001Please call >> here. district. Our mission is to empower all students and selfdirect [Music] and purposeful lives. Um so we need to this evening. So first to get get a motion to amend the agenda to add a I'll ask for a second [Music] please get a motion to agenda. >> Thank you. All those in favor I opposed. Okay. So this is what it's going to say. Item N of business. We have resolved that the board of education accepts as recommended by the audit the annual audit report the extra classroom activity fund audit report and I'm sorry and the extra and the extra classroom activity fund audit report prepared by our independent auditor company LLP for the year ended June 30th 2025. So now I please get a motion to approve the agenda as amended. >>
002Thank you. Second. Thank you. Um any discussion? See none. All those in favor I oppose abstension. Motion pass. Thank you very much. Um [Music] share. I just very happy to see our audience tonight schools. It's wonderful to be here. Um I was unfortunately when our board members came last week, I was away which is very unfortunate because I'm very excited about our new road tour as we're visiting all these schools that that board members as they're able are going to come in and and see some of the things going on in our schools. I want to thank I I'm assuming it's like the PTA and I don't know who else and Franchesca and everyone who's done this lovely spread of of of food for us and um for our little thank you gifts and I
003see we have an extra little thank you gift from our first May. So thank you very much. That's very thoughtful. Um that's really all I have for right now. Dr. Bante, >> thank you Miss Bean. And yes, thank you Miss Todd and Mr. Gitlin for for hosting us this evening. I know it's a bit of a different space uh for us than previous years and I was I was looking up at some of the murals before uh which I think was when when we were a middle school here uh that those were completed by the middle school uh accelerated art students and I noted a better time for both the Yankees and the Patriots and Michael Jordan was wearing number 45 so some time ago. Um again, thank you for hosting us. A couple things
004I just wanted to highlight. Uh, and I'm sure Mia will speak about some of these things as well. We had a great pep rally at the high school a couple of weeks ago. Um, it was great to see. It always worry when you're going to get 2700 students or so together uh for some good fun how that's going to go. Uh, but it went really well and I thought the staff really did a great job leaning into it. Was most proud of our high school faculty and staff. Uh, sorry me, but defeated our students in the in the tug of war. So, so that was great. um had the opportunity. I know several of you were there as well at the Arlington Marching Band Invitational just this past weekend. Uh I think our marching band
005looks just absolutely fantastic. I know we still got a little ways to go as the season moves along, but it was wonderful to see them uh perform alongside several other schools and um overall just a a wonderful reflection of of our school community and how that event is run and facilitated by um our our families, the band boosters uh and and the staff who are involved. Everything from the all the behindthe-scenes stuff like parking uh was just managed really well and very professionally and a great reflection of the organization of our school. all the way through uh you know the service that's being provided to all the families that are there as our kids are engaging or their kids are engaging throughout the afternoon. Um and I just wanted to mention and I I think
006some of you will as well it was wonderful to attend the Arlington Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. Uh a wonderful event for our student athletes or former student athletes and their families. Uh lastly, as you acknowledged Maryanne, it is school boards recognition week. Uh, and we do have some refreshments here for our school boards and, uh, certificates for you as well of appreciation. Uh, and a few things I just wanted to share about our board of education that I know I appreciate, uh, and that I know members of our community, uh, do as well. one. Uh it's very apparent if you were to watch our school board uh operate over time how invested each of you are individually and as a group uh in our kids and seeing the connection between your service uh your
007volunteer service as school board members and its connection to the work that we're trying to do with kids each day inside of our schools. Uh you also balance that uh with the care for our people. Uh and we say uh with our staff, it's important to balance uh care for the people with care for the cause. And our cause is obviously what we're doing with our kids, but it's really important that we care for the people who are working with or around or in support of our kids as well. And I think that's reflected again in many of the discussions that we have uh at the board level. And lastly, you do the work. Uh it's not easy. And uh whether that be just effective governance uh and and managing the dialogue that we have
008here um uh the you're good stewards of the community's tax dollars and you're very deliberate about that responsibility at all times of the year, not just when it comes uh to the budget development process. Uh and also you're invested in maintaining safe uh facilities for our kids and for our staff. So for all of those reasons, I'd ask uh those of you who are in attendance to join me in applause and recognition for our school board members. As I mentioned, Miss M, we have refreshments. So, typically we've taken a brief recess just so folks can who are in the audience and also our board members can just get a treat or two and then we can come back and jump back into our agenda if that's okay. >> That sounds great. Thank you very much.
