001Welcome to the January 19th uh board of education meeting for special action and um discussion. Please silence and turn off your cell phones and note the locations of the emergency exits. Um Mrs. Francisco, thank you. Everyone like to stand for the flag. >> Oh, I thought we did that next. Okay, stand for the flag. Salute. >> 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. All right. Please take a moment of silence for your own intentions. Okay. Mrs. Francisco. >> In accordance with the provisions of the open public meeting act, public notice of this meeting has been sent to board members, all district schools, the Herald News, Suburban Trends, The Record, The Messenger, West Milford Town
002Hall, the county superintendent's office, board attorney, cable vision of Warwick, and W Milford TV77 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. >> Mr. Stillman >> here. >> Mr. Conlin >> here. >> Mrs. Stevenson >> here. >> Mrs. Dwire >> here. >> Mr. Oshinsky. >> Mrs. Romeo >> here. >> Mrs. O'Brien >> here. >> Mr. Gino >> here. >> Mrs. Van Djk >> here. >> Mrs. Van Djk will be joining us. um on remote. Thank you. Okay. Uh superintendence report. Dr. Anamo. >> Oh, yes. Good evening, members of the board, members of the public. Uh we'll do a quick superintendent report tonight and a more complete one next Tuesday. Um just a brief update,
003our hybrid learning model update. Um, we discussed a few times in the late fall, November, December about bringing more students back into our buildings, uh, in particular at the elementary levels, in particular at the primary grades at the elementary levels, K to2. So, our principles have been working with their interventional referral services teams, their child study teams, and their section 504 teams to do just that. So, we did a quick analysis of our elementary schools uh on Friday and if you take out if you tease out the all virtual students, the families who have selected to do an all virtual option, we're servicing on an average day about twothirds of the remaining students in our elementary school. So, u we're not at 100% yet. I don't think it would be safe to do that with
004these social distancing requirements of six feet in between students and in between students and staff. Um but we are servicing about two out of every three nonverirtual students at the K to5 levels right now. Uh and we're doing so in a safe manner with all the desks 6 feet apart. Uh the kids are 6 feet away from each other, six feet away from their st from the teacher. So um we're happy about that. We will continue to look to for ways to make this make our in-person education more accessible for our students at the elementary level, but also at the middle and high school levels moving forward. Dr. Anon, I have a question. >> Is there any problem uh with transportation and bringing all these children in? Is there a problem with Do we have
005enough bus drivers? Do we have enough >> We have enough buses. Our bus we do have a couple bus drivers on quarantine now, which forces us to rerun a few routes. um which simply means that we will take one group of students, drop them off at the elementary school, Westbrook, Maple Road, High School, and then run back out for another route. So, the second group of students is showing up late to the school. Um that's cuz we're short drivers. Uh when those drivers come back off of quarantine, we'll we will no longer have to rerun those bus routes and everybody will be on their normal bus time, pick up and drop off times uh every day. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Any questions, discussion? Ray, >> can I ask something just regard regarding the
006buses? I had um some comments from a few people today that it was not 20 minutes, it was like 40 to 50 minutes where they were behind. >> Okay. >> With regard to getting them either to school or that we're picking them up again in the afternoon, how long did you have an estimate of how long? I I'll check. It's going to be for the rest of this week. Uh Wednesday, Thursday, Friday for sure. Um but you mean how long per day each day or >> how long you think that this might be um for students, parents >> for the rest of this week at a minimum? Um you know, we could get a notification tomorrow from somebody who says, "I think I I've been exposed at home or I'm going to get tested." So
007the number of staff members you have working at any time changes dayto day based on uh positive tests or symptoms or close contact quarantines. So that's a floating number, but we think the students who were on the rerun buses today will be on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. In fact, that was a message that went home um via Honeywell to those families. So it's an inconvenience and we understand it's not ideal, but um hopefully it's just for the short term. >> So I saw the letter that went out today. It said there were two drivers. So, how is two drivers affecting this? >> Well, there were some close contacts. >> So, you may have had another employee who was too close to employee and then that person said, "I'm okay." >> And so, through contact tracing, >>
008contact tracing revealed that. Yeah, that's that's the point of that. So, we were doing that probably Sunday or no, Monday, I guess it was >> Saturday. Yes, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. >> Yeah. So, um >> that was our weekend project. Okay. >> And uh if I could add uh yes, some people would have a 40minute delay >> because if they're especially if they're going from the high school in Makipin because they have to go out, pick up students, bring them back, then go back out and then bring them back again. So it to Marshall Hill, it's 20 minutes out, 20 minutes back. So that's 40 minutes right there. So, you know, and you know, you go out 20 minutes and then you have to pick everybody up and bring them back. So, it could very well
009be 40 minutes before they get back. >> Thanks, Barbara. I think some of the parents just thought that from getting the honey well and getting the information, they didn't they didn't think it was going to be that long because it didn't seem like it was >> Yeah. Well, the 20 minutes the 20 minutes was a difference in pickup time, >> right? >> But then you have to account for the time to get back to the school. >> Mrs. Francisco, does that affect instructional time >> that 20 minutes they lose the instruction >> and today was a half a day. >> I have a question too. Would it be helpful for parents who are opting to drive their children to school to let transportation know until you know this all gets figured out we will be
