001Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the board of education of the town of Westfield in the county of Union, New Jersey at 7:05 p.m. on the evening of Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 in cafeteria B of Westfield High School, 550 Dorian Road, Westfield, New Jersey. Purpose of the meeting is to transact the regular business of the board and to transact any other business to come properly before the board. This is to advise the general public and to instruct that it be recorded in the minutes that in compliance with chapter 231 of the public laws of 1975 entitled the open public meetings act the Westfield school board on Thursday January 15 2026 caused to be posted at the office of the board of education located at 302 Elm Street Westfield New Jersey and delivered
002to the Westfield Leader NJ.com the Westfield library towncloer of Westfield tap into Westfield district website and patch.com A meeting notice setting forth the time, date, and location of this meeting. Patty, may I have a roll call, please? >> Rob Bonaccio >> here. >> Kent Diamonds >> here. >> Brendan Gallagghan >> here. >> Charles Galinus. >> Leila Mr. Sonol Patel here. Kristen Sonic Schmeltz here. Julie Steinberg >> here. >> Mary Wicens. Uh, >> I never look this way. Julie, would you mind leading us in a flag salute, please? Uh let's start with uh announcements that we have for the board. Uh Julie, you want to start? >> Westfield Public Schools will be closed on February 16th and 17th in observance of President's Day and the Lunar New Year. District offices will be closed on February 16th
003only. >> Uh Kent. >> Yes. The 2026 children's concert, Peter and the Wolf, presented by the Westfield High School Wind Ensemble, will take place on Monday, February 9th at 6 p.m. in the Edison Intermediate School Auditorium. Don't delay. Please go to the what's new in our community section of the district website for information on obtaining tickets. Thank you. >> Yep. We are pleased to share that families can now upload medical documents directly to their child's Genesis account through the parent portal using the forms library in Genesis. Parents and guardians may submit physicals, immunization records, medical forms, and doctor's notes securely and efficiently. This streamlined process allows for faster sharing of important health information with the school, helping us better support the health and well-being of our students. Sonel, [clears throat] >> as we start the
004new year, our school counselors across the district are visiting classrooms to lead lessons and activities focused on cooperation, positive behavior, and building healthy relationships. These age appropriate lessons support students social, emotional growth and helps create safe, respectful, and welcoming school environments. This proactive work gives students the skills they need to learn, connect with others, and feel supported at school. Nine Westfield third grade students participated in the Union County Brain Bowl on January 6th. The event brings together a 100 gifted third grade students from school districts ac across Union County through the Union County Gifted and Talented Association. The Brain Bowl was hosted by Westfield Public Schools gifted teacher and president of the Union County Gifted and Talented Association, Esther Van Riper. This academic competition celebrates critical thinking, teamwork, and a love for learning. We're incredibly
005proud of our students for representing Westville with such energy, pride, and excellence. Thank you. >> The next regular public meeting of the board of education will be on Tuesday, February 10th in Cafeteria B at Westfield High School beginning at 7 p.m. The meeting will be livereamed via the district YouTube channel, which viewers can access on the board tab on the district website. Uh and with that we will move to a report by district administration. Dr. Gonzalez. >> Yes. Um good evening everyone. And before we get started uh on tonight's agenda and the uh presentation the first presentation of our uh 2026 27 um budget. I'd like to take a moment to uh quickly acknowledge and celebrate uh a very important observance and that observance is schoolboard recognition month. Uh this is a time to recognize
006the incredible service, commitment, and leadership of the men and women who serve on boards of education throughout the state, including our very own Westfield Board of Education. And while board members come from various professional backgrounds and um communities, bringing a diverse set of experiences, perspectives, and expertise to the table, they all are united by uh a shared and unwavering mission, which is to make the school districts they serve the absolute best they can be for every student who walks through the doors. These individuals are first and foremost volunteers. The role is often demanding, complex, and requires a tremendous amount of personal time. They give so much of their time attending meetings, reading background material, serving on various committees, and engaging with the public to solicit feedback. They do so while balancing their own full-time job,
007full-time jobs, careers, and responsibilities of their own families. Their commitment is a testament to their belief in public education and the future of our town. Their governance and leadership provide the direction and foundation our administration needs to effectively carry out the district's mission and succeed in the daily work of educating our students. They are the link between the community's vision and operation re operational reality of our schools. Whether they're working in committees to update policy, review budgets, collaborate with municipal partners, or engage the community in uh conversations that matter, their focus remains on creating the maximum number of opportunities for our children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. They make difficult decisions with the well-being of almost 6,000 students in mind. They ensure accountability, uphold transparency, and tirelessly advocate for the resources necessary to maintain
008Westfield's tradition of excellence. So, on behalf of the entire Westfield Public School District, I want to extend our deepest and most sincere gratitude to all members of the Westfield Board of Education. Thank you for your selfless service to our community, your unwavering commitment to our students, and we are fortunate to have you steering our district forward. I share my um plaque with all of you. Um [laughter] but I didn't bring it this time. So with that, I I do want to thank you all uh for your service and support of the school district. And that will lead us into the next presentation in which uh we will dig into the details of our budget for the next school year. So this time I'd like to invite Patty Ramos and uh Matt Bolton to join me
009at the podium as we present the uh the first of many presentations. So each year over the past several years um we have taken the opportunity to begin our conversations about the uh subsequent year's operating budget starting as early as uh January. Even though the work that uh is underway t starts as early as October of a given school year, our opportunity to openly discuss the development of the budget is important not only for us as an administration to share with the board of education to engage in these conversations, but also to ensure that our public uh is well informed about the opportunities as well as the challenges that we're faced in order to provide the quality of education. here in Westfield. So this evening we are going to begin with the highlights. The highlights
010of our current year's budget, all the things that we are doing both through our operating budget as well as the bond referendum which was recently passed in April of last year. And then we're going to use that as the jumping off point to then talk about the development of the budget identifying both what we need to expect as well as what we need to prioritize and what goals we have for the upcoming school year. And then we'll end with the next steps. The next steps will certainly be those uh steps that are necessary to get us from development to a preliminary budget that then gets approved at the board level and then presented at the community level for a budget vote in April. So, we're going to begin with the referendum update and I'm going
