001session. Motion passes. We're going to pick up the pace a little. Okay. Uh let's all please rise for the pledge of allegiance. Um Mrs. Dina, can you please call the role? >> Brian Arnold >> here. >> Jennifer Boyd >> here. >> Linda Dains >> here. >> Bon Hollis. >> Donna Logan >> here. >> Marian Need >> here. New >> here. >> Eileen Snook >> here. >> Marian 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. Yeah. Please get a motion for the approval of tonight's agenda. >> So move. >> Thank you. Thank you. Um any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I >> I >> oppose. Abstension. Motion
002passes. Correspondence. any corresponding none. Moving on to board presidents. Um it's nice to be here to see so many people in the audience and some faces I've seen before. Um Christine, thank you so much for the the snacks. I'm sorry we're starting a little late tonight. Um but couldn't be helped. Um I just have a couple things I want to mention. I just want to mention that many of our board members attended the New York State the NISBA um convention over the last weekend into last week and into Saturday. Um I I'm very proud that all all the members of our board really prioritize professional development which you know is a little different for us than it would be you know but in in everything you do it's always good to continue learning right learning
003and and bringing sort of a renewed energy to the work um and maybe best practices from from meeting with other people on other boards. So, I want to thank the board members who are able to come, but I know that all of us from time to time take advantage of opportunities to learn more about our service. Um, and I and I want to just invite anybody who would like to at this point, if anybody would like to comment on their time at convention, I'm going to allow that to happen now. And if you'd rather wait and do it reflections at the end, um, that's fine, too. Anybody like to say anything now? Um I always look forward I'm like a I always look forward to those sessions and you can learn. Um and I this
004time I kind of concentrated on um how districts are putting innovatively putting their programs together. And so there were three sessions that I went to that um I really I don't know how applicable they are to us. I kind of need to process it. But um I I went to one session on mentoring particularly for Latina girls um using New York State Latina mentoring initiative and looking at one at how one district had put together their mentoring program and really use um community members to do a lot of that mentoring. um and then pulling how they pulled the parents in. And then the other two that I looked that I went to that I really liked um were dealing with problems that that hit all school districts but really smaller districts and perhaps rural districts.
005Um, one of them was about um the wellness workforce collaborative which is in upstate New York where um mental in the more rural areas there are fewer mental health professionals. So they are creating their own pipeline and they actually have put mental health as a CTE program. So students in that CTE program get four um well really 12 college credits or they ources. They've worked with Nazareth College and they've worked with St. John Fisher and the Rock area. Um, and then they're also working to to on certain certifications that you would not need a master associates for and then come back into work and intervention. Um, and then um also the New York State Community Schools that one maybe that is something that um could be applicable to and these based coalitions together different um
006factions between businesses and um some of their agencies. So it was all you know it's all thank you very much. I was also uh happy to attend the conference. I look forward to it. I went to a couple workshops. One was engaging more the future district there. Um chronic absenteeism how one school district dealt with that. Um there's a lot of um workshops on DUI kindness like Marian said there is a renewed energy you get >> we have a fly you'll see us all >> you know it's good to hear what people are doing and that actually heard Red Hook Red Hook superintendent and the board president. >> Thanks Marian most tech unsavvy human being. I when I went back and looked at my notes, I appeared to spend a lot of time trying to
007figure out AI. Um, I don't know why I kept flying into those sessions, but um, it's I feel like it's good background for me as Arlington to refine their thinking around that topic that maybe something that I heard process that information. Um, I also went to um a different type of um Latina experiential group and they had the four student um four representative students that took part in the program um speak and it was it was just so enlightening and so wonderful and it it's almost like a I don't want to say like an outwardbound kind thing, but they do do a summer four day trip with these students or they do their pre-work in the spring. They do their but then while they're away and then when they come back the following fall um
008they actually make a documentary to share with their community. I just I lots of just interesting ways to to look at a different population in our district um that we don't seem to have as much um perhaps structured program. I found that great. And then um I am Steve Hartman is my man and he was our closing speaker the last the last morning and I watch him every Friday night, you know, at the end of the news and um cry for that little five minute thing on the news. I cried for one solid hour. The man was on the stage for one hour. His message is kindness and it's he's an uplifting human being. He finds uplifting regular people around the country that are doing magnificent things for their community and fellow man. And it
009it's to feel good about life in general. So I happy this space so close not only um I also just think this is a great experience for all of us. Um I got to go to a little reception for advocacy people for music. So the same people that you know you're out of the business meeting by Zoom with are in a room together and you actually can talk to them without the screen kind of thing. But I think gives us as board members a chance to see that a we're doing great things here in Arlington. It reaffirms that and it also gives you other districts perspective whether they're big, small, everybody is doing the same work for the love of the students and their community. And it just makes you feel good that there were
010that many people in New York State all rowing the boat in the same direction, albeit differently depending on, you know, their size, shape, and whatever. Um, but I think it's a reaffirm. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Um, you know, I I I'm not going to add much, but um I did go I I think you're right. The theme of of uh kindness um kindness with like a a through like let's move let's help kindness move us forward and out and through and through some of the difficult things we're going through. I thought that was a good message. And then a the AI was very we saw I saw one in particular that was incredibly practical. It was very uh how they um had nothing to do with understanding AI or anything like using
011AI had to do with you know uh h how do you how do you ride that pony in your district right with your staff and with your students and um it was it was it was really good. You know, one thing I'm very interested that we don't have to get into really now, but Sophia signed up for the um for the digital experience, right? And I believe that we all have access to the digital experience for having gone to the regular conference. So, I'm very interested to see how what a what quality that is. So, if you can reflect on that at some point, just even to me, because the next two years it's in Buffalo, and I'll have I'm from Syracuse. I'll happily go to Buffalo, but not everybody wants to go to Buffalo.
