May 5th, 2026 - Board of Education Meeting (Budget Hearing)

001Good evening and welcome to the Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 meeting of the Antiora Board of Education. We have a tobacco policy in place. There is no smoking within 100 ft of any school building. Please rise for the pledge. Board clerk, will you please call roll? >> Trusty Smith >> here. >> Trusty Jared >> here. >> Trusty Mitchell Morell >> here. >> Trusty Jerome >> here. >> Trusty Goodrich >> here. >> Trusty Conson >> here. >> Trusty Bishop >> here. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh on to item 2.01. Bennett School principal, Mr. Gabriel Bono, will welcome the board. Hello, my name is Jolie Morris and this will be my final time playing the role of Mr. Bono. Um, months ago, we dove into the bars data, which is the Boseis assessment reporting system, to see

002where we could improve our New York State ELA and math assessments. Being able to view last year's assessments and see where we could improve test scores was a wonderful way to use data driven instruction. At Bennett, we were able to see what types of questions our students needed improvement on and then recreate questions in order to give exposure and practice. In doing so, we are optimistic that our students will improve test scores this year in both ELA and math. We have completed the ELA assessment. Our math assessment is this week and next week we will be administering the fifth grade science assessment. We wish all our students the best luck as they continue to show their hard work and growth. The second annual Bennett Elementary School family literacy fair night, which was labeled a celebration

003of reading and art took place on March 26th. It brought families together for an evening of creativity and storytelling. With support from the Olafree Library, Phoenicia Library, and Bennett PTA, students received free books while enjoying a schoolwide display of artwork organized by Robera Zamba. Students explored language, engaging literacy and art stations, including elephant and piggy headbands, crafty Chloe dolls, affirmation mirrors from the I am series, beaded name keychains inspired by Always Angel and Jolly, and nature themed fingerprint art based on Where's the Frog? On April 17th, the PTA hosted its annual variety show featuring impressive lineup of 33 acts and 48 performers. Students showcased a wide range of talents including singing, dancing, magic acts, hula hooping, gymnastics, and many other creative performances. The event highlighted the diverse abilities of our students and provided a fun

004and engaging experience for both participants and the audience. On Tuesday, May 26th, Ruth Anger Miranda from the Ashoken Center is hosting a free school assembly of ukulele musicians through the Ashoken Cent's music share program. Many staff and students are looking forward to this assembly as we appreciate it every year. The New York State English as a second language achievement test, most dubbed the NISLAT, is an annual assessment for K12 English language learners. Our ENL department has been diligently working to administer these assessments, ensuring that students have the opportunity to demonstrate their English language profic proficiency and growth. Thank you for your time and continued support. And Mr. Bono is actually here to answer any questions. Thank you, Jolie. >> Um, I wanted to just say, uh, Miss Corso and Miss Kovac, uh, I gave them

005a night off. They didn't really have anything new to present being that, as Miss Moore said, we've been preparing for the state exams. Um, I want to take the time to thank uh Trusty Goodrich and Trustee Mitchell Morurell for their time. It's my understanding well it's my last time formally addressing you and and you're ending your uh careers here as trustees. So, thank you very much. Thank you very much for your dedication and volunteerism. Does anybody have any questions for me? >> Um, just wanted to return even though you didn't say thank you to me, I wanted to say thank you to you because you are also um addressing us formally for the last time and it's been a great pleasure um hearing from you, knowing you, having you lead the school. So, thank you.

006>> Thank you. Thank you very much. It's been my honor. You're coming back though, right? >> Right. >> I would also be remiss if I didn't recognize what an enormous impact that you've had on my kids' lives and my own life. I'm pretty sure I'm sitting here because of you and I'm grateful because I really love it. Um, but I know just from being a PTA person in your building, what a tremendous impact you've had on so many kids when it came to tour Bennett, I'll never forget walking down the hallway with Gabe and my kid who was like looking around, fourth grader, do I want to come here? And you knew everybody's names and you gave high fives and ask how's this and what's so how did this go? You knew like what they

007had going on. and you lit them up. And I hope that all future administrators and building principles can take away some of what you've shown is a really beautiful way to run an elementary building. >> Thank you. And I'm optimistic um Miss McGrath will exceed whatever I've done here. And it's our school, not my school. Thank you. I am assuming that you will be at the June board meeting where we will be celebrating all of our retirees. >> You gave me a directive. >> Okay. >> Well, then I will just briefly echo the sentiments of everyone else. Uh yeah, no >> meeting. >> We have worked together since 2004. So I am eternally grateful for your teamwork, your collegiality, your hard work. Uh I know that there are years when we all went home and

008you went home and ate dinner and came back here and spent hours and hours so that you could be the best principal possible for this building. And you've done amazing amazing work. As Trusty Jared said, you know all of your kids, you know how to light them up. You know how to engage them. and you've really given a lot of children joy in education. But we're not done with you. >> Thank you. >> Enjoy your meeting. >> I just want to say that Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Trusty. >> Nice job. >> Nice try. I mean, um, >> yeah, I've known you since 2012 and being your colleague was really an honor. uh most of the time, but I remember always calling you my little brother. Yes. And you used to call me sis. And

009that was really fun. Um I we shared a lot of really great um you know, experiences in education, working with kids, working with parents, and um you were the best. I wish you all the best, but I'll see you at the June meeting. Thank you for that. Uh, just so for the record, um, Trusty Bishop used to park illegally and I would go around saying, "What do you think you are? The superintendent, the board president? Well, you're one of them now. So now you can park wherever you want and I can't do anything about it." >> Right? And while we're on a roll, there were times when I would be here at Bennett um for cse meetings all day long and I would park out front and around, I don't know, two something or whenever

010the buses start rolling in, there would be an announcement made um will the owner of a white Nissan Ultima, please come to the office. You're illegally parked. And there was the other time, I'm just thinking of times when you've used the intercom system. Yes. One time I walked in right before the pledge and you said, "Boys and girls, we have a guest speaker today who's going to lead the pledge of allegiance. Mrs. Bishop is here." And I had to do that like, you know, on a on a, you know, an instant notice, which, you know, I could go on. I won't. We have a meeting to run. I could go on too. >> Thank you. >> I see the sign. >> Thank you. We're getting the hook. >> Okay. Thank you, Gabe. Um on to

011item 3.01. Um we will open the uh budget hearing at this time and we will have a presentation by Superintendent McLaren and Assistant Superintendent for Business Monica. Well, good evening. Uh, welcome to the 2627 budget hearing. This is a required presentation and includes nothing that should be of any surprise to anyone. We have no new information. budget highlights. Um, again, we are continuing uh to staff the middle school high school security vestibule. That was a new initiative this year um because we opened it uh in the fall and then uh decided as a district to staff it with professional security people. And then as we will hear in a little while, we have a new initiative for 2026 27 um focusing on phonics at the elementary level. So I won't talk about that because we

012have wonderful professionals here to cover that. And then we are continuing with all of the uh wonderful programs that we have in place now to support our students both academic, extracurricular, social, emotional learning. We are continuing to support uh all of our special education students, provide all of the professional development that our staff uh would love to have and appreciates and takes advantage of and all of the safety and supportive school environment um initiatives that we have in place. So, we are not uh thankfully reducing anything in our budget. I get the numbers. So, our 2627 proposed budget with is 66,481,500, which is an increase of 4.55% or um a little over $2.8 million. And as we have discussed in previous meetings, we are looking to appropriate um 2.9 million to reduce the tax levy

013and balance the budget, but also an additional 1 million to help offset the um capital project work that will be being done this summer. We like to call that our elevator plus project that we will go into more detail. Um had we not um needed that additional million dollars, you can see our actual budget increase would have been 2.98%. Um but again nothing different from the previous presentations. >> So so if we had not had that million it would have been a 2.98% budget increase. With that million it's a 4.55% budget increase. So the drivers of the budget we've gone through this I want to say ad nauseium. Sorry, just a gentle reminder, Assistant Superintendent Lucer, that we do have a good number of community members who may be turning tuning in tonight for the

014first time. And so even though it's not different from what we've seen before, if you could still take us through it, then >> absolutely. Um so um as we have discussed the drivers of the budget, um there are many in in the different areas that we have under general support. insurance uh is about 10% that's our property insurance um auto insurance um our Bosey's admin uh approximately 6% increase operations and maintenance as we discussed with the um addition of the staffing of the security vestibule has added um u added costs to that line and under operation and maintenance another one of the biggest drivers is the increase in electric costs which is looking to be about 30% higher next year um instruction instruction um represents the largest port part of our budget because we're a

015school. Uh so um 75% of the instructional budget um is salaries. Um and I'm having trouble reading that because I'm not having my long I don't have my distance glasses on. I only have my readers on. Um so but about 3.2 or 11% of the instruction is for outofdist placements. Um and then our non-s salary portion of um instruction budget went up by about 6.7%. The salary part of the instructional budget however went up minimally by 1.18 as we have four retirees that due to um our um our wonderful work of our assistant superintendent and our director of PPS we did not need to replace um without losing any programs for students. Um, so that helped us also keep in line with the budget for next year. Transportation, we have our first student contract which

016goes up 3%. That's um a five-year contract, so it's 3% every year. And this we're going into year three. We are also looking to purchase a bus. Unfortunately, bus costs have also gone up by about 20%. And then uh again, one of the largest drivers for all school districts in New York State is health insurance. Um, so health insurance costs are increasing about 11% for active employees. Uh, a little less for retirees that are are Medicare eligible because Medicare is their primary. Um, and the uh, insurance for the district is secondary. So that's going up between four and 6% depending on what plan they're on. Uh, teacher retirement system is decreasing slightly from uh, 9.59 to to 8.24. And the ERS, however, is going up slightly from 16.5 to 17.6. Uh we will continue to

017support our libraries to the tune of $20,000. Um we have minimal debt service at this point. We have the bus garage lift lease which is about $18,000. And then we continue to support um other various programs through the inter fund transfer that's uh such as our school lunch program um summer skills and then um the capital work as we kind of mentioned earlier. So, speaking of equipment, we have $359,100 budgeted for equipment for next year. Uh Kyle, director of of um buildings and grounds, is looking for a new floor finish machine, um a tractor, and then a new scoreboard for the softball soccer field. Um and then we are looking to um replace our wrestling mats and um a new outdoor throwing platform because I hear we have a fabulous throwing team and we need

018to upgrade that. Uh transportation as I mentioned is is looking to purchase a large bus and then also a van. So as we had mentioned that uh capital work. So, normally we appropriate about $750,000 per year in our budget to kind of handle those small capital projects. Um, but this year we're looking to budget the 1.75. So, that additional million is to fund that elevator plus project that we talked about. Um, the elevator in the middle school high school is currently um only usable by the public if we have a staff member that can um go with them because it doesn't line up properly. Um it is um it is aged. It um it's quite the relic from what uh the the elevator people have told us. Um and uh in addition to that um

019there's some asbestous in the hallway that Kyle is really anxious to remove. And then um we can finally fix the middle school gym floor that we had to take out of the last summer's project because they found cement in between the floor joists. So all those three together um came in over what we what we thought it was. So we thought rather than picking one out of those three things to do, we thought they were all incredibly important. So um since we do have a very robust fund balance, we decide made the decision to use that million dollars um from our fund balance to complete this project this summer. Um with the additional funds, we are looking to um upgrade the flooring in the counseling suite. Um the learning center, the server room needs a

