001Since it is now 6 pm, I will now call the Boet Valley Central School District's February Board of Education meeting to order. Uh number two, pledge of allegiance. Could you please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag? 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. >> Number three, the district's vision. As a reminder to all of us of why we are here, the vision of the Boeb Valley Central School District is to become the best rural school in New York State. We will accomplish our vision vision by providing exceptional opportunities to all learners and preparing them to set and reach their future goals by embedding our core values into their
002student experience. Number four, roll call. Mrs. Belilele, would you please take the roll call? Tom Bradick >> here. >> Paige Patter Sult >> here. >> Paul Fenton >> here. >> Darlene Hooper >> here. >> Sarah Coleman >> here. >> Deborah Spalding >> here. >> Jason Welch. >> Satie Burgess >> here. >> Okay. Number five. Attendees. If you haven't done so already, would you please sign in so we have an accurate attendance record? The signin sheet is located on the table by the entrance. Thank you for your cooperation. Number six, recognition of courage. Dr. Maya, would you please do the honor of presenting this recognition? >> Yes. Thank you. Uh, as I look around, I'm not sure if any of our recipients are here, but we're going to read it anyway. Uh, so, um, your bravery,
003quick thinking, and selfless actions in the face of adversity made a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Your courage and commitment to doing what is right, even in the most challenging circumstances, exemplify the highest ideals of our school community. With deep respect and gratitude, we recognize your heroic act and celebrate your extraordinary character. And our recipients today are Paul Buer, Eric Lore, Jay Feele, Kristen Larkin, Bellisi, and Kylie H. So, we will make sure they get these certificates. >> Okay. Well, congratulations to all for receiving this. well um deserving recognition and on behalf of the board of education we thank you for your courage your compassion and your quick thinking and helping um the student we are very proud of you number seven capital project update Dr. Mer, would you please provide us with
004an update? >> Uh, yes. So, um, our architects are expecting our maximum cost allowance, uh, any day. We we currently don't have it, but, um, we're expecting any day. We've been back and forth with state probably two or three times this week alone, uh, last week a couple times as well where they just seek additional information, clarification. Um so it is on their desk and they're actively working um working on our project. Uh so um we are we are expecting uh the maximum cost allowance uh very soon and then that is when we can start talking actual numbers um and uh and costs and how it's going to affect the community. Um, and uh, as an update, uh, the EPC, the energy performance contract, uh, that, uh, if you remember, that was approved, uh, in
005our last fiscal year, uh, by the board of education. Uh, but if we do vote on that, we will get an additional 10% of state aid. So, uh, that project is it's energy performance. So, the idea is to make the district more energy efficient. Uh, things like LED lights, uh, boiler enhancements, um, and a variety of projects. uh like that. Um so we plan to tag that on to any um our our next vote. Uh we're hoping that we can vote on all of these in May. Uh if the capital project isn't ready by then, we still plan to tag the EPC vote on to that May budget vote. Um again, that EPC already been approved happening anyway. Uh but the yes vote from the community gives us an additional 10% of aid on that
006project. Um and then in addition to that, uh just as a reminder, um what that project does look like, the capital project, the pink, um here, that's an addition to the first floor of the Mountain View campus, adding some additional classroom spaces, uh off the back of the building, um connecting uh this wing here over to the gym weight room area. Um, and that's a little bit zoomed in for you, but um, no real changes to this, uh, since it was presented. Um, that's what that project looks like. In addition to that, we are seeking, um, the, uh, resolution that I'll let you get to that, but it's our our seeker resolutions and our resolution to adopt uh, the negative declaration. Uh, so those two are um required in order to keep this project moving
