001I may I may I please get a motion to return from executive session? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um all those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Abstentions? Motion passes. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Um we're now going to have a a moment of silence for one of our employees. Dr. Bedonty, did you want to say some words? >> I can't hear, please. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Um Devon, can you help us out? >> Uh we could turn the fan off. That probably would help. Is that better? >> You >> Is that Is this Is that better? We have very poor We have very poor air in this room. >> [laughter] >> The ceiling ones are worse. Um sorry about that. Um but I'm sorry. We're We're
002moving I'm sorry. We're moving on to our moment of silence. >> Yeah, so I thank you, Mrs. Meenan. At this point, uh we received the word a couple of uh weeks ago that uh Karen Ucci passed away. And Karen was a long-time driver right here out of our LaGrange [snorts] garage. She served our district for uh over 25 years, and she had just retired in August of 2025, right at the beginning of of this school year, and sadly uh uh just recently uh passed away. So, I'd ask those members uh who are in the audience and uh the board and those who are watching at home to please join in a moment of silence in her memory. >> Thank you, Dr. Bronte. Um Francesca, can you please call the roll? >> [clears throat] >> Ryan
003Arnold. >> Here. >> Jennifer Boyd. >> Here. >> Linda Gaines. >> Here. >> Jeff Haye. >> Here. >> Sophia Banay Hollis. >> Here. >> Donna Logan. >> Here. >> Mary Ann Meden. >> Here. >> Eileen Snook. >> Here. >> Marion Quinn. >> Here. >> Thank you. The reading of the district mission. Our mission is to empower all students to be self-directed lifelong learners who willingly contribute to their community and lead passionate purposeful lives. May I please get a motion for the approval of tonight's agenda? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Next, we're going to our public hearing. I'm going to um need a motion to open the public hearing on the draft of the district-wide safety
004plan. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any um actually, that's it. The public The public hearing is now open. Anybody who would like to speak at the public hearing um is welcome to do so. We will follow our same procedures as public um comment, which is 3 minutes per person. Thank you. >> Hello. >> to stay seated if you want. If you You don't have to like line up. Oh, you're standing up in support. Excellent. Thank you. I didn't know if you were lining up. >> No, just support. >> You ready? >> I am. >> Okay. Good evening, members of the board. I stand before you tonight not only as a parent, but someone who believes deeply in the responsibility we all share to
005protect the children entrusted in our schools. The incident involving my son was not a misunderstanding. A teacher placed his hand on the back of my son's neck, held his head down, and told him that if a drill bit hit his foot, quote, "My hands would be swinging." My son was not threatening anyone. He is was a student in the classroom looking to the adults around him for guidance, safety, and support. The district's own investigation found that multiple district policies were violated. Yet, I was informed by the superintendent that the teacher would continue teaching at Arlington High School. With little to no consequence. That decision has left me deeply disappointed and struggling to understand how accountability is being applied when student safety is at stake. I have already filed a complaint with the New York State
006Education Department not because I wish to create conflict, but because I believe that transparency, accountability, and trust are essential to a strong school system. When students and parents come forward, which was not easy for my son to do, with concerns, they deserve confidence that those concerns will be addressed in a manner that places students' well-being first. The responsibility of this board is an important one. You took an oath to serve this community and to protect all children of the Arlington Central School District. That responsibility is larger than any one employee, any one administrator, or any one case. It is about ensuring that every student who walks through those doors of our schools knows that they will be treated with dignity, respect, and care. I send my son to school with a hug and kiss every
007morning. I don't expect him to come home being violated by a teacher. Tonight, I am asking the board to demonstrate through its actions that student safety is not simply a statement of values in a pamphlet, but a commitment that guides every decision. The findings in this case, the district's response, and the message sent to students and his family deserve careful scrutiny. Accountability matters. Trust matters. Most importantly, the safety of all of our children matters. I continue to have faith in the board. Both that the board both has the authority and the responsibility to ensure that the protection of students remains at the highest priority of this district. That's why we're all here. I urge you to use that authority to strengthen oversight, improve accountability, and ensure that no student or family, or community members, are
008left questioning whether their safety comes first. Our children deserve nothing less. Thank you. I appreciate you listening. Thank you. >> Is there anyone else that would like to make a comment about the um public about the um I'm sorry. The district-wide safety plan. Oh, sorry. Hello. Can you Just Just um we generally I I didn't read my spell If you could just identify your yourself, that would be great. >> Absolutely. Uh good evening. Um my name is Barrington Atkins. I am the president of the Northern Dutchess branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Northern Dutchess branch. The NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. In 1909, we have worked to protect the rights of people, advance equity, opportunities and education, and ensure that all people are treated
009with dignity, fairness, and respect. Our mission is rooted in the belief that every child deserves access to an opportunity, that every institution entrusted with serving our community must be accountable to people it serves. I want to take a moment tonight to introduce myself and remind this board and the board of community that the NAACP Northern Dutchess Branch is actively engaged throughout Dutchess County. While many people associate the NAACP solely with responding to incidents that happen after they occur, we're much bigger than that and broader. We advocate, educate, organize, and partner with institutions to ensure equity remains at the forefront of each decision-making process. We also recognize that schools play a crucial role in shaping the experience and future of young people. Every student deserves to enter a classroom feeling safe, respected, valued, and protected. Every
010parent deserves to know when an incident occurs or concern arises, they are heard, they are taken seriously, and addressed with transparency. As a leader, we must recognize that accountability is not something to fear. Accountability strengthens institutions, transparency builds trust, and trust is essential for healthy relationships between schools, districts, and the community they serve. The NAACP remains committed to to monitoring issues that impact students and families throughout our region. When a concern arises regarding equity, fairness, student rights, or treatment of the our treatment of black and brown students, we pay close attention. Again, when an incident occurs or arise regarding equity, fairness, student rights or treatment or mistreatment of black and brown students, we pay close attention. We ask questions, we seek understanding, and when necessary, we advocate. Our goal is to create is not to