020little bit of work. And then um we're hoping to pave where we can depending on um what how prices come in over the summer because obviously right now it's very expensive to pave. So and then some roof repairs too as as uh funding becomes available. So our revenue budget has not changed from the presentation prior presentations. We are still looking at a tax levy of approximately 2.48% increase. That is at the at the cap. State aid is um right now budgeted at 1.4% increase. And then the miscellaneous is going up slightly. So the total revenue uh budget is going up by uh little over 2.3% or 1.44 million. I will mention that as of May 1st when I completed this presentation and unfortunately as of today um we still do not have a New York

021state budget. So just to kind of show people who haven't seen this in a while because I think this was done back in February. The tax levy limit calculation is due to the state every March 1st. So this is what we submitted to the state. As you can see our total increase is the 2.48% or a little over $1.2 2 million. Uh so our proposed 2627 tax levy is 50,626535 um which is at the at the um limit um and um about a 2.48% increase. So just to kind of show you where historically things have um been with on you can see since 201920 to current where we have um where our levy has been um what the percentage change has been year-over-year what CPI was in those years and as you can see especially

022towards um that corn towards the end of COVID when um you know CPI was 8% 4% 3% we were still well below um that for our tax levy um increases. Um and then you can see in the far right how the corresponding budget increases to that tax levy increase. So um looking at our revenue versus our expenditures um you can you can see that our revenues are less than our projected expenditures. So that's where that appropriated fund balance comes in. So, as we said, that 2.96 million is what we would have we would say normally would have been appropriated and then we are looking for that additional million to help um support the summer capital project. We do have a reserve plan that's approved by the board every June. So, if anyone's interested, there is

023a link at the bottom of that slide to that plan. And then again, um I will be bringing you the 2526 fund balance plan um soon. June. So, um, we've been asked, okay, the budget's going up 4.55%, but you're saying the tax levy is going up by 2.48. How is that possible? Um, so we're using the fund balance, as I'd mentioned, to offset the the property taxes, the tax levy. Um, and in addition that one that that one time 1 million to support the capital work. Um, we are seeing some growth in non-t tax revenue as I showed you. And then, you know, we're we're basically taking prior year savings and using that to help stabilize the current budget. Um, it helps us maintain the programs and the services and really allows us to kind

024of level, you know, kind of level the the increases so we're not seeing dramatic increases and decreases every year. As for the uh budget components, you can see that a majority of our budget is um instruction. Our second part is employee benefits. Um that is very common in all school districts in New York State. Um and then of course we round it out with general support, operations and maintenance, transportation, debt service. Um so the three-part budget, we're required to um provide that. The three components are capital, administration, and program. Uh the state dictates where our expenses go as far as which category they fall into. Um it's interesting to note I always found it interesting that transportation falls under program. Um so but custodial workers fall under capital. So it's kind of interesting. So if

025you look at the next slide, you can kind of see um where those where those drivers are. Um and you can see the capital going up by that 1.5 million. That biggest piece again is that 1 million of additional transfer to capital that we are asking the voters to approve. So what happens if the budget goes down? So if the budget is goes down on May 19th, then the board of ed has a few options. They can either submit the same budget to the voters on June 16th. They can decide to change the budget, reduce it, take a few things out, put it so put a new uh budget to the voters on June 16th or they can decide to go straight to contingency. If a if a new budget goes to the voters on

026June 16th and it is voted down a second time, then we are required to go to contingency budget. So what does contingency budget mean? Means much different than it used to. uh now it means that we cannot raise taxes in 2627 to a level higher than what was raised in 2526. So 2526 our tax levy was 49,42,800 which means if we're in contingencies that's all we can raise for taxes which means we would need to reduce our budget by about $1.2 million. Um in addition to that of that 1.2 until we would automatically need to take out equipment, not allowed to buy equipment on contingency budget. Um, we would also be under what they call an administrative component cap, which means the percentage of that three-part budget that was administrative, whatever the percentage of it

027was in 2526, it has to be the same percentage in 2627. Um, and then we would also be required to charge fees for our facilities to all people, whether you're a nonforprofit or um booster club, whatever, we would have to charge fees for building use. So, prop ballot proposition one you will see is for the uh 66,481,500 which includes 20,000 to support the public library. Um, and for the year commencing July 1 to June 30th, 2027. And so the second proposition we are going to have on the uh ballot is the proposition for a capital reserve. Um as we kind of spoke about the current capital reserve that we have the voters um authorized the use of that reserve as part of the um consolidation project. So this will allow us to start saving money

028again in a new reserve. This would uh come this would come from money that was saved as part of the budget year after you know year-over-year. Uh we would propose uh 10 years uh 10 years $10 million over a 10-year period. Um you don't have you don't have to put anything in or you can put 10 million in. It really depends on where the budget lands every year. Um and again that would be held in a reserve until the voters again decide how we would want to spend the money. So the voters have to approve to to to create the reserve. The voters have to approve to spend the reserve. And this is what it's going to look like. It's a lot of legal ease. So, we currently have three board trustee seats up with

029terms from July 1 through June 30th. Uh, we have two candidates that will appear on the ballot. Um, Aubrey O'Neal and Caroline Jerome. Um, because we have two seats. Um, our illustrious district clerk has created a um, uh, what do you call it? flyer or uh directions I guess I would say on um how to how write in candidates would work. So anyone who comes in to vote um if they're interested in putting in a writing candidate um there there are some interesting like ways you have to be very particular in how you do it. So these will be available the day of the vote um so they can help people who are there so they know how to do writeins. I will say that we are not the only school that um does not

030have um a full slate of candidates. Um Newaltz also has two for two two people for three seats. So has two people for four seats. So yeah, two writings is going to be tough. So again, May 19th, budget vote board of elections. Our voting hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm at the middle school high school wrestling room just where it was in um December. Um and just as a reminder, elementary students will have a full day of school. Sorry to all element no elementary school students here. Apologize to you on the at home. Um all you kids um uh registered voters can vote in person on May 19th or by early mail voting. And there are instructions again you see that link that says early voting. Those are instructions that take us right

031to the website. If you're on the website, it's literally front page, top right hand corner, big button. Um, here's where I got confused because I was reading your thing and I uh I went on the link. So you if you look at this, you may think that you can submit your application for early mail voting on May 16th if you're looking at this page, but in fact it's May 12th that you have to mail it in by. So just want to highlight that. >> And and and if you go to your page there that shows how to do it, it is explained there. >> Yeah. So the the the May 16th date is the date that um our district clerk is going to make herself available in the two outer elementary schools. It's completely separate

032and apart from mail and early voting. Oh, in the two public libraries. I apologize. In the two public libraries. Yeah, that that is that is really separate and apart from the May 12th date. Um it's it's really something that isn't norm isn't isn't done by school. We are really the first school districts and we had to reach out to the attorneys to figure out how we could even do it. So I can understand if there might be some confusion, but what I would say is if you miss the May 12th date for mailing it in, show up at the library on the 16th if you can't make it on the 19th or any day at central office. >> And I just want to clarify the tw the 12th is the deadline if you want to

033mail in an application to get a ballot, get a ballot back and then mail the ballot back. If you've gotten if you've applied before the 12th or the 16th and you've got your ballot, you can mail it in as as long as it gets to the district by >> the 19th at five, it counts, right? So, um it's the reason that the the 12th just applies to a two-way mail process, right? If you're planning on going to the library and handing it back to >> district clerk Gates, then that wouldn't apply obviously because the mail's not involved. Um but uh yeah, I I actually voted myself early already. Um, and uh, one thing I wanted to say about that is if you do vote early and you get your ballot, the candidate part, the board

034election is on one side, but once you fill that out, you're not done because the budget, which is very important, and the capital reserve proposition, which is also very important to the district, is on the back. So, if you're voting early at home by mail, fill out by all means fill out your candidate section, but then turn it over and fill out that we would be very appreciative if you would fill out both sides of that ballot. >> Good to note. So, um, as we mentioned, um, uh, the district clerk will be at the Woodstock Library from 9 to noon on Saturday, May 16th, and then at the Phoenicia Library from 1:00 p.m. to 400 p.m. on May 16th. And then, just as a side note, if we do need to do a revote, um,

035statewide, the revote day is June 16th. And that is all we have. Any other questions, trustees? First, Trusty Jared, then Trusty Goodrich. >> I just want to thank you for what an incredible job you do. I have been watching the news and feeling really very much for some of our neighboring districts and having to make some really hard choices. And when I read through the presentation, I feel so grateful and a big sigh of relief to know that we are like, you know, we have the cushion we need to be responsible, not too much. We have the budget to do what we need to do. We don't have to cut anything that harms our kids or our teachers. It's such a good feeling. So, I don't want to let how smooth this is go by

036and us not like take a minute and just be very grateful because it doesn't happen by accident. And it's very much on purpose. >> Thank you. >> Just want to repeat which you know what was just said here, but uh no um Superintendent McLaren, Assistant, Superintendent, you guys, uh the three years here that I've been here, uh you you do an awesome job. It's just outstanding what you do here. And uh we actually watch other board meetings in other schools so we can appreciate the difference. You know, you guys just do an outstanding job and thank you. Make our job easy. >> Thank you. >> I first want to say flip your make sure you fill out both sides of the ballot. I think that's so important. And then also to say that again, yes,

037this is really serious. you two are on it. It's really we can have this trust. We can do the best by our students. We can be safe, feel safe, feel secure. So, make sure everybody to vote. >> So, I just want to ask some questions that I think voters who are listening might have if they're listening. >> Sure. Um, and one is one you already addressed, but I just want to repeat it because um I think there might be confusion still out there in the community. Um, so and then I'm talking about the slide that uh that I asked for uh uh that uh made clear why the budget's going up a little over 4% and the but the tax levy is only going up there 2.48%. >> So if you're listening at home, I

038just want to reiterate this. So that that 1 million for the elevator plus plus project is something that's happening this summer and then we'll be done. Normally if you see a budget increase it's covering things like health insurance costs that go up and if you've ever managed a household budget you know if you're one category of expenses goes up you don't expect it to go back down after that. And so you kind of so you you might think that we're going up a baseline of 4% into the future, but we are not because the um that million that's going into this year's next year's budget will not be there the following year. So and so if if it were not there, our budget increase, as you said, would be a little under three, >> right?

039So this is not a forever for the future >> um new baseline at four four point whatever percent. Um the other point I wanted to um so if we did go to contingency and we couldn't purchase equipment would that include the bus that okay it would >> another question a voter might have is we are um going to be streamlining our transportation operation in two years. Um why are we buying a bus and people may not know the extent to which our bus fleet is leased versus owned. Can you just explain that to folks? So while a lot of our buses our bus routes are handled from by first student, we have our own buses as well. And what that allows us is the flexibility of midday boseies of um field trips, of sports trips.