011to ask Patty to take it from here. >> Okay. So, the referendum is really starting to ramp up now. Uh, we just had another project meeting today. Our first two bids are out on the street with another three bids coming up within the next two months. So, design work is ongoing. Two of our projects have gone back down to the state for final review. The rest will be going down by the end of this month. And then we'll be really entering into the bidding construction phase happening starting this summer. B. As far as bond funding is concerned, we have issued $25.3 million in bond anticipation notes. We did that last summer. They come due this August. At that point, we're going to be looking to do permanent financing, issuing our bonds. We expect the tax
012impact to be felt in Westfield in the year 2027 because once we issue the bonds, the first payments usually due about a year later. Uh we're still working out the time uh payment time frames. It's going to depend on interest rates. We work with the financial adviser as to how much we'll issue, if it's one issuance or multiple issuances at that time. And then as far as the operating budget for this year, there is no impact from the referendum. We've been talking about kindergarten. When it comes online, we have to fund those teachers, the the staff related costs, supplies, other things that are going to go into those kindergarten classrooms will be funded through the operating budget for the 2829 school year. That's when you'll be seeing that. But we just want to keep reminding
013everyone that that will be coming along down the pike and that we are monitoring that and we're constantly reviewing costs and looking at our settlement agreements with the different unions. >> Hi everyone. I'd just like to take a few minutes to highlight some of the curriculum and professional learning initiatives that have been supported over the past year through the support of this past um budget and how these investments have directly impacted both our teaching and our our the learning of our students. So, I I get to talk in my department, I get to talk about the fun and exciting things. Um, you'll hear Patty and Ray over the next couple of months probably talking about boring things like electricity and heat, but those are also required things. The the ironic part of this is that
014the fun and exciting things are also not always the required things. So, um, they also happen to be things that directly impact staffing. When we talk about adding new courses, we often talk about staffing. And as we all know from previous budget presentations, staffing tends to be one of the more um costly items in our budget. So um the overall objective of what we do in the curriculum office is to provide our students with the ceiling and not the floor, which is what's minimally required. So some of the things that we've been working on over the past year, over this past year, actually just since this summer, we've redesigned more than 70 um course curriculum. So that's that's 70 since 70 courses that have been redesigned and approved by the board since since um August.
015That's out of over the past two and a half years, we've redesigned 163 courses of our total 306 courses that are offered in the Westville public school. So we're well on our way to making a dent. And that that work is really rooted in providing our teachers and our students with a a standardsbased um very well-aligned, clear, consistent um educational experience. Alongside this work, our assessment and screening platforms continue to provide our teachers with actionable data that they can use to personalize instruction. Um, and all of this curricular work is now housed in an easy to use and um, easy to access, especially for the public. Um, an an an interface and a platform that we use for storing all of our curriculum. This platform also allows our teachers and our students to better collaborate
016and plan lesson plans and assessments. So, all of those were impacted by this past year's budget. Um the budgets also supported the development and implementation of several new courses. We have the money mindset course at the intermediate school that provides our students um in sixth grade this year with basic foundational information on financial literacy. Um we've expanded our um we also have a 21st century communications course which focuses on the essentials of communication and collaboration. We've also expanded our enrichment opportunities and created new modern music courses in grades six and seven to broaden broaden our arts in offerings to students. And we've implemented a media and digital literacy course for our sixth grades targeting our sixth grade students to really help prepare them to navigate an ever complex digital world that they're growing up in.
017Next slide. There you go. Equally important are the professional development and professional learning opportunities that have been supported through the budget. Um through collaborative partnerships with outside consultants, we've been able to provide our teachers with ongoing and job embedded professional learning particularly in the area um to in improving instructional practices such as small groupoup learning. That's been a major initiative in our middle schools and elementary schools this year. Um we've also le le leveraged in district expertise to provide workshops and conferences to our teachers in teaching in the the world of artificial intelligence. Um we've also developed their abilities to understand and interpret new uh instructional practices in early literacy and um the effective uses of assessment within these new platforms that we've purchased. Um, in addition, our counselors, um, through partnerships with with community
018agencies, we've been able to provide all of our counselors throughout the district with advanced training in, uh, enabling our students to cope with grief and loss. Um, that that's actually an important item of note because I think the conventional wisdom is often that we don't in our budgets in Westfield think about opportunities where we can um, look for other alternative methods of funding. And this was a a grant opportunity that between this community agency and the district, we were able to provide this um all of this advanced training to all of our counselors for for nothing because of the grant. So um that was an an excellent and creative opportunity that that resulted in in an outstanding experience for our counselors and ultimately better support for our students. So together, all of these curricular and
019professional learning investments reflect u thoughtful and strategic use of our district's budget and I I I really do hope that this continues in the future. Thank you. >> I have to disagree with Dr. Bolton. I think my stuff is just as exciting. So um some of our budget highlights are 24 grade 2 elementary classrooms received new furniture. Uh, we did the ramp at Franklin Elementary School. We have security improvements. We don't list them all out here, but you can see them throughout hallways as you go through the buildings on the outside of the buildings, too. Uh, 19 classrooms at the high school here received new flooring. And then also at the high school, you can see in this cafeteria, we refreshed our furniture, uh, did painting, we did the JV baseball field at Edison, and