009>> Take five minutes just to grab some treats and please members of the audience join us and then we'll come back into our board meeting. That was delightful. Everybody, keep eating. There's lots of wonderful stuff there, but we're going to continue with our agenda in a minute here. We'll let our board members finish up and get back to the table. Um, and we'll have Devon turn us back on for the people at home. Sorry we couldn't share our cake with the people at home, but it was delicious and and very appreciative. Love that. Um, let's see. We're going to move on to um Mia. Did you have any other remarks? >> No, I'm all set. Let's turn it over so much. Yeah. Great. >> So, as Dr. Venante said, we had um a great pep
010rally. It was fantastic. Lots of kids came out. And then following that, we had our homecoming football game. We don't have to talk about the score. It's okay. Um, and then the next night, we had our homecoming dance, which went great. It was a huge fundraiser for student government like always. There were a lot of kids there, and it was overall a success. So, now we're kind of calming down from that. And actually, today, student government started our Thanksgiving food drive. So, we're very excited to kick that off. Um the we started this last year, but we're continuing it this year. We make it a competition between the four grades. Um and then the winning grade just gets bragging rights. But yeah, each grade has their own specific food item that they bring in and
011then the teachers will usually bring in the turkeys and yeah, then we send that stuff off. So that's about it for right now. >> That's great. Um does anybody have any questions for me? Yeah, I just wonder what the feeling goes on the bellto bell cell phone >> van how that's going. >> So, I think I talked about this at the first meeting, but I still have the same feelings about it. Me personally, I really like it. I feel like students are definitely more open to socializing with each other because they have no way to escape that now. And also, even teachers that I've talked to about it, um they say they don't get ignored in the hallways anymore by students. um students actually say hi to them, students faces that they've never seen before,
012they're seeing now. So overall, I think it's been a success so far and I hope that it continues to be. >> I had a question. Um what's a homecoming dance like now? Is it is it in a gymnasium? Like how does it work? >> So yeah, ours is in the cafeteria. We have it in cafeteria C and D and we open the wall between the two cafeterias and then there's like a d we by the stage I don't I don't know if you've been in the cafeter but >> yeah I'm familiar with it. Yes. >> Okay. So by this stage we have like our dance floor and then up on the stage is our DJ and more towards the LGI side of the cafeteria. We have tables for people to sit. There's like some snacks
013and refreshments and then the past two years we've had a bar and we've had like student government kids serving drinks to kids non-alcoholic just just sodas. >> Thank you for that clarification. That's great. That's great. And is it kind of a come whatever fun way you want to dress or is it like a dress like dress up thing or >> So last year we had a theme for our homecoming dance. The theme was disco. This year we decided not to do a theme because we really wanted it to be open-ended to students and not feel like they have to like fit a certain style. So yeah, we had no theme this year, but yeah, everyone was dressed great. >> Thank you. >> Just a quick followup. How many students attend homecoming the dance and is
014well start there and I'll follow. So, we haven't gotten the exact numbers back yet, but I want to say we sold somewhere between 800 and 900 tickets, and I know like the amount of money that we made from it, but I don't know the exact number. >> Is that considered a sellout then? Did you sell out? >> Yes, pretty much. >> Got it. >> That's great. It's so nice to hear that that's popular, you know. Um, very very glad to hear it was so well attended. Um, any other questions for Mia? Okay. Uh, that moves us on to public comment for agenda items only. Uh, Mrs. Ste, do we have any public comment today? Are you on? Are you on? >> We do not have public comment for agenda items, >> but we have >>
015we have um public comment for non-aggenda items. >> Okay. Is the board comfortable if I invite the person who wants to speak for non-aggenda items to come up now? So, our policy is that they speak later in the meeting, but it's a lot. We have a quite a long um agenda today. So, uh why don't So, if you could just call up whoever it is that wants to speak to us, please. >> We're all cool with that, right? We're all good with that. >> Yeah. >> Merson Capillary regarding Stone Ridge Estates. >> Good evening. Thank you for that incredible accommodation. to go home a little bit earlier than than I anticipated. That's amazing. Uh my name is Merson Capillary. I'm a resident of Stone Ridge Estates in the town of Beman. Um recently the town
016roads were accepted by the town board. We're going to be receiving a lot of the benefits and um services thereof. One of the things that we did not receive uh and we were denied was school bus pickup for the kids uh that live in the community. about there are 18 homes back there, half of which about half, maybe a little less than half, all have uh students who attend the Arlington School District. Um the observers who are watching the flows of traffic, um it was a Wednesday and I know it was a Wednesday because part of the reasoning for the denial um because the school buses weren't able to navigate through the streets because of the garbage cans. Wednesday happens to be trash day. So, not everybody comes home in time to take the trash
017cans from the road back into their homes. Um, so one of the reasons for the denial was because trash cans are in the way of the school buses and the drivers have uh some difficulty navigating through the roads and a culde-sac. There are two culde-sacs which I understand does uh present some challenges in and of itself. Um, my ask is, uh, when I learned this through the state senator's office, um, why the what the reasons for the denial were, I was a little disappointed. Um, it's been a long road, pun intended. Uh, thank somebody laughed. Um, it was a long road for us to get these uh, roads dedicated. Um, and 18 homeowners back there. Um, on the low end, um, I believe the lowest uh, um, tax bill that the homeowners pay back there
018is about $10,000. So if you do the math, there's at least $180,000 a year of tax dollars from that neighborhood alone that go to the Arlington schools. So my respectful ask is a reconsideration from the transportation director of the Arlington schools to come back and take another look on one of those other four days of the week when the trash cans are not in the road and maybe a little easier to navigate through that neighborhood and a community to pick up the students which I know the parents of that community would be extraordinarily appreciative of. Right now, each student has all the students have to walk down to the very end of the road uh and wait for the bus to pick them up on an intersection of a ma of a a thoroughare. I
019won't say it's a major road, a thoroughfare and this uh neighborhood road. Um so, and I know from time to time the buses come up and they'll do a three-point turn and exit the community to go back out of that neighborhood. So again, my respectful ask to the board and if this message can make it to the transportation director is a reconsideration of that decision and give us an opportunity to uh have our students picked up um in that neighborhood. I thank you all for the work you're doing. I we appreciate uh the the hours that you guys put in. Um I know it's a wonderful school district. We're happy to be here. We're happy to be presidents of this community. I know it's a great school district. So thank you very much for the
