Board of Education Meeting 12/15/20

001I'd like to call the meeting to order. If everyone a moment of silence, please. Please rise for the flag salute. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. In accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act, a public notice of this meeting has been sent to board members, all district schools, the Herald News, the Suburban Trends, The Record, The Messenger, West Milford Town Hall, the County Superintendent Office, the Board Attorney, and Cable Vision of Warwick and posted in the administration building. Copies of the board meeting calendar and resolution were provided to all local media, town hall, township, library, and all district schools. Roll call. Mrs. Francisco >> here. Mrs. Stevenson

002>> here. Mr. Con >> here. Mr. Gino >> here. >> Mrs. Fritz >> here. >> Mr. Mr. Stman >> here. Mrs. >> here. Dr. Anamone, your report. >> Good evening everybody. >> Welcome to our summer meeting and happy holiday. >> Uh up first we have a our newest Eagle Scout project. >> Boy, boy, you have big shoes to fill. Come on up. Uh this is Hardington. He's a West High School senior. He is going to be doing a workout project at Maple Road. If you've been to the high school recently, [Music] >> cut in and out. >> So, Sean, come on up to the microphone. Um, if you've been to the high school recently, you if you're looking at the front door to the right is a beautiful large storage shed, uh, which is for

003our marching band. Uh, and they store some of their supplies in there, some of their instruments year round. It's probably the nicest Eagle Scout project certainly in the in in the state or at least one of them. That was Sean's older brother who built that. So Sean is here to do an Eagle Scout project down Maple Road. No pressure. Um the board members should have a copy of it on your desks. >> All right, Sean. Thank you. >> Good evening. So the project that I want to do is at Maple Road. It is an outdoor classroom accompanied with a redo of the courtyard and flower beds. Um, so the outdoor classroom is probably going to be the main focus of the project. And you can see the design in picture one and two. Um, it'll

004be octagonal. That's a big word. It'll be octagonal and each bench would be 8 ft long. Um, one of the benches would be 10 ft long in the back just for the shape of it and the maximum capacity would be around 33 students. Um, Maple Rose's average class size is around 20. So, I think that this will be able to accom accommodate all their classes. Um along with giving the kids a little bit extra space, the area of which the outdoor classroom will be is next to the two storage sheds. Um you can see them in picture 4 and it's probably going to be around that area. We don't have the exact area like marked off yet, but we're looking for that area because it looks like we can have the drainage be good there.

005Um, the outdoor classroom is going to feature like a gravel floor so kids could walk on it without getting their shoes like muddy in the rain or if it rained the previous day maybe over the weekend. Um, so this will be comfortable place for the students to be in and also the teacher. At Maple Road there is already one outdoor classroom. It is in rows. There's six benches and we believe that with the addition of this outdoor classroom, it will be able to hold two class at once and also the different designs would give the teachers the abilities to use it for different things. Um the design in my outdoor classroom um is octagonal and it focuses around one point. So, I think this would be good for readalouds and group projects where students can

006go up and present in front of everyone. Um, there is a space in between where everyone is looking at the students. Next, let's go to the flower beds. Um, in picture five, that's the courtyard area. Off to the left, there is a bigger like flower bed that is enclosed. Our plan is to take that down and put three flower beds on that side, replacing it. On the other side, there are three flower beds already there, but they're in disrepair. So, our plan is to also take those out and replace them with three other flower beds. The plan is on the left side where the sun is, we're going to have wild flowers and milkweed. And then on the other side, we'll have shrubbery. These flower beds are going to be going to have retaining blocks,

007retaining wall blocks on the edges, so they'll hold up for a while and won't need as much maintenance cuz right now all the flower beds there are wood and they're getting like pretty rotten. That's the basic overview of what I want to do. Are there any questions? >> Oh, very nice. >> All right. You're looking at a spring construction? Yes. >> All right. Anybody have any questions for All right. Thank you, uh, Sean, and best of luck. >> Thank you very much. >> Good luck. Thank you. [Applause] Nice. Um, so our COVID 19 cases and our contact trace. I just wanted to update the board and the community as to what we do for our contact tracing investigations and how it works because um, we are involved with this every day. Uh, seven days a

008week, literally seven days a week. And I know a lot of other people aren't. So I probably assume people know exactly what we're doing. and uh maybe it's just time to share that out with the community and also with the board. Um so uh the school district and township met a few weeks ago and we agreed to use 12 noon as our reporting deadline. So any cases that come to us, lab confirmed cases, uh not just I feel like I might have something, but lab confirmed cases of COVID that get reported to the school district before 12:00 noon get reported that same day. Anything that comes in afternoon will be reported the following day. So, we're trying to match our our numbers up that we're reporting with the township as equal as possible. So, we

009started off by using the same exact timeline, 12:00 noon as a cutoff for that day's reporting. The numbers still don't always add up because occasionally you have a 16-year-old male in West Milford that has reported on the mayor's uh daily report, but that student might be in a parochial school or a technical school uh not on our report because he's not our student. Um, conversely, we could have a staff member of ours test positive. it gets reported by our district, but the staff member lives in another community, so it would not be on Mayor Dale's report that same day. So, if you match them up day by day, there's still going to be some discrepancies. Uh, and sometimes we are off by a day early or a day late. So, that does happen. Um, they

010will not always match, but they'll match pretty much. Um, so we send our notice out in the afternoon, usually four or five o'clock in the afternoon. minutes after we've done our our investigation and our phone calls home. So, if you're receiving an email that says there was one confirmed case in our district today, if you have not already received a phone call, that means your child was not a close contact. So, if you're getting a letter, but you have not received a phone call already, that means your child was not a close contact. So, um, all our phone calls are made prior to sending that notice home, which is why some days it goes out at 3:00 and other days it goes out at 5:00. We have a, you know, easy time communicating with some

011parents and a much more difficult time getting in touch on other days. So, um, it's not a set time that we send at home, but it's usually in the, uh, late afternoon. And lastly, uh, this just, this is a an old, uh, document. Um, so about a week or two, maybe a week and a half ago, the CDC changed some of their quarantining guidelines. Uh, the New Jersey Department of Health has not yet ch made changes to their guidelines. So, we are following this document here, which the board members have. It's on the back table for anybody here. It's also on the Department of Health website. This is the docu document we're working off of until the Department of Health makes a change. They usually do tie in their reporting with the CDC a week

012or so later. Um, they have not yet done so. It's been about a week and a half already, so I'm not sure what the holdup is. Um, and maybe they just don't change. I don't know. Or maybe they change it tomorrow. Um, but for now, we're using this document here. Um, Dr. McUade, can you uh just expand on that a little bit? The only other thing I wanted to add to that is just that um the information that we did get from the state county health department and just so that everybody's aware um West Milford doesn't have a current mobile health department. So West Milford Township is contracted with the same county health department. So that's why when we reference that that's who we work very closely with. Um they informed us that they're still

013using the 14 days of last exposure due to the fact of of New Jersey numbers. They still feel that it's better to stay with the 14th then to reduce it with the CDC. So, we anticipate that they will make a change, but that's kind of the rationale. They put in recent information to us as to why they're not doing that. Um, our nurses have been working like really really closely with getting that information and helping to conduct those contact tracing investigations as well as our principles, our administration team, um, and our pandemic response team. So, we're working really closely with with all of those parties to be able to even if we don't announce it in the notification, but that we start the contact tracing investigation so that we're ready to go ahead of time

014and and really letting the families know. This way they are aware of contact for staff on >> Okay. All right. >> Anybody have any questions on our contact tracing or Okay. So I just want you're in contact with the doctor from state county department of health who is advising us on how to move forward, right? >> Yes, exactly Mr. Graham. So we so we reach out to Dr. Niel is is her her name and then she has also two county nurses that we work closely with. But then all of the information that we find in our contact tracing investigation, we're then sharing with the health department and then they're also advising us like yes, that's accurate or he should these individuals that would make sense to be quarantined. Anyone that's questionable will ask often times

015they will say to you know have have those students or staff members excluded for the period of time. But if a student um today contacts their teacher and says, "I just got my CO results back today on a Tuesday and they're positive, but they took their test on Saturday or Friday and they were in school, you know, they took their test on Saturday, let's say, and they were in school on Thursday and Friday. What happens? Can you explain that real quickly?" Yeah. So that so that's a really good question because we do have several students that self-report to their teachers um as the first person and often times some of the staff may think or the other students may think that we already know about it but we don't. So those teachers what they've been

016doing is then immediately forwarding that over to the building principles and then the principles get the nurse and myself involved to be able to obviously reach out to the family. It's usually the the school nurse that reaches out to the family to find out is the is the story accurate? Did they go for a test? What's the timeline? And then we go by the information that the parent provides us. What we've been advised from the health department is to see a copy of that lab report, whatever that test was that was done. Um, and then we share that with the health department and the health department then kind of advises us from there. Now, the camp testing, I don't have to check with the health department. That's considered a the vault that parents get the

017test from. That's an automatic. you can start shutting down your close contact. We also have, you know, right in town, Highlander Family Medicine, they use a certain test that we've already vetted it with them, so that's fine. But sometimes parents take their child or staff will go to a lab that's outside of the norm and then that we send to the health department and then they guide us from there. But then we we would start that contact tracing investigation once we hear about it just to make sure we have everything ready. But then we guidance from the health department. Similar to what Mr. said we have to wait till they say yes that's valid you know move on which happens fairly quickly cuz we have their personal cell phone so I mean it's not you're

018not waiting for the information to happen thank you and also so if that child that reported that they're positive has siblings that child that's a positive is to quarantine and their siblings are also >> correct yes and then our nurses so once our nurse finds out about it so Let's use the example of a high school, right? Because we've had several high school students report to their teacher. So, if the high school student reports it to the teacher, then the nurse is immediately notified. And then I know the first call that the nurse is making is to the other school nurses to make sure that the other students are out because we do respond to that family. We just don't start to disrupt other families until we're certain that we need to act on it.

019>> Thank you. You're welcome. >> All right. Uh lastly, uh technology. I know we've had a couple of live stream issues the last few board meetings. Um so we can't necessarily one of those was on our end. I think the last there were two issues that were not on our end. They were on the company that uh we use from live stream. I think it's called my VR and um we believe they've fixed their issues. However, in the event that there is an internet outage or a live stream outage, our cameras do continue to record and our board of ed meetings are posted usually within 24 hours. So, by about tomorrow evening, this board meeting will be on our website. So, if you do miss a small portion of it for some reason or the

020other, um you could just I know it's it's hard to wait, but it'll be on our website tomorrow and it is chaptered, so you don't have to go through the entire meeting. you can just kind of hit the chapter where you where the where we lost connectivity. So, um we apologize for that. It's hard to predict when it will happen and when it won't happen, but um you know, technology sometimes just gets away from us. So, and next up, our student report from Miss Gerald. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Right. >> So, there was a something that went out this morning about the Google >> that was yesterday actually. So there was some sort of I think it was a worldwide Google outage. >> It was maybe an hour and a half. >> No, it wasn't.

