001I would like to call this meeting to order. This is a regular session of the boot township board of education held for the purpose of transacting appropriate board business in compliance with chapter 231 laws of 1975. The notice of this meeting was advertised in the Mars County record. Copies of the agenda of this meeting were appropriately posted and available to the public. Mr. Bike >> here. >> Mr. Brandon here. Mrs. Cavana >> here. >> Mr. Chen, Mrs. Hermy >> here. >> Mr. Johnson here. Mrs. McBride >> here. >> Mr. Will >> here >> also present Mr. Fini superintendent principal we have for Thank you. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the standy for all [Music] presentations in a short while. We have no student representative yet. That brings us
002to board position of board business motions one through three. May I have a motion, please? >> I'll move. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Any questions, comments, or discussion? Um, I'm sorry. Yes. >> Uh, in discussion, I will say for business board this is motion number three. I I want to thank everyone involved in the the negotiation process from the BTA and the board of education and all the subsets of those groups that made that happen. you know every it was it was a great experience you know very positive experience and you know we're very happy that we're we're in this position so I'm thankful involved with that um any other questions comments or discussion >> um I need to abstain from >> and any other questions comments or discussion and if
003not the questions on the adoption of board business motions one through three this is a roll call Mr. Ba >> yes >> Mr. Yes. >> Mrs. Cabana. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Herman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Johnson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. McBry. >> Yes. >> Mr. Middle. >> Yes. >> I got more. >> Thank you. And with that, we have administrative reports. Circle the business administrator board secretary's court. Mr. Murray. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Brander. Just a few items. Um, one down the list. The summer roof project. The only remaining item uh on the project uh actually went very well. The contractor was a great contractor. There are four rooftop gravity vents. We're just waiting for them to finish being manufactured probably the end of September, early October to be installed in the project. 2425
004audit. The auditors have prepared a draft that I'm doing now and they're still waiting for financial information from Department of Ed on pensions. Uh they've been late for the last few years so they can't finish the audit. till late to see that information from the state. I hope to have uh the audit presented at the October board meeting and with preliminary discussions with the order indicated that the district remains an excellent financial commission and with no recommendations to report uh school opening from a facility standpoint very well with the study did excellent job getting school ready delivering classroom supplies to teachers. Business office staff work diligently to prepare for the auditors during the first week of August and it basically takes a lot of teamwork throughout the school year to maintain the highest level of
005financial record keeping workflow efficiency and so forth to uh help support the students and staff. As usual, the boilers were cleaned and inspected over the summer and several heating valves were replaced. System should be ready to go for the heating season. the playground and gym equipment received their annual inspections and the annual stage and upper gym floor were finished. We experienced yesterday low water pressure in the building for about an hour in the afternoon. Uh very limited disruption to the uh the school day other than the lavatories called a contractor very quickly got to the bottom of the problem. Busing uh got off to a good start this year with little and other issues to report. Buses have been running on time each day. And it's hard to believe, but we're starting preparation for the
00626 27th school year budget. Fall season also marks preparation for the budget as well as the data collection of the ASA for the ASA report and the transportation reports and our state aid based on those. That's all I have. Thank you. And that brings us to the superintendent's report. Mr. Pine, >> thank you very much everyone. The first order of business here is I'd like to congratulate the following teachers. Melanie Laruso, Matthew Spender, and Jennifer Roth for achieving tenure. We have Mr. Spender here and I would like to present him with certificate of tenure. >> Thank you. >> Oh, that's awesome. [Applause] Uh these I will also continue tomorrow. Uh in the front office we have a new security feature. This half door used to be open where parents would come in and they would
007engage with the front office staff to get passes and things of that nature. However, this would then create a security breach if they went through because there's a door to the hallway. So, we locked this up and we did a pass through window right here so the parents can still engage in conversations. Have a um little shelf here for uh notes and things like that. And we also have a table in the in the lobby so that they can go out there and grab that, pull it in for the students. where students would typically go out these doors to grab materials or to engage with the office staff. We now have this closed and we have signs here and we instructed all the teachers to inform the students that they are no longer allowed to