040Um you know, it just it just it's not always easy to put all your eggs in one basket, so to speak. and having some of our own drivers, having some of our own buses has really helped us um you know, kind of navigate those those oneoffs that always seem to happen. Um and you know, we're lucky we have an incredible transportation department. Um and they are all about the kids. So, >> so if we if we are reducing the number of overall buses we're running in 2028, we could reduce the amount we're leasing. We we can reduce the number that we need to for a student to handle for us. >> Correct. So I just want voter might not know that. Um great. Um I think that was my only question. Oh my other question

041was if we did go to contingency and we the board did want to submit a new budget. Will we have to have another hearing like this about that before the 16th? Do you know? >> Probably. But I'll be honest, I've never had to do it. >> We hope. Yeah. Knock what we won't. But I just I was curious. >> Any other questions? from trustees. >> Yes, >> just thinking here. So, the other issue with the mail-in ballots is uh once you do fill it out, you have to sign the outside of the the form. Don't forget to sign the outside of the form. And I believe uh you're going to be doing presentations uh in various public locations. Yes. So, um, Superintendent McLaren and I were in Shanden yesterday and we will be at Hurley

042and Olive next week. Do any community members have any questions for the u our administrators on this budget presentation? All right. Okay. So at this time we will close the uh hearing on the budget and move on. Thank you very much ladies. Um we will move on to item four. And since we're not having a a formal meet the candidates night this year where uh folks come and um uh listen to the candidates, answer questions from the community. Um, I'd like to ask our candidates to introduce themselves. And we'll start with uh Aubrey O'Neal, who's officially running for school board. Is this on? Okay. Um, hello to the Encure community and thank you to the board for your time. Uh my name is Aubrey O'Neal and I'm running to become a trustee on the Ontar

043School Board. I'm the proud mom of two Bennett school uh students, Billy, my fourth grade creative cyclone, and Luen, my kindergartenner with super reader powers. Not to mention my sweet one-year-old Jolene, who's at home with me and dying to join her brother and sister on the big yellow school bus. My f uh family and I have been full-time residents of Boyceville for the last three years, but in the um area for the last seven. We moved from New York City where I worked in fashion as a senior design director, knowing that this was where we wanted to cultivate a cherished um childhood for our kids. Uh so you might be wondering what experience a fashion designer could add to our school board. And I'll say this, I have acquired a few skills leading a team

044of creative people, creative designers responsible for a $ 160 million business. My 20 plus years in the industry has instilled in me a strong work work ethic based in collaboration, problem solving, open-mindedness, flexibility, and teamwork. That being said, um at my true core, I am a daughter, a sister, and a niece of public school teachers. I have lived my whole life witnessing their dedication and selflessness. I watched as my dad stayed late to help students study for a big math test. I saw my mom grading papers at the kitchen table after dinner most nights. And I've gone to school on Sunday to help my sister decorate her room for a special holiday or new lesson. I have such admiration for educators. And although teaching was never my calling, uh, as it was for so many

045of my family members, in no way do I feel any less compelled to give back to the community and to find purpose in ensuring our children are our priority. I feel like this unique perspective, both as a mother of young Bennett students and as a bonafide teachers kid, um, can be a valuable addition to this board. I'm thrilled to potentially have an opportunity to learn from the board members in front of me. Trustees that have such a passion for the community and the Antior School system. I'm excited to meet this moment with forward- facing optimism and to earn the title of trustee because that's what it truly is. It's a community's way of saying that you are giving uh that they are giving you their trust to do what is best for their children using

046the money they work so hard for. If I earned that trust, some of my priorities as board member would be to help uh set a shared vision and direction for educational goals in the district. To understand and help set policy that will keep our kids safe both mentally and physically. To focus on the rapidly changing landscape of technology and how it impacts our students, to be part of Ontar's continued progress as it goes through updates and consolidation, and to support the superintendent and their team in navigating ever rising costs as it relates to the budget. Thank you for your time again and I look forward to the vote on May 19th. Next, we'll hear from our trustee Caroline Jerome, who is running again for school board. We're super excited. Thank you. That was so great,

047Aubrey. and um I'm not as prepared, but I'm going to say a couple of things. I've been in the district since 2008. I have a seventh grader um at the middle school, and I entered this position not really knowing what I was in for, but really having a deep and strong commitment to um local and civic participation. Um, I think I've said it once, I'll say it again. Oops. That's good luck. Um, uh, we're all neighbors. I've loved being on the board because I can really see myself from all these different angles now. And I think our schools, having been on the board now for three years, I've loved the experience. I love our students. I think we offer something exceptional um to all of the children who come here. Um so that's my motivation

048for being involved is really in a time where the world is in a lot of transition. It's a very transitional moment. Um the stability and the caring that our onior district provides to our community is so special and so valuable and I'm so humbled to be a part of it and I hope that um you'll consider uh voting for me again. Thanks. Since we have uh three seats uh available for new trustees and only two candidates on the ballot, is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak? Uh any any write in candidates? Yes, please. Fedra Okay. Um, hi, my name is Fedra Dagger Manion and I'm here because I'm running for school board as a writin candidate. For those who don't know me, I grew up and now live in Olive Brbridge.

049I attended Bennett in the9s. My husband went to Woodstock and we both graduated with the Entou class of 2000. We now have two children at Bennett, one in kindergarten, Nev, and one in third grade, Clara. After high school, I left the area for college and grad school, then lived in the city where I worked as a psychologist in university counseling before moving back home in 2020. I share that because while my roots here are deep, I also have the perspective of having lived and worked in other places where I saw how much schools and the opportunities available to kids more generally differ from one community to another. That perspective shaped how I think about education and it's part of what motivated me to get involved when we moved back. When my older daughter started kindergarten

050at Phoenicia, I was excited to join the PTA and have since taken on leadership roles there and now at Bennett. As part of the PTA board, I attend meetings with the district administrators along with the Woodstock PTA and the Booster Club. Our PTAs are such an important part of our schools and being involved has given me a deeper understanding of both the strengths of our district and the challenges we navigate. Many of you know that I've also been attending board meetings for a while now. I don't feel like I have to be here. I really am this interested. Um, and I've truly valued the opportunity to learn more about how the district works to create the best possible experience for our students. So, I decided after the petition deadline, sorry. uh that if I'm going

051to be here soaking this up, I'd like to be sitting up there, learning and serving in a more direct way. I believe I have something to offer. I care deeply about our schools and this community, and I would be honored to bring my perspective, my experience, and my commitment to the role of trustee. I encourage you to vote for Caroline and Aubrey, and to please consider writing me in for the third open seat. Thank you. Are there any other potential write-in candidates who would like to speak? Well, thank you all so much for speaking so eloquently and we wish you all the best. We're going to take a brief five minute break for any trustees who want to um meet the candidates for the first time or wish the veteran candidates uh good luck. So,

052we're going to set the timer for four minutes. So, we'll be back in five. All right, we are back from our short break and moving on to item 6.01. We will hear about our phonics program and we will discuss a phonics resource adoption uh with our with our assistant superintendent, Miss Stephanie Laughen. Good evening everyone. Uh I am have the good fortune of being joined by a team part of our phonics resource committee and they're going to introduce themselves and share uh some of their experiences and ideas with you very shortly. Um, I had the real pleasure to work with an amazing team on this process and as you can Superintendent McLaren always saves battery, so she's always turning everything off and I should know that by now. She's good with that. So, as you

053can see from this slide, we had an amazing team working together in this process. um teachers and staff members from Bennett and Woodstock and our administrators uh principal Bono and principal Richards as well part of this process. So it was it was a really good discussion just to talk a little bit about our process. Um, we are always looking to uh grow as professionals, to grow uh our instruction in the classroom and to do the very best job that we can. And it was uh brought to my attention in February. There were some requests for me to come have a meeting and come have a discussion with teachers around our phonics resource. So that was very excited because that process started at Bennett and grew over to Woodstock as well. We had a conversation around

054the need for some additional phonics resources beyond what we already provided. So as we do here in Antiora when we're looking at adopting a new resource, we create a committee. Uh creation of the phonics resource committee. Um there was an open invitation for any teacher staff member K3 um and reading teachers to be part of the conversation and our exploration of resources. So it's a more the marrier point of view when it comes to setting up those committees. We want it to be really inclusive and everyone to feel like they have a voice. So we looked at two evidence-based programs. Uh the first one is uh UFFLY which comes out of the University of Florida and foundations which is a a program by Wilson reading system. So we looked at both of those programs as

055a committee. We had a discussion with our advancing literacy coach to think about what we had as current resources and how this would fit into our program currently. We did a review of the research from the reading league on both programs. They both have a really in-depth um analysis of how well both programs reflect the science of reading. And we continued multiple building level discussions led by committee members and our principles. And based on the needs of our staff, the research, and really the explicit nature of the materials, our team agreed that the best choice moving forward would be foundations. So, what do we love about foundations? Specifically, the explicit systematic instruction. The program has really clear sequential approach to phonics and foundational literacy skills. Um, there's some hot links in the material online that

056you can check out, a bit of the foundation's overview. also a really tight alignment with the science of reading and there's some guidance from New York State Education Department there that discusses the links um aligning with the current research and the expectation of state education department on resources that we choose. Uh ease of implementation teachers really felt like it was a very usable program and teacher friendly goes a long way to the implementation in the classroom. There were um there's a multiensory techniques and it's a combined use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities that engage students and address different learning styles. We had progress monitoring tools. There's our built-in assessments and progress trackers which help teachers identify student needs and adjust instruction. And also professional learning, Wilson language training. they offer robust training and ongoing

057support around this product. So that was something that we found to be um attractive and very specifically when we choose a resource it's important that it supports all of our learners, all of our students and that includes our students with IEPs. Um there's a structure that makes it easier to document instruction and progress towards IEP goals. uh our English language learners. There's very specific guidance in this program for um tips and strategies for L's such as previewing vocabulary, using visuals, and adjusting pacing. As mentioned before, multiensory activities. Um lesson plans include suggestions on how to differentiate for students with varying proficiency and learning needs. And there are also take-home resources and family letters available in multiple languages to engage family and students learning. So really able to support all of our students that is um

058I wouldn't say it's nice, it's a requirement. We would never adopt anything that didn't provide that full all means all support of our students. So, we have some guests tonight and better than me summarizing. Um, they graciously uh agreed to come and share their point of view on this and I just want to take advantage of the opportunity to say thank you. It is teacher appreciation week and I think the fact that this crew just of their own will they're getting nothing extra for being here tonight. It really is a um an example of our staff and our instructional support team and how they go above and beyond and really want to center what's best for our students and their involvement in this process and hopes towards this getting approved. I think this says wonders.

059So, um, as usual, they're going above and beyond this evening. >> Hi, I'm Chandel Heapner. I'm a kindergarten teacher here at Bennett. Um, some of the or some of my most favorite parts about foundations is how engaging it is for the students. Um, they have owls that go with it. That's like their mascot. Um, what kindergartener does not love a puppet? But his name is Echko, and there's also a baby that comes with it. And it really encourages the kids to listen to the sounds, really echo back what they're hearing. Um, and the same with the words, the process of the high frequency words and the setup that they have with the program is really aligned with the science of reading and the order that it goes with the spelling of the letters that they're

060writing as well. Um because we have found that there is a lack of just the order of it and what makes sense with the books that they're reading and the decodables. Um the other piece are the letter boards. They are magnetiles. It is a great way for the children to have that tactile be able to manipulate those sounds, build new words with them and really see those words even get the spacing with it. So, I just think especially for these younger ones, like getting them to love reading, love those words, love those letters, get their hands on them, get them excited for it again to learn those letter sounds and words. Um, I did teach foundations in the past in prek and I found that them doing the order that they do the letters in

061as well as doing lowercase letters early on is huge because a lot of programs are uppercase first. But if you think about it, most of our writing is lowercase letters. So it just made sense and it was pretty amazing even in pre-K how many kids were writing their upper and lowercase letters correctly very early. So that is foundations to me. Hi, my name is Rachel Wood. I am a first grade teacher here at Bennett. Um, thank you for having us tonight. Um, foundations is a really great program and I feel like we were able to collaborate between Bennett and Woodstock. We all have different experiences and different ideas and it was great to be able to discuss those experiences and ideas and then also we were able to bring it back to our building level

