001[Music] Today is April 7th. Please join us for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The mission of the White Plains Public Schools is to educate and inspire all students while nurturing their dreams so they learn continually, think critically, pursue their aspirations, and contribute to a diverse and dynamic world. Next, we're going to just start with some very brief comments from the board. Just a little update on some of the activities. Um, uh, a lot of us went to a couple of sessions from Keen and Bean. Uh, and these are really educational sessions that give us opportunity, um, to hear about the the hot button topics today.
002Um, and really just enhance our overall knowledge. Um, also I was a I was able to um attend along with a few of us the the Harlem Wizards um at the high school. It was crowded. It was certainly a very successful and fun event. A good time was had by all. Craig, thank you. We had a coffee with the board session on Saturday morning, March 22nd. We had a few people join us which was great from the community and ask questions of us. Um the next one is this coming Saturday from 1 to 2 at Ice Cream Social on Mamarin Avenue. So if you have any questions for the board or anything you'd like to raise in person, that's a great opportunity to do so. And finally, just a shout out to the University of
003Buffalo women for winning the basketball NIT tournament. I'll just uh quickly jump in. I attended the uh citywide orchestra festival last week uh here in the auditorium. It was it's always amazing to see the progression from elementary school to the high school um symphonic orchestra and it's just a really beautiful transition from elementary to high school. Um so this past weekend the high school for those who don't know um has a local chapter of a national organization called seed students seeking educational equity and diversity and every year they have uh a weekend retreat and this is the second year in a row that I went and it is a remarkable remarkable experience with diverse group of students wonderful they're thoughtful and uh they give me hope at a time that I need some hope. Um,
004but it was just wonderful and I thank Wendy Dale and the the teachers who facilitate it, but it's really the the the seniors uh the officers of the club that really run the whole program. It's remarkable and uh it's a great experience and I'm not that tired. I will go fast. So, um, I attended the White Plains Middle School production of Newsies, uh, along again with some of my fellow board members. Uh, Postro Evening of the Arts. Post Road also had a STEM fair. GW had a math night. Uh, high school art show, portfolio exhibit opening. Um, there was a spring play here at the high school. Also, uh, Cabaret 2025 that I know a few of us attended. Um, I attended guidance night, college admissions. Um, I love going to those panel discussions, although
005my kids are, uh, you know, not, you know, they're they're a little older, but I love going to those evenings. Um, what else? Uh, Westchester Putinham School Boards Association, um, has been doing some talks. Uh they did one on state aid and long range financial planning. Another one on current events uh including the digital world and our students navigating the digital digital world and uh social media. Um the New York State School Boards Association has also done some webinars um and superintendent evaluation. Uh again a few of us have gone to that parliamentary procedures, workers compensation. Um the Boseies um well the department of education from uh states the New York State Education Department did an uplifting all students conference virtual morning. Um, so I was able to go over to Southern Westchester Boseies um
006to attend that and they had different school districts presenting some of their best practices in terms of diversity uh equity and inclusion. And then the final thing is um I attended the National School Boards Association conference. I literally got off a plane just a couple of hours ago. Um, and I'm fortunate to be able to attend something like this uh in my role as the New York State School Boards Association director of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnham and attended some really great sessions. I really look forward to bringing back some of the information um that I learned uh some really great programs um you know ranging from artificial intelligence uh durable skills which I'll touch on uh a little later um food for all you know universal school meals so really a number of very interesting
007workshops. Thank you. your necklace. Yes. Just one more thing in addition to what everybody else already said was that Prince had an evening of the arts um almost a month ago at this point, but it was beautiful display of artwork from all the children from kindergarten through fifth grade and um it was followed by a recorder uh concert and everybody was blown away by the talent of our students just like with all the other art events that have gone on throughout the month. So, I just wanted to say I'm so proud of our students because they blow everybody away from music to art to sports. So, welcome everybody. Congratulations to all the scholar athletes tonight as well. And and thank you Jessica for always keeping us posted with every picture that you can take at
008the events. We really appreciate that as well. Next, um we will go to our superintendent Thank you, President Miller. Good evening, everybody. Good evening. Welcome. Um, before I I move into our first item, I do uh want to call attention, we have something to celebrate. I received notification from the New York State Athletic Administrators Association that our very own Mike Chap has earned his certified athletic administrator designation. Congratulations, Coach Chap. They don't they don't just give that away. Mike had to do a lot of work for it. So, Mike, thank you very much and and thank you for for all that you do for our Tigers day in and day out. Congratulations. Um, I also would like to just uh draw attention to another group of uh Tigers who are going to be recognized uh
009very soon. actually this time by the county. Um five uh the fantastic five uh students from Mamarin Avenue School um are being recognized uh for the eco award this year. And Isaac, Xavier, Connor, Caleum, and Luca worked really hard to plan together and coordinate a schoolwide challenge where they collected on a daily basis uh it seems um as much plastic uh for recycling as they could. Um they visited all 32 classrooms. They they made their rounds collecting um the the plastic which was then uh believe it or not turned into a buddy bench um from Trex deck. So or next rather um and and they're going to be recognized by the county at the end of the month. Um so we're so proud of them and grateful for everybody who helped them as well as
010the entire MAS community. Congratulations to our Tigers. And um I also would like to and I'm going to pass this around to the board of education um just to read a beautiful note that we received from u the uh White Plains High School Varsity Hockey Parents Association. Great picture of the team. Um appreciate your continued support for the varsity hockey program. We had an incredible year on and off the ice. Close this year- end yearbook sharing our accomplishments as athletes, scholars, and community members. Wishing you all a memorable end of the 2425 school year. Thank you for all that you do. and that's from the parents association to the board of education. So congratulations to everybody and uh and thank you very much. So it is uh it's my my pleasure really uh to to
011welcome uh for this first part of the superintendent report the recognition from New York State School Boards Association Champions of Change and Dr. Charl Brady um will be uh presenting this award. Okay. Okay. On behalf of New York State School Boards and the White Plains City School District. Good evening, Superintendent Raa, President Eller, Vice President Leticia, fellow board members, administration, staff, students, parents, community members. I'm standing here in my role of area 10 director of the New York State School Boards Association, otherwise known as NISPA, representing Westchester, Rockland, and Putnham counties. I serve as the liaison between the school boards of these counties and the association. And as you know, I'm also a proud member of the White Plains school board. And I am so pleased that we're being recognized with NISPA's Champions of Change
012Award. One of the perks of my directorship is making these presentations to area 10 districts. And so I do want to be a little on the formal side so you get the full, you know, court treatment. Um, and I had this honor as well for White Plains about a year and a half ago um for another Champions of Change award. So, this is really terrific. Um, very briefly for those who may not be familiar with NISPA, NISPA is the New York State organization that provides leadership to our school boards through advocacy, information, and programs and a drop of history about the Champions of Change recognition. A couple of years ago, NISPA designed an initiative to highlight the positive programming that was bringing change to the students, communities, and school districts of New York State, the
013Champions of Change program. The recognition is unsolicited. There's no application. There's no competition. NISPA's member relation team combs through media articles that highlight educational programs in New York State. And in addition, member relations visits upwards of 300 school districts each year to discuss their successes and challenges. NISBA's award committee then receives nominations from member relations and the committee selects programs to be recognized. So, on behalf of NISPA President Sandra Rufo and Executive Director Bob Schneider, I'm excited to present a Champions of Change award to the White Plains City School District in recognition of our program, Incubator Edu. So, let me just say a few words highlighting this innovative, engaging, and impactful program. And maybe uh our administrators will have a little more to say as well. Um, White Plains High School has implemented Uncharted Learning's
014Experiential Entrepreneurship year-long course partnering with the Westchester Innovation Network of the Westchester Business Council to offer juniors and seniors the opportunity to develop their own business idea, working in teams to create a product or service and associated business plan, our own Shark Tank experience. And I am happy to say it is an exemplar of project-based learning. One of many such opportunities we're proud to offer to our students. You're going to hear from our science research program tonight as well. And it's also aligned with New York State's recent work on portrait of a graduate. And in addition, one of the sessions I was able to attend at the National School Boards Association conference was on durable skills. And these in in the age of artificial intelligence and these are skills that all students are really going
015to need to succeed in the workforce of the future like listening like time management like collaboration like critical thinking, handling challenges, decisionmaking, planning their work, taking responsibility, adaptability, resource management. And these are all the kinds of skills that are embedded in these programs that we offer here. So throughout the year in incubator edu, mentors and coaches volunteer from the community and local business world to work with our students in helping to bring their ideas and plans to fruition and they serve as judges. And we're very appreciative of our volunteers time, efforts, expertise, and enthusiasm. And I also want to thank our coordinator of K12 instructional technology, business and library media services, Rocco Verulo, who oversees the program along with teacher Ashley LeBlanc and our assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Debbie Hand. I and other
016fellow board members have experienced firsthand the impressive presentations or pitches by our student teams of their novel and innovative projects. So, let me unfurl the banner and it reads Champions of Change White Plains City School District Board of Education Incubator Edu Program. So, thank you. We are very proud of this. Um, please join me on behalf of NISPA in applauding all of you, all of us in the White Plains City School District who contributed to and who made this program possible and for the support of our students and curriculum in such an impactful and student centered way. And finally, thanks to the school board for being uh a member of the New York State School Boards Association. So, thank you. You got a picture. Dr. Hand, Mr. Verulo, is Miss Blanc Leblanc here as well?
