 5 and 10. The girls volleyball team is 9 and 8. And the football team is 3 and 4. On Friday night is football senior night and there will be an amazing halftime performances from band, color guard, cheer, and dance and the announcement of the homecoming court. We're wishing our sports teams good luck in the next couple weeks of their season. The high school and middle school student councils are super excited to announce that the spooktacular will be happening this year in cooperation with the West Milford PVA on October
01030th from 5 to 8:00 p.m. We are expecting a huge turnout this year and the high school is working hard to organize the trunk retreating portion of the night. We have many people signed up to decorate trunks. And we also have many clubs and organizations from the high school signed up to help out. And the middle school student council is working hard on organizing the haunted hallway at McAppin. That's the other portion of the night. And we're excited to see what the night brings. And we hope to see everybody. >> Thank you for allowing me to speak. Does anyone have any questions? >> I'm I just I didn't realize that they were doing the hallways this year again. So that's that's good. I'm glad to hear it and hopefully it'll be a fun night for
011all the kids. >> Thank you. >> Uh yeah, >> great. >> You're on the air. >> All right. Thank you. Um, one of the themes I've been speaking about over the last few months, uh, leading into this school year, um, looking into post-pandemic education was about, you know, how do we, uh, pick up the pieces from, um, what began in spring 2020, uh, leading us to what we're what we currently doing today. Uh, so I'm happy to report on the completion and I'm going to piggyback on what Miss Weiss spoke about with the completion of the Star Strong assessment. um that we have completed the first round of um that process. The first step in that process is to gather all the assessment data that we um that we find useful in diagnosing the um
012the effects of what the you know spring of 2020 meant where most of our students were home and what a hybrid or virtual environment looked like or you know 5day in school. We had so many kids in so many different learning environments. Um so we are in that process of of collecting that that data. Um we've completed the first step as I mentioned where we um finalized the start strong assessment. Uh that is a uh state uh a state assessment that we actually piloted last year. We're one of the few districts in the state that actually uh utilized that uh that process that that assessment. So we were well suited to implement it this year. Um prior to the start strong assessment, we used our uh link platform which is the um the program that
013we use to administer benchmark assessments in language arts and mathematics. Uh those benchmark assessments compare um assess our students against the uh New Jersey student learning standards that they are supposed to uh have mastered at that point in time. Um so you know basically what what we do after the assessment is we take a look the assessments both the link assessment and the start strong assessment gives us the specific learning standards that our students are um accountable for for in this uh point in the school year and it shows us where they've mastered these standards and where there may be some deficits. So, you know, coming back to where I started with this discussion, um, you know, diagnosing the effects of the pandemic is is what we've been doing. Um, we had some great timing
014with this process for our October 11th PD day where we had um we completed the link assessments about one week prior to that. that gave the link company uh a week to process our information and then um have it available for our staff to use on October 11th where we had an early dismissal for students. But our staff had a regular length full day plus an additional hour. I don't know if everyone's aware of that in the community. So that uh our students went home at, you know, early dismissal, but our staff didn't just do a full day, they did a full day plus one hour. Uh so that professional development time was used specifically at looking at um the data from linkit looking at student learning standards looking how their students in their classes
015performed and the more important part of that is now what do we do with that information? So they sat they made groups. They uh put together learning plans. They put together uh individualized um sets of standards to use in their classrooms for um you know um you know catching up for some of those things that may have been missed. uh in the elementary schools it um it looked like our uh group of encore teachers coming together and looking at patterns of standards that may have been missed across particular grade levels and then looking at it on a on a district level. Um so we had a really uh really productive professional development day. Um following uh following that process we complete start strong. Now that uh start strong and link it are completed, we're able
016to compare those things. So both assessments look at standards. So we're just going to have multiple layers of looking at the uh learning standards that uh you know our students need to master. Um so you know we're we're moving moving along. We're we're uh excited for it. We anticipate that um information that may be shared with parents will be available at our November conferences. uh we have about a um the state doesn't finish start strong until the end of October. So we anticipate once we complete the process and they close the window for the state that they will we'll be able to get the higher level district profiles. Our teachers can access their individual student the day after they take the assessment. But to get the higher level district new um reports that takes some