011create division. Our goal is to ensure that every child receives the opportunity and protection and respect they deserve. I want to say this again, the NAACP is present, engaged, and invested in the success of students throughout Dutchess County. We look forward to building relationships, fostering dialogue, and working alongside the educational leaders where shared commitments are needed regarding equity and excellence. Because at the end of the day, our children are watching, our families are watching, communities are watching, as all of us have shared responsibilities to ensure our school district reflects the values we claim to uphold. I want to thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to the students, and we will be following up regarding the incident, and expect a response. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh good Good evening. I'm
012uh Brian Robinson. I'm here as the criminal justice uh committee chair of the Northern Dutchess branch of the NAACP, uh which represents dozens of members who live within this district. Uh recently a staff member of the district definitively, intentionally, and recklessly engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of physical injury to a student, constituting [snorts] a clear violation of New York State Article 23-B, child abuse in an educational setting. In the teacher's own vociferous words, a serious risk of physical injury was posed to his own foot, which was protected by a boot from the instrument uh and or tool. He then proceeded to use force to subject the child's face, neck, and body to the tool that he recognized as posing a substantial risk of physical injury. This intentional and reckless action by a
013teacher could have easily resulted in lacerations, including to major veins and arteries, fractures to the child's skull, jaw, neck, knees, elbows, etc., concussion, blindness, and permanent disfigurement. That teacher is an expert on this risk, and in his own words, which were yelled at the student, he explicitly acknowledged that he knew the danger, then proceeded to intentionally use force as an adult against a child to create an even greater substantial risk of physical injury to a child in an educational setting. It is not within this district's purview to opine on criminal matters and or New York State penal law, much less effectively disrupt the processes of the criminal justice system. >> [snorts] >> It seems there is greater than ample probable cause for legal processes to move forward, and I hope this district will cooperate fully
014with law enforcement rather than intervene in these processes moving forward. Thank you for your time. >> Um happy to listen to everybody else that wants to talk because it's a little bit like public um comment. I'm just going to make my spiel about public comment. Everyone's comments have been well within our guidelines, and I thank you very much for that. Um but I do feel like it's important. Um I I I your respect in uh not we have we do have I just if other people are going to speak we have do have rules about naming people and such. So, I appreciate the fact that that hasn't been done. I just want to emphasize that. Um thank you very much. Um uh We and I and I will also emphasize I'm just going to so
015paraphrasing from my little spiel which is we do we are listening, but we do not respond or comment, right? So, I just want you to know that that's our protocol because this is a little bit more like public comment and it's perfectly fine that we're talking during the the the safety public thing that that's fine with me. I just wanted to make sure that we were all operating under the same understanding. So, thank you. So, if anybody else would like to get up and speak they're more than welcome to at this time. >> Hi, I'm Tenisha Means and I'm here as one of the co-founders and steering committee members of Arlington Partners Against Racism also known as On PAR. Um On PAR is a group of action-oriented anti-racist community members and parents in the Arlington
016Central School District dedicated to equity and institutional diversity. We amplify the voices, experiences, and needs of marginalized groups to ensure they are represented, understood, and responded to. Our focus is on race and racism. We intentionally center and support district members from marginalized racial groups. As we stand in solidarity with other groups organizing to support communities experiencing marginalization and oppression, we affirm our collective commitment to creating and maintaining a district in which all members can thrive. I read our mission statement because it helps to make clear why I am here tonight. I'm here in support of Ms. Barrington and also her son. I am also here as a mother who stood in a very similar place some years ago when my own son was here as a part of the district um Arthur S. Arthur S.
017May, and also LaGrange Middle School, asking for um in fact begging for some support um support from those leading this district to care about my black son who had been violated, brutalized, um subject to so many different things from being called the N-word, to having a belt slapped at him and called a slave, to being called a monkey in class, uh so many different incidents that my son had. And has had so many different therapy appointments to process and to hold him. After struggling for justice within the district, my husband and I ended up going to Spectrum News to draw attention to this issue. We also were deeply supported by the local branch of the Northern uh the Northern Dutchess branch of the NAACP. Spectrum News conducted an investigation and produced a video that remains
018available online. Ultimately, I'm here to be a witness to this process. I have deep desire to know that justice will be served, and I am talking about outcome, but also about Procedural justice refers to the fairness of the processes used to resolve issues such as this one. It emphasizes that those who are in authority positions, such as principals, teachers, and other higher-level bureaucratic administrators make decisions and treat people fairly when it matters. There are four pillars: voice, neutrality, respectful treatment, and trustworthiness. I call on an investigation into how this situation was handled from the very beginning to the first reports to the current moment. And I ask you to consider who you are giving voice to, who you are caring for, who are you are holding. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, would anyone else
019like to speak? Okay, thank you. Um I just wanted to ask Dr. Benanti, did we receive any other comments on the safety plan during the comment period? >> We have not. >> Okay. Um, I just wanted to thank the district-wide safety committee Jeff's our representative on that committee for their dedication to keeping our students and staff safe. Um and uh and then and all the buildings that also have their individual safety plans. All of which are being approved tonight in various various ways. Okay, that moves us on to Oh, wait, I need a motion. Hold on. Sorry, my bad. Um, may I please get a motion to close the public hearing? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I. >> Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes.