007forward. Okay. Any questions for Dr. Meyer? Can everyone hear us? Okay. Is it okay? All right. Any questions? Any board members have any questions? Okay. Thank you, Dr. Meyer. Do I have a motion to adopt the resolutions in 7 A and B? >> Separated. So, AR >> Oh, you have to do them separately. Okay. Do I have a motion to adopt the resolution in 7 A? Motion. Okay, thank you, Paige. Second. >> I'll second. >> Okay, thank you, Sarah. Um, any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed. Abstensions. Resolution presented in 7A is passed. Now, do I have a motion to adopt the resolution in 7B? >> A motion. >> Thank you, Deb. Second, Tom. Thank you. Um, any discussion on this? >> All in favor? I >> I opposed abstensions. Resolution presented in 7B
008is approved. Okay, moving right along. Um, number eight, board discussions. Old business tax exemption proposals. Hayden, would you like to provide us a summary of the proposals? >> Um, yes. So, I'm going to preface this by I am not a property tax attorney. So, when we do move down this road, there's going to be a lot more steps and involved. So, um I believe it was in the board packet um the various different veterans exemptions. Um it is my understanding that really the very first one that is listed on there >> is is the main exemption. The rest are additions to that one exemption. So you have to do that main one and then you can add different um additional exemptions like combat veteran, disabled veteran, but you have to adopt a veterans exemption to
009adopt those other ones. Um with the veterans exemption, uh the typical amount is 15% uh property tax exemption to a maximum amount. And that is a what the board would have to decide is what the maximum exemption is. So, they could do 15% and say they're um that calculates out to $5,000 exemption, but the district sets a $2,000 maximum. So, then they would only be exempt $2,000. Um, does that make sense? Because it took me about three days to wrap my head around that. Um, so this the state standard is that 15%, but we have to just set that maximum amount like not to exceed this amount. I pulled the other districts and I received zero responses as to what they do. Um, so I I did look around um the state uh to see
010what others have done um and what I found was the most common was a $12,000 maximum exemption is what I saw. Um and then different thresholds for those additional um endorsements like combat veteran, disabled veteran. >> Okay, any questions? >> We have an idea of how much that would be. >> There is really no way to do that. Um because this just once you adopt that, it's not a blanket. All of a sudden, every veteran in the district gets this exemption. They have to apply for it and they go to the county. It gets factored in. So, there's really no way for the county to know because the data doesn't exist. Um, >> and there's no data on how many would even qualify at this point. I mean, >> um, >> well, we did decide,
011excuse me, >> it could be a gamble at that point. We just the data just doesn't exist. Um, we'd be creating it essentially. Um there was one other district that does have this exemption and they said um when I spoke to them that it's minimal like they are not seeing a huge amount of people applying or qualifying for it. >> I think we did decide before that we would put this up to a vote. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> That it wouldn't be just an automat deciding but we would put it up to a vote for the people the taxpayers. Correct. Correct. >> And I do believe this exemption would require a public hearing. Um, a lot of times you can't just adopt um property tax exemptions without a formal public hearing being held in
012the district >> before we make a decision. >> Yeah. Correct. >> Okay. Even if that's even if we're just deciding that the public votes on it. that all that's fine. It's just to actually for me to submit to the county when I calculate taxes and everything. Um Okay. >> I would have to show that we did a public hearing on it and people were able to ask questions. >> Okay. So, when should we let you know when should we decide make a decision whether we're going to put it up to a vote? If you're looking to have this on next year's or this coming year's taxes, um I I would say March, we would have to have some decision >> by next month >> be made just to start that process. Um >> okay, >>
013and give the public enough time to apply for these exemptions. Bills will be sent out the last week of August. Um and if it's not on the bill, once I calculate taxes, they're they're locked in. Okay. >> And would we have to set the maximum amount before it goes out to vote? >> Who decides that >> percentage? >> The the maximum is set by the board. >> Okay. >> Yeah. The the taxing entity itself sets the maximum. So they do the 15%. That is what it is, but the maximum amount is set by the board. >> Okay. Okay. Any other questions for Hayden? Okay. New business, community updates. Um, a joint study. Mr. Broadick or Mrs. Carter Sult, would you please provide us with an update? >> Go ahead. >> One of you. Go ahead.