017Oh, yes. Melan, Mr. Martinez, could you all come up to the front, please? Congratulations, Dr. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. Come on over. You want to say a few words? Um, sure. I'll go for um, thank you. Thank you. This is a great honor and um, I can I say the students, we thank the students. We thank Miss Ashley Blanc as our teachers, Dr. Ricker, the board. Um, thank you so much for being here tonight. Is a great program. I'm honored to be part of it. Thank you. Congratulations. Uh, thank you to the board, to NISPA for this um, recognition. Thank you to Mr. Verulo and Dr. Hand and Mr. Martinez for bringing this program here and for giving me the opportunity to teach this course these past three years. Um, the only thing I
018would add is it doesn't get more real life learning uh, than incubator. Um, so if you have the opportunity, we would welcome you all to attend our final pitch night on May 13th and have the opportunity to see our students uh deliver their final pitches to our panel of judges. It's a great night of celebration for all the students and their hard work. Thank you so much. Well, thank thank you all so much again and of course to to our parents and guardians and our tigers who participate in this program as well as those folks in business and industry um who do come and and support as mentors and also as judges for the products. I would be remiss if I didn't also thank the business council of Westchester um under leadership of Dr. Marcia
019Gordon and the executive committee. The business council is also a supporter of of our program and continues to help uh through through seed money as well as exposure. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the business council's exposure that that uh popped up on NISBA's uh screen. So, congratulations to everybody and again, thank you very much, Dr. Brady and and New York State School [Applause] Boards. I hope you're not tired of clapping because we got a lot of clapping to do right now. It's a scholar athlete uh portion of of our evening and I'm very happy to to welcome Mr. Cameron and Mr. Chapas up to the front uh to take over as we recognize our scholar athletes as well as our coaches outstanding performances in their sports as well as uh uh in the
020classrooms. Yes, thank you Dr. Reka. Thank you board of ed. Congratulations again to the incubator program. Uh I look out here I think I see a number of students and student athletes who are part of our our athletic program that are also part of the incubator program. So it does speak volumes on the work that that these students do uh in the classroom and on the field as well. So again congratulations to you and your hard work. Uh tonight we celebrate our scholar athletes. A New York State scholar athlete is defined as a varsity student who uh is able to obtain a 90 average or above. And a New York State scholar athlete team is a team that's able to have 75% of their roster averaging over a 90. And tonight we have a number
021of scholar athlete teams as well as a number of scholar athletes. And for the winter season this year we had 129 scholar athletes here at White Plains High School. [Applause] So without further ado, I'd like to call up our first team of the night and that's going to be our cheerleading team led by Coach Bartalot. [Applause] I don't know who I have here. We'll see. Okay. Um, hi everyone. I just want to say I'm so proud of this winter team for not only winning individual awards, but also the team award for the second season in a row. So, I'm very proud of our team. Um, big congratulations to all of our individual winners who won from Oh, this one. Sorry, guys. A big congratulations to all of our individual winners who won from our team.
022Coach D and I are so proud of you and all the hard work that you've put in during our season. Uh good luck to our seniors, some of which have committed to some schools already for next year, which is super exciting. Uh we're so proud of you guys and we will miss you on the team next year. So congratulations cheerleaders. Uh, our first winner, Isabella Daza, senior. Isabella Espanol, senior. Alana Gray, our captain, senior. Taylor Hemingway Wilkins, co- captain, senior. Lucy Lel, ninth grade. Lucy's here. Come on, Lucy. I know you're here. I saw you earlier. Jerretti Rozes Martinez, ninth grade. Eileen Peina, 10th grade. Erin Rodriguez, ninth grade. And Alyssa Winter, co- captain, 12th grade. Thank you guys. Congratulations. Take a picture. Congratulations again, cheer. Next up, we have girls basketball led by Coach
023Carter. [Applause] and assistant coach Julia Reio alumni too, right? Hello everybody. We got five. Um, I just wanted to say to my team and I wrote this little something for them. I said, "You've proven that excellence isn't about choosing between the court and the classroom. It's about showing up fully in in both scholar athletes like you inspire greatness. Keep pushing and keep shining. Our girls get pushed hard in the classroom about doing being the best. So I got this affirmation. I tell them when they wake up and I said every day repeat this. I want to be the best. I'm going to be the best. I am the best. Right? So they have to put those words into fruition every day on the court, in the classroom. So these young ladies do both. They lead
024by example. First up is McKenna Austin, Milana Ferrar, Taylor Ferrar, Bana Gilline, Jay Jackson, Paige Kiran, Emily Plat, and Brook Siri. We're studying right now. Congratulations, girls basketball. Yeah. And then I also got to say [Applause] this is Julia Reio. She's been a big inspiration to leading the girls and got them. So, she used to play here and she got a full ride to stack. She's now back with our program doing great things. This is Julie Reio. [Music] [Applause] All right. Thank you, Coach Reio. Thank you, Coach Carter. Next up, wrestling led by coach Sofos and Coach Carol. [Applause] Everybody, thanks for coming out tonight. Uh those of you that know sport of wrestling, it's very demanding. Uh I guess especially with me with a coach, I I work these guys pretty hard. Uh they
025have to worry about cutting weight, learning new moves, constant conditioning, and on top of that, these guys were able to achieve scholar athlete. I'm very proud of all these boys and girls. Uh so the following received scholar athlete scholar athlete this year, Justin Lopez [Applause] Yes. And Justin just committed to UPEN this year. Aman Aman Prasad Matthew [Applause] Bukai, Nicholas Troyani, Philip, [Applause] you angel. Sorry. Kaden Matthew Witty, Juan Royo, Ryan Chong, Luke [Applause] Bellantoni, Justin Milanta, and Elena Cardophala. Get in there. Get a picture. Come on. Come on. [Applause] So, next up is a special one. Uh we have a uh a ski team here of one. Um and I'd like to call up the coach uh coach Clark here to uh announce our skier. 100%. Um this one right? Hello. To uh to
026be a dedicated skier, it requires, you know, an extreme amount of commitment. Uh, our home mountains this year were in, you know, Monaceel, Windham. Um, sectionals were up in Hunter States, which Kellen made this year. We're in Gore Mountain. Um, oftentimes we leave before school even ends, and we get back long after the sunset, past 10:00 at night, and I'll find Kellen in the back of the bus under a dimly lit light doing his homework. Um, I think, you know, he's an incredible skier, as shown by his accomplishments this year, and he's an even better kid and a great uh student. So, I'm honored to be able to present this award to Kellen Doherty. Congratulations again on an awesome season, Kellen. I do also have to mention uh he is an eighth grader too. So
027he's he is achieving. He is achieving already. So well done. Uh next up, I do not believe our girls hockey coach is in the building. We have a merger, a girls hockey merger, the Green East Wave, and we have uh one scholar athlete from that merger, Sasha Bernstein. Congratulations, Sasha. Uh, next up, boys basketball. Coach Mayfield, Coach Darcy, Coach Sans, Um, I know there's a a little basketball game tonight, so I'll be brief. I'll just let you know Houston's going to win. But, uh, I'd like to thank the board of education, Dr. Ricka, the high school administration for always supporting the the scholar athletes. And a heartfelt congratulations to all the winter scholar athletes. You should be proud of your accomplishments and I wish you continued success. The coaches put in a lot of effort
028with this group, but this is a the most well-rounded group of seniors that I've coached in a long time. They're very active. Uh basketball practice ends sometimes 8:00 at night and they they can be seen doing homework at games. the they were a true scholar athlete team. Their dedication both to their academics and to their team was outstanding and their shining example for the future. This year's scholar athletes Christian [Applause] Bang. They really are faster than this. Justin Bang. Justin was an all league player this year. Michael [Music] Bella. Quick story about Michael. in the 32 years of the court of excellence that section one gives out. This is our Michael was our second individual to receive the court of excellence award. It's a a major outstanding uh acknowledgement for him. What an accomplishment. The
02911 11 people out of the entire section received that award and Michael was one of them. Congratulations [Applause] Julian [Applause] Coronanti, Max Freriedman Our Tom Eaton Award winner this year, Judah [Applause] Goldenberg, Asa Hamlin Justin Leamir and Jonathan Tuckman. [Music] Thank you and good luck to everyone. [Music] Spence, get in there. Nice job. Well done, boys. [Music] Basketball. Next up, boys swim and dive led by Coach Dohy and Coach Eller. [Applause] Okay. Hello. Good evening everyone. Oh, okay. Uh, my name is Coach Feahhee and I'm the modified swim boy swim coach and I'm speaking on behalf of coach Carmona who could not be here this evening. I've got coach Eller, assistant coach with me here as well. Um, we'd like to thank the board of ed, Dr. Ricka, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Papus, Mr. Martinez for
030all their support during the swim season. Also, thank you parents for coming to our meet and cheering on the team. To sum up, we had another great boys swim season this year. I think our highlight was winning divisionals this season. The boys had fantastic swims. The divers did fantastic. We were so proud of them. And our success this season can be attributed to the great depth of our team. The whole team contributed to a positive and successful season. We're so very proud of their accomplishments this season, both in the pool and in the classroom. So, at this point, I'd like to read the names of our 27 swimmers who make up our scholar athlete list this season. Those numbers also combine to make our team a scholar athlete team. Okay, here we go. Oh, sorry.
031Okay. Uh, Joseph Alleta, um, Nathan Beck, Um, Jackson Bot, one of our captains. Uh, we've got Vincent Celli, Diego Chavez, another captain. Jack Cullen, Liam Daffler, Matthew Diaz, another captain, Connor Dominic, William Holly, Audi Kamar, Julian McDermott, Adrien Meita. Okay. Max Millian MW, Max Polio, Roman Range, John Paul Reio, Alejandro Alusco, Adriano Riso, Lorenzo Russo, Leo Tashman, Matthew Barara, Joshua Barara, and we also have three swimmers from the middle school that also made scholar athlete. Giles Aman, Misha Bar, Borisenko, and Matthew Brouso. Just say again, congratulations to all of our swimmers and to all the athletes this evening. Thank you. Good job. Good job, guys. Thank you. Take a picture. Thank you guys for picture. [Applause] Congratulations again. Next up, boys indoor track led by Coach Furry. [Applause] Oh, he printed it out for me.