020the dugouts and new fencing were added to the Westfield High School field. I'd also like to to note, like Dr. Bolton did, some of these projects are offset with grants that we receive. Um, as far as from the boosters, we received money for a new scoreboard for the the the field. We received money from softball for the fencing. We taken money from local recreation grants for Franklin. We're always looking for o opportunities to supplement the money that we received through the operating budget. It's also important to note that we are able to continue on these projects like the flooring because the referendum was passed. So, it took some of that burden of, oh, what are we going to do with these HBAC systems? what's going to happen with this off of our shoulders where we
021can now use that capital reserve money to start looking at replacing the old asbestous flooring throughout our school, chipping away at the projects that have been listed for many, many years in the district that we're going to finally hopefully get to tackle as we move along. Yeah, I just yeah be before we jump into, you know, the the current year or the upcoming year budget, I I do want to highlight the importance of why we're taking the approach we are in presenting this. Um the the prior three slides that you saw highlighting our curriculum, our professional development, our facilities really would not have been possible had we as a community, as a board of education, as an administration did not come together uh in partnership four years ago by moving the uh board election and
022budget vote to April. We are fortunate in in Westfield to be able to have options available to us in order to grow our budget in order to support our programs and in order to expand in the way that we have. Uh the public school funding in the state of New Jersey is unfortunately not perfect and as a result there are limitations placed on school districts in how they are able to fund their schools each and every year. And what we are seeing, and I'm not speaking out of turn, all you have to do is is open up the the newspaper and you'll see even within uh the state of New Jersey, there are school districts that are not only uh experiencing what we experienced four years ago with cuts or or challenges to their budget,
023but they're experiencing that in the middle of the school year. They're coming to find out that the increases that are being imposed upon them by rising costs of health care or by just unfortunate u planning challenges that that had plagued their their school districts. They are finding them themselves uh making the impossible decisions. What do we cut in order to be able to continue to survive each and every year? So for Westfield, we we hit that cliff. We fell over that cliff a number of years ago and we we vowed not to do that again. And in order to do that, we partnered with the community. We put the budget to a vote and each year that we have received the support of the community. We have been able to accomplish what you have seen
024in those prior slides. We've been able to build our programs. We've been able to replenish our staff and provide our students and schools with the support needed to provide that excellence in education. And in doing so, we've also been able to maximize those partnerships as as uh Patty just mentioned so that our work with the PTO's, our work with the philanthropic organizations in town, our work with state level grants are able to supplement our work rather than provide the necessary uh materials and resources we need to provide that education. So together, the prior slides show we are maximizing our partnerships, our resources, and our opportunities to be able to build our school district's capacity to be able to deliver a future ready uh education for all of our students and facilities that could accommodate their
025needs. So that's my segue into what we're going to be doing in the coming months ahead and what to expect. Um just based on this slide, the the basic premise is that we are still early in the process. We have not received our full health care projections, nor have we received um the state aid figures from uh the New Jersey Department of Education in the governor's office be and because of the transition in the governor's office, we're expecting to um even get that uh state aid uh announcement even later um just because that's just the natural progression of of transitions at the governor's uh level. So, as a result, we're anticipating and building a budget now that's based on a flat state aid figure. So, whatever we got last year, we're anticipating we should uh
026hopefully get for this year. We've given been given no reason to believe that we would get any more or less. Um, but keeping in mind that that only represents 7% of our revenue, the majority of our revenue that supports our operating budget comes from the tax levy. So that's the reason why we're building a budget with with that in mind. We also recognize that in addition to being able to continue the work that we do um from the prior year, we have to take into account everything from salary increases that are contractually based as well as health care increases that are based on a number of factors. and and those are costs that we need to rely on our healthcare uh provider and broker to provide us accurate projections but understanding that they are projections.
027We are making decisions and we are budgeting based upon not what we are experiencing today but by June what those numbers will look like by January or the following year what those numbers will look like based upon our our experience. All of that is what we are anticipating um both from a salary standpoint and based upon our current year uh trends which are looking at at least a 15% increase in healthcare uh costs from the current year. So, as we make decisions, we have to be guided by priorities and goals. And and on each of these slides, you'll notice that we keep in the lower left corner the three um icons that represent our work in the district and what has guided our work over the past several years. So, in the center you have
028our school district logo. Why? Because our mission is is very clear and consistent and has been in order to ensure that our students have what they need to be uh successful. But we've also over the past uh several years adopted additional guiding uh resources for us. Our strategic plan identified five goals for the school district that have uh provided the north star for us relative to academics, health and wellness, diversity and inclusion as well as uh community engagement and fiscal and um and facility preparation. All of that will be reflected both in what we've done up to this point and the work that we are doing moving forward. So when we have to make tough decisions, we need to make sure that we are aligning those decisions to those priorities. We also have our strong
029foundations and bright futures which is the referendum that is also tied to our mission which is also tied to our strategic plan. So aligning all of that helps to make some of these tough decisions a little bit easier. Now, in all of uh the presentations we've done since my arrival, we've made sure that student outcomes maintain the the greatest priority in the in the decisions that we make. We want to make sure that class sizes remain uh consistent with guidelines as well as course offerings continue to be um provided to our students in the same way that they've been accustomed to. We also want to make sure that we do not diminish any of the current levels of service and programs that our uh students receive today and that's both in the academic realm as
030well as the e extracurricular realm as well. All of those are priorities. All of those are things that we are working towards and we're doing so while also keeping an eye on the future. We can't just budget for this year without considering what our needs may be in the in the future years. which is why Patty mentioned early on that our planning for opening full day kindergarten in 2028 in September 2028 forces us to think about what we need today, what we're going to need next year, and what we're going to need in order to be ready for that opening in 2028. Now, with all of those priorities, we still want to have goals. We still want to be able to build upon our existing work and expand programs and offerings if at all possible.