062meetings, our faculty meetings and discuss it among the rest of our staff and there was a lot of positive feedback with that as well. Something that I really appreciate with this program is I love the home connection. So parents are able to collaborate with the teachers and learn a little bit more about what we're doing in the classroom with their children. Um, as mentioned in the slide, the multiensory approach is wonderful. They do skywriting, the letterboards, the magnet tiles. Those are just all things for the students that will be very beneficial. >> Hi, my name is Katrina Quigley. I am a special education co-teer in kindergarten, first grade here at Bennett Elementary School. Um, not only as a teacher do I love this program, but as a parent of my own children who um have

063received this instruction. My daughter in kindergarten did not have foundations in her district and she really was a struggling reader. Um, and when they adopted this program, it was amazing what it could do for her. Um, also just some things that I love professionally. It aligns with some of our higher tier um, interventions that we have. I know Wilson is used by some of the reading teachers. So having that um vertical alignment in the tiers is going to be wonderful for our students and it's a very exciting uh prospect and it was wonderful to be part of this committee. So thank you for letting us speak. >> Hi Jackie Hanzel. I'm the speech pathologist at Woodstock Elementary. Um, I work with K through five now. And this is huge because working with all the different

064grades. I work obviously on phonics and spelling and each grade will have a different program that they use. So there'll have to be different terminology or different, you know, ways that they do it. And so adapting and having everyone all on the same page is huge. Um, I'll say it again, multiensory, multiensory, multiensory. This is also a program that has prevention and intervention in it which is wonderful. Um I also want to speak as a parent. I have a fifth grader at Woodstock and he hit third grade and he was reading above grade level but could not spell and I chocked it up to oh he's just not a speller. You know I'm I'm a huge speller. I p the way I picture words with by letters but that's how I learn. And I'm like

065I think he's probably a visual learner. Um, and I worked with him at home on his spelling and those different using those different strategies. So, I love that this has the multiensory and again that all the grades will be doing the same thing. So, I love it. Hi, Jolie Morris, special education kindergarten teacher. It's me again. Um, so what I love, I have taught foundations in the past and my favorite part of it is you have a daily student helper who gets up after they've learned the program. And what kindergarten student doesn't want to be the teacher? They love it. They'll like I It's just amazing that it gets the kids involved just being able to listen to their friend be the teacher and then when it's their turn to be the teacher, it really,

066you know, adds to the program. And I just want to add one more voice. Uh Lauren Tvinsky, she's a first grade teacher at Woodstock. she couldn't be here this evening, but she sent me quite a few things that she uh really liked about the program. And she also mentioned that it has tier one through three interventions, meaning it's work for the classroom teacher to do, but also our reading AIS teachers. There are um it it aligns through every part of our reading instruction. And she also mentioned the multiensory activities which you are hearing and she wanted us to emphasize how important they were to K1. Um she also mentioned really the discussions with colleagues were very helpful and the fact that we had presentations from uh foundations really helped her to understand the process. So

067I didn't want to leave her voice out as well. So, our next steps um uh hopefully it's approved by the board of education this evening and following that process uh we would complete the ordering process uh so that we're ready for September. Uh we are going to have professional learning for our teachers and continue to strengthen our instructional practices to ensure every student gains the foundational skills they need to read fluently and with robust comprehension. So they are well equipped to read for pleasure and to access learning. Two really important separate but equally important ideas. Um, I also want to know we have some kits uh here in case anyone would like to see any of the things. Um, would you guys just grab a few of the things and just kind of pass pass

068them out? Maybe some of the letter tiles and you can start on opposite ends of the of the U. So, anyone who's interested can check out a few things. And while while we're looking at things, um, does anybody have any questions? Trusty Trusty Goodrich. So, I just want to say I am so proud of you and this entire team. And on that note, I think I can keep talking here. Um, I've the fact that you're all on the same page is so important because my, you know, I'm a senior and my kids went through school a long time ago, but I've seen just the opposite. When you've got a first grade teacher teaching one method and the second grade teacher is not trained in that and teaching another method, it was a complete disaster. And

069it's not the teacher's fault. It's but it is an example of what can go wrong. The fact that you guys are all on the same page and working together as a team is just amazing. And I and I think uh the school should be very proud of you guys. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for the presentation. Um I have daughters who are 25 and 23 and so when they were elementary age it was a time when phonics was kind of out of fashion. There are fashions in these things I have learned. Uh and um uh phonics was kind of considered old school at that point I think is a good way of putting it. Um it seems like what you're telling us is the science has seen wi the wisdom in this particular

070piece anyway of the old school is that the science has come back around to to the way it was done years ago. Right. >> I would say that the science was always there. The trend in education uh stepped away. >> Yeah. So that that was my so what we were told uh as parents and not all the parents swallowed this um but what we were told was that concentrating on phonics and decoding and spelling was killing kids lo love love of reading that there was some opposition between you know learning the basic skills and love of reading but to me it's and I I wonder if any of you could speak to that to the for kids who need to develop their phonics skills how that leads to a love of reading rather than being

071in opposition to it. So I would definitely I'm gonna ask someone to talk a little about what that might look like in first or second grade perhaps what you may have observed. But you know that's why we it is not an eitheror. It has to be a both and there is a very structural evidence-based process to teaching students how to read. Um some students come to it more naturally on their own. Everyone learns differently, but that is not everyone and there are holes and gaps when that happens. So following on a very much more of a systemic way, knowing how to read gets you to that place of accessing learning, learning to read versus reading to learn. because once you get into third, fourth, fifth, middle school, high school, it takes off very quickly with

072content. So, it's really important that we have them ready to go um prior and we felt we could do a better job with that. Anybody want to talk a little bit? >> Okay. For the hundth time, but the multiensory is what really addresses that because they're obviously all different types of learners and the fact that this has interventions built in. I mean that I I haven't seen that another program. So I think that's where that covers that. >> Just to add on to that, in kindergarten, some of them are coming in not knowing any of their letters, of course, but the order of the letters that they teach them is not directly in the alphabet. So they teach them in a way that they're able to start building words before they might know all of

073their letters. So, as they're getting just a few sounds, but then when they realize like, "Wow, I can make a word already." Even though I only know five letters, maybe it really brings like it it like a light bulb goes off with them. They get very excited and then they want to do more. >> Thank you. >> Is this is so awesome. I'm so excited. I'm gonna try and restrain myself. Um, this uh program, it's tactile. It's it's physical. Looks like magnets they can move around and paper and puppets and things like that. And I just I'm so excited to hear that. and we're reading this very long AI, you know, paper which is just talking all the time about especially in younger ages how it's just really amazing to be reading something really high

074level like Brookings Institute and then to have our amazing teachers come in and just know exactly what the kids need. That's like exactly what the Brookings Institute paper is pointing to is best learning for kids. It's such a cool moment for me to have finished that and then to have you all come in here and share this like non-screenbased tactile, you know, beautiful program for these kids. And I mean, we're centralizing and we're already on the same page K to three with a vertical reading program like our And thank you Stephanie for centering our teachers and like creating committees where our amazing teachers can like lead. It's so special. It's what's amazing about our small school is that like you know the kids when you say like the kids. There aren't that many of them.

075You know them like you you can see it. Everything about this is amazing. Thank you all so much. This is very very exciting. You can tell how jazzed we are. Okay, thank you. >> All right, on to item 7.01, our student representative report. Jenny Albbright. >> Hi. Hello. Um, there's been a lot of stuff going on at the high school. So, or and the middle school as well, just the whole district. So, at the high school, middle school, the middle school grades six through eight have been going through state testing, which is um I know always English and math. I don't know if it's a science year. Um, and then the high school has begun AP testing, so that's we're in the thick of it. Um, uh, the middle school had a garden themed dance

076on May 1st and they have and the eighth grade has another dance coming up which is very exciting. Um, spring sports are going amazing as you can tell from the occasional crack outside. There's there's a track meet today. Like there's always track meets. Um, additionally for track, it is senior night celebrating all the seniors track teams. Um, it's teacher appreciation week and National Honor Society has um made cards from National Honor Society for all the teachers in the high school. And additionally, National Honor Society um on Wednesday, April 29th, put on a blood drive with the American Red Cross and got about 30 units of blood. So that's 30 pints of blood. It was amazing. And we also earned a $50 scholarship because we got the or sorry $500 scholarship because we got those 30

077pints of blood. So yeah, it's just been it's it's going good. Jenny, I just wanted to congratulate you on receiving the principal's choice award. That's great. That's a great honor. Um Yes. Yes. And I just have to I have to send you a shout out from your preschool director at First Steps Preschool, Linda Stewolf, who reminded me this morning that our valictorian, our saludiatoran, and our principal's choice award winner are all graduates of First Steps preschool. >> I do not remember Shelby and Fiona, but I mean, hey, that is a good that is a damn good first, >> right? >> And I have a question for you. I just wanted to kind of circle back to the sulfur smell. How's that going? >> I haven't smelled it. I can't even lie. I haven't smelled it.

078>> Good. Very good news. And I saw Trusty Goodrich with his hand up. >> Yeah. As I uh talked to you during the break. Um so I graduated in 1970, which uh pretty much was when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon for the first time. So, uh, your class, your graduating class is Artemis 2. At their home, they named Integrity. And if you Google that, you'll get some interesting information on why they called it integrity. So, and uh, I hope your track team didn't give any blood because it's going to take two two weeks for their white blood cell counter or their red blood cell count to refurbish itself. possibly our track team did give blood, but but that you didn't hear from me. >> I know everyone likes to know who

079was dancing and if they were dancing and I was at a little league game Saturday morning and all the parents were like, they danced all night. They came home so sweaty. They're so tired. They weren't playing very good baseball. And um I just, you know, I always like to hear that they're dancing and they are. >> Yes. My granddaughter was at the eighth grade dance and she said it was a huge success. She danced all night. >> Any other questions or comments for Jenny? >> Yes. It's kind of with Jenny for all of us, but I was wondering is there like a exit interview with our exeicio student because you've been so wonderful and involved and had I'm sure even more great reflections than you've even shared with us. And I just was wondering if

080this might not be a great year if there isn't some kind of a process to maybe like have Jenny help us to figure out what that process could look like. We can talk about it for sure. Thank you, Jenny. Good luck with the final weeks of school. >> Thank you. I'm definitely going to need it. >> Yeah. Get home and study. >> All right. Um on to item 8.01. Uh may I have a motion to enter into executive session to discuss the confidential staff and district treasurer agreements OA negotiations and to meet with our legal counsel? Trusty Jared second. Trusty Smith. Any questions or comments? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. We're scheduled for a one-hour executive session. We'll try to make it snappy. All right, we have returned. Uh, may I have a

081motion to exit executive session and return to public session? Trusty Jerome. Second, Trusty Kudson. Any questions or comments? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. Item 9.01 is acceptance of minutes. The board uh board of education hereby accepts the minutes. Oh, I'm sorry. Right. Okay. Yes. For the April 21st meeting. Um may I have a first? Trusty Jared, second Trusty Jerome. Any questions or comments? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. Item 10 is superintendent District News. >> Thank you. Um, so last week was uh principal appreciation day and I would like to take a moment to thank our principles, Mr. Bono, Mr. Richards, Richards, Dr. Salamini, and Mr. Edelman, and of course, Assistant Principal Turk. These individuals ensure that our faculty, staff, and students have what they need to be successful in our buildings

082every day. Their efforts are often unseen but never unappreciated. And as was mentioned earlier by Assistant Superintendent Laughen, this is teacher appreciation week. And as we all know, we have the most incredible faculty here in Antou. We know how fortunate we are to have this team of professionals shephering our students through their educational careers. These are dedicated and passionate teachers who provide instruction, social emotional guidance, coaching, and all-around support and go above and beyond the call of duty every single day for the children of this community. So, thank you to every one of our faculty. Um, another thank you. Thank you to all of our students, faculty, and families who participated in our AI surveys last week. I'm excited uh and looking forward to hearing the analysis and recommendations from the AI circle in the