010driving but then we want to go back to busing so they're not sitting in front of our house stop waiting for us. Would that help escalate anything? I I guess if you're going to do it for a few days, it would be helpful for transportation, but I I really can't tell whether or not I couldn't tell you whether the dispatch is going to be able to make any other accommodations to shorten the time. >> In theory, it would shorten the bus route because you wouldn't stop >> for a student who's not there, who's at school already. So, >> yeah, the hard part is 80 square mile. Is there any other discussion? Okay, moving on to special reports and correspondence. Barb, um at the next meeting on Tuesday the 26th, there'll be the uh December 15th
011work session and um regular minutes and executive session minutes. >> Okay. And Mrs. Van Djk, you said you had no report, correct? >> No report started. You know, >> public comment. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda only. 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 and then time permitting other p public comment limited to five minutes per speaker will be allowed until the 30 minute period transpires. All members of the public speaking during this public comment period are asked to address topics listed in the agenda. All speakers are asked to sign the register provided and
012to 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 asked that members of the public be courteous and respectful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments res 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 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
013of those affected or identified in their comments. Members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. Do we have any speakers? >> Hi, my name is Ashley Leniv. um 114 Green Terrace Way in West Milford and my children attend Maple Road School. I just have a quick question which I realize you may not be able to answer uh right now, but it's in reference to resolution number 15 under personnel and it looks like uh Maple Road is gaining a first grade teacher as of January 25th and I'm wondering if that's in an effort to bring all first grade students back into the building 5 days a week. Okay, we do have an answer for you. Um, that is designed to reduce the there is one there was two
014sections of first grade at Maple Road and one teacher was subsequently is now a virtual teacher I believe. So this is done to open up a second section in that class in that grade in that school. >> So to bring more students into the building, >> lessen the load in the existing classroom as well as potentially bring back other students. >> Okay. Thank you. Does anyone else wish to speak? >> Okay, Dave. Second, please. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Personnel, student affairs, Mrs. Stevenson, for special action. This is what we'll be voting on. Would you read? I think we're going to I have one edit to make the agenda before we adopt the agenda. >> Okay. Again, I always do that. >> That's that's okay. So, we're going to I
015have one edit to make on page six, personnel and student affairs resolution number seven. I'm sorry, number 17 >> On page six, the top of page six it continues. So, um, Linda Begley is, uh, where it says capped, the days, >> um, it is 123.5. The unit rate doesn't change and the payment doesn't change, but that should say 123.5 days. Cap indicated 125. So, we know that's going to be wrong. So, the amount is correct. The days are going to be amended. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um motion to accept the agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor. >> All right. Now, Courtney, personnel special action. This this is the section we'll be voting on, please. >> I'd like to move items 1 through 17. >> Second. Okay. Any questions? discussion. Nothing.
016Okay. Mrs. Francisco. >> Um, Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dwire, >> yes. >> Mr. Gino, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Ochinsky, >> yes. >> Mrs. O'Brien, >> yes. >> Mr. Conklin, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyk, >> yes. >> Okay. Um, operations and finance for special action. Dave, >> I'd like to move uh item number one under special action. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? Ray. >> So, just to clarify, there's no cost for us. These are not >> these are the live streaming. >> Yeah. So parents, we're not allowing spectators this winter for basketball eventually for wrestling. So parents can live stream the games or matches at home. Uh so we are getting the cameras installed. >> Call our district. >> Correct. >> Okay.
017Anyone else? Okay. Roll call, please. Mr. Oshinsky, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. >> Mr. Greeno, >> yes. >> Miss O'Brien, >> absolutely. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Mr. Dwire, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Conklin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke, >> yes. >> Okay, Mrs. Romeo, would you read um the resolutions for the workshop discussion >> for education? >> Yes, >> sure. Um I'd like to discuss one through five in education. >> Thank you. Okay. Any qu any discussion? >> Okay, Alex, can you um tell me what number three is, please? >> Assessment one for the CARES Act. >> We're applying I guess for more of the CARES Act. >> Yes, we we have our we have the amount, Barbara, is it >> we got an additional
018allocation of >> $13,690 or something. >> Yeah. So, we have to amend the original grant in order to accept the additional allocation. >> Thank you. >> That's not per school. That's per the district 13,000. So, >> okay. Anyone else? Okay. Personnel student affairs for workshop and discussion. Mrs. Stevenson, >> I'd like to open discussion for personnel student affairs numbers one through endless two. [Applause] Is there any discussion questions discussions Kate? >> Um I mean I guess my first question is is for Dr. mccleed. Um there four out of the six like TBTs that are yours. Um do you anticipate that next week we'll have some people like >> I do. We finally some finalist which are very hopeful. So they just are in the process of meeting with Dr. >> Wonderful. And number six is
019that similar to the question that we just had from a maple road parent for paradise. Is that a similar situation there? >> Correct. We're still uh doing filing abuse now for that position. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um Oh, >> Ray. >> Good. >> Um thank you. Uh number 28. >> Okay. >> Um looking at the academic support clubs. Um does anyone know why there is such a disparity in schools? like why some school has one staff member, two have or three have two people and then one of them has four. Um is it that there's less kids at Westbrook than there is at Upper Lake? Is it that there's the same or just who applied or >> the invitation was offered to all of our staff at each elementary school and these would be