020Correspondence. Does anybody have any correspondence they'd like to share tonight? Seeing none, that moves on to board president remarks. So, um I'd like to welcome everybody. Uh it's actually very nice when we have people that come to our meetings. I'm very glad you all came out tonight. Um we do love to hear from our community and um and it it it it resonates when people make the special effort to come. A lot of people write us letters, so thank you for coming tonight. Um we're in the process of winding down the school year. Uh some of the kids are all done. Well, the little kids have like a just a little smidge left, right? Um I want to wish a happy summer to all our students and our 10-month employees and um and wish a
021welcome change of pace to our and focus to our 12-month employees and thank them all for what they're going going to help us prepare for next year. Uh the board has been very busy lately. I'd like to thank all the board members for their attendance at the many year-end celebrations we have going on right now. It's it we're cranking them out. Um it's such a treat to see all the children's faces that we serve because um sometimes we don't do that from from here. So, it's nice to get out and see as we go to the moving up ceremonies and such that that we see the students that we serve. Um I hope that later on we'll hear more in the board reflection section as we move on to that later in the evening. Um
022looking forward on this Saturday, no rain, um to the 101st graduation at Arlington. Um congratulations to two of our board members who have graduating seniors this year. Jeff's daughter, Claudia. Brian's daughter, Brianna. We're very excited to have them uh crossing our stage at the special. We haven't had board members with graduates in a few years, so very excited about that. Uh want to thank Donna Bolner and the whole team at the high school who's orchestrating a very complex event, and we're really looking forward to it. Um finally, I'd just like to take a second and and thank Francesca Sedita. This is for coming to the end of her first year as just a clerk with us, and um she's just been a a pleasure to work with. And uh so, I just want to thank
023her and say we're very much looking forward to the years to come. And that concludes my remarks. >> Thank you, Mrs. Meenan. Um I I obviously had some things I wanted to speak to regarding the end of the year, but I just first want to uh center and acknowledge um the the folks who spoke as part of our uh district-wide safety plan. Uh I understand obviously this matter pertains specifically to uh um a matter that's occurred between an employee and a student. So, uh I I'm limited uh with what I can say publicly, but I feel it's important to acknowledge uh the individuals um Miss Barrington and and the other uh folks who are here in support of her and and her family and the vulnerability uh that comes with uh you know, having to
024come to a school board meeting and speak publicly uh especially when it pertains to matters of the school where there's a level of um obviously dissatisfaction and and and hurt. Uh the only uh we we have a district value and I I I think it's important and I've tried to emphasize our values um since I I've come here uh over the last 2 years. Uh but one in particular that centers uh compassion and empathy uh and our schools uh being a place where our community can come together. Uh but uh unfortunately at times our our schools do become a place where um I I think our community experiences a sense of of divide. Uh uh the only thing while I I don't want to over speak cuz I know the comments were directed at our
025school board uh not at me. Uh >> [clears throat] >> but with that I would only offer uh particularly uh to um uh obviously Ms. Barrington uh but also uh Mr. Atkins perhaps. I I know we have not met. Uh that if there was an opportunity uh the resolution uh of this after you hear back from our school board uh for us to sit down uh and have a conversation uh to come to better so I can come to better understand uh your experience uh with the school district and your children's experience with the school district uh and and obviously you know, how our our administration uh uh managed that matter. I am certainly willing to do so. Uh so, I I just feel it's important to to say that uh especially given the fact
026that so many people um and and particularly you, Ms. Barrington, took the time to come out uh this evening. I know I'm going off uh um obviously um our operating procedures here because I'm not supposed to engage with members of the community, but I just think given the significance and I appreciate Ms. Meaden you give me that that grace given the significance of uh you know what what what's being discussed and and described and I know the board's reviewing. It's just more important to say that even if it doesn't follow with our operating procedures. So I'll leave that there. I do want to acknowledge the end of the school year and there's a lot of you know good things happening with the closure of the year and my appreciation for the board's attendance at many
027of our moving up ceremonies or concluding events that have occurred throughout our schools. I'll just highlight a few. We obviously had the middle schools moving up ceremonies over the last few days and that was wonderful. We had the seal of civic readiness and also the seal of sustainability recognition for our students just yesterday and just a wonderful highlight of work where we've been leaders in the state leading with Mrs. Bolino's work in the seal of civic readiness but also now following with Ms. Binney and the science department seal of sustainability a model program now for New York State much like the seal of civic readiness was and many other events that are occurring that really demonstrate the learning that our kids have engaged in and the experiences that they've had in Arlington that are highlights
028of our our program. And yes, we have graduation this weekend and I know we're all looking forward to celebrating about 650 graduates who will be crossing the stage this Saturday. So I look forward to seeing many of you there. I'll have more to say cuz we have other discussion items. So I'll leave that there. Thank you. >> Thank you Dr. Balante. This actually leads us to our our first section of public comment on our agenda. Do we have anyone for public comment? >> We do not. >> Okay. The first section is public comment for agenda items and the second section is public comment for non-agenda items. Um we can come back to that later. That moves us on to reports and discussions. School visit feedback. So, um I'd like to hear your thoughts, Dr. Berounte,
029but this year the board was able to We every year we kind of look for a way we travel to all the different schools. We have our meetings at a mixture of this space and at each school so we can get the, you know, personality and pulse of each school and we receive reports during our meetings. Over the years we've changed what we receive, what we ask for, you know, and the pendulum has swung really widely from getting um specific, uh, you know, achievement information at each school, which which, um, to we kind of morphed away from that to to getting that, um, sort of aggregated and disaggregated but at the same time so that we're not necessarily, you know, um, we're we're cuz we're there to highlight positive experiences and to hear let them
030reflect back to us about their community. So, this year we instituted it at your behest. We entered your, you know, um, visiting each of the schools in the week before we actually went there. The only one we didn't do that with was the high school, but that was, um, uh, but we were with the high Well, worry about that. But all the other ones, um, you know, uh, we we had a scheduled visit, um, and, uh, we didn't all go to all of them. Um, I don't know that anybody went to all of them, but um, most of us went to most of them or that we could. And so what we what we want It's a school visit feedback and it's also like our moment to sort of think about um, what we thought