020work you all do and thanks for listening. >> Hi. I just want to say I I you know I think it's the cake going to my head. It was delightful. But um I didn't I just want to say that our process for public comment I didn't read that when we started but we don't comment here if you're not familiar with that. So it's we are listening but we do not make comments. The board does not comment back. So I will just thank you for coming and speaking to us tonight and uh wish you well. >> Well I thank you more for letting me come early. >> Okay. Do we have anyone else tonight? >> No. Okay. Nobody else. >> Thank you. >> That leads us on to reports and discussion. The Arthur May school board
021visit. >> If I if I may. Yes. And I'll just try to set up reports and discuss because I know we have several this evening. So, we'll start with Miss Todd who's going to welcome us to Arthur SM May School. Thanks for your patience, Miss Todd. And uh for our board members, as Miss Todd's getting set up, and I think Devon's pulling up a few slides, uh in lie of extended uh presentations, I I I know I remind you of this continually, so excuse my my repetitiveness, but in lie of an extended presentation from the principles this year uh and for the community members who may not be aware, what we've coordinated is a visit to the school uh for those board members who can attend uh to have the opportunity to see kids learning
022and engage with our staff, which went wonderfully uh last week. Miss Todd, uh, thank you for facilitating and, uh, we would have an opportunity just to hear a little bit more about what what's going on in the school of late and then open it up to reflections for those people who had an opportunity, uh, to, uh, attend the walkth through and visit some of the classrooms. So, uh, please with that Sherry, I'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you. >> So, good evening and welcome to Arthur May School Board of Education members, Dr. Benante, staff, families, and community members. I want to take a moment to express our gratitude to each of our board of education members for their ongoing dedication and commitment to our school district, especially during this board recognition week. I'd
023also like to thank the board members who were able to visit Arthres May last week and share in the learning that was taking place in several of our classrooms. Tonight's slide presentation will showcase just a few of the many aspects that make Arthur May an amazing and welcoming school community. So this year our we are centering our work around Arlington's core value that a community thrives when all members embrace their interdependence with compassion and empathy. To bring this to life, we are using the responsive classroom approach through morning meetings, schoolwide expectations, logical consequences, and opportunities for rep reflections and reparations. We are also creating meaningful ways for students to support one another. From buddy classrooms to our bushelper program, each day we encourage our students to lead with kindness and serve as role models, helping
024to make our school a place where everyone feels valued and connected. At ASM, it is important that we create opportunities for students and families to get connected and share in the joy of our school community. From our meet and greet to cultural nights to ENL family night, trunk or treat, and family bowling night, these events help strengthen the bonds that make our school special. We also build connections through a variety of student clubs such as Girls Who Code, Spanish Club, and Garden Club. Additionally, many of our classrooms welcome in guest readers and presenters, including many of our wonderful family members, to share a favorite book, a hobby, or a cultural tradition that is important to them. One of our goals this year is to strengthen our partnership with families in support of student success. In
025that spirit, we are hosting a family engagement night on November 6, featuring engaging activities for everyone, including literacy and math information sessions for K2 families, literacy and math escape rooms for our grade three through five families, yard games, food trucks, and a variety of resource tables such as how to access parent portal and parent square. We will also have interpreter support available through our language line to ensure that all families can fully participate. We hope to make this an annual event and are excited to already have 50 families registered with two more weeks to go with registration. And finally, we are excited to launch our schoolwide community book club in partnership with our PTA in the coming weeks featuring the acclaimed book, The Anxious Generation. On behalf of the Arthur May School community, thank you
026for joining us and taking time to learn about some of the wonderful learning and growing that's taking place within our school community. Thank you, Miss Todd. And if you could stay up there because there may be some some questions along the way. And I wanted to thank Eileen, Marian, Jen, and Jeff who all attended the walkth through uh last week. And also your your staff, several of whom are here. Miss Rush was here. I think she's still here. Uh Mr. Kichek, I don't think is here this evening, but uh Miss Eart and Mrs. Shook, all of whose classrooms we had the opportunity to see. And and just to give the board a little background, I think in Miss Rush's class, we saw uh it was an inquirybased lesson, I would say, on gravity. Uh and
027I'm hoping that pilot turned out okay. He was just getting ready to jump out of the balloon and we left for the next visit. We were all like at the edge of our seats. What's going to happen? Um and here are some of our students predictions about what would happen or reflections on what they had observed up to that point. Mr. Kichek welcomed us in his art studio. It was a choice based >> choice based inktober. >> Inktober lesson. I think the kids were applying texture. Yes, they were the skill of texture to their drawings. And then we saw phonics lessons in both Miss Ehart's class and Miss Shook's class or what remained of the phonics lessons after I apparently ruined both of those. So, um, >> you did. It's It was nice of you
028to point it out. I believe there were others that might bring that up. >> Yeah, I was trying to beat you. Uh but with that, I'd invite uh our uh board members who have the opportunity to uh attend the walkthrough to share any reflections that they uh wanted to or wish to at this time. >> Yeah, go ahead. Um I just first want to thank you for inviting us. You know, I love being in a classroom, so um for me it was great. Um well, Phil told you about all the order of the lessons. A couple of things for me. um was seeing going from Mrs. Ekart's room to Mrs. Shook's room and seeing phonics in action in kindergarten in um do you call it in EI? >> Yes, our EI time. >> You're in
029your EI session. Um so working with like just the level of phonics and seeing where it goes with kids. Um and then the really highlight was seeing Mr. Kolichek's room and I wish he was here. I did get an opportunity to talk with him in the hall. Um, and he said like, "I have the best job in the world." And you could see that he was engaged. The kids were engaged. Um, but in that lesson, he was talking about texture, but he also he was telling kids to use the word heavy. And it really became a literacy lesson as well as an art lesson, talking about the vocabulary, what he heavy means to each of them. And you could see when he went around to look at each each person's art, um, he would comment
030on how they interpreted that word heavy. And so it just adds to that whole vocabulary kind of thing, which you love to see. And then overall just the engagement in every room was just, you know, you love that energy. So thanks for having us in. >> Thank you. And I have to say, you saw that in Mr. colic's room, but each one of our special area teachers does a phenomenal job of integrating vocabulary and literacy and math into their lessons whenever possible. Um, so I'm very proud of that work. >> So, you took my word, engagement. Every single place we went, the kids were so happy to be part of their community and were treated so with such love and care. I mean, it really it was it was delightful. I could spend all day