020staff members who us on the other >> but so the hours and the money allocated is the same for each school. So then one school will split it between four people and one school will have it for one person. >> No. Per person. >> Yeah. >> Then I guess my next question is would you be able to use some of the teachers that applied like what if there's a a large need at Westbrook? Would we be able to use these people to do it virtually if maybe they work at a different school? Is that something? >> So just to be clear, this is not title money where there's allocations per school. This is local money. Okay. out. So, um I don't know that I don't think it'd be a good idea to move teachers, have
021them servicing students from another building. That might not be the best. We're still going to look for more teachers to uh to volunteer essentially. Um but I >> I just we did get um it's not on this agenda reflected on this agenda, but we will have an additional teacher from the um Marshall Hill School, I'm sorry, Maple Road School for the agenda next week, you know. So that like I said, we we've offered it to all of our staff for, you know, a variety of reasons. Some people could and they could. I know they're >> Well, it's not volunteer. They're applying for a job because $10 an hour >> to run a club after school. Yeah. >> Okay. Courtney, >> um, can you kind of give a little brief explanation of how you would expect
022these clubs to run? Because it's not our typical club that we usually do. It's going to be focused on academic, >> right? >> Well, we do have we do have past practice. You know, it is typical for what we've done with title money in the past. So, we have a roadmap for um you know, what this looks like. You know, basically uh run like our title clubs have in the past where our students um who the students who uh participate in the program, they'll be given some time uh before or after school depending on the school or teacher schedule. um and they'll be working in areas that they you know need support. We identify it with our we have still been you know even in the pandemic we've been using our um link it our
023start strong assessment our you know classroom data to identify weaknesses and and areas of of growth for students and then that's that's what the teaching goals are. So it's uh it'll be customized to those students. You know it's not a set program. It's it's going to be you know to support where they're at and where they need to be. And then I just have one more question. Is it going to be open to all the children or are you going to specify certain children are going to be eligible because like Westbrook only has one teacher. So I can't imagine that we can open it to the whole school for that. >> Right. So that's that's a process that's playing out in in these schools now with with identifying need and various grades need and depending
024on the staff available in the building able to be able to address them. So, we're going to support the children who need the most need first based on the staff that you have. >> Okay. Does anyone else have a question or statement? Ray, did you have something >> answered? >> Okay. Okay. Operations and finance workshop discussion. Mr. Dave. >> Okay. Is there any Oh, second. Is there a second? No, >> Ray. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Um any questions? Any discussion? >> Can you just explain the uh educational data services again for everybody? >> Ed data is a consortion. It's a a a bidding service. So, it's a a a service that all school districts use um in the state in order to uh procure things so that we don't have to go out to
025individual bid for any of our services or our supplies. So, they do all of the um the bidding for us. They have a list of vendors and we utilize their services been doing. >> So they're doing all the leg work, >> right? >> Which would take time and our money. >> It Yeah. And and we would have to Yeah. It would it would be problematic because there there's things that we might not know we need. And if we had to go out to bid, then there would be a period of time you have to put the public notice in. You have to have the bid out for a while and before you get it back where if we have a major job and we need something done, we can get one of their vendors that
026has been uh approved for time and material. So if we need a speestous removal done or something like that, we use a vendor that they've acquired through their bid process and it's recognized by the state of New Jersey. >> Thanks. >> Okay, Deb. Um, number three, uh, since I was not on the board at the end of December, am I able to vote on number three when it comes up next week or do I have to abstain from that? You're >> it's a ministerial task. You can just >> I can't hear him. >> Said you can vote. You can whenever you come in, you can vote on anything with regard. >> Okay. >> Right. >> All right. Thank you. Anything else? Okay. Uh policy. >> I'd like to make a motion to open number one
027and two under policy for discussion. >> Any questions? Any discussion? Okay. >> Old business, >> Ray. So, just from a whole business perspective, I I think that there are a fair number of us that got um emails or um information from some of the folks in town with regard to um the one-time capital expense and maybe not and I think there was even an article in the paper and I don't know that people truly understand what that means even though I I think we've heard Barbara explain it now three times in our meetings. >> Are you referring to the turf? >> And I'm referring to the turf and and you know some of the discussion around you know field and kill gallon field but I think that right it's just important to bring up that
028um you know I think people in town are saying hey maybe there are better uses for the money. People in town are saying hey can you can you refund that money back to us? And you know, Barbara, I know you probably think I'm asking you to sound like a broken record again, but maybe it's just another time for you to explain >> to everybody. >> Okay. >> Agreed. >> Okay. >> I know we've all heard it a number of times, but I think it's good. >> Sure. Not a problem. Um, every year we have an audit of our uh, prior year's budget. On June 30th, when the audit was finally, we're in the process of of finalizing it, but we will have about $3.8 million in excess money that was not spent from the last
