001Let everybody else on anyone else. He's on point. He's great. She's on point the best. Joanna, you ready? I mean, no one's on, but All right. I'd like to call to order the regular meeting of the Bota Board of Education for Tuesday, May 20th, 2025. Please stand for the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of the public bodies at which any business affecting their riches to discuss are acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, the Bagota Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published
002by having the date, time, and place thereof posted in the pagota burough hall communicated by letter to the record following the clerk of the burrow of pagota and posted on the botto. Mr. Alcalia absent. Mrs. Alvarez present. Mr. Alvarez present. Mrs. Cruz present. Mr. Navaro absent. Mrs. Olivo present. Mrs. Rakat present. Mr. Chavez absent. Mr. Miranda. We have the quorum. Mrs. Alcala and Mr. Chavez has notified of their absence today. Also present our superintendent Damian Kennedy, board attorney Thomas Coin, uh, school business administrator, board secretary, assistant board secretary Elizabeth Ruiz, and our lovely student representative Joanna Morales. Welcome Joanna. Thank you. I'd like to open the floor for agenda items only to citizens. Hearing of the citizens. Do I have a motion to move? A second. That was Alvarez. Any more discussion? All in favor
003of any member please state your name and you have five minutes raising their hands. Do I have a motion to close hearing of the citizens? Alvesia Alvarez or Mr. Alvarez and Mrs. All in favor I thank you. Um, 10 minutes. First up is our student rep, Joanna Morales. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for giving me the time to share what's been happening at BHS. Right now, our seniors are working on the traditional senior mural. It's a great way for them to leave something behind and celebrate their time at BHS. We're also getting ready for prom, which is just 8 days away. There's a lot of excitement and planning on planning going on in the senior class. Also, our track team has qualified for states. They've had an incredible season and we're all looking forward to
004seeing how they do at the next level. This week is spirit week with different themed days and activities each day. It's been a lot of fun and it'll wrap up with our pep rally this Friday. Earlier this week, the early college program students graduated from Bergen Community College with their associates degree. AP testing is almost finished. Most exams are done with the exception of AP psychology. And lastly, we're excited about something new, our first annual BHS talent show happening this Thursday. It's a chance for students to share their interests and abilities outside the classroom, and there's been a lot of positive energy around it. Thank you again. Thank you, Joanna. All right, up for me, I got one HIB in the high school that was founded. Also on this agenda, there is an addendum with
005new hires for the 2526 school year. Uh especially excited to hire an automotive teacher for the CCE building. So that will be two out of our three programs. We have been interviewing um cyber security teachers. So we're hoping for June we will have that uh on the agenda. also up the grand opening of the new Bota Sports Complex will be on June 6th and uh more information will be out about that, but we really want to kick it off. I've been down there pretty much every day uh walking it and they're moving along. So, we're just hoping the weather um cooperates these next couple of weeks. Uh senior prom is next Thursday on the 29th. Uh, all board members are invited to attend the cocktail hour. So, I just want to make sure I get
006that out there. Also, we start awards week the the week of June 2nd with sports on the Monday, arts on Wednesday, and the academic on Thursday. Calendar update, June 11th will now be a single session day. This is more of a contract issue because we have a graduation that night. And just to give everyone clarity on that, originally the election was supposed to be held June 3rd. Um, and we that's when we had our original single session, but in December they moved it because of I believe a Jewish holiday to June 10th. So it kind of screwed us up. So that is why we will have June 10th through the last day of school as single session days. Also, graduations. We start at Bixby on the 11th, which is that Wednesday, Steen on the 12th,
007and the high school will be on the 18th, which is the last day of school. And the plan is to have that at the new fields to have graduation there. So, I believe personally if I had to have graduation there tomorrow, we could we would have to clean up, you know, clean up a little bit and block off some areas, but they're moving out of rate. The deck is going up connecting to the snack stand area. So hopefully that will be good to go. But as long as the weather holds up for us on that graduation night, which is always hit or miss, uh we plan to be there. Uh and that concludes my report. Thank you, Mr. Kennedy. Uh for those who are here, uh we're going to do another walk through. I think
008it's a good what I mean by a walk through. We just walked with the council. We walked with the architects. I mean with the ground personnel. We also did a walk through with the council president and our liaison and the inspector of the town just to make sure you know there was no findings or things of that nature. So far it looked amazing and you could see it in the people's when you step onto that turf or that saw and you realize what has been done. It's it's bizarre. I mean, Kennedy and I went Friday, Monday, and t Friday, Monday, or Thursday, Friday, Monday a few times with meeting up with the administrator of the town. Um, and we saw the house and the snack stand go up in 24 hours. It's impressive. It's impressive.