017time from the state. That's it. >> Thank you, Dan. Question. Yes, Dan. Will there be a public presentation of the results of that test? >> Yeah, we we anticipate doing that. Yeah, I should be able to depending on when we can get back start strong. Um I should have that available at the next ed committee and then talk about it for um for the public. >> Anybody else have any questions? Courtney, >> um, since you're talking about linkit, I'm just curious, are teachers able to access linkit to create their own class tests on linkit? >> Yes, >> I think that's a good thing. Um, because then the kids get really used to taking the link test. I just wanted to bring that up as something that I think is really nicely streamlined for our students
018and our teachers. Um, and I'm happy to hear that that happened. Yeah, we we've got uh quite a few um quite a few staff members who are using it in that uh in that regard. >> I think that's great. >> Anyone else? If not, um Mrs. Transisa, >> uh we have the minutes from the September 28th uh workshop and executive session and the minutes from the special meeting where we had strategic planning on September 30th. >> I need a motion. Okay, I'll make a motion to approve the September 28th workshop regular meeting minutes, the September 28th executive session minutes, and the September 30th special meeting. >> Second, >> any discussion on the minutes? >> I just have a question. If we were not at the special meeting, then we seen from that one and we
019were on the other two. Okay. >> Anyone else? If not, um, all those well, do we have to do a roll call if people? >> Okay. All those in favor, >> I aband from September 30th. >> Okay. Any um, no, my president's report. Well, I just wanted to comment on the strategic planning meeting on September 30th. It was it was well attended. It would be wonderful if there's more parents or members of the community that would like to come out uh to the next meeting which is October 27th at 700 p.m. and it is at Mackin again, right? >> That's the tax period. >> It um it's a good night if you want to give some input um find out what we're looking at and and looking for the next five years as a community.
020It would be very helpful if as many could come out as they could. We did have a good amount of in in attendance, but you didn't have to come to just the first to all the meetings. If you can make the second meeting, that would be great. We also uh the third meeting will be December 1st, right? Same thing, 700 p.m. at MAC. Okay. But I want to thank those that did come out and I encourage anyone that would like to come to please come on October 27th. I will not stand in my report. Uh now it's time for the public comment. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public for the purpose of addressing resolutions on the agenda only. Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to
021the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. Each speaker will be given 5 minutes for a period of 30 minutes and then time permitting other public comment limited to 5 minutes per speaker will be allowed until the 30 minute time period transpires. All members of the public speaking during the public comment period are asked to address topics listed in the agenda. While 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 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 if and when appropriate. The board asks that members of the public be courteous and respectful of the rights of
022other 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 law of New Jersey. The board is not responsible and is not liable for any comments made by members of the public. Members of the public should consider their comments in light of the legal rights of those affected or identified in their comments. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Anyone wishing to speak under public comment? >> Seeing none, I make a motion to close public comment. I need a second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Okay. >> All right. Just a quick uh edit before we adopt
023the agenda. I'm going to make a change on page four. Education resolution number 11 with typo. Incident number should be 2022 M1. And second one on page five, personnel student affairs. You're resolution number two is going to be pulled. We can't really have a change of heart and today she no longer wishes to uh work there. So we're going to pull number two off of personnel student affairs. >> That's it. Hand >> in the hand as well. I need a motion to adopt the agenda. >> I'll make a motion to adopt the agenda with the edit. >> Second. >> See? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Education, Mrs. Buyers. >> Okay. I'd like to move items 1 through 10 for approval. Discussion and approval. And 11 will be voted
024on when we come back from executive discussion. >> Oh, I need a second. I'm sorry. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? I have discussion. >> Okay. Number four. Um I I have so much that I could say. It could take up our entire meeting, but the first thing I want to say is this. I want to thank whoever filled these out because I feel like at the high school especially in Madison I feel like they are real data and honest. I can say I look through some of the elementary ones and see numbers that I do not think could be accurate. Um, I think that this hip situation is something if you know me and if you've heard anything I've said sitting at these meetings, we have still work to do and it's clear now
025in front of us. I am adamant that our investigators and our specialists have to be trained by people that do the work, that have done the work. This isn't new. this should really be seamless to see ones is like it it it irks me. Um but yet I'm proud of them for being honest. I really am because now you have like something in front of you to say we need a plan. Where are this where's the training? Who's doing the training? No offense to our attorney, but that's not ever what I was looking for in training. I was looking for real in the work HIV specialists that have been doing it for 20 years that have all their cases and all their things that works with paperwork and the process and all that. Um I'm
