001Good evening and welcome to the August 19th board of education meeting. Um we have a tobacco policy in place. There's no smoking within 100 ft of any school building. Please rise for the pledge. Board clerk, will you please take role? >> Trusty Smith, >> here. >> Trusty Jared >> here. >> Trusty Mitchell Morell >> here. >> Trusty Jerome. >> Trusty Goodrich. >> Trusty Kunen >> here. >> Trusty Bishop >> here. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right, we are starting off tonight with um item number 2.01 with a presentation from our construction team from BBL Construction Services and they are going to provide us with a current capital project update. >> So, good evening. Hopefully, I'm close enough to the microphone that everything can hear. Closer. That's better. Thank you. Uh good again. Good evening.
002Jeff Andrews with BBL. Um doing a presentation just at le a little rundown of where we are for this summer's work program. Um we did start an overall arching classroom renovation program back in 2023. We've done a lot of projects around the school. Kind of the conclusion for that project. >> Excuse me, Jeff. Could you would you mind holding the mic? >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> Better. Okay, because I could hear myself over there, but maybe it's just a reverb. Um, you know, again, we did start the program in 2023. We've done a lot of school projects around the school and wrapping up the final classroom project and the exterior project phase three of uh the work started this summer with a projected completion wrapping up with the gymnasium in uh October of this
003year. Uh we currently are progressing very well on the interior. Um we've got uh some repeat contractors that are on the project that have done well. Uh we've got a new contractor with Stone Creek Electric who is doing work interior on the building that has had uh a little bit of nudging that we've been doing as we've gone along. They have gone from manpower of roughly about three and a half people on average to now they're pushing about 11 Kyle. Is that what you're seeing as well? So We are looking to turn over uh building sorry rooms within uh the space for the middle school to get that sorry about that uh get that kicked over here for the school to preparation or prepare preparation for their orientation what have you. Um during the progress
004of the building, we have had a couple of um unforeseen conditions and that's I think one of the reasons why they wanted me to come and present tonight. Uh we were looking to have the secure vestibule which is part of the 3B program uh turned over for the beginning of the school year. While we were doing excavation, we were supposed to be tying in the existing footings with the new footings we were putting in. And the anticipation that we were at frost line about four feet below grade. As we did the excavation, the existing footings were well below that, pushing eight or nine feet below grade. As we removed the material, we found a uh storm line that was not shown on any of the documents. the design team didn't have it on any of
005the asbuilts and we found that by digging through it not just locating it. So >> Urus, it doesn't seem like the mic is working. We good? All right. So, as I was saying, um, when we located this storm line, we then went back with the design team, went through several options of what we could do to, uh, resolve the situation, came up with a plan that took us, you know, again, a few weeks to get to, and then we've progressed with that work since then. Uh we were able to do a few things on the foundations and footings such as put in some higher strength concrete that allowed us to back fill sooner to pick up a little bit of time. Um but the reality of that push in the overall schedule unfortunately at the
006beginning of school that secure vestib will not be open. So we have worked with the contractors updated the schedule worked with the school so they're aware of what's going on. Um, we've got some steel that we're going to be putting into place before school starts. And then the area that we have out there, if you looked at that entrance, a lot of that will tighten up after the steel's put in. And then we will continue to work during the school day once, you know, students are cleared from the area to continue with that work and get things completed. The other item that came up um that was unforeseen is within the gymnasium. We had planned on replacing the entire gym floor. Typically, these floors are on a sleeper system, a 4x4, a 3x3, and then
007a maple floor on top of it. When we started the demolition, which was supposed to last about 3 days, we found that all of the sleepers had been encased in concrete. So, we looked at several options. um removing the floor as it was, which was going to add about three weeks plus a quarter plus million dollars for the school. Um we looked at options such as going through and taking pieces of the floor because this floor is quite old. Um portions of the floor needed to be repaired if it was going to be refinished and reused. Um, we looked at, you know, options of just kind of like putting a band-aid on it so that we could move on. And what we determined kind of as a team was that was the most economically feasible
008for the school district because the school district really needs a new gym floor, not just a band-aid. So, this is an item where we're repairing the openings that we created to do the demo. We are going to screen and finish the floor so it's usable for sports this year. And then there is a package that CPL is putting out for next summer and that's going to be incorporated into that package with the school being well aware that it's going to take time to get that demo done. Those values are going to be there. So there's a, you know, a minor cost impact of what we're dealing with this summer and then the main cost is going to be next summer and we're going to be taking quite a bit of of credit back from the
009contractors this summer. So we're not in incurring that cost this year. The money is going to go back to the school district, but there is still a small cost that's there for doing that repair. with the information. I know some of these, you know, some of you have heard it before, but some may be hearing this the first time. Are there any questions? >> Jeeoff, do you want to talk about the other projects that are also like the um drop off on the east end, all the Yes. >> all the classroom? I mean, >> uh those are really important things to highlight. Sure. But there's a lot of really successful work that you guys have worked to complete and I want to highlight that as well because it's been >> no holds barred all summer
010long. >> Yes, we we do we are are repaving. There is a drop off on the other end of the building. Uh we've allowed a separation so that when people are dropping off, they're not having to worry about the cars going up and down. Um we're also clearing that out so there's a pathway instead of having to back up traffic. um doing repaving, restriping, um allowing for more parking within the space. Uh we do also uh we're putting up additional railings to ensure that we don't have people that are walking into that traffic area. There's more crosswalks that are there. There's ADA drop off and pickup location, zero entry. Um, we are on the backside as well putting a permanent structure, a pavilion that's up there so that those that were, you know, I I
011think in the past we've had a temporary structure there for people that were wanting to eat and take break and now this is going to be something that they can do that for. And then when it's it's complete, there will be lighting within that. So there's things that can be done in the evening. So if there is something like a, you know, parent teacher conference or something like that where you want to have some space, you want to be able to spread your wings, you can do that while there's still, you know, you know, it's it may not be as light outside, you know. And we also have in 14 classrooms that was part of the original that we are updating turning over each project that we've done uh on the the the classroom phases.