032Thank God. All right. both. All right. Welcome. Uh, good to see so many of you here tonight. Congratulations to all the teams that won this award. Um, I always say, um, we're fortunate in track. We have a lot of great uh student athletes and we get to go to a lot of events. Um but I'm always most nervous when it's time to calculate scholar athlete because track and field has been scholar athlete team for many many years in a row and I'm always afraid is this the year it's not going to happen. This was not the year. In fact this was a very good year for track and field in the classroom. Um which is just really important to us. We always tell the students that, you know, this is a scholar athlete team and
033and that's the reason why we're here. Uh with that being said, we did have a lot of success on the track this year. Um we sent six young men and women to the indoor Nike nationals. Our boys team was second and probably the most competitive league in in Westchester. Um, and we're really looking forward to uh outdoor as um a couple of our relays have already won top 10 times in the state of New York. So, we're pretty excited about that. 27 boys had 90 or above for track and field. Um, really an impressive group. Michael Grande, Ben Bassetini, Tomas McDermott, William McDermott, Declan Brown, Dylan Lamur, David Hernandez, Jag Alie, Vincent Pune, Maxwell Marino, Patrick Cave, Max Barrera, Jorge Hernandez, Shauna Fala, Austin Smith, Kristen. So, Matt Viola, Noah Lee. Noah Lee is going
034to NYU next year. Early commit. Um, Jacob Santiago. I told him he wouldn't broke his arm if there was an outdoor track. Karen Keane. Karen Keane just ran the third fastest time in New York State this year in the 400 meters. Josh Jamo, Devin Johnson, Justin McDy, and Jaden Gonzalez. See Jaden. We'll do the girls in a second. Congratulations. [Applause] Thank you all for being here tonight. As Coach Furry said, we had a really great indoor season. Lots of personal bests came out from this team of young ladies. lots of exciting results that we really can't wait to see how it transfers over into outdoor track. We had one young lady who made it all the way to state qualifiers, several all league recipients, as well as one young lady who did make it into
035the mile for Nike indoor nationals. So, thank you guys. Our scholar athlete recipients, Julia Amusen Michelle Aras, Sophia Barrera, Ava Blount, Alexandra Bowman, Jessica Kamacho, Camila Castillo, Samantha Castro, Perez, Zire Coulson, Stella Dilio, Sydney D. Dietro, Gabriella Dwarte, Trinity Edwards, Llaya Hernandez, Riley Keane, Olivia Kger, Sophia Lavine, McKenzie Lindberg, Katie Menjavar, Caitlyn O'Donnell, Isabella Rei, Evangelene Robbins, Valentina Romero Garcia, Mila Tomlin, Yumo Tonichel, Aurora Torres, Olivia Ia Suji Allelli Turado Salves Gardosa and Amaly Whitler [Applause] coaches There you go. Girls track. All right, next up we have two sports. Uh, both coaches are actually our our boys lacrosse coaches and they are at a game right now in in Harrison. I do not have a score update for you. Um, but hopefully we are winning. Um, so first up will be ice hockey and that's
036Coach Rubenstein. And now he couldn't be here but he did uh send me a little note to uh to read out. So, uh, good evening. So proud and honored to have the varsity ice hockey team earn the New York State team scholar athlete award this year. Glad to see that not only do they put the work in on the ice, but also in the classroom. Here are our scholar athletes. Eighth grader Jacob [Applause] Vines, freshman Kai Chen, Sophomore Evan Espen. Sophomore Jonah Glasman. Seniors Ari Bernstein, senior Ethan Ilberg, and senior Lev Glasman. Congratulations, Hockey. [Applause] Our uh last sport and absolutely not least is bowling. Coach Armagita could not be here. Um, but he did prepare a few words here and I'll I'll read them out. Uh, the varsity bowling team had another successful season
037on the alleys and in the classroom. This is the second year in a row the team is being honored as the New York State Scholar Athlete Team. The team came within one point of a third place finish in a league of nine teams and all members are underassmen and we are very excited for the future of bowling. Here are scholar athletes. Peter Marcen, Joshua [Applause] Kim, Matthew Grippo, [Applause] Joshua, Mr. You want a single shot without me? She's ahead of you. Thank you again to all the families who came out here tonight and uh please get home safely. looking forward to seeing a lot of you at our spring scholar athlete. We are very excited to next welcome Dr. Debbie Hand again, Dr. David Jacob and Miss Fleming uh as well as our science research
038students who are going to give the board of education an update on the science research program. And there's just so much to be proud of in terms of the accomplishments. You may have seen some of the the presentations right outside in in the lobby and really tremendous um tremendous work and and so I think is Miss Fleming is she here? Hey Miss Fling, come on over. Thank you to the members of the board of education, Dr. Rick. Yes, Dr. Hant, Mr. Martinez, and Dr. Jacob. I really appreciate the support you show of the science research program. Uh good evening. My name is Kimberly Fleming. I am the science research teacher here at White Plains High School. And um I don't want to spend too much time talking this evening, but I have three of my
039students who wanted to come up and say a few words about their experiences in the program. Um and while they're talking, you'll see up here on the screen, I have some photos um highlighting some of the achievements and activities that we've been doing in the science research program this year. Um you'll see what you're looking at right now are students um at WESF which is the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair. So I had 14 students participate at WESF this year and seven of them were recognized with awards. So we're very excited and proud of them. But even just getting to the point in their research where they're able to present at WESF is a huge accomplishment because um at WEF it's very competitive and they're looking for students who have uh submitted and completed a
040science research project with data results. Um and it takes a while to get to that point. Um so it's really exciting when they're able to showcase their final work. Um and there's a lot of paperwork involved in the process too. So, just completing all of that paperwork and being acknowledged and accepted is a huge accomplishment. Um, also you'll see some photos of students practicing for WESF. I have several practice nights throughout the year um in the springtime when they're getting ready. Um, I also arranged through society for the for science um to have two Regeneron scientists come to our classroom to share their experiences with our students. So, you'll see some photos of that. And I also applied and received a grant this year to um to provide my students with access to data sensors
041uh specifically so they could measure w water quality and do long-term projects on water quality and monitor the health of our waterways. So what you'll see here also is the field trip we recently took to Ry Nature Center where the students actually got to use those water sensors and collect data. Um, and we used that information to help encourage them to consider using that as a a project they might pursue, but also so they could get in the habit and practice using and collecting data. And we um in back in the classroom, we use that data to teach about how to uh determine significance and how to create graphs. So, those are some of the highlights that you'll see here. But at this time, I'd like to call up my students who um would like
042to say a few words about their experiences. And I if I could have um Haley Brick come up first. Thank you. [Applause] Hi, my name is Haley Brick and I am a sophomore in the science research program here at White Plains High School. My research focuses on celiac disease, its comorbid psychological conditions, and how they affect the quality of life for adolescence. And I'm really fortunate to have Dr. Anne Roland Lee of Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Celiac Disease Center as my official mentor and of course Miss Fleming as my unofficial class mentor. To be honest, when I first joined the program, I was really nervous because I don't particularly consider myself scienceminded and I thought I would be really overwhelmed. But to my surprise, this very quickly became my favorite class and
043a lot of that is thanks to Miss Fleming. If you're not familiar with Tiger Tuesday, it's a thing we have here where one of our periods is extended to 60 minutes so that freshmen can meet with their guidance counselors. For the rest of us, that means that one of our classes is 20 minutes longer. And every Tuesday, I often find myself telling Miss Fleming, you know, I really wish that 8th period was the long one today because that means I get to spend more time in her class. There's so much that I love about Miss Fleming's class. For one, she breaks everything down into manageable steps, which makes even the biggest tasks feel doable. We also have plenty of time to complete our learning contract assessments. These are our tri-weekly assignments, and I never ever
044feel rushed. But the best part of the class is the sense of partnership. While I'm doing the work, Miss Fleming is always there to meet with me one-on-one, offering feedback and suggestions to help me improve. It's very clear that this program is her passion and the amount of time and energy that she invests in her students is incredible. It's obviously that she genuinely wants to see all of us succeed. I'm very excited to continue my journey in the science research program and I can't wait to see where it takes me. Thank you. Thank you, Haley. That was very nice. Okay, next up we have Olivia [Applause] [Music] Tuzzle. Hello, my name is Olivia Tuselle and I am a junior enrolled in White Plains High School's science research program. My intended science research study is designing
045a sustainable menstrual pad using invasive Japanese knotweed or reutria japonica. When it was time to apply for the science research program my freshman year, I was extremely ambivalent about telling my counselor that I was willing to commit to this class. I would hear upperassmen advise us on the challenges we were bound to face by joining. And a part of me felt as though I was applying merely for the sake of being able to say that I dedicated three years of my time to this highly praised course when it came when it came time for college applications. Despite those doubts, I'm so glad that I had enough sense to go forth with sending my in my application as it has been one of my best academic decisions made so far. I'm not saying this because this
046class has been a breeze. It has not. Much of my time has been dedicated to science research over the past two years both in and out bit both in school and out and I've had to learn how to manage my time with other classes in my sport sailing getting to the point that I'm at today was long and demanding regardless out of all my classes it is the one that has made me feel the most fulfilled rather than feeling satisfied over a grade or number I have been fortunate enough to experience authentic satisi satisfac satisfa satisfaction with myself working with A professional researcher feels crazy and having the privilege to attend competitions is such an exciting moment and pride instilling situation. This program builds a different sense of self- admiration and confidence in students as
047the results that this program produces only comes from self-driven motivation and independent study. Of course, I would not be able to say all of this without the help of Miss Fleming. She is truly one of the best teachers any student could ask for. She has gone out of her way to educate herself on our projects to better understand how she could assist us and has made us better in so many ways. Whether it is by keeping us motivated or improving our presentational skills. Without her, we would not be the same students and the science research program would certainly not be as amazing as it is today. I have so much gratitude for how this course has made me grow as a person and as a student. I've pushed myself beyond my limits. I have created
048so many opportunities for myself and I'm so glad about how my project is turning out. I've wanted to work on designing an eco-friendly menstrual product ever since the sixth grade, but it's only because of this program that I am able to work on this dream of mine. Now, something I once thought was unrealistic and unattainable is in my hands. I'm on track to work with researchers from the New York Botanical Garden to manage invasive plant species. And I am traveling to Utah over the summer to collaborate with professors professors and engineers that will assist me in converting plant fibers into a product that might have the potential to change the menstrual product industry as well as the health of humans and the environment for the better. Thanks to the White Plains High School Science Research
049Program, I have been able to realize that nothing is impossible. A student can never be you too young to do something incredible and an idea can never be too great. For that I am eternally grateful. Thank you. Thank you Olivia. And then finally Caris Troy. [Applause] Good evening everyone. My name is Caris Troy and I'm currently in 11th grade. This year is now my second year in the science research program and I have been studying the computational analysis of effects of ambient heat on brain temperature and its puditive impacts on activity in the cortex. Lengthy, I know. I initially joined the science research program because I was seeking something beyond the traditional classroom setting. I wanted a learning environment that offered real world applications, deeper intellectual challenges, and meaningful opportunities to explore the scientific field
050in a more personal way. What drew me most about the scientific what drew me most was the scientific and creative freedom the program offers. Being able to explore topics that genuinely interest me and develop my own research paths around them. Unlike more structured classes, science research encourages a high degree of independence and responsibility. And this open-minded nature of the work taught me how to manage my time, pursue long-term goals while staying motivated. A distinctive aspect of this program is that it's a mixed grade class, something that I've come to deeply appreciate. Working along students from different grade levels creates an environment that is both collaborative and enriching. In my experience, seniors have served as reliable mentors, offering advice and sharing their past experiences while underassmen bring in fresh perspectives and questions that encourage new ideas.