031And we also want to make sure that we are continuing to improve and sustain our facilities. This investment in our facilities is not only investment in our educational opportunities, but also in making sure that we are are taking care of our buildings, taking care of the infrastructure so that those problems don't start to mount greater and greater over time, which will then eventually cost us as a district and you as a taxpayer uh even more money if we don't take advantage of of the uh current cost to provide that preventative maintenance or investment. So with that we have to make some important decisions and and those uh key decision points listed here highlight uh just three key questions. One is when we look at the coming year's budget. We know with absolute certainty based upon
032what I shared earlier anticipating flat state aid and the increase in in salaries and and health benefits. There is no question that in order to be able to continue our uh current level of offerings, we are going to have to go out uh for an additional funding proposal to the community asking the community once again uh to partner with us. Now the question at this point is too is premature to know how much but ultimately we will have to look at our base operating budget that the board is able to approve at the tax levy uh cap with any adjustments in order to determine then how much we then will need the um the budget vote to include for that additional funding proposal. We also in making those decisions may find that we can't fit
033it all or in order to do it all meaning maintain our existing programs and offerings and potentially expand existing and uh programs and offerings maybe that um goal may not be possible and as a result we're going to have to make decisions about what programs we are able to expand next year and maybe what programs may have to wait. doesn't mean that it's not possible, but it may not be possible next year. Everything may not be possible next year. And that's just the reality that we're facing. But in order to have that those conversations, we are still missing some key components in in the budget equation. And that's why we just want to set that stage now. But in the coming weeks, our committees will continue to meet as board of education committees meet. our
034um fe February 10th uh board meeting will provide additional details as well. And then ultimately all of that will be fleshed out in time for a March um preliminary budget vote at the start of this uh the month. And then last but not least, we always want to make sure when we are building the budget, are we maximizing every opportunity to be efficient with how we use our existing resources or as been mentioned, are we tapping into the other opportunities that exist out there to help supplement our revenue, grants, shared services, uh or other ways to reduce expenses. We have taken a number of initiatives over time to help uh reduce our operating costs whether it be moving to um uh consistent multifun function print centers to replace the individual printers that are in classrooms
035that take up uh toner and are are less energy efficient. Uh we're looking at ways that we can uh use technology to assist the work in our offices and classrooms around the district in order to save time and maximize output for planning, for collaboration or just for getting the job done more effectively and efficiently. We are constantly making sure that we review our business practices to ensure that we are maximizing the time and energy spent in getting the job done to be able to hire to be able to retain to be able to retra attract uh personnel as well as making sure that their experiences while here are supported by the most effective and efficient systems possible. So, next steps for the board of education, for the administration, and for the community is, as I
036mentioned before, going to uh continue into February with our next public board meeting and presentation on the budget taking place on February 10th. And then we're going to look at February 26, hopefully around that time, if not soon thereafter, when we'll get notification from the governor's office and the department of education what our state aid figures will be for the uh coming school year. And then on March 3rd, we are anticipating we will have all of that information. may be a quick turnaround for us, but we will have that information in time to do our preliminary uh budget presentation to the board of education in order for you to be able to vote and approve so that we could submit that to the county office of the department of education for their review. All of
037that is so that by March 24th, the board of education will have the opportunity and responsibility to cast their vote to approve two things. The first will be the base budget which as I mentioned before consists of a tax levy um cap in its purest form as well as any potential adjustments. And the board would have to also approve um not only the amount but the wording for an additional funding proposal. And as we've known in the past, that additional funding proposal not only specifies the amount of money, but the items that would be included so that taxpayers and and eligible voters would be able to see exactly what they would be voting on. All of that would then be approved by the end of March so that by April 21st, the third Tuesday of
038April, the community would not only bo uh vote on the um board of education candidates who would be up for election, but also that additional funding proposal to finalize the budget uh for the 2627 school year. So on that note, we provide the very subtle reminder that this is all ultimately for us to be able to get everyone out to vote on April 21st, but to do so, we want to make sure that they are informed and comfortable with what they are voting on. So, thank you. And at this time, I'd ask Matt and Patty to join me to answer any questions uh from the board. >> Any questions from the board? Okay. Um, I'd like to thank you for the look, so we so we do this now every year, a huge set of
039presentations, uh, to inform as best we can. Um, we are certainly not unaware of the work that goes into every piece of the presentation just to get this all ready to go for the public. So, thank you very much for that, for keeping us informed, the public informed. Uh, and we look forward to a uh to a a great process. Thank you. >> That's good. Thank you. Thank you. All right. And with that, we'll move to our uh high school student representative report. Ben, >> as we approach the halfway point of our school year, WHS is getting ready to transition into the second semester. Students are preparing for midterms, which are the last week of this month going to the first week of February. A new parking lot will be redrawn and our counselors are
040working hard to guide the different grades through their class selections while also beginning the junior conference sessions where parents, students, and counselors meet to begin to discuss the college application process. Friday the 9th marked the final transition outreach of the 25 2025 to 2026 school year. Upperassman leaders focused on preparing freshmen for the upcoming midterms and throughout the year they worked hard to create a welcoming environment for the freshmen serving as a guiding hand through their first months of high school. WHS clubs garnered some notable achievements since the last time we met. Model UN had its annual conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania from from January 9th to 11th where Wesville won the premier delegation award distinguishing itself as the top high school attending the conference of over,400 students. Many WHS students also were elected as officers
041to lead their respective committees as well as being recognized for various awards ranging from debate to service in the community. On January 8th, WHS's DECA Distributive Education Clubs of America chapter, a club that aims to foster emerging leaders in various business disciplines, competed in the organization's Central New Jersey District competition at Keen University. A total of 34 students qualified for the state competition, a placement that combined students written exam scores with how they performed in a business roleplay in front of a judge. All the qualifying students placed top 14 out of the whole district within their respective committees. Furthermore, on January 13th, students in the science olympiad club earned four medals for top six finishes out of 12 total events in a regional competition at UCJ. They will be moving on to the states competition
042in March, as well as participating in the national Princeton Invitational Tournament in February. The the robotics team is also putting up a strong season. In their most recent competition, their teams garnered two awards. One for the engineering of their robot and one for the outreach to the local community. Also, to add onto our growing list of student achievement, seven students from the band program, four students from the orchestra program, and 12 students from the choir program were accepted into the highly competitive New Jersey regional ensembles following auditions in December. They will be rehearsing under distinguished conductors and along with top musicians from the schools all across the region. Overall, these achievements underscore the multifaceted environment that WHS fosters. We're very proud to be a school that supports opportunities for students to grow in ways beyond