012people love going to New York. But um so it'd be nice to see that they're beefing up their sort of our ability real to to go take the um so that's it. That's all I have to >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see your hand. I'm sorry. I didn't want to like I wasn't calling on people, but yeah. >> I'm sorry. >> I went to a concession, but one that was on this presented and they receive working together. All righty. That moves us on to superintendent remarks. >> Great. [laughter] >> I I only had the opportunity to attend the Mr. conference for the first day, but I I did catch a few sessions. But I the the opening why school boards matter um if you have the opportunity to attend it was led by Scott
013Levy uh who was a school board member I think in Westchester somewhere. I know I've seen Scott before but to listen I I think did a great job of centering uh the role that in a what can be a very tumultuous time in serving in any public service capacity. um really bringing back to well these are the ways you can continue to have uh positive positive impact on he has the book which I was curious if if you would like us to order I haven't looked into that one for us to consider um and then I I to Linda's point I attended a session uh that was provided by Rob Zas who's the executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association um around inclusive school athletics programs and highlighted uh the
014unified sports programs uh that many districts have and I would point to that as an area where definitely we're we're doing really well. Still was able to pick up on a few things that uh we could be doing even better with that. So I'm glad we had board members at the conference. Well, certainly uh uh you know, you bring up a great point because he was highlighting a very broad overview. Death and I were in that session together, but that's definitely an area where we could be presenting um and how we did it, how we did, what we uh because there was so much interest, I think, from the other people who were in the room uh who did not yet have a unified program and we certainly have to >> absolutely circle the point.
015Um, we're going to hear more about that, I'm sure. Um, congrats to our our marching band who finished second place uh at a state competition and anytime you're finishing at that level. Uh, it's funny because I I think for some of our kids, second place maybe feels like a loss, but to how excellent you have to be uh to achieve even at that level is is um just commendable. And we had a great program. I had the chance to uh attend the the sendoff uh this weekend uh with many members of our community. I also just think something the marching band does really well. The send off is great. [laughter] There's a a bit of a tradition to it that you can you can sense when you're there. Um there's a a ritual if you
016will that the kids have in uh walking through uh the seniors that is um at the end uh walking through the line of their classmates who who cheer for them and as they're reading uh a thank you that the seniors have written uh aloud to those who are in attendance um as they walk through with their families. Even the senior send off is uh um I think packed with Brian may want to talk more about it later so I won't say anymore. I I just also wanted to note many of our athletic teams are entering sectional competition competing. me and I have been monitoring the boys soccer game which unfortunately ended in a loss it looks like um uh uh which is tough uh because the boys had a great season and I know our
017girls are continuing on as well as some of our other teams uh best of luck to them. Uh you may have had the opportunity to attend the Alexander uh jured art show if you didn't. Uh student artwork is still on display outside of the uh auditorium. Uh I know many of our board members are going to Bonanza tomorrow night. Uh which unfortunately I won't be there. I got to be a judge with Dr. Rollison last year. Uh I wasn't invited back to be a judge probably because of that. But we have an administrative meeting tomorrow afternoon. So if you're attending Bonanza, check out the student artwork that's on display outside of the auditorium. With that, uh um uh then Mia, we're up to 14. So, I was going to touch on the sectionals and the
018marching band, but Dr. did that for me. It's okay. >> It's okay. So, I'm going to talk about what's been going on in student government the past two weeks. Um, as I talked about at the last meeting, our Thanksgiving food drive started one week ago and we've already received a pretty steady flow of food and we're very excited to make a positive impact in our community for those families that'll be utilizing the food. Um, additionally, I just wanted to say my congratulations to the marching band for placing second at states. They did amazing and that's a very big accomplishment. Um, also I'm very excited to see if the girls will win tomorrow. Fingers crossed they will. They play Don J tomorrow for their second round sectional. And just to say just to go off of
019what Dr. that said about our unified sport sports program. I've been involved in the unified sports program since 10th grade. And from personal experience, out of everything I do at the high school, it has always been my number one favorite thing. Um my brother who's a sophomore this year, I'm getting him involved as well. And it's grown into such a huge program at the high school that for our bowling, we have to have two separate bowling teams. So every kid only gets to go to like half the bowling matches because I think we had over 50 students last year on the unified bowling team. So yeah, it's a great program and I can't wait to see where it grows from here. >> Question for Mia. Um you said you started a food drive at the
020school. Is this students are bringing stuff in? Is the general public, the community allowed to drop stuff off? So each grade has their own assigned food items that they bring in and we haven't really talked about the community bringing food in, but we definitely would not say no to it. So that's something I could definitely bring up and ask about. The question is which grade would you donate the food to to win the competition? >> And would you guys take gift cards if people drop gift cards off? >> 100%. Yeah, I know. Actually, speaking of community donations, on November 8th from 9:00 am to noon, student government will be outside of TOPS collecting food donations from the community. That's going to go towards our food drive. I don't think they're counting for a credit on