051It's a rare opportunity to build a supportive academic community where we all learn from each other's journeys, successes, and setbacks. This diversity of thought and experience elevates the the learning beyond what a standard class could offer. One impactful element of science research, if not the most impactful element, is how it connects us to the broader world of scientific inquiry. Through this program, I've had the chance to engage with international research, learn how to interpret and model my work after it, and even contribute to conversations that are relevant in real world scientific communities. Additionally, through this program, students receive lots of exposure to professionals in the field. Throughout the year, guest speakers visit our classes to share their work and personal experience. They not only present their unique findings, but also offer honest insight into their
052career paths, challenges, and passions. Science research also builds a foundation of skills such as professional scientific writing, ethical research practices, and statistical analysis. essential tools that we will need to pursue our own scientific objectives both now and as we prepare for college, especially for those planning to pursue a future in STEM. Overall, science research has given me far more than just knowledge of a civil topic. It's given me professional skill set, a scientific mindset, and the confidence to pursue my interests with independence and integrity. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities the science research program has provided and I especially look forward to applying what I've learned in college and my future career in STEM. Thank you. Thank you, Caris. Thank you to all three of the students who volunteered to be here this evening.
053Um I'm very impressed. They wrote all of those speeches themselves. They did a great job. So, thank you again. Um, I would love it if you could hear all of my students come up and tell you about their projects, but unfortunately we don't really have the time for that. However, I would like to officially invite all of you to our annual science research and engineering symposium which will be held on Monday, June 2nd. Um, we will be meeting here in the high school in the media center and every student in the program will be showcasing their work either in the form of a PowerPoint presentation or as a poster board. Some of the poster boards are out displayed in the lobby out here. You may have seen on the way in. Um, so please join
054us on June 2nd. I will be sending out official invitations in the near future. And then if I may, if we have the time, I'd like to finish the evening by showing you a brief video that my students created for the science research program last year. So, uh, it's a little bit dated. You'll see students from last year's, um, class. Um, but I think it's a really they did a great job. They did everything themselves. I just encourage them. Um, I hope you enjoy it. So, let me get that running. Hi, I'm Caitlyn Santana and my study is an analysis. My name is Roman and my study is My name is topic. The science research program is a three-year course that allows students to research their own individual passions. Throughout the three-year program, students formulate
055their own research plan, conduct their study, and present their findings to students and faculty across the county. And now let's take a look at what some other science research students have to say about the program. My favorite part about the science research program was definitely the friends I made along the way. Getting to hear all of their ideas and getting to see their amazing science research work was one of the best highlights of this program. So my favorite part about the science research program is that you get really good at presentational speaking. The when I first started this program sophomore year, I would go up and present and I would use a lot of filler words. I would stutter. I would murmur. And now with now that I'm in my senior year, I've gotten really
056good at presenting, I would like to say. And Miss Fling teaches you a lot of presentational skills and how to not use filler words and stuff like that. Um, my favorite part about this program is the helpful community that you create. The science research program in three words would be rewarding, rigorous, and engaging. Three words I would use to describe science research are stimulating, collaborative, and innovative. Science research is fun, informative, and exploratory. Hi, I'm Dia Allen, and science research is fun with friends. A, that was sweet. But now to answer the question you all have been waiting for. This honors elective course has no tests. Rather than exams, we are graded on our presentations. In addition to the presentation practice that we do, we also spend our time completing learning contract assessments, which are
057a list of assignments that are due around every 3 weeks in order to help us in our own individual studies. Additionally, we participate in lessons, have guest speaker events, and more to help us throughout the research process. So, as you heard a few times already, one of the biggest values here in science research program is individuality. We hope to provide students with an outlet where they are free to pursue a unique research project of their choice. With the help of a mentor in their desired field, students can complete a research project on any topic ranging from environmental science to medicine to behavioral science. The choices are endless. And even if you're not exactly sure what you're interested in yet, still consider joining as that's what the program is for. Whether it be putting it on
058your resume for college applications or discovering your true intellectual passions, this program provides an individual with a great foundation to carry them beyond high school and throughout their post-secary plans. On that note, let's hear what some alumni themselves have to say. Hello, I'm Jenny Deng and I was in the science research program last year. I think the science research program is very valuable. It opens up a lot of different opportunities such as internships, research programs, and competitions that will be very useful in your future research career. One thing I liked about the program is that you get to do research on any topic that interested you. For my project, I did a study on plant physiology. I was always interested in plants and I was able to take this interest and learn more about it
059from my mentor. Currently in college, I'm doing research in synthetic biology and I use a lot of the skills I learned in the science research program. Hi, my name is Sarah. I'm a 2016 graduate. I was actually in the program when Miss Plleming started running it. And after graduating from White Plains, I went to Emory for my bachelor's. I stayed there and did a master's in cancer bio research. Then while I was applying to medical school, I worked at the NIH doing gastric cancer research. And now I'm back at Emory in Atlanta doing my um doing med school. And I'm in my M2 year and I'm actually home in New York right now studying for my boards. Um, if you're at all hesitant about the program, just know that I think the science research program
060was probably one of the most pivotal and important aspects of high school for me in terms of the friendships that I made, but also what it did to prepare me and set me on the trajectory. And I can confidently say that I love research. It's been such an important part of my life and getting to do it at such a young age is really invaluable. Well said, alumni. So, you heard from us and past students, but what do our parents have to say? The science research program has given my son the opportunity to come up with an original idea and then independently work hard to follow through and create a finished project. I think this is an invaluable skill for any profession and even if not pursuing research in college, it helped him learn how
061to advocate for himself, work and collaborate with other professionals and give a presentation of his finished work. Wow. As if that wasn't enough to show you the magic or should we say science behind the science research program. The program would not be the same without the science fairs. From WEFF to Srs to JSHs in the science research program, science fairs are the culmination of all the hard work put into an individual's project. And while initially the awards you win seems to be the only concern at these fairs, you will truly come to realize that the people you meet, the friendships you make, and the skills you take with you are the more important things that will last a lifetime. Overall, we hope to see you soon in G114 as a new member of our program.
062This is our science research family signing out. [Music] Thanks so much, Miss Fleming, and thank you to to our students as well. What a what an extraordinary program and a testament to all of the hard work that not only you, Miss Fleming, but all the students in the program do as well. Um, really fantastic. And you're absolutely right. The uh the friendships, the fellowship, the connections, the networks that our students create as they go to these different various competitions and showcases are amazing. Um so congratulations to everybody and thank you again as well to Dr. Jacob. Thank you again to Dr. Hand, Mr. Martinez, um and the board of education for all the support of this program. This is a truly remarkable program that we have at White Plains. are very fortunate to have this
063program, to have Miss Fleming running it. Um th this program is very very near and dear to my family's heart. Um our daughter started in science research here at White Plains High School through Miss Fleming's connections, had an internship at Columbia University before CO um during the summer. that allowed her to join a research lab at University of Buffalo immediately upon metriculating there as a freshman, which is extremely unusual. It's because of science research she was able to do that. After being in that science research lab, she's now a PhD candidate at Alb Medical School and um does research that I truly don't understand and can't even tell you what she does. Um, that's that's an accountant talking and I have no idea what she does, but she does it. And it all started here.