083near future. Um, and in a brief review of some of the responses, the one thing that struck me was the incredible diversity of opinion on AI in our district. Um, I think everybody probably saw that we have announced that um, our validictorian this year is Shelby Burke. Our uh, saludiatoran is Fiona Green. And our principal's award recipient is Jenny Albbright, our own student rep, who unfortunately left, but she said she was comfortable with me announcing that to everyone tonight. So, congratulations to Jenny. For kindergarten registration, we um are currently hovering under 60 students. We have 59 students registered for kindergarten for the fall. As you may recall, the current year's kindergarten cohort was above the enrollment projection, and it appears now that next year's cohort will be below the projection. This does sometimes happen as

084the enrollment projections are based on the January through December birth rate. Um, but our enrollment cutoff is a birthday of December 1st. So, parents will sometimes opt to enroll their child either earlier or hold off depending on when their birthday falls in the calendar. So, you know, we can have those fluctuations yeartoear and then on average we end up with a an average enrollment. But if you know of anyone with an incoming kindergarten student who has not yet registered, please encourage them to contact us so that we can register them and then we can invite them to participate in kindergarten screening and have them be part of the discussion when we're placing students in class sections for the coming school year. Um and following our last board meeting, as we discussed, we communicated our procedures

085related to our student support resolution to all faculty, staff, and our transportation contractors. Um, I have also been in contact with Victor Qua, the executive director of the Olster Ster Immigrant Defense Network, and we will be meeting with him next week to determine how we might be able to partner together and to review um the resources that he may be able to share with us um to use in our buildings. >> Great. Any questions or comments for the superintendent? Excellent. Thank you so much. Um, item 11.01 is board district news. Any trustees have news to report. Trusty Jared. >> Uh, yay for the booster club. It's been a really busy booster club time. I put on my booster club hat and made about a hundred papier-mâché flowers with some other moms along with some outstanding

086balloons for the middle school spring fling. They did dance all night. They were a little maniacs. They were so cute. and they really did have a great time. And then Thursday morning, we'll all be here at the crack of dawn to bring breakfast to our teachers, which is like no reason I'd rather be here at the crack of dawn than to do that. Um, so it's a great week. Lots of school spirit. Anybody else? Yes. My daughter attended that dance and she had a great time and um I guess I saw the picture of her and her little cohort and um it just was like almost wholesome. I didn't even know smiles like that still existed. It was really great. Um, also, uh, I went to the National Junior Honor Society ceremony where 11 new

087inductees were, uh, a part of that cohort. Um, again, including my daughter, and they have, um, the, uh, they they uphold their academics, their civic readiness, their community. I do remember what there's there's a credo of five things like I'm sorry I can't remember them right now but anyways again like extremely wholesome great community great to see um their their they did go out and plant flowers and trees and also picked up garbage as part of their community service and um again great opportunity for our young students um and glad to see them working in their community. >> Um, I'll just report that I met with uh Victor Qua, the executive director of UIDN, uh, to discuss with him in depth um, what more we might be able to do as a school district in

088terms of the um, of our student support resolution. We met for about an hour. He's amazing. Um and um I I was he shared some of the um presentation slides that he uses when he does uh work with school districts and um he has worked um I believe in Kingston um is talking with Rondout and obviously talking with us. So, I'm I'm very hopeful that we'll be able to um to work with him in the future and um his his presentations are amazing. Um anything else for board district news? Yes, >> I was at the ribbon cutting for the Woodstock Library on Saturday, which was very exciting. Pat Ryan was there. Um I wasn't there as a school board trustee. I was there as a singer. Um, Ars Corales did a little some little uh

089diddies for the opening of the library. But if you if you're in Woodstock and you haven't been in, I really encourage you to go. It's got an amazing um they've gotten a local artist to paint an amazing mural in the hallway on the way to the children's room. And if you actually if you haven't refreshed your library card recently, you can get a new library card that has the mural on it. It's really beautiful. But um the new library in Woodstock is is really and check it out. And the other thing that I did on Sunday was that uh Trusty Bishop and I went to a fundraiser for the Antior Trap Team at the Wittenberg Sportsman's Club and we got to see the whole facility and uh where the team practices and it's really very

090impressive what they've built down there in terms of both in terms of um in terms of safety. um they they um um emphasize to us over and over again that safety when the kids are there, safety is number one, number two and number three on the top of their mind and they really drum it into their kids. But our kids are doing great um uh at that sport which is uh uh a popular sport in our area, our neck of the the world. >> Thank you for reminding me about that. We have seven trap team members going to the state competition, >> right? And the and the uh one of the young ladies that were uh serving breakfast is on the trap team. She's a seventh grader. I was just really happy to see that,

091you know, that there are girls involved in that, too. And um I have shot trap before in my past. And um I I was joking about it um with Trusty Kudson, but that uh I don't even know what it's called. It's not a track a trap field, but it's a r right the trap range there. I once shot trap at the Greenbryer Resort in West Virginia because I was there on a conference in in another life. And um I'm not kidding. I was standing in grass knee high shooting and this thing that they've developed for really for our kids is so amazing. So amazing. So I I really feel like everything, you know, anything we can do to help raise funds for them. Uh they're they're doing a fantastic job. All right, onward. So on

092to item 12.01. The board will acknowledge the public be heard comments from the last meeting. Uh we heard from Jude uh Kerjan Frank, Harry Kunhart, uh Emily Saxs, and Kasha Donahghue. And item 13.01 is public be heard. Public and stu uh public and students may comment on any agenda or non-aggenda item. The board appreciates hearing from the public, including students. Please understand that by our adopted parliamentary procedure, the board can't engage in discussion or answer questions during public be heard. Please know that we hear you and take all of your comments into consideration. The board does reserve the right to correct any inaccuracies or misinformation during public be heard. Please limit your comments to three minutes. Be civil and do not name any particular individuals or promote any commercial ventures or products. People wishing to

093express individual student or personnel concerns can bring them to the superintendent's attention in private. Further, all individuals at board meetings are expected to abide by the rules for public conduct conduct on school property as set forth in the district's code of conduct. At board meetings, speakers and observers may not engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting, such as shouting, interrupting others, blocking the free movement of of others, or obstructing the views of others. In the event such of such a disruption, the board president will remind those in attendance of the rules under this policy. Any board member may request a re a brief recess if the me in of the meeting which would serve as a cooling down period. The board president may order the removal of those who are a threat to the safety

094of others or who disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. We understand community members are passionate about certain issues. We all want our schoolboard meetings to serve as an example to our students that members of our school board and members of our community can deal with controversial issues in a civil manner and show mutual respect for one another. In that spirit, we ask that all speakers and members of the audience maintain civility and respect for the differing views of others. Uh Tany Michelle Can you hear me now? Okay. Hello. Uh, my name is Tany Micho and I am a parent and a resident in the Ontario School District. I want to express my support for the proposed immigrant solution protection resolution for safeguarding our district students and families and ensuring safe schools. I appreciate that

095this district has already has affirmed that every child has the right to an education regardless of immigrant status. But I also believe this proposed resolution gives that commitment more clarity, strength, and care. Every child in our district needs to feel safe coming to school, and every family should trust that Antiora is prepared to protect students with clear protocols, communication, and compassion. Student uh schools should be places of trust and belonging, and no child should have to carry fear into the classroom or onto a school bus. And no parent should have to wonder whether their child will be protected while they are in the district's care. I urge this board to adopt a stronger resolution and send a clear message that Antiora stands with all of its students and families. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tanzy.

096Um, oh, >> oh, Rohan speaking for Matteo Farwella. Hi, my name is Poan. Um, that's my name. >> So, sorry. Sorry. >> No, it's okay. Um, >> just tell us where you live. >> Oh, I live in Lanesville, which is in Green County. >> Okay. >> Um, uh, and I'm reading for Matteo Ferinella, who at last minute um, couldn't attend because of childare. Um, my name is Matteo. I live in Woodstock where my kid goes to the elementary school. I don't do this often, speak at public meetings. The reason I felt compelled to be here today is because I'm an immigrant. I came legally. My wife is American. I had a good education. I found work I love. This community welcomed me with open arms. By any measure, I'm one of the lucky ones. And

097I want to say that clearly because I'm not up here asking you to protect me. I'm asking you to protect kids who aren't as lucky as I am and whose parents cannot be here today. Because right now there are children in this district who are afraid to get on the school bus and families who are afraid to attend school events. Not because of anything they did, not because of anything, because of what's happening out there, and because they don't know if their school is a place that will protect them or put them at risk. Whatever any of us thinks about federal immigration policy, and I'm sure we don't all agree, I hope we can agree that a child sitting in a classroom should feel safe there. I don't think they should be this should be

098a matter of politics. That's just what a school is supposed to do. That's why I'm asking the board to adopt the immigrant student protection resolution and declare our schools and our buses a safe zone. Kingston already adopted it. The Socrates school board adopted a similar one. I'm just asking you to join our neighbors in this commitment. Thank you all for your work. >> Thank you, Pan Jude Kerjan Frank. Sorry. Uh my name is Jude Kjen Frank, mom of two Bennett students and one preschooler. This is my third time speaking here on the subject of the URR resolution to increase protections for immigrant students in our district. I'd like to start by thanking the board for the conversation that you had uh at the last meeting regarding this subject. Um I appreciated that there was more

099clarity given for what protections were already in place. Um we were told that the protocols would be resent and you've clarified that that has happened. Um, and I appreciated the acknowledgement that there was more that the board could do on this matter. Thank you for that. Um, and thank you for opening the door to this. I know that we all want the same thing, and that is to keep every single student in our district safe, regardless of where they're from or their immigration status. My hope is that we can work together to fill in any gaps and increase protections wherever needed. This week, I want to share with you that my anxiety continues to rise regarding ICE rates in our area. We all know that ICE has been active in Kingston. Just a few weeks

100ago, ICE agents with rifles raided a group of painters in Tannerville in front of a school bus full of children. And even more recently, there have been ICE incidents in Reinbeck. And to me, it feels like the vultures are circling. And it's not a question of if, but when they will arrive here in our neighborhoods, at our bus stops, at our children's homes, and at our schools. While I appreciate that you must do your due diligence before adopting or creating new resolutions or action items, I beg you to please work quicker. We don't have the time to drag this matter out and we want to make sure that our students have the best protections before a raid o occurs before children are traumatized before they disappear. A month has passed since I first stood up

101here asking you to adopt the resolution. And while I do hear that some changes and some considerations are being made, I'm curious, have the bus drivers themselves been trained in person on the specific protocols if ICE is at a bus stop? Does the community at large know how the board is protecting every single student? And do the families of our immigrant students know their rights and what resources are available to them? And of course, there are more questions, but unless you can say yes to each one that I've asked right now, then I don't think that enough has changed. Yet, I say yet because I believe that we can do the right thing together. And I urge you to continue to show the Oniora community how much you do care by adopting this resolution quickly

102and acting on these protections today. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jude. Jason Glazer. >> Hi. Hello. Um, I have a bit of a tickle in my throat, so sorry if I'm a bit slow as I get through this. And I just kind of want to start to thank you that you started this conversation, Victor. That's a great first step. I also want to acknowledge that when you get publicly heard, it can probably seem like a string of lectures. Um, as much as I know you want to hear it, uh, that's certainly not our intent. Um, so I also want you to know that I don't really carry any assumptions on when any of you land on these things. Personally, I know many of you personally, and I I feel that many of us are probably