029budget. Um, out of for the the current year, we supported this current budget that we're working in right now with about 2.5 million. Out of that 3.8, if we use 2.5 of it, we'll just keep things status quo. If we don't make any changes, if we don't have any increases in expenses, then you would have the same um support in revenue that we have currently. So, but we never know from year to year how much money is going to be excess fund balance. Last year was because of COVID. There was a lot of things that we didn't have. We didn't have substitute teachers. We didn't have custodial overtime for spring sports. Um we didn't have um we we because the buses were idle, we were able to receive some rebate on on our uh premiums
030for our buses. Um we were able to receive um a rebate and premium on our student accident policy because there was no spring sports. So there were little things that we're able to achieve that increased the fund balance to a a large amount of money. Um it always makes sense to use excess surplus to fund a one-time expense because you might not have it in the next year. By the same token, if we divvy up that $1.8 8 million. If we if we use that $1.8 million to support this year's the the next budget, the 21-22 budget, and we don't have it next year, the year after 2022 23, you're cutting 1.8 out of the budget before you get started, right? >> Because that revenue is not there, >> right? So, your balance, your your
031budget has expenditures and revenues, and the two have to be the same amount of money. If I um if we if the board decides to give 1.8 million back to the taxpayers, then it has to cut it's going to have to cut the budget in order to achieve that. Plus, next year you're going to have to make up whatever you cut plus some additional in order to accept to to to reach the the increases. So, some of the uncertainties we have this year is health insurance and even our liability insuranceances because the insurance market has gotten very tight. A lot of carriers are again leaving New Jersey because of their exposure. You have cyber liability. You're you're reading the newspapers where people are getting hacked. School districts are being held for ransom. Um there's a
032a lot of u moving parts to the reasons why our expenditures don't stay fixed from one year to the next. Be a wonderful thing if we knew every year that we were going to need x number of dollars. We're also going into collective bargaining um with all of our our bargaining groups because all the contracts expire on June 30th. So, we have to as a group decide or or try to work uh some something into the budget in order to accommodate any kind of increases that you might give them as of July 1. So, in a perfect world, we would have some additional money. We could support what we supported in this year's budget, and we have some additional money to do a one-time expense, you know, or a few one-time expenses. Some of the
033things that we're looking at are um we want to prepare the infrastructure for a new phone system. that's been in the making for a while and I think we're finally at the point where we um can narrow down the type of phone system that we're going to need to put in um to provide security for all the classrooms and um so but we have to prepare for it by pulling wire and and that's going to be an expense. Um we have um a camera system at the high school which is while it's functional >> um it it's it's the cameras are not as good as the some of the other buildings. So we're looking at possibly improving the camera system and that's a onetime expense because once you do it then you're only replacing cameras
034if they break. You're not really replacing the system. So that's why I when I talk about a one-time expense, if um we're going to buy a new science series, those books are a onetime expense. Even though they're part of the general budget, you're buying it usually for a 5-year period. So we're trying to balance the regular things that we have to do on a regular basis. your salaries, your benefits, your supplies for the classroom, transportation, um you know, buying new buses because our buses have to be replaced on a regular basis. So there there's um you're trying to balance that with doing something significant because you don't know whether or not you're going to have the money again to do it next year. So that's kind of it in a nutshell without getting too complicated.
035>> Great. >> Thanks for explaining again and I think that hopefully that will help with some of the you know understanding of what we're doing because people automatically associated those monies only with the potential for adding a turf field which I think is valuable to the town overall and valuable to us as a school system. But there are also other pieces of that which we can use for that one-time expense. So, >> right, >> you know, and I know that some have asked about, oh, can we hire more teacher or can we hire um social workers? Those kinds of things, which would be great to do, but those are an every year expense, right? >> Right. That's an annual expense. If you hire personnel, you don't want to hire personnel this year and then not
036have the money to to support them again next year, >> right? So, it it's it's a balance trying to to to um provide the academic program that you need for the students and to provide to to keep up the facilities that they need to be in and to bring enhancements to the the community because we're, you know, the community uses our fields a lot and you want to make everything look attractive for new people that are coming in. So, you're trying to balance all of these things. It's it's like wanting to buy a new car, put a new roof on your house, and put siding up and go on vacation. And you're trying to do a little bit of everything. And sometimes you're successful, and sometimes you're not quite. And then you decide you need
037a new car because the transmission went. So, um, it's a it's there's a lot of moving parts and you're just trying to when you have a a little bit of extra money, you're trying to do a lot with it because you know that you may not have it again next year. >> Mhm. >> But you know that there's needs in the community and it's going to be beneficial. >> Yeah. Thank you, >> Debbie. All right. Since I'm back on the board again and I missed all the fund from last year, who makes the I assume the board makes the decision, but is this vetted out in committees? Is it done in the decision made publicly as like how do we how do we figure out what's you know the the the one we want to
038go for, the ones we want to go for? Well, what we've we've we've opened it up to we've been talking about a turf field because we wanted the community, we wanted feedback from the community because a few years ago when Mr. Go was still a member of the public and not sitting there. They they brought came to a board meeting and they talked about the condition of our fields, right? And how um we needed to do something to support the athletic programs. So we had the turf field up at McCormick Field, but and and we put drainage at Kilgallon to try to improve that. We put drainage at MSON to try to improve that, but those I don't want to really say that they're band-aids, but they're helping to work without doing a major expense