031about it and, um, what we might like to do next year. Like what is it that we would like to have? What makes our school visits meaningful? Either the visit or the actual board meeting that takes place at that school. So, I would just open it up to anybody who wants to share their reflections or observations. Jen. >> I enjoyed going to the schools to see um >> I think I might have to ask you to get slightly closer to your microphone. Thank you. >> I enjoyed going. Um I did find that I felt less able to participate um in the board meeting if I wasn't um there previously um during the day. Um and I didn't receive all the information that had been provided verbally to the remainder of the board. Um I also
032felt that um if we could get the schedule a little bit farther ahead of time for planning purposes I would have liked to go to all of them. Unfortunately, scheduling um didn't make that happen. Um but I thought that that would be helpful moving forward if we did continue it. >> Thank you very much. So, um more advanced and then I also heard um uh some kind of more feedback to the people who haven't been able to go. Maybe would you would you think about that is almost even before the meeting? Like some kind of timely in case you you might not have been there, but you might have a question or would that be helpful? Is that kind of what you're thinking or am I adding things that aren't there? Do you know what
033I mean? >> I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I just know that [laughter and clears throat] when I was there and we were given information um by any one of the principals >> Right. >> there was a a significant amount of information given to us that we saw when we went into the classrooms. And I didn't get that not attending. >> Right. Okay. >> And it was a great experience and I really enjoyed seeing the children in action, the staff in action, and seeing all the good that is happening in our buildings. And >> Right. >> just like to be able to do a little bit more of it. >> Right, Linda. >> Um I too went to uh some of the visits. I really enjoyed them. I got a lot out of
034them. Um though I felt torn because what I was getting from it how wonderful our teachers are doing and how even wonderful our students are doing and what they're learning at such early ages, I was like blown away. Um I felt that the community wasn't getting that because it wasn't things were shared at the board meeting just overall things that were done, but we got such rich experiences at the visits that I felt bad that others didn't get that experience. And my other comment is Um I like seeing the littles, the elementary school kids either performing or or or doing a skit or maybe a little project with us. I miss having students in the audience. So, if we could maybe do a little bit of both, that would be good. >> And I just
035uh my two years here, I don't I don't know if we've had students in the audience, so maybe that predates me. So, can you just share a little bit more about what that looked like? >> Um children would like it's definitely the school kids and maybe teachers. Uh they would either sing or certain amount of them would do like there would be a project here on our on our table here and they would the kids would you know, the teachers would explain it and the kids would you know, be here. I think there was one time there was a play which I thought was pretty amazing. Um so, just things like that. Just just to have the students and I know the parents are really proud when their kids are here at a board meeting,
036and it's exciting for them, and it's exciting for the parents. So, just a little bit more of that. >> So, that was when I said we've done this in many flavors over the years. >> Yep. >> That was a flavor of a year. >> Got it. >> Sophia. >> I was super grateful that we had the opportunity to go to the schools. Um as some of those have they jobs, it is hard for us to attend, you know, but I I really appreciated the opportunity to be there. Um as a mother of graduates of the of the district, I only went to the schools that my kids went to. So, I never set up, you know, foot in Bell Farm or whatever. Like it was like really cool. Um as an immigrant mother and as
037somebody that is um you know, my kids are biracial, um I hear the value of the school about equality, and and then in those visits, it it materialized. So, it was the combination of genders and races and backgrounds and languages spoken in a room, with teachers that were demonstrating empathy and attention to what the kids were in need of in that moment. Cuz clearly their jobs way more complicated than mine. Are is it's an art what they what I saw the teachers do. And I also saw the school support system to those immigrant kids who don't speak the language, who have different abilities, who who need a different type of attention that is not a classic, you know, hundred of year old school system. I didn't see that at all. And I That made me
038cement my this what I do, which is a civil servant. Like I like I want to continue to serve because this this school district from what I could observe in these visits does what they say they do. And there were plenty of of materializations of this equality in boards and different colors of skin and tones and and and accents. It was evident everywhere, not only spoken in the room. It was in the in in the aisles and there were flags and it was just it was just to me as somebody who didn't was born not here, it was just a phenomenal experience. I would love to see that again in a different, you know, like another flavor. The one thing that I would ask is that it looks that it was um we saw the
039best. Which is fine. Like we want to see the best we want to see everybody, you know, and and that's fine. I think maybe and I know it's more time but maybe if we could see that what we saw, but also maybe debrief on the things that are lacking. The things that the principals um you know, I don't know. They I don't know. I don't even know because I don't want to meddle with administration, that's not our role. But it would be good for us to also get kind of like the other side. That's what I would ask. >> Thank you, Sylvia. Of course. Anybody else? Linda. >> Uh one more thing. Um the 9:00 time slot was tough for me, but that's just me. Um I'm very busy 8:00, 9:00 in the morning. Um
040if some of these could be maybe afternoon, would be nice. >> I think that's a dismissal. >> It's what? >> Like it's close to the dismissal. Like lunch and dismissal, it's a little tricky, I think. >> Well, I'm thinking like, you know, 1:00. >> Okay. >> Not two >> Yeah. Or three. >> So, I mean, just my two cents. >> Okay. Afternoon. Okay. Ch- or change up hours maybe. Okay. Anybody else? Donna. >> Um I I Sophia so eloquent sometimes I really agree with so much of what what you said, Sophia. Um I also really enjoyed the visits. Um Um I'm in a position where my children graduated, you know, 15 years ago, so it was really neat to go back and kind of see what's happening, but I um I think with the work
041that we do, it just we're not I I'm not in the schools anymore, you know, so I really love seeing what's going on. Um I think it makes it very personal for for what we're trying to do because we are kind of separate. Um I would love to see that continue. I like seeing each school. I thought it wasn't too frequent, it wasn't too too rare. I I went to many of them. Um I also really liked uh speaking with the principals and the the the senior staff. Um uh sort of having the overview to really ask questions, ask pointed questions. Um I really like like we talked about, I think uh a major point of equity is is how how are students doing with their with their um accomplishing um you know, academic goals.