103aligned, and if we're not, it's not really relevant. And, you know, I don't really assume where the administration stands, but I'm really glad to hear about that step. That needs to be acknowledged. It's a really important step to have that conversation, and I don't really pretend to understand where the board's leaning. So, I just don't want you to think I'm coming at you with a set of preconceptions. Um, you know, I was going to say I was going to advocate for the conversation, Victor. That's happening. So, I want to congratulate with that as an important first step. And I really want to focus on training tonight. And I think that's been brought up really well by my colleagues. When you have training to face a potentially trauma-inducing situation, you manage both the event and the

104aftermath more effectively, as Emily Saxs mentioned last week, I believe, and are far less likely to suffer damage from an acute crisis or the chronic sense of guilt and powerlessness that can persist for a lifetime of not knowing what to do or what I could have done. My experience with the traumatic event, speaking from experience, was during a shooting when my driver was killed next to me by in the Salem, Honduras, where I worked as an undercover investigator. Um and with the resilience and training that I had and the life experience that had afforded me, I acted with purpose and clarity. Uh although he didn't make it. A partner I was with who didn't have the same toolkit. He was more junior. Uh was paralyzed in the moment and suffered horrible consequences from the guilt

105and shame of not having that clarity and the inability to act under duress during a high stress situation. And I watched him spiral and fall out of work until pulling himself out many years and many frankly drinks later. but you ended up okay. Um, this may sound intense, but it's similar outcomes are on the table today. We've seen it in the news with ICE, so it's not particularly dramatic. I want to prepare us for the worst so we're prepared for it and it doesn't become any worse than it needs to be. Um, I know everything feels political right now. The ask isn't. I think it's about making sure our community, the people responsible for our kids during the school day, understand their own rights and the rights of our kids and their care. The legality

106of certain ICE actions may be contested, but I don't think what is contested are the fundamental rights of due process and constitutional protections. Upholding those doesn't weaken our school or country. It's exactly how we make it work how it should. Uh for me, a core issue is that training because when something happens, there are no doovers. We got to get it right. And that is only possible through protection and resilience building. Uh without training, paralysis or overreaction are more likely to occur. Paralysis leaves people wondering for the rest of their lives what they could have, should have, would have done. Overreaction risks escalation, and that's really what we want to avoid. Um, training and clarity can help both. >> Jude, I'm sorry, your time is up, but would you would you be willing to Okay,

107thank you. You can give it to Amanda. Thank you very much. You were talking pretty fast, but yeah, you had a lot to say. We thank you. Um, Meredith Kunhard. This is on. Okay. Um, hi, I'm Meredith Kunhart. My husband was at the last meeting. Um, I've lived in West Shokan for 12 years and my son will be entering school at Bennett. Um, not next year, but the year after. I am speaking on behalf of my own family and and um three other families who I've talked to about this issue. Um also on behalf of people who are marginalized uh there are marginalized voices who we often don't hear from and it's important for all of us in this room to be thinking about those people first and foremost in this scenario or situation. Um,

108so please consider um this adoption. Thank you, Meredith. Would anyone else like to speak? Feel free. Just introduce yourself and tell us where you live. Thank you. Hello. Uh, hi. My name is AJ. I actually live in Olter Park, so I don't live in the Antiora district. Um, however, I have a 13-year-old child. um and have been working on um thinking about how we can create safer systems in our schools um re related to immigrant uh students and families um including having helped pass the resolution in Kingston supported in so here as well and I want to just talk on the on the I understand each district is different um and you're listening to your constituents first. But we are a county. We are a sanctuary county and we have protections in our county for

109our immigrant community members. And this schools coming together to pass resolutions to pass more protective policies in schools can be part of how we protect and support our county as a whole. So I know that each district likes to think as their indiv as an individual, but this is a time for collective action. This is a time when the more we can come together to to make sure that folks are protected and have the things that they need that people are trained that they know their rights. They know how to assert them. They know the practices, protocols, procedures in each school and in every district is critically important to making sure that our students are safe and held, that they can continue to go to school, to know that the that we have their backs,

110that we have our community's backs, Right. So you can make it individualized just about your district, but if we band together and we say Olster County is going to do everything in our power across all the schools because we love and cherish all of the students in our system, then we are building power together to resist this very dangerous climate that really does threaten people. And I just want to say I I live I myself have lived under uh as a queer and non-binary person, I've had to experience a lot of hate in my life and violence and it's often gone unprotected, right, without people standing up and showing up for each other. And we need to change Thank you, AJ. Would anybody else like to speak? Hello. Um, sorry it's a little off the

111cuff, but my name is Charlotte Royer. Um, I'm a caregiver and a filmmaker. Um, and I care for children in this district and across the Hudson Valley in many communities. Um, I grew up in Portland, Maine, which is, uh, a wonderful community, but Maine and as a whole as a larger community, is quite politically complex and diverse. Um, and I also grew up in uh, a city that was a refugee resettlement site. So, I was incredibly fortunate that in my middle school and my high school, there were over 30 languages spoken. um which you wouldn't expect from Maine. Um I I went to school with kids who had gone through enormous difficulty and being in that environment made my world so much bigger. Uh we joke in Maine that very few people make it across

112the big bridge. There's one bridge to get in and out of Maine. Um and we have Canada and the wilderness and the ocean all around us. So, um, for someone like me who was different, who was queer, who was a lot of things that didn't quite fit in, um, being surrounded by other kids who, um, had experienced difficulty, had this whole world of, um, different cultures and experiences was an enormous part of my education. And it was a huge part of how a kid like me who grew up blue collar and working class could um could kind of go into the world and create a a really exciting career that you know I feel so proud of. Um I remember uh the hijabi students, my friends um getting heckled by adults on their way to

113school and harassed. I remember my best friend who was Puerto Rican getting pulled out of school on 911 because her mother knew that where we were from people didn't differentiate between brown kids and her mom was scared for her safety. And I remember I remember I remember many many things about those experiences. I don't remember I don't remember the adults around us telling me what they were doing to protect my friends. And I we did a lot. We we did language justice. We did a lot of things. But um and the teachers took on a lot to help our kids feel safe. But I do wonder I wish that my friends didn't have to be so brave. And I think I wish that all the time as an adult. And I wish that we as

114their friends like didn't have to feel so brave. that we felt that the adults who were in charge were going to show up, you know, and I just want to share that experience of of being a student, being a student in a public school who really transcended, I think, what could have been expected for me and my education was so enriched and to this day I feel like I carry an enormous debt to my peers there. Thank you, Charlotte. Would anyone else like to speak? All right. Thank you all. Um, would any trustees like to comment? Well, I would like to express that we have been talking about this as a group and figuring out how we can improve what we're doing. Um, the training is a big piece. Um, and again, I think I

115said it at the last board meeting, it would be a big mistake for us to think that we had done this and we had done it the right way and it was finished, but rather we need to be in conversation. We are trying to do that. I know that we had talked about um updating some of the language and I don't know if that's an appropriate thing for me to bring up here where we would agree whether we wanted to do that as a group and if we all agreed then we could go ahead and start thinking about um and potentially working um with the community um to find the right language that we could all agree agree on right. Um, do you want to speak to that at all? >> Well, we I think

116we'll speak more in depth later on when we get to unfinished business, but yeah, I just wanted um I mean I I just I respect all of you. I really respect that you're here, that you're, you know, continuing the conversation. Um, you know, I I think I said this last week. Um, I'll just say it now, but I'll probably say it again later. I I don't I'm not comfortable with a resolution that is basically the board making a lot of promises that we can't keep because we we can't enforce these things and um you know so that's my reservation about you know just adopting the uh UR resolution as it's written um because it is It's a position statement and it's not something that can truly be enforced. So, I want to make sure that

117what we do end up with is something that we really can make happen and that we can assure people that, you know, that we're not we're not making promises that we can't keep. And I really appreciate the conversation around training. And I think that that is something that's I said this in the last meeting too. If we agree and it's in our stated policy, we will absolutely, you know, stand by our stated policy um with strength and and um assuredness. And so if we can look at adopting things like training into that then I can say that we would do those with strength and assuredness. Um so it's it's figuring those pieces out and making sure that the whole board is on board and sorry and letting our board president enter that conversation and unfinished

118business. >> All right. Um, so we have a five minute break built in. Um, we'll set the timer for five minutes. So, it'll probably be more like a six minute break, but um we that break will start Now, All right, we are back from our break. Um, on to item 15.01. The board hereby approves items number 15.02 through 15.13 uh, as our consent agenda. May I have a first? Trusty Smith. Second. Trusty Jared, any questions or comments? Trusty Jared first, then Trusty Goodrich. >> I reviewed the schedule U and it all seems to be in order. >> Thank you. So I think this is the section that has the donations where we had the sum of the meat and that was like five grand. Six. What was it? I'm sorry. over $6,000 >> for the

119meat eating. >> That's great. Wow. Thank you to uh all the uh vendors that donated their time and all the restaurants that uh served us great food. >> Yeah. And that is just for the ticket sales. Booster Club raised um additional money on the silent auction. Do you have did you want to Oh, okay. Um, yes. I hope this is not inappropriate, but I did note on the donations that our administrators had all donated towards the scholarship. And I just feel like that's something I wanted to say out loud. you know, building principles and all of our superintendents have made personal donations towards scholarships for seniors and I think that's really beautiful and I wanted to acknowledge them all. That is really beautiful. All right, any other questions or comments about the consent agenda? All

120in favor? That's Emily. Thank you. That's unanimous. Thank you. Um item 16.01 um approving contracts and independent contract retain retra retainers. Uh the board hereby approves items number 16.02 through 16.06. May I have a first? Trusty Smith. Second. Trusty Jared. Any questions or comments? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. Item 17.01 is the second reading and adoption of policy 5520 ECA student activities fund management. The board of education hereby accepts policy 5520 as written. May I have a first? Trusty Jerome. Second. Trusty Kudusen. Any questions or comments? I just recall when we worked on this policy um in committee um it was made clear that the that one of the benefits of of what this policy kind of spells out is the fact that the students who are in the clubs and um are

121are actually managing the funds, managing the money and having to account for the money. Do you want to talk a little bit about that? >> Sure. Um, ECA funds were um put into place and created with the structure that they are created with to teach students how to run a business. So they are they are meant to track revenues, expenses, create a profit and loss statement. So that that is um set up by the comproller. It requires a lot of training and our um adviserss are all required to follow the handbook. But any um any expenditures of the funds, all the students in the club have to vote and have to agree to expend the funds for particular um things. And in order to write a check out of their funds, the students have to

122sign as well as the adults. So, it really is meant to give give our young people a sense of how to run a business and and how to budget. >> That's great. >> Yes. And I'll just say I've been on the audit committee for two years and um our audits are always just stellar and squeaky clean. And if the auditor has to add one note, it's usually something related to ECA, which is extracurricular activities, because a kid forgot to sign some form, you know, correctly. And and our audits go down to a level where that has to be noted on our audit that we are taking a correction plan to um to fix that. And it's understandable because these are students and they are learning. And when you are learning, you make mistakes. It's not

123a big deal. But I I really liked reading the policy because uh I I like the educational aspect of the way the the system is structured because I I think it will serve our students in goodstead. >> Any other questions or comments? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. 17.02 is a second reading and adoption of policy automated external defibrillators. The board of education hereby accepts policy 5685 as written. May I have a first? Trusty Goodrich. Second. Trusty Jerome. Any questions or comments? Trusty Goodrich. >> Um I just like to say it's it's nice to have consistency u so you have all the same AEDs um throughout all the schools. That's all possible. Uh I see some of the AEDs here are Z L. Uh which I'm glad that's my preference. I've had three saves.