021It was just it was 58 minutes long. >> So So about an hour then. So it hit Google Classroom, Gmail, Google meet, you know, the whole suite of educational um so first thing Monday morning probably first period for high school. I don't think the elementaryaries were affected. We were up and running probably by before they their kids got to school. Yeah. So, I'm not sure how that happened. We were joking about it yesterday, but um seemed to be a pretty comprehensive event. >> Okay, Miss Gerald. >> Hello, and thank you again for allowing me to speak. As most of you know, my name is Amanda Gerald and I'm West Milford student council president and student represent representative. Uh, not too much has happened in December, so I don't have too much to say today, but

022in order to try and instill a bit of holiday cheer, we are holding a spirit week at the high school. Holiday music is being played in the cafeteria and we have planned each day. Yesterday was PJ Day where we encouraged students and teachers to wear their warm and comfortable PJs. Today was holiday hat day so everyone could show off their spirit and favorite headgear. Everything from antlers to top hats were worn as well and of course plenty of Santa hats. Tomorrow is ugly sweater day and we wish for all students virtual and hybrid to take pictures in their apparel and email it to Miss Metaf for the yearbook especially seniors. Thursday uh is our blizzard day. So everyone we encourage to wear white. Friday is holiday color day and so you can wear red, green,

023blue, whatever you want. Teachers are also encouraged to help bring the holiday cheer into the halls by decorating their doors. Um there are no sports as of now, but we look forward to starting the virtual workouts and getting next season started in January. And thank you for allowing me to speak tonight. We're working hard to keep our spirits up and Highlander pride and character strong. >> Thank you. >> Hey, amazing foresight by the uh students of the high school >> to call Thursday Blizzard Day. Thank you guys for that. >> Impressive. >> Yep. [Applause] >> Okay. Thank you, Dr. Anamone. [Applause] >> Mr. Novak has a report on the report cards. >> Well, so while we're getting technology set up, I'll just talk a little bit um before I introduce Mr. Kane who's going to

024who's going to help and probably take away most of the presentation. >> Um and I appreciate the question at the last board meeting um to ask us to to present on this. Um I think sometimes um I know I do and maybe Bill and I take for granted the fact that we've presented this over the years quite a few times but uh and I think in a conversation with you I was reminded that well you know a lot of us didn't see that a lot of us weren't here. So so the occasional um presentation of of things that have evolved and grown over time uh is an important step. So I appreciate the request. Uh what we're about to present um was a process that began uh in the 2014 2015 school year where we

025switched from a um classic um classic elementary report card. When I use the word classic, I mean very um very few um items on a report card. Had no reflection for uh independent reading. Had no reflection for current um learning standards. Uh it was a you know a dated uh report card model. uh in the 2014-15 school year, uh Mr. Kane and I were principles together at the time and we took a um collection of classroom teachers from all grade levels. It was a K through six report card at that time. Um some parent stakeholders and we worked for a full year to you know bring into uh bring our report cards into the into the current trends. um what we're about to present as you can see in the title slide uh we're going

026to present on you know what what's widely considered a standardsbased report card. Our report card is more of a hybrid. We're going to call it standardsbased tonight in the presentation, but it's more of a hybrid in that we are not um entirely reflective of all the standards at a particular uh at a particular grade, which some there are some truly standardsbased report cards out there, which is why we make the distinction. Um throughout the presentation you can see that we used um when we developed it we collected samples from around the um from around northern New Jersey you know surrounding districts Bergen Pay uh Morris County and um you know we helped that that guide us at that time. Uh the reason I'm talking about 2014 2015 is that because we left a few items

027incomplete at that time. Uh, one of the goals of that process was to um, one change our K6 report cards into the hybrid um, into the hybrid model which is relatively reflective of standardsbased report card and also move our students away from the letters A through F um, scale um, and move them more towards a reflection of student progress rather a reflection of summitive evaluations, you what's the grade you got at the end. These report cards are more about the progress throughout and during. So that was our goal uh at that time when we when we met with community stakeholders. Um there was a um it was a mixed sort of tone in the community and with staff and with administration to be honest with you. I think that as a group, if you agree,

028the group was mixed on on what we were going to do with the fourth and fifth grade report card, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade report card as preparing students for middle school and trending away from letter grades. Um, at that point in time, 20145 was seen as a little bit of a maybe a little bit too progressive for the community at that time. Um since then we've um you know our K through2 students have used the scale of 1 through 4 which demonstrates the the progress indicators that Mr. Kane's going to um talk about in the presentation and our third through third fourth third through sixth remained in the A through F uh tra letter scale. Um over the years we have kept that original uh report card committee intact. I mean, they're going on

029a long time with us now, that that committee. Um, and Mr. Kaine has has led it with Dr. Schwarz and a few other um administrators, Mrs. Mrs. West, uh, Colleen Weiss Magisk, a few of our supervisors, administrators, and and a large collection of our teaching staff have stayed together and we've trouble have been troubleshooting little things over the years. As we grow and develop in our uh language arts and our math program, we have these discussions throughout about uh at what point in the year certain things should happen. So some of the discussions that have been you know keeping us going from that point in time when we started have been basically looking at the report card determining you know is this a fair standard to be assessing at this point in time and first

030marking period or is this something that we should hold off on and use in the second marking period etc. which is why a parent might see and you'll see in the sample um shaded categories, categories that might not be scored in the first marking period or second marking period but will be scored or assessed in the third and the fourth marking period. So those are the little conversations and nuances that this report card committee has had over the years. Um, most recently within the last couple years, we had some great conversations coming out of ed committee about at what point are we going to take that next step toward trending away from the traditional letter grade. And to our surprise, that group that we grew with from 2014-15 uh had a different tone about about

031letter grades. And I think it was a nice learning process for us as a as an administrative team, a nice learning process for our staff to you know kind of take a look at the world around us and see what um you know the types of assessments we're using now are better reflected in a progress indicator rather than a summitive letter grade score. Um, for example, using our readers and writers notebooks, they lend themselves to, you know, student progress, daily uh daily progress assessment rather than a comprehension test at the end of a at the end of a book or at the end of a unit. Um, so our our assessment tool is now ready to catch up with our teaching strategies uh in the classroom. Um, so I think that is where we are

032at now. Um we started we made the decision last year to move forward with that progress and then thinking about our transition. Um we we thought it would be best to wean um to sort of wean the community in slowly. So our current K through2 uh population have had standardsbased report cards, hybrid report cards with progress indicators and now we are going to bring it to we have brought it to our third grade uh class and our parents will see that for the first time uh next Wednesday when we send home uh those report cards. It is our intention to continue that trend and that this particular cohort of students who are now in third grade, this progress indicator uh process will follow them forward and that when they become fourth grade students, they will

033have progress indicators rather than letter grades and then so forth in in fifth grade. So, we're rolling out a three-year progress. We're in year one year one of the process and then this cohort will complete it with K5. This was also a um another uh reason why many of us were so supportive with the moving our sixth grade co uh students to the middle school was because this lends itself to a more of a elementary environment. Sixth graders are going to continue to get uh the traditional letter grades getting uh getting them prepared for, you know, upper grades in in the middle school and and then into the high school. Um so without further ado, uh Mr. Mr. Kane's going to walk us through. >> Thank you, Mr. Novak process. >> So, Mr. Novc and

034I have been working with the report committee for about 5 years now. And a lot of what you're going to see tonight is have have been things that we've been talking about since the beginning of this of this process. So, um we've had we've had we had short-term and long-term goals. Um and the the the the theme that I keep coming back to as I was preparing for this presentation is about progress. We really want to promote progress in our elementary students and we also want to communicate that progress to our parents and and I I feel like the standardsbased report cards through their progress indicators uh do that do that best. So we're going to give you a little we're going to give you a little kind of background on what standardsbased report cards

035are. You move um a little history. >> Can you do me before you get going? Can you just move off a little bit so that they can see it? Uh, they're filming from right behind this >> way. >> Doesn't matter. >> I'm good this way. We good? >> You good? >> Excellent. So, my bald head wasn't wasn't good. All right. So, um, so we're going to give you a little history about uh a little background on what standards based report cards are, little history. Mr. Novak touched on about the uh kind of the origin of of the whole process, and then we'll kind of go into the where we are with the report cards right now. So, what is a standardbased report card? Okay. It's it it informs about stu students progress, provides detailed feedback

036um to parents and ensures consistent expectations across the district aligned with state standards. Okay. A little bit about how it diff how it differs from a traditional report card. Mr. Novak touched a little bit on this. Again, it's about progress, progress, progress. Okay. show a standardsbased report card shows student progress towards specific expectations. Those profici proficiency level indicators based are given based on academic performance and then that highest proficiency level is given for not only meeting expectations but exceeding grade level expectations. All right. So it's it's showing students growth along the continuum even exceeding those those state and district grade level expectations. These are some other districts that we researched and and coming up with this process. Um many in in the surrounding area among surrounding counties including Bergen and and Payic and and Morris

037County. Okay, let's talk a little bit about the process that we've been doing over the last several years. We started with the uh report card committee which is which is an awesome hardworking group made up of uh teachers and administrators across the elementary district. Volunteers um many many of these teachers have been working with us since the beginning. We looked at a lot of samples. We came up with a couple of models that we really liked and we used those to develop our own as Mr. Novak termed hybrid model throughout the process. Not the the um uh the report card committee was not working in isolation. They continued to get feedback from their grade level colleagues in their home schools and throughout the district. Our committee continued to work. We've developed a format for our

038report cards with the support of administration and supervisors and we developed those those grade levels indicators and behaviors which you'll see in just a minute. We we uh solicited community feedback. Parent committees were formed. It was originally presented to the board of education committee and it was presented at a board board of ed meetings. All along this process over the last five years, rubrics were also developed uh by the grade level teachers, most recently our third grade teachers with the support of supervisors and principles across the core four subject areas. This was also brought back to to grade level teachers and the teachers are able to utilize these rubrics to assess students in meeting expectations for the the progress indicators. Okay, what do they look like? This just gives you a little bit of a