014>> Uh, more conversation on uh, portrait of a graduate and what that looks like. Uh, which is a multipleyear conversation. um because it ultimately will not start affecting the kids in the district until we get the fifth graders now into 9th grade. Um so that's a really big conversation the state is not giving us any guidance on which is um >> terrifying on a lot of uh ways but uh we are ultimately seeing a lot of ways that uh the district already does um these different steps that they want us to take um and we're just it's just a conversation at this point. So, >> okay. Thank you. Um, youth commission update. Mrs. Cotter Soldov, would you please provide us an update? >> Uh, we're pretty much finishing up basketball season right now. Uh, just
015like modified and varsity are and moving into baseball and softball season. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Oh, question. >> I'm not uh under old business. I'd like to bring up and I know it's been mentioned at other board meetings about the exemption for the electric buses. I guess you need a motion for us or um to get this thing moving forward. Is that what you need? >> So uh electric buses is part of the agenda later on um as part of the superintendent report where there's we'll have a discussion then. >> Okay. So we don't need to vote on anything. >> Okay. I think >> Okay. Thank you, Paige. Uh, letter C, policy committee. Mrs. Spalding, Mr. or Mr. Fenton, would you like to provide us with an update of your uh, January 25
016meeting? >> All right. So, we actually kind of attacked a few, some were one policy changes um, that we're going to be discussing later tonight. Um, we discussed the voting language and policy 41 5410 changed it from 3 fifth to 47. Um, we discussed oh I'm trying to look at my notes here. Um, we did a replacement of superintendent office where with district office just to be a little bit more careful. And Josh, can you think of any >> others are missing? >> We changed that for the credit cards. >> Yeah. >> So that they would Yeah. >> In case they he they weren't in the office, they could find by doing district, it could be Bridget's or Josh's office. Okay. Any questions? All right. Moving right along to number nine, public comment. Our agenda
017offers two public comment sections. Opinions, ideas, and concerns that are offered by the public will be considered and taken under advisement. We have set aside a 15minute period giving the audience time to share their thoughts with us. Please raise your hand to be acknowledged by the board president. When called upon, please identify yourself and give your address, limiting your comments to three minutes. Do we have anyone who would like to have a comment? Give a comment. No. No papers. Okay, then we'll move right along to number 10, executive session. Specifically, the board anticipates entering into executive session for the following reasons. A number six to discuss the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or persons. B number eight to discuss the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or proposed
018acquisition, sale or exchange of securities, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value of these things. Do I have a motion to enter into executive session to discuss items 10 A and B? >> I'll make that motion. >> Thank you, Tom. Second. Thank you, Paul. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Any abstensions? Motion passes. We anticipate being back in approximately >> uh like an hour. an hour at the most, but hopefully sooner. Okay, thank you. Hopefully we will be back sooner than 1 hour. >> What happened? Okay. >> Okay. >> So, I had to turn it down. >> Okay. >> Like, wait. >> Yeah, that was me. >> Somebody's pranking with me to another day. >> No talking to that. You can tell this got a story about not bad. Well,
019it is bad, but it's bad for the kid. Not the district. She's not doing it, but she was like, "Oh, I would try it." I was like, >> "But do you understand?" >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Do I have a motion to reconvene the regular session of our meeting? >> I'll make a motion. >> Thank you, Tom. Second. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Thank you, Paige. Any discussion? All right. All in favor? >> I opposed. Abstensions. Motion to reconvene regular session has been approved. Okay. Apologize for the lengthy um executive session, but uh it was necessary. Number 11, exeicio student school board member report. Um, it's always a pleasure to have our student representative, Satie Burches, provide us a report on behalf of the student body. So, Satie, the floor is yours. >> Thank you.
020Um, first we had model UN eight students represented BBS in Boston last month. It sounds like they had a very educational experience. They learned a lot. Um and then next week, next month we have North Country Model UN and I think model UN is presenting at the board next week month. So I think they have more information that >> um and then all county is this week. Um five high school students went and it's basically an all day experience where you play for music and then there's a concert at the end of the day. Um I didn't go this year but I've gone in the past and it's such an amazing experience. There's so many people and it's amazing to play with other musicians. Um, and then upcoming we have the Magic Show fundraiser um
021on February 28th at 1 p.m. Both of which supports the sixth graders Boston field trip fund. Um, and then there's been ski trips um to White Face. I think there's been two um and lot there's a lot of participation and people really look forward to those. And then it's not up there, but um the rumage sale is coming up. Benefits to junior and senior classes March 26th through 28th. We're looking for donations. Community drop off is March 20th through 26. So we appreciate any donations. That's it. >> Okay. Thank you very much, Satie. Okay. For your time and effort to provide us with another very interesting report on the student events. >> Can I ask her a question? >> Yes, sure. >> Satie, quick question. Where will the magic show be? Uh, Lake View >>
022at Lake View. >> Lake View at in the 28th at one. >> Yes, >> that sounds like fun. >> Okay, great. >> Okay. Um, thank you again for your time and effort for putting that together. It makes us all very proud and this is makes our job seem worthwhile when we hear all the exciting things that are happening. So, thank you again. Okay. Um, number 12, approval of agenda and minutes. Uh, a approval of the adoption of the agenda and b approve the minutes of January 8th, 2026 regular meeting as presented. Do I have a motion to approve 12 A and B? >> A motion. >> Thank you, Deb. Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you, Tom. Um, any discussion? All in favor? >> I I think that we can get rid of 22. Is
023that correct? >> Excuse me. >> I believe that we can get rid of 22. Item 22, >> the elimination of item number 22, executive session. Okay. >> All right. So, can I make a motion to approve? >> How how should I say? Let's see. >> Do we motion to remove it and then >> Yeah. Can we make a motion to approve 22? No, I'm in a motion to remove >> to remove from the agenda >> from the um agenda for a >> I'm going to motion. >> Okay, Paige. Thank you. Second >> all. Thank you. Um any discussion? All in favor? >> I um opposed extensions. Okay, motion is approved. >> All right, on to number 13, financials. Now we need to vote to actually approve the agenda, right? >> Because we took something off.
