001That's working. That was [Music] the first three. [Music] Oh yeah. A special J will be [Music] Check one, two. This is mic number one. Check mic number one. I'll have to make an adjustment on that. Mic two is out of play. So now we're at mic three. Microphone three. This is the super mic. Also, we'll need to make an adjustment on that. Microphone 4. President mic. Mic 4. President mic check one, two. That one sounds okay. Microphone five. Check. One, two. Mic five. 1 2 3. Microphone six. Microphone 6. Check one two. Check one two. Podium mic. Podium mic. Probably the best sounding of all of them. Podium mic. One, two. Going to do one more try again. This is microphone number six. Microphone number five. a little better. Microphone number four for seems okay.
002Just have to turn it up. Redoing four. Redoing microphone number four. That sounds better. Microphone three. Check. Check. One. Two. This is on three. And lastly, mic number one. Check. One, two, three. One, two, three. I think we're good with mic check. Okay. Gonna mute the system right now. Muting. Three, two, one. Okay. How you doing? So anyway, I think you're right. I think you're going to win. Think so? Yeah, cuz when we were when we were walking when I was walking Yeah. Thank you. Oh, look at you. You are here. Just give me a couple minutes. We got to get Doesn't matter. Thank you so much. Very clear as you around so you can see other people by [Music] Good evening. Morning everybody. My name is J [ __ ] I am the district clerk and
003we're going to start the reorg meeting. Um we're going to call it to order at 7:21. Um everybody please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation indivisible with all in case of an emergency emergency as it's behind and straight ahead. And um please silence your cell phones at this time. It would be great on your computers and we will do a roll call. So we have Roger Broker, trustee Jay Grover, trustee Beth Kredin, welcome aboard. Trustee Dr. Brian Grant, superintendent Susan Marston, trustee Danielle Bruno, trustee John Fitzpatrick, assistant superintendent of curriculum, staff development and human resource. Cheryl Cardone, assistant superintendent of pupil services and Dr. Robert Merkel, assistant superintendent for school business and finance. And welcome aboard our
004board of education student representatives. First time we have Charlotte Tower, raise your hand and also Sienna Saris. Welcome aboard. At this time, we're gonna elect um officers, the president and vice president for the school board. So, the floor is now open for nominations for president of the Grenell Central School District Board of Education. Are there any nominations? I'd like to nominate Sue, please. Okay. Susan Marsen. All right. Nominated by Ashley. Any others for school board president? Yes. Is there a second? Second on the nomination. On the nomination. Are there any other nominations though? Yeah. No. And then second. No, you're good. Second for nomination for Susan for the board president. Jay's going to second. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Motion carried 6. We do have uh Joy Lamar is excused for today's meeting as
005well. Okay. The floor is now open for nominations for vice president of the board of education. Any nomination? Jay's nominated by Ashley Grier. Any any other nominations? Second. I will second. All right. Second. So we have Jay Grover is the vice president. All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. Motion carried 6. Welcome aboard to Susan Marsden, our president of the board and Jer, our vice president. I'm going to swear you in if you want to step right behind me and then I'm done. after me. I Susan Susan do solemnly swear solemnly that I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and the Constitution of the State of New York, and that I will faithfully
006discharge the duties of And I will discard the duties of the school board president for Grand Island Central School District. The duties of the school board president for island central school district according to the best according to the best here. [Applause] I J do solemnly swear solemnly swear that I support the Constitution of the United States support the Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of President of the Central District Board of Education. President of Grand Island School Board of Education. According to the best congratulations [Applause] You're out. Roger, you're all righty. Here we go. All right. So, we need a motion to approve the following board of education appointments. Item uh 1 through 41, please. Motion and a second. I'll second. All in
007favor? Opposed? Motion carried. 61. Okay. Did I say 6? Okay. So B is when we start going over our appointments here, right? Okay. So we have in front of you um everybody should have the list of the appointments from last year. So um we can just kind of go through the list and see if those who um had the appointments last year want that and um make appointments for this year and then we can motion to approve them. Right. All right. I never done this part before. So I did I hang up on it. You're right. Yes, I think you're right. Yeah. Okay. And I think she's going to stay with her appointment. So okay, we'll start with the delegate assembly. Uh last year we had Sherry as the delegate and Ashley as the alternate.