031in your space. Um, I too wished we could have seen that gentleman in fifth grade on the video that was going to do what he was going to do. Um, or not, maybe. I don't I don't know. Not my idea of fun. But, um, Mr. Kolichek, first of all, let me say this. I am the grandmother proudly of one of your gators and knew from her that I would see her in her second grade class and was so excited. I don't know how it worked out but I saw her twice because that class was with Mr. Kolichek. So I had two interactions with my granddaughter which made my day. But uh my takeaway from Mr. Collettech, God bless him. I don't know where he was 105 years ago when I was a student. But I
032am related to very artful people and that is not my g my bag at all. And I thought the idea that he just embraces the idea that you're in this space, you're going to have a choice, you're going to do something, and everything that you produce fits the bill. Like he >> I could have been a better artist if I'd had that kind of encouragement. I'm pretty sure. Um, >> but I just the engagement is is my my thing. you guys are doing great work, which we knew. Um, this new road tour that we're on this year, it's what we live for. That's why we sit here in this space so that we can facilitate what you guys do in your space. And I'm just so grateful that we get a chance to spend some
033time with you. So, thanks Jen, Jeff, >> I just wanted to say thank you as well. And I just wanted to say how engaged everybody was, but the students that were engaging us. I had one teaching me how to tab and blend in one of the phonics classrooms. And they took such pride and ownership in teaching me how to do it when I told them I didn't know what they were talking about. And it was just really inviting. and it was just nice to see that they were able to show me how to do what they've learned. Say thank you. >> Um, for me it was a spontaneous moment, something that was not planned, not expected, but to walk through a hallway and see a teacher having a moment of the with their student that
034crossed the bridge that got somewhere that obviously both of them worked very hard to get to. Um, and to see the look on the teacher's face and how proud they were and the students and the motivation and like I said that, you know, or later that day was I'm sure it's going on in every building, but for us to actually walk up and to see that and from someone I've known forever, like that's why we do this. Anybody have anything else they like to share? I guess I want to share that I'm totally bummed that I was unable to go. Um, and I am am grateful that um, you know, I've been on the board eight years. We've tried a million different things with these school visits. And as a principal, longtime principal, you know,
035it's like every year it's like what next? What do they want now? You know, and um, I'm hoping that this is fruitful in both ways, right? that people feel good about seeing us around and that and that it it kind of everything we do like many of us are going to the schoolboard convention next week. Anything you do that is like it like rejuvenates you. I'm sure you all have when you go for PD yourselves. It rejuvenates you in some way and brings you back stronger and fresher. So, thank you for lending yourselves. Thank you for letting people into your classrooms, you know. Thank you very much. >> And thank you, Phil, for organizing it. >> No, my pleasure. And Fran as well for organizing it. >> Thank you for organizing it. never thank him
036for organizing anything ever again. >> But I know there was likely a request made somewhere, you know, at the building level for the staff who were involved. So again, I just want to thank uh Miss Rush, Mr. Kolichek, Mrs. Shook, um and Mrs. Ehart, uh for opening your classrooms once again to us. We probably I don't know how many reports the board has had over the years, you know, especially on things like foundations and the shift to foundations, which is a pretty big transition for the district, or or science 21. uh again a pretty significant shift or choice-based art which I know has been growing in the district for uh over a decade now but having the opportunity to see it uh in each of our teachers classrooms I think just added a lot of
037value uh for our for our trustees and and and for me as well. So thank you for uh going first and thank your staff please for going first and uh we're off to Unionville Middle School in a in a couple of weeks. I looked at the schedule today I will say and I I don't know who created the outline of board meetings. I think it was me. Um, and where we're going. So, it's a bit ambitious uh to because I think in a week or two we'll be at Union Bale and we're going to need to squeeze a visit in there and hopefully the board members who weren't able to attend uh for this particular visit, you'll have the opportunity to uh for one that's coming up because we're going to have plenty 10 more
038schools to go. So, >> all right. And as I mentioned to several board members, you are welcome at any time. We're very, you know, proud of the work that we're doing here and want you to see what's happening in our schools. So, again, thank you all for joining us. Happy board recognition week and uh enjoy the rest of >> Thank you, Steph. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um that moves us on to the board policy work overview. >> Yes. So, uh I was going to stand uh up front, but I think I can do it from the seat. >> Oh, no. Go ahead. No, >> thanks. Um with that, I just wanted to give a a brief primer. Uh Linda and the policy committee met last week, I believe. Linda, we met, right? uh not
039too long ago and and as the board knows, the policy committee has really been immersed in a full policy manual review uh since last school year. Uh over the summer, Fran and our policy coordinator at Erie 1, Justine, uh did a lot of work to take the work that was done last school year, um take our existing policy manual and map that all out on a spreadsheet that you should have in front of you, which is in my folder, but if I may just for a second. Uh, so this one, you should have that there. >> Oh, thank you so much. And as you're I just want to reference this. So, if you could have it in front of you. Linda and I discussed this and thought it would be helpful. Uh, because we're going
040to begin to see policies on the board agenda and Fran was so efficient. Uh, we actually have the policies from the review we did last week already on the agenda uh later on for for this uh week. So, I just want to give you a sense for how this is oriented. Um, so first this these are all of our policies. So Justine and Fran went into the policy manual that's on board docs. Uh, this is all of them and you get a sense of just how our policies are organized. Um, I should say this is all of them by title. The actual policies you would have to log on uh to see. Uh, and you can see here, uh, each of our policy numbers, the title of the policy, when it was adopted by the
041board, when it was last revised, if at all, um, and when it was last reviewed, and I'm going to draw a distinction there in a moment, and then any notes. And the notes are what I'm going to, uh, focus on uh, for right now. Uh, the things we want to see here is that it's either UTD, which means up todate, or recently updated by the district. That's the goal at the end of this process that every policy is either up to date or recently updated by the school district. Where you see things highlighted in light blue or yellow, that's likely where we have some work to do. Uh, and that means either there's an updated policy, model policy that's available to us that we have to review compared to what we already have in our