021that. >> Yeah, I don't think [laughter] they're going to count for a specific grade. >> And if they do, we would like split it up evenly. >> So, this is a good form to talk about. You're going to have five of that day. >> [snorts and clears throat] >> So that might get more people voted. >> Yeah. From the tops on the morning of November 8th. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Any more questions from now? Okay. Um moving on to public comment for agenda items. Um do we have anyone for public comment? But we have somebody for later. How do we feel about how many do we have for later? One. How do we feel about letting that person go ahead? Okay. So, let me read my little spiel then. This is the first of
022two opportunities for people to address the board. When your name is called from the speaker list for agenda items or non-aggenda items, you may speak up for up to three minutes. Your remarks must be addressed to the board. All speakers must conduct themselves in a civil manner. Although, period although we do not engage in dialogue, we are listening. Comments about individual district personnel or students are not permitted. If you leave your contact information with Mrs. Pita, our district clerk or the superintendent, one of his staff will contact you as soon as possible. Can you please call our first personal my >> I just wanted to um I just wanted to uh uh make a comment about the um I wanted to recognize the marching band for their amazing performing states this weekend. It's incredibly close
023competition. Excellent performances from all Arlington earned a very close second place finish just 1.2 two points behind the Liverpool outstanding especially considering that the marching band lost 40% of its season of member this year due to graduation and attrition from that for most programs that would be that would mark the building year yet the band rose to the challenge and as a junior this year was my daughter's first year as a a member of the marching band and I've been continually impressed and with the professional and dedication of the entire program. I just wanted to publicly recognize actually the incredible volunteers from the Arlington Arlington boosters and um specifically the board of directors who have tirelessly raised funds and office hours the program success >> that's fine >> um from Matt and Michelle S web
024Alicia Mano um Eric and Barbara Gilman web Brian Bhart Lisa Sassy and also I hope I was actually gonna I want to have a special thanks to marching in directly. >> Okay, thank you Darl Genesis and director Evan Jvich um who are true assets to the district. They are master craftsmen who take students of varying skill levels, learning styles and personalities. They adeptly melt them along with their instruments into beautiful Far exceeding the marching band's mission of helping students develop a commitment to excellence and professionalism. They've created a culture where students demonstrate remarkable uh sportsmanship, teamwork, and respect for one another and their competitors. Band members are welcoming, supportive, encouraging of one another, and accepting of one another's differences. This program is a microcosm of what our entire district should strive for. A model of
025a model of support, inclusion, and excellence for our diverse students and families. Go ahead. I just want to say I think I made a mistake. So, I'm going to just say it now so that I while we're all listening, I think probably I shouldn't have let you say the names because the reality, we've talked about it. It's very difficult to say nice things about people and not to say that you can't say unice things about people. So we try to keep that to a minimum and we certainly don't want to talk about an individual students, right? So that wasn't you. Thank you for asking. Very respectful. That was that was me in the moment. Happy to hear what you were saying. So I just want to set the record straight now instead of the next
026time all our thousands of listeners and fans out there. Um that moves us on to reports and discussions. the Unionville Middle School presentation. >> I was uh enthusiastically nodding when you asked people say the name. So it probably didn't help. >> No. And I I didn't even see [laughter] that memory. I I just was thinking that way. But you know, it's our habit to think you can't think good stuff. Yes. Bad stuff. No. Right. It just doesn't make for transparency or you know, whatever. So that was all me. So sorry about that. >> Dr. Rollison, thanks for having us. Uh, and just to set uh you up before you begin to welcome us to the school some more, I just wanted to thank those board members uh who had the opportunity to visit Union Vil
027yesterday. Was it yesterday? >> Was yesterday? >> Seems like it was two weeks ago. Um, but that being said, uh, Maryanne, Donna, Eileen, and Jeff, I think that was the group we had yesterday along with me. Uh, and and thank you for hosting. So, we had a great visit to the school. Uh I know you're gonna welcome us and then we'll have a chance to talk a little bit about what we talk. >> Thank you so much. I do want to thank everyone for being here tonight. Our board members and my colleagues here in Arlington. Um I also want to thank our PTA president who's here tonight or PTA not only for their ongoing support and the fundraising efforts they also provided freshman this evening. So thank you very much to I'd also like to
028thank Sharon with you. They round out the team here at about their ongoing support. Um, and to those of you who visited yesterday, thank you so much. It was a pleasure to get an opportunity to sit with the things that we're we're doing to improve our vote. Before I talk a little bit about start discussing a little bit, I just um done set a strong foundation for our students. So we work really thoughtfully and intentionally trying to set circumstances for our students um focus on building protection for us that's really foundational and setting a slide highlights a few of the ways that we tried to bring our students together at the start of the school year. Uh sixth grade especially it's a big transition year for them. So that actually starts at the end of
029the grade day. They get to meet in older school. We've tried really hard to start connections before they even arrive here. Once our students are here, all of our teams um at all the grade levels, they work to set up um day experiences or team day experience as well as field trips to the streets. Give the teachers an opportunity to get to know the students a little better outside the classroom, connect to students, especially our sixth graders. They're coming from four different elementary buildings. So, it's really important to help them establish some connection. Um so, to peer relationships, the student toteer relationships. Our sixth graders went on a rock climbing trip uh which is really exciting. Our seventh graders are taking some trips through arts and head and our eighth grade students have all taken