008Does anybody want to step up and be the delegate or the alternate does stay on. Okay. You you can Yes, you can jump in anywhere where Yeah. Yep. So you'll be the delegate for the delegate as well or the alternate. Okay. So we'll put you down as the alternate and Ashley's as the alternate, but we can discuss that. She I'm sure I'm sure she'll we'll move her over. She's unavailable for consultation. And I know um Ashley wanted to stay on as the on the legislative committee, I believe. So, we have room for the alternate if anybody wanted to step up on that. Okay. And then I'm on the budget and finance team. I'm willing to stay on it unless somebody really would like to join that. And Roger, did you want to stay on the
009alternate? Okay. Okay. New York State Board Association is by I believe Ashley wants to stay on that. And Daniel, are you good? We'll still be doing the alternate. Yeah. Okay. On to the delegates for the PJ. Okay. I know you're going to stay with the high school. Yes. I'd like to stay with the high school. Middle school. Um Oh, alternate for the high school. You sure? Middle school is open. All right. Yes, you sharing. Sorry, I apologize. All right, throw. Okay, Danielle, are you good with still being at the alternate? Yeah. Um, Beth, I know you have a student if you wanted, but you don't have to. I can sit. Okay. Um, and I I um I'll leave Joy as the alternate. I help her daughter move out to the middle school. So if she
010doesn't want to, I can um I can I can be the alternate and and I can stay at Sidway. Anybody want to be the alternate? And I will stay with the council as well if anybody wants to be the alternate. I can. Is um I'd like to stay on as the representative there too if I could. You just need an alternate. Roger if you wanted to say district policy committee. We have Ashley, Jay, and Danielle. Do you all want to stand? Okay. Yeah. I'll be still on that one. You need an alternate for the internal audit. I can. That's a nice 7:45 a.m. Or is it 7:15? It's early. All right. District policy committee is Ashley J and Danielle. Community relations is myself and Sherry was the alter. Um, anybody want to be the alternate
011or do we have two that really, really, really want that? Do you want to be the delegate or the alternate? I can do either. It doesn't matter to me. I'll do the alternate. Okay. Community education was Ashley and Sherry. I I'll I'll be the alternate on that one actually there. Food service. I would like to stay on the food service. We just need an alternate there. And then district facilities. We have Roger, Joy, and Ashley. And I know Ashley down and I will be able to jump on any surpris. So good. So okay. Um and then I'll talk to Joy about um if she doesn't want to be the alternate I can jump on there. Okay. So, do we need to make a motion on that or So, I need a motion for B, please,
012and a second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried 6. And we need a motion for C and D as well. And a second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried. 61. That's the end. All right. A motion to adjourn the reorder meeting at 6 7:35 in a second. All in favor? Great. Motion carried 6 through ahead and call our regular meeting to order at 7:35. If everybody could stand their pled, please. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with all for the absence of time and to avoid repetition. Um Jude did all the uh introductions and um where the emergency exits are. So, I'm not going to repeat that for this meeting, but I I am going to um draw attention to
013our students representatives here tonight and welcome to you to our first meeting. And I I just wanted to u maybe have you guys speak to what drew you to wanting to be on the board of education. um just get a little bit of background on both of you because we are all very excited to have you here as part of our team and look forward to working with you both over for for the upcoming year. So I don't know if you want to tell us a little bit about you. Yes. Going a little off script for me. I think that um student representation is really important. I'm very involved in student council and my class office and I think this is a great opportunity for kids to get involved in the things that really affect
014them. Um So that's really what drew me to apply and I'm really glad that I have this position. Hi, I'm Sienna. Um I'm also very involved um with our class, student council. I'm in a lot of clubs here and I do think it's really important to be involved because it makes high school and just school in general a lot more enjoyable and especially when you have a voice in what's going on at your school. It makes it a lot more justifiable and you get to see why decisions are being made and well great. We're excited to have you here. We hope to to hear from you whether you agree or disagree. Please we hope you feel comfortable enough to speak up and share your opinions or your viewpoints on what we discuss here. So, welcome.
015Okay. So, I need an approval for the agenda tonight if I can get a motion. And a second. I just write this down. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries 6 and an approval for the minutes today. If I can get a motion or approve minutes from our June 2nd meeting. I apologize. A motion, please. And a second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried 6. Okay. Public comment session. We did not have anybody sign up tonight. go right on to curriculum and instructions. Thank you and good evening everyone. We have two actionable items uh this evening and two uh for information only. If I can get um approval for the uh high school field trips DECA uh on in March of 2026 to the states in Rochester and in nationals uh to Atlanta. And then the
016other action item is the textbook adoption um at the high school for AP world history. Any new textbooks that are currently up to date? Can I ask a question? Yes. So I see that we are purchasing that new right and then I see further down is this a newer edition? It looks like we're we are looking to um Obsolete a textbook with a similar title. Is that true or not? I'm not aware of any obsolete textbook. [Music] Yeah. So that's that is on the text books. It's the first thing on there. Ways of the world third edition 2016. There's five copies on there to be absolute just five. Okay. I just wanted to make sure that um the context of the book was the same and the history being taught or the material being taught
017is the same and you're not changing the content of what's being taught in class. No, the content won't change. It's just an updated version of the of the text. Okay. All right. That's it. Okay. So, those are those are the two action items and the other two items are for read only summer curriculum proposals. We had quite um a lot of teachers uh um that put in to do summer curriculum work and you can see all those projects that will take place over the summer. And the other read item is the the updates on what we've been doing in construction. If I can get a motion um if anybody doesn't have any questions on items A and C, please. Motion and a second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried 6 on the elementary K through