042policy manual or it's a districtspecific policy. There is no model policy on it and we have to make a decision. Are we going to review it, modify it at all, or are we going to retire it? So, the policy committee this year will be using this chart as a basis of how it's going to process through all of the policies in our policy manual and then make recommendations to the board, whether it be through first reading, second reading, or to retire a policy, or just simply reviewing it because it hasn't been reviewed in a while. So, I'll come back to this actually when we when we act on policies in just a bit because we have policies. this evening that fall under each category. We have a few are going to recommend retiring. Uh we
043have a few that were reviewed. We're not taking any action on them. We just read them. They're fine the way they are. Uh so they're just going to be marked reviewed. There's no action for the board to take. And then we have uh policies that are on for a first reading this even. One last note that I would like to make. last year at several points because this is going to come up. Uh at several points we adopted a new policy with the note that this policy is more comprehensive now and it covers maybe two or three existing policies that already exist in our manual. Many of the policies that we're going to retire or recommend for retirement um fall uh into that category because we adopted a new policy last year that now covers
044those areas. Uh, and again, we have a few tonight that we're going to reference that fall into that that I'll just speak more to to help you make sense of this document. But I know some board members are on the policy committee obviously, um, and they're going to be kneedeep in reviewing all the policies. And some board members aren't, and that's okay. Uh, you're just going to review them through first and second reading. But I wanted every board member being familiar with this and how it's organized will be helpful as we come back to the full board meeting and work through the first and second review process. Uh because this really summarizes how everything's going to be organized this year. Any questions about that before we >> I had a question. >> I just had
045a question about so if we relate the work and the document to what's on tonight's agenda related to policies. >> Um >> let's see not the delete. I I understand that but under under item F. So we have three policies that we have. It's on page seven. Um we have three policies that you're um updating that you worked on at your meeting, right? And then we have following policy reviewed and no changes recommended. So the ones that there's no changes recommended, they're still am I correct? They're still up you're going to you're going to update them. You're going to update their date as approved. Correct. So we're they're going to come in for second reading next time. So if any board member have any comments on any of those policies we so really because you
046you've reviewed them but really we all need to you to the extent that we are participating you know we want to review so that makes sense. So the all those are coming in for second reading next time. So really they're all on first reading tonight. >> Correct. And they're all attached uh just so we tried to organize that. So if you wanted to reference them they're there in the file attachments to also reference. >> Is that called? So, did we need to reference that as a first reading? That was my question. And I apologize for not reaching out ahead of time, but I was >> I I believe when a policy is just being reviewed by the policy committee, it does not have to go through the first and second reading process. >> Well, it
047does if we're going to update it, we're going to actually say in our this did it and this is the date of which it's current. It has to come by us again. So then whether it's in this meeting and we modify it or if we put them on for first reading at the next meeting because they're in the resolution there you'll see only three policies are listed. >> Yeah. I mean okay I was you know I I they're here. I don't know that there's even like we could almost just include that this is their first reading. That's fine and just move them all to second reading. I'd be comfortable if everybody else is comfortable with that. >> Is that okay? >> It's fine by me. It's really up. >> And that way you can just
048clear it out and not have more stuff because that's the attempt, right? >> But I just mean for the people who are not on a committee like what you know if you're looking at this and saying what am I what am I being asked to look at that's what I would say whatever they put forward for review if they don't have any changes you can look at it yourself quickly and see if you have any questions. The other thing is too, it's a great time if you particularly if you're new, right, and you're unfamiliar with the policies, you might have an unrelated to the link to the language of the policy, you might just be like, "Wow, that that just brings up a question for me." And you could reach out to Linda or my
049or myself. If it's unrelated to the policy specifically, you can reach out to me. So, I think that that's, you know, a good way to kind of proceed. So, that's that was my question. Does anybody else have any other Marian? Our agenda is 86. So >> are we changing the numbers? I just didn't know this side. >> 8350 is Erie 1's policy number for school district compliance with copyright law. >> Okay. >> It is currently in our manual as 8650. >> Okay. So same thing, right? >> It is well the updated one that we're adopting is more a little more comprehensive. >> The same >> it is it's the same title. It covers the same areas but the numeration is different between what's existing in our manual and Erie 1's model policy. >> Thanks. I
050just >> Yeah, it's confusing. Uh but >> Okay. >> And then and then maybe the following meeting you'll throw that on the delete list. We'll throw our 8650 on some schedule of deleting. >> You may have recalled me mentioning last year and if you didn't, it's fine. The deletions will always lag >> because we have to get the new policies on and then we go back and delete the ones that if if there's a need to do so. So that's why there's quite a few on this evening for deletion. Those were several policies that we discussed last year. Um >> I just worry what you know if anything comes up rel most of the things are are not that specific but if things come up and you have kind of two policies you know that
051conflict >> we potentially our biggest yes uh and the priority right now at an administrative level I'm I'm more concerned so that's a concern but I'm more concerned with the policies you see listed in the chart that are from 1996. Yeah, >> that to me is a bigger concern. Or 2009, >> right? So that's the priority right now is to get those updated or reviewed and if we have to deal with a little you know there is a little >> overlap. That's fine. That's fine. Um I just that's always been kind of interesting to me. I I story we don't need to hear. Okay, that's great. Anybody else have any comments? >> Okay, great. Well, thank you for this work and actually thank you for sharing this. I think it was a great idea to
052share this and it kind of gives us a framework in which to look at all the work this year. >> So, thank you all to the policy committee and >> Justine hard at work. >> All right. Um, that moves us on to item C, the solar proposal and agreement. >> Yeah, Mr. Latino was with us in executive session. I'll ask him to come back uh to the microphone if that's okay. And this is a continuation of the discussion that we started at our last meeting where you had a presentation on um a solar a pilot payment in le of tax proposal uh from uh an individual who was uh completing a solar array in Pleasant Valley. Uh Kevin has some done some background work on this as well. So Kevin, I'll just ask that you
053have a microphone nearby um because I know you were doing some research on this and and Steve has uh also done some research on it for the board. So he's here to answer any questions that you have. And uh if we could, Kevin, if I could actually start with you because there were two properties that we discussed last week that came up that I know you did some research on. An array uh that exists in Stormville and another array that exists on Route 55. um and what the tax rate was on on each of those properties just for background. >> Yeah. So, the property on Route 55 is actually owned by the town of Unionville. So, they do not pay taxes as as a town on the property itself. And um we did not um