024>> We should redo. Yes, >> redo that. Okay. All right. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda and 12A? >> Motion. Paul. Thank you. Second. >> I'll second. >> Paige. Second. Um, any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed. Abstensions. Okay. Motion to carry and approve the agenda is carried. Okay. Number 13, financials. Um, do I have a motion to approve item 13 A1 through five? Motion. >> I'll move. >> Okay. Thank you, Sarah. Uh, second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Paige. Any discussion on any of these items? All in favor? >> I I opposed abstensions. Motion 13A 1-5 has been approved. Number 14, CSE, CPSE, and 504 recommendations. A accept and approve the committee on preschool special education, committee on special education, and committee on 504 plan recommendations as presented. Do I
025have a motion to accept the CSE, CPSE, and 504 recommendations presented in 14A? >> Make motion. >> All. Thank you. Second. >> I second. >> Thank you, Paige. Any discussion on these? All in favor? >> I opposed abstensions. Motion 14A is approved. Number 15, action items, consent agenda. Uh, let's see here. Do I have a motion to approve actions items 15 A through C? >> I'll motion. >> Okay. Thank you, Paige. Second. >> I'll second. >> And any discussion? >> I have ahead. >> No, go ahead. >> I was just wondering, do we have any idea of how many um girls maybe Satie you would know are going to be trying out for the flag football? I don't know the exact number, but I know it's a lot 14. >> Oh, wow. >> Yeah. So,
026there there's um definitely some interest there. Uh my understanding is that Keen's numbers are down a little bit. Uh I also, as I understand it from our athletic coordinator that um we typically uh based on the number of students that sign up for our sports, we usually uh have a few that um don't end up participating. Uh so there was some concern about that being the first year of the program. um and thought that emerging made the best the most sense for this year. Um however, I have um said sort of as a caveat that you know if the first day rolls around and there is just a ton of students then we will try to come up with something that that works and makes sense for everybody. >> Okay. Well, great. >> Say since
027you're the one who initially brought this up, do you have anything that you'd like to comment? Um, student council's only concern was transportation because it doesn't sound like there'll be a bus, but other than that, everyone's pretty excited about it. >> Okay. And transportation. >> Will that leave us enough for a softball team? >> Yeah. >> There is no softball team this year. >> There's no >> Everyone wanted to do five football. >> Gotcha. >> But they were able to do both, right? We did discuss that. >> No, you could do both. >> Both. Yeah. Yeah. So there won't be a softball. >> I do not believe that there are that I don't believe that there is anyone signed up for varsity softball. It's my understanding. >> Okay. I have one other question. Um I
028don't know if we can answer this today. Uh but how many have we approved this year? >> I think three or four. >> Four. I think >> this is four. >> Four. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um all in favor >> I opposed any abstensions. All right. Move to motion to approve item 15 A through C is approved. Personnel. Okay. We have personnel consent agenda A through 6 with the addition of the amend 16H1. Um, do I have a motion to approve items 16A through 6 plus the amendments amend 16H1? >> A motion. >> Thank you, Paige. Second. >> Okay. Thank you, Sarah. Is there any discussion on any of these? All in favor? >> I opposed. Any extensions? Items in 16A through G plus the amendum H1 are accepted. Okay. On to policy number
02917 as recommended by the Boet Valley Central School Policy Committee. The approval approve the revision of policies 1 through three. Should we do these separate, Richard, or together? >> Okay, we can do them together. All right. and B as recommended by Erie 1 policy services approve the revision of policies 1 through 4. Do I have a motion to approve items A 17A through B4? >> A motion. >> Thank you, Deb. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Paul. Is there any discussion on any of these items before we vote? >> Okay. Uh, all in favor? I >> I opposed. Any abstensions? >> Items in 17 A through B4 are accepted. Okay. Number 18, administrator director report. We have uh Lake View principal Lee Kyler here tonight. Mr. Kyler, the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Josh.