030visits to different area parks to engage in some team building activities. Um we've also had a couple of entire school community events. Our 911 ceremony is one of them. We have horizon. We also had a fun Friday day that was in partner with her to support the fundraising effort now very viral that took place here. So we're planning for a spring followup. Um but all three of our grade levels um have have implemented some sort of a team building activity. Students get to know each other a little better and for the teachers to get to know each other. So on this next slide um continues to highlight a few of the ways that we work to establish the strong foundation. We brought in an organization that does supportive positive experience. Students love it. It's a
031lot of fun. message. Um also done a lot of team grade level meetings with administration guidance students. Um teachers are working really hard instructionally to um do project based learning with our students, set up collaborative experiences for them. So all of these things we think inity really set the stage. We think that it's just been very positive beginning. We think it's very successful. The students have had a really great start. I hope that the visit from our members yesterday that you see that reflected in the classroom. Thank you, Dr. I will say the inflatables race has become quite the hit. I was at one at the high school. I I saw it which was hilarious. Um and then I saw the photo of that you had a you had a deeper feel. I'll say scene.
032So >> there were a couple of group uh costumes. >> I noted that there. So we'll see what comes of that in the future. So uh we had the chance to visit several classrooms. Thanks again for for setting that up for us and uh for the board members who had an opportunity to attend. If you have any reflections or any questions uh please now be a good time. Yeah. Why don't you go first? Yeah. Um well thank you. It was it was you know I love it was um a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed the social studies activity where students were they were playing a game. Um it was an interactive game. The teacher and I have was um everyone was on a boat and it appar before we got there they had um
033supplies that they had chosen and they had crews and depending on on choices that they made like um whether they should bring their supplies in from the sun into the sun or not um different things will happen. You may lose some of your supplies or you may be okay to go on to the next thing. So we just saw part of it. But the most interesting thing for me was to just watch the sixth grade thinking that I was with four boys. I think they lost everything with both messages. They just kept losing. But their their thinking was not at all what my thinking would be, but they have very good reasons for why they were and they were talking with each other. No, I think we should do this. I think we should do
034this. And then the boy who was kind of went wrong. But but it was really fun to watch. Um and then I just got a question for you. We we got to go into the journey class which which um was great to see the work that was happening small group work and um kids earning time to do what they want. One boy asked me he had earned time to listen to music. So he kind of called me over to show me his computer the music was coming. And then when it came I said oh is this the music you were listening to? and he clearly told me like stop talking [laughter] I'm listening to the music but that the question I had actually I was looking for my own notes for from um the equity
035meeting that we have every month and I had thought that the element has to be right >> sure so I can tell you a little bit about some of the integrated experiences we have for the journey students. >> Um so we have we sort of do have a buddy program uh learning here um grass group. So some of the special area teachers that have the journey students um are using students to join them um in the class. It's interesting here that we We have started buddies primarily in our special area. >> Let's see what I have here on my little notes. Um, you know, interestingly, uh, we we went into a tech room. What I what I thought um was terrific was they were working on uh it's a project that they they build they
036build little machines that are run by magnets and they run down a track and they can take them to an event at this community college. But what was what I really enjoyed seeing even in the short time we were there sort of iterative project of the students. They would tweak it and try it again tweak it and try it again. And what I really liked was the teacher kind of only intervened when when the teacher was asked and then intervened with what do you think? You know, so it was really developing their ability to solve their own problems and and then you saw you really saw improvement over a short period of time. And and the other thing you saw is that there was no um negativity around it not working the first time. And
037because of course of course things don't work the first time, you know, and as you get older, you realize that. But it's very difficult when you're young and you feel self-conscious not realize that that things don't work out the first time. So I thought that teaching in the way that created those lessons in real time was a powerful thing. We also kind of saw that in the science classroom that we were in, right? Because they were using information. They had to kind they had to use the information they were working on liquid density. So they had to work on you know and then they had to put that work together to put you know as they created five different test tubes with different things they had to then use work from the previous day but
038they come with the same information a different way and you could you could kind of I was I was uh near a group of young women and they were um young girls and they were uh at first perplexed and with the smallest piece of guidance well think about what you did yesterday they put the whole thing together and and you could see that they were really proud of what they've been able to put together, you know. So, I think um different than maybe eons ago when I was in middle school and you were on the receiving end of a lot of information and trying to keep yourself was your job to keep yourself engaged. You know, it's a different sort of a thing when um when you're engaged that way. So that was something that