039and and they work up to a certain point and then it becomes a problem because it's it it doesn't work so much anymore. >> All right? because I remember uh and I I don't remember how far back in in ancient history I'm talking about, but I remember when we had meetings about the phone systems and that's when Mr. Foody was on >> I don't know if he was I assuming I think he was president at the time. >> So, correct me if I'm wrong. We haven't even updated the phone since that time. >> We haven't we haven't updated the phone system. We've been um we're at the point now where it's it's becoming progressively harder to get pieces for it if it breaks down because it was from what I understand it was a a
040used system when we when it was purchased before my time. So, um but there's been a lot of changes to phone systems too because of all the security that now everybody wants to to to implement in this in the buildings. So, um, and and like any technology, things are changing, too. If we had put a new phone system in eight years ago, we'd probably be talking about finding some way to upgrade it because things have changed so much. So, I think that right now um moving forward because of a lot of other things that we've done and and and um you know opening up you know our wireless system and I think that it's probably right now is is a good time to finally take it and and do phase it in do the infrastructure
041one year and do the hardware another year. you know, once you have all the the guts in place, >> once you have the foundation in place, then you could add the actual hardware in order to make the whole thing come together. >> So, back to my other question, do do we discuss this whole process in public or are we going through committee? Are we doing operation? Is this an operational matter? Then then it's brought to >> I think it's both. I think it's both because um in the past we've always had public discussions of the budget. So once those budget books are are given to you in the next week or so and you start going through them, then certainly you're able to talk about anything that's inside of those, >> right? >> Um either
042at committee or or publicly or or with a phone call or an email, >> right? >> Because I think you know that I'm I'm as transparent as I possibly could be. >> Um and if you ask the questions, I'm I'm willing to give you the information. And I think that's how that came up in December. We talked to committee about the fields and you know is there an opportunity to use that money for turf and then we brought it up as new business back in December? >> Right. I'm saying >> to to kind of have the public hear and then you know hear some of the things from them. So >> So does the public understand that we are not looking at a curve field at this point? >> No. So I think we are
043we were I don't think that that's not off the table right now in I think in the operation finance that was >> that wasn't off the table. I think that there I think what the public needs to understand is that's not the only piece right there are other things that we're looking at and that's not the only thing that we're looking at. So I like I brought up we have schools that probably need to see bathrooms like refurbished and >> right >> brought up from you know 1968 into 19 I'm sorry 2020. Um I think there's opportunity in some of our schools for those things. I know some people from the public even though we did the EIFP they brought up like the the heating system and can you do things there and I think
044that the like we all understand that that's not just you that's not 1.8 That's tens of millions of dollars that potentially of a cost. >> But I think it's important for the public to understand the fact that we have just gone through an energy program and all of the except for the English wing at the high school which we are going to get taken care of in the next week or so. Um cuz I finally got a price. Um um everything is working. I mean we've re replaced boilers. We've replaced um valves on unit ventilators. Uh things are hooked to the a building management system now so that um they could make corrections remotely um and monitor the systems remotely. Um the the EIP that we did, the energy savings program that we implemented in
045the last year has um gone a long way in making the buildings good. I mean we have heat, we have air conditioning. We added uh heat and air conditioning to the the auditorium at McAppen School. So you have another venue once this pandemic is behind us. you have another venue that's going to be climate controlled for any outside organizations or even the school to use for for different things. So, um, we've done a lot in the last year and the timing, if anything, the timing was good because with COVID and this buildings being vacant, the the contractors were able to work during the day and got a lot of things done so that we were in really good shape. When September came around, it was time for the kids to come back to school. So,
046while we'll never be able to rip out the mechanical systems and put in filter filtering systems that you know, but but the technology again changes and you might be able to do some kind of um additional um ultraviolet things that can purify air if if needed. So there's there's constant things that we're looking at in order to make things better within the buildings and safer for for the students and the staff. It just can't be done all at once. >> Right. >> Any other questions? Any discussions? >> Um so old business, we've talked a lot about the website. We've talked about communication. We talked about branding. like where are we with any of that? I don't want to forget those things and I haven't heard an update on that in a few months. >> We
047can get some for next week. We'll put some together for the whole board. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm curious if there like I don't know is that something that you would have a timeline on. Is that something that's just in discussion and we you know we I'm just curious what's happening with that. Right. >> So, I was going to say we had a a tech committee meeting this past Friday and that was some of our discussion and I think that come next week in our board meeting, right, we talked about some things with regard to what we're going to do to help promote social media and those kinds of things. So, I think that there'll be some more information between now and then and the regular >> Yeah. Well, we'll do it next week. >>