030I think I have one slide. So, this is just a picture of our kindergarteners as tomorrow is our 100th day of school. Lake View campus who celebrated today because tomorrow is Valentine's Day and half day. Uh so I have a one pager sheet that's in front of you all. A couple of things I wanted to highlight is we have some outside partnerships that are worth recognizing um each of these organizations are in the campus one day per week. So we have the prevention team, Families First and Essex County Mental Health all in one one dedicated worker uh in the building uh once per week and they all happen to be social workers. So they are able to provide counseling services for our students and operate in sort of a satellite campus fashion which helps uh
031families with you know transportation and filling out paperwork and things like that. It's a really great service that is mimicked here at View campus. Also, uh, Cornell Cooperative Extension, we have a really good partnership for agriculture in the classroom, which is done at at the elementary grades, and they're, um, also sponsoring one of our cooks from the kitchen to go to the New York State Farm to School Summit later this month in Saratoga Springs. The Four Winds Nature Institute is is going extremely well in grades preK through fifth. It's entirely volunteerrun and uh, also entirely paid for by Shay Westport Communications. Um, and I I don't have enough good things to say about how well that program is going. Um, and lastly on this page, we participate in uh the arts and education program through
032CVS posties. Uh, each month a different person speaker group comes in to the Lake View campus to do an assembly. Uh, this month, just last week, was someone called Story Crafters that read stories. We've had a BMX biker. We've had musicians. And it's it's a great program that we continue to participate in. On the next page, the back page for you all. Uh I'm going to start at the bottom. We've recently applied for some grants which are worth noting the connect kids to parks grant which which is really just a formality. They they tend to award it if you apply. It reimburses the district for expenses to a New York State Park. Last year we went to Point Ro State Park. This year kindergarten and first grade is going to Heart Lake. Uh we just
033completed an application to the Aderondic Foundation generous acts fund for $20,000 that uh has two components. It's half is to expand our farm-toschool opportunities at the Lake View campus and the other half is to continue and expand the four winds nature program for pre-K through fifth grade. And we will shortly reapply for the grant from Silvo for the backpack food program. Going back up to the top, uh the spring break reading challenge is going to take place for uh students prek through sixth grade. If you read six hours over spring break, you get a free ticket to what I call the happiest place on earth. So that'll be going home with students after winter break. Uh at our assembly last week, we had two forest rangers, one who might be here tonight, speak to all
034of our students about ice and cold water safety. So, we were really lucky to have them come in and do that and they participated in Chuck Duck, too. Anything you want to say about that, Sarah? >> I missed. >> That's all right. Um, we've instituted based on some feedback that I received from families, we've instituted a a one day a month family breakfast. So, families can come in and have breakfast with their their uh students in the Lake View campus uh cafeteria. Uh we have some upcoming presentations to meet the compliance requirement for Aeron's law. Um, as as Paige mentioned, we continue to talk about portrait of a graduate at the Lake View campus and and we feel really confident that we are doing a lot of it already, but agree that there's a lot
035of work to be done. Um, and last night was our K through two concert um that Miss Miro led and the students did a wonderful job, but I think it's worth noting that it was Miss Murro's final concert for the younger grades. Uh, she's been a teacher for 32 plus years. She jokes that she came to Westport for her interview and while waiting thought she would go to McDonald's and and landed in in Westport and found her husband and started family. She's a phenomenal educator. It's worth noting that she will be missed. She has one more concert in the in the uh spring for grades three through five. And my major announcement that the Liew teachers are all excited about. So the next slide. Yeah. So today we were talking about restocking our vending machine
036and the secretary said, "Boy, we should find stuff that's in those claw machines." And I said, "How about we just buy a claw machine?" So today we Dr. Myers, this is a surprise to you. We purchased a claw machine. So if students save up their Griffin Grams, they can earn a token to play the claw machine. So students don't know this yet, but this is going to be installed over winter break. And this is gonna, you know, instead of one token for a Griffin grant, students can save four or five and play on the claw machine. We'll put some prizes in there as well. So, that's really exciting. PBIS continues to be a big focus, I believe, campus. So, that's all I had. What's your questions? >> I just want to make a comment about
037the concert last night. >> Yeah, >> if anyone missed it, you missed a really good concert. >> Um, I was really impressed with the first graders. I had a first and a second grader if they're singing. first grade sang and signed a song. >> Yeah. >> And the amount of time that it took for those little kiddos to learn it. >> Yeah. >> And I don't know if you noticed, but my grandson kept in between he verse he put his hands in his pocket, then he bring them right back out to sign. But I was really impressed. That was a lot of time. And she did an amazing job. >> Yeah, she did. Thank you for saying that. >> Thank you, Mr. Kyler, very much. And congratulations to Mrs. Merill on her last one of