009It's impressive. Um, they're working fast. I must give kudos because when it's due, it's due. the council, members of the council have been extremely supportive of our efforts up here. Uh they have actually fought back some of the uh agreements they may have had in town with leases and things like that who have been trying to take back the parking lot and they've sort of negotiated the parking lot. They've actually credit certain things back just to make sure that we have the time to do it. And I will say we're almost ready and I assure you that I I can confident that June 6 we're fully ready. Um that that place looks amazing. I mean with the exception of just the attachment of the decking at the very entryway for the for the football fields.
010But go down there. Uh let's get together. Let's go down because you've all put a lot of sweat equity into making this progress and having the million discussions and go to the CTE building. And I for the first time after it all being gut, I was able to walk in there. It's amazing. It It speaks Bagota all the way. Um there's not a lot of towns who have what we're about to have. The elevator shaft is huge. I think you could put a car in there and bring it right up, right? Um it is just amazing. The classrooms, the washrooms, the mechanic room, the cooking area. It's really it's really something to look forward to in Bod. Right. So, uh, let's let's just plan to do it all together. Let's take a walk through together
011because you deserve to get the same emotion that some people are getting. All right. Um, that's it. Looks like we're going to have some special guests as well at June 6 because people are all now interested in BGO, but we'll take everybody to come, right? Because that means we've done a good job. Um, and they want to show up and and commend us for it. So, let's keep moving forward. As you could tell, the rec center is down. So, in just about what we would say 8 months, we'll have a whole brand new section of Bota. Then we're moving on to the I mean, not we, but they are to the pickle ball courts. They're putting up tennis stuff. So, everything is changing and there's some other ideas I think that we should start discussing
012about how do we elevate our experience at the BOE and our students and everything, but go to uh was long overdue. Uh, I'm moving. That's good for me. Um, I think we have one more meeting with you, Joanna. And yeah, I think it it's going to be very bittersweet. I don't know if all know she's going to Boston College. It's going to be great. It's really cold, but it's going to be great. Um, and no, thank you because you brought a different experience to us and it's good to hear from you and you took a lot of ownership in it. So, thank you very much. Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity and getting to speak to all of you. So, it's great. Thank you. Uh move. Now we're moving on to 43, which is the
013approval of April 29th uh regular open and close session meetings. Is there a motion to approve 43? Motion. That's Mrs. Rocket. Do I have a second? Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez. Any board discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz. Yes. Mrs. Olivo. Yes. Mrs. Rocket. Yes, Mr. Mand. Yes. Motion carried. Moving on to resolution 51 in the policy section which is approval of the first reading of policies and regulations. Do I have a motion to move 51? Leo. Olivo. Do I have a second? Second. Cruz. Mrs. Rocket. Any board discussion? Roll call. Eront. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz. Yes. Mrs. Olivo? Yes. Mrs. Racket? Yes. Mr. Miranda. Yes. Motion carried. Moving on to 620 in the education section which is approval of agenda item 61 through 619. Do I have
014a motion to move 620? Motion. Mrs. Alvarez. Do I have a second? Olivo. Miss Mrs. Olivo. Any board discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz. Yes. Mrs. Olivo. Yes. Mr. Ruckett, yes. Mr. Miranda, yes. Motion carried. Moving on to resolution 719 in the personnel section, which approves agenda item six, I'm sorry, 71 through 718. Do I have a motion to move 719? Motion Cruz. Mrs. Cruz, do I have a second? Second. Mrs. Rucket. Any board discussion? Roll call or phone. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz, yes. Mrs. Olivo, yes. Mrs. Rackett, yes. Mr. Miranda, yes. Motion car. Moving on to A12, uh, finance section, which is for the approval items 81 through 811. Do I have a motion to move A12? Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez. Do I have a second?