064And Miss Fleming, thank you so much for everything that you do on behalf of the entire board of education. Um, we we're very proud of you and very appreciative of you doing it. Thank [Applause] you. I do. Um, I have more to superintendent report. Um, but you know what I would like to really do is I I want to respect our uh exficio board of education members as well. At Ridgeway, March was a month of reading fun highlighted by a two-week readathon in partnership with the Ridgeway PTA. Students dove into literature with their buddy classes while dressing up for spirit days and welcoming various guest readers. The event culminated in a parade and together Ridgeway students read a staggering 550,000 minutes raising funds for outdoor classroom projects through the friends of White Plains public schools.
065Ridgeway also welcomed dance kavis for their beyond Broadway performance. On March 27th, fifth graders showcased their hard work by performing for peers and family, dancing to popular songs from Hamilton and Aladdin and more. March 19th brought a guest speaker from Cornell University as a part of Agricultural Literacy Week who read The Pie That Molly Grew by Sue Havenworth or Haven followed by a hands-on activity. On March 20th, Ridgeway's third graders enjoyed a field trip to the Stepping Stones Museum for children. A big thank you goes out to Backyard Sports families and students for making the basketball season finale on March the 22nd such a huge success. As BA as basketball as the basketball season wraps up, the girls on the run team is excited to kick off their spring season. Ridgeway also held a successful
066Scholastic book fair this past week where students had a blast shopping for books with their peers. Finally, Ridgeway is thrilled to partner again with Backyard Sports for the upcoming soccer season, which kicks off on April the 26th at Sunni Purchase. Meanwhile, at Church Street, Junior Achievement volunteers visited kindergarten through 2 grade classrooms to teach students about financial literacy. The school also held a talent show where fourth and fifth graders showcased their athletic, musical, and singing talents. Career Day was a huge hit at Church Street and we want to thank all of the families who came to inspire our students. Special thanks goes to Officer Albert for coordinating visits from emergency unit professionals. Trish Street also wrapped up their one book, one reading of the silver arrow, which ended with a special video message from the
067author, Lev Gman. A big thank you goes to the Church Street PTA for hosting the 2 by 2 animal assembly, furthering our students knowledge about animal advocacy. Additionally, Church Street students participated in an animal advocacy train project where each class researched and an endangered animal and ways we can protect it and its environment. The school also held its annual invention convention where students created inventions to solve everyday problems such as a net to protect fallen baby birds and a band to keep an ice pack in place. Church Street's student council and buddy groups continue to lead the way in promoting inclusivity every day. And just in Church Street has launched its news crew. Stay tuned to hear from our future reporters. Looking ahead to April, Church is excited to watch the second grade Earth Day
068performance along the schoolwide Earth Day projects. Thank you. To continue at Eastu Middle School, students recently showcased their talents in the well-attended Eastu on Broadway. This production featured student performances and songs from some of Broadway's most beloved musicals. It was a joyful celebration of creativity, hard work, and school spirit. And it offered students a meaningful opportunity to shine outside of the classroom through a memorable evening for the entire school community. At Highlands Middle School, on the morning of Friday, April 11th, 8th grade students will take part in a community building basketball tournament. Teams 8A through 8E will compete against each other with the winning team going on to challenge a team of teachers. The tournament promises to be a fun and energetic event that encourages teamwork and deepens peer relationships. That same afternoon, Highlands will
069host its annual talent show where students will perform in front of the entire school showcasing a wide range of talents. The show will include a special performance by the cast of Newsies along with musical numbers by the jazz band and select choir. At Roshambo, the month of March was filled with meaningful learning and community engagement. On March 5th, Roshambo hosted the annual equity visit, welcoming all secondary administrators. Additionally, on March 12th, the New York Peace Institute returned to lead the second of four workshops on conflict resolution with all students. On March 13th, around 30 students participated in a field trip to the puzzle parlor escape room. This experience was made possible by a grant secured by English teacher Jennifer Baronburgg through the friends of White Plains Public Schools. On March 19th, staff participated in a
070faculty meeting led in partnership with IDE consultant Christina Vwinkle. The meeting focused on continuing the progress from the equity visit, particularly in the areas of instructional coaching and academic rigor. On March 26th, Roshambo welcomed board member Miss Jessica Buck, who visited classrooms alongside Miss Deb Algarden. And on the next day, the school's implementation team continued its partnership with Boseies, working together to explore best practices for alternatives to suspension. Lastly, on March 31st, during Superintendence Conference Day, all Roshambo staff, including teaching assistants and security personnel, received professional development on restorative practices at White Plains High School. Several student led and creative events took place this past month. Firstly, we'd like to recognize Theater Unlimited for successful spring cabaret that was performed on March 28th and 29th. The art department also hosted the 2025 art portfolio exhibition
071which featured a wide range of student artwork. This event celebrated the creativity, passion, and dedication of our student artists and we thank our art teachers for guiding them in their artistic journeys. This past Friday, White Plains High School held its annual junior prom and as always, it was a truly special evening where students were able to come together to celebrate and create lasting memories with their classmates. In addition to prom festivities, our Special Olympics Tigers had an exciting week as they hosted their very first home basketball game, welcoming teams from Portchester and Sleepy Hollow. We are now looking ahead with excitement to their upcoming homecoming game against Tuahoo, which will take place April 29th. A big thank you goes to the Key Club and Miss Woodward for continuing their tradition of service by assembling a
072100 treat bags and writing thoughtful notes for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Valhalla. Their work continues a meaningful partnership that began in 2021 and reflects the club's ongoing commitment to giving back. In addition, nominations are now open for the White Plains High School Hall of Fame class of 2025. This honors this honor recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions in their careers and communities, and we invite the public to submit nominations for consideration. Finally, from our athletic department, we are in full swing for the spring sports season. Students and coaches are working hard six days a week to prepare for and compete in various contests. We look forward to this Wednesday, April 9th, where we will host the third annual coach Singh track and field invitational at the high school. Additionally, our
073middle school modified sports season is also underway with students already showing strong participation and enthusiasm. We would also like to extend our thanks to the student government and their adviserss, Miss Harrison and Miss Andrewhar, for organizing a fantastic spring pep rally that brought the school community together in celebration of school spirit and athletic pride. That is all for this month's report. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you so much. And definitely if if you need to uh excuse yourselves, please feel free to do so at any time. And as always, your report's fantastic and just zed out about threequarters of my update. So, thank you for that. Um, okay. Do we want to Yeah. Yes. So, um, uh, Dr. Ricker will continue with his report. However, just wanted to, um, just take a moment to ask if
074there will be any public participation tonight. Thank you. Please um please come to the uh podium and state your name. Please know that our statement should be three minutes long. Um please know that the board is listening. We hear you and although we don't engage back and forth, um the the superintendent and the cabinet are happy to meet with you to discuss in more depth or any other matter that you are not able to go into detail um tonight. But we hear you and we thank you for coming up to share whatever you're going to share with us. Thank you very much. Thank you, Dr. Rick. So, good evening. My name is Krin Ryan. I live at 25 Colonial Road. I have a daughter who graduated last year and a son who is a junior
075who was just here but had a lacrosse game and is starving. Um, both are athletes and I wanted to thank uh Matt Cameron and Mike Chapas for the process that they set up for interviewing the next football coach. I heard that there were many qualified candidates interested in the position. While we as community members love football and know the importance of of athletics, we have to remember that at the end of the day, it is not about us. It is about the students. Mr. Cameron and his staff know this. So when they set up the committee, they not only included administrators and other school staff and parents, but they included the players from the football team. This is who this decision most directly affects. My son was lucky enough to be one of those players.