026asking um for the following year for a list of activities from the schools. I'd like to be more involved in knowing what's happening um for the week of respect. Um what are the activities and then how is that followed through throughout the year for school climate and school culture? Who are the teams? When do they meet? I saw a lot of twos about meeting. some of the things I mean that we're pulling it is um specifically number 3D again proi provided with professional development that's on us right here and I've been saying it and saying it and I will always keep saying it until that's a three and until I feel like our district really has this. Um, so I couldn't leave tonight um without this obviously about HIT stuff, you know, and I'll bring
027it up every time always. We have got to do better. Um, and I I know that, you know, I'm just happy that we have something, you know, to really look at and talk about. Um number 2C um I have identified that as a problem for years that the HIP policy be discussed with students. Um I know multiple students in multiple grades that have never been explained the Hib law to them from our school system. That has to be done in every building. You know a few years ago um the PTA I'm sorry if I'm on a minute limit. I'll try and wrap that up. You're not on a mission. >> Um I know I'm not, but I'm still >> I don't have anything going. >> A few years ago, you know, we did add in
028a presentation to the PTAs. Well, now since then, we've had multiple new families moved into our district and multiple new families moved to our state and parents that have never had kids in the school system before. That PTA presentation from the principles and the HIP specialist should be run every year. And it, you know, there's multiple things and improvements that I see that could be done and I would love to be a part of the conversation. Um, I would also love to share my notes, Alex, with you. Um, and go through it. You know, there's a lot of correlation among schools and um, but at our high school, I mean, this this should be seamless, you know. Um, so I I just need to share all of that. >> Thank you. and send those your
029notes tomorrow if you can. We look at the self assessment scores as a road map for success. You know, how do we get better? Well, we look at the areas we didn't do great in this year and that's our first area to look at. So, it's not something we a little feedback here, but that's how we try to get better every year and that's consistent with best practices across the board. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? If not, roll call. Mrs. >> Mrs. Sawyer, >> yes. Mr. Green, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mr. Oinsky, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Conklin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke, >> yes. >> Well, number 11, we're going to do after executive session. So, personnel, student affairs,
030uh, Mrs. Stevenson, >> I'd like to make a motion to move items 1 through 25 as well as hand carry number one, numbers 26 through 28. >> Poll number two. >> Oh, I thought we approved the >> number two. >> I know, but I thought if we approved the agenda, I Okay, sorry. numbers 1 and then 3 through 25 as well as hand carry number one 26 through 28 second any discussion >> I mean I think I think it needs to be brought up again what else can we do to get nurses you know this this candidate left what you know I'd like you to find out why is it do we need to give them more money. What What is going on? Like, why can't we get >> We got We got one here.
031Resolution number three is We did get one. We thought we had two and we just got a call today about 3 3:00 maybe 3:30. Um seems to be money was the issue, but um we agreed on the salary probably Thursday. So something terrified between Thursday and today which made the salary uh not palatable anymore. I don't know what happened there. >> Ry, do you have a question? >> I just wanted to say congratulations to Ruth >> Brock on her retirement. She's a great teacher for my boys. She's been myself very years. I think she started the my seventh grade. Congratulations to her. >> Happy retirement. >> We wish her well. Any other discussion? If not, roll call. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> Mr. Greeno. >> Um, yes. On all and abstain from 17. >>
032Mr. Shiny. >> Yeah. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conflin. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dwire. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van. >> Yes. On all and no on number 11. Operations and finance. Mr. >> Yes. To move items number one and two under operations finance. Second. discussion. It's not roll. >> Mr. Oinsky, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mr. Gino, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Fer, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Conflin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van, >> yes. I'd like to move item number three under operations of finance. >> Second. >> Any discussion? If not, roll call. >> Mr. Oinski, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mr. Greeno, >> Mrs. Dwire, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes.
033>> Mr. Cofflin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> Mrs. agenda. I abstain. >> I'd like to move items 4 through 7 operation. I need a second. >> Any discussion? If not, roll. >> Mr. Oinsky? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bruno? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson? >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dwire? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo? >> Yes. Mr. Conklin. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Zendes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. U Mrs. Ro Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. Um I'd like to move items 1 through 15 under policy. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Mrs. Romeo? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson? Yes, >> Mr. Shinski. >> Yes, >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes, >> Mr. Cland. >> Yes, >> Mr. Greeno. >> Yes, >> Mr. Yes, Mr. Zande. Yes. >> Committee reports. Uh, parks and recreation, Mr.