042I think that's a an a matter of equity, and I really liked hearing um the teach- uh the principals talk about how you know, they're choosing to work towards those goals of the 80%, right? These are high goals, it's going to take a lot, and these are the folks that are going to have to figure it out and and do the work. So, I I really liked hearing what what they're what they're doing, what their findings what their challenges are, what their successes are. Um I think we all really care about that. Um and it was it was great to see that we saw some musical performances, we saw some variety of um you know, more emotional learning aspects. I I thought it was a really um really eye-opening and inspiring. I felt came home
043just feeling kind of lifted up inspired seeing what what the what the faculty and staff are doing in the school. So, I I'd love it to continue in some form next year. >> Thank you, Donna. Anybody else? Miriam. >> So, to piggyback on some of the things that have already already been said, I think it's a great way for us to connect some of the things that we hear are going on with actually seeing them. Um it's one thing to talk about programming and initiatives, but it's nice to see things in action in the buildings. Um I wanted to just give a kudos to whether it's Phil and his administrative team, but who the fact that we saw we went to all the buildings, save, you know, the the two that we missed, um we
044didn't see the same thing twice in any building. Like, somehow there was coordination somewhere that each building gave us a different aspect of a child's um Arlington experience. Uh I really appreciated that um we got to see related service things, we got to see the um AIS program. We saw pretty much a well-rounded um view of the district. Um I thought I thought that was great. I would like some form of this to be able to go forward. Um cuz I think it's valuable to us doing this work here at the table. Um just to see what's happening. >> Anybody else? Jeff. >> I I it was a nice change of pace. You know, we go into buildings for meetings and what we're doing is the only thing going on in the building. But to
045see the building alive, and it really is, with all the kids and all the stuff going on, you know, it solidifies why we do this. And to see it happening is just, I think, really important. >> Yeah, and I agree. And And somebody said it's our responsibility, you know, what it kind of grew from this thing where, you know, we come at 7:00 at night. You know, you can bring the kids back, but, you know, basically school is closed, you know, and you see the staff come out, right? But they've come out and you don't even get to interact with them or hear the work they're doing or whatever, and it seems like almost rude, you know? So, and we had talked about maybe doing something before our meeting to meet with the staff or
046something like that to have But we always have these ding-dong meetings before our meeting, so we're never free. Can't count on us. So, um >> And a lot of time it's past the kids' bedtime. >> Yeah. Yeah. But I think Marion's point was was was mine. The variety of things we saw. We've had years where we've had, you know, I'm talking, you know, a few years ago, we basically had, you know, a different flavor of the exact same presentation at every single school. And um I think it's uh not inspiring for the people have to present or the people who have to receive, right? So, what you really want I I thought that maybe what you did is you selected the when uh Oh, Sophia, I think it was the one that said, you know,
047um I loved seeing the best. I'd love to hear about where they think they need work or whatever what they what they what they're excited to work on next or whatever. And you know, I But and I think it was also nice for us to see got us thinking about, "Gee, you know, how can we share some of these best practices?" We saw some really excellent best practices that maybe aren't across the district, right? And then we got to hear Dr. Bernandez's plan for maybe having his people share best practices across the district. So I thought that was pretty rich. Um Jeff >> Also changing the rotation was great. >> Yes. >> Because West Road was first every year and tell us about your school year and it's only been 3 weeks. Like you know
048that so I think changing up the rotation was great. >> Yeah, and there's always somebody to get beat up that they'd have their meeting right after the state test dropped or something. You know what I mean? Uh it was unfair for sure. Does anybody have any Donna? >> Um and then Sophia yeah. >> Yeah. Oh. >> Yeah. >> I I would say I actually felt that I I'm not sure if I I maybe maybe I misunderstood the words but I didn't feel like the presentations were the same at each school. >> Oh not at all. >> Oh maybe I misunderstood okay. >> I was saying that several years ago before we we kind of what we kind of got from the principals especially at any one level was um it was prescribed to include the
049same six or seven things. >> So this was really great. >> their own flavor but it was it was very like boiler plate type of thing and didn't give us a a chance to like see their personality or their strengths. >> Yeah we got a chance to really have a discussion. I mean we you know this this this group of people we always have a lot of questions and a lot of interest so I think we had really rich discussions. And we also had a chance to see while while we are all one big happy district um each building has its own community. And and they were able to um show us some sort of a reflection of their community while we were in the space I feel like. So that was good too. >>
050Yeah. All right so unless anybody has any comments I'm hearing that um that we want to move to uh to maybe tweak but keep this and maybe just see if we can, you know, but that basically overall it was a six very successful thing. Alrighty, Brooke. Um, then we'll move on to review of the retreat agenda. I think that you have materials at your space for >> and I I appreciate the board's patience and also dialogue. I know we had a conversation around this um last time we met. So, you have a few So, a few things were uploaded late uh for uh as parts of reference on in board docs and again, I appreciate your patience with that. So, we brought them to the meeting here uh just so you'd have them available to
051to review. So, I'm looking at the uh there's a two-page document here. Um Board of Education Retreat Draft July 7th and 8th. I'm just looking at that. So, if you could look along with me. Uh day one and day two and and obviously the days are organized a little bit differently just based that we're bringing a facilitator in for day two. But I'll So, but I'll start on day one. Um I have us obvious starting at 8:30, which is when the board typically has started in years past. On day one, we have a reorganization meeting uh first and then we also attach a small uh I'll say a small business uh agenda. It's actually a pretty full business meeting agenda cuz there's a lot of hiring and personnel items attached to it. But usually that
052component that meeting is brief. Um but there's a lot of personnel related items on there as we're uh in the middle of hiring right now for open positions for the upcoming school year. So, those two meetings occur at 9:00. I'm thinking around 9:45 uh we'll begin the formal uh professional learning retreat session. Um John will lead the student achievement discussion uh with the board. We also want uh to have some time that morning to talk about equitable family engagement and developing a strategy there for the upcoming school year. Um realizing that that's some work that we need to do as a school district. At 12:00 I have a working lunch scheduled. And then the board is scheduled for to have its legal update. And then there's two policies or at least one policy but two