012We've continued to remove asbestous from the building, you know, creating a healthier space for the students and and limiting the exposure that they've got within the school. >> Yes, sir. >> Um, you mentioned that the security vestibule work will continue and some of that work will be happening during the school day. Yes. During this year, >> can I'm sure parents will be curious. Does that be noisy work or dusty work or what h how do you think um people inside the building will experience what's going on with the during the school day outside with the the vestibial work? >> So as it relates you know again we have steel going in first and that's going to be something that we anticipate is going to happen before school starts. So that's going to be our if
013there were to be a risk that is the heaviest risk that we see because we're going to be lifting steel into place and if for some reason and again it's very infrequent that anything occurs but if something were to happen there's nobody going to be there because we're not running the school. Um we're going to try and make sure that we have drop offs and pickups of material prior to students even showing up for drop off and pickup. So, we're trying to be completely out of the space when that occurs and we will reject deliveries if for some reason somebody gets off the road and like, "Oh, we didn't know." Well, sorry, you're not being, you know, you're not delivering now. Um, there is going to be a lot of the heavier work and noisy
014work occurring again before school starts. Uh, a lot of the work that's being done in there is masonry and that saw cutting that's going to occur is going to occur outside the building. So, there is going to be a buffer of space. Uh and then when we're putting the masonry in place that's a fairly quiet operation um you know there's you know I can't say there's not going to be any noise but sed has certain requirements of the noise levels that we can provide and within that space it's really the adjacent locations is more administrative than classroom space. So you know again this the students themselves are getting a significant buffer from where that noise is occurring. Yes, >> really quickly and maybe you mentioned this, but when is the target for the vestibule to
015be completed? So, so right now we are looking for the first part of October for the vestibule to be completed and then uh to to jump on top of that since you know to kind of follow the same breath is the original time frame for the audit not the auditorium the gymnasium to be completed was the 8th of October. Um we still have some change orders to issue for the contractors. There are some dates that Kyle has provided as when he would like to see the flooring being done because there are some um holidays that are viable for the school where typically the the trades contractors are still, you know, it's not a holiday for them. So, we can get in and do some of this work, especially putting the polyurethane down when there's no
016students here. Um so that you know, you're not having to smell the fumes. And a lot of this stuff now with VOCC's kind of doesn't exist anymore, but there is still some time it needs to be set up. And assuming that things go well, we're going to be pretty close to that original time frame for turnover. Unfortunately, it's not the floor that everybody wants, but at least we'll be able to continue on with the sports programming and the curricula that's going on there for the middle school gym. >> I'm curious what's going on. And I know I've driven past the the school um a few times recently and um the road lanes are shifted. What's going on up past the tennis courts? Is is there upgrades? Are are there upgrades to that entrance? >> I
017I believe as part of the overall program there's some DOT work that we are doing. Um there was some additional work that's going in there that you know it's it's as our scope for BBL. It's one of those things that we're kind of periphery to. So, it's not something we're necessarily managing, but we're aware of and and we're trying to make sure that those contractors are getting that information into the design team. >> Thank you. Any other questions? >> Go ahead, Jesse Smith. >> I don't necessarily have a uh question, but I had my first facilities meeting uh last uh Thursday and was able to tour a lot of the projects that we're talking about here today. Um, I just want to say it's impressive the scope of work and uh everything that's going on
018like the the classrooms, the renovations. Um, I think one of my favorite things was the pavilion >> outside the cafeteria was a very neat space. Um, and just the scope of the work and the organization and communication that goes into this really was impressive. And uh, I have to say I look forward to to future meetings. This was really a a big undertaking and uh I'm very impressed with with what I saw. So we Yeah, it's it's well worth the wait even as things are, you know, we're kind of waiting for say for the vestibule. Um it is definitely worth the worth the wait. >> So just wanted to add that. >> No, I appreciate it. >> Thank you. I'm so glad that Trusty Smith chimed in with that because I also ended up with
019an accidental tour of the work with Mr. Harches who's so phenomenal. We're so lucky to have him with um Trusty Mitchell Morurell and Trusty Goodrich too. And we were all I don't want to put words in your mouth but really amazed at how much was happening, how great everything looked. the new classroom. So cheery and um we we wanted to make sure to say out loud at this meeting, you know, that there's just a phenomenal amount of work going on up there and it all looks really great. So thank you. >> I think there's like an impression that because the bond didn't pass, things aren't happening. But it's just like that was so good to see that so much is happening. I honestly can't imagine much more happening and it was just as Jenny said,
020very impressive. >> No. Okay. I just want to thank you so much because I have not seen it, but I've heard from several people about the great work that's happening. Um, also, um, kudos to our architects who are on vacation this week, but a lot of the design work was on on their, uh, part and, uh, K Kyle Hares, our directors, director of facilities, always does a great job and, you know, I know he's a great partner in all this. >> So, thank you very much and thanks for all the information. >> Thank you. On to item 3.01. Um, may I have a motion to enter into executive session to discuss the tenure of specific employees and meet with our legal counsel? First, Trusty Mitchell Morurell. Second, Trusty Jared. All in favor? That's unanimous. Uh
021we should be back in about 60 minutes. All right, we are back from executive session. May I have a motion to exit executive session and return to public session? Trusty Kudson, second Trusty Smith. All in favor? That's unanimous. Thank you. Um item 4.01 01 is acceptance of minutes. The board of education hereby accepts the minutes of the July 1st, 2025, July 22nd, 2025, and August 5th, 2025 meetings. May I have a first? Trusty Jared second. Trusty Mitchell Morurell. Any questions or comments? All right, we'll go. We'll switch to roll call voting. Uh, Trusty Jared, >> I. >> Trusty Smith, >> I. >> Trusty Metro Moral >> I. >> Trusty Kudson >> I. >> Oh, great. That's unanimous. Thanks everyone. Uh, item 5.01 is superintendent news. >> Good evening. Um, I wanted to start with a