076When he walked out of the room, he knew there was just one person who should be leading the White Plains Tigers. And based on what he said, he was not the only one in the room who felt this way. One candidate far surpassed the others in his answers, passion, and engagement with the committee. He had obviously reviewed all the film from the 2024 season and was able to provide a clear vision for the team based on what he saw from watching the team and living in the community. He did not spend his opportunity in the room talking about himself and his accolades, but took the time to explain what he thought was best for the team and the program. While everyone wants to win every game, sports is not only about wins and losses. It
077is the lessons learned through the journey. Before being offered the position and stepping on the field, Coach Martins taught the young men and probably a couple of others in that room that when you are prepared, you stand out. My son shared with us that he knew plays, players, what they did well, and where they needed to improve. Coach Martins applied for a job, prepared for the job, created a vision, communicated that vision, and hands down earned the position of head coach of the White Plains football team. Thanks to Mr. Cameron and Mr. Chapas for including our children in this process and listening to them when they expressed who they wanted to lead them in the future. This process makes me White Plains proud. And we welcome coach Martins and his family into our White Plains
078foot football family with open arms. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Craig Sepler. Um my address is 142 Ralph Avenue across the street from Ralph Fields. I have a daughter in the high school um and two younger daughters who are are not in high school. Um and I want to speak tonight um because I read the news every day and obviously we're in a tumultuous period for a lot of reasons uh but especially what's happening in the education area and with families and affecting the populations that that attend our great schools. And I wanna I I know from people at the school that what this what the administration is doing in terms of protecting um th those those students who are immigrants or from immigrant families. Um and I want to speak up to to
079make sure that that is being publicized to the public at large because we care. My my daughter is not the child of an immigrant or an immigrant herself, but I obviously care about our neighbors. Um and I see four areas where recent politics have really affected the school system. Um one is the purported decimation and elimination of the department of education and that's obviously going to have huge profound impacts on um f funding for starters um the idea for disabled students and special needs students. um the rehabilitation act. Um then what's going to happen with the breakdown of DEI because I know how much White Plains prides itself on diversity and inclusion. It's one of the reasons why I moved to this district 14 years ago. Um I also am concerned um if non-gender conforming
080students are getting the support when the political system is obviously not supporting them. You know, are they getting it uh in their homes in in their academic homes? And again back to to students who are or who are individually or in their families are part of an immigration commu immigrant community. Um so I I I meant to ask a question. I didn't make mean to make a statement. Um but I will go back to the question even if it's not a Q&A period which is um you know what is this what is the the administration and obviously our leadership in the schools uh what are they doing to show both to the student body in the schools as well as the members of the community that the students are safe and protected no matter what
081lane or all lanes that they are in that this is a safe place for them. And I and the last thing I'll say is I know our neighbors in the north country had an issue over the weekend I believe or late last week where three students were sensibly arrested and disappeared is is the term I I saw in the news. Um and the superintendent of that district, a small district somewhere in the aderondex uh came out in support of that. And God forbid that should ever happen uh in in this community. Um, but I want the students of our community to know that that they are supported and this district and its staff and its leadership will do whatever it can to ensure their safety and security. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, and thanks to
082you both. And and I should I should also mention for the board of education, Coach Martins and Mr. Martin are here with us this evening. Welcome. Um, I I will also um take the take the take the opportunity. Thank you very much, Mr. Zeppeler. I I'll take the opportunity to just um share not only with folks who are here, but also folks who are at home who who may be interested. Of course, a big question that comes up all the time is are are our children safe at school? Um the the answer is yes. And you know, regardless of and and what this is also important like you know, public schools do not collect immigration information or citizenship data. We don't collect we don't have a repository of of of that type of information. And
083so we stand by the this sort of singular um goal that every single child every single child in the White Plains City School District from the moment that they enter school until the moment that they come home to their parent or guardian are going to be safe. And what does that mean? You know, folks have asked questions. Well, you know, could could local, state, federal law enforcement have access to children during the course of the school day? And the answer is typically no. And and that's important for folks to understand. Um and that's that's today. That was five years ago. It's going to be 15 years from now. Um there are very very few moments in time where anybody other than the parent or guardian of the child has access to a child while they're
084at school. There is one caveat which is important to to uh be very clear about is if if a law enforcement agency comes to a school any school with a a judicial warrant signed by a judge that's a different scenario alto together but please know this that in the White Plain City School District and this has been the protocol for years. Um, anybody seeking to have contact with a student in school who was not on the students parent guardian approved list must first meet with me, right? So, I have to go there um to review the documentation that they have uh the authority that they have to meet with the child. Well, Joe, what if you're not there? Well, then it'll be a member of of our team or a representative from the White Plains
085City School District's council. Um and this protocol has been in place for some time. As you know, our buildings are secure. Um anybody who's coming into our buildings must check in through the visitor management system. And that's everybody. And so, you know, even our our faculty and staff members don't move freely among building to building with with swipe in ID cards. So, we've had these uh processes and procedures in place for some time now. And it is important for parents and guardians to know that when their children are with us that they're going to be safe. um there is a lot of concern and you know and and that's something that I read the letter uh from from that that small um school district that that I think you referred to and it's it is
086it's uh it's heartbreaking and it's it's of great concern um not just in in New York but all around the country and certainly parents guardians teachers um boards of education you know our primary responsibility is to protect our children all of our children and um that's a commitment that that this board of education and this school district have maintained um and we'll continue to do so. And um any any you know any parent, guardian, anybody who may be in the community that has questions or concerns can always reach out to us and we can um help in in any way that we can. And we also have a great network of community partners who are supportive as well. Um, so I think that was really to the point of safety and security and and certainly
087you and I could chat more um if you have questions. And it really does come down to um making sure that our children know that when they're with us that they are safe and that's what every parent, every guardian wants for their child. It's what all of us want for our children. All of our children. It's what our teachers want. Um it's what the board wants. And so um thank you for inquiring about that. Thank you. Sure. Yep. Yep. Just, you know, thank you for your public participation and just to re reiterate what Dr. Ricker said. If you have any questions, if you need to have further discussion, he is happy to um schedule time and you know get together and have the conversations that that you want to have. So, thank you. Thank you.
088Thank you for your participation. Yeah. Superintendent report. Yes. Um and and again the exeicio board members did a great job. I now that reduced a great deal. I do have to say happy assistant principal appreciation week is this week. Um also uh the the this winter spring pep rally was phenomenal. And I just have to say the singer songwriters were there as well. I mean when you're superintendent and and they're you know singer songwriters are playing Enter Sandman by Metallica at a pep rally. Tremendous. It was just really it was amazing. Um, the citywide orchestra festival. Again, I can't I I can't thank everybody enough for all the support of the fine arts and the students did a tremendous job. I believe over 900 students participating in instrumental music from fourth grade um through high
089school. That's amazing. Um, we also uh and the board knows and is supportive of this, we're looking into installing local live on the softball and baseball fields. Um, so busy parents and guardians, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, folks who live in California who who want to be able to watch their family members uh that play softball and and and uh and baseball will be able to do that too, just like you can on LAS, which will be uh really great. It's coming forward. Looks like the governor is is uh moving forward or at least um continuing to move forward with the total ban on cell phones at school. Um some of you going to feel real good about that. Students right now who are watching at home might not. Um and uh and if if that
090does uh come to fruition, we'll need to amend our policy. Um as you know, the policy that we just uh adopted um is essentially that it's not a ban, but but uh cell phones away during instructional time, but that students could access them at non-instructional time. That would not be the case if um if the full ban goes into effect. We keep you posted on that. And I do have to say thanks to Mr. G um the PTA, all the PTAs, all the supporters for the Wizards game. packed packed packed house and and super fun. Um, spring recess, not that anybody needs this reminder, but spring recess is next week. Um, for those celebrating, we hope you have a wonderful holiday. Um, and and for all those who are able to be off, we hope
091you have a restful time. Hopefully the weather's nice. I don't know what's happening today. It's not great. I guess uh April showers, right? Um, and uh and I don't think we need an executive session, but I do and and it is important. And I would like to provide a brief recapitulation recap of the proposed budget. Now, there has been so there have been so many meetings um getting us to this point this evening and u again I have to thank all of the team members throughout the school district from the first day of parents, guardians, community members coming out and giving us feedback and recommendations uh in October for for when we began drafting um next year's budget to to the finance and audit committee and the many iterations of of draft budgets that they
092reviewed after all of the team members here in the school district from every single department from every single building had gone through. Um we had a heavy lift this year as you know we had a a gap that needed to close. Um we were looking to do that and not reduce at all the the instructional extracurricular program that our students enjoy. We wanted to make sure that we we brought forward a fiscally conservative um budget that also supports everything that our children have today. um while also staying within the tax cap. Um Dr. Carol Tish and in the business finance operations office, thank you so much. Tremendous, tremendous effort um getting us here and and you did it. And what we have this evening on the agenda for the board of education's consideration and formal
093approval is the proposed budget for the 2025 2026 academic year. It does all of those things. It hits all of those targets um and at the same time maintains the board of education's commitment to fiscal responsibility and solid planning. There are no gimmicks. There aren't any tricks in there. Um we are constantly reviewing the organization and its fiscal health is on a five-year it gets changed every year. Uh fiveyear fiscal plan, but we we we address it each year and and you know it doesn't come without hard decisions. you have to make hard decisions, right? That's that's part of responsible budgeting. There are a lot of things we'd love to do right now. Um, but that's not responsible and that's not sustainable. And that's I think one of the most important components of this budget
094is that sustainability is embedded within the budget and it seeks to be able to continue to provide the same services. You want to talk about what we experienced this this evening, scholar athletes. You want to talk about the fine arts department. You want to talk about the expansion opportunities that support students outside of the school day for learning. You want to talk about the expansion of classes in the in the course program. All of those things are are in this proposed budget and they're all in there within the tax cap. In fact, they're in there at a 1.67% recommended increase under 2%. Really proud of that. You know, perfection's elusive. We're in a continuous improvement process like everything and and that's part of of of what we do each year when we examine and re-examine