053uh that I think are connected to each other that I um know that the board wants to discuss in greater detail with uh its legal counsel that afternoon as well. I think that part's going to take some time. So I you'll see I reserved about 3 hours there for the legal update, which can be brief, but the policy review I think is going to take quite a bit of of time just given discussion that we've had earlier this school year. There's some business we also need to attend to, committee assignments and and whatnot um right around uh before we close or I'd like to before we close uh the committee of the whole schedule, not the dates. I actually have a draft for you tonight for that, but the topics that the board would like
054us to include in committee of the whole uh throughout the year for continued learning. And I have us closing right around 4:00. And I just developed a working list here that'll continue to grow around what I anticipate those committee of the whole topics to be. Uh we already know the board desire and I owe you uh a more uh elaborate discussion and analysis of our staffing plan. So again, in the interest of time I can't fit that all on day one. Uh so I have that as a committee of the whole uh in which Helen Marie and I uh will will provide that for the board. Um the board desired additional information around universal design for learning. Uh so that will happen in the committee of the whole for the upcoming school year as well
055as the student support plan. And then there's other topics that you may bring or request to be included. So we develop that list usually um in the uh at the retreat. So I'm just using this as a working document so I can track that and then put it on an agenda throughout the upcoming school year. Any questions about day one? >> On the you the topic of how have we progressed on the representation of the faculty mirroring the representation of the students. That would be part of the staffing plan discussion. [clears throat] Okay. >> Right. >> we wouldn't do it in this retreat. We would do it at the >> we're going to be crunched for time on day one and I am and I made it my own decision here. So, please that's why
056we're discussing it to give the I felt it was important for the board to have the student achievement result discussion at the retreat as well as the the policy review. >> Yep. >> And I know that's going to take a lot of time. So, then obviously I was you know, that's almost the full day. >> I was just seeking clarity because that topic I know that it's in your mind and and we >> It is. >> Right. Okay. >> So, it's there. I don't want to lose obviously we won't lose sight of it. And that would become the first committee of the whole. We're going to get to the draft calendar here so I can probably give you a date for that but that would be up first for that. >> Thanks, Phil. Donna. >>
057So, at 11:30 the family engagement strategy discussion, I think you might have said Phil that you've been working on this. Was this your kind of we have something to come to to show us and talk about that? >> share some just base research that we've done and the results of that just to kind of level set with the board and then how we're beginning to develop a strategy and what that would look like for the upcoming school year. The full strategy won't be fleshed out yet but I think especially given the time constraint that we're under we want to give you a leave you with a working understanding of the work that the district's entering into and what that's going to look like for the upcoming school year. >> Okay, can we turn to day
058two? So, day two is going to be facilitated uh by Steve uh Barone and and Pam Shaquille. Uh uh Steve and Pam actually had a letter here uh that's also at your seats that they just wanted to let it me to provide you with a letter of introduction just cuz you uh knowing that you're not familiar with them along with some things they're asking you to consider a question reflective questions going into the retreat. I'll share this with you again, but I wanted you to have it just cuz I thought it was nice that a nice gesture on their part and it gives you an idea of uh kind of how they're beginning to frame the day and what they want you thinking about coming into the day. Um here they've defined uh the purpose
059of of their retreat session as well as the anticipated outcomes uh for the day. And again, we'll start at 8:30. Uh this session I I have ending at 5:00, so that's a long day. Uh but that being said that uh Steve and Pam would like to use every minute of that obviously with a luncheon between. In terms of a timeline given that this is a discussion on board processes and how the board's engaging together not only in our meetings, uh but also in the board's individual uh uh travels throughout our school district as trustees and representatives of the school district, there's no set timeline for how that discussion's going to flow throughout the day. Um uh but that being said, you know, Steve and Pam are master facilitators and I would really orient towards these
060outcomes that they're looking uh to arrive at with the board over the course of our our time together between uh 9:00 and and 5:00 on day two. And again, you have a letter here from them that just gives you some basic introduction and some questions for considerations as you as you come into it. Uh but I just I'll speak broadly to the outcomes. I think in in working with Steve and having further discussions with him after we met uh last, it it's really important that the board has a range of perspectives individually that you bring in uh to this work, whether that be through your direct experiences with the school district or your experiences in the community and your own backgrounds. And I think it's a really important for the board uh to have time
061to hear that from one another and and how that potentially could uh further strengthen uh us as a a governance team uh and and in our continued work in supporting our students uh over the course of uh not just the next school year, but in the years to come. And and part of that centered on our mission and our core values and our our goals for our kids and and making sure we have a clear understanding of what those are. Um and and coming to agreements for how that can inform our work uh as a as a governance team uh again in the year or years uh uh ahead. So, the outcomes are centered around that. >> I had one quick question on page one, but if I want to hear if anybody has questions
062on page two first. Um I just I do is there anything about our space or anyone's calendar that we are hard stop at 4:00? Um that we could do the if we need more time for the David piece or some other piece, if we run a little later, that the that the uh the the the the housekeeping kind of board things and committee assignments and such, you know, that's when your brain's got nothing left. We can do that at the end of the day, whenever that is, right? So, as far as people preparing themselves and their family for how long that day will go, is Is some reason why we're stopping at 4? >> No. >> Okay. All right. That I don't With that we're good. Um the draft meeting item C, the draft meeting
063schedule. Um Do you want to say anything about it? Do you want to just >> I will just I will a few things I'll point out that it it's proposed. It's a draft at this point. I'd ask that you review it over the course of the next couple weeks. I think we're following largely in terms of meeting cadence the same a similar schedule to what we followed this school year with generally two board meetings each month and a committee of the whole meeting in between. There are no committee of the whole meeting scheduled for August. We usually start those in September. Uh once again, I've rotated the schools. So, thank you, Jeff. It's a different rotation uh next year than what we had this year. Just again trying to be space these out in a
064somewhat consistent fashion, but at the I should not say equitable fashion in that it we're not visiting the same school at the same time of the year as we had in years past. So, starting with Beekman, which happens to be one of the schools we we had a cancellation this year. I think there was some some inclement weather >> Yeah. >> that impacted that. So, that was the second school we didn't reach to. So, we'll start with Beekman and then make our way through each of the schools over the course of the school year. There are some things just over the year that usually come up. So, like in November, the the fourth Tuesday is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break. So, I didn't schedule a meeting there. We didn't do that this year. I didn't