022little update from the state. Uh the New York State Education Department issued a memo to public school um and BOSIE superintendent at the end of July regarding the adoption of the New York State Portrait of a Graduate Framework. The memo stated in part, "While changes to the current diploma requirements are forthcoming, this adoption does not change the current graduation requirements. According to the department's implementation plan, um, which can be found on the New York Inspires web page, the department plans to release additional guidance to support local implementation of the portrait of a graduate by the summer of 2027. Um, they state while schools and districts may begin to examine their local practices in the context of the portrait, the statewide requirement for instruction to be aligned to the portrait begins with students in the 2029
023cohort. um otherwise known as students entering ninth grade during the 2029 2030 school year. Um I find this somewhat refreshing in that the state is looking to do a major overhaul but is not looking to do it next year. Um I appreciate that they are looking for um a more structured timeline that allows districts to prepare and plan and collaborate. So I appreciate that. Several members of our administrative team along with Trusty Bishop attended the Mid Hudson School Study Council's annual law update a couple of weeks ago. It was as usual a very informative day and one of the presentations was delivered by our attorneys and uh the topic was on transportation. A few of their discussion topics and recommendations um call into question some of our longstanding practices. Um, so although we are not
024I don't mean to imply that we are breaking any rules, we are doing things that they think we could be much more efficient at. And so we will do a review of our practices this school year so that we can kind of realign with their recommendations and be ready for next year. We don't want to do anything right now that's going to um change any of our families um expectations for this year, but it gives us plenty of time to do a thorough review and get everything straight and communicated well for next year. Uh you may have seen a press release from the office of assembly member Shretha. So, at the end of the last school year, we were contacted by her office and invited to apply for grant funding. Uh, we were contacted on
025May 12th and the application was due on May 14th, so we had very little time to put something together, but thanks to Misslair and Miss Laughen, we did submit um for support for our new math program, illustrative math, at the elementary school. And so, we have been awarded a grant for $25,000. and we're going to use that towards purchasing student workbooks, resources, um, and on-site professional development. So, we're very grateful to have been given the opportunity to access this funding and for the, um, collaborative nature that or relationship that we have with the assembly member. Um, as you also remember, Boseies uh, has been working on the new uh, career and tech site at IP Park in Kingston. um they do plan on having it open for our students in September. There will be a
026walkthrough of the new facility on August 28th. Superintendent, high school principles, and board presidents have been invited for that day. Um but we are also waiting for more information on an official ribbon cutting and um that will be open to the public and everyone will be welcome to go and see the new facility. It should be very exciting. It looks pretty impressive. Um and uh it'll be a great opportunity for the students across the county to be able to attend there. And lastly, just a reminder, Olive Day is Saturday, September 6th. Trustees Bishop and Smith are signed up to um be at our board table from 9 to noon, as am I. Trustee Jerome is signed up from uh 3 to 6 PM, but we currently have no coverage from noon to 3. So, uh,
027our wonderful district clerk has a Google doc set up for people to sign up on. Uh, anyone who would like to, please do so. >> Great. Thank you so much. Um, it's that's such great news uh about the uh grant that we've won for math books and curriculum. Super exciting. We were talking about it earlier and Misslair thought it was really interesting that we were the only district that was awarded a grant and I said, "Well, maybe we were the only ones who could make the application happen in 48 hours. That was pretty fast work. Any questions for the superintendent?" Okay, item 6.01 is board district news. Um, and like Superintendent McLaren said, uh, we did attend the New York, uh, school council, wait, Mid Hudson school study council. I wait, I can never get
028that one right. Uh, law conference. It was really excellent. Uh, it always is. Um, and, um, I I highly recommend to all trustees, especially new trustees, to attend a law conference, and they're offered, you know, a number of different uh, times throughout the school year. um they typically uh do cover, you know, the same really interesting cases because they they choose current cases to to discuss. Um and a lot of trustees have been um attending conferences. Um let's see who went to rural schools. Trusty Kudson, uh, >> Jerome, >> Trusty Jerome and I went to rural schools conference in, uh, early July and, uh, Trustee Goodrich attended, I think the following weekend, he was at the New York State School Boards Association leadership conference. Um and so at the next board meeting and I I
029don't know about any other um conferences or events that people have attended but at at our next board meeting I'm going to ask anyone who has attended uh conference just to give a brief overview of the conference so that we can share the wealth you know share our knowledge with uh the other trustees. Do any other trustees have any district news? Trusty Jared, >> it might be a question, a district a question about district news, but in um the superintendent's update there. I was just wondering if if uh we could hear a little bit more about the financial uh information that we received from the New York State Bar Association financial team about being prepared for changes in the state budget. I would just because that sound kind of alarming to me >> was I'm
030sorry to interrupt. Is that from NISB? New York State School Boards Association. Got >> Yes. Um so uh I would love to pull it up to read it um more closely. Basically, we are being told that we need to be aware that there could be significant um cuts to New York State's federal aid and there may be issues with the New York State budget. And although we don't think that our federal education grants are necessarily at risk, school funding is one of the large components of the New York State budget. And so if New York State's budget is at risk, school aid is generally at risk. Um, and so we are being told to be aware that there could be funding issues coming based on that. um especially if uh the state loses Medicaid funding.