048Yeah. Thank you, Kate. >> Anything else, Ray? >> So, just just one last thing. This old business and and really I just want to remind people because again, feel like I've got more emails and and messages from people. I just want to remind the public that to understand that we are a governance board, right? We are not a management board. Um, and we help in setting the direction and the oversight to serve the community. But basically, at the end of the day, it's up to the administration to manage and run the day-to-day operations of the school district. And we can make suggestions to management uh and administration and they can take those suggestions and incorporate them. Sometimes they take those suggestions and mesh them in with some of their own ideas and and you come
049up with something uh great. And then there are other times where we have suggestions and they go, "Hey, thanks for the suggestion, but we're going to move in a different direction." So understand that that we don't we are not running the day-to-day operations. We're we're we're counting on the administration team to run the day-to-day operations. And I think sometimes public doesn't always see how you know that's really supposed to work. That's why you get us the agenda. That's and that agenda we vote to let you know whether or not we agree with some of those things that we're moving forward with or we disagree with those things. Right. >> I just want to make sure that people email. We can't necessarily respond individually. We work as a board and we are not really appropriate for
050us to individually respond to anybody who emailed us. We're not being impolite, rude, ignoring you. It just that's not how the process works. We have an attorney that's sitting here. He's he's >> advises us regularly that say, you know, you're better off not responding to those things and having and having the administration do that, right? >> Kate, do you have something? >> Yeah, I have two last things. The first is a question. Um, if a staff member wanted to bring in their own like air filter, um, just like they would bring in their own fan in the spring, are they allowed to bring in an air filter in their office or their classroom? >> Uh, my guess is it might be a CUAC violation. I'd have to double check though. they should probably speak to
051their principal. Okay. >> And he or she could speak to me, but I know technically fans are a cusack violation as well. So we we typically front on that. Um >> I just know other districts have purchased like some you know I have one in my office at work, you know. So um that was shocking to hear that you know maybe people were not allowed to bring them or something. So I was curious why. So I did not think of KAC. Um, >> but if you could look into that, cuz I think um, you know, some of my own co-workers have purchased their own air filters. I've been in doctor's offices where they've purchased an air filter and it just makes some people feel safer and better in their environment, you know. Um, so it's
052something I was curious about and we've talked a lot about filteration and we know, you know, with the EIP that we're at the best that we can be, but if that helps someone, you know, come to work every day or to do whatever it is that they're doing, I I would hope that we are able to allow them that, you know, and I just recommend that. reports. >> I I would only say that if someone has some kind of a condition that they would need to bring it to our attention, there's a process and it would be reviewed. If they need some kind of an accommodation, the district would do it. So, just letting everybody know that >> teachers have 504s, right? >> Right. >> Okay. Is there anything else? >> Kate, you had another
053question. >> I did have one last thing um which is really just a statement um that I'll probably make publicly from now until the end of co which is um just you know I want to say that making the safest decisions for our staff and students and our community is the most important thing. And I've been hearing a lot of that. And so my safety is just please if we could like keep the schedule until our teachers could get vaccinated and more people can feel safe um and not talk. You know, I'm not sure exactly there's no timeline for things, but um I just want to mention that I'll probably mention it in old business every month until this is done because just feeling safe um for the people in our buildings is really most
054important right now. Thank you. Anything else? Okay. Motion to close all business. >> Move to close all business. >> Second. >> Voice. Um, all in favor. >> I. >> Okay. New business. I just want to uh we have only one resolution to uh vote on tonight. Um, as you know, January every year is school boards appreciation month or school board's recognition month. Um, and just so the public understands, the nine uh volunteers here on the board are just that. They're volunteers. The amount of time they give up every day, week, month, year committed to this school district and its children, its employees, the parents, taxpayers. Uh, it's it's a ton of hours. What you see here is sort of like the iceberg where like 10% is above the water and then 90% is below. So,
055these two-hour meetings or whatever they are, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what you see. Um, I send reports home that I know probably take 30 minutes to read. Um, there's committee meetings, minutes, there's notes, there's agendas, uh, there's emails, there's phone calls. So, the amount of time our board members dedicate to this community, um, I just want to thank them personally. uh their salaries are $0 an hour. So that multiplies out to $0 a year. Um times a three-year term, it's still $0. So uh we do have a small token of appreciation. The board members have it on their desks. Um you know, feel free to frame it at home or or bring it to your office or whatever. So I'd like to read this now. Um and on behalf of
056our students, >> motion. >> Okay. motion to let him read anybody. >> Okay. Right. Second. >> All right. Dave, >> he does need a motion. You're right. >> Alex. >> So, whereas the New Jersey School Boards Association has declared January 2021 to be school board recognition month, a time when all residents can acknowledge the contributions made by our local school board members. And whereas the West Milford Board of Education is one of more than 580 local school boards in New Jersey, which sets policies and oversees operations for public school districts. And whereas the West Milford Board of Education embraces the goal of highquality education for all New Jersey public school students. And whereas New Jerseyy's local school boards help determine the educational goals for approximately 1.4 4 million children in pre kindergarten through 12th grade.