039an idea of a consistent key throughout our K to3 report cards. If you look at the top left, those are the academic progress um levels uh one through four and four, as I mentioned before, is exceeding grade level standards. But really that level three is really what we're we are our teachers are are pushing our students for is meeting grade level expectations across all these these key progress indicators. I'll show you just a little sample of all of our K to3 report cards so you see the the commonality and the consistency and continuity throughout. You see we've transitioned recently to trimesters as well which are also reflective of our assessment practices in the classroom. Here's the grade one report report card. Looks similar to the K1 grade two as well. And then in continuing in

040that fashion, we have the grade three report card which reflects that standardsbased model with the trimesters and those progress indicators under the subject area headings. I'm going to zoom in on our ELA indicators. Okay, you notice we have our independent reading level which is consistent throughout our K5 report cards. And then as Mr. Novvec said, these are not the specific standards, but they are they are taken from the standards and based specifically in grade level standards in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. >> Yeah. And a lot of these categories, numerous standards are grouped into into cate into into categories. So there may be a number of um standards at a grade level that reflect students reading with fluency, demonstrating stamina, independent reading. There's a number of standards that would be reflected within that. So that's

041why we refer to it as a hybrid model. And what's great about our report card committee and our grade level teachers working together to kind of figure out really let's boil down what are we really looking for looking at our grade level standards what do we really want to look for in our students and what do we want to communicate to parents and this this report card is reflective of of that hard work. [Applause] All right, we'll also zoom in on our math portion of the report card as well. And again, taken right from the standards. Mr. Novak mentioned those shaded areas. Um those are areas that are not um uh tackled at that particular time in the um academic year. Um so we don't want to assess or or communicate assessment on a particular

042area that's not that's not um fully uh dealt with in the classroom. some additional information. All right, this is a big piece and this is when we first transitioned to K2. This was a big kind of selling point for for our parents. Um I don't think this is, you know, is going to because our parents had had experience at the K2 level. I was actually explaining to a neighbor of mine who has a third grader what I was doing tonight and I was explaining kind of how the proficiency levels and it was just he understood exactly what I was talking about. If we were going to have that conversation about 5 years ago, I think we would have had a harder sell on that. Um, but having children go through the K2 model, you know,

043exactly what we're talking about. Um, and we just want to make sure that the parents are aware that they're they're not compatible to traditional letter grades. For instance, a four does not equal an A and a three does not equal B and so on and so forth. And we had a lot of those types of conversations early on in this transition. Um, as we go to to the third grade, I don't think we'll be having those those conversations. And and then the P the big thing is that that level three is meeting grade level standards, right? Where if a student gets a three, they're doing a good job. They're meeting their standards. And we want to make sure parents are aware of that. And then finally, we will post samples of of of these report

044cards, specifically the grade three um uh standardsbased report card on the district website. >> All right. Any questions from the board? >> No. >> So the the independent reading level >> what previously um we saw the font subnell levels. >> Yes. >> Is that what we currently will see or will it be the one two three four >> the fondest panel levels? Yes, very good question. So, independent reading levels is the FMP level. >> Okay. And will the parents be given some kind of range? You know, in second grade they should be between a J and an M. >> And generally that that's parents are have those conversations at conferences. Yes. >> Gotcha. Okay. And then my other question um is more for Mr. Novak. Would you say that this is going to be ever

045changing? Are we going to look more towards going fully standard or are we going to stay with this hybrid model as the as we go through more you know years like looking at the future? >> Yeah. No, I would say it's ever changing. um you know as um state standards change and develop like we we've never disbanded the report card committee you know I think those people they didn't realize it was a lifelong process you know 20145 group we pulled together and now they get an email everyone hey it's time to get the band back together again >> um but they're a great group and I like you said leading to this decision to go with it in third grade I remember being blown away by people that we spoke with in 20145 who would

046have been dead set against this type of process and they were like no it's I mean it makes sense. So I mean just the evolution of thought for all of us as a group was just a real uh collaborative process. So to answer your question yes this group will will remain in existence. Uh I don't know if we want to give them a you know tap out option if they want to you know cycle somebody else through but their uh working knowledge of this process is is so valuable because they know exactly where we came from. We have had some new blood because we've moved some of those committee members are now MAC teachers. So we we you know bringing some into the fold. Um we are anticipating changes to social study standards relatively soon.

047You know so when that happens we'll typically bring this group back together again take a look at the report cards see if we need to change things etc. Every year we start that process just to look at um just to give you a perfect example, we're in the process of reviewing new math program for the foreseeable future. And then we're going to have to take a look at our report card and we're going to have to look at those indicators that we're assessing first, second period, etc. and see if the new program matches or do we have to adjust how we um you know how we when and how we teach those things in the process. So, you know, we always will look to make sure that the mo the um tool we're using matches

048what we're doing. >> And then my last question is um looking at this in the in the trimester, trimester 1, 2, and three, a child could foreseeably be a three throughout their year in third grade >> without much movement because they're meeting the standard across the year. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah. you'll see in our um probably if you you know we do a um we're in that process now is is I I take a look at pretty much every every um report card that gets printed in the district. I get I get the piles all out in the board office and I look through each one and um and I know the principles look at their own buildings and I think reflective of the entire group very few >> fours um

049>> the first parking area >> yeah that's how it should be right that's not to say those are those are some of those discussions we the professional discussions we have with staff like to exceed grade level expectations >> is significant >> right >> not to say that there there's not students who do that. >> Yeah. >> But but it's not it's not widespread. >> But to Mr. Novak's point, obviously I I spend, you know, every trimester before market beers looking through the Maple Road report cards and, you know, children are not static. I mean, they they move throughout the continuum and and that's just that's the learning process, you know. So, you know, people students do move from three to four and sometimes students move from three to two based on some of the continuum

050and some of the the trajectory of of the curriculum and some of the challenges that that go forward. But um yeah, it's not it's not designed to be static, but we just want to be properly reflective of where the student is in in their learning, too. >> That's and that's why I asked that question, Mr. Dean. You know, I think that this is a great start, but I I I'm looking for more and I'm looking for it to be more um more progress. And I think parents want to see as we go through this. This is a great start and I'm so proud of you guys for doing this. Um but I think that as we go further into the years looking for more um into this report card is something that I would really

051like to think. >> It's a great start though. I'm really I'm really happy. >> Yeah. And then also um you know to that point it also impacts our um what we're doing in the classrooms. Absolutely. I mean, so when when your when your uh scoring instrument has this lofty ambitious goal, those are then it changes our discussions about how we're assessing changes, you know, if you're just changing how you're assessing and changing how you're teaching. So there's a lot of a lot of really good things that comes from this change that we made. We felt that the the current report card process was holding us back, >> especially with all the work we've de devoted to readers and writers workshop. Yep. >> We feel that we've been held back by the by the reporting instrument

052that we have. >> Yeah. And I think that's where you know my thought process was there's so much that I know you put into the readers and raiders workshop that is not exactly showing here you know so I think that that would be an area for growth in the future on it. >> Can you tell me how it was hold you thought how was it was holding you back? Um well it's like I think to if you go back a couple slides >> um the one that says four doesn't equal a >> okay >> you know so so our you know just ex our process in readers and writers workshop is not designed to spit out an A at the end of your work at the end of a a month of or end of

053unit of study in you know making inferences right >> you know or or a personal narrative it it's formative compared to >> it's more about are you meeting the standards less about did you get an A or a B. So our so our grading structure or or our our assessments weren't necessarily creating letter grades. So then we had some bad habits that were probably still in place where a teacher felt compelled to find letter grades because our instrument asked for it and we knew that parents were going to be given here's your report card. you know, little little Bill got a uh you know, a B. Well, how how do you get a B? You know, the reader's notebook, a read writer's notebook might not reflect that. So, we felt that this this part of

054the report card was forcing some bad habits and not allowing us to completely change with the times. Okay, that was a segue into my original question, which is so I think what I'm hearing you say is using the letter grades >> it seemed like it was almost more subjective with the letter grades than it is with >> more Yeah. Yeah. more summitive in nature, right? 11th grade, you have to get a, you know, a score on a test goes into a grade book and it's more of a math calculation to an A or a B where if you're spending all this time with a student and their reader's notebook and and assessing, you know, I first taught this skill about making inferences on this day and then through our independent work and our guided practice,

055this student evolved, you know, on October 1st, they may have been a two and approaching standards, but around now report card time, they they have met the standard if that student was collecting C's, you know, all along. I mean, there's a lot of there's a lot of connotation that comes with getting C's and D's in a third grade setting when we're just talking about a skill that these kids are are just being exposed to. >> Um, so like I said, our our assessments didn't match our tool. >> Mhm. >> So, I I guess my my next my question would be too in conferences this year because we're trimester this is new. So, how what was the feedback? Did we get feedback from the parents first about the trimesters and then for I guess it would

056be the third grade level, right? Where they're they're experiencing this. What kind of feedback did we get? Are the parents you're saying that the players were on board as far as the people on the committee? But what about parents now that they're seeing track? >> Well, so our staff, you know, our staff did a good job at conference time to, you know, talk about the changes to the report card. I believe is a component of our back to school night, our virtual back to school night presentations with in third grade especially because K1 and two this is this has been the deal. >> Um but but the I think the nice part about our process is that um the students coming into third grade have already had this kind of process. >> So they were

057familiar with the grading. They were familiar with the process. if we just threw it on a fourth or fifth grade without a without a previous year, then we would have had more of a of a I guess a learning curve or more of a parent communication piece. Um, so at this point, I mean, the report cards are going out on Wednesday. Um, I think after that, we'll be able to to get a good gauge of of feedback. I was interested in the trimester too because the trimester kind of >> came upon them and and it it is it definitely is a different way as a parent to be looking at your child and and their progress. I I mean looking at this as a parent, they clearly you can clearly see where their weaknesses are

058and their strengths are. And I I think it's it's definitely something that I'm glad to see that that's what we're doing and looks good to me. Linda brings up a great point that I think as the kids age up too, being a parent of a fifth grader, I it was a little first time I've ever seen letter grade, right? I mean, I've been seeing A's and B's and C's and like letters haven't been a thing, but that was never communicated to me. I don't know how to tr maybe that's something in transition that a letter goes out at the end of the grade after third grade. What is it next? What is the fourth grade look like? What is it? Kind of some parent communication just in general. Um, I'm so glad that you guys

059did this presentation. Thank you. Um, I completely agree with Courtney and I am all for a full standardsbased report card. Um, I even talk about a standard space report card all the time at a high school level which is very probably progressive and would make people go, you know, um, coming. >> So, but it is coming and it is the future and that's what everybody's talking about and why not talk about it. Why do we have to be like, you know, rolling it out later after everyone else did it? We can sometimes be the first and be the best and I am all for that. Um, you know, not tomorrow, not but still. But anyway, I guess just I just wanted to make a few comments. I fully support standard based report card. I love