018five I read. Will we give a summary of that? Yes, you will. In fact, I can just say we did very well. I'm sure we would. I just I didn't normally see those. I just saw that be interesting to see what those Sure. On to personal instruction. Anybody have any questions on personal instruction? All right. Then can I get a motion for um instructional personnel PI1 through PI7, please? and a second. I'll second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried. 6. All right. I think we have some introductions tonight. I'm going to start with the first introduction. Uh Ally Tui. If you wouldn't mind standing up, that would be great. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ally Tui. Uh she may be familiar to you. Uh she is the morning anchor for WIBBTV News and has been
019doing that since 2023. Uh she has a long career as a journalist, a reporter. She's worked in Rochester. She's worked with Bingington and now she's been in Buffalo for many years. And uh she started at WKBW and now is at WIBB. I see her every morning on at 5:00 a.m. uh doing the anchoring news and it's really uh it's my greatest pleasure to introduce you to her as she is and have been just appointed our public relations coordinator. So, let's give her a nice round of applause. Ally, I know you have four beautiful children. You're very, very busy. You're very uh highly effective. you are uh I don't know how you do it in all that you do, but I just wonder if just have a couple words uh to say to the board. Uh
020I'm thank you so much for having me this evening. I'm certainly grateful to be here and to meet all of you and I hope to have conversations uh in the future at a later date. But I I'm so very passionate about education. I come from parents who were educators. My dad was my middle school principal. My mom was a health educator. my husband, a former educator for Grand Island as well. So, I just it's kind of in my blood even though I didn't end up going that route and I'm very excited to take on this role. So, I just I really appreciate Well, thank you very much and welcome to Grand Island. We really appreciate you. We're Thank you so much. Do we I think we have a few more intro. Board of Education members,
021Dr. Graham and district administrators. Amanda, if you could please stand so we can recognize you tonight. I would like to introduce you to Miss Amanda Ackley, who will be joining us at the high school in September as our ENL teacher. Miss Aley has a master's degree in literacy and TEAL from Niagara University. Um, she recently also served as a student teacher in our district at both Sidway and our middle school as she was working on her master's degree. We are excited to welcome Miss Aley to GHS and we're looking forward to having her join not only our high school team but our ENL department. So, welcome. Thank you, Amanda. Thank you. Any other great I'd like to Hi. Hi everybody. Sorry about that. Good evening. I know. So exciting. I'd like uh Dana Grace to
022stand up. This is uh Dana Grace Reynolds. She was just approved as our new second grade teacher at Kegabine. Mrs. Reynolds is a Grand Island graduate and actually went through Kegabine herself. Uh she attended Niagara University and holds certifications in early childhood, childhood, and special education. Uh she has spent the past few years working at a charter school in Buffalo um in kindergarten and second grade. Mrs. Reynold's daughter, Avery, is moving on to second grade next year and she will be joining her mom at Keabine. So we're very excited to have them both next year. So welcome. Can you just introduce your family real quick? We just Yeah, that'd be great. This is my daughter, Avery. Say hi. And this is my husband, Dan. Nice to meet you. Thank you. Great. And I don't technically
023have anybody else that's here, but um we did approve uh Christian Ola to also be another second grade teacher, and she did send a couple words that she would like me to read. So, she said, "I'm truly sorry that I'm unable to attend tonight's board meeting. Ever since I began student teaching at Kegabine, I knew that a probationary teaching position in Grand Island would be my goal. Throughout my time completing various substitute teaching positions, I have had the opportunity to work with many fantastic educators, and I'm so thankful to everyone who helped prepare me for this honor. I would also like to thank Dr. Graham and the board. My family and I are beyond thrilled and grateful to officially become part of the Grand Island family. So, we're very excited that Mrs. Goldho will also
024be joining us next year. Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to introduce our new principal of Sidway, Stephanie Anderson. Will you stand, please? Stephanie is currently an elementary assistant principal at Union East in the Chikawaga Central School District. Stephanie has an incredible background in special education, in literacy, and of course in administration. She's worked for the Niagara Falls City Schools uh and currently again in Shikui Central. Uh Stephanie, we're really really pleased that you're here. You did a marvelous job through a very rigorous uh process and uh if you could uh lovely to introduce your family to us. Thank you so much um to everybody. Um I'm I'm thrilled beyond thrilled um to to be the new principal of Sidway. So with me I have my husband Ron, my daughter Gabriella, and my other daughter
025Ally. You guys stand. Congratulations everybody. Stephanie, congratulations. Thank you so much. Amanda, I think you brought somebody with you today, too, right? I did. Uh this is my mom. She's she's been with me throughout my journey and she's the one I go to first. So um I asked her if she would join me tonight. Awesome. Thank you so much. Oh, absolutely. Thank you. I'm thrilled to be part of this district. Oh, good, sure. Good. If I could have Lauren Stang stand, please. Lauren's a familiar face to everybody. Um back in March, um may I ask the board to uh create or accept a TOSA position um for behavior with the district. Um Lauren did put in her letter to be um that person. I am thrilled. Lauren's been with the district for 24 years. I
026with Lauren closely for my last 16 that I've been here. Um Lauren is currently a school psychologist at Sidway. Sorry, Stephanie. I'm taking her. So, um and she actually has been in every single building in the district over her tenure here. Um Lauren's go-to really is, you know, training teachers um tier one, tier 2, tier three behavioral support. U Lauren has also been a leader in RTI. So, I know that John and I are going to be starting up that RTI leadership again along with Lauren's help with that. So, I just wanted to thank the board again and welcome Lauren and I can't wait to work with you in another capacity, Lauren. Really welld deserved. Congratulations. [Applause] All right, moving on to personnel non-instructional. Does anybody have any questions? Okay. Can I get a motion
027to approve non-instructional personnel PNI for four, please? And a second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. 6. There's no introductions. We'll move on to um finances. Paul, thank you. Uh so uh the first several items are obsolete equipment and textbooks uh followed by several donations. Um and then uh budget transfers a uh new agreement for that's a three-year agreement for our athletic trainer uh with Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. The bus bond resolution is item J. Uh budget transfers under 15,000. It's K. And then the middle school science bid is uh item L. So I'm looking for any questions on any of those items. A through L. Y those are the motion items. So looking motion. Thank you. I have a second. I can second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried. 5 Z. Thank you.