034>> Nothing yet. Huh? >> They had a meeting, but I didn't make it. >> Oh, okay. >> Do they have one coming up again or you don't? >> Supposed to. >> They usually send them out by email. Are you meeting in person now? >> We are. Yes. >> Good. Good. Uh safety. There is a safety meeting uh on Thursday the 27th. >> Oh, is that Thursday? It's a Thursday. The 27th. >> And that's a virtual meeting again. >> I thought it was in person. >> Okay. I thought it I'll double check. I thought it was >> Yeah, in person. >> Okay. Oh, is it October 27th? >> Oh, then it's Wednesday. >> I'm sorry. >> Superintend that Mrs. O'Brien attended virtually and Mrs. Van Mrs. Van Djk and I attended. Um there were some some
035interesting things. Um there are two bills that are stalled in the Senate and maybe you could Oh, you don't understand. Okay. One is the um the move for a free preschool for all students. Um but that they're afraid that that might be statemandated and if that happens it's unfunded. Okay. And the second thing is free community college. Um there was a workshop for can new candidates for school board last week. Um and it was well attended by most districts. Uh the workshops and this is for this is for all of us. The workshops are virtual this year. There's over 140 workshops. Um and they'll be available 30 days up to 30 days after that. We there was a presentation on cyber cyber >> security. Thank you. And um it it was interesting and I they
036the thing that amazed me was that the man advised us to have our kids change their passport every 90 to 100 days. And most of the hacking that's going on in districts is coming from inside. It's coming from kids. Um there was a a a representative from Beckton Regional and they their system was totally hacked and it turned out to be a child from another district who did it on a dare and they had to replace the whole service. So >> the whole server service. Yeah. Um it's something we have to be very very um cautious of. It was pointed out that only 2% of our budget is spent on all budgets is only is spent on cyber security. Um most IT people are not really according to this. I mean he was selling the
037program um but he was saying that most of our IT people really don't have the time to go after what they need to do. Um and he advised us that keychains are not good because they are often hacked. Um that's it. Backups are needed to be done frequently and that's >> and and our next meeting again will be in person which we the group was very happy to see. >> I think our next virtual >> December no December says virtual in person. >> Okay. Thank you. Legislative, >> I have no report. >> Technology, >> we meet uh this coming Friday. >> Uh township and board of education joint committee. We don't have a meeting set up. Do you have anything? >> West Milford Municipal Alliance. >> No report. >> Okay. Old business. Anyone have any
038old business? >> Yeah, I I don't know. I'm not sure this is old business, but I think and I'm not sure if we did this at the last meeting because I don't remember, but I think we need to commend our faculty, our staff, our bus drivers, our aid for the seamless opening of school. And I'm not sure we did that. So, I'd like to do that now. Thank you. >> We agree. Thank you. Anything else under business? >> I need a motion to close. I'll make a motion to close all business. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. Okay. New business. Anyone have any new business? >> Okay. >> No new business. I'll make a motion to close new business. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Public comment. We're
039back to public comment. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public having a legitimate interest in the actions of the board for the purpose of addressing any subject matter pertinent to and or directly related to the operation of the West Milford School District. Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to the meeting will be recognized by the chair first. Each speaker, excuse me, will be given five minutes for a period of 30 minutes and then time permitting another other public comment limited to 5 minutes per speaker will be allowed until the 30 minute time period transpires. All speakers are asked to sign the register provided, give their full name, spell their last name, group affiliation if appropriate, and provide their address. Issues raised by the members of the
040public may or may not be responded to by the board. All comments will be considered and a response will be forthcoming if and when appropriate. The board asks that the members of the public be courteous and respectful of the rights of other individuals who speaking specifically comments regarding students and employees of the board are discharged. 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 board is not responsible and is not liable for any comments made by members of the public. Members of the public should consider their comments in the light of the legal rights of those affected and identified in their comments. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their
041comments. Anyone wishing to speak under public comment? >> Seeing none, I make a motion to close public comment. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. We need an executive session. >> I need a motion for executive session >> at 7:38. I um request that we go into executive session for the purpose of negotiations and hid and we should return within 30 minutes. I need a second >> and action will be taken. All those in favor. >> Any opposed? We will return and we will uh I'd like to call the meeting back to order. Our board, could you do roll call, please? >> Mrs. Romeo >> here. >> Mrs. Stevenson >> here. >> Mr. Silman >> here. >> Mrs. Dwire >> here. >> Mr. Graham >> here. >> Mr. Oshinski >> here.
042>> Mr. Conlin >> here. >> Mrs. Van Dyke >> here. >> Mrs. Dwer. >> Okay. I move to um accept the recommendation of the superintendent to approve the following PI and one as un unsubstantiated >> any discussion roll Mrs. Dwire >> yes >> Mrs. Stevenson >> yes >> Mr. Greeno >> yes >> Mr. Roshinsky. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conlin. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke. >> Yes. >> There's a motion for to >> I'll make a motion to second. >> All those in favor? I Good night. Good night. Good night.