008go through these doors. Once you open these doors, two things could happen. One, it compromises the integrity of the building. And second, uh, if a student goes out there and the door closed behind them, now they're stuck outside. They're locked outside. So they are no longer going outside there because we have to pass through window. And to add on to that, oh, hey, go back. >> And the students now, instead of going out into the hallway to interact with the office staff and get notes and lunches and things like that or uh, computer laptops, there's a bell here. they ring the doorbell and then they uh come through the door and they give them whatever they need. So, it keeps the integrity of the building intact and it's a really good thing for the outside
009uh community to know that our building is safe and secure. >> Can I ask you a question about that? >> Yeah. So, there's that side table where you bring stuff with kids that day books. The table is still in the front hall, I assume. >> And then the student will come and ring the doorbell and get the material that way. There's >> that that credenza is now inside of the door. It used to be out in the lobby. Yeah. >> Where the students had to go out. They don't want to go out there inside. >> Okay. >> Temporarily as the parents come in, they can drop their stuff off on that table or the cart. And when the secretaries have the time and the post is clear, they open the door, pull the card in,
010and they put it on the table that's inside the building. So when the kids come, they don't have to go outside into the library to obtain anything. So it'll always remain in the cart. >> If you're a parent, put something in a cart. Yeah. And >> when you go into the lobby and you talk with Mrs. Quaza or Mrs. Foresight, they can say, "Oh, just put on a cart. We'll bring it in." >> They might have once or twice. >> You can see the wheel. You can see the wheels in the car on the left there. >> Any other questions? >> It's such a little thing, but it increased our building security by 10 foot. Oh, by the way, this is just one of those little stick on bells. The kids running, you know, the
011kids like it. Uh, and just going to accentuate our store program. We used to have store as our enrichment, but now we have our win periods for enrichment. This is a little different. This cape, this was born out of our safety and school character uh school education seal committee where they said let's do something that goes along with our mascot and they came up with so show respect your actions act safely and reach for excellence. So if your kids come home with a sore card that means they've been flying high doing the right things. >> Yes question. >> What do they So what do we call the gifted and talented? We're calling it enrichment. >> Enrichment. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions? >> Okay. Uh just step back a little bit over the summer. This
012summer we had an open house for all new families, prek all the way up to 8th grade. Kindergarteners were allowed to come on certain at a certain time based on their last name. So it came in waves of 20 minutes. Then we had all the other grades come in and they got a chance to tour the building. So it really reduces the amount of anxiousness or anxiety new students have coming to a new school. They've already been in the building. It's kind of like their first day. So when the other first day comes along, it's familiar. Uh it also helps with our kindergarteners u transitioning from their parents to the school. So we the years that I've been doing it reduces the amount of criers including the parents. uh then on 8:27 and 8:28 the
013faculty returned and we did PD on a variety of topics and the faculty did classroom setup and I would like to also thank once again the HSA for providing lunch to the faculty. Uh just as a reminder tomorrow September 10th is back to school night for kindergarten uh prek through 4 and on Thursday September 11th is back to school night for grades 5 through 8. And that concludes my report. >> Great. Thank you. And that brings us to accommodations. Mr. Fertini. >> Hey, that's me again. Uh, very quickly, once again, I want to thank Mr. Spender, Mrs. Rother, and Mr. Laruso for their dedication to the building and to the district. And once again, congratulations on your team. Uh, thank you to the amazing faculty for their hard work and energy on the first day
014of school. Their preparation and positivity made the return a very big success for all students. Um and uh also like to thank the ed foundation for their support and uh providing programs and support for the teachers, the administration and support staff. So we we talk about faculty. Everyone here is an equal faculty member, power professionals, secretaries, uh non-certificated members of the of the staff, uh custodial supports because everything that we do, the children are watching and they're learning. So, we're all committed to having the betterment of the child's education through our actions and that goes all across the board for every faculty member in the building. That's why we call everyone a faculty member, not just a staff member. So, I'd like to thank all of those administrators, the business office, administrative assistants for their