028And Eminem or information. I would just ask for questions. The only question I have and what their prior to the increments. Thank you. Any other questions for Then we move on to special education services. I have two quick items. Motion or action on CPSC programs, please. And a second. And all in favor? Opposed? Motion carried. I Thank you very much. policy. Good. I want to turn over to John for an update on policy. And while he's doing that, I brought a prop. So, I will move that uh to the center of the room so the board can take a look at that. Okay. currently uh our personal electronic device policy pursuant to New York state law. Uh initially uh when we were last asked the board meeting um in in June um we had asked
029the board to do a first read on the policy as it stood according to the New York City regulations. Um and really the the major um change that the board asked us to go back to the drawing board so to speak was to uh do something more restrictive uh in terms of not just having our cell phones locked in our locker but to have more of restrictive uh protocol moving forward. Um so we did do that in this in this policy and what you see in front of you is ultimately the more restrictive device so to speak. Um it's a locker, a cell phone locker that would be put in every single classroom uh between the middle school and high school. And in the policy itself, which you can see is page, it's on page
030three actually uh item number eight. Um students would uh come into their home room or first mod class and they would lock uh their cell phones or uh electronic devices up uh if it's a smartwatch or so to speak or anything like that, they would lock them in this cabinet uh and then have time at the end of the day to go back to that area um you know and and retrieve their phones. Uh there are on uh page three there are some different procedures for morning arrival, early dismissal, uh how we're going to handle those things. And it would require us to hire two new uh 12-month clerk typist positions. So that uh we're going to have to really keep track of uh especially at at the high school, I think there's 170 students
031who go to and from Boseies each day. Um and they'll they'll have the opportunity to lock their phones in a locker there uh like this in those offices and and that device clerk will call them uh who would take phone calls um and communication between parents and um when they want to have their students uh contact them during the day. Uh that device work among other duties uh that she can fill or he can fill at the main office and take care of that. But this is the result of uh going back to the drawing board and having more restrictive scenario more protocol for our students. So those OC students it would still be in their still home or would be a separate be a separate place and then wherever that device where is going
032to be housed these uh students would work through classes or anything. That was my question. If the devices are going to be locked in the classrooms, a student who has a dismissal or leading to something, then they would go back to their home. They Yeah, if it's unexpected, I think uh that may happen. But if it's I am sure that if you know if there is a planned appointment um that they could lock their device up in the device clerk area um you know, where that wherever that person might be in the main office and lock their device there. So that each each principal will choose a place where that will be designated. Right. So there would be the two people. One will be at the high school and one will be at the middle
033school. Correct. Yes. Okay. Yeah. The other piece of information is that Phil Marino working with Bob um thinks that he can take that lock uh off and replace it with a master lock. Is that a bit for me to say, Phil? Yeah. And that way uh to your question, Roger, um there was unexpected early dismissal or somebody went to the nurse and got sick and had to go home, I'm sure husbands would assign a hall monitor to walk with the child to the designated area to retrieve their device before they left. So, um, so it would be like a home monitor that would assist that that aspect. I just want to say I, you know, obviously I was the one that was um probably most vocal about um going back and taking another look at
034it. And first of all, I want to say I really appreciate the time and effort that that that you all took to do that. Um when mandates come down from Albany, they're not always well thought out or maybe not the best laid plan, but I have to say that I know we're going to see hiccups and I know it's going to be difficult for everybody involved, but I I really I really like this plan and I think once we work the kinks out, I think I think it it will work. Um and and I think once parents are used to not sending those texts to their um students um some of that will will mitigate because I think a lot of texts that are being sent to their students aren't necessarily necessary. I was guilty
035myself. Um so you just get comfortable, right? And then you so um I I just want to say I appreciate it. I like it. I I know it's going to be difficult, but I really appreciate the efforts and I really think although it seems difficult and almost tragic to our students, I think we will see see benefits um both in in in the addiction and maybe some of the um communication and maybe even the mental health of our students with with those devices not so locked in their hands. And I know I think You've got some other things you're going to share in your YOM. So, actually, Jen covered most of it. I know. I read through it and um so so um I don't I don't know if you guys want to weigh in