015Olivo. Mrs. Olivo. Any board discussion? Roll caller fine. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz, yes. Mrs. Solivo, yes. Mrs. Rocket, yes. Mr. Miranda, yes. Motion carried. Moving on to 93, buildings and grounds section. Do I have approval to move 91 92? I'm sorry, which consists of agenda items 91 and 92. You have a motion to approve 93. Motion, Miss Rucket, do I have a second? Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez. Any board discussion? Roll call or fine. Mrs. Alvarez, yes. Mr. Alvarez, yes. Mrs. Cruz, yes. Mrs. Olivo, yes. Mr. Racket, yes. Mr. Miranda, yes. Motion carried. Moving on to 10 six, which are the addendum items, which approves agenda items 101 through 105. Do I have a motion to move 105? Motion. Motion. Mrs. Alvarez, do I have a second? Olivo. Mrs. Olivo. Any board discussion?
016Roll call on. Mrs. Alvarez. Yes. Mr. Alvarez. Yes. Mrs. Cruz. Yes. Mrs. Olivo? Yes. Miss Ruckett? Yes. Mr. Miranda? Yes. Motion carried. Moving on to committee reports. Does any member have any committee reports? Uh yes. Um policy committee met. Um there's quite a few updates, general policies, regulation updates. Um, I would just suggest that um, anyone who wants to read or know more about the policies that you can find them on the BOE website and if you have any other questions about them or having a hard time finding them or understanding them, you can always reach out to amazing. Anyone else? Superintendent. Oh, yeah. I thought you had stopped. I apologize. You looked at me. Is that all? That's all. Okay. Anyone else? No. Moving on to old business. Is there any old business other
017than owing bills? Yeah. Uh, anything on the agenda for new business? Well, nope. So, we're moving on to 141, which opens the floor for hearing of the public on absolutely everything. State your name. You have 5 minutes. Do I have a motion to move it? Alvarez. Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez. Do I have a second? Olivo. Mrs. Olivo. All in favor. Any discussion? No. Okay. Uh, any member, please state your name. You have five minutes. Address the board. Do I have a motion to close? Motion. Motion. Rocket and Mrs. Alvarez. Let us Any discussion? All in favor? I. All right, moving on to tonight. We have a executive session 151 of the agenda and I'll read this. Whereas the C231 PL1975, also known as the Sunshine Law, authorizes a public body to meet an executive or private
018session under certain limited circumstances. And whereas set law requires the board to adopt a resolution at a public meeting before it now public meeting before it. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Bagota Board of Ed education that it does hereby determine that it is necessary to meet in executive session on May 20th, 2025 at approximately 7:20 p.m. to discuss matters involving negotiations litigation personnel and that the matter discussed will be made public when confidentiality is no longer required and action pursuant to said discusses shall take place only at a public meeting. Action may be taken upon return may or may not be taken upon or maybe maybe all right so may be taken upon return from executive session. Do I have a motion to move into executive session? Olivo. Olivo. Mrs. Olivo. Do I
019have a second? Mrs. Rucket for a second. Any board discussion? All in favor? Any oppose? All right. How uh much should we all lot? Maryanne, do you think I want to give a target time of when we're going to come back out? 30 minutes. Okay. All right. So, we'll say 30 minutes. So, we're returning in approximately 7 50 any one of the public. All right. We roll. Yep. Thank you. Do I have a motion to open the public meeting again? Olivo. Olivo. Do I have a second? Second. Alvarez. Alvarez. All in favor? I. Is there any discussion or any order of business? Do I have a motion to close uh adjourn our meeting? Alvarez. Alvarez. Do I have a second? All in favor? I mean any discussion? All in favor? I have a good evening
020everyone. Thank you.