054enter into a pilot agreement I think because it's municipality to municipality and so there's no solar tax on top of that. the one at Green Haven um is they pay tax on the land and there's also an agreement with them that they will begin to pay uh the solar tax or the tax for the solar improvement on the land uh at the same rate that is being proposed by IP solar. So if we accepted the deal with IP solar it would be very similar to the one we've already accepted with the with the with the array that's at Haven. So it would be paid at the same kilowatt per hour. The difference between uh a solar agreement and a regular um pilot agreement is that the the solar is only on the improvement of the
055land and not on the entire property. Whereas a regular pilot is on the property and the improvement. So that's a a distinguishing difference. >> So I I have a question. So the one on 55 is that so not only is the land owned by the town, but the solar array is owned by the town. So there's not a developer that's making money off that one. That's like as if you put it on your house. That's all coming to the town. >> Yes. It's the town's array. Yeah. >> Thank you, >> Steve. Any other information you think is important for the board? >> Okay. So, um, as Kevin was mentioning, the, uh, this would be at the same rate as the as the South Green Haven, uh, solar pilot. That pilot is a 6,000 per megawatt
056hour tax rate, and that's our pilot rate. That's what this one is being proposed as. It's based upon the number 6,000 per megawatt power. So, that one happened to be 3.2 South that's $19,200. It escalates 2% per year over 15 year period. After the 15-year period expires, it goes back and it's taxed on the purpose of um the pilot law uh real property tax law section 487 uh was to encourage solar development resources such as solar wind. Um so it those jurisdictions where it exists in New York. So uh every jurisdiction or any taxing authority has the ability to opt out not opted out. If they choose to opt out, the uh the owner of the properties totally the developer would pay the full tax amount on the entire property as well as the value
057of the increased value based on the solar project for one jurisdiction hasn't opted out. You only pay on value. Uh and then you can enter into a pilot range uh is set by electric company. It's no >> central. It's or nice depending on where. >> No, I'm sorry. I can tell you right now. >> I'll keep guessing. >> What's that? You keep guessing if you want. It ranges based upon the jurisdiction you're in. But this one is 2,600 to $7,600. and it can't be more than what the than what the tax would ordinarily be. Um that's that's the limitation set by uh by the law. Um you know there's different your electrical company essentially sets the rate. I'm just forgetting I pay taxes to them every and a lot of them forget. Oh, here it
058is. Uh, Central Hudson and there was their rate their range is a low 2600 to 7600 and what is being proposed by IP is $6,000 kilowatt hour. That's in the past. You could propose to go higher somewhere between 6,7600 or you could uh propose to go to the limit 600 but you don't you don't need to f with them then or there's no pilot put in place achieve the taxes based on pay there's an incentive for both parties to agreement there questions about programs or the proposal Jeff question. Um you said the pilot was 15 years. >> Yeah. All pilots in 15 years. >> And what is the general lifespan of one of these solar farms? >> I believe it's 15 years. Right. But I couldn't >> I was under I was with the understanding
059that after 10 15 years they need to start replacing panels and change out everything. So if they would do that would that just extend to a new pilot. Oh would they well no what happens at the end of the pilot? The pilot is continuous at the end of the pilot then they're tax on the full value property no the uh pilot is no longer in place. they're not exempt from paying tax increased by the so and as I mentioned the uh uh it in there's a 2% increase built in. um depending upon the the size of the project. Like for example, this the last one was a $19,000 to it started at 19200 and based upon the 2% increases increased to 25,333 that is set. >> So Kevin, did you want are we getting money
060from the one-year green haven now? We are >> it. We haven't received any payments yet, but I I would anticipate them to start soon. >> And and the reason they so you know the reason they haven't come before us is because there's some kind of wrinkle in the way it goes with the town at the town level, right? >> The one with Haven. >> Yeah. Because because the whole reason that gentleman came is because of the wrinkle with Pleasant Valley. That's the impression I got. >> The one with Green Haven. He actually passed a resolution three or four years ago here to accept their to accept that agreement. >> But they I don't think they came. We must >> they may not they may not have come and give a presentation like like these other
061presentations. I can't remember. But we definitely approved their resolution. I think I have it here if I can. >> Yeah. Well, I would go back and read that. You can just like you can just send me on the side if you want. I just be curious where we did that. presented until November >> November 28th, 2023. >> November 28, 2023. >> Yeah. >> Interesting. >> All right. Does anybody have any questions? Because we're going to be presented with a vote on this next meeting. >> Are, you know, are we um I guess I'd just like to get the temperature. Is anybody struggling with approving this pilot? because that would be I think that we would enter into a different level of conversation or people reasonably comfortable that this is the right thing to do at
062this point reasonably comfortable but if anything comes to your mind in the next you know time of course we can talk about it >> back if you have any more questions >> yeah thanks so much >> thank you Steve >> um moving on to I keep seeing your arm move but I keep thinking >> sorry okay the new business section of our agenda had to list several items for individual resolution approval. I'm a little jumpy. Documentation concerning these items have been provided to our board members in advance to assure an extensive and thorough review. Okay. Item B, the calendar change approval request. Can I please get a motion? >> So move. >> Thank you. >> Second. Thank you. Um any discussion? Just wanted to point out to the board that this is a result of
063our recent contract settlement with the teachers association um incorporated into their contract or our agreement uh previously was two uh half days for elementary students for the purpose of scoring assessments. Uh this provides now for a third um and with that uh which you approved uh in September uh we do have to denote when that day will be in the calendar. So our families have appropriated notice regarding that. >> Any other comments? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I >> opposed abstension. Motion passes. Um item C, the 2025 2026 district goals. Can I please get a motion? >> So move. >> Thank you. Second. Thank you. Any discussion? We've talked about these a couple of times. Um I think we're ready to move forward. Um seeing no discussion, all those in favor? I >>
064opposed abstension. Motion passes. Item D, certified instructional creation of position. May I please get a motion? >> So move. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I >> opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Item E, delete policies. Here they go. taking out those lines on the spreadsheet. Um, may I have a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. First reading on policies um 1330, 1336, and 8 at 8350. And we'll include by notation the fact that we've also considering this first read on the ones that we're making they're proposing to make no changes to that are listed on your agenda and the agenda posted for the public.