060this. I think it's great. I would like to just see a little bit more communication and understanding, not just at presentations because not everybody gets to see these, you know, and and I'm not sure how to do that or whatever. Maybe it's even a blog on the on the website. Maybe it's a cuz I did see that in your presentation and I love that idea that there's going to be some sample report cards on the website. I would love like just a little blurb there with it explaining these grades have this kind of report card, these grades have this kind of report card and then at this grade is when we evaluate based on whatever just some communication because even as an educator who fully understands summitative informative assessment >> most people don't know what

061that is right so >> I get it but still I want more tutorial on that >> yeah like a little video >> yeah so that's the um I didn't think of the video idea Mr. K would love to do one. >> Well, you guys can interview each other and go back and forth. >> I've said you can you should be I >> I've said that before. >> So, what one of the discussions we had with the elementary principal group uh and and Robert and I chatted about it today. Um this presentation is going to be posted on the website and it's going to be under a similar to if you take a look at our um middle school and high school program of studies, there is a there is a page or a part of

062that that explains uh grading practices. So, we are going to have a link for elementary grading practices that has a sample report card at each grade level. Um, and and we'll have, you know, some descriptor about each, you know, each grade. Um, we also intend on I I intend on including in that a description of what I explained to you tonight about this process going forward. So, this third grade cohort of students, this process will follow them forward. So at the end of 22 23 we'll have a complete K5 hybrid report card. >> I think it's really good and what I agree with what Kate said. I think the information getting out there and honestly a little video on I people people are very visual and when they see something that they can just even

063if it takes five minutes if they look at it they oh okay you know my my child's report but now I understand you can screen. It's really like >> Thank you. >> Bingo. Sure. >> There you go. >> Thank you so much. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. King. >> Absolutely. >> Oh my gosh. >> How's that? >> Morning. >> Warning. Warning. Great. Great. You're welcome. No public, [Applause] >> Mrs. Francisco. November for consideration. >> I need a motion. >> I'll move the um approve the minutes of this November 17th workshop regular meeting and November 17th executive session. >> Uh all those in favor I >> I >> uh those opposed I'm going to abstain because I wasn't here. Okay, moving on to the president's report. Um, I just want

064to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy Hanukkah and a healthy and safe new year. Hopefully 2021 will be a big turning point for us and for our country and that everybody will stay safe and healthy. Um, moving forward, uh, I just want to let everybody know here as far as the, uh, um, I'm sorry, next, we're going to do public comment, but after public comment for the board's, we're going to do executive session before we accept the before we adopt the agenda because there were multiple questions about some things and we felt if we put executive session first, it might cut out all the pulling and moving and shuffling. So because we will be doing something unusual, I want to let you all know. Uh public comment. This portion of the meeting is

065open to members of the public for the purpose of addressing resolutions on this agenda only. Members of the public who have read requested to speak prior to the 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 topic topics listed in the agenda. 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

066be considered, and a response will be forthcoming if and when appropriate. The board has asked that members of the PO public be uh courteous and respectful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding students and employees of the board are discouraged. 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 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? >> A motion to close public comment. Dave

067need a second. >> All those in favor? Any oppose? Uh, okay. I need a motion for executive session. >> So, at um 7:53 p.m., I'd like to make a motion to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel appointments, resignations, current litigation matters, and special education matters, negotiations, and matters of attorney client privilege. The executive session minutes will not be released until such time as the privilege or confidentiality is no longer applicable. >> Romeo had a second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? We will return from executive session approximately 30 minutes. >> Roll call, please. Mrs. Francisco, call the meeting back to order. >> Mrs. Mr. >> Here >> Mr. Romeo >> here. >> Mrs. Stevenson >> here. Mr. Stillman >> here. >> Uh, just one two two

068minor edits. Okay. if you don't mind. On page 12, personnel student affairs numbers 54 and 55, [Applause] we're going to add at $200 per day. That's the rate for those two um temporary transfers of assignment. 54 and 55 at a rate of $200 per day. Thank you. That's all. >> That's it. So, we need a motion to um adopt the agenda as presented. Oh, do we have to read in the um hand carries? >> with the items under personnel. We have 63, 64, 65, 66, and 67 to be added to the personnel agenda. >> 71. >> Oh, 71. >> Oh, back. I'm sorry. Sorry, I didn't see that. All right. So, now we need a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. >> Anybody want to move the agenda to adopt >> Nicole? >> The

069agenda. >> Second. >> Dave. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Education. Um, Courtney, would you like to do education for me tonight? I'll do my best. >> Mhm. Thank you. We need a motion to move items 1 through 7. >> Second, >> Dave. Okay. Any discussion? I see on here a thank you goes out to to Dr. Mcclaid for getting us a a tuition receivable for the uh preschool which is this this is a different student than the other one that >> it's an additional student. >> This is an additional one. >> So I think the positive thing is that our team has had a nice um relationship with Ringwood. So hopefully if they don't have a program they seem to be now looking at our program. So >> that's

070good and it's good that we can do that. So thank you. That's always good to see a positive coming into the district. Thank you. Any other discussion? Courtney, >> I just want to highlight the um new courses that Mr. Novak presented at education committee. Um they seem wonderful, both of which I would be so interested in taking. So I think that having these courses um in our schools is so exciting for our students. Um and I just wanted to highlight them and and thank Mr. Novak for all of them. >> Okay, anyone else? If not, Mrs. Francisco. >> Mr. Green. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> M. Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Chis. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fritz. >> Yes. >> Mrs. >> Yes. Okay. Mrs. Fritz.

071The personnel student affairs. You only have one or two there. >> Yeah. Just a couple. I would like to move items 1 through 62 and then items number 63 through 71 on the hand carry please. We need a second. >> Okay, Courtney discussion. Anyone have any discussion with the items on the under personnel? If not vocal [Applause] >> yes Mr. >> No on nine and yes on the rest >> Mr. Oinsky >> yes >> Mrs. Earl. Yes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conlin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stony. >> No. On. Yes. On the rest. >> Mr. Van Dyke. >> No. On nine and yes on the rest. >> Okay. Operations and finance. Mr. Bina [Applause] through operation finance. I'll second that. Okay. [Music] [Applause] Discussion. Ray. >> Yeah. So, on number three, I was uh I

072know we were hoping that it was going to be on the board member page. I didn't see it again. I know. Thank you. >> Right. So I It's a hard copy on your tables now. >> That's understandable. That's something that >> is it possible that we could table this to next to January's meeting for January. I was going to ask >> you know technically in investigating it there really isn't a statement of asurances that's needed for the evaluation checklist. Um what they've done is through the years they've combined the we now have to have a security plan. They combined the safety security check security plan. We approve the security plan and we sent the statement of assurances last month. >> Um so it isn't something that we have to approve. Technically, the only time the

073county needs the checklist is when we're going to have broken two, but it has to be on an annual basis, but it does not have to be sent down. >> So, we don't have to approve. >> There's no insurance. >> So, it doesn't have to be on the >> case. You could take it off >> take it off a >> because none of I I I mean, I didn't have a chance to read it either in this environment. I think >> the board members page was not it's on there now but so I brought hard copies but I understand it's a lot to read >> you know you know >> right now so um excuse me do we have to have a resolution to remove from or just >> if you table a motion bring

074it back it stays in limbo forever >> okay so you need we I we need somebody to table >> so I just want to make a motion to table number three then >> I'll second that >> okay is that a voice just a voice vote All those in favor. >> Any opposed? Okay. So, that's table. So, now we're just moving one, two, and four. Correct. >> Yes. >> Any discussion on those items? If not, Barb, uh, roll call. >> Mr. Green, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, yes. Mr. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Prince, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Yes, I'm one and two and abstain on floor. >> Mr. Conlin, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke, >> yes. >> Like to make a motion to move item five under operation finance. >>

075Okay. Any discussion? If not, roll call. >> Mr. Greeno, >> yes. >> Mr. Stman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fritz. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ois. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cofflin. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Van. >> Yes. >> Move item six under operation. >> I'll second discussion. Roll call. >> M. >> Yes. Mr. Oinsky. >> Yes. Mrs. Stevens. Yes. Mrs. Fritz. >> Yes. Mr. Sman, >> yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. Conley, >> yes. >> Mrs. Van Dyke, >> yes. >> I'd like to make a motion seven under operation and finance. >> I'll second >> Dave. Okay. Any discussion? Roll call. >> Mr. Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> Mr. Oinsky. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. Yes, >> Mrs. Fritz. >> Yes, >> Mr. Cofflin. >>

076Yes, >> Mrs. Romeo. >> Abain. >> I abstain to make a motion to move. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? Roll call. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. Mr. Conlin, >> yes. >> Mr. Still, >> yes. Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. Thank you. Um, >> Mrs. Romeo, policy, please. >> I'd like to make a motion um one through four on policy. I'll second >> Dave. Okay. Any discussion? If not, roll call. Mrs. Romeo, >> yes. Mrs. Fritz, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson, >> yes. Mr. Chinsky, >> yes. >> Mr. Stillman, >> yes. >> Mr. Collins, >> yes. >> Mr. Green, >> yes. >> I'd like to make a motion to move the next motion. That's not >> Should I just read it? >> Yes. Go ahead.