036on that. I And you don't have you don't have to agree. You can speak what you want to say. For me, I like I was um a meeting where they showed us the policy and I really thought that it was kind of too. And so I think that this is actually I agree. I was also at the meeting and I feel like having them in lockers just wasn't going to work. You guys could say I flew back and I f my locker. But I agree. I think once everything gets figured out, it's better. One question. Is there any formal plan to discuss how this is going or it's just going to be October? Is there anything to schedule to say, okay, let's sit down and talk about this? Sure. So, I just want to make
037sure I understand your question. Do you want the board to get a report from the principles and how it's going? October. Yeah, maybe in October. That's great. Yeah. Yes. or sooner if need be. I mean curious to one thing that I'm purchased about 26 or 27 things similar. Okay. But I bought the RDFI um it's the film that blocks radio frequencies. So, we coated the sides of it so the things aren't going off, right? So, it blocks the signal. It blocks the signal to the box because if they're going to be in the classrooms, it's one thing to have people come in and get them, but the other thing is if you're trying to teach and you hear, you know, all these I know that you're supposed to turn them off, right? Obviously, turn them
038off, but let's face it, it's not going to happen, right? But it is an inexpensive fix just in the long run, you know. But you said it. Yeah. Great. Thank you, Roger. That's u great points, especially if they're rushed in the morning. You know, I mean, people are going to forget, you know, you're going to forget to turn them off. And then if you have 26 of them in there, you don't know which one's going on, right? So, it's just going to keep digging through class. Good plan. Thank you, Jeff. Thanks. I have a question. What kind of communication or education is going on with students to the why behind this community and addiction? Just curious. I don't know what already exists or what could potentially supplement this given if the board takes action on
039the policy tonight then probably tomorrow I'll be sending a letter out to every family and working with Tui uh to create some type of video message as well uh so that it could be used either uh for teachers and students and for our community. Does anybody else have any questions? Any anything else they want to add? I just add it helps having it live here, but thank you for facilitating that. It just puts it in perspective more visual. You're welcome. And my wife is allowing me to purchase things on Amazon and I bring them into the office and we all look and that's not going to work. That works. So, I have a couple extra if anybody anybody's interested. That's very it really is very helpful having it in front of us. Well, you know,
040because when you envision it, you think Yeah. you know, it's going to take up half a wall, right? Um so it is it's a little bit more compact, I think, than I thought it would look like, too. So, um yes. So, I will um take a motion to approve policy A, personal device or and a second. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carried. 5 Z. And I just really want to say thank you again to everybody that went back to the table and took another look at it. I really you guys did a great job and I I really um look forward to hearing how it's going, good, bad, and different back in October. So, thank you for that. Absolutely. So, uh for all the board members, this memo is in uh the board docs
041under superintendent report. It's really what John has already shared with you, but that memo is there for your review. There's a little tiny picture of the device I just showed and um and and some other information that you'll find useful in understanding some of the complexities when kids arrive, when they, you know, need to go home because they're sick and so forth. So, I thought everybody did a nice job in communicating that this evening. I want to thank the board for your leadership in moving us forward in this direction, not only as a board, but also giving us permission to add two clerks uh to the uh both buildings that'll provide additional support. And when they're um what we foresee is that there may be some other duties that these clerks will be able to
042pick up and assist with as opposed to just managing devices. So, I do thank the board uh for that. So, that's there. If you have any questions, that's there for your review. As the board knows, we've had uh some wonderful end ofear celebrations, and this announcement just was shared uh with the community of the new people that'll be inducted in the athletic hall of fame. So, we're very excited about that. There's probably some names uh on here that you're familiar with. We have coach Dick Bessel, Mike Lacho, Joe Dunlop, it's Blaco, Joe Dunlop, Brad Kern, uh, H David Meyers, Mike Podlucky, that's very nice, Jessica Reyn, Mike Rodriguez, and Julie Roth. So that that'll be a wonderful addition. And I think um, Mr. Baker is having that meat raffle again coming up. So, that's a