124It's always been on the ZO. Uh AEDs are different. They're engineered different. They deliver a shock different. Um so I don't know. I like Zul. Uh I'm also uh glad to see that uh 9 through 12 students are trained with CPR with ads. That's great. >> I agree. That is really great. Any other comments or questions on policy 5685? All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. On to committee reports. Trusty Jared, >> I have really enjoyed the policy committee so far. I find it really cool to have superintendent pull out policies and then very satisfying to look through and like get to the essence of them and and how can we express it clearly so that it, you know, really says what we want to say. And I so I really enjoyed um assistant principal

125Turk joining us um to give us her feedback on comparing the NISPA guidance policy with our counseling policy and um and I think that we made a lot of very easy work of it when it seemed like it could have been a quite a big thing thanks to her. Um, and then we reviewed several others, including a sustainability policy that Nispa said was non-essential, but that superintendent pointed out she felt that this particular board would want to keep, and we all decided to. So, it was a very nice meeting. I agree. Communications. We had communications meeting yesterday and we learned that I believe the budget newsletter has gone to press today. Maybe it's gone to be printed today. Um, and it's going to be mailed out in the next couple of days. So, watch your

126mailbox. U, there's going to be a lot of good information in there about uh the totality of the school budget. um including I think a more detailed breakdown I think of um the many component items in the line items in the budget that if you want to if you want to dig in and nerd out on the onto your budget you can um and there will also be uh board briefs uh for those of you that subscribe and if you're a parent in the district or if you're a grandparent in the district or just an interested community member I really encourage you to uh sign up for board briefs because they're informative. They come regularly, just once a month. They don't clog your inbox and uh it will keep you a breast of what's going

127on in the district. >> Good. Yeah. Yes, please. I just wanted to add um to Trusty Kitson's point, anyone who wants to dig into the indepth budget, um we have these budget books that uh each of our trustees received tonight that are going to be in they are in each of our school buildings. Are they in the public libraries? They're in the public libraries as well. Um it is available on our website and anyone who has any questions can reach out to assistant superintendent can reach out to me. We are happy to have discussions if if someone would like to come in and sit down and have coffee and talk about it. We are happy to do that as well. I just want to add and and maybe superintendent or assistant superintendent um Laughen will

128jump in, but um I remembered um our Boseies consultant in the communications committee meeting um informing us that we will begin having uh the FastFax um public published uh now that the uh state education department has unembarged our data. all data. And so that's going to really add to the information that we're able to share with the community um you know on how we're doing and and um and what we're doing. >> And where can they find the fast facts? I believe the fast facts are going to be published in the uh budget newsletter uh this time and I don't know exactly where they'll be every time you know uh whenever we publish them but that they'll be in this budget newsletter. They will be in the budget newsletter and then moving forward um I

129believe that Holly Brooker and her team are going to put them on our website similar to um we had originally seen a version of that on the soverey's website and we thought it was very appealing and a quick way for people to get a good snapshot um and a sense of the district. So that's what they're going to do. And that'll be just one part of the improvements to the website because the website is going to be redone and we're really excited about that. Any other committee reports? All right. On to continued discussion. Oh, no. Um unfinished business. Continued discussion of the student support resolution. Trusty Jared. >> Uh, I have a question more. Um, in terms of the discussion of the resolution, are we discussing the resolution or the district's uh like approach in

130general? Like like are we am I asking a question about having de deputy Tom make a statement to the public like or are we just going to stick with the actual wording of the resolution? Um I don't I don't know how to answer that. Um, I mean, I think any we can discuss anything pertaining to student support and the resolution. Um, yeah, go ahead. Um just because it seems like wording is so dependent upon attorney feedback. You know, I don't really have anything I want to add like wording wise especially. I think it would be great for the administrators to meet with this wonderful gentleman. But since I'm on the safety committee and I keep hearing it expressed, you know, and tonight I think um well Jude said, "How can we share with the public

131what it is?" And I I'm on that committee. I know that the concerns that are voiced tonight, I I know like there is no kid that's going to disappear from this school building. like it's very serious. But I also know that we can't disclose our safety plans to the public for obvious reason. But I know that Deputy Tom is our amazing school resource officer who is like the lead person of the safety committee. I feel like if anybody would know what he could disclose or couldn't that might, you know, endanger like teachers or students safety by saying in public, he might. And so maybe I wondered if somebody like him or safety committee in general as a group might put together something that, you know, we could share either here at a board meeting or

132someplace that maybe other than just us at the board table could answer to how safer kids are when they're at school. I've never been on the safety committee, so I'm not 100% sure of the rules, but I feel that the safety plan is extremely confidential. Um, I think maybe something closer to the email that has been sent out to staff a number of times now might be an assurance if we could kind of, you know, maybe shrink it down a little bit. It's it's I mean not that and it's it's it's lengthy because it needs to be and it's it's I think it's a great document that um talks about uh how we're going to how we're assuring safety based on policy and and procedures and then it and it also has scenarios you know

133built in and I think that makes it easier for people to understand oh this is what I do if you know um I don't know how to answer Trusty Jared's question. >> I mean, we could look at re I mean, I don't even know if it would need to be repackaged or rewarded. It it is just our procedure and it's definitely been shared um not only with all of our faculty and staff but uh our transportation director shared it with first student and I uh I asked that they be told that it needed to be shared with not only all of the drivers who are currently assigned to our district but anyone who might even be assigned to substitute anyone who would come in contact with Antou. So it's not that is not private that

134has been shared and um given to people. So we could look to share that with families. I'm wondering if we could add that somehow to our resolution, you know, like um gosh, I feel like we I saw in one of the um other resolutions, I don't know if it's the URR resolution or if it's this, you know, what the one that Kingston adopted or soies, but I feel like they had some pro procedural language built in. So that it would be I feel like it would be more clear to the community how we make that happen for all students. I mean maybe it could be appended below so that it doesn't become part of the resolution which is more as you were saying more of a a statement. But if we could create a document

135that had both components I don't know if that would make Trusty Goodrich. So, one of the u issues that I brought up uh because I'm on the safety committee is uh possibly doing, you know, a table talk training exercise. um where you you know you give everybody a a fake microphone or fake walkie-talkie and you create a scenario and then because whenever there's a situation uh communication is is key. So you go through a training exercise. So what I heard tonight was uh key on training and uh we don't need to talk about you know what we're going to do in the training but if we do if we can say we're going to have a training exercise and not provide any details I think that would go a long ways if you know we've

136talked about in the safety committee to do a a table talk training exercise but and hasn't happened. And that's for other all safety issues, right? But, uh, it would be nice to maybe do one for, you know, what happens if I feel like from what you what what what you've told me about your presentation from Mr. Qua. Uh, that was one of the strengths that I understood about what he does is he really puts meat on the bone about what, you know, what what it could look like, what what this might happen, then that might happen. And and I I take the point that that if that were to happen in our district, that would be a very high stress situation. And then it is there is definite value in having game down in your

137head in advance. Okay. It's a it's a pretty straightforward set of um instructions that our staff has, but um just going through it, you know, what what would you do if what would you do if the other thing I wanted to say was that um there were some things that some of our speakers tonight were asking for that I I thought were in our um January resolution already and then I looked it up and they weren't quite, but they're they're there. You can infer them. But um I do believe that our our resolution from January of 25 2025 is a bit dry in that it doesn't connect the dots of so we say that you know all of our students regardless of status have a right to an education and b that we care very

138much about their social emotional health but we don't say they you know we don't explicitly say they have a right to be in school and not you know not be terrified or whatever um or or or that we're going try to make school feel as safe as we can, you know. Um, and I don't that's a very I'm just, you know, talking off the top of my head here, but I feel like we could I I've said this before, we could make sort of the underlying values of the district a little more explicit in the language. um not in a operational, you know, this and we're going to do this and then we're going to do this and we're going to do this and we're gonna do this, but that these are our these are

139our tent poles of our baseline values of keeping all our students safe in our district. So, I'm hearing three things. I'm hearing that I think would improve our current what we currently have, which are um training um according to your conversations, Qua, and would love his feedback on what that looks like. protocols, making sure the protocols are I think that they weren't repeated enough and I think that if they could be actually succinct and included in the actual um resolution language then there again that's another support and then the third thing I heard were you know how can we imbue our values we all know we have them I think your point is well taken it's a little cut and dried, right? And we as a district care so deeply about our student body and

140could we I know we could come up with language that just brings those values a little bit more to the forefront rather than it just being cut and dried. So those three things are things that I've noticed >> in a way that our attorneys will say that ex, you know, that's that's that that there is just a whole other level of complexity to this that the the public really needs to understand is that um you know, we really don't want to overstep our skis legally and you know, so that's where we are. >> Yes, we we won't break the law. That's not our style. I just wrote it down and I keep looking back over it and I guess I just wanted to say that the idea that we're somebody mentioned that we were listening

141to our constituents and that that was somehow a part of why our process was the way it was. And I just wanted to say that I think something that's really amazing about the school board in my experience of a year so far is that it is there's no like party. There's no constituents. We're not like polling people. What do you think we should do? It's just us and we're just trying to like find our way through in a way that's best for the students in our school district. So, I just didn't want to leave that hanging out there. Like nobody's talking to anybody and being swayed. There's no none of that is going on. We're really just taking our time to work through it like we do everything else, which I admire about this group

142of people. I'm wondering um I know that uh superintendent's going to be meeting with Victor Qua and next week and discussing maybe some of his trainings and how that could be um implemented here. Um but in terms of adding the procedural information, you know, as an addendum to the uh current resolution and then building in some more specific language around, you know, like basically our values and, you know, our moral imperative around um student student safety. all you know protecting all of our students. Um so my question is how do we how do we do that? What's our process? Um do do we have an extra communications committee meeting and we work on it um you know with with Holly and our you know OC's team. Do we sit here at the table and you

143know word smith it at the table? I think that's a lot to do, Caroline. Well, I had like the idea of working on it as a communications issue and then bringing it to the board like we usually do. Then we once we have something drafted, we can have a discussion about it. Um and uh and I also like the idea potentially um inviting a community member or two to that. I know there on the number of people in those meetings, but there could potenti I'd love feedback. I'd love somebody to be sitting in who lives in Woodstock or Shokan or Shanden or wherever Pineh Hill, wherever who's there and um who's in conversation with us as we try to refine this and improve this um this piece of this document. So, how does that sound

144to you? Um, communications, working with the whole team, maybe inviting a community member and taking taking a look at what we've discussed tonight. >> I think that's a good way to approach it with the communications committee because it would have to be a subgroup. Um, and then it's just a question in my head of at what point do we run it through the attorney's lens? Is it what the communications committee comes up with before we bring it to the whole board? Because I wouldn't want to have everybody hash it out and then send it and have them say no this, yes, that >> they wrote us, we sent them the UR resolution, so we already have their notes on that. and then having a UR person maybe on the committee and then a combination of

145that with our January resolution and what we're talking about tonight would probably be pretty good. I mean those he sent a lot of notes so that will be helpful. >> Yep. But anything new that does get generated in communications I think superintendent is correct. should go communications, then the lawyers, and then maybe it's back to the drawing board with communications or if if it's just minor things and it can we can go to the board. But we'll, you know, we'll try to move that along. But there's no point in taking it all the way to the end and then and then figuring figuring out that there's something defective in it from a from a legal point of view. >> How does everybody feel about that? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Good. So, we'll find we'll work with