039I I noticed um actually in all the classrooms it it but just in different in different ways, right? Um and I was grateful to have the opportunity to be in in the journey space, you know, and I was um pleased that you were uh that we weren't necessarily going to go if it wasn't the right day. I appreciated the fact that there was a let's see if today's the day we want to go because they're doing very important work in there and um we don't want that. So I felt welcome in there and um and it was nice to see how each child was given their own office space you know kind of a small space that you know I thought uh was was enlightening to me. So thank you for that. I don't really
040have a question but thank you for that. I'll speak to at least your your middle comment there that there is a lot of explicit conversation happening mindset. Um and the one you mentioned expectation is almost that you're starting at something that's right the one I think there was one student while we were in there where it actually went down the track pretty far the first time and the comment was like oh wow that was your first child that's actually not the expectation at all. So I think when you do set the stage in that way that >> the expectation is actually that there's going to be this continuous improvement over the course of a few days. um are they're willing to tinker and >> Yeah. >> for me to get to see and why certainly
041get some highlights that you know >> there's some highlights. So there's definitely some areas that we still need to and even our areas that I think stand out are certainly things that we're still um for us. I would say something that um is the functionality. So, our teachers at each content area and grade level, how they're working together, um the ways that we're looking at student information, all the data from how we're using that. Um there are some areas where we're trying what we're doing in some areas to collaboration that we've given them to collaborate and the basic if I could also underscore what you highlighted on the front end of our meeting today which is the importance of uh kids it's feeling connected to the school positively uh and some of the steps you've
042taken especially early in the year to make sure that kids feel valued and accepted and connected uh does set an important foundation for them uh in their relationships with the staff that I I think also goes uh a a long way um when we transition from connection to to content uh and curriculum not to be too illiterative but I know that's something your team here >> yeah we do and I think the investment of the time and energy into the relationship ship in the beginning of year is offs and they have that trust with the teacher. So I think that investment I really enjoy it. Um I had a question in the journey. I was thinking about that somewhere. Tell me if I'm mistaken, but I thought you said that increased the number of classrooms.
043I wonder if you could tell us about the advantage in the distance to having more students in the district as opposed to them. Um so this so right now at our May they have several so this is something that's been building over the course of a few years and now we've had a students who are aging up into the middle I'll be honest I think the number one benefit is that there's some strict in the community with the people who but when you have a number of students when you have enough students to have a classroom um I think the benefit is again they're saying we also have more teachers then who can collaborate together and keep them there's a a cost benefit as well um but I think um students really are a part
044of in terms of keeping them here and now having two classrooms it's really great because the two journalist teachers work together a lot of their classrooms collaborate um there's some fluidity between programs for students as well so when they are ready to move on there's a place for the continuity I think is another wondered um I don't know at the beginning of our visit we were in your office you talked a little bit about the sixth grade English department and um some curriculum some new curriculum I think piloting um and then the difference between I not going to remember the tool it wasn't ready. It was a different tool. I just for the board members that weren't there, I wonder if you could just give like a small synopsis of what we talked about in
045that area. >> Sure. So, um in so sixth grade ELA, but across our AIS classes too, we're using some different curriculum to create some um standardized instruction across many teachers that will be teaching the same the same course. Um focusing more on reading skills, writing skills, really all of the English language arts skills. Um so, The program we chose um has a lot of the literature, short stories, novels, things like that are on grade level um and really walks through all of the standards using a variety of different so um created some alignment between teachers who teach this year. also they're using itself um all the grade levels. Um but the program also offers a lot of similarities to IE with my pathway typeation for students to use. teachers have the ability to use it
046as a tool during instruction as well. So, not just as a benchmarking. We're trying that program this year too. Had some teachers that are different from I Ready. Um trying to do some comparison to see if the information we get is beneficial. Students are engaging with it. Teachers engaging with it instruction. Thank you. And if I if I recall, if I I don't want to put words in your mouth, but there was some element of um that the teachers in these groups seeing the need for some of these new materials because I think that that there's been a fair amount of shall we say new initiatives over the last say five years a not not necessarily looking to perpetuate that but as we see a need for something new or is that kind how this
047came to be. >> I think our conversation yesterday and I think um you might have asked where the idea for this had come from and we were talking a little bit about how this was they recognized like in looking at how forming realizing that some areas we were plateauing but there was just a need to be doing something differently um in order for us to continue. So we were looking for materials that were to the standards but also maybe pushing our students in ways that the Well, we really enjoyed our visit. I also really, you know, um the building was a pleasure to walk through the phones, you know, seeing the the students and we saw the students change classes a couple of times and it was nice to see the life in the building.