095the organization during strategic planning and then as we move forward to tonight. Interestingly, I don't know if you remember this time last year, we had the eclipse. Oh, yeah. Remember that? Yep. I do. And and and I'll tell you, you know, as I thought about this time last year, we're in a different place than we were this time last year in the sense that the governor's proposed executive budget, right, is not done. There was another extender that was filed today. The state budget's not finished. Um but but compared to where we were last year in terms of the predictions statewide, um school districts are on much more solid footing. And that went a long way to assisting us in filling that $5 million gap. Seven. Dr. Vicar always reminds me seven and a half. I
096don't know why I go to five, but and and filling that and that was really important. So, um I'm just going to pop up a slide real quick. What does the planning do? Right? And the these are these are slides that we've we've gone through um and you've seen and for the folks at home, you've seen these as well. But the planning allows us to be prepared to get to where we are today. To put forward a budget for consideration of the board of education and the community that supports the total program, allows our students to continue to expand their opportunities. It's fiscally responsible within the tax cap and and it it's also sustainable and it's all predicated on the strategic plan. Um each year we look for ways to utilize savings and to reduce
097overall costs. And I'm not going to read these slides to you. Um, but of course every bit of it's available to you on the all about the budget page uh on the district's website and you can go through um line by line and you can identify the many millions of dollars over the last eight years that have been saved um through I think conservative approaches to to building budgets and managing the district's resources. And huge thanks and kudos to the board of education and the and the audit committee for this work. Everything is a continuous improvement process. What we're doing today, we'll probably be doing it tomorrow, but we'll be doing it better. Why? Because we're always looking at any ways that we can possibly improve. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to cost
098more money. Doesn't necessarily mean it's going to cost more money. Just sometimes it's we have to work a little bit smarter. we have to make changes within the organization, redeploy resources um to where the students need them uh and and to be able to best support their learning and their needs. And so here it is the summary of the proposed 2526 budget 1.67%. major sources of revenue, real property taxes, of course, support the tiger share of of the budget, but increasing more money, more White Plains dollars coming back to White Plains to support White Plains education of late, which is fantastic. And we thank our delegation, uh, our elected officials for that advocacy effort to increase foundation aid. Folks asked questions and we added this slide. We thought this was an important slide. We asked
099this question. What what what does it mean in terms of growth within the municipality within the city and how it impacts the budget? Dr. Fouches put this very nice even I understand it. So that's how I know it's good. Um whenever you have payment in lea taxes and we know that this is a really important thing in terms of development. Um and while it does bring money into the school district, it does work negatively against the tax levy cap. Um and so we've been advocating to make sure that the there's an exclusion and hopefully the governor will sign that um that will bring payment in lie of tax agreements outside of the tax cap. So this is the complex formula for the tax levy cap and you know as Dr. Rick explained on the previous
100slide there are several components that go into establishing the maximum cap as prescribed by law. But what's important is is the prior year levy is made is adjusted for the taxbased growth um uh rate and last year and this year it's really been about 0% and so therefore there's not an opportunity to raise the levy uh for the growth that's taking place in into the community. So, uh, as we talked about, um, it's really important to have the assessments that are associated with with pilot agreements be included in this calculation because on average in previous years, you know, this makes about $2 million that we would have been able to raise in the levy. Um, the other component is the the net difference between the prior year um, pilots and the current year pilots. So
101that's an increase of $1 million and it actually decreases the the levy and you can see that with the tax levy before current year exclusions is $22.2 million versus the prior year of 203.1 million. And so that's that million dollars. Um and so that that takes us down below what we were the prior year. And then we're allowed to add in the capital levy exclusion um which is simply the debt service principal and interest payments on construction projects less uh anticipated building aid. And this year again, we are recommending to reduce the levy or the exclusion by $3.3 million uh to keep the commitment that we have to the taxpayers when we had the capital project approved in 2022 which said that we would uh keep the local share flat. And you can see how
102that's demonstrated with 4.4 million. It's 4,369 versus the prior year amount of 4.4. So it's it's the same. If the current year exclusion was greater, then we would actually end up being taxing um the taxpayers more. So the recommendation um is to use the debt service reserve funds to reduce the debt payments. Um in subsequent years, we'll have issuance of debt and we'll have building aid. Um and so therefore, that won't be uh necessary to do. But you know, the maximum allowable tax levy without that would be 3.31% or 6.7 million. And so we're reducing that by 50% down to 1.67% tax levy increase or 3.4 million. Thank you, Ann. And and um again, I thought this slide was was really helpful because you would you may you may have someone who will say, "Well,
103why not why not tax more? Why not tax all the way to the cap? It's a fair question. Um, and as I mentioned before, you know, there are a lot of things you'd want to do and so why not tax more? Well, I mean, for there are a number of reasons why not tax more. Um, number one, because we asked for what we absolutely need. That has always been the core tenant of building budgets. Um, but number two is because we made a promise. We made a promise to the community of White Plains and we intend to keep that promise. the capital improvement project was brought in and there was a promise that there would be no increase to taxes and we're keeping that promise by making sure we're making these adjustments right now. So
104again, I I can understand, you know, there would there may be a question of why wouldn't we go all the way to the top? Well, fiscal responsibility and accountability and the promise related to our capital improvements project. Where's the money go? Major areas expenses. Very, very important question. where is the money going? Um, and we're really proud to show that the money goes to our students. It goes to the program. Um, the vast majority almost 75% of the expenditures, you'll see this in another slide, are devoted to program. Uh, folks have asked questions about you hear you read stories about student enrollment data and big declines. Not here. Not here. Um, we are relatively flat. Um we have seen an uptick compared to where where the um the projections were but but again very close.
105Our dem we do a demographic study every single year. Um and even though live births are down everywhere um in in White Plains we're relatively flat in in terms of the numbers of students. We we've also seen uh the number of students enrolling in private independent and parochial institutions who are residents of the school district continue to decline as well. Um and so that's for a variety of reasons of course. Um one of those reasons and which is shared with us regularly is that the breadth of the program um the offerings in the White Plain City School District are just tremendous and and for students to have that opportunity to experience real life learning and pursue their passions, they're they're able to do that in a much different uh much different level. staffing. We're we're
106so proud of the collaborative relationship and partnership that we have with all of our collective bargaining units um and the sustainable agreements that they have committed to in the past. Um and and and very very fortunate to be able to move forward um with with the full compliment supporting our staff members. We actually are um recommending an increase in in a a few positions. one full-time equivalent teacher um for a self-contained classroom at Maric Avenue School, two full-time equivalent teaching assistants for that classroom and in half FTE half full-time equivalent speech reallocation at the high school in addition of a point4 uh full-time equivalent for the dance program which will be emerging as the career and technical um education program expands um and an allocation of point4 foreign language position and again I'm I won't
107read all all these slides to you, but this is available to everybody and it really is it is worth the read because the level of programming the the uh amount of programming and supports available to our students is I believe second to none prek through 12. Everything from enhancements to texts to programming um to the course the course selections um partnerships with uh with with Boseies for career technical education. Tons to be proud of, especially new courses, robotics. Um, I did mention that dance course, financial literacy, you name it. Lot to be proud of, operations program, it supports, um, everything from athletics, safety and security, information technology, and facilities and operations. And this is the slide, I apologize, this is the slide that I was referring to before where you really can see the three-part
108budget. And again, 76.74% of the expenditures are in program. That's something to really be proud of. We break out the three-part budget again so you can see what is in these three parts. You know, um what's in the administrative side, the program side, and the capital side. Now, folks do ask the question and we do we share this every year. What happens if if a budget is not successful? what what happens in that instance. And first, you know, I've offered a lot of thanks um this evening and I saved no offense, but this you're in the same bucket. The biggest thanks that we we have to to share is to the community. Uh the community of White Plains supports its children, supports its schools. The pride, the level of pride that you see um in
109in the White Plains City School District pervades and permeates every aspect of this organization. I would say it permeates every aspect of the entire community. Um, you know, sometimes we even have to go and ask local businesses not to sell our merchandise without letting us know. That's something to be proud of, you know. Um, and so big thanks to to our community members for for all the support of the budgets. Um, but what happens what would happen and we hear about this sometimes unfortunately. Um, well, if a budget fails, um, there there's a second chance and and a board of education could make a determination to to change the proposed budget for the community's consideration or if or not, keep it the same. But there can be a second vote. Um but if that vote
110is also unsuccessful, then you move to what's called a contingency budget. Um and basically you you don't move you don't change. Um and in our case, what that would mean would be a reduction of 3.3 almost $3.4 million, 1.22% from the proposed budget. Right? So that's that's that's program. That's everything. It's it's devastating. Um, which is why it is so important for every member of the White Plains City School District community to participate in the election. It's coming up. It'll be on Tuesday, May 20th. Polls open at noon. They close at 9:00. We will be talking about the budget adnauseium for for anyone who wants to hear us um between now and then. Um, and we're really fortunate to be able to do so. Uh, and also as always, and this is especially important for
111folks who might be watching at home this evening, you can always reach out to us directly. You have a question about the budget and you think, ah, I don't I don't I don't I don't know who to ask about this, call me. Call Ann. We will be happy to talk to you about the budget. Um, we'll be happy to talk to dive in and talk about any questions you may have. Um, and we are going to continue to be out there and connecting with folks. I know we have a we're very excited. We have a great meeting scheduled tomorrow night with the council neighborhood associations. Um, and so we'll, you know, we'll be available. You can always email budgetwpcsd. us and uh we'll we'll get right back to you. And as I mentioned, great resource
112on the district's website. Literally, it's called all about the budget and it's got everything in there. You might want to also check out um the line by line is in there. You're going to check out um people to be heard. Mr. Bailey is always nice enough to to welcome us on to talk about the budget and that'll be coming up next month as well. Um and and we'll be sure to uh to continue speaking to and and answering any questions that folks may have. And there you have it. Um so the adoption this evening uh the 7th of of April. Um so Joe um we had a board member that stepped off the board last year after 12 years of service and uh Jim would remind us annually at this meeting that this is your