146uh >> Oh, yeah. We just met Monday, >> yesterday. Yeah. >> You're okay. Okay. I don't want to put extra burden on you before the vote. Okay. Thank you, Amanda. Okay, good. Perfect. I think Caroline and Rick had an idea about a community member that they've spoken with. Maybe you can or maybe I don't know if you should reach out to her or maybe one of them should because they've already established a rapport. Okay, great. All right, thank you all very much. um onto the um continued discussion of a new direction for students in an AI world. >> So, it's late and yeah, so I don't think we should try to cover all of this. Um, it's a lot. Um, to me when it really started to get interesting was at around page 143, 142,

147143, 145. Threw that in there. The prepare section because I think this is what we we've been talking about. Uh, I'll just read a few things that I highlighted. Preparation requires building the knowledge, capacity, and structures for ethical and effective AI integration, ensuring that schools develop clear AI visions with dedicated resources, organized adoption processes, and measurable evaluation criteria to track implementation success. So one thing that they suggest that education leaders can do to prepare is to promote holistic AI literacy for students, teachers, parents, and education leaders. Integrating ethical understanding, critical thinking, and practical skills. It's all the things we've been talking about um that we don't want to be lost to this AI re um you know uh re uh revolution that's going on around us. Um so they talk about um and then the

148next the next section uh is about really developing a a clear vision for ethical aas that centers human agency and creating a solid policy. So I think to me those are the two main things we're kind of navigating toward is is promoting AI literacy particularly in the parent community um and our stu you know um I know I know our administration's going working with the teachers um and then eventually it's going to be our board goal is that uh the the the district is going to have a policy um by the end of next year. So um and I don't know uh what people took out of this section, but uh that to me that's our remit. That's our that's our goal. Um, a few things I was just thinking about was one is like

149I feel like we kind of thought like someone was in charge with like Facebook and Instagram and stuff like that and then like we've slowly realized no one was looking out for anyone, especially kids. So, it's sort of like lesson learned and like not that I mean this is such a hard thing still, but just like we're the ones who would have to do something, you know, and because no one else is paying like on a larger level, it doesn't feel like anyone's doing anything. Um the other thing is like I was thinking um just like school is the social institution there. I mean there are sports which are through school. It's just like this is where it's happening and it just puts, you know, there's more importance than ever on field trips, recess, group

150projects, things that just cannot be imitated. I actually loved the idea of group projects. I find it at least harder to use AI and like at least you're having peer interaction. And I think just, you know, a slight and that's been in our goals to do more um like just the focus on inperson. And I think yeah, just kind of like, you know, things that maybe ways we used to learn that can now be substituted with AI could be replaced with just slightly different things that can't use AI. For example, group projects, field trips, stuff like that. So, um I enjoyed the reading and uh yeah, it just feels like if this if because it's our main social institution for children, if it's not going to be in school where like this is all on

151us, it feels so I think the onus is really on the parents, administrators, and teachers because we have the life experience to use a tool tool like AI effectively or um yeah to use it to to to to innovate it with it because we are grounded in experience or a young child doesn't have that experience to work with. So, I think that the grown-ups in the room really are at are the it's on them as the grown-ups in the room and the children. Yes. encouraging them through human intera um and really again just I think owning that and the teachers owning that like we are responsible for guiding the younger children understanding how we can use it and never forgetting the years and years and years of experiences have gotten us. We have all this

152pre pre-AII lives and it's it's very very um it's rather than just coming to a technology and being like, "Oh, it's so cool. It does all these things." It's no like I actually do this thing. I teach. Here's this technology. How can I use it in combination with my experience to make my teaching better, to spend more time with my students, to spend more time um working on my teaching plan because you know like there's just that critical thinking piece that's talked about here um that a young person is just not going to be able to have the experience to weigh that out. So that's the good news for all the people with the great hair. It's like all this great experience to work with. There's a lot of really good stuff in here about

153like the order of which to do things and professional development and like the three you know I have a lot of notes and it's not necessary right now but there was one thing that I just was like this is all this is it all and it's point number seven on page 146 while AI offers speed and fluency. It cannot experience wonder, wrestle with doubt, or choose values. Education systems can help students see that struggling to find their own words and pursue their own questions is what makes learning meaningful and life worth living. And I really for me I was like it is kind of an existential moment for human beings. Why are we here? What is our purpose if you know if we believe that a computer can do something everything better than us you

154know and earlier you know there's quite a bit of emphasis on how well you know assistant superintendent laughing has been says you know a lot that like the the way it's always been done is not um really we know the best way always and project based learning and all these amazing things we see teachers coming in with. I mean, I think that like we're an extraordinary district led by extraordinary educators and we like they know. And so I in reading this I just kept feeling like as a board I'm just really excited to to not be in the way of what I feel like the AI committee and the teachers and our you know superintendants know is like that how things have to evolve. But to be like yes we are behind you. We are

155like waving the flag that these changes are really good and needed and positive. So I was also I was raising my hand at the same time as you to read that exact sentence that you read. And it it also so the next section I also found really interesting because it's and this is just it steps into what a policy or a guideline could look like. Um and they talk about let me see where I can pick it up here. Educational policies can encourage students to use AI to expand their ability to explore and learn processes that require critical thinking, personal engagement rather than cognitive offloading. For example, in the US, the Washington and I assume this is Washington state, the Washington office of superintendent of public instruction has issued guidance on using AI in K12

156schools that promotes a human- centered approach. Well, we've always talked about our district is human- centered is our always our aspiration. This guidance states that good AI use always starts with human inputs and inquiry and always concludes with human reflection and edits. It notes that AI should be used to empower students to actively participate in their education, not replace student development. So that's just a very Now this is something that our teachers are going to know, but I think if we have a a policy or if we promote a policy to our parent community, if I'm a parent and I see my hopping on to whatever chatbot they you know get access to and I know that I should be asking them well did you start this project this thing that you're working on with

157your brain with human inputs and inquiry or you know and are you reflecting on it after you're done with it that that that would make our parents a real partner with the teachers and not feel and feel like they had guidance on how what language is available to them and to talk about the right way to or the really the wrong way to use these tools that could really hurt their kids. >> Yes. And I think every parent has a life experience and has that perspective that they can I I sometimes think that um it is a very intimidating technology. It's um overwhelming. There's a lot of fear around it. But you know the parents of our children are absolutely empowered with their life experience. It's the most important thing that they can impart to

158their children and guide them and ask questions like those um and make sure that um they're seeing it with some perspective um and offering their own life perspective. I want to make a suggestion um because it is late and I think that there's a lot here that that we haven't even discussed in this section that we read. There is not a lot left. There's not a lot of pages u of the of the uh report left to read. And my suggestion is that we all finish the report um by the next meeting which is the the night the 19th and we will have time we're going to have a very light agenda that night. So, we'll have time for actual discussion and I'd like us to think a little bit about like for for us

159as a board, you know, it's it's not it's not our role to, you know, to say we want teacher training, we want the, you know, and all that because I know that our administrators are already thinking about it. But what I what I'd like to us to think about is what can we do as a board? um in terms of, you know, engaging more with parents, maybe bringing parents in, maybe having a a speaker, you know, like so, you know, let's let's think about that as we as we finish up this reading and get, you know, dive as deep as we want into it at at our next meeting when we'll have a lot of time and earlier in the evening. Trusty Goodrich, then Trusty Kudson. >> Yeah. After reading this last section and you

160know thinking about the other sections I I feel like well we have one hand we want to have less screen time and then the other thing we have AI and how do we mix the two and that's the question I ask myself you know uh this morning CNN had a thing on uh you know screen the thing about cell phones and they said see this the scores didn't improve you know the educational testing scores and I said that's not what we were trying to accomplish there we want more human interaction right and so I I don't know why CNN reported that number one but you know what is our goal here are we less screen time more screen time with AI you know we I think we have some higher level goals we have No,

161I was just going to say this can be coming on to our transition because I remember last year at the election meeting we were we had an extended discussion of the governance core 2. Yeah. Yeah. But I think I think this is a good aspiration of the district to be chewing over some big problem every election while we're waiting for the results. It's a great idea. All right. So, pause for now. Finish. Go ahead. >> Do the page numbers. 149 to 160 or Okay. Okay. >> We're close. >> And And maybe a good idea would be since that's so few pages, you could just flip back to anything you've highlighted that you want that we didn't cover the first few times that you want to. But you know, thank you. Thank you all for reading

162this. >> Well, thank you too very much. >> All right. Um, uh, item Oh, go ahead. I just have one other unfinished business briefly. Um, Trusty Mitchell Morel and I uh touched base about gathering some reading um, uh, regarding edtech in schools. And so she and I have been sending things back and forth to each other to try and put together a well-rounded uh selection of things. >> So basically, we were hoping for our next book club um to pick like four or five articles that we could read, probably much shorter than this. Yeah, they're each like three pages. Sorry, I should have mentioned this during our previous discussion about the uh student support resolution, but as I was driving in tonight, I heard um a report on the news about about No, this is

163about Governor Hokll's um part legislation that she's considering or pushing and I think it's it's shorthanded as local cops, local crimes or something like that. Uh, and the reason I wanted to make everybody aware of it, not just in this room, but anybody's listening out there, is that part of this legislation would be the redesation of churches and schools as quote unquote sensitive areas as they were in the in the Obama era. So, it's something that I think people who are interested in in in our protecting our students would consider advocating for um or at least educating themselves. You know, I only heard this on the news, but they specifically called out that sensitive locations, designations for church and schools that she wants to um make a statement, beef that up, beef that up again

164since it was revoked um early in this the national administration. I feel like I heard I was in the car a lot today, so I I know I heard it in the car on NPR. Um that Connecticut, I believe it was Connecticut, just um approved a resolution um making those those locations, those safe zones safe again. And um what I heard was that there are maybe are like five states in the country that have done it already, >> not New York yet. So, and in fact, when I one of my goals when I walked over to speak to the folks that spoke to us tonight was to say to them they need to start um advocating in Albany. And you know because this is a really important um you know topic that people can get

165behind and you know Governor Hokll has an election coming up so it's the ripe time to to uh do it. >> You're hearing from your two legislative outreach trustees. So >> okay any other unfinished business? Oh, I have something. But actually, I just Sorry, but um Trusty Jared brought it up earlier and that was the the idea of a an exit interview for our student member and so and I just happened to be walking out to executive session with Jenny and she wanted to know more about that and I said, "Well, I don't know because we've never done it to my knowledge." So she I think she sounds pretty interested in maybe responding to an exit interview if we had one. So we you know we need to give that a little thought. Maybe we

166could do a Google doc with questions we might want to ask her. I love that idea. I was afraid it was just going to fall right to the communications committee. Okay. Any other unfinished business? Any excuse me, any new business? Any requests for information? Okay, before we adjourn the meeting, please everyone out there in YouTube land, don't forget to vote. The budget vote and the board of ed trustee vote is on May 19th, 7 am to 900 pm. It's here on central campus in the wrestling room. There'll be parking uh opposite central administration and lots of people there to assist you and support. And if you'd like to on May 16th, Saturday, there is early voting uh with a little support if you need it with the um the application in the ballot um at

167the Woodstock Library from 9 to 12 and at the Phoenicia Library from 1 to 4. >> And if you get an early ballot, turn it over. >> Yes. Yes. Do both and sign the outside of the envelope. All right. May I have a motion to adjurnn? Trusty Smith. Second. Trusty Jerome. All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you.