048So, I really appreciate you hosting us. Particularly, there was a lot of I think it was kind of short notice, so I appreciate it. It was a pleasure having you and I'd welcome any building anytime. >> Okay, thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> That moves us on to new business. Our new business section of the agenda 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. Um item B, the second reading of a variety of wonderful policies from our policy committee. Can I please get a motion? >> Thank you. Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Um item C, 2025 2026 board meeting schedule. Um adjustment may please get
049a motion. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um any discussion? >> I just to say I know the board prides itself on visiting each of our schools and also relies on me uh to set up the schedule for that. I left Beakman Elementary School of all schools uh the last principal out [laughter] off of the list that you approved earlier this year. So this the only changes to uh the February 24th meeting will now be >> Thank you so much. Any any other comments on that? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed abstensions. Motion passes. Item D, overnight trip request for approval. Can I get a motion, please? Thank you. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Just a note that this is a continuation of a trip you've heard about last school
050year where several of our students had the opportunity to visit uh some colleges and universities throughout New York. Actually, one of our students to it uh briefly last year. Uh so this is a continuation of that program. >> Great. Um so all those in favor I I oppose. Abstension. Motion passes. Item E, solar pilot agreement, IP solar. Now, please get a motion. A motion. We're taking a motion, right? >> There is a minute action. It's a long resolution. I don't need all. >> No, no, >> I'm sorry. I think I think I do have to call for a motion. Can I Can I get a Right. We're going to vote. Can I get a motion, please? >> Go move. >> Thank you. Second. Can somebody second it? >> Thank you. Um, any discussion? >> I'll
051just summarize what I did with the board. You're right. That section's missing. >> That's okay. I just wasn't sure if I was in the wrong spot. You're >> in the right spot. Okay. >> Uh, just a note to the board that this uh resolution authorizes uh me to enter the agreement or execute the agreement with IP solar. Uh, we're still working out the details related to that arrangement. the financials are the same as been has been presented to you. Uh that being said, there's some other factors that we have to consider as pilots typically will escalate each year and articulate those. Our attorneys will work on that with representation. Once that's concluded, uh assuming it's within the parameters, but to for efficiency [clears throat] sake so we don't have to keep going back and forth
052with the board. Uh >> any comments? All those in favor? >> I oppose. >> Abstension. Motion passes. That moves us on to the business consent agenda. Our consent section of the agenda with several items for approval by a single motion. Documentation concerning these items has been provided to our board members in advance to ensure an extensive and thorough review. Yeah, please put a motion on the consent present. >> I just want to highlight one individual. Ling I's retirement is listed uh in this section of the agenda. Lynn G Iverson is our longest uh active serving active employee in Arlington. Uh this will be her 46th year in the school district. I met with Lynn today just to acknowledge uh we're gonna this is for real now. Uh and Lynn even noted she had worked for
053the district two summers prior uh when you consider that it's really 48 years total uh with the district but uh her retirement will be effective in April but and we wish her well and works uh now in our registration office. She's like a quiet hero in our not sure how we're going to replace her. Uh she does things I know we don't even know she does uh in the district but um she's in the office right to the left as you come in uh the district office there. and just one. >> Thank you. Um, any comments or thoughts? All those in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. All the way on. Um, page 15, if you're following along, I think I know one. Um, future discussion items. I don't believe we have any carryovers at this
054time. Does anybody have any future discussion they want to bring up? Seeing none, moving on. We've already covered our non non agenda item public comment, so we'll move on from there. That moves us up to committee reports. Um, advocacy. >> Hello. Sorry, that we quickly got to there, didn't we? Sorry about that, okay? Just um a quick note to everyone, you all got uh the results of the business meeting that I attended. I believe if you check your email, if you didn't see it, it came through. Um probably that was a Thursday night at least by the following month. Um just the the highlights being that we review um resolutions I believe and 24 of those were adopted and move forward. So those um resolutions become NISSBA's marching papers um moving forward. They get added
055to the other resolutions for advocacy that um the NISBA group works to advocate for us with legislators and government officials. Um and those will stay on the books for five years. every year a group of them the resolutions um come up for continuation deletion if they haven't already been taken care of and already so that that's really the only thing that is going to >> thank you for doing that doing that for a number of years it it is a you know labor of so to speak, but it's important. I mean, they do a lot of great work and so we take seriously what we direct them to do. I think it's true and I I spoke to a few of the people that were with me at the um convention because they for the