043the traditional classroom. And we're looking forward to see what the future has to offer. A special thanks goes out to not only students and adviserss, but also the families, community members, and volunteers whose continued support makes this level of excellence possible. Finally, this past Thursday, Mrs. Defend's student advisory council made up of representatives from each grade and the SGA met for the second time this year. They discussed student reactions to school policy, especially differing opinions on the Genesis blackout and district login policy on Chromebooks and worked to brainstorm any needed solutions. One point of discussion was the positive reception that the cell phone policy has garnered among students. Transparency and the trust into put into students to regulate their usage has been foundational, which puts WHS in a strong position to address the statewide cell
044phone guidelines recently released by the governor's office. SGA also proposed some fun new ideas to implement, but mostly we are focusing on preparing for the upcoming community service week at the end of March. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ben. Uh we'll move to board committee reports. We'll start with curriculum instructions and programs. Kristen >> feel like okay I'm going to go with you can hear me the green buttons on but SIP convened on Monday January 12th to review and discuss several curriculum instructional and programmatic items. The committee first discussed proposed revisions to the board policy 2530 resource materials as well as the addition of a new mandated policy board policy 2535 library materials. The committee also received a status update from Dr. Bolton on progress toward annual goals and the implementation of key initiatives within
045the office of curriculum and instruction. The updated highlight The update highlighted that the curriculum office is well positioned to advance several priorities aligned with the district's strategic plan, including professional development focused on small groupoup instruction, curriculum revisions across multiple departments, the development of an online asynchronous financial literacy course for the high school students, and the expansion of AP course or offerings. The committee also noted that budget priorities for the 2627 school year could influence the timeline for implementing additional initiatives currently under development. These include the introduction of American Sign Language, the redesign of the district's gifted program, and the expansion of select middle school elective courses. Dr. Weissman provided an update on student support services which [clears throat] highlighted the district's commitment to pro program analysis centered on the students experience, student outcomes, and fiscal
046responsibility. The committee was informed that both districtrun and outside service provider programs are reviewed annually to ensure that services meet established district expectations and effectively support student needs. The SIP committee also reviewed and approved an application for the Westfield High School color guard to participate in an overnight field trip. Finally, the agenda for the evening for this evening includes a substantial number of revised visual and performing arts courses. While these courses were previously approved by SIP committee in October, additional time has been allotted to allow for further review due to the volume of the courses presented. The next meeting for SIP will be held on February 2nd. Uh thank you Kristen. Uh we'll move to finance and facilities. Brendan. >> Yep. Finance and facilities met on Friday morning. Uh we spent the bulk of our
047time talking about the budget, but I'm not going to bore everybody with a reiteration of that. Just that uh I'll hit the highlights that uh healthc care is the driver this year. Um just for December alone. uh our medical expenses were 2 million and when you factor in uh prescriptions we were over $3 million for the month. Uh it continues a trend that we've seen over the last six to eight months that we thought had come to a come to a conclusion but it right back to where we were. It's concerning and we're continuing to monitor it and figure out what we can do going forward to control some costs. Um, we talked about an issue at Kaylor Field. Uh, we have people walking their dogs and not cleaning up cleaning up after their dogs
048on the turf field as well as kids riding their bikes on the track and the turf damaging both of them. Uh, so we're looking at restricting access uh to the the revolving pedestrian gate on Kaylor on the Rawway Avenue side. Um and closing the door between Kaylor and Lincoln. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah, we're we temporarily opened one of the smaller gates again on the railway side to see how it goes, but we're monitoring the situation. So, if it keeps happening, >> the revolving door by Lincoln would be open, but not the other. >> Okay, I had it backwards. Yeah. >> Um moving on to Roosevelt. Uh cannot wait till this project is done. It's gone on a year longer than it was supposed to at this point. Uh the panels are complete. Uh these are
049the decorative panels up at the top of the uh the parapit. Uh uh roof work repairs are underway. Uh the last thing to do is power wash and get the scaffolding off the off the property and uh restore the landscaping. So hopefully we'll be done with that early spring, weather permitting. Um we have we work with the town every year uh regarding the playground summer camp. Uh it's gone on in the district for decades where they use every one of our elementary schools uh for neighborhood community programs during the summer months. Uh with construction going on at all of our schools, particularly the elementary schools over the next three, four, five years, uh we've had to notify the town they won't be able to use all of our facilities. So they're working on restructuring that
050playground camp for the for the next several summers. And then uh with the referendum uh the electrical service bids were advertised uh on the 15th. Uh we split the projects into two bids and buildings with solar with were with one bid and all the other buildings were on the other. Uh Edison and Roosevelt projects were submitted for final approval to the state. uh bathroom work, site work for the playgrounds, regrading at uh Washington School, and the drop off loop at Franklin will all be bid next month with expectation that those projects will be completed this upcoming summer. And then the last thing we talked about, sorry. Um, if you look at item nine or sorry, item I on our agenda tonight, it's uh to approve the a project labor agreement for all referendum work. Uh,
051this is something Westfield's never done before. Uh, but it's given prudent prudent given the scale and complexity of this work. all construction uh schools remains uh subject to New Jersey's prevailing wage laws and with the Department of Labor increasing enforcement activity uh the importance of a clear and enforceable labor compliance. A PLA strengthens project framework by standardizing work rules, scheduling flexibility and apprentice utilization. uh creates a system for dispute resolution across all contracts before bids are submitted. Uh that predictability should hopefully reduce uncertainty, improve coordination among the trades and minimize postawward disputes and change orders. Also, it also should avoid costly delays, work stoppages, and supports a higher quality workmanship from a skilled trained workforce. Uh the results should result in a more reliable delivery, lower reasonable total cost of the district over the life
052of the project, and it's fully aligned with all of our objectives and uh the scope of the project. And the last thing we did discuss was a uh revising our policy around building naming. We've gotten several requests over the last several meetings for buildings or portions of buildings to be named after specific people in town. Uh last policy there had been updated in 2002. So we're we as a finance committee or the facilities committee are review starting that process. We should have it done in February and we'll pass a recommendation off to uh PPG for the March meeting uh so we can clean up that policy and that's it after a two and a half hour meeting. >> Thank you. Um next a report by policies personnel and governance zonel. >> Uh the policy personnel
053and governance committee met on January 15th at 4:00. myself, Mary, Rob, and Ila were present along with Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Greer representing the administration. The meeting began with an update on our initiative to create or revise job descriptions for all positions districtwide. This most recent review covered 42 job descriptions, including those for visual and performing arts, stipens, safety patrol, and lunchroom mates. All descriptions were prepared by the administrators who directly oversee these roles. The committee is confident in the thoroughess of the process and recommends that these job descriptions be placed on the upcoming board agenda for approval. In the area of policy, the committee reviewed several policies and regulations and recommends them for first reading or repeal at the next board meeting. These include a revised version of policy 0142.1 nepotism, policy 1220, employment