043great way to support uh the this new um second year hall of fame for our uh alumni who are awesome athletics or athletes. So, we want to congratulate Beth. She got sworn in I think was was it July 1st or Yeah, congratulations to that. Really lovely. That's wonderful. Congratulations. Uh Mr. Gorton uh is here. It was fantastic and did a really great job as uh the student selected speaker. Uh he surprised everybody uh with putting on this Buffalo Bills jersey that is named in his honor and with of course 25 representing the year. Really great job Mark in your speech. Just these are just some random pictures uh from the event. Uh just uh we're so proud of our students um and our students who are uh sons and daughters of board members uh did
044fantastic job as well. Uh love this picture. Very exciting. So really a wonderful celebration. Just very proud of our students. I know it's a really great job. Uh this was during the parade of graduates. a nice tradition that started a few years ago. We thank Hillary and her team for working with all of the buildings to coordinate this. It's really touching and as you can see there's some unexpected beautiful pieces of memory for siblings and uh graduates uh that was are sometimes unexpected and very touching. Uh so really a wonderful end of year uh tribute to uh the journey that children take here in Grand Island from UPK all the way to grade 12. So really lovely and that is that uh the district uh the community here and the board. Uh I would like
045to thank our principles for working with the chamber of commerce and promoting uh KidBiz. This is an amazing event that just seems to grow every year and and I have to say that a big reason is our principles. They make uh the children available to the chamber of commerce. Uh the kids get to see the value in uh deciding whether or not they'd like to start a business and be entrepreneurs. Uh this to have 180 children from St. Stevens and all of our buildings uh and homeschooling working together is was just a beautiful uh opportunity to see kids engaged in work uh and creating businesses. So, some of the businesses are absolutely amazing. Uh this one in particular, another chance. Uh this young man has golf balls that he's put in Ziploc bags and he's
046ranked them in uh in order of their quality. and you can just buy a dozen balls for a few dollars or get something a little bit more expensive and in better shape. What a great idea. And look at how he's marketed his business, right? Very slick. Another chance, right? These are handmade paper voses and flowers. Everything you see was made out of paper on this table. So his his grandma and he are learning origami and they're building this. I was just enamored. I bought some for my wife and very impressed with the quality of these origami vases. And of course, you know, you have some of the traditional uh you know, lemonade stand kind of businesses. These two boys so excited about their Pokemon cards and the business that they created. Obviously, they're big fans.
047This young man, a future electrical computer or chemical engineer and mechanical, I should say, too. He has built these uh radiocontrolled vehicles and then he was selling the plans and how to make your own radiocrolled vehicle with his step-by-step plans. That was, you know, that was just a little different than painting rocks, right? He he really rocked it. So, we're very very proud of of the children and that program. And of course, we got our moving up days. Uh really fantastic opportunities. There's Joy and her daughter uh receiving her moving update certificate. And of course, Ken Bing Huth did a fantastic job as they always do. Uh we had some students and some teachers uh donate money and meet uh this young man who is the uh the main focus of uh the book A
048Long Walk to Water and that's Salva Dub and he's from Sudan. And our team here at Bronica Conor Middle School has had a long tradition of raising funds to build wells in South Sudan. Mr. Fitzpatrick, I'm surprising you with this, but you were the building leader uh observing some of this. I don't know if you want to add a little color to this wonderful uh just that we already have one well. Uh it's got the Grand Island Middle School flag on the well. We also have a a replica of the flag that hangs in Lori Lori Randall's room and it's really it's been a it's been a passion project for Lorie Randles and um Sandy Lamb and every you'll see them out on the track. Uh some kids actually do what Zelva Duck did and
049carry gallons of water uh you know around with them and walk they try to walk as long as he did to get water every single day. So um it's really they read the book and it's a passion project for the two teachers. They're phenomenal. Yeah. and they he just happened to be a guest speaker at a local church. So, they went and saw him in person and uh what a great memory. So, amazing work by our teachers and students. Uh one of our uh teachers, elementary school counselor, Alyssa Cena, who's now Alyssa Brown, authored this book, Family of Secrets, and she co-wrote it with her twin sister. And uh I was blessed to get a copy. I think you have a copy, Cheryl. anything you want to add about this? Just the fact that you
050know Melissa and her twin sister are graduates you know from Grand Island as well and Melissa as a school counselor and you get to say everybody just endorse her. um this project, you know, that she did with her twin sister. Her twin sister also has something to do with mental health, you know, was really great and that very proud of it, very humbled. Um but they were both actually at her tenure reception. Her twin sister attended that with her. So it's really a great tribute. It's really remarkable. And of course, we had the cruise night. I I you'll probably have a little update when we go round table or do you want to jump in now? Wait. All right. We'll wait a little bit, but Oh, go ahead. It was just a a huge success.