038her last concert. >> She put 100% into a phenomenal teacher and we're she's going to be certainly missed. >> Okay. Um moving right along number eight 19 superintendent update. Um a superintendent report. Go ahead Mr. Dr. >> Myers. Uh so um as always because our principles are here uh if you either of you would like to weigh in on the grants uh please go ahead. >> Uh the only update is title final allocations just came out and the final allocations. Hayden you can correct me are very close to the initial allocations. So we do have to do some amendments but those are formalities and UPK amendment will be done after beds day in March. So again, it continues to be sort of a slow time for grants, but >> yeah, in ESD, our amendments due
039in April, so if we have to change any of the funding, we'll do that. And there is here till there may be an RFP put out for a new one by the end of this month. So we've seen nothing so far because our grant cycle ends June 30th or five years or so. >> Great. Thank you. Okay. Uh so um we did receive um two score reports we're going to talk about. So our fiscal stress score we get that um every year around this time of year uh for you can see the last uh three years 22 23 and 24 our fiscal stress score was 3.3. Uh it's worth noting you'll see on the next page um but this is out of 100 points. Uh so 3.3 is very low. Uh so 2025 our fiscal
040stress score was zero. 0.0 meaning that we have no fiscal stress. Uh the only change since 2022 is that our cash position has strengthened in the form of stronger reserves. Okay. Um so uh I'm going to flip to the next page and walk you through how that score works. Um, I thought my slides were reversed here, but if you look down here at the bottom, I'll get to the environmental stress in just a second. If you look, if you look down at the bottom here, so if you're 0 to 29.9, there's no designation. 30 to 44 uh.9 susceptible, 45 to 59.9 is moderate, and then 60 to 100 is significant. So, just to go back real quick, so we we're literally at zero and even in previous years at 3.3. So would be well in
041that no designation. Um then we get to environmental stress scores and this we have a couple factors that keep us on this list. So we are um economically disadvantaged and that number has been pretty consistent. You see 57% 58% uh so right around you know the mid to high 50s. Um we are an economically disadvantaged district. However, in the eyes of the state, we are considered a wealthy district. >> Okay, I want everyone to understand that uh that we are the state consider considers us to be a wealthy district even though we are looking at 58% of economically disadvantaged population. >> Can I say something? >> Yep. >> Um because the cities are poorer and have more children. That's the long and short of it. Um >> yeah. Um our our teacher turnover is another
042area uh where we we've actually made some ground here. Um you know during uh for the last few years really since co um there's been such a demand um for teachers just really in any district uh that teachers have been able to move pretty freely. Um and uh so we have seen increased turnover in the last few years but we can see that number going from 23% to 21% down to 17% which which reduces our points from 15 points down to 10 points. So we are trending in the right direction there. Um and then the other area where uh we did get points was in our budget support. Um again going back a couple years 61% uh then down to 58% then down to 57%. Uh so um we even though um the teacher turnover
043dropped and the budget support um also dropped those counteracted one another leaving us at 33.3%. So we we are in that susceptible environmental stress. We we stay in there. That's where we've been. We are down overall from last year at 38.3 down to 33.3. So heading in the right direction. Um and you know we're we're uh at the low end of susceptible but but that is where we are. Our bus fleet report. Uh so this is the month where we talk about our bus fleet report. And um u Mr. Rice is here. So, I'm going to ask him if he wants to weigh in on this. Just give a quick overview on what we're looking at here. >> Quick overview. We replaced uh two buses last year. Uh in two board meetings ago, we voted
044to take the old buses out of service. We added one more bus to take out of service because it would not pass DOT inspection for that event crossmember in the frame. Uh that was due to the bus getting stuck in the fairgrounds and getting pulled out by the town loader. it was due to get removed anyways. Uh so we just sped the timeline up. So instead of removing it in June, we removed it now. We have a new short bus in the uh budget for this year. And none of these buses are electric yet. We're still trying to avoid our electric. I don't know if you have any questions about individual buses. Some of them aren't buses, but like number 10 where it says Chevy Traverse, it's a Chevy Traverse, but it's DOT as a
045bus, so we can carry kids in it. >> Thank you. >> Uh also, um at our February meeting, we talk about our instructional program, uh report. Uh so if you take a look, I tried to sort of color code these into different categories. Um and if you look at our uh preK and K through six uh that's where we have 15 teachers there. That is one um preK teacher and our K through six that's two per grade level. Um so uh I also so I put the number you see general ed 15 and then in parenthesis that's the percentage of our teaching staff. Um so that's 25% of our teaching staff. Then if you look at uh in the that red box the ELA, math, social studies, science and language. Uh so we are three