054of chief school administrator, and the introduction of new policy and regulation 1552 addressing sexual harassment of staff. The committee also recommends the repeal of policy 3362 and policy 4352, both of which previously addressed sexual harassment, now replaced with the newly created policy 1552. Additionally, the committee discussed the recent legislation signed by Governor Murphy that restricts student use of internet enabled devices during the school day, on buses, or at school sponsored events. The law takes effect in the 2627 school year and directs the comm commissioner of education to release a model policy within 90 days of January 8th. The committee noted that stress SMA had issued revised guidance for policy in regulation 55 5516 in December 24 and plans to align it with the model policy once it is available. The committee will revisit this policy
055for further further review at that time. The committee also reviewed policy 9130 public complaints. During the discussion there was consensus on the need for clarification to make clear that this policy addresses procedures only and does not create new grievance rights. The policy is intended to apply where an existing policy recognizes a complaint and no other specific procedure is already established. The committee recommends that the administration work with the board attorney to propose appropriate clarifying language. And lastly, the committee revisited the proposed 2627 school calendar to maximize the summer of 2027 for referendum related construction while preserving educational benefits. When the calendar was first approved in May of 24, the district did not yet know the outcome of the April 25 bond referendum. With the referendum approved and timelines clarified, calendar adjustments are necessary to support
056substantial project completion ahead of the September 2028 launch of full day kindergarten, an ambitious but achievable goal. Key elements of the revised calendar include a student start date of September 1 with a half day on the Friday before Labor Day, staff returning the prior Wednesday and Thursday, February 12th becoming a regular instructional day, and a projected last day of school on Wednesday, June 16th, 2027. for inclement weather. If additional school days are needed, they would be taken from spring break in order of March 22nd, March 23rd, then March 24 to meet statutory requirements. If those days are not needed, schools may close on May 28th, June 16th, and June 15th in that order. The committee recognizes that some staff and families may have already scheduled vacations based on the previously published calendar. Given the timing
057of this revision, administrators will work with staff regarding the use of personal days and early September student absences may be treated as excused with appropriate documentation. The committee strongly recommends communicating the revised calendar as soon as it's formally adopted. Beyond construction needs, the revised calendar provides academic and logistical benefits. Approximately five additional instructional days before the state assessments and AP exam window in May. Fewer conflicts with competitive programs and internships that begin in midJune. Improved alignment for seniors with college transcript timelines in late August postsecary start dates. Shifts instructional time to early September when attendance and engagement are typically stronger rather than late June. The committee also noted that expanding cultural and religious observances has made calendar development increasingly complex, requiring careful balancing of statutory requirements, instructional priorities, and construction constraints. Following board approval of
058the revised 2627 calendar, the board will review and vote on the 2728 and 2829 calendars in the next month with the same goal of maximizing construction time while maintaining the academic benefits described above. Our next meeting for PPG is scheduled for February 5th. Thank you. >> Uh yeah, I think yeah, I think that would be the time. Yeah. >> Okay. Um just really quickly, um I want to thank the PPG and the administration and staff for their work on the the the calendar that's been proposed. Um just for planning purposes, I just want to mention that 2027 is um a Jewishly year. Um, and as is our practice, um, uh, we, what's going to happen this year is Passover will occur later than usual, which means it'll happen in April and not overlap with our
059spring break. And as is our custom, um, that means spring break will happen separately and Passover will occur during regular school days. Um, and just want to mention that during that period, some observant students and staff may be unable to attend or participate fully in instructional and school sponsored activities. And while the board and the administration considers a range of religious observances each year, raising this now um I I just want to raise this now in an effort to support advanced planning um help avoid unnecessary conflicts and ensure that accommodation policies are applied clearly and consistently. So thank you for that consideration and again many thanks for the hard work. I know that this year in particular, it was particularly challenging. Um, and I thank you for the effort and for your consideration of these
060comments. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? All right. Uh, we'll now move to recognize the public for agenda action items only. Uh, these are the items that are marked numbers 9 to 13 on the board agenda. There will be a separate comment period for non-aggenda items, items that we're not going to be voting on uh once the voting is complete afterwards. So, hang on for that if you have comments there. Uh, as a courtesy, we ask you to allow any current students or staff of Westville Public Schools in the audience to speak first. The board requests that individuals sign in and state their name, municipality, or residence, and group affiliation if applicable for the record, the specific action items they're commenting on, and ask that all remarks be directed to the board president or
061designate, not to individual members or staff. The board asks that members of the public be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. Specifically, comments regarding personnel matters are discouraged and cannot be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The board bears no responsibility, nor will it be liable for any comments made by members of the public. If a matter concerning a district staff member is of interest or concern to a resident, the matter should be referred to the responsible building principal, the superintendent of schools, or the board of education either by telephone letter or email. Although the board may not respond to items raised during the public forum, all public comments will be considered. Please note that if any
062member of the public becomes disruptive during the meeting, the board president may terminate the participant statement. Continued disruptions may result in removal from the meeting or adjournment of the meeting. Each speaker statement will be limited to three minutes in duration. >> No. Hello. Okay. Uh, good evening, Vetta Watson. Um, I just I was wondering if you if it's possible um for the board to clarify on the subject of curriculum. Um, I think I heard something about um I honestly it was a quick report, but I think I heard something about inclusion or or in-class support or something like that. um potentially in in the report. I was wondering if there are any efforts to to that end whether there are any efforts in the um curricular committee right now um toward the goal of further
063inclusion, further in-class support within classrooms uh rather than pull out and just wanted to hear more about that if possible. I know there's nothing on the agenda in that regard that we're voting on certainly for this for this portion of the meeting we're not voting on anything specific to inclusion or anything like that at this point. But um since there's nothing we're voting on now in that area, you know, maybe toward the end if there's something to add into it, we can we can do that during the more general public session. But thank you for the question. Anyone else? Okay, I will close public comment, at least the first public comment. Um, and uh, I'll start by making a motion to approve the December 16th, 2025 regular board meeting minutes. Uh, may I have a
064second, please? >> Ken, uh, we can do this by voice vote, I think. Uh, all in favor? >> Any opposed? And any abstensions? Okay, that carries. Uh, Kristen, would you move the governance items on the agenda, please? >> Sure. I'd like to move items A and B under governance on tonight's agenda. Can I get a second? Sonel >> Patty >> Rob Bonaccio. >> Yes. >> Kent Diamonds. >> Yes. >> Brendan Gallagghan. >> Yes. >> Charles Galinus. Leila Morelli. Sonol Patel. >> Yes. >> Kristen Sonic. Sonic Schmelts. >> Yes. >> Julie Steinberg. >> No. >> Mary Wickens. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, next the personnel items on the agenda. Sonel. Okay. I'd like to move items A through W under the personnel section of tonight's agenda. Can I have a second? Thank you, Kristen. Uh, Dr.