065Can I get a motion please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor? I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Um item G personal qualified administrative leave. Can I get a motion please? >> So moved. Thank you. Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed abstensions. Motion passes. Item H, personnel, classified administrative lead. Can I please get a motion? So move. Thank you. Second. >> Thank you. Um any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Item I, personnel, civil service abolishment of position. Yeah, please get a motion. >> So moved. Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um any discussion? See none. All those in favor? I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Item J, civil
066service separation agreement. Say that three times fast. Can I go a motion, please? So move. Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Item K, resolution of authorization for exe e ex execution of the AR independent evaluator hardship waiver application for the 2025 2026 school year. May I please get a motion? >> So moved. Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Just mention that as part of the teacher and principal evaluation plan, uh the board supports this resolution each year, which is required if we want to do it. um that there's certain particulars in the original law regarding um uh individuals from outside of a teacher's building, for example, having to do one of their evaluations because they have to
067be observed at least twice. Uh this provides relief on that, meaning that does not necessarily have to occur um which is allowed within the uh law with um uh the board's approval. So, as an example, Miss Todd uh at Northwest May School, although she does have an assistant principal, Mr. Gentlin, but if she were not, um, under the original law, someone else would actually have to come in to observe a teacher. Um, Miss Todd could observe a teacher one time, but then a second person would have to come in and observe that teacher a second time. Again, this provides flexibility on that where Miss Todd could observe the teacher both times. In this particular case, maybe Mr. Gland does one of those other evaluations, but uh, it does give us more flexibility just given the
068scope of evaluations that we have to do across. >> Thank you. Anybody have any comments or questions about that? Okay, seeing none. All those in favor? I opposed? Abstension. Motion passes. Item M, trip approval request, Rochester, New York, the Nisma State Conference, all honors music festival. Can I get a motion, please? So move. Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Oh, did you want to discuss something? Wait, you need another hand to skip one. >> You skip. >> That's all right. act on that one. >> All right, we're going to do this one. All those in favor? >> I I opposed absentions. Motion passes. So, meanwhile, you didn't know this, but L. No, we didn't. So, L actually comes after M in my world. >> So, item
069L because you know I am an M. I'm an M. >> On my toes. >> There you go. Thank you so much. I keep seeing these proofery arms fly like there's things going wrong. It's like no, >> you seem a little There's something going on with you. Yeah. Maybe a little caffeine. I don't know. Okay. Trip approval request Philadelphia PA US history trip. Can I please get a motion? >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? I >> I >> opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. >> Audit committee. >> And then wait, wait, wait. We're walking one on. We're walking one on. Item N. I haven't completely lost it. This is um this is the resolution to accept the audit committee. the um the financial
070statements actually um and we're going to read it out loud because it's not in your agenda. Be it resolved that the board of education accepts as recommended by the audit committee the annual audit report and the extracummity fund audit report prepared by our independent auditor Dark Angel & Company LLP for the year ended June 30th, 2025. Can I please get a motion? >> So moved >> and a second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? I'm going to hand it over to Donna so she can say a few things from the audit committee we had earlier. >> So, uh, earlier today the audit committee met. Uh, several board members were not a couple board members were not there in person, but they did read the all the documentation, provided feedback, um, positive feedback. Um, we
071met uh with our auditor, Mr. Roy Miller of Dark Angelo. Uh, Kevin Jessica Servidio and Lauri Marggoian were also there. And um so good news, the auditors re issued an unqualified opinion which is the best you can get. So that was great. Um they also audit the extra classroom activity fund uh which was a um a qualified opinion. So I guess that's that's kind of typical. We've had that years before. It's not a material matter though. So we we did not feel that was a concern. Um so the auditors completed the financial statements extracurricular activity audit as I mentioned but that's a bulk of the work. Uh there is also an additional portion called the single audit uh which is of federal funds that we get uh that could not be completed because of delays
072in the federal government and issuing guidelines and now with the shutdown it's it's just delayed. So there's that that small amount of it will have to be done later and then they'll be submitting that as well. There will be another additional part coming. Um, but this is the bulk of it. We reviewed, we thought it looked good, and we recommended that we we proceed uh for accepting it. And we want to thank uh Laura Marosi and Jessica Sabidio for for all their work on on the audit. >> Thank you very much. Does anybody have any questions for the audit committee as we move forward here? >> All right. Thank you. Seeing all seeing that all those in favor? I >> opposed. Extension. Motion passes. Um, thank you. Then moving on to future discussion items. I
073think this is from that I don't think we have we already did this one. >> We did there just to keep track. >> Okay. Um, and then uh does anybody have any future? So, we don't have any hangover future discussion items from other times, but if there's anybody that they'd like to bring forward today. Seeing none, moving on to the 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 an extensive and thorough review. May I please get a motion for the consent agenda? >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion or comments? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Abstensions. Motion passes. takes us all the way
074to page 22, I believe. Um, and I believe we have no other public comment. Correct. Um, and that moves us on to committee reports, advocacy. Um, nothing new. Uh, the NISPA business meeting takes place this coming Thursday. Um, so I might have a little something say next time. >> Okay. Um but other than that, I will say um those of us Sophia is not here, but on the um advocacy committee, we had a couple questions amongst ourselves about a couple of the resolutions and wanting to make sure that the money for a mandate would not come out of our educational money pool. Um, we had a Q&A with the NISPA um, directors uh, last week via Zoom and that was brought up to them and they are well aware that when they're advocating for us