065schedule this year. It just tends to be a time when many are traveling. Similarly, in December, I think the fourth Tuesday falls right up against the winter recess that we have. So, there's no meeting scheduled for that week. We're meeting on the 8th and for a business meeting and then the 15th for a committee of the whole meeting. And then really from that point forward, I think they kind of they they fall in the regular pattern of second and third second and fourth Tuesdays for business meetings and committee of the whole on the third Tuesday. >> [clears throat] >> Just so you have a sense of how it's organized. And again, it falls very similarly putting aside the location of the meetings as it did this year. And if you could take a look if
066you have any questions, obviously feel free to reach out. But I this is something the board would adopt at the rework meeting on July 7th just so you're aware. So, that's when the we look to finalize the schedule. >> Any initial comments or we'll just take some time to look at it and get back to each other. Okay, good. Sounds good. All right, that moves us on to policy. First reading without revisions. So, we don't have any action for first reading. Item B is also first reading. Item C, second and final reading with revisions. Can I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion or comment? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Let me just say a congratulations to the policy
067committee who completed the review of our policy book, which may sound like a nothing thing, but honestly, it was a very big accomplishment and has been a long time coming. So, hearty congratulations and to Fran who lent her particular sorts of organizations not only to them, but to us in reviewing the policies on our agendas, which really helped to sort them out. So, thank you very much for that. Brings us to our new business section of the agenda, which lists several items for individual resolution approval. Documentation concerning these items have been provided to our board members in advance to assure an extensive and thorough review. Item B, approval of memorandum of understanding between Arlington Central School District and the Dutchess Community College. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >>
068Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item C, Civil Service creation or abolishment of position. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item D, Civil Service creation of position. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item E, Civil Service creation or abolishment of position. Can I get a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item F, classified administrative
069leave. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item C, Civil Service settlement agreement. Can I get a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Item H, personnel fitness for duty. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Personnel fitness for duty, may I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I. >> Opposed,
070abstention, motion passes. End of the year fund balance reserve adjustments, may I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, all uh any discussion? I will say, um, I don't think Have we gotten Have we gotten Kevin's famous fund balance report yet? I love Is it Oh, but I mean, is that the one I I guess I I guess I didn't click on that one, sorry. Is that the one with all the words in it, too? All right, excellent, thank you. My bad. All right, demerit for Maryanne. Okay, all those in favor? I. I. Abstain. >> [laughter] >> Um, opposed? Oh, these are backwards. Opposed? Abstention, motion passes. Um, item K, emergency work at Arlington High School. Can I please get a motion? >> So moved. >>
071Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed, abstention, motion passes. Emergency work at Beekman Elementary. Can I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed, abstention, motion passes. Item M, resolution to amend election personnel for the 2026 annual school board annual budget vote and school board election. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Opposed, abstention, motion passes. That brings us to our business consent agenda. Our consent section of the agenda lists several items for approval by a single motion. Documentation concerning these items have been provided to our board members in advance to assure
072an extensive and thorough your May I please get a motion on the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion or comment? >> If I may. >> Okay. >> Well, first kudos to Dr. Judah for cuz this is like his fourth board meeting and he's not even employed by us yet. >> [laughter] >> But that being said, if you haven't met Dr. Judah, he's going to be the new principal at LaGrange Middle School next school year. I think I know why you're here and it's to support Lauren Colley Gildard who's a high school social studies has been an outstanding member of our teacher and has been an outstanding member of our faculty for many years now but is being appointed with your approval as an assistant principal at
073LaGrange Middle School for the upcoming school year. >> Well, well, let's vote let's vote and then clap. [applause] Okay. Anybody else you want to comment on anything else? >> I think those two are the what I Yeah, yeah. >> Okay. All right. So we'll clap again after we vote. Okay. Um All those in favor? >> Aye. Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. CONGRATULATIONS. >> [applause] >> WE GET DINGED FOR PREMATURE CLAP. >> AH, premature clapping. That's exactly right. Okay, that moves us all the way along to my page 30, item 12, future discussion items. We have nothing in our hopper to clear from last time. Does anybody have anything they'd like to bring up at this time? See none. Um moving on. Um do we have anyone for um public comment for non-agenda items? >> We do
074not. >> Okay. Uh that moves us to committee reports. Let's start with advocacy. >> I got nothing for right now. Thank you. >> Audit? >> Nothing right now. >> Okay. Cathy? >> Nothing this time. >> Okay. Policy? >> I do have something. >> [laughter] >> Oh, someone's to sweep. >> Break break the code. >> I did. Um like Mary Ann stated, we are done reviewing the policy manual. We did a lot of hard work. Thank you to Dr. Benanti. Real big thanks to uh, Francesca. Uh, my team members, uh, Eileen and Donna. And Mary Ann was there uh, helping us along and we are done. We have a couple loose ends here to hopefully approve at the next meeting or our second readings. Um, or on garden, yeah, second readings. Um, at this point we'll
075probably go to a quarterly review. >> Wow. >> With uh, uh, [snorts] Erie 1 BOCES. But that's TBD, you know, we'll have a discussion with Dr. Benanti about that. And that's it. It was it was a it was a good 2 years of getting this policy manual up to date and we're right there. >> Thank you. >> Here, here. >> Good job. >> Um, that moves us on to organization reports. The Arlington Education Foundation, Eileen. >> Nothing new. >> Okay. Dutchess County School Boards and BOCES? >> Nothing and they will not meet again till October cuz they never do a meeting in September cuz it's too close to the beginning of the school year. So, we'll get back to you in October. >> That sounds good. I just want to say for BOCES, I'm planning
076to attend the Resilience Academy graduation tomorrow. >> Okay. >> So, I'm looking forward to that, right? We have students who go to high school up at BOCES and at Resilience Academy and um, we want to make sure we support them. Uh, any and then that moves us to PTA PTSA Council. I was able to attend the year-end dinner. Um, thank you they were graciously invited me to the year-end dinner. I do attend their meetings. They had Athena Gyro, John was there. Um, uh, it was just a pleasant experience. It's nice to see people you see in a Zoom box all year. So, shout out to them for all the great work they did all year and for a lovely year and event. Um district health and safety. >> Nothing at this time. >> Thank you.