065Gonzalez, would you like to say anything at this time? >> Yes. Uh, thank you. I have a number of uh comments to share regarding members of our staff who are going to be retiring. Uh beginning with Alexandra Sandy Bakaris. Uh she began teaching her teaching career in the Westfield School District in September 1990. And over the years, she has made a lasting impact on generations of students through her dedication to literacy and learning. With thoughtful and consistent instruction, Sandy has helped students build strong foundational reading and writing skills that supported their academic growth and built confidence that stayed with them well beyond the classroom. Her lessons were grounded in care, clarity, and high expectations and always focused on helping students succeed. As a trusted member of the English language arts department at Edison Intermediate School,
066Sandy brought professionalism, insight, and a steady presence that strengthened the team and supported colleagues at every stage of their careers. She is known for her collaborative spirit and her commitment to excellence in everything she did. Sandy's legacy is one of quiet strength, meaningful relationships, and a deep belief in the power of education. Up next, we have Robin Naylor. Robin has been a vibrant and dedicated member of the visual and performing arts department for over 30 years, shaping Westfield Elementary uh orchestra programs with care, creativity, and heart. Across multiple schools, Robin brought music to life for generations of students leading rehearsals, concerts, and all city orchestra with energy, and precision. Her passion for music, rooted in her own life as a performer and lifelong learner, has inspired countless young musicians. Known for her collaboration, commitment, and
067joyful spirit, Robin was a trusted colleague and mentor who always put students first. Her legacy will live on through the music and that she taught and the lives that she has touched. Christine Riley. Christine Riley has been a proud member of the Westfield School District for 33 years, beginning her journey at Tmacquas as a student and returning to dedicate her career to the very same school community. She spent 24 years teaching second grade before moving into the achieve program. Always bringing care, consistency, and deep and a deep understanding of student needs. As the INRS and 504 coordinator, Christine played a key role in helping teachers and students navigate challenges with thoughtful planning and support. She served as a mentor and a buddy teacher to many new staff members and was known for her steady guidance,
068collaborative nature, and willingness to help whenever needed. Whether performing in the variety show or attending school events like math night and the multicultural celebration, Christine was always present and involved. Her work ethic, kindness, and commitment to the entire school community have set a high standard. She will be deeply missed by colleagues and students alike. Coral Venttorino. Coral began her journey in the Westfield public schools in September 1990 as a part-time kindergarten teacher and went on to teach second, fourth, and fifth grade at both Washington and Wilson schools. In Coral's classroom, students found more than a place to learn. They found a community. With energy and creativity, she's made learning joyful and meaningful. From organizing we deliver and using classroom passports for global exploration to designing highinterest hands-on lessons. One parent described her classroom as a
069roller coaster ride of educational adventures, a reflection of Coral's ability to make each day exciting and purposeful. Her favorite moments often come during the holidays when students exchange handmade zawati gifts and wrote poems about the emotional gifts they would give to someone. These traditional these traditions captured the hearts of Coral's teaching, nurturing kindness, connection, and empathy. As she moves into retirement, we hope the next chapter brings her the same joy and care she so generously shared with her students, families, and colleagues. And last but not least, Barbara Walling. Barbara has been a devoted and dedicated par professional since 2008. Known for building strong relationships with colleagues and making meaningful connections with students. Throughout her time in Westfield, she's worked across a variety of programs including including bridge, LLD, ERRI, and ABA, bringing creativity, enthusiasm, and
070a special talent for making learning fun and engaging. Her students truly adored adored her. And as she looks ahead to retirement, Barb is excited to spend more time with her family and friends and enjoys walks on the beach and playing plenty of pickle ball. She will be warmly remembered and missed by all who had the pleasure of working with her. We thank each of our retirees for their service and dedication, and we wish them health, happiness, and fulfillment in this next chapter of their lives. Thank you, Mie. Rob Bonaccia, >> yes. >> Kent Diamond, >> yes. >> Brendan Gallagghan, >> yes. >> Charles Galinus. >> Laya Morelli. Sonel Patel, >> yes. >> Kristen Sonic Schmeltz, >> yes. >> Julie Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mary Wickens, >> yes. >> Uh, next to finance and facilities. Kent
071with our always anticipated diamond donation report. >> Excellent. I'd like to move items A through O under the finance section of tonight's agenda. May I have a second, please? Thank you, Sonel. Before we move on to a vote, I'd like to highlight a few items. Some some pleasant full donations. Uh first, from the Westfield United Fund for an outdoor bench, estimated value of $1,518 for the Franklin School playground. Next, Tom Democrus PTO donated $1,500 for an an art assembly. Likewise, Franklin PTO also donated $1,500 for an art assembly. McKenley PTO donated $50,156.84 to purchase inclusive playground equipment for their playground. Wilson PTO donated $8,2128 for six Flip Forms music platforms for the Wilson music classes. And Rick Lesner donated a pearl drum set estimated value $700 for Franklin's music program. With these donations today totaling
072over $63,000, our school year to date is now $210,000.38.772. >> Thank you. >> I think we're ready for vote. Patty >> Rob Bacio. >> Yes. >> Kent Diamonds. >> Yes. >> Brendan Gallagan. >> Yes. >> Charles Galinus. Laya Mr. Sonol Patel. >> Yes. Kristen Sonic Schmelts. >> Yes. >> Julie Steinberg. Yes. >> Mary Wickens. >> Yes. Excellent. Uh, now to the policy portion of the agenda. We'll go back to Sonel again. >> I'd like to move items A and B under the policies section of tonight's agenda. Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Kent. >> Rob Bonacio, >> yes. >> Kent Diamond, >> yes. >> Brendan Gallagghan, >> yes. >> Charles Galinus. Leila Morelli. Sonel Patel, yes. Kristen Sonic Schmeltz, >> yes. Julie Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mary Wicens, >> yes. >>