057And whereas New Jersey's 5,000 local school board members who receive no remuneration for their services act as advocates for public school students as they work with their administrators, teachers, and parents for the betterment of public education. And whereas school boards strive to provide the resources necessary to meet the needs of all students, including those with special needs. And whereas boards of education provide accountability to the public, they communicate the needs of the school district to the public. And they convey to school administrators the public's expectations for their schools. And whereas New Jersey can take pride in its schools, which rank among the nation's best in key achievement indicators such as a national assessment of educational progress scores and the preparation for college through advanced placement offerings and SAT assessments. Now therefore, be it resolved that
058the West Milford Board of Education does hereby recognize the services of local school board members throughout New Jersey as a joint communities statewide in observing January 2021 as school board recognition month. And be it further resolved that the West Milford Board of Education urges all New Jersey citizens to work with their local boards of education and public school staffs toward the advancement of our children's education. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Um motion. Oh, any other new business? >> Motion to close new business. >> Second. >> Okay. Voice vote. I in favor I I >> Okay. Public comment. Once again, 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
059and 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 will be given five 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 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 a response will be forthcoming if and when appropriate. The board asks that the members of the public be courteous and respectful of
060the 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 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 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. I understand that we have uh Mr. Michael Lombardi. Sorry. Hello. Okay. Uh good evening. My name is Michael Lombardi. That's Loom MDI. And I'm a resident of New Fallon in West Milford Township and reside at 11 Meadow
061View Court. I have three sons, two of which are still in school here. one in high school and the other at PK. My oldest is a freshman at Merrywood University and attended attended West Milford schools. And besides being students, they are all West Milford athletes. So, I come before you today to address the current proposal to turf either Daigos or Kgallen. First off, please let me say I'm grateful this conversation is even on the table and the discussions are happening. If there is one thing we need in West Milford, it's more usable, presentable fields. We are a unique community with an abundance of outdoor space and have the ability to raise the bar on the perception of West Milford and for our children. Also, let me note for the first time I feel the mayor,
062the board of ed, and the town council are really working towards improving the town for our kids and I thank you each for that. As far as my background, I have been involved in the sports programs in town from baseball to soccer and have been a board member on the West Milford Little League for over 10 years. Being involved in the sports and travel uh baseball programs, I can tell you that one thing this town lacks is adequate sports facilities. When you consider the fields for West Milford Little League, just let us take a look. Mson much better than much better since the work has been done, but there's no lights. Howard at this point, Howard is almost unplayable. Clay is shot, there's rocks, and the outfield has patches of grass that makes the ball
063take some wild hops and could cause injuries, but it does have lights. Ober, which is just opposite of Howard, is barely even usable. But with a few more light poles, could be fixed up and usable for night play, which would make that entire top part of Westbrook out here playable. Echo still needs work and has no lights. It has dugouts that men's softball built, but there are rocks in the outfield. Sand cap, which is basically untouchable because the county took it back for at least West Milford Little League. But then let's talk about Hillrest that is supported solely by West Milford Little League which we have spent tens of thousands of dollars to rebuild and maintain over the past 10 years. And it's our only shining star for baseball. It has lights, scoreboard, refurbished press
064box, new sound system, pavers put in the dugout area, and teams actually like to come play us at Hillrest because it is so nice and maintained. It's much different from when I ran my oldest son's first travel baseball team where towns didn't want to come to play us at our fields and we actually chose to play at our fields most of the time. So, I do appreciate the fact that the discussion is happening and although the idea of having one large turf complex seems like a great idea, a great idea. I would like the board to consider some of the reasons why I think Kilgallen should be the field. There are no lights at Digos. Kalan has lights which allows uh use for 24/7 365 days a year. The turf allows teams to start practicing
065on a field when you're allowed to instead of practicing in a gym and not being able to play on a play a home game because the field is too wet. There's not enough parking at Daigos. Kilgallan has enough parking to support the entire complex. There is no true base field, not a baseball field, but a baseball field which is a major setback for the sports programs for our children. Kilgallen is our home varsity field that can also support soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, just to name a few. And that's 24/7, 365 days a year. There's no bleachers at Daigos. Kilgallen has bleachers. There's no scoreboard. Kilgallen has a scoreboard. There's no batting cages. Kgallan has batting cages. There's no press box. Kallan has a press box. There's no dugouts. Kalan has dugouts. There's a need for
066a breakaway fence to play baseball at Daigos. Kalan has a stadium field with a fence and a beautiful hill behind home plate. And at Daigos, you'll probably need some type of netting uh to protect the tennis courts, the school, and the football field. So, no one's hurt by a flying uh random baseball. There's also no snack stand at Digos. Um that's usable for them because it's inside the football area, which is run by the band. Um but yet, there is a snack stand at at Kilgallen, which sits up by Westbrook, that just needs some work to get up to par. Um there's also a playground at Kgallen. And then if you think about planning for the future, the top of Howard has lights, so why not plan down the road to turf the top of