077District equity. >> Nothing at this time. >> Okay. That brings us to superintendent's closing remarks. >> Uh nothing further. >> Okay. Board reflections. I know you got some reflections people. Okay. >> I just want to >> Jeff, yes. >> We were remiss in uh mentioning that we also have the superintendent's son graduating this week. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Of course you do. You know, and I meant to I just didn't put it in my paper. If it doesn't go in my paper, it's out of my head. So, that's true. It's like three members of our family are graduating. It's very exciting. It's very exciting. We don't always have that. >> [laughter] >> I think they have a plan for latecomers. Didn't we learn that when they did the planning? Yeah. Yeah, they have a good
078plan for latecomers. You know, there'll be there'll be notices on graduation. You'll get emails this week to update you on last-minute things. And then maybe I'll send a little text out with just like a couple of highlights later. I'm good. I'm pointing I'm going to I'm just going to make a broad stroke that many of us have attended a lot of our um end-of-year festivities um for students. Um but one that I was at with Dr. Benante that I no one else was available for was when you mentioned the BOCES Resilience Academy is tomorrow. Um last week maybe it was. I I have my thing somewhere in my papers. But anyway, um we went to the BOCES uh CTI graduation at the Civic Center um which was huge. Like there with over 400 students, I
079believe, graduated that evening um from around the county obviously since it's BOCES. But what a wonderful ceremony, what a great showing and and what a great celebration for those students who have done great work at BOCES. So that's my That's my reflections. >> Linda. >> Um I went to both moving up ceremonies. Uh First one was LMS. They were so energetic and loud and very happy students. And um Union Vale which was really well done last night. Um Both ceremonies were really great to see all those students moving up to the high school. >> Thank you. >> Having a graduating senior is something that I was impressed by is that we had something come out for the students to help with their name pronunciation at graduation which we've had issues in the past and I
080thought that was a great thing that they added this year. >> That is. That is. >> Cuz you do four years of school and you get up there and then they say your name wrong. >> Yes, your parents [laughter] listen through 600 names and yours is pronounced incorrectly. Yeah, it's it makes you crazy. Eileen. >> Uh Brian and I were able to attend the Parade of Nations at Titusville. Um it was not new for Brian but it was very new for me and it was just excellent to see so many students and faculty and staff members involved in representing their different nations that they their families come from. Um I learned about a Native American tribe that I was not aware of before the Chumash tribe. It's made me put a new place on my
081list to go visit because they um among other things are cave painters and you can visit their cave one of their caves in Santa Barbara, California. So, I'm adding that to my list. Um and also yesterday's um civic readiness and the seal of civic readiness and the the sustain sustaina- sustainability seal um was just I didn't know that we were working on that and so that was incredible to see that um seal of civic readiness grow into something else that's again leading kid with kids' passions and what they want to learn about and learn more about. So, that was great. >> And give back to their community. >> Yes. Yeah. >> That's that's such an important piece of that whole thing. Yeah, it was great. >> You know, and shout out on the back of
082that program on both of those programs, there was just there were the teachers obviously that ran it, right? But then there was this like they had a whole committee of people who were developing and or you know, working with the students and it's just nice to see that level of commitment from our from our you know, our staff. I thought that was great inspiring the kids. Um Anybody else? Okay. >> Oh oh Sophie >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see your hand. >> Reflection, but it's going to be around the year, not about this session. So, I just want to reflect about the year that we had or I experienced as a as a member of the board and I think it was at most this year. And I am just very proud of being
083part of this board because the the fortitude and the hard questions and in closed sessions, the questions that really go into the matter um that sometimes we cannot speak out publicly. I think it was a matter of for me I feel proud like it's a matter of pride for me because I have never felt that I have been um not able to express my perspective or my question or my probing. So, I'm very grateful for this group. I also think that we dealt with layers of complexity where there were things happening outside of our control, the budget, the government in Washington, like all those things were forces that were impacting us, our children, and our students, and our our faculty, and our parents, our community members. So, I think we navigated a lot. Um and
084it came in different flavors, you know, clothes being put together, budgets that were challenging, voices that were, you know, very vocal about certain perspectives. So, I think that was that was good for me to go through the experience that we have a place where all voices can come and take that microphone and say what they think. And there is a space for that. I come from Mexico, I grew up in a repressive society um that didn't even know how to spell equality. So, now I live here and I am very grateful for just the fact that there is the opportunity to express an opinion. Boys might complain and then see a process be followed. So, I think I am I am very grateful for that. I'm also very grateful for your team, Phil. They are
085always here. >> [laughter] >> They always provide the answers, the research, their patience. Your patience is so appreciated. I think maybe because I am very I love questions. So, thank you so much for that. And it I I also come from a country that there's earthquakes and very often. And one thing that you that you learn when you live in places where things get demolished in 7 seconds is that everything can be rebuilt. Trust can be rebuilt. Relationships can be rebuilt, but it's it hoping that it's going to rebuild be rebuilt doesn't help. You need to pick up the shovel and the ax and do the work and I think it may not be evident to the public all the work that the board does, but we pick up the shovel. We are working very,
086very seriously about what concerns the the population. So, I am I'm very happy of what we have accomplished this year as a team. >> Thank you, Sophia. Um anyone else? Okay. Seeing none, I always forget to turn my head all the way this way. Um can I please get a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Opposed? Abstention? Motion passes. Meeting adjourned.