031Basically, if there's a a very significant issue with the state budget, school aid is one place that the state has gone um in the past. Um back a number of years ago, that was an issue. And there was a thing called the gap elimination adjustment, which I was the business official the first year that happened. and it just showed up on our um school aid runs which show you the category of aid that you're getting and it showed all of our categories of aid and then it had gap elimination adjustment and it was just a very large negative number. Um and it seemed sort of arbitrary to us all at the time and it was very painful. um we had a lot of um things to make up for, but back then it was before
032we had the tax levy limit. And so if we had a very large reduction in our aid, then we could ask our communities to support a larger increase in the tax levy and we would do that. And in my time here, we have had tax levy increases of six or 7% because of those types of issues. And that's no longer available to us now that there is a tax levy limit in place. And so if we are placed in a position similar to that, we don't have a means to make up that revenue. So that would mean that we would need to make cuts. I don't really have anything to say other than yikes. I think we should really keep our eye on that. I think it's really important that everybody do just as you
033said, keep our eye on it. We don't have anything solid yet, but when we are being told by an organization like the New York State School Boards Association that this is something that is on the horizon as a possibility, we need to take it seriously. Superintendent, will you please forward that to me? I was looking for that letter in my email today and I couldn't find it and I'm afraid that I may have inadvertently deleted it and I swear I searched and searched. Thank you. Any other uh board district news? Trusty Kudson. >> Um I hope we can talk about this, but um can we talk about Mr. Cashez's um success in lending a grant for the Okay. But I just uh this is an exciting thing. Um Mr. Cashez is relatively new to the
034community. He really has come into the Antiora community as a theater professional um and directed our spring musical last year and he's a great source of ideas for developing arts programming in our schools. and uh one of the one of his goals was to sort of develop a um a a program that would um a pipeline a feeder. Yeah. Where um you would get um the problem is by the time kids are getting to middle and high school, they haven't had a lot of theater experience. And so there's, you know, you may have noticed that some of our shows have been getting smaller and smaller casts. And so he applied for a grant for I believe the detail the the broad outlines we don't I don't have the details either but it's it would be
035for him to work with middle school students eighth graders in particular to develop a piece to perform for our fifth graders um to just sort of spark their interest and he won the grant. So I think that's going to be going forward which is very exciting for the district um because um you know these interests in the arts they take many years to develop and the the the more you can start them younger that's really great. So I'm very happy that he got that grant. Um, I also just wanted to um mention uh while we were talking and my screen went dark as soon as I said it. Um about uh Assembly Member um Stressa. Um she had an event in Woodstock on Saturday that I had hoped to attend but I couldn't get to
036about this possibility of Central Hudson turning into a public utility. Has anybody been following this in the news? So, uh, the idea would be it would not be a for-profit, you know, would take it out of the for-profit corporation that Central Hunt is. It would be a publicly owned utility. And actually, I saw uh Trusty Goodrich raise on on social media the question of um public utilities are exempt from uh technically exempt from school tax, paying school taxes, and and and uh Central Hudson is not one of our hugest taxpayers, but it's a significant taxpayer in the district. So, I wrote to Assembly Member Stress and she said typically her answer I asked her first about um um whether um if there were if if it did go to a public utility whether a pilot
037payment and uh I've learned starting to learn my acronyms. Pilot is payment in lie of taxes. Um they typically a a public utility would pay pilot payments but it would be a matter of negotiation. it would be a matter of community decision. So if there are people I know there are a lot of people who are interested in this in my town Woodstock um uh and I just hope that uh if you're if you're uh you know arguing for this that you keep in mind that um community support from the utilities as taxpayers to the school district is going to be important part that's going to have to be I think advocated for. And my other question to her um and this is something that I think we need to keep on the on the
038horizon as well is uh as we know um there's an EV mandate still kind of sort of hanging out there for in not very many years at this point may get changed may get may get eliminated but we don't know right now it's on the books and um if Antior is going to e be able to even partially comply with that EV mandate we're going to needs significant grid upgrades to our campus uh which would involve a big capital um investment by whatever if it's still central Hudson or if it's a public um uh utility. So I I I asked her if raising the capital for grid enhancement is different under a public um utility. Her answer was that um uh they that uh I'll just read it. Um if there were a public utility,
039it would be a state corporation that's authorized to issue revenue bonds, which means no voter approval. I the question I asked her is it would voter approval be required to issue bonds for big capital investments like we have to do. And she said no. uh it would not be because that would be place the whole thing into you know are we going to get the electricity we need or not would be much more um up in the air. So her answer was that um that uh they would issue like corporate bonds essentially that um are paid back from the their revenue from the electric people's electric bills and um that by taking the profit portion of it out of it. In other words, when a private company invests makes capital investments, part of it part
040of what they're expecting is return on their capital, right? But with a public utility, that's less of a concern. So that they they think that they could do the cap she claims that they could do the capital investments cheaper because that profit motive would be removed. And I think that's possibly true. I think it merits further poking and proddding at that claim. But um I do think just electrification is something that we need to sort of keep our eyes on and a big change in our utility is going to impact the district. So, um, please keep us in mind if you're out there advocating for the public utility. >> Thank you, Trusty Kudson. Would you mind sharing that response with the rest of the trustees? >> Sure. I I will forward that out to the
041to the um email. >> Great. Thank you. Any other board news? All right. We'll move on to item 7.01. The board of education hereby approves the district-wide safety and emergency management plan and safety team members for the 2025 2026 school year as attached. May I have a first? Trusty Jared second. Trusty Mitchell Morurell. Any questions or comments? All right, we'll vote. Trusty Jared >> I. >> Trusty Smith >> I. >> Trusty Mitch Moral >> I. Trusty Kenson >> I. >> All right, great. That is unanimous. Thank you. Item 7.02 is our continued capital project discussion. Um, I'd like to just start the discussion off by saying that I feel like we have we still have a lot of work to do. We have a lot to discuss and one thing that I want to discuss
042is just the process around our um our sticky notes. Um because I I feel like we you know as many of us as can possibly be at that meeting at the meeting where we're going to have that conversation need to be there. Um and and if you can't be at that meeting then we'll ask that you submit your sticky notes. I I'm I'm hoping that we can do it at the next meeting. Um but I think more importantly than um than adding that to the agenda is uh just considering adding more board meetings to our calendar for the fall. Um, we, you know, I have been having conversations with individual trustees and, you know, just to kind of get ideas about where they're going or answer questions about where we're going or and anything that