051We did have a uh we had more cars, more sponsors this year. Um we did have a a little downpour which I think might have um scared off some cars, but I I think we had over 150 cars again this year and we don't have our final number in yet. We're still waiting for some receipts and some stuff, but I think raised more money last year. I think we were around 6,300 and I think we'll come in well over that once. We have our number. Um I really would like to thank everybody. It's it's it's a short event and it's it's not a lot of work, but the work we put in and the hours we're there, it's it's a lot. So, thanks to everybody that comes out and supports the event and to everybody
052that helps on the event. It it couldn't go off with everybody that without everybody that's there. So, it's a lot of fun. There we are. The group. Great. That's a good picture. It's a great picture. And I was I was like, I remember I had my shoes on when we cannot see. So, yeah, it is an exhaustive, right? I think you were probably pretty tired. Um, yeah. So, this is a picture from the roof of the high school to give you an example of how many cars, you know, fit into that bus loop. A lot of fun. Yeah. Really great. And some of the and sponsored by Certified Auto. They brought I got a chance to sit in a Corvette. That was worth $84,000 and it was used. Basil had a super expensive car there,
053too. Judy had her super cool convertible Mustang there. Yeah. Yeah. So, so fun. Yeah. Really great. And our technology department hand makes the awards for It's a great community. Hopefully, um, in the years to come, you guys get a chance to for sure. And Hillary slays dogs like nobody's business. So, yeah. And again, Grand Grand Island receiving the 2025 best communities for music education award. This is the 14th consecutive year which is truly a really wonderful honor for sure. Just on a you know we need to pay attention to this. This is a little more serious. Um right now the federal government is is putting a significant delay on release of federal funds, federal grants uh for for the United States. Um I in this superintendent report I try to define the uh parts of
054the title grants that are on hold. Not many of them Bob I think are devastating to us. Is that a fair statement? So title one part C I don't I don't even know if we get any money for that. So the title grants all go until um August 31st. Um, so the most of of this freeze right now won't affect us at this point anyways, uh, because they'll still go for a couple more months. So I I'm under the impression that by the time these actually end and the new year begins that we'll have more information on this, but I don't think it's going to have too crazy of an impact on us and and I don't want to alarm the board or the community. Title one is a significant amount of money that we
055get, but this is title one part C. Jenn or Cheryl, we don't get any for title. Once again, as explained last year has nothing to do with delay, we were cut half of our title. So, we remained at least remained about the same this year, which is less than we expected. Um, so that that had changed because the uh believe it was the poverty numbers that they were using, the way they the numbers they used that had changed. So that changed our poverty value value in the formula last year which is why our uh funding went significantly down for that. Uh we thought that cooperative value was going to go back up but it does not look at this time that it has. So we'll do some more on that but um more to come.
056Title two part A for professional involvement. We probably do get some money for that. So right now it's kind of on hold. Am I saying that correctly? Yeah, a lot of the title 2 part a uh goes towards a salary um for they haven't released the application yet. Okay, gotcha. And anything for title three? Title three, we go on to a consortion. Um so it's a low system and we do get probably about 8 to 10 to 10 years and we already get our share this year. All right. Very good. And then uh big golf outing is coming up. Please uh make sure you communicate with Jude if you're interested in either being a sponsor or joining uh to golf by yourself or with a forsome. We It's great. We're doing it at Beaver Island
057this year, which is a new venue for us. So, it should be fun to work with City of Montana and that light. And as always, our community can send us uh tips to keep kids safe right on our website. The Viking tip line is always available. And if you have any uh questions, you can email BOEGIGs.org and the whole board gets your email if you have any questions for the board. Thank you, sir. Okay. Any questions for Dr. Grant before I move on to the board of education report? Okay. We do have one action item. It is the uh board of education. Just the minutes from Yep. the summary. So, if I get a motion to approve um a board education report and a second all in favor opposed motion carried five zero. And then
058we just have the meeting schedule here for everybody to take a look at if anybody has any questions, concerns. Um we just have it here. Um, we do our best to um keep it away from the uh of the bill schedule. I check. And uh we also do our best also with that in mind to not duplicate the same nights as our town board meetings for um it makes it easier for uh community members that want to attend the meetings or and also for our students and have to meet the requirement for the um government class. senior year. So, I don't know if anybody sees any conflicts or she does a great job. She follows the same format. We just put it on here. Yep. Seems to work. Yep. I know we do have a
059couple conflicts. I think it's on board meeting tonight. So, um it's just there for your review. I mean, if you see anything, we can take a look at a later time. And then um Roger asked for the entrance exams and final grade. So Roger, the floor is yours. I just I know this discussion has been going on for a couple years about the percentage weight of regions exams in calculating the student final averages. I know for a long time it's always been 20%. I know several years ago the state kind of made recommendations to move away from that. I know many districts have some districts have stayed with maybe 10% um but also a lot of districts uh seem to go with we will include it into the final average of a student for that
060class if it helps the student right. um you know with the changing regent exams especially this year with the new science curriculum for living environment and um earth next year it's going to be chemistry and physics it's been a big shift in the curriculum of the of the um of the class and some of them are using terms that the student you know no one even taught before and I don't know I just wanted to the what the kind of feeling was about, you know, keeping I guess the bottom line is I I don't know if we should be punishing students for getting a lower grade um by having their final average dropped due to performance on a regent exam, especially a new exam possibly. Um you know, I know some some districts have done
061You know, the the regions classes end in a local, right? And maybe you take the the higher of the two, the regions or the local, whichever. But just that's a good good question. Thank you for posing that question, John. You know, you can talk a little bit. Yeah, I can speak a little bit uh to that, Roger. Um so you know in light of uh the state moving with new graduation measures and in the class of 20 this ninth graders who come into the high school in 2027 will have the option to take a regent exam as a uh requirement for graduation. Um and in light of that uh Mrs. Harvey and her admin team had sent out a survey to their staff. Um, knowing that as the information in the background and came up