015outstanding efforts in preparing for the school and on the opening day. And your work behind the scenes has made us a smooth start possible. Uh, one shout out to the Vander Stratton family for donating a beautiful blue arch that welcomes students on the first day school and brought color, joy, and excitement to RBS. And that concludes my recommend my recommendations. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> And you will have a chance to read correspondence on my present. And that brings us to open session number one. The first public comment period will be limited to agenda items only. The second public comment period will be open to any topic. Please be mindful that public comment periods are available to enable the public to get comments and feedback to the board. Personal matters and
016day-to-day operations are not appropriate subjects for board meetings. These can always be most effectively resolved with the app staff members or administrators according to the ch main concept. Questions may be directed to the appropriate school personnel or board through email and please state your name and address for the record and all comments are limited to five minutes. Would anyone from the public wish to address the board on agenda items at this time? Okay. If not, we will move on to leazison reports starting with the Fountain Lakes Board of Education. >> Sure. Um our last meeting is August 25th. Um the big presentation we had during that meeting was the NJ um GPA, which is New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment. It's given to all 11th graders um within the school. At least that there are a
017few that might be able to opt out. For the most part, almost all take it. Um it's done for ELA and math. Um, and basically it's a readiness assessment um that shows whether they're ready to graduate. They can't graduate unless they pass it. Um, they must pass a cut score of 725. And they test the students on algebra 1 and geometry for math. And on ELA, it's pretty standard. So they have to pass that by grade 11. If not, they're given other ways, other opportunities they can pass it with portfolios and things like that that they can they can perform. Um, and they say they have 100% uh success rate with that. So almost all passed the the test, but the test itself from an ELA standpoint, um 95% of the students, the 11th graders
018were ready. Uh they beat the cut score and on math 86% were ready. Um that it was down in ELA 4%. It was 99% the year before in 24 and it was G1% in math. So kind of up in math, a little down in ELA, but overall still very good scores, well above the state average. >> Great. What's the 1% success rate if there's only if there's lower numbers for >> because you take a you have to perform a portfolio. They have other they can take the test again and then at the end if you fail the test several other times you you put together a portfolio. I'm not exactly sure what the portfolio is. They walk and guide the students through the portfolio and they have 100% success rate through that. >> Yep. Um
019the Mountain Lakes Education Association gave nice opening remarks and wishing everybody a good year. So far, everybody's very excited about the start of the year. Uh Dr. Seagull and the administration held a kickoff day um right before our board meeting. So I think it was either the 24th or the 25th uh with all the faculty um and they uh the board president in Mount Lakes, Joanne Prescus, gave a nice opening uh remarks there. So that was well attended, I guess, and well received. Um and oh, they're looking to kick off a new strategic plan. uh their plan is up in 2027. So they're starting to kick around the idea now of getting everything ready for the next strategic plan. So they want to be ready before the old one ends. So I could see probably
020in 26 sometime at that point the calendar year 26 of them kicking off a new um a new plan and they talked about we as a board talked about who do we want to attend and it was definitely unanimous. They want to open it up. They want the community in. We want to do we might do school boards again. and we might not. We're not sure yet, but they're definitely going to go through a strategic planning process. So, um that was about it. >> Great. Thank you. That brings us to New Jersey School Boards Association. >> Um yeah, I just want to mention uh quickly the NJSBA um opened up or published an information portal about um new format, the NJSLA and NJTPA test. They'll be adapted take on the computer to be fuel tested
021this year and rolled out following years. So that's on the website look at it. >> So does it depth mean it gets get progressively harder if you're answering the questions correctly like certain tests are I don't know the detail but it sort of it changes as you answer questions different along >> that's exactly what it does here. >> Yep. Got it. Okay. I'm not sure he felt tests here, but >> sorry field tested I mean throughout the state. >> Yeah, we just got the notice a couple weeks ago. >> Thanks. >> Sounds very harsh. >> Yes. Well, thank you. That brings us to Morris County Schoolboards Association. >> Yes. Just a reminder, the next meeting is Tuesday, October 7th. We get really lucky. It's in Booten. So, if you'd like to go u make sure