077I'd like to make a motion um to wave the first reading of a new bylaw entitled electronic participation in meeting. Need a second >> Courtney. Okay. Any discussion? Oh, do we you don't have it there, but it should it doesn't need a discussion. Just roll call. >> Okay. >> Any discussion on that the motion? Okay. Roll call. Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Fritz. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stevenson. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stillman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Conlin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Reno. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Window. >> Yes. >> Motion to move number five under policy. Need a second. >> Did I get a second? Second. Oh, I didn't hear you. Okay. Any discussion on the the uh motion? If not roll call, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. >> Yes. Committee

078reports. Parks and Recreation. Are they meet are you having anything or >> No. Okay. Safety. Maybe we don't have another meeting for I didn't get it. I I don't think it's for a while yet, right? >> I didn't think we had a date. >> Superintendent's round table was on uh the 8th. Um was Mrs. Dyer wasn't there, right? It was just you and I. Um different items were discussed. I'm trying to think about what we talked about. We talked about the u co 19. Dr. Dr. McUade came to the meeting to just explain the contact tracing to to the parents because they had some questions about it. Um they talked about encore and Dr. I mean uh Mr. Novak answered some of their questions on the encore and that was about it. >> Yeah. >>

079Uh Pate school boards and New Jersey school boards. I have no report legislative Dave. >> Yeah. A couple of things I picked up from the state uh board. A number of bills. Uh one of them uh S3187 basically pushing back the due date for QAC uh high performing can push it back further than others. Uh then there's uh A4454S2781 uh require school district include instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of the implementation of the New Jersey student learning standards. uh generally highlight things as um inclusion and tolerance, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabilities, religious tolerance, uh encourage safe, welcoming environments. Uh it looks like that had passed the assembly already. Uh then there's S 1018 uh school discipline task force. um they want to look at the discipline policies in schools uh for more

080standardization I guess on that um then there's S1020 reporting discipline data uh of the school districts then S154 school discipline guidelines establishing uh guess more uniform guidelines on discipline then we have S1501 sunscreen screen policies to make sure those students that need to put sunscreen or clothing and sunglasses or can do that. Uh and there's S179 anti-bullying law revisions. Um some changes in the anti-bullying laws improves harassment and temptation bullying reporting. um on support of school district climate creating and funding the position of school climate state coordinator in New Jersey Department of Education as a one-stop shop for HIP public information. Probably a good thing. Uh preserving the board's role in HIP oversight. Um and requiring funding the bullying prevention fund to offer grants to school districts to provide training on HIP. Uh and another

081minor one, S3113, renaming security aid as health safety aid funding. And then uh S3213 uh use cannabis revenue to support support extended learning time in communities that uh have been impacted negatively by uh cannabis law cannabis laws in the past. Uh then there's S30214 assessing CO relating learning loss. Probably a good thing. And then uh Barbie probably like this. On Friday the governor signed the school audit delay bill. >> Oh gosh. >> Thank you Dave. uh technology, right? >> Yeah. So, uh currently, um we have Wi-Fi hotspots. Um the school system has given out about 29 of these Wi-Fi hotspots to date. So for families that need internet access at home uh to be able to do the uh virtual learning um it's great that we have these should uh be a 3D of um

082internet access. We recently uh rolled out or still rolling out the high school is the last uh group of teachers to get them. We're rolling out about 350 new HP laptops to the teachers. So, um, two of these are Windows 10, um, computers and I heard some things from some of the staff. Yeah, I think everybody has what the specs are on those computers. So, these are computers that are going to be um, in the hands of teachers and I think will be very useful for many years to come. I know technology changes very quickly. So it was good and we looked at that and we got some specs that you know future proof for release. Um we also uh spoke about uh Chromebooks and you know we rolled out the onetoone policy and now

083I think the next phase of the onetoone policy is um working to get a um student and parent handbook out to um the the the children and and having them sign just so there is some sort of accountability for the Chromebooks that uh the students are using. So, that is a work in progress, but I think that that's going to come, you know, if not, you know, sometime uh well, won't be this year because we're almost done with this year, but I think it'll come probably sometime before the end of the school year. >> We also um talked about the uh I just want to go back through the board meeting live stream. Thanks, Alex, for giving that update. I think there was also an update last month and then um we did talk about

084a little bit with regards to Honeywell. So, Honeywell is they've decided that they're going to move away from that business of doing like the reverse 911 calls. So, we do have to find somebody new. Uh I think there's somebody that will integrate very well with um a website and the systems that we're already using. So, I know that Robert and Alex and Liz, Barbara, they're they're all looking at a couple different opportunities, but I think one in particular seems to pick what you need. Uh, so that'll be a change for some folks. >> So, will our district have to re will everybody all the parents in the district like have to redo? >> We're going to So, Honey Well, their instant alert system. They're getting rid of that. They're moving out of that business, so

085to speak, August 31st. >> Okay. So, Honeywell is moving away from their instant alert business on August 31st of this of 21. So, for next school year, we need a new uh instant alert system. We have a couple companies we're uh looking into right now. We're hoping to have something that uh integrates with our real-time student information system. So, we don't have to input the information. It'll just read it. And if we need to send a message to all third grade parents, it's already in the system. So, what this means on the parent end, we're not sure yet how do they opt into the system, how do they put their cell numbers in, and what alerts they want to receive. Um, we're not sure yet because we haven't selected a provider, but this will be

086the last year of Honey Wells per se. So, more to follow. >> Enough advanced notice for the >> They let us know. Yeah, they let the Honey will let us know like in October maybe. So, we've been looking at it since then. We'll have something uh in our budget for next year and then uh it's just a matter of training ourselves and then training our staff and then our parents. So, >> so, so hopefully we'll have a a new provider where, you know, if if there's not some overlap, we'll at least be able to maybe introduce this provider maybe towards the end of this year. So, this way when we start >> um the next school year, I mean, you should be able to roll into it. So, there there won't be too much of

087a right because then think about this spring, that's a good transition time to be able to use, you know, a new provider. So, um, that's my thought. And then, uh, we spoke about the website and some of the things that we can do differently with the website, uh, social media, how maybe there's a better way to use a social media platform. And, uh, I think that that's a work in progress, but I think the website, so many more parents would be able to go to the website if the website was providing them the information that they were looking for. and we all agreed that we can do better um with our website as far as the information that that we provide. So, and the same is same is true with social media. I think that

088there's there's a way to showcase um our schools, what we're doing in schools, the good things that they're doing beyond Twitter. Maybe maybe it's, you know, showcasing some of those things on our on our website, highlighting a school for the week or a teacher for the week. Um, some of the things that a student might be doing. Uh, again, right, we talk about >> an Eagle Scout. How do we highlight that Eagle Scout and all the things that that they might be doing? I think if we do those things more, parents will gravitate more towards that website. >> And that's it. >> Oh, thank you very much. um the town and the board joint meeting. No board members were able to attend the other morning. Barbara, you were there and Alex, can you give me

089a report? being we plan on discussing it next month and we have to come up with another date for January. >> Okay. >> But um we'll address that in another couple weeks. >> Okay. Sorry about the meeting too. It just didn't work out. West Milford Municipal Alliance. >> There was a meeting last night. Alex and Liz, were you able to go? I was. Okay. So, none of us went, but I have the agenda. And I can run down real quickly a couple things relating to schools and then I have a letter I can read. Um they discussed Heroes and Cool Kids. Um which on a side note my fifth graders doing and it is awesome. Those high school kids are amazing. What a great program. Um they talked about the program for the sixth and

090seventh grade calling uh that's called we're not buying it. They noted at the cost meeting that there's a lot of positive feedback from the program. Um, they talked about a footprints program for second grade. It is a six-w weekek program, 40 minutes once a week. The notes say on the agenda that the schools are on board. So, I guess we've discussed it with them. I wasn't at the meeting, so I'm sorry. I'm just going through this, but it says that they need to raise more funds. And it seems like that was discussed a lot at the meeting from the notes that I'm reading. Um, and then they just they wrote and talked about a donation letter. Um, they're really trying to get more members. Again, this is uh for anyone in the community and when

091I read their donation letter, I think it um really sums up exactly what CASA does for our community. So, without further ado, here's their letter. to whom it may concern. November 2020. The West Milford Municipal Alliance, previously known as the Community Against Substance Abuse, is a community-based organization with a mission to develop and implement plans and programs on a continuing basis that will reduce alcoholism, violence, and drug abuse in the township through a grant from the governor's council on alcoholism and drug abuse. the gen the generous support of West Milford residents and local businesses. The municipal alliance implements a broad spectrum of programs which target a variety of age groups. The West Wilker Municipal Alliance is established by resolution and reestablished each year as needed to research and recommend to the township council the operation

092and administration of substance abuse prevention programs which are uh to the benefit of the residents of our town. Grant funding has been cut. So we are looking to provide programs for the youth in our town. After talking to the schools, they feel at this unprecedented time that they do not want to take away any of the programs for the youth. We are funding high school and middle school programs. I'm reaching out to you in the hopes that you will please consider providing us with a donation. Donations should be made out to the township of West Milford. WMA donation should be noted on the checks. Your contribution will be made in the mission to decrease alcohol and substance abuse in our community. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your your consideration,

093Kathy McGur, the coordinator of the West Milford Municipal Alliance. Um, and her email is wmma westm.org. I thought that that was really nice. So, it seems I haven't, you know, as none of us could attend last night. I'm not 100% sure what this is. I'm excited to find out more about it at the next meeting. Um, but it seems like they're looking to start a new program with funds getting cut, looking to raise some money >> that's going to go out to the community, right? >> Um, >> the way it sounds. So in the email uh um she had a bunch of attachments. Another attachment was businesses of where to bring the letter. So, I supposedly talked of people, but it could be um uh anyone can I don't know how the letter is going

094out to the community, >> but I know that it's going to local businesses and hopefully to residents cuz I think that, you know, if everybody gave, >> you know, $10 or, you know, whatever you donate to each year or whatever people do, anything could help, you know. Um and I'm excited. Like I said, Dan, do you know anything about the second grade program yet or >> Yeah. Well, I don't know the specifics of Okay. Um, you know, what they're what they're presenting. Uh, we've been back and forth. They've been kind of feeling us out for how many second graders we have, how many classes they'll have to do. So, we've been working on the logistics. >> Cool. >> And they're in the process of getting us that information because we are bringing it to our

095um second grade level meeting to share with our second grade teachers and go from there. So, we're at the beginning stage. We're interested in it. I mean, we we love the things that they're bringing to us. Um, just a matter of, you know, getting to the the last logistical step. >> Yeah, that's it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Old business. Anyone have anything for old business? >> Okay. If not, I need a motion to close old business. >> Move to close old business. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? New business. >> Take the microphone. take my microphone forward. >> Okay. Sorry for the technical difficulties. U but I'd like to read a nice resolution. We have do have a a plaque for trustee Nicole Fritz. So whereas Mrs. Nicole Fritz has

096served as a prominent member of the West Milford Board of Education from February 2017 until December 2020. And whereas Mrs. Fritz has diligently served on and chaired the personnel committee, served on the education and negotiations committees, and was a liazison for the technology oversight, CASSA, now known as the West Milford Municipal Alliance and superintendent's roundt committees. And whereas Mrs. Fritz held uppermost the welfare of our students in her decisions and served with great skill and dedication. And whereas her service on the board has brought her the respect of her colleagues on the board, the administrative staff, and the teaching and support staff. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of education on behalf of the grateful community publicly acknowledges and expresses its sincerest appreciation to Mrs. Fritz for her outstanding contributions to the West

097Milford Township Public School District. And be it further resolved that this resolution be spread upon the minutes of the workshop regular meeting of the board of education of December 15, 2020 and presented to Mrs. Nicole Fritz meeting. >> Thank thank you Nicole secondbody. I can't believe [Music] New camera trying it out. >> You only have 15 minutes. Take >> those pictures in raw. >> I use portraits. Is that right? >> Yeah. [Applause] >> Nicole, would you like to say something? >> Sure. Uh, couple notes. It's really hard to believe it's been almost 4 years. Um it's it's been crazy and while I wasn't fully sure what I was getting myself into. Um it's been quite a wild ride and I'm very appreciative for the opportunity and um some of my early years may not have

098been without challenge and and we had some crazy times. Uh I think this year definitely was truly like no other. Um, I'm so thankful to be part of the amazing things that we have accomplished over the years throughout the district. Um, I feel like we've also raised a lot of awareness in the community regarding the importance of the work of the board. Um, I know that you'll all continue to do great things. Um, just when you thought state funding was our biggest challenge in walk to 2020 in a global pandemic. Um, none of us really could have imagined what we were up against. And I just want to reiterate my appreciation for the entire administration and all of the teachers, principals, nurses, custodians, aids, and of course all the amazing subs who have stepped up.