113proposed budget right now the district's proposed bud budget. Tonight when we vote on it becomes the seven members of the board of education's budget and it's our budget for a month until the voters vote on that budget which then becomes the community's budget. Um, and I think it's important to note that spending seven months with this budget, um, and time in finance and audit and reviewing everything that took to get to this point, I think it's important to note that other districts locally are shuttering buildings. Other districts locally are laying off staff. Other districts locally are getting money that was not spent on COVID funds taken back to the federal government. And we are fortunately not in that position tonight or this month or with this budget. So, I just want to say thank you
114to all the work an and your department that did bringing this excellent budget to us to adopt tonight um that we can bring forth to the voters in a month. I would just like to add also um my appreciation um in going to regional meetings and state meetings and national meetings, I do see also the challenges that so many school districts um deal with. and you know the number of times I've gone through the budget documents and every time you know um the breadth as you put it um what we offer to our students to our community whether it's courses whether it's operations facilities the opportunities we offer are really impressive we are always looking for continuous improvement um We don't rest on, you know, what what we've done and we constantly try to move
115forward in creative, impactful ways um and ways that are responsible to our voters. So, thank you. Thank you. I mean, um well said um uh Kane. So, really nothing to add. Just thank you. Thank you. Thank you. to offer thanks to to the the White Plains community um for the opportunity to continue to build upon an already very strong program uh to continue to make it stronger but also to do it in a way um that is going to be sustainable and going to be available for the future. And that is uh that that is the goal. and continuously improve, always get better, but make sure that the program that exists today will continue in its breath um for future Tigers. So, thank you again uh very much. Appreciate it. Thank you, Dr. Ricker. And
116it looks like we can go to our consent agenda and then we will shortly top the budget. So for summary action items four through 8, may I have a motion? Second. Yes. And um really really just the gratitude is is the words aren't there there's not enough words uh to say thank you enough for the following donations. If I would uh please uh draw your attention to item 4B, uh $5,000 donation for the Ro Shambo Youth Climate Fund from the City of White Plains Department of Finance. $775 donation from the White Plains Middle School PTA to purchase 288 mini trifold poster boards for the seventh grade critical literacy students at Highlands Middle School. The following donations were made for the Lois Vanep scholarship. $50 donation for Mrs. Eileen Loveless, a $50 donation for Miss Elizabeth
117Shook, a $50 donation for Miss Kathleen Greenberg, $100 donation for Miss Nancy Tatakin, a $1,000 donation from Mr. Edward Padusi. The following donations were made for the Arg Margaret L. Kur Memorial Scholarship, a $5,000 donation from Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kirks. The following donations were made for the Dr. Dan Arnon memorial scholarship. $150 donation from Mr. and Mrs. Steven Crowe, $150 donation from Mr. Benjamin Arnon, $150 donation from Mr. Jeremy Arnon. Uh, the following donations were made for the Sarah Miller Arnown Memorial Scholarship, $150 donation for Mr. and Mrs. Steven Crowe, $150 donation from Mr. Benjamin Arnon, and $150 donation from Mr. Jeremy Arnon. And the following donations were made for the Ed Feric class of 1957. A $30 donation from Miss Marian Leaps. $100 donation from Mr. and Mrs. William Donki. $100 donation from
118Mr. Keith Bronn. $100 donation from Miss Lois Britner. $100 donation for Miss Patricia Milano. $100 donation from Mr. Roy Madson Jr. $100 donation from Miss Suzanne Erskin. $100 donation for Miss Jacqueline Proano. A $200 donation from Miss Judith Ogor or Gorman. A $200 donation from Mr. Edward Song. A $500 donation from Miss Carol Wood. A $500 donation from Mr. Joseph Cifalo. $1,000 donation from Mr. Henry Hamburger. The following grants are from the friends of the White Plains Public Schools. $2,600 for the for 40 White Plains High School Service Learning Class students to participate in today's vote program at the Kennedy Institute in Boston. a $1,725 donation for 75 students from Ro Shambo to participate in the acoustics and rink design program. And the following scholarships were granted for White Plains High School students. Sarah Miller
119Arnown Memorial Scholarship, Dr. Dan Arno Memorial Scholarship, Tiger Fan Scholarship in me in memory of Dan Woodard, the Raphael Pant Pantal Pantanelli scholarship, pardon me, the class of 1957 scholarship in memory of Ed Verdict. Thank you so much for those generous donations, everyone. Are there any questions? All in favor? I that that list gets longering and longer every month. I think this is probably one of the longest ones that we've seen and we are so fortunate um for the generosity from from our community. Next, we'll move on to individual action items. The first individual action item is the recommended action of the adoption of the proposed budget for the 2026 school year. May I have a motion? So move second. I think we've said everything that we can say. Um and it's with um our
120sincere thanks for all the work that has gone into this budget from everyone, every single person, every administrator, every colleague in the district. All in favor? I I thank you. Yay. Next um we will go into our next individual um um action uh item. We have the recommended approval of a of a request for an extension per CSEA contract for a certain period of absence beyond 30 working days um for two employees effective 3325 through 51525 and the other effective from 4162025 through 51525. May I have a motion? So moved. Second. Questions? All in favor? I I Next, um we will have a a motion on a settlement, a settlement agreement. Um, it's resolved that the board hereby approves and authorizes the board president and superintendent of schools to execute a certain settlement agreement and
121general release with employee ID number 2260 signed by such employee um, a copy of which has been previously reviewed by members of the board of education. May I have a motion? So move. Second questions. All in favor? I I I We have another another stipulation of settlement. It is resolved that the board of education hereby approves and authorized that the board president and superintendent of schools to execute a certain stipulation of settlement in connection with an impartial hearing. Case number 623893, a copy of which stipulation has been previously reviewed by members of the board of education. May I have a motion? So move. Second. Questions. All in favor? I. Next, we have um a side letter, a memorandum of agreement with the CSA and WPTA. the recommended approval of a side letter of memorandum of
122agreements with the CSCA um CSEA, White Plains City School District Unit 9236 and White Plains Teacher Association regarding retirement benefits for dependent cover coverage for spouses. May I have a motion? Second. Do we have any questions on that? All in favor? We have another side letter agreement with uh WPTA. Um approval of we have the recommended action is the approval of the side letter of the memorandum of agreement with the White Plains Teachers Association regarding um charging of paid leave on snow days. May I have a motion? So moved. Second. Questions? All in favor? I I. Next, I believe is our last individual um action item. It is resolved that effective July 1st, 2025, unless otherwise stated, the following positions as itemized on the agenda are to be created or abolished as set forth in
123the proposed board adopted 2025 2026 school budget as recommended by the superintendent of schools and this is dated April 7th, 2025. Five. May I have a motion? So moved. Second. Any questions? Just one comment. Sure. Um only because I I don't I don't want them to be wondering. Um congratulations. Uh the during consent agenda the coaching list was was part of that process. So thank you very much and thanks for spending the rest of the evening with us. I know. Oh say thank you. Thank you very much. Did you want to Did you want to say anything? That's a hard question, right? Because now it's like if I say no, come on over. Come on. Yeah. Uh I'll be brief. Um I just wanted to thank uh Mr. Cameron, Mr. Chapas, Mr. Martinez, um board
124for your vote of confidence. Um everybody in the community for all their support uh thus far. Really, really looking forward to this, guys. I'm really excited. Um, it's good to be home. Let's go Tigers. Thank you. Yeah. Just um just for anybody who who may have a question about item G um the abolition of pedagogical, nonpatological and and creation uh of positions. um that's an important component that that is uh that is connected to the upcoming budget. So really what that's doing is it's identifying in our position control roster the positions that we're recommending within the proposed budget um and and then changes um to accommodate for those positions and that that's what that is. So, it's really important if someone looks at that that nobody's losing, you know, that's that's a question. I'm just
125saying in plain language, nobody's losing their jobs. There are no cut positions. Um and that that that's an important component of uh of efficiency the budget planning and efficiency positions which allows us to expand or change the kinds of course offerings correct we have without affecting the budget with being budget neutral. Right. Nan and I were just talking about this this morning because as you as you referenced um you know it is important to look at the overall size of the organization as well as the you know the offerings to make sure that it's always being right sized and and contained each each fiscal year um so that you don't end up in in a position hopefully and anything can happen of course but you don't end up in a position where all of a
126sudden now it's a big huge reduction in in staff. Yeah. And it's it's our you know it's it's our financial duty as you always you know talk about looking for efficiencies to keep what we have make it better but not lose anything. So all in favor I I I Okay, we didn't hear you. So we're almost at the end. So I would just um ask really um it's it's the hour is late so um if we could briefly just summarize our board discussions I can tell you finance committee you've seen the uh the fruits of of the labor um HR we met we discussed items that we cannot discuss publicly is there audit and finance we were here tonight right so all right so um curriculum did meet we review just quickly the new ELA
127program for kindergarten through fifth grade. Uh it's a strong program that went through a really good review process with teachers, administrators, um and parents and it's rich in literature. It's great in non-fiction. It's going to be a real complement to our existing awareness and phonics program. Um as well as re we reviewed the midyear data for the NWA as well as the Dibbles uh data. So we uh had a nice conversation about the data and lots work to continue to do and the program is going to be implemented in uh September 2025. So that's exciting for some of our kindergarten through fifth grade students. Thank you for that. Thank you. And in special ed, we actually on the following evening, we had a kind of a similar conversation. We looked at the data um about
128how our kids are doing uh in special ed programs and the numbers are quite encouraging. It's very exciting. I will just add that curriculum and instruction also had a visit on an earlier meeting um in in the month to uh the Church Street School and as we do approve um you know new curricula or the budgeting for new curricula. It's always exciting to see things in action. Um so we saw math and movement. We saw some dual language classes both Spanish and English zones. uh science 21 project lead the way. So it's very exciting to actually experience uh what the students are learning. Thank you. And policy will meet later in the month. I just wanted to say thank you to and acknowledge um the high school PTA. The last meeting that they had was
129around adolescent mental health and sharing information with parents in the community. So thank you for doing that. Um the high school PTA and there was also a PTA council meeting. We do that every month, but this specific one was around advocacy and how um families and students um can advocate for um policies to support education in New York State. So, thank you for sharing that information. I just like to reiterate to the community, please come out to Ice Cream Social on Saturday between 1 and two. Uh an opportunity to meet with three board members. Um, so if you have any concerns, anything you'd like to raise, that is the opportunity to do so. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Before we close, John Shepard and John the Shabis, give us a wave, both of you.
130Thank you. Thank you for all you do and thank everyone. It's very crowded. I'll let you all go. I'm going to ask for a motion to close our meeting. Oh, before we close, Lux is Are we going to meet before Lux or No. Do we have a meet board meeting once we're left? No, we do not. L Yeah. No, LAX is is coming up and this this is the last board meeting before. We should get a relay. We should have a board on May 400. The nation's largest or second largest uh invitational school track meet. It's a tremendous tremendous event. Please come out and support the athletes from all over the country. It's going to be great. Yeah. All in favor? Hi. Hi. Good night everyone. Jack hand and I had a [Music]