043I that I can do to especially help our new trustees. And um one thing that came up recently was that we we kind of took a look at the calendar to start thinking about timeline um and in terms of deciding what our our what where we're going to land with our proposition or propositions um getting that information to Amanda, our board clerk, so that she can um get working on voting machines and getting it to our uh bond attorneys and all just all that if we're um if we're trying to aim for a December vote, we really don't have a lot of time. And um I believe we do have two meetings scheduled in September, but only one each in October and November. So, um, my suggestion is that we at least add another meeting
044in October and, um, maybe I don't know, uh, take a look at the calendar or maybe maybe Amanda can, um, pull the the board and see what works. But I was looking at the calendar last night and I can't remember the exact date of the meeting in October, but I feel like it's kind of right. When is it? 21st. >> 21st. So we could do the 14th and the 28th, >> right? So we were thinking maybe eliminate the 21st and make the board meetings in October the 14th and the 28th if if that works. You know, if we can get a majority of us at that meeting or, you know, at least a quorum, but it I really hope that we can have >> is that after we need that? So, we should have like
045a solid two months time planned to be able to order um order the vote machines, get them delivered, make sure there's staff available to work. Um I'm not sure exactly where we're doing the locations. We might just have internal staff that I'm not sure. And then contact bond council. We have to order um we have to order the ballots and then we need at least one month um to get them mailed out and sent back to make sure that we are able to get our mail in an early um ballots back in time. So two months would be the ideal time frame. Would it be possible um I I might regret this in hindsight later on, but would it be possible to we have a meeting on September 30th? If we only wanted to talk
046about the capital project, we could do the 7th and the 14th for just the capital project and not board business and then keep the 14th as a regular board meeting. >> Sorry, Amanda. >> No, I'm I'm sorry. Yeah, the 21st. >> So, you were talking about September 7th. Is that what you said? No, October 7th. >> So, we would meet September 30th as our regularly scheduled board meeting. Then we could have special meetings on October 7th and October 14th just for capital project discussion. No other school board business >> and keep the 21st for a regular board meeting. >> Does that work for everybody? >> It that works for me. I I don't know if it works for everybody. We'll keep it at six o'clock. Special meetings. You still want here though in the middle
047school, high school? >> I think so. Yeah, >> sure. Okay, great. Does that work for everybody that's here tonight? >> Okay. Okay. I know. I know. Me, too. Okay. Great. All right. Well, that was easy. All right. So, discussion. Wait. Sorry. But then we would have four in a row. Oh my god. Okay. >> So, just to be clear, the 7th and the 14th would have tightly focused agendas just on that one topic and wouldn't have all the other administrative agenda items that we usually do. >> Right. September 30th would be a regular board meeting with a regular agenda and October 21st would be a regular board meeting with a regular agenda. Okay. And I mean it would be great if everybody could be there and if everybody can't that's I know it's a it's
048a huge commitment. That's a lot to ask but I feel like we need to. >> But keep in mind we do still have September 16th and September 30th. by the time we get to October 14th, we may not need it, >> right? But if we can hold those dates if we do need them, then that would be >> I have a just a quick question. An ancillary reason that I thought that I think a December vote is a would be a good idea is that um I don't know where we are with the progress of the Phoenicia um sale. um whether but I it it it seems like if they're moving forward with their plans, it might be better much better for them if we could also put on a December ballot the sale of
049Phoenicia um approval to to let them get to make them not not have to wait till May to keep moving on what they're the great stuff that they're working on. >> I can um reach out to them and see if that timeline suits them. So, I was looking closely at the um sticky notes that Oh, you have copies. Okay. Um that our board clerk made for us to look at after a discussion that we had at our last meeting. I believe it was our last meeting. Um uh we talked about ways that we could kind of prioritize what's important to us as individuals or you know in terms of our roles and responsibilities as board trustees. What do we think is most important for our students and our constituents in terms of moving forward with
050um the capital project. And so, um, I'm not sure if it was one of the architects or if our trustee Caroline Jerome um suggested dots, but it was it was one of them. And so, it's a a strategy that um organizations use in trying to uh prioritize items and figure things out. And we talked a little bit about um either using sticky notes or using dots on the um more major aspects of the capital project. Um sort of everything that we had proposed in our in our uh bond vote um broken into individual parts. Um, some of them were standalone parts and, um, I believe Amanda worked with our, um, our architects on that to kind of determine what kinds of of items would be standalone and what kinds of items would have to be
051in included um, like as a a group of work uh, together. So, I know when we talked about this at our last meeting, we thought maybe each one of us would choose three priorities, but I forget the math. I feel like there's 26 giant items here. Is that right? >> No. So, there's like there's like 22 or 23. I think three is too few. And I want to propose that we choose five or six each. Um, but I' I'd like to hear from you all to see what you think. Trusty Jared. >> Thank you. Yeah, I think it was maybe initially a thought that I had about kind of choosing the priorities and then I just want to say after walking through the building with Mr. Hares, it really drove home to me something I
052just also wanted to say out loud, which is that it's my understanding now that it's been some time since our district had a bond. Is that right? Like 20 years. And um Trusty Bishop was just sharing with me since I'm newer that in a conference she attended. The recommendation was that districts try and put up a bond every 5 years or so so the community has a comfort level with it. And it really drove home to me looking at all the rooms when in my mind I thought, "Oh, well, could I think I recommended a 10-year plan, you know, let's do these first and then let's do this, let's do this." And to be completely honest, walking through with Mr. hard just I can really see that the essential work has really snowballed on our
053district. You know, putting off a lot of things even by a year or two could mean like the track by the time we would get around to it, it really would not be a functional track for example. And it really made me reconsider the idea of maybe prioritizing and doing certain things. And I just wanted to say after looking at what there is, I thought like an alternative idea might be to take a look at cutting bits, unnecessary bits perhaps out of all of the buckets. you know, for example, not advocating for this, just saying, for example, um, in instead of reshaping two music rooms and adding a third music room at Bennett, just adding a third music room at Bennett so that, you know, the chorus didn't have to be in a cafeteria with
054kids going in and out, you know, because I really I did struggle in looking at the actual areas. Uh, it it really we really are overdue for a lot of things. And it's my understanding that it's been handled beautifully like this summer in that the money's been saved up and then like in 2023 we voted as a community to do 14 classrooms and all security vestibule. So work is happening but at that pace we haven't kept up with some of these bigger things. So that's just me saying out loud that my my hope from our last meeting I think is uh I don't have that so much anymore. But I think it's positive because like the things are needed. I can say I saw it and I and it's not an exaggeration. It's not to