046in um each of those departments. Uh the first three ELA, math and social studies. Those uh went from four to three through attrition. Um since we merged uh as was discussed um science still remains at four and our foreign language uh is at two. Um, and again, that's 15 total teachers there, making up 25% of our overall teaching staff. Let me do our special areas, the things like art, music, PE, uh, health, business, tech, and library. You can see what we have there. Um, and that makes up about 17% of our instructional staff, our special education, uh, AIS and speech. Um so this is an area where we we have brought programs back from the Boseies uh at a cost savings to us. Um so it is absolutely an increase in teaching load but a
047but as a cost savings measure for the district and that also uh has 15 teachers there for 25%. And the last box, uh, this is our, um, uh, student support services here where we have our counselor, social workers, and school psychologists here. And we have a total of five making up about 8% of our uh, of our total instructional program. So, that's pretty much how we're laid out there. Um, and that brings us to our electric bus discussion. Um, so a couple things I have for for you. Uh, so and couple reminders. Um, so as it stands, the 2027 2028 school year, we are no longer permitted to purchase diesel buses. In the 2035 2036 school year, we need to have our full fleet converted over to electric buses. Generally speaking, our diesel bus cost
048is about $180 to $200,000. an electric bus cost is in the neighborhood of $400,000 plus voter approval. I bring that up because it's it's a little bit small up there, but in the bottom corner you see that Spencerport uh they um had had the funding set for these buses and the their community voted it down. So, you still need community support for the electric buses. This has been this has happened across the state >> uh where where um the community has not supported the transition to electric buses which puts the district in a peculiar spot. So our district is um we absolutely have some infrastructure needs, right? We we right now if we were gifted an electric bus tomorrow, we would have nothing to do with it. We wouldn't be able to charge it. there's
049a lot of infrastructure needs that we have for that. So, uh what what uh what I'm looking for from the board and I want to talk about is uh to do an infrastructure study and a transportation study. Some districts have done these as two separate studies or sometimes you can find someone that will do it kind of collectively as one study. Uh so that that's the first thing I'd like to discuss. And then the second thing, we do have an opportunity for a waiver to push back uh the 2027 2028 deadline. So this wouldn't, as far as it stands right now, wouldn't affect the 2035 deadline, but you could push back the 2027 2028 deadline by two years. You can apply for that either now, this year in 2026 or wait until 2027 based on
050what we're being told. Uh and even we there was a district locally who submitted now and state ed sent it back and said we think you're better off waiting till 2027. So because of that the local districts are all waiting till 2027. That being said, um, so those are my my two proposals is that basically that we RFP for both studies, whether we do it together or separate, and that we wait till 2027 to do the paperwork for the waiver, but open it up for discussion. >> If we do the waiver and we're approved, does that mean we can buy a diesel bus in 27? >> I believe. Yeah, we can buy buses for the next two. It's a two-year waiver. 278 to 9. Okay. >> If we have the infrastructure, >> but no, if
051we do the waiver, then we would push back the electric buses by two years and we could buy another diesel or however many diesel buses, but we would still have the 35 deadline. >> So, what is the rationale for waiting till 2027 to apply? So it sounds so again just being that one of our local districts who applied state ed pushed it back and said you're better off waiting. Um if we understand the language in the waiver if you were to get it approved now your two years starts now. >> Oh >> so effectively making it a one-year waiver not a two-year waiver. So my question is it says um no diesel bus purchases after where's but Bob could we don't have I don't think we have any more diesel do we 84 was our
052last one >> I diesel and gas >> okay it means the same thing all right >> yes >> oh got open a little >> yeah sorry yes I tried to simplify you know that that sentence was already long as it was >> going to run into the circle there I apologize No, that's fine. >> I should have figured it would include gas. Yeah. >> What would the study >> entail and who would we >> Great great question. So, uh there's a lot of things we do not know about electric buses. For example, electric buses are not necessarily one for one. Meaning that, you know, let's say that we were operating um uh like eight buses regularly. That doesn't mean that we need eight electric buses. It could mean that we need more than that. For
053example, we do our morning bus runs and those buses turn right around and might make a trip to Platsburg uh or to mineville or somewhere else. Some of the electric buses may not have the capacity to actually do that, meaning that they might need a midday charge. They might need, you know, might need something. So, we might need more buses than that. Also, if you remember what I talked about um last time um that uh uh mountainous terrain um cold weather and there's a third factor that that of course >> something about area. >> Yeah. Like large geographic area something like that which is the exactly how you would describe our district. Those are problems for electric buses. So we basically need someone to do a study to tell us how many buses we need.