067Westbrook to make it a complex? A few more light poles and the entire top would be usable 24/7, 365 days a year. And then just some of the other reasons why Kgallen would be a better choice. For the past few years, West Milford Little League has worked to align itself with the high school baseball program thanks to the efforts of Ed Ed. Robera and that is to try to help keep kids in West Milford rather than leave West Milford for other private schools. Some of the things that we've done include a West Milford little league nights senior night. The high school baseball program has supported our winter training program and our tryyouts. Our high school baseball coaches have volunteered their time to help coach in the fall for the travel uh Bears program. And West
068Milford Little League has supported the scholarship program over the years with the qualifier of play of played for West Milford Little League and played for West Milford High School finish. Can I finish my last sentence? >> I tell you all this because I truly believe that if you build a better facility that has multiple uses, that has the infrastructure already to improve our field issue, the baseball program, you will keep more kids in West Milford as scholars and athletes at the most cost-effective way. If you decide not to build a turf field, please consider improving the fields and maintaining the fields that we do have and most importantly, Kilgen. So, I appreciate your time and thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is anyone else? [Music] >> Sorry. While we're waiting, I just want to tell
069you I missed something in new business that I want to read after the next speaker if that's okay. Can I be a public speaker? Thank you. Sorry. All right. My name's Ed D. Roberus, 24 Cross Oak Lane, West Milford. Um, anything else you guys got to know? >> That's good. Your blood type. >> Um, So, I'm not going to repeat a lot of stuff Mike said because I I truly believe in a lot what he said. But, um, first of all, I want to thank you guys. Take take baseball out of side, but school's been going great for our kids and truly appreciate what you guys are doing. Really glad kids are going at least one to two two to three days a week. And that's just outside what I'm going to talk about. So,
070thank you very much for that. Thanks again also for entertaining the fact that uh West Milford does need some new fields. Um, I've been in uh, West Milford since 7. Actually started school here. Um, stayed in West Milford, played baseball since 7 since I was 7 years old. Played on probably every single field that Mike mentioned. The fields are the same exact fields from when I grew up. And that was, I guess, about 40 years ago, right? Without aging myself. >> Mhm. Um, I was lucky enough to play on the 89 team that went to the state championship playing on Kill Gallon. Same exact field, same exact clay. Probably probably stepped on the same stuff. As I uh graduated college, moved back to West Milford, my kids got into Little League, which I was very
071happy. I'm on the West Milford Little League board. I also run the West Milford Travel Program. And uh, sad to say when I came back how bad the fields still were. West Milford is so far behind in baseball fields. No money ever goes to a baseball field in West Milford unless we pay for it on our own at a little league. Um so over the last, you know, nine nine 10 years, it's been pretty sad and disappointing that these kids have to play on these fields. Um like m uh Mike said, we're close with Joe Jordan on Little League night. How great would it be if these 300 kids are up on the field looking down on Kell Gallon saying, "I want to play there one day." Right now, they don't. We have uh travel
072pro travel teams come in and play on that field for my older kid. Every single game you hear the kids making fun of it, the parents, the coaches making fun of our fields. How do you think that makes us feel as parents and the kids feel as kids? So, something's really got to be done with the fields. I know Dagos is being talked about. That's not going to be a varsity field. It just doesn't have everything that Mike mentioned. So, if we really want the kids to stay, I can barely breathe in this. >> And uh West Milford, I think it's a really good idea to think about doing Kilgallon. And it's everything that Mike mentioned. Um you know, everything's there ready. press box, dugout, scoreboard, back stops, um, snack stands. I mean, back in
073the day, that whole hill was cleared with all the trees where fans used to sit up on that hill. It was a great place to watch a baseball game. Um, so again, thanks for the consideration, but I do truly believe we lost probably five or six really good baseball players to Pope John this year. I do truly believe if we take the most some of that money, not saying all, I know it has to go to other things. But if we take some of that money and put it towards Kill Gallon, I think a lot of you build it, a lot of these kids will stay. So, thanks for the consideration. It's just nice to be talking about possibility of doing baseball fields and I appreciate the time. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for saying
074it's hard to breathe in these things, right? Everybody gets a newound appreciation for teachers. They're talking for six and a half hours through these masks. >> Okay. Motion to close. >> Well, I wait. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. >> That's okay. Um, I got an email today. >> Oh, sorry. >> No problem. >> This is so strange. Hi, Kate Romeo, One Crestell Drive, Oakidge, New Jersey. Um, I got an email today. This is really for the community, so I'm glad that I am speaking into a microphone. Um, it's beneficial for parents. There's a new program. It's called Parents as Champions Training for Parent Leaders. Uh, the Center for Prevention and Counseling School Health Team would like to invite parents to the 2021 parents as champion training. Uh it's created by the state parent advocacy
075network and funded by New Jersey department of children's whole school whole community whole child initiative. The parent as championships training will provide participants the knowledge and confidence needed to build or enhance their leadership role within the school community. Um it is it begins on February 4th. It will be four Thursdays in a row from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Every parent who attends all four sessions will earn $125 stipened and will have the opportunity to apply for a $1,000 grant to benefit their school community. Space is limited to 20 parents. So, please register today. Oh, my own timer is going off. Um, so I just wanted to mention that. I think that that's a great opportunity for parents to be part of our school community to hopefully win a $1,000 grant. Um, and there's only 20
076spots. It's open to numerous counties around the state and PAC was one of them. Run out of the program in Sussex County, the Center for Prevention and Counseling that's coming into our schools now funded through the Municipal Alliance to educate our kids. So, I think that's such a great partnership and I just wanted to mention it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Kate, could you forward that information to me, please? >> Absolutely. >> Thank you very much. >> Does anyone else have anything? >> Okay. second. >> All right. Um, we have no executive in session. So, motion to return. >> Motion to adjourn at 8:05. >> All in favor? I I