056first time had us all gather as I mentioned in my first remark together those of us that were there and available to show up which was excellent and good. They send us as the people attending the business meeting a survey right after it's over within 24 hours. So, here's your survey. A question number one. Did you stay for the entire six hours? You know, things like that. But they brought up something this year in the survey um that I wrote quite a lengthy response. um sometimes not a survey group taking the time to to fill out extra thoughts. Um they propose and not really propose for action at this point but floated the idea um because the meeting is long um but it happens only once a year and it I personally think it's it's
057a beneficial meeting but they floated the idea that would people be amendable to having voting take place not in a meeting. So opening voting for two weeks and then people each district weighs in you know without the six hour meeting. Um I feel strongly that that would be a mistake because I what I have found after doing this for you know a bunch of years we get together as our committee and you know speak with our our um own board and gratefully you give me the opportunity to vote in the way that we discuss but also if something comes up during needing to amend the Arlington vote in a different way. Um, and I think what happens, there are amendments made to the original resolutions in some cases and then you've said to me, well,
058if it gets amended and they fix this part, then we would change our no vote to a yes vote. Um, I think there's a discussion, you know, it's a very Robert kind of a meeting. So, there's for everything that we do. Is there any discussion? There is robust discussion around New York State of all the the delegates that are there about each one of the resolutions. I don't think there's ever one. They always try to do the sunsetting ones of the consent agenda like they do, you know, one vote for all. Never does that happen because you know if there are eight of them by the time we're done maybe one of them is on the end you know so there is it's a robust discussion which is why the meeting takes as long as
059it takes but I think that's where people can think and decide should they change their vote is there a reason why new information has been brought forth that would help the the state in general. So, I I'm I'm really not a proponent of that thought. You know, it's it's something that I think works the way it works and I think it's feedback. You got me going, but that's my how to do that. Um Now you know why the meeting goes on for six hours. [laughter] You know, I I I just am a firm believer that everything's interesting when you know more about it, right? That's just the way it is. Um audit um uh we have have nothing at this time. Okay. Thank you. Uh Kathy, >> okay, sounds good. Policy. Our next meeting is
060uh Wednesday, November 12th, 3 p.m. Okay. Uh moving on to organization reports. The Arlington Education Foundation. Um there is a lot going on. Actually, next week is restaurant week and there's a lot of the old favorites like Daily Planet that are always there. Um there's a new restaurant Momo Garden on Thursday night restaurant. >> I think it's Napali. >> Yeah. Uh yeah. >> Yeah. >> You can go on to the Arlington website and go into the Arlington. So a full week you can enough restaurants you can do breakfast and dinner and not and als January 19th which again is a new school. And then um you know last year there was a lot of discussion about whether China or not as I mentioned last week we have director so this would be the 20th year
061uh emailed me today. She has some great ideas. She does a lot of >> next week to discuss that. I'm excited. >> Yeah, I'm glad. The next meeting is November. >> Okay. Dress school boards if you want. >> Yes. There is no no BOS. We have not met since we've met the last time. Just to say that the next um meeting is next a week from this Thursday. I believe it's November 6 7 p.m. by 18. >> No, the topic is >> I did, but I don't >> I don't either. >> I'm sorry. >> Yeah, that's quite all right. I'm sure it's all in our email somewhere in this pile. There is, but I don't want to miss so I can't. >> And that reminds me, you all got the invitation to the the lower
062husband. It's like a combined um dinner if you're interested in that. Um what is that like the 11th? It's the 13th and RSD. >> Yeah. I don't know what deadline for >> I don't know when the the deadline must be kind of soon. >> I'm thinking that's probably November. >> Yeah. >> But it does take place on the 13th of >> November. Right. So that's the one that's on Tilly's, which is the exit off of 84 where you get to the Southeast train station. There's a there's a place there. That's where it was last year, I think. Did you go last year? >> Um, it's an AI. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Um, okay. PTA, PTSA, what happened to Christine? She ran a very lovely meeting. Um, I kicked off the PTSA last week. Um I
063was there, Dr. Bronte was there, a lot of people were there. It was great. Um I noticed um like really a level of uh excitement and energy and new leadership, some certainly old faces, very not old faces, but familiar faces. Um yeah, poorly said, poorly said. Um but also a lot of enthusiasm, new ideas, sharing of ideas is exactly what you want that group to be. And then kind of as an aside, I mean, they were they were saying some really nice fundraising money numbers, some of them. So, I was very happy to see that they seem to be rebounding some very very difficult years after after COVID as far as for the PTAs and that sort of thing. So, um things seem to be on a mend and it was a terrific meeting. Um
064and their next it's usually the last Wednesday of the month. Uh, and it's 7 PM via Zoom, so whatever. But it may move with Thanksgiving. I didn't get the full list yet out of all the dates, but but I'm sure I will. Um, that moves us on to district health and safety. >> Okay. And then equity, uh, we met on October 16th. Um, there's a lot going on around the the district in terms of engagement and supporting kids. Um our first well we heard last week or last month from Sherry that they were doing their ENL night and they had a family they have family engagement come November 6th. Um there uh there was a for that parent not at school recently and Overlook has um a pretty robust backpack program where they start home.