073Okay. And last, curriculum instruction and programs. Kristen, >> I'd like to move items A through C under the SIP section of the agenda. A is for 34 visual and performing arts courses. B is for two student teachers and C is for two field trips at WHS. Mary can be my second. >> Yes. Okay. >> Well done. Rob Bonacia, >> yes. >> Kent Diamonds, >> yes. >> Brendan Gallagghan, >> yes. >> Charles Galinus. >> Leila Morelli. >> Sonel Patel, >> yes. >> Kristen Sonic Schmeltz, >> yes. >> Julie Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mary Wickens, >> yes. >> Okay, I'll call the board's attention to the notes for the record. Uh, there is no unfinished or new business for the agenda, so we will move to liaison reports if any. Kristen's got one. Okay. So, the next
074PTC meeting is tomorrow morning. So, I don't have a new report, but I did want to remind the community about three important events that I mentioned during the December one. One, the PTC will be honoring Dr. Gonzalez for his uh for earning the superintendent of the year recognition tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in the conference room on the first floor of the Elm Street building. Two, the special education PTC committee is hosting a program next week in entitled caring for caregivers on January 27th at 7 PM in room 116 at Edison. And then third, um the gifted education PTC committee is going to be hosting their annual steam night on February 11th from 6:30 to 8 at Edison. Thank you. >> Any other leazison? Typically, if you have new business, you submit it before so we
075can get on the agenda. But >> yeah, I think Yeah. Yeah, that that works. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. That's a It's sort of right in the middle, but Okay. Just an announcement about something from one of our board members. Go ahead. I don't want to steal your thunder. Go for it. >> No, no, no. Go for it. >> Nope. Take it. Go for it. It's great. I just wanted to say that um I know we all do a lot of hard and important work here um and um it's hard enough uh you know having watched everyone try to get so many different policies not only in the PPG but in all of the committees but um I just wanted to mention that I'm I was particularly impressed to see all the articles this past week
076about the new cell phone policy that's been enacted here in New Jersey and to see that our own board member um Charles Gelinus who's not here tonight was such an important um team member and proponent for moving that forward and getting it passed at the state level as well as several residents of our town. And I just think it's an important thing to note and something for us to be proud of because we're not only participating in the good of our own um district where we've enacted and we're a little bit ahead of this in many many ways um due to the foresight of our administration and our board. But we're also um enabling this to become possible at a state level and I think it's just something we should be really proud of of
077having that kind of proactive policy work and those types of people on our board. So I just wanted to acknowledge that. >> Excellent. Thank you. There's no good spot for good news. Maybe it's leazison reports and good news. Thank you for raising that. That's good. Um okay. Next, uh we'll move to recognizing the public the second time during this portion of the meeting. Members of the public are invited to address the board of education on any topic. As a courtesy, please allow current students and staff of Westville public schools to speak first. The board requests that individuals sign in and state their name, municipality of residents, and group affiliation if applicable for the record, [clears throat] excuse me, and ask that all remarks be directed to the board president or designate, not to individual board
078members or staff. The board asked that members of the public be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals when speaking. specific specifically comments regarding personnel matters are discouraged and cannot be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The board bears no responsibility nor will it be liable for any comments made by members of the public. If a matter concerning a district staff member is of interest or concern to a resident, the matter should be referred to the responsible building principal, superintendent of schools, or the board of education either by telephone letter or email. Although the board may not respond to items raised during the public forum, all public comments will be considered. Please note that if any member of the public
079becomes disruptive during the meeting, the board president may terminate the participant statement. Continued disruptions may result in removal from the meeting or adjournment of the meeting. Each speaker's statement will be limited to three minutes in duration. Okay. Um, seeing none, I will close this portion of public comment, but I know I wanted to respond a bit to the question that was asked earlier. So, I know Dr. Gonzalez, uh, feel free. >> Yes. No. Uh, so thank you for for, uh, raising the question. So, the, uh, strategic plan that I referenced earlier, just as a reminder, includes, uh, a very important goal in the work that we're doing as a school district. And the uh the goal specifically centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion really underscores our commitment to creative creating inclusive environments uh in our
080schools for for all students of all abilities, all backgrounds, and all all experiences. This year in particular, uh under the leadership of Dr. Dr. Weissman, our assistant superintendent of pupil personnel uh services, uh has been uh partnering with Allin uh formerly known as the New Jersey Center for Inclusive Education in order to provide training to our staff. uh targeting this year in particular uh a focus on our administrators. Ensuring that our classrooms are inclusive environments and our schools are inclusive environments certainly begins with the administration at each school in order to create those cultures and those experiences not only for students but for staff as well. but also making sure that they have the necessary tools uh and support necessary to to provide the resources uh that teachers would need to make those uh environments
081possible. So that work has taken place throughout the course of the year uh beginning uh in September and and continuing throughout the the remainder of this year. Uh and in February, we're actually going to be featuring that in our uh district newsletter uh with an update. So, we're definitely looking forward to being able to provide additional information, but it is actively part of our strategic plan, guided by the work that we are doing across the district and implemented in real time uh through the partnership that I described uh with allin. >> Thank you. U I think the only other thing I would add is you know we are I believe our committee chairs are all available the names of them I think on the website. If not we probably should have them up there. So,
082if there's ever any specific questions about any of the committee work that's doing that maybe is sparked, you know, from reports or that, you know, maybe think of afterward, feel free to to email any of those board members as you can about any other question and we'll make sure we can get, you know, what we can answer answered. So, that's a that's a a good question. Thank you for coming out. Um, and with that, um, I will make a motion to adjurnn. I'll take, uh, Julie gets the second on that one there. All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstensions? We are