099Um I can hear them cheering now and and in pride um and just working tirelessly to navigate these crazy times to get and keep the schools open, keep our children learning and our schools clean and safe. Um, please don't ever stop working so hard for our kids and keep thinking out of the box, being innovative and challenging yourselves, our students to be the best that they can be. I think they need you all now more than ever. Um, I really have learned so much and respect all of you um and have a true heartfelt appreciation for the work that um, our administration and staff do every single day. Um, I won't be going too far. my girls are here for several more years and hopefully um I can stay connected and involved and you know

100if there's committees I'm happy to to participate so please call on me. Um and I suppose I really should thank my family too for being so supportive of my time on the board and the many days and nights and hours um being out of the house. Maybe they welcome that too. Who knows? Especially these days they're all kind of we're all kind of ready to get rid of each other. Um and just thank you for the opportunity to wish everyone a happy holiday and good season and health. Thank you. Nicole, I I want to thank you. I It was a pleasure working with you. I It was a pleasure getting to know you and I I I know that your input to the board is a was very valuable and I appreciated all the times

101that we had conversations and respect all that you have done for us. And I want to thank you for for taking the time to give up your time for your community. >> Thank you. I don't know if anybody else wants to say anything. It's up to you. But >> so, you know, you grew up in the school system. >> You probably had plenty of chances to leave town. You got kids growing up in the school system, right? >> And that's a special thing. I mean, there's >> you you've stayed connected with with the community and um I appreciate that. I've learned a lot from you. Um, and I think that the way you have given back to the school system that you grew up in and the kids that you are going to school here

102now is is really um something that very few people can say that they did. So, thank you. >> Thank you. I think any of us that have grown up here, there are a lot of us I think that to have your kids now kind of going through and seeing the generations and the teachers who are still around and it's a pretty cool thing. So, thank you. Uh Jay, >> I graduated with Nicole >> and if it wasn't for talking with her and all that, I probably wouldn't be here right now. >> Actually, a quick super fun story. I moved here in sixth grade and in Marshall Hill and my first day of school, guess who they sat me next to? So, we have really gone full circle to where we are now. So, that that

103was kind of funny when we That's very It's very nice. Yeah. 10 years later. >> 10 years. Well, that that's a lesson in what what we produce what West Milford produced is that you want to come back and do that. I think that's wonderful. >> So, thank you. >> Well, thank you so much, Nicole. And I'm sure >> you may be happy not to be out some of those nights, but we will miss you and thank you. >> Appreciate it. uh uh for discussion. We have an item for discussion on under new business which is the capital projects the turf here. Take my mic again. So, we are in the process of meeting with our admin team uh to go over to build uh our budget for the 2022 school year. And we are going

104to have a we do have a capital project uh presentation that we'd like to add to the budget for next school year. Uh is the turf field project. Um we have a couple of drawings. I think most of you have seen them already. Uh we had a a field turf draw up two options. One was at Kilgen Field which is the baseball field hockey field right outside of Westbrook school. The other is Daigo's field which is the field immediately behind Mackman School. So both have a lot of potential. Both are multi-purpose fields. So we wanted to just open this up now before we get too deep into the budget to because we've discussed it in operations of finance but the rest of the board hasn't really had a chance to to discuss it. So, um,

105the operations of finance committee, I think, and I don't want to speak for everybody, but it sounded like there was, uh, some support to put the field up at Diggo's field behind Mackup at school. >> There were some half the committee. >> So, I guess, right? So, uh, we just thought that from operations finance committee, we thought it would be smart to open this up and just have a discussion with the entire group to talk about what we're doing and and maybe Barbara can elaborate as to or Alex you can too as to, you know, why we want to do this and the fact that we have the money to do this, right? That >> it'd be a one time it's a one time only opportunity. Um so due to the pandemic last year I

106mean it was obviously a topsyturvy time um you know the human cost of the pandemic is one piece the lives lost lives you know families ruined but um just from a school perspective uh we didn't run our school buses uh we didn't we weren't paying overtime for custodial overtime we weren't buying gas for the buses we weren't heating our buildings we weren't paying for a large number of subs. So there was a lot of small savings >> from March 15th to June 30th and you add up all those small savings and it added added up to a large number. So um that's sort of the money we're looking toward putting into a capital project over the years. I mean you know Nicole Jay Ray Kate you guys all grew up here. You remembered years ago

107youth sports started in you know fourth or fifth grade. Now they start in preschool. So the number of sports teams we have in this town or or any town have multiplied by, you know, it's doubled or tripled, you know, and then there's options for girls now where used to didn't you didn't have those same opportunities. So you know, we have kindergarten soccer and kindergarten baseball and we really don't have enough field usage. So our fields get torn up. They never get a chance to be receded because they're used all spring, summer, fall, and then it gets too cold. So little by little, the wear and tear is just too much for our fields to absorb. The turf fields obviously you can use them day in and day out without without that same fear. So, um

108the the proposal up at Digos Field could be a uh a JB baseball field, a JB softball field, and then running the long ways you could get the, you know, the hundred yard sports in soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, uh you know, boys and girls and no sports. Um the proposal at Kilgallon is for obviously baseball the one direction and soccer uh field hockey the opposite direction in running across the outfield essentially and lacrosse. So I think it's a little bit shy of being a official varsity field for a couple of sports. It's on the diagram. I'd have to look it again. Um so that's where kind of where we are now. So I don't know if anybody else wants to jump in. And this is sort of >> but the and just I I was

109thinking as you were before you said about youth sports I was first thinking is that the best use of those dollars you know thinking about the school district like are there were there other things you talked about like technology projects or things like that but I do appreciate that that's something that would benefit the entire community cuz it is a challenge and I think some of those grassy fields are in rough shape and you know we've seen it firsthand that after a heavy rainstorm that you know Kgallen the baseball field they get pretty muddy pretty s you know there's a lot of divots and things. So, I I I definitely think that we can um benefit from that, especially if the greater community can also, you know, use those fields. I guess I'm just curious,

110were there any other things that you threw around as as suggestions >> or was that kind of it >> for the for the fields? You mean >> No, like just for the project. >> Oh, well, we have some security vestibules going in this year though, I think. >> Um we have we have money. Um we've been talking about the security vestibules. Mhm. >> Uh so we have money that's set aside for that. Um we were fortunate with the extraordinary aid application and we've been uh when we have excess money from the extraordinary application, we've been fortunate uh to be able to parlay that into the security upgrades. We've done a lot for the security uh over the last couple of years in all of our buildings. Now, we're hoping to get it for the high

111school soon and and put an upgraded camera system in there also. Uh, but we'll be able to you you saw what we did out here with Westbrook School with creating the uh with creating the the the window so that nobody has access to the building unless they're uh let in by the the office staff. Um, but I think the reason why we're looking at doing a a field um Mr. Reno, Mr. Stillman, they've moved before us in the past, um talking about athletic field, the fact that, you know, we need things upgraded up up, you know, kept up and and this is a one-time opportunity. I I have to say that Digosfield, if you if you go with Digosfield, it's almost an easy turnover because you don't have wetlands issues, you don't have your D

112involved. um they'll have soil erosion control through the county, but anytime you're moving so much dirt, that happens. But um as far as um it if the board is is is sure about wanting to go with gallon fields, I have to say it won't it might not materialize. I can't say for sure, but they might not materialize in the 2122 budget cycle simply because of all the permitting and the wetlands issue that has to be addressed by the uh DP. Um, we could spend $100,000 on engineering and permitting and still come up empty-handed and not get those permits. >> The field would have to be raised. You can't really work with the field as it is. when we attempt to put drainage in and we did put drainage in and it did work for a

113while. Um I have to say the contractor broke I can't tell you how many blades and trying to get through the rock that's in Kalan Field >> but um because of the wetlands that surround it the the BP has to get involved and there's no way of of getting around that issue >> but we feel that um it's an opportunity as Dr. said to provide something for the community. And you know, I'd like to think that with all the houses that have been sold in the last few months that you're going to have influence of of younger younger people. So that um there's going to be a need for recreation. And that's so important for for young kids, the the camaraderie, the teamwork, uh getting along with other people. Uh it there's just so many

114beneficial things about youth sports and um you know, we we're working with the township as much as we can, but I think it's an opportunity also for a vis program because the proximity of the max and the high school is there. So you could you could do more outdoor vis programs. Um you won't have to worry about the weather, the drain really well. >> Mhm. >> So there's a lot to consider, but we felt that it should be brought before the entire board for consideration >> and it doesn't need to be a one time discussion either. >> So when we when we spoke like we just looked at what pros and cons were of each. So one potential con is that like it might take some time for kill and we're not the money is

115only there for a finite period of time. So d >> however a pro is it if it went through it actually would cost us less because there's already lights there. So we talked about it's roughly what was it $150,000 difference or so be could be about 160,000 but don't forget the lights are going to have to be removed. So, well, and I know they there was some conversation about whether >> I don't know that that they would have to be removed. I I think maybe we have to change them out. Maybe the LEDs. >> No, I think >> the flip side of Diggo's field is it seems like it can be done a little bit quicker. Um, but we would have to have a little more expense because >> I would like to see lights

116up there. But whatever field we do, >> I feel like we need to have lights. >> So, and I think when they they added some conduit last year when they part of the east, so there's some extra conduit up that way towards McCormick field. >> So, I think we could tie into that. >> I think I'm sorry, Nicole. I asked that exact question when I was in operations zone finance I believe and um it was my understanding that we were not using the entire all the that other things were getting picked that were already on the list >> and um some thing you know there were other things so this was separate that was how I understood it and I thought that was a great question one of the things I know I believe that