055make it some like state-of-the-art place. Like we really do need a new track in the next two years or we won't have a track team here. That's where we're at. >> Thank you, Trusty Jared. Any other comments on the topic of the proposition, the process? Um those priority may maybe we should just tie up the priorities. Is everybody okay with like five or six instead of three? Five or six. I mean, this is just another idea, but you said there's 22 or 23. >> 25. Is it too hard to to just rank them >> one through 25 each? I don't know. That's a big job for us, but or or top maybe group them top five, next five, next five, next five. Something like that. Trusty Metro Morell then Trusty Jared. >> I mean I
056just think for as I've kind of said before like again no one's going to be like I really want that remediate drainage but and like where are you going to rank that but you need it. I think it's too hard you know let's say we all rank that as 25 and then we like have no drainage. I mean, I would almost say like I'm not even sure if this is a good idea, but like also maybe the things stickers for the five things we don't want or need might even be more productive. I mean, part of me thinks, just putting this idea, I guess, out there is that like if this went again the exact same way, it might go differently. Like I think there's something to be said for people just sitting with the
057idea that this isn't happening unless we vote for it. You know, I think a lot of people felt not as good as they'd hoped the next day. And I think it's just like we should lean on a tiny bit that some people have just changed their minds anyway without us doing anything. So I just like something I'm kind of feeling I guess just being a person around here. Um, but yeah, like I I think another idea maybe in addition or instead would be Yeah. Five things where like we don't really need that. >> Trusty Mitchell Morurell. Exactly. Ex. I love that idea and we were having the same thought and I was thinking at it from the direction of the drainage or the boiler. Maybe maybe we also need a list of what must happen
058because that's my fear. You know, I my fear is there are things in here like drainage or a boiler or the track that we need to know as a board. This really has to happen this time around because if we wait for another bond, we won't have a functioning track and that's a really big problem. So maybe between mustd dos and taking a look at what feels like we can do without maybe that simplifies you know our our ranking you know Victoria or the construction company in essence gives us our top five by saying these things must happen within this timeline and then we know where the others fall. Maybe >> I think some of that is prioritized in in the way that these uh cutout sticky notes are developed. Uh priority ones are grouped
059items that are interdependent and need to be completed together. So maybe that drainage or that boiler or um I mean you know I I think yeah the new boiler like the those are things that have to be done. We can't we can't add new parts to the to a building if we don't have good drainage or or a boiler to heat the place. >> Do you mind if I clarify quickly? >> Sure. >> Um, so everything with a priority one or inter interdependent and have to be completed together. So if you just go through, you'll see where it says priority two, priority one, and then if you're like, I really want the Bennett addition, that's priority two. So everything listed as priority two is part of that addition. And then if you see um something
060listed as standalone, that's something that is its own um project. So you don't have to agree to do that. That can just come out by itself. It doesn't affect anything else. And then also listed on um the note, you can see what's on the building condition survey. So really, that's something that should be done now. So hopefully that clarifies a little bit. >> Thank you, Trusty Kenudson. and then Trusty Mitchell Morell. Oh, no. Okay. >> So, I want to take like a step back a little bit and just think about what we're trying to how this process is going to go over the next few months. And because I've been doing a lot of thinking about this, I've been reflecting on last year's process getting to the bond vote and the process of developing the
061propositions. And um here's what I've been thinking and this I want to sort of I'm really addressing my fellow trustees on the board primarily here. Um I think um we as trustees of the board of education and the board of education itself has a responsibility and a duty when we assume these positions to lead in the community. Um, and I think maybe just because of the way things kind of shook out last year, um, the board itself did a lot of sort of deferring to either the administration or the public because we were we were going through this process where we were bringing the public into community sessions and um, I I don't think that will work. I think the board has to assume a stronger leadership role this time around. I just want to
062say that and um in the interest of I think providing more clarity to the community um in terms of what the possible directions are here and uh because we we have a responsibility to our students and this district that um requires us to lead. Um and uh so I think we should not be afraid of leading. of taking a stronger role in the development of these propositions this time around. Um because I do think just having been out there in the trenches in the leadup to the last vote, um there was so much confusion in the community and we have to take part responsibility for that confusion because the board did not maybe I think speak as strongly as a as a as a unit as we could have. Um, and so I I my
063my hope is that we as a team can can develop a vision and really um do what we think is right for our students um because we think it's right. >> Thank you. Any other questions, comments, suggestions for the moment. Okay. So, Trusty Jared, >> I am going to say this because now we've had two local news sources somehow misunderstanding that discussions at the board table are just discussions at the board table. So just for everybody, those that might publish news articles and those that might not, um, open meeting law means that we discuss everything out loud here together and that nobody here is discussing these things outside of this room. And that's why, you know, the discussion can go one place, it can go another, numbers can be raised, and then we arrive back
064to pick it up where we left off the last time. And so any discussions that we have about the proposition, you know, it it no no votes happen, no decision has been made. And it's a beautiful thing about open meeting. The idea is that every community member can be here and see exactly what the thoughts are and what the discussions are. So I would just ask the community members particularly the journalists to maybe like journalists do a little deep dive maybe to understand how the school board works and what open meeting laws are so that we don't have situations where community members might become alarmed um because they can't watch every board of education meeting and thinking that uh bond decisions are being made because they haven't been. Thank you. Trusty Mitchell Morurell. I guess
065I'm also wondering if one way to do the propositions is just like super urgent and we would need this and want this and you should still vote for it, but it's not an emergency. I mean, I feel like that would almost be as good a way to break it up as any rather than based on our like personal desires. Could you give an example? >> Like I I wouldn't know but like having maybe someone who does know like Kyle say like these you know 12 things like are pretty urgent. for example, the track um you know and then have those in proposition one and then the other things are of course so important and we definitely want them but you know it's not a emergency like that just separate it based on urgency because otherwise
066it's really based on our like personal preferences which I don't know if that's more important than urgency. I think one of the things we need to also keep in mind is how it's going to work out with state aid and funding and depending on the structure and if if we have multiple propositions and one passes and the other doesn't that's going to change how the aid structure works. So I have a question about that. Um so we would have to do the prioritizing um activity first and then send that send those responses to the architects and is it the architects who are going to inform us about the the amount of state aid that we're going to receive, you know, based on what we're >> It would really be fiscal adviserss. >> Oh, fiscal adviserss.