022that you register either on site or virtual. On-site starts at 600. They'll have dinner and then virtual starts at 6:45. The uh topic is from from budgets to brilliance linking school finance to students. >> Was that >> Tuesday October 7th? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. That brings us to the Educational Services Commission of Morris County. Their meeting is tomorrow night, so I have nothing to report. Booten Township Special Education Parent Advisory Group. Um some updates regarding regarding SEAG include um a meeting of SEAG officers or school administration is scheduled to take place this Thursday in the first place of the year is scheduled to take place on October 14th at 7 p.m. here in the library and one who like to attend it's more than welcome to do so and in November there will
023be anformational session on ADHD more details will be shared and that >> great thank you and that brings us to the bootship education foundation >> that's but I I just pulled up the foundation Facebook page [Laughter] to do a quick YouTube, but they October 10th is their annual fundraiser. So, it's back to the 80s theme and it looks like super fun like very um very great. They are collecting donations but up until the 19th of September. So, if you know of any businesses that want to participate, you know, um then reach out. And then the four kids program is uh up and running again this fall and registration opens on 12th. And the classes look awesome. I mean really awesome like pickle ball, golf, chef, board games, movie club, Legos. I mean just like loaded.
024So looks like a lot of fun stuff. That's awesome. Um yeah, that's what I found. Hey, that brings us to the Rockway Valley Home and School Association. >> So, we have our first meeting next Tuesday at 700 p.m. here in the library, which is September 16th. We've been meeting for about the last 3 four weeks as committees and kind of spearheading events for the year. So, there is a calendar that's been distributed. Um, the talent shows booked. Trying to think what else? The ice cream socials booked. So, we're kind of looking at plans long term. And then I'm trying to think what else. We have a newsletter that's coming out monthly. So, you should be seeing that in the community. And that's about the extent of what we've been doing. >> Thank you. And that
025brings us to Township of Boom. >> Okay. Few things to report. Uh the flu clinic is Thursday, October 2nd from 4 to 6:00 p.m. in the municipal trailer. C township website for details and also to register. Household hazardous waste day is Saturday, September 20th from 9:00 am to 2 pm at Puquanic Valley Park, Marvin Road in Pmpton Plains. There'll be a mobile DMV van scheduled in Putin Township in October. date will be announced next week along with details on how to make your appointment for a real ID and other motor motor vehicle services without need to visit an motor vehicle office. This event is uh sponsored in conjunction with Assemblyman Christian Bronco's office. Details will be posted on the township website, weekly newsletter, and township social media pages as soon as the date is confirmed.
026Uh, speaking of the newsletter, you can sign up at www.benttownship.com newsletters. Uh, well over a thousand subscribers receive our newsletter. Sign up to receive information on township events. And last is early voting for the general election begins on Saturday, October 25th. It runs through Sunday, November 2nd at the municipal building. Election day is Tuesday, November 4th. And that concludes my report. >> Great. Thank you. And that lastly, that brings us to the Boom Township Green Team. >> Yeah. So October I mean October August August 23rd we had a really great river cleanup um collected just I don't know if you saw the pictures but just volumes of garbage and it was just three hours just I mean we got a lot but there's always more. um tires and I mean and I just want to
027thank the uh council members. We have Honoli and um Clinger all came out and helped us which was just fantastic um to have their help. They were actually our only volunteers that like we didn't know were coming. So it was just green team members and council. So that was we had a lot of laughs and uh it was a good event. Um and yeah, so now we're rolling into working on the um trying to get the silver award for a number of different actions that we're we're focusing. So stay tuned. Hopefully you'll see it and um next month. >> Thank you very much. And that brings us to facilities transportation. I don't think we met since the last board meeting. We have one we're schedu >> and finance is next. Uh the finance committee has
028not met since the last meeting but we probably need to schedule a meeting for that. That brings us to finance motions 1 through six. I motion please. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any questions, comments or discussion? If not the questions on the adoption of finance motions one through six. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Anyone oppose say no. Any abstensions? And that brings us to personnel. The personnel committee met uh today. We three >> uh the personnel committee actually discussed all the uh we we already were the first 12 motions but we also discussed personnel motions let's see 14 15 16 through 18 and 19 just to tie it into the agenda. And with that, uh, we have a motion, please. >> Is there a second? >> A second.