117administration was looking at but might not also happen was possibly a phone system I know that was discussed >> I don't know the cuz I that's what I >> our phone system is getting is nearing end of life. >> I just wanted to go back like Nicole I do want but I want to go back to Nicole's original question before I lose it. So thank you for letting me go Linda because I thought that was important >> and I did mean the switch isn't it because I knew that was back in the tech time conversation and they know like they have a list. >> Yeah. So we are looking at a new telephone system. Um we're also looking at you know we have cameras in seven of our schools now. The high school's cameras they're

118probably hinder life too. you know, they're like hooking up to an old VCR kind of a thing. So, we're looking at that, but separate from that, we're looking at two turf field options um that the board can kind of discuss and really look at. So, uh and again, there's no there's no vote tonight. It's just a discussion because not everybody's on operations and finance and >> we'll discuss this uh again after the new year. We'll have a budget meeting in the uh 2021. So >> I I think something some of what has to come out of this too is that the the other board members who aren't on that committee probably need to see some of the information and and get get some feedback each individual member. But I think what we were trying to

119do was also via the camera get it out to the public to see you know if there if you know maybe they feel strongly one way or another about what feels. I mean, I can understand leaning towards kilogan because kilogan is the varsity field >> and that's the varsity field also for field hockey. Is it on they play? >> They do the turf too. >> So, but listening to Barbara about some of the obstacles we may face, we have to be realistic too and wonder if we would get get it through to do that. I mean it would be wonderful to see Diggo's field up there. I mean it would be quite a complex probably by that point and if we were able to do something like that. There was discussion also about some upgrades

120to Mson >> for the softball. >> Yep. >> Uh which is our varsity field there. Not so much turf, but as putting like uh new scoreboard or >> I think I think there um we're going to put lights there too. >> Oh, light. Yes. >> Yeah. >> So, right. Cuz we talked about I mean that could be a premier field for our county. I mean, >> it would be nice if we have if we had a a a field like that for our our softball program. they have. >> So that field drain poorly >> and like for Jay and I, we know from being on parks rec the tough thing for us as a town is >> every time we try to do something with a piece of property as a township, it falls under

121that Highlands Act. We can't do certain things and and we have the ability to do that here >> with our fields. So, like Barbara said, like this kind of is like a unique one time opportunity that >> we have to figure out how to take advantage of that if we can for >> but have we talked to the town about going in on it like we did with the turf field that we have now? I mean, they have property out at Apple Acres that already had been designed for like two or three fields out there. I mean, if we go >> field acres acres, it's a flat piece of land. The issue is that Highland's actually, >> right? But if we go in on it with them or whatever and it gets turned over to

122the school, >> but we would have to be the owner of the property, I think, is the issue. >> But what about even like they did they went halves with us on the turf field now. Correct. >> Well, that was a different that was because that was an agreement that was worked out with the town. Yeah, that was that was before we ever did first put in that the upkeep would be shared expense because they had access to the field. >> Um, >> so would they not have access to the new field? >> I'm sorry. >> Would they not have access to the new field? >> They would have to put a permit in to get the new field. Right. >> So they will be a little bit different. >> The when when the turf

123field went in, the township put that turf field in. >> Right. Well, I'm saying is you said it was for the recreational back in kindergarten and all that. There is no sports programs from kindergarten till sixth grade, seventh grade without going through the town. >> So, putting a school field in is not going to benefit any of those younger kids. >> Well, it's our understanding that it would be used when the when the schools aren't using it, the township could use it. >> So, why can't we go in on it with the township to have them >> Well, we have a liazison meeting after the new year. Maybe that's something we could discuss. Yeah, but it's our understanding that would be deter, you know, the school would get the first use of it when the

124high school's playing and then >> do that with the field similar, >> right? Similar to now it would be no change, >> but they paid for it half of that. So why can't we talk to them about doing the same thing? >> It's part it's part of a separate agreement. That's what I'm saying. >> We would have to we would have to >> already an agreement that we had made 10 years ago, >> right? So for them to be part of a second field, you would have to have and you have to remember that the the high school field and the turf were kind of linked to Hillrest because we had a a an escrow of money with Hillrest that wrench didn't use that. >> Am I that's here now? I mean we can talk

125to the town. >> That had nothing installation initially. >> Oh, okay. But because we were not going to do any more upgrades to Hillrest school there, the Hillrest building, there was an escro account that was still available, >> right, >> that was controlled between us and the township. So the township agreed to use the balance of that money to fund their portion of the uh turf replacement. >> Courtney, I did see you on camera. That's okay. I was just um thinking, you know, the upgrades sound amazing and and wonderful. Um but I think we still have an issue in the town that there's just and the high school and everywhere that there's just not enough field. So even if you do these upgrades, we're still going to be left with the issue that coaches are

126arguing with coaches that they don't have the field time, the practice time, the this time. Um, and then going back to our youth and how that really fuels our high school program, right? I'd love to see, are there any properties that we could perhaps join in with the township and perhaps purchase and make a complex like that would be an amazing thing that I'm just dreaming about >> and talked about before. So, I said that exact same thing in the committee meeting and everybody said to me, "We need to upgrade what we have and make the fields that we have really, really good deals cuz we don't have great deals right now before we go buying new property and starting new projects." And I thought about it a lot cuz Courtney word for word probably

127almost exactly what you just said. I said in committee, right? And everybody and so then I kind of agreed with them. I'm like, you know, you're right. If other towns are coming here and playing on our fields and as a parent of a kid who plays sports, you guys are saying that the fields are not that great and other towns everybody else is better than we have. >> Mhm. >> Right. And that's why I want you raise your hand like tell us that I don't know that cuz I don't go to these fields yet, you know? >> So if you say that everybody else has better fields then that's not the plan that I you know. So then I went back on that just FYI. I thought that >> so so I like I think

128some of what Oracle was saying is we only have a certain amount of time to use each stop too, right? Is that what you told us? >> I'm sorry. >> Certain amount of like how long do we have? >> There's only a we have to put it in this budget because it's using the surplus that been identified you know as of May 30th. I think one other thing that you need to consider also if you have a abortion children I don't know how much access that's going to be for the rest of the community. Um I was just thinking that that field might offer more access for more sports. Is that possible from what >> I would way it's laid out? I don't know because you have you're talking about probably soccer and field hockey

129and u you have that on the in the outfield and part of the infield. >> So >> that's what we have now. >> What you gain what you gain at what you gain at Digos is the additional um like softball or little league field, >> right? and physics >> and you'd have to >> but we have a we have a turf field now that as a U13 coach I can't get time on that turf field so it doesn't benefit >> you mean the high school fields >> yeah but my home games are there but for practices we can't get up there >> because it's being used more fields >> yeah the problem is now we have one field >> we need more fields not another field that we already have we need to build >>

130yeah but if Zyos was set up with turf then that would give you two turf fields and you would more fields used instead of the town. >> I agree with the time constraint. You have to really think about that. >> That's really we have to be >> I still think we need to talk to >> we have to be mindful. I think that's what process is. This isn't a decision process tonight. This is just a discussion process. Barbara was going to say something and then I think you came. You know, I I agree with Jay 100% that we need more deals. And that's how I preface the entire discussion by saying both Ray and Jay have come to board of trust talking about upkeep fields. And I know that there's been other people in the

131community that have attempted to find a way to t other another field because you can you have to wear it. you know, you can you can use it for 10 years before you need to replace it. >> Yeah. >> So, um you know, we're looking for ways that we can improve our programs and and give kids the opportunity. It's not fun when your kids can't your your your students can't play on the field because the weather conditions >> preclude, you know, the safety issues. Okay, I know we're talking about a turf field, but I wanted to throw out another idea that I have heard in our community multiple times, which is the idea of like a dome bubble um that gets rented out by other school districts. Um so, have anyone else seen that yet?

132Okay, Alex, can you >> I imagine that's out of the budget, though. >> Making a ton of money on it. So, so it's so it's just an different idea >> where we would make money, but we could have that same thing. And I don't know. >> Yeah. >> It's a good idea. I think that >> the downfall of that is it won't be there for our >> that it won't be there for our rent programs, right? >> Well, usually there's four fields. There's four fields in it. >> Is that like what's up in Sparta? I think they don't have >> So, there's one in there's one in Mount Olive. Man Olive has white. >> Does our sports team rent those? Do we call and try to get time back >> in Mount Olive? I I

133don't believe so. >> Anywhere in soccer that do up in Warwood. >> Um there's a spot. Yeah, this this place is around for school districts. I believe it's only I I know Mount Olive has one. I'm not certain what else. It's a temporary one. So, it's a turf field. They take the bubble off in the summer and they put it up in the winter. So, it's some sort of not even sure how they hook it on there. Um, so it's not up year round. It's only up in the cold weather. So, it's I don't say retractive, but you would take it down in the winter. But, um, it is turf underneath there. You're not growing grass, obviously. >> So, um, and the other good thing about the turf field, so Jay's point is you can

134schedule events all day, every day, and not have to worry about letting the field rest. Um because it is a lot of wear and tear with those cleats on it all day every day on a grass field it just it just tears it up and when it rains it it's just even worse. So um >> hopefully we can help you out with that Mr. Stman. >> Alex, if it was to me varsity baseball would play up there. >> No, >> most I mean they could depending on the weather they probably >> a big disagreement I guess that's why >> Well, it's really up to you know the athletic director to work with the coaches. It would be a uh I mean the varsity field you wouldn't lose Kilgallon. You still have that. Um it >>

135batting cages there. >> So the batting cages are down there. So >> you put fence you have to put temporary fence scoreboard there. There's a lot of >> it's more maybe more of a practice field if it rains all day on you know you can go out in the turf field and get a practice in. >> You have better parking better lines of sight. The dugouts would be like the spectators be really close to dugouts right. Oh, >> I remember when the games were played many years ago and well, I don't remember, but somebody told me. >> Sure. >> Before kill. >> I I think maybe what I'll get. I think maybe what we need to do too as a board is maybe some of the ideas that you have, maybe we should, you know,

136give them to you, Barb. >> Yeah. it, you know, it might be a good idea too for the leaison's direct department to reach out to Dan >> and and talk to him about it and get some feedback from Dan >> because he's seeing it from the other side of of >> Nicole. That's what I was going to say actually is I feel like it sounds like we're all in agreement that this is a good idea, but I think you need to talk to the town and see what what the options are and then work with even the coaches in the high school and you know put like three proposals together like if we were to do it at Killgallen this is pros and cons risks and you know whatever and then you know go >>

137wonderful to see how we could benefit the most >> because I think you get a lot of input from the coaches and the rec staff and people that are you know that know exactly what they need and what there are struggles we hear people talk insight cuz he's again grew up in town, you know, he can even reach out to some of the youth >> coaches. Yeah. >> And get perspectives from them too and travel might not be just west Milford people. People might >> like wreck and travel coaches um you know from other communities and have have settled in West Milford. So you might get um different opinions. >> Two of them right here. you know, one settled in West Bel. So, >> well, we've dealt with it with softball on the travel side.