062with a a plan um that is consistent with a lot of uh high schools uh in the area that fullyear courses that end in a regent exam, we they won't be uh weighted into the final calculation of the average. um those courses that end in a um they'll be quarter you know 25% per quarter um for that. So uh Mrs. Gretz Harvey and her staff has have really been trying to remain ahead of the game here um because of the issues that you you raised. Yeah. Well, I I knew that in 2027 with the new right with the changes in regents, I was just curious about like I know past practices. I was curious if there was going to be any change to that, you know, and and the middle school is going to follow
063suit. That'll start. That will start next year. You mean this in September? In September. Yeah. With the middle school or the high school? Both. The regent's courses. Any regions any full year region score. So as you know in the middle school we take algebra and earth science, earth and space science uh next year. Um so those full year four year fully year courses that and in a regent's exam will be weighted uh 25% each quarter and the regions will not count towards calculation final average and and for a non regions course it's 20% per quarter but the local be 20. That's right. Any Questions? If not, um sign up for the public comment session. So, we will move on to any of the whole items information round table and we'll start with you. Um I'm
064just I'm excited for Gizba. I'm glad the power show is a hit and graduation is very nice. Thanks for everybody and welcome to all our new staff at least star tonight. So, no thank you. Um excited to be here. First meeting was also fun. My first show that I ever turned shout out to Pinnacle and Latin sponsors this year and it's great. So there's still time to sign up. We still have some spots left major prizes coming up maybe tonight. I don't know after school today either today or tomorrow that we have major prizes for 10 for 25. There's six major prizes. Awesome. J. Uh, just congrats to you role as president. That's awesome. And thank you. I'm honored for the nomination being vice president. Excited after six years of the board to step into
065this new role. Thank you very much. Just congratulations to Jay and uh just welcome Stephanie. Um you're going to do a great job. really looking forward to working with you and welcome you again to Charlotte and Sienna. Two of the best students we could possibly have. I can just ditto all of that. Welcome S Charlotte. Looking forward to having you on the board. It's exciting. Stephanie, looking forward to working with you again. Um, welcome back and congratulations to [Applause] the microphone. I'm just really grateful again for this opportunity to represent my Thank you to everyone here for giving me this opportunity and so uh for those I know we've chatted a lot about adding student members that's a statewide initiative just for the community Thank you for people watching today. Uh these are amazing students
066who will be able to share their voice and have agency uh directly with the board of education. It's a wonderful initiative for the community. Though uh the students do not go in executive session and they do not vote on agenda items, but they're here to advise and to give their uh their their student voice and lend it to us. So thank you to both of you. Uh, I do uh want to just uh mention sometimes uh people who uh look fondly on education think that we're all off in the summer. And I just want to let our community know that our high school has about 136 students uh taking either health classes or uh classes to help them pass and get through the regions program. Uh, additionally, our summer school program that Cheryl oversees, we
067have 91 students attending our uh, extended school year summer school. We have 15 students attending for English as a second language. And we have 24 students and this is a big thank you to the board of education for allowing us to put this in the budget during the budget process. The Viking voyage which is uh designed to uh help children continue uh more of a camplike atmosphere but stay connected to our amazing school counselors and social workers uh and to support them with their mental wellness and well-being. So we have 24 uh students. So in total about 251 children attending high school or the special programs and we have John I want to say a small number of kids who go to AIS services through the middle school not a big number but just a
068small handful of kids getting academic intervention services so uh that's you know 251 that's that's not bad and our community education program is thriving we have 211 children or some adults signed up for community ed and 174 of the 211 are specifically here for sports camp which is a really big number. Um I think uh this team that helps to supervise and help engage 174 children. That's a big responsibility and we thank them uh for their support of this program. There's at least one person who's been there instructing the whole time. That's Jessica Brown and Jude's daughter. She started probably as a child in the program and has been a counselor supervisor of the program for how many years? She started in her junior year. I'm not going to say what year it is, but
069her junior year. She was there when my son was right. Yeah. She started when she was a junior in high school working it and now she's running it. Yep. Yep. And that's all I have. Um, I I just want to say thank you to the board for uh your nomination and belief in me to to lead the board um to be my partner today. I look forward to working with you and continuing to to bring um our school district forward and and continue the initiatives that we we have been working on um in the for the last 12 years. So, thank you for that. Um and I look forward to working with all of you. Um I wanted to give a shout out to Dr. Grant who's been with our school district for 10 years.
070Congratulations to you. Thank you for your leadership and everything you have done for our students and in our district and your dedication um to our students and our community and and hats off to your wife Donna who um who who should be congratulated and should be here to be acknowledged as well because she's selfless and you are here 95% of the time. So, thank you to you and your family for all you've done for our community and our district. It does not go unnoticed everything you have done. So, congratulations to Dr. We appreciate you and everything that you have done and it's been a pleasure to work with you. Um, welcome to Beth. We are looking forward to working with you and to Charlotte and Siana. We are excited to have um a student voice
071here on our board and we look forward to hearing your perspective and um and and working alongside of you. Um and I think that's everything. I think I have spoken enough. So just a couple of dates. We do have a board of education meeting on August 4th and another one on August 20. And with that I will um need a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:32 and a second. No second. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Send the