067Okay. Okay. Trusty Kenson. >> Yeah, I just wanted to so I just speaking for myself, I I don't appro approach this at all in terms of personal preferences. It's to me what I'm trying to work out and I think I've said you said this before at meetings is like I'm trying to figure out what is essential to have the biggest positive impact on outcomes for our students and improve programming and improve our student experience. And so it's really not it's not a preference question. And it's a question of when I do the analysis if and I think this speaks to what you were saying about identifying the things that we think are least important might be the most valuable because I think there were were some things in the original proposition that if they weren't
068done, you know, it student experience would still go, you know, be all right and go on and it could wait a few years. Um, but some of these things are going to have, you know, big impacts um on on our students, right? So, that's what I'm trying to figure out. It's not that I prefer track to music or anything like that. It's it's, you know, what what are we getting the most impact right away for our students from? And if we put that to the front, and I do think based on the exit polling, we do have to we have to reduce the price tag somewhat um to bring a certain group of voters on. So um I I think if we can tightly focus on the highest impact and most essential um you know,
069health and safety, as you said, the drainage, which isn't sexy, but you know, it's got to be done. That that's super important. Um, but so it's it's really not for me it's not a pre it's not a question of preferences. It's a question of analysis and I'm trying you know as much information as we can have and obviously building aid is a as a piece of that analysis. >> Trusty Mitchell Morell, >> maybe this is overly optimistic, but I guess this comes from me thinking that this will all eventually happen. So in that or could all happen in the December vote. Or it could happen, you know, when we talk about a bond being every five years or a 10-year plan that the more urgent things are then voted through more reliably and then the
070other stuff happens maybe just a little bit later. Um, the other thing I just have to say again is like I'm concerned about anything we group in with the 10 classrooms because of the Woodstock voting block. So, I just like want to be very mindful of what we're putting with that because that could just be contentious and it's like I just don't want that to go down with it kind of. It just concerns me generally. Um, but yes, I mean, I'm coming from the place of thinking it's all going to happen eventually, but like what is um urgent? I've said that word so many times. Any other thoughts for tonight? >> Go ahead. >> Yeah, I just wanted to So, it seemed I we we sort of talked around this tonight, but um that we
071are as a board committed to moving forward to a dece if if at all possible a December um uh vote. Yes. Okay. Are we good? Okay. So, I'm just warning everybody the next meeting is going to be long. Okay. Um on to item 9.01. Uh public and student comment. Public and students may comment on any agenda or non-aggenda item. The board appreciates hearing from the public, including students, on any agenda or non-aggenda item. 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 we 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
072not name any particular individuals or promote any commercial ventures or products. People wishing to express individual student or personnel concerns can bring them to the superintendent's attention in private. And tonight, Stephanie Bryant has signed up to speak. Hello. Hello. Okay, great. Hi, everybody. I I wrote comments. I'll try to be I'll try to be fast. You guys are doing great. This is really for the public record and my uh Woodstock community, Stephanie Bryant from Woodstock, New York. The bond to build a central campus was rejected by organized Woodstock parents, the Woodstock business community, and folks who were unconvinced that the bond would be tax neutral. With the 2023 potential Woodstock elementary closure resolution left legally ambiguous, Woodstockers organized and pounced at the opportunity to shut down the bond and then use that as proof that
073the residents of Woodstock get to decide the needs of every student in this massive district. There's also a real palpable fear in our community that if Woodstock Elementary will lie vacant as the West Hurley School has been at the doorstep of our beautiful town, this would be another sign of the rotting decay of what our community once was, a thriving artist colony turned tourist town. The business community was in full force against the bond with the massive Save Our School bill billboard reserved for theater notices at the entrance to town at 212 and 375 on the wall outside of Sunflower Market at Candletock at Bread Alone outside of Lashers next to the Woodstock Library and outside of the iconic Bearsville Theater Complex. As a Woodstocker, if I knew nothing about the bond, the size of
074this district, the cost benefits of a central campus, the benefits to special education, or the ability to have afterchool programming at every grade level, which a central campus would do, I would have voted no on Prop 2 as well. So many people in Woodstock saw those signs and thought, what do these beloved business institutions know that I do not? Meanwhile, some of those same business leaders stated on social media, quote, "How many specialed kids are there really?" Or privately, "Don't we already do enough for special ed?" Some community business leaders considered themselves so smart and so successful that they showed up at the 11th hour of our public forums on consolidation to drill the administrators and you the board members into thinking that they were somehow being nefarious in your crunching of the numbers to
075make the most education happen for every kid in this district for generations to come. Many people voted in Woodstock no on the bond because they were hoodwinkedked into believing that this was in the best interest of our community's children. And since that bond failed and we have yet to consolidate, please consider the cost of keeping Woodstock open, which would raise our taxes and result in Woodstock children and the entire Antiora community receiving less education as a consequence of not moving forward to consolidate. Please consider and discuss publicly how this will affect special education. And please consider and discuss publicly how not having afterchool programming is what is at stake. We're completely divided in this community. Please be brave. Please be divisive. And please invite Supervisor Anula into this conversation. She's a trusted, progressive, smart woman
076who, if given the opportunity to do anything with this building, has the Woodstockers trust. Thank you. >> Thank you, Stephanie. Any other speakers tonight? >> Great. Thank you. Item 10.01. The board hereby approves items uh the consent agenda uh which includes items number 10.02 through 10.10. Um may I have a first? Trusty Jared second trusty Mitchell Morurell. Any questions or comments? I did review the schedule U uh this time for Trustee Jerome who is away on a family vacation and everything was in order. Ready to vote. Trusty Jared >> I. >> Trusty Smith >> I. >> Trusty Mitchell Morell >> I. >> Trusty Kudson >> I. >> That's unanimous. Thank you. We have um some items some contracts and independent contract retainers to approve. Um the board hereby approves items number 11.02 through 11.05. May