029>> Any questions, comments, or discussion? And if not, the questions on the adoption of personal motions 1 through 19. This is a roll call. Mrs. Ba, >> yes. >> Mr. Brander, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cavana, >> yes. >> Mrs. Hermes, >> yes. >> Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Mr. McBride, >> yes. >> Mr. Mill, >> yes. Mrs. No, >> yes. >> Question. Thank you. The program committee is meeting this for Friday. So there's nothing to report there. That we have a motion for program motion number one. >> Is there a second? >> Any questions, comments, or discussion? If not, the questions on the adoption of program motion number one. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Anyone post say no? Any extensions? And that brings us to policy. I think we're in the
030process of scheduling. I don't know if we have a date yet. But if not, I think we're having that soon. And same with governance. Governance committee must meet. Um actually, you know, whoever is, you know, can spare a few minutes after the meeting if we for each of those committees of work to get maybe stay under and try to um scope policy and governance, that would be great. >> Finance >> and finance. Yes. Thank you. >> So those three committees afterwards only groups of four or less can discuss each of those meeting dates. And with that, we're at open session number two. The second public comment period will be open to any topic. Please be mindful that public comment periods are available to enable the public to give comments and feedback to the board. Personal
031matters and day-to-day operations are not appropriate subjects before meetings. These can always be most effectively resolved with the appropriate staff members or administrators according to the chain command concept. Questions may be directed to the appropriate school personnel or board through email. Please state your name and address for the record and all comments are limited to 5 minutes. Would anyone from the public wish to address the board on any matter? If not, that brings us to old business. Any old business to come before the board? Any new business to come before the board? >> Just one little thing. It's not It's kind of a blend of old and new. Uh when do we want to spearhead another newsletter? And I was thinking like just because it's a form we can discuss potentially putting in the new
032goals and just anything we did over the summer. If anyone could kind of send me feedback in the next week or two. I could start drafting it. >> Well, that would be great. >> Sure. >> You're welcome. >> Yeah. I just want to like to congratulate John and administrative staff on audit. It's great to hear that we're in financial standing. It just makes everything in the district run so well smooth. So, good job. Thank you. Hopefully we get the numbers from the state and they'll be uh they were penciled in for October meeting to present. >> Thank you. >> Yes. The st all my staff did a great job and you know again all the teachers, all the staff, all it's it's a really a collective effort to make sure that things are run properly,
033purchase orders are sent in the right format and everything. So it really is a collective effort. >> A well-run machine you have going. So appreciate >> he's being modest and humble. It's like he's >> it's have a great staff we're hitting all. >> Great. Well, thank you. And thank you. Thank you. >> Can I ask when are we going to have a senior leazison from Mountain High School? >> I'm guessing hopefully. I would have guessed soon because it's the very beginning of the year, right? So, probably >> I contacted the high school principal back in I think either June or July. He said that he was going to work on it and then get back to me. I'll send him a reminder. >> Thank you. And is there any other new business that come before
034the board? If not, we do not have a close session this evening. We do have a reason to reconvene. We have no other board action. May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll second. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. F say no. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much for coming to our meeting. We we're off to a good start for our school year. Thanks. Thanks so much. >> Thanks for having us.