065But um this past month they engaged they partnered with the Girl Scouts that are um at Overlook to add birthday boxes. in [clears throat] terms of the meeting itself. Um, so John, please jump in and help me go straight here. So, um Melissa Bacher had had just thrown out um thinking about our Martin the evening event that we have that the participation has I don't want to say it's gone down but um the same groups every year it's just um and it really turned into a whole discussion about that being the day of service and how could that be more important to the school. So um there no decisions were made but that was the kind of and then and I think it turned into a bigger discussion then she um but it did it
066became a more robust discussion um as did the you know I talked before that we're doing um kind book club work around um overcoming the achievement gap trap. Um, so we thought we talked about the first three chapters in the book and actually it kind of took an interesting turn because we talk often in equity about um underserved groups and it really that discussion really focused on so again it was I think a different discussion than we expected. It was very robust. There were no answers. I think um we'll see where when we hear things. Um and then the last thing I just wanted to mention a number of schools are doing book clubs either just within the school or with their school in their parent community with the gen. >> Thank you very much.
067Thanks everybody. Um superintendent >> nothing further remark upon. Okay, >> report. >> All right, that moves us on to board reflection. Linda, um I'd like to shout out to the ATA. Um on October 18th, it was a Saturday, they cleaned up the roadways along 55. If you saw the orange bags, uh you can thank an ATA member and also some retirees. So, thank you for doing that. Looks great, >> Brian. >> Okay. Well, [clears throat] um I can't say anything better than has already been said about marching bands. So, I will just say to look forward um now that this season is over, the next season is beginning with percussions and close to my heart, winter garden starting. Um and so keep an eye out for the the fall, winter, spring. >> Excellent. Thank you
068so much. >> I wanted to say I I did attend the jury art show. Um it was wonderful. I try to go every year. Um I want to thank all the are the all the art teachers that were there and uh the variety of work when you look it's K12 work that they display and it's fun to see the kids at all ages coming with their families and they set it up like a little museum and they have they have like you'll go and see it's all on the wall when they're there. They have the they have refreshments out and they have certificates for the kids that day that they go. It's very It's very nice. And I um I actually had a really nice conversation with a young man who um is part of
069the art club at the high school and he, you know, clearly loves art, loves to perform art, but he has no time in his schedule to take any of our advanced art classes, but he avails himself of the art club and he finds like-minded people who also enjoy talking about and creating art. And so he was volunteering at this event and I thought how wonderful it is that we find all these ways to meet our kids. That's what I really thought. I thought, you know, and and you don't have to be at the at the pinnacle of everything you're doing to find a group of people who are like-minded. And I think that's what's creates community, right? So I was really pleased to have a few minutes talking about young man and that was my
070experience there. One other one if anybody doesn't you want to go? Um, I just really wanted to thank Chris Roso and Rich Gillan for bringing emailing the board about the eighth grade um, music visits to the high school. Um, I know they've done that for it's not the first year. I don't think they've done it for a very long time, but um, also really a a great part of what we do here at Arlington, which is trying to connect kids with other kids and trying to continue their journey. Like a lot of kids have had a wonderful experience starting in elementary school with our music program, but they're really unsure. There's one less period in high school. There's lots of different opportunities. They're unsure about whether they want to continue that program. But it's also
071whether they continue or not. You've walked into the high school. You've been met by people who are warm and inviting. You've met kids from LMS at the same time that are also coming into the program, you know, and it's just a another way to kind of ease transitions that are complicated and difficult. Um, I thought it was a great program and I just want to shout out that I'm glad I'm sure that there are so many other things that go on like that that don't necessarily rise to our attention, but that is the kind of thing that that uh I think reflects what we're trying to achieve with this. Uh, just a reminder, uh, election day is on Tuesday, November 4th. Please go out and vote um in your particular community because on November 5th,
072those road signs will hopefully go away. But really, in all seriousness, please go vote. It's our right to do so, and we should be doing >> Let's get a motion to adjourn. Thank you. Thank you. Um, all those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Absention. Motion passes. Five. >> No hands down.