138I mean, you know, we all know, we all know >> it's always >> So, I mean, we've gotten lucky with press and some of the other lights, you know, and stuff, but there's always, you know, improvement. I think it's something that the community wants >> discussion, but we have to figure something out because you're putting together the budget now. So, >> yeah, it was good. It's a good conversation >> budget conversation. >> So, we we have committees uh second Tuesday in the month in January. So we can add this to the agenda >> time for the for the budget. And you might also want to, you know, talk to Dan about what the the numbers are for the the different sports as far as you know um fielding teams because I know that in my

139community we used to have four separate little leagues and we're down to one. >> Yeah. So >> number of students >> they play club now half of you lose half of club >> you didn't always have lacrosse >> e gaming gaming we did the e game a lot of kids in baseball too >> yes that's lacrosse took a lot yeah >> there's a lot of things to think about situation >> but it's a good idea if you move this to discuss it to go into committee and then we'll bring it back out again at a budget meeting. >> Well, I I No, you would I would suggest that you talk about it the workshop meeting in January and then they'll give me enough time to quote something into the budget and then they can and

140then Jay Jay and Ray can also quote Deian through the the rec programs and get bring some information back to us and be able to to share that. Maybe even Dan would want to come and give us some input from the town end. Okay, maybe we can move on to is there any other new business that needs to >> we get a new PA system or something? Cuz it's kind of embarrassing that we got to change microphones from Dr. >> It's a little crazy. >> We need a new am I wrong? I mean, it's kind of embarrassing. I've been I think about 12. >> Thank you. >> I approve. Alex doesn't want to share with me anymore. >> We get that in the budget. >> That would be good if we could upgrade a little

141bit here. >> Wireless. Yeah. >> Did you have something else, Jay? >> I have one other thing. I've been hearing a lot of talk about the uh no snow days for this year. Is that something that we're going with? >> So, I see you gave up your mic. >> We could switch seats, but that wouldn't be a good idea. >> Oh, here we go. We're working. So, we are going to try it most likely this Thursday. >> So, we're committed to doing it one time. You know, we've never had the ability in the past to have a virtual snow day. My guess is next year we won't have the ability to do this, but this year we have the ability. So, we are committing to our first one this year, which it looks like it's

142going to be this Thursday. And at that point, we'll reconvene on Friday or Monday or whenever to get some feedback from teachers, administrators, parents to see did we like it, did we not like it, what are the pros, what are the cons. So, uh, we're committing to, we've committed to the first one already. Uh, we haven't committed to two, three, four. I've heard both sides. I've heard some people say the kids need to just have a regular snow day where they sleep in. And I've had some other people say, you know what, a half a school day is okay. Then they can go play outside and we'll give a little bit of a longer summer vacation. So, it's both ways. Um, we're just committed to the one though, which will be uh interesting and we'll

143see how it goes from there. So, >> what I was going to ask is if we're going to do that even for the one, I mean, cuz I've heard both sides also, the pros and cons, you know, some people like it, some people don't. >> Can we make it a no homework day for the kids? >> We've already uh we took care of that tonight. Okay. Well, nobody knows that, so that's why I'm asking. >> K12 staff were informed first. So, they had they had meetings today. >> Okay. >> We anticipate um some messaging about >> some expectations in that regard. >> Um also some expectations about if there is power failure, you know, if there is, you know, so our staff will most likely be home in this event. So, you know, you might

144have the third period teacher who >> loses their power, you know, so there's going to be some messaging about what those kids should do, you know, kind of, okay, it's like kind of like the college wait 15 minutes and uh move on and then show up for fourth period if your teachers there so so to speak. So, uh we've been talking about that a lot and and I'm glad you asked that question because that's something we can we can get out here tonight. >> Thank you, D. >> Um but we took that we took care of that. Staff have been great. I mean, they're uh they're all in on on uh trying to help us make this work. Um, and we want to do what's best for the community and uh, you know, we've kind

145of talked about it the best of the both best of both worlds, so to speak. >> So there's no homework. >> We're being very reasonable in our approach with that. >> So no homework. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Just cuz we're saying it out there. There is no homework on the snow day. >> So they'll have time to play outside. They'll have a little bit of some instruction in the morning virtually. >> That doesn't mean, let me put this out there. It doesn't mean a teacher may have assigned >> an assignment on Monday >> that was due Friday, >> right? >> If you choose to wait until Thursday, >> right? >> Doesn't mean the teacher gave you homework Thursday night. >> Correct. >> So the teacher won't assign homework on that day. >> So you know,

146get that done tonight, guys. >> Tell the children. >> So no new homework. >> Get that done. >> You may have a project due, >> right? >> You can enjoy your time outside. So a lot of that happens with the family days. >> Mhm. where we'll we'll get feedback that a teacher assigned homework on the night of a family day or the weekend. And in in almost every circumstance, it's a long-term assignment that somebody put off until Thanksgiving, >> right? >> And it's not necessarily something our staff um wasn't wasn't acting in the spirit of the of the U initiative. >> I I think it you're right. There's pros and cons to it. I think in our particular community, not having to use those seven snow days gives us a nice summer. And this year

147in particular, I think people are going to want that extra week of summer, maybe rather than I mean I I'm I'm don't have kids at home, so I can't really judge, but I would rather have summertime, an extra week of summer if I could. Uh Courtney and then Kate. Um, I I have to say too, this is something that's talked about a lot in the teacher world, too, because teachers love snow days as much as the kids love the snow days. Um, and I have to commend Dr. Analone for saying to our district, "Let's try it. Let's see what happens. Let's try it." I think that teachers are going to be wonderfully accommodating to go and say, "Guess what, guys? We want you to go and play outside. We want you to do this. We

148want you to do that." Um, and I think it's going to be a fun day for all the kids, no matter if it is a school virtual day, snow day. I think teachers are going to be wonderful about this. Um, that being said, being a teacher myself, we are concerned that power is going to go out and what to do. Will the teachers be providing an agenda for the kids to follow so that if their power does go out, the kids can still do what they need to do and then go and >> it'll it'll be um we'll have no no differences for this snow day than we have on the typical at home day for kids. So teachers will share at 8 8:20 I believe is our agreed upon time every day. At 8:20,

149our elementary students will get their um their slides for the day that'll have their, you know, their times for the Google Meets and any of those activities during during the uh event. But, you know, we anticipate that there's a power outage on the teachers end or the students end. It's kind of a >> you know, we don't expect anything unreasonable. >> Got you. So, we should all wear our pajamas inside out and backwards for a power >> out. So, don't you know >> I don't want a power outage. You don't want to cheer for the power outage cuz that's uh >> No, you're stuck home. You can't do anything with them then. Then they can >> And then FYI, I've seen some things that have already come home. Specifically, I've heard about kindergarten lessons. I've

150seen lessons K to that come home the teacher sent home already that said, "This is going to be your first snow day lessons, >> making gingerbread cookies, uh doing math with different things around the house." amazing that our teachers have are already planning for whenever that is whether it be this week in two weeks. So, they're thinking ahead. They're doing such fun things and you know, kudos to our teachers that hard that they're already anticipating and knowing if power goes out, here's some three or four activities that you could do, choose two. You know, lots of really great things are happening and I think it's going to be fun >> from what I've seen, you know. Um, >> oh, our teachers are working hard enough with two cohorts and I mean they're overwork as they

151are. >> Amazing stuff about the snow day already. I just wanted to mention it like I was like, "Wow, that's so cool." You know, not all parents may pick that because a lot of people are still working and things are so stressful. But when you have options and the teacher says, "Here, pick two out of the five things." And you have, you know what I mean? So, great things are happening. I just wanted to say that already about the snow day and it hasn't even >> Right. even come yet. >> So, it could be Thursday. It could also potentially be Friday, right? I hope not. >> Clear on Thursday. >> It does say does say 16 in >> to be determined. >> Yeah. >> I thought it was >> I'm optimistic for Friday. I'm optimistic

152for Friday. Thursday doesn't look so good. >> We have seen that in this district. This is like 5 in or 6 in snowstorm. I'm not plugging anybody, but Billy Boy said it would probably only be Thursday. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Only Thursday because it's coming later Wednesday and Thursday said >> and it should be able to get cleared out so that Friday is in. But I look I I don't follow him myself, >> you know. >> He's usually >> I'm not one of the 1600 now. >> So He's pretty good. >> I'm in trouble now. >> Yeah, everybody does. >> So, any other new business? >> I just have one question. The plans for the fields, can they be shared with anybody yet or no? >> Sure. >> Oh, yeah. No, I just I know,

153but >> yes, >> I mean, can I see them? And I said, well, no, not yet. >> Yeah, you can put on the board members. >> I was going to say, you want to get a copy >> too? put them up on the >> who went to CMU or community. >> No, some of the coaches have asked >> good idea >> and I just said no because I wasn't sure it came out. It's public now that >> well now I just want to make sure. >> Yeah, I don't I haven't >> Good question. >> So, we'll post we'll post tomorrow. I'll speak with athletic director high school principal and uh we'll get together with that. >> Any other new business? If not, I need a motion to close new business. None like >> Dave a

154second. >> Nicole lasted to say it wrong anyway. I'm like seeing none. >> You you you can you can you can close comments. >> Okay. >> Public comments. >> I think >> Yeah, you can read public comments. It be I'm more than happy to let you. >> I would be glad to. >> Oh yeah, we have to we have to vote. All those in favor to close uh uh new business. Any oppose? Okay. Public comments. >> All right. Public comments. This portion of the meeting is open to members of the public having a legitimate interest in the actions of the board for purpose of addressing any subject matter pertinent to andor directly related to the operation of the West Milford Public School District. Members of the public who have requested to speak prior to the

155meeting 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 five 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 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

156respond 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 of those affected or identified in their comments. members of the public are reminded that they are legally responsible and liable for their comments. >> Um, seeing there's no public, we need I'll >> make a motion to close. >> I'll second. >> All those in favor? >> Any oppose? Okay. We We don't need executive session. So, why don't you move to adjourn, Nicole? >> Sure. of at I think this one at 9:52. I would make a motion to adjourn the meeting. I need a second. >>

157Second. >> All those in favor? >> Everybody have a merry Christmas. >> Happy holidays everybody. >> Happy holiday >> and thank you Nicole for your service to our board. >> Absolutely. India.