077I have a first? Trusty Jared. Second Trusty Kenudson. Any questions or comments? Yes. very grateful for the grant for the fifth graders to get to study um the watershed. That is a beautiful experience and I'm so grateful that it's continuing. >> All right. Thank you for saying that. It is a special event. Uh we shall vote. Trusty Jared >> I. >> Trusty Smith >> I. >> Trusty Mitchell Moral >> I. >> Trusty Kenudson >> I. >> Great. That's unanimous. Thank you all. All right. On to old business. Uh item 12.01. Does does any trustee have any old business to uh bring up? Trusty Jared >> just on behalf of Trusty Goodrich who's not here tonight and I saw that the in his inquiry about transportation and the expected possible impacts of centralization that we're just
078waiting on transportation to be able to crunch those. Right. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other old business? Any new business? Trust trust trusty Jared then Trusty Kudson. Thank you Trusty Canudson. Um there was some great info in the warrants about and the um financial summary about a lot of positive savings impact from uh having come down to two elementary schools. And I didn't know if now or maybe at some point in the future. I think it would be great to hear from Misslair about, you know, what that looks like now. Um, one calendar year. Um, that would just be really positive for a future meeting. Okay. Maybe not the next meeting because that's going to be a big one. Um, Trusty Kudson, >> I just wanted to raise the question of um, since we're still
079we still have a little bit of August left uh, before the school year starts in earnest. Um, I remember we spent a fair amount of time last fall on district goals for the year and I just wanted to just put out that maybe we should start thinking about um, that process and getting it started. um how many district how many goals we want to have for the year whether we had too many last year or we want to have a you know a couple more fewer more tightly focused goals or um I don't know uh but that's just something to start thinking about because obviously that those what we did last year when the principles would come talk to us it had an impact um and the principles really took it to heart and So,
080I I think the the sooner we can get that clarified for the for the administration um would be great. >> Great. Thank you. Any other new business? >> Any requests for information? Trusty Jared. >> I have been thinking about this and I've just been thinking about how I know the public saw our discussion on voting for Dr. Bachmann to return to do a study and then I don't think that we had the opportunity to discuss that that's not happening. Correct. We did not have a discussion about it, but I know Superintendent McLaren did inform us in a meeting that that it was not going to happen. >> Oh, no. Yes, absolutely. Um, and I just in terms of information, I I was wondering, you know, maybe there were some components to that Dr. Bachmann study
081that we were looking forward to as a community and perhaps even though Dr. Bachmann isn't able to do the whole study. I know um I'll just say that enrollment projections I think was maybe something that we were all interested in. Perhaps I was I know the current enrollment projections we had from him through 2028 were pretty right on. Um and we're kind of bumping up against that number now. Um it being 2026. So, I I don't know if maybe there's a if it makes sense for us to discuss what it was that we were hoping to learn from Dr. Bachmann and maybe there's another way that we could mine that information. Just a thought I've been having. We do um our own in-house enrollment projections every year. Uh actually saying in-house is not really accurate.
082We use uh a software if you want to talk about it misslair so we can bring those reports forward. >> Right. So usually around October, November is when we get our actual kind of numbers from the prior year. So we usually kind of November is when we start and then usually present in January what the enrollment is. Um we use a combination of obviously birth rates and um we have a modeling software through forecast 5. Um you know the issue is always uh that birth annual births are January to December 31st. However, if you know the cutoff for entering kindergarten is like the beginning of December. So what interesting enough just as a side note what happened last year is um we we actually have a lot of kindergarteners that were born in December and
083kind of when we went backwards it they're they were co babies. So it does I mean it's not an it'll never be an exact science with enrollment and that's kind of the you know the hard part but it has been if anything it's always kind of aired on the side a little bit more than what we've actually ended up with but we do do that every year and we can we will continue to do that. >> Yeah I yes I that's very helpful. I'm what I guess what I'm talking about is like we know there's like a bump here a bump there like when you look at Dr. Bachman's piece. Um, there's like a trajectory like a a larger trajectory and like a bird's eye view that I don't think maybe we necessarily look at
084because I know we look at like this year we're projected to be here, we're here, but we had like a 5 to 10 year uh projection from Dr. Bachman. I think >> ours is 5 to 10 years as well. >> It is. And this is on the website if you look might not be 10. It's at least five if not more. If you go on our website, you know the bar that's across the top, if you go to our district and then district plans and reports and then if you go to reports and then enrollment, if you scroll down, um, you get to the enrollment projections. You have to scroll down a bit to get to the projections. Just to nerd out on this a little bit, um uh a an organization that I've cited
085in the past that I I think are considered to be sort of the the the most expert um demographers about New York State as a whole is this program um this uh group at Cornell University called the program on applied demographics, PADD, P A. And um it's interesting. So they they update long-term population um projections and they break it down by age cohort. Um and they update them about every 101 15 years. And apparently before this cycle in previous cycles the way they've always done it is they do county bycount um population projections and then they aggregate that and come up with a state whole state projection. For some reason this time they started with the state. They did a a whole state projection. They updated their whole state projection in November of 2024 and
086I think it runs through sorry 20 Yeah, 2024. I think it runs through 2038 or 39. And um they and they said what they're going to now do is regress the the data that they have for the state back to the county bycounty level. And when they came out with it in November of 2024, the press release said we're going to update the county bycounty um uh projections in quote unquote the spring. So spring is is over. So, you know, um these things take as long as they take, but I do think that uh if you keep an eye on that, um website, we will be getting uh county bycounty um population projections, including what the 0 to 18 population is expected to do in Olter County over the next 10-15 years. >> Yeah, that
087was really good information. Anything else? Any other requests for information? Okay, last call. All right. May I have a motion to adjurnn? Jesse Smith. Second. Jesse Kenson. All in favor? All right. We will see you at our next meeting on September 16th.