054Also, as it stands, mileage on electric buses is self-reported by electric bus companies and um there is some concern about the accuracy of that information. So, we're that is being updated as districts are now using the buses and kind of get generating their own data. So, we need to know basically how many buses we need and to see if there's a way to redesign our routes based on those buses. And the second thing that we need from the an infrastructure uh perspective um is how much power do we need to charge these buses? Uh you know, how many chargers do we need? Is there a way to share chargers? You know, for example, if we have 10 buses, do we need 10 chargers? Could we get away with fewer chargers than that? We're also in
055an interesting situation here um having um uh NYG and National Grid. So where um other districts are kind of locked into one company, we could explore both companies and see if see if uh there is a significant benefit to do one over the other. Um >> is there any other um consideration to other options solar or something else? So all I would think that all of that could be addressed in in the study. >> Just saying. >> Yeah. But I know um uh Mariah for example, they have um electric bus. I believe they have two >> question. They get two and they've got their third coming. >> Yeah. However, they have concerns about having enough power to charge the third >> like NY has that concern. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. The the power Yeah. nice
056not I think they might be national grid in in any case >> I'm yeah I'm not sure which >> in any case it's the power company not the school district >> has concern about actually charging uh the buses so for all of those reasons uh I think that we need to have a study done again it could be one study or two separate studies um but this is something that is uh that is happening with other districts right now where they're looking at these studies just so they know what they're getting into. Um so >> will these bees funded? Perhaps the studies >> the studies um I know that some of the infrastructure studies can happen through NAERTA. Uh so um I think that that is a way to reduce the cost doing it that
057way. But we I will um if if the board is uh is amendable, I can take a look at what um other districts are doing. we can RFP for it and we can see what what the best options are. >> Well, I mean they're all in the same boat as we are in the other district. So maybe Boseies could do something for all of us. >> Uh yeah. So I I I do think that they have um I think that some of the consultants are aligned with some of the Boseies. So I think that we can get some Boseies aid on some of the studies regardless of of who we choose. But I I think um an RFP is the way to go, right? Then then we then we can um see what we're looking
058at. Any anyone opposed to that? I don't think we need we don't need like an official vote or anything, but just Yeah. >> No, we have to we have to get it done. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We can't be informed if we don't know. >> We will be done next year >> and I think >> and hopefully you know changes there. Okay. I just had one question. I just wanted to confirm that um Dr. Tims, Dr. Rick Tims will be attending one of our budget meetings in the future to present information from his long range uh financial analysis for Boat Valley and um that was presented to the board. I think it would be very valuable for the public and staff to hear that information. So I just wanted a confirmation that that was
059going to happen. Dr. Meyer, >> I can certainly reach out. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Meyer. Um, number 20, public comment. Our agenda offers two public comment sessions. Opinions and ideas and concerns that are offered by the public will be considered and taken under advisement. We have set aside a 15minute period giving the audience time to share their thoughts with us. Please raise your hand to be acknowledged by board president. When called upon, please identify yourself and give your address, limiting your comments to three minutes. Is there anyone who would like to comment? >> Yeah. Anyone? Okay. Looks like we're all set. Number 21. Next meeting. A budget meeting Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Mountain View campus. and B, the next regular board meeting will be on March 12th,
0602026 at 6 p.m. at the Lake View campus. Um 22 is out of the picture. So, do I have a motion? Let's see. Hold on. Adjournment. Do I have a motion to adjourn this meeting? >> Sure do. >> Okay. Thank you. Second, Paige. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I opposed. >> Abstensions. Motion to adjourn. Accepted. >> Yeah. >> At 8:06 p.m. That's the earliest yet we've gotten out of here.