075um, they're ex looking for new money to come, not to be using money that if you know if the state were all of a sudden to be handing out money for their mandates it's they're expecting it to be new money, not money we've already earmarked for other things in the district. So, I was happy to hear that their thinking is our thinking >> um as they advocate for us. >> But beyond that, nothing else going on at this moment. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Audit, was there anything else you want to >> uh No, we have no future committee meetings planned. >> Okay, Kathy. Okay. Policy. Uh the policy committee met on Wednesday, October 8th. We reviewed the spreadsheet that uh Dr. Mananti showed you before uh that Francesca and Justine from Erie 1 created
076during the summer on what policies that needed to be reviewed, retired, and updated. Uh we started with the 1000s and the 8,000 policies. Um the policies that were going to be retired were on today's agenda. Um I want to give us just a special thanks to Franchesca um who's assisting with all the policy work this year and a communicator with Justine with Erie One Boseies. Um Mr. John Orcut he was at our meeting. Uh he discussed various curriculum and instruction policies and of course Dr. Benante for his guidance with this new uh process that we're trying. Our next meeting is scheduled for November 12th. Uh we will begin to look at policies under the 2000s, 3000s, and if we're lucky, the 4,000s. Um any of those needing to be reviewed, updated, or retired. Thank you
077very much. That moves us on to organization reports. See, the Arlington Education Foundation Um, well, we all got an email from Phil letting us know that um, we have hired a new executive director. Her name is Le June Grant. I haven't met her yet. Um, but I have seen her resume and I have um, interacted with her on email. Um, and I think we're in a really good place. She has a great background in um, marketing and fundraising and PR. She founded her uh and she's CEO of a production company and she's an Arlington grad. >> So that's good news. >> Um I didn't mention this last time. I was a little jetlagged. Um the so the ATA working with the Arlington PTA usually does um a fundraiser for the education foundation um an annual
078morning movie at the Roosevelt and usually they do it in December but this year they've moved it up. They're doing it um October 25th and they're doing Hocus Pocus. So a little bit of change >> there. Um so that's coming up. And then of course restaurant week is the first week in November when all the restaurants are set. I'll make sure that you all know about that so you can eat out the full week. Um and then there's some other stuff coming up. Um more fundraisers, but I'll let you know about that as we get there. >> Excellent. >> The next meeting isn't until November, so we have some time. >> Okay. Thank you, Duchess County School Boards. >> Yes. Uh we met last Thursday, October 2nd, uh via Zoom. Um, we had Brian Pesler,
079the director of NISBA's governmental relations, um, just to also review the resolution handbook and talk about the business meeting. Um, and I can segue right into the Boseies, >> please. All right. Okay. Um, so Boseies has a new playground um for their elementary building down at the bottom of the hill on the left. Um, that was completed over the summer. um as far as uh advocacy on their part and the rest of the state. Um it was interesting. I also attended um another meeting with one of our um congressmen, albeit his aid. Um and it w it was interesting that one of the school districts um in particular had brought this point forward during the meeting with the uh the congressman that part of this federal shutdown and the the flow of money from the
080federal government um is hitting some school districts in New York State and the country um much harder and others in terms of uh grant money lost for programs that they had put forth to run for students um hiring staff and providing students with services that all of a sudden now there is no money. So people are potentially uh losing their jobs. Um and sadly some of the reason for the the grant being denied moving forward is about language used in the grant and the way under the previous administration you needed to use certain language to get a grant. that language in the present um time is not acceptable and therefore people are stumbling to try to figure out how to rewrite grants and hopefully get some money back to themselves. So that was I heard
081that twice within one week in different um different spaces. um Boseies hosted a session for exeicio student board members um from around the county and um their strategic planning over the summer is the blueprint for excellence. Their capital planning is underway. Um Jody pointed out that there are guidance documents for portrait of a graduate on the state ed website and I think that was kind of her highlights. She was speaking quickly to get us through to the end. So that's that's the Bosey's update. >> Our next meeting, just to >> yeah, >> segue back into Duchess County School Boards. Um the next meeting is Thursday, November 6th, also via Zoom. Um we'll be doing Albany issues update with Oscar or her associates will join us for that one. >> They've joined before. Okay. >> Yeah,
082they seem to go back and forth between Shaw, the other group. So, it's the other group's turn. >> Okay, that sounds good. Um PTA PTSA, thank you. So, I got a shout out earlier in the meeting that the first meeting is going to be the 29th, not yes. The 29th of October. Um, I'm going to have to I only just today RSVP to attend the Bonanza concert. So, I've got a little conflict there, but we'll see. We'll figure that one out. But, I'm happy to see the the PTSA is working and I love to go to their meeting. So, we'll we'll move forward slowly and figure something out. Um, district health and safety >> meeting tomorrow morning. >> Tomorrow morning. Excellent. And district equity. >> Um, we're meeting Thursday. Um, we're going to spend some
083time working with the first few chapters of overcoming the achievement gap trap. Um, we're going to review the bias incident response handbook. And then there's time for the groups that are working together. Um and just so that you know where the focus is, those groups are um looking at curricular curriculum alignment. So ensuring that um the curriculum as it's written and the resources also are supported uh support the equity work that we're doing. um continuation of wellness and belonging looking at student academic ada academic performance with the equity lens and um then looking at family and community engagement. >> So four groups >> four groups. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. Look forward to hear more about that. Um that brings us to superintendent closing remarks. >> Just a few items. Uh I just want to
084remind the board that next Tuesday, excuse me, we have a committee of the whole meeting. Tetrate Techch will be joining us. Uh as will Palumbo to talk about the status of the Lrange and West Road, excuse me, projects and I know they have some visuals that they look forward to sharing with you as well as some of the classroom designs and what they'll look like at the end of uh construction. Maryanne and Jeff, I think would have already had the opportunity to see those at our monthly meeting. Um but uh I'm really excited at how uh that those projects look to be shaping up. Uh Maryann, you mentioned uh funding and I I did just want to um add credence to what you shared regarding concerns related to funding. It's been a bit of a
085roller coaster uh this year and I I can't liken it to any other time I've been in um school leadership in that I think we were concerned about federal funding um through the summer months for for policy related uh reasons. Now we're concerned about federal funding because of shutdown related uh reasons. So just as you monitor that, you know, as trustees in the news and whatnot, it is something that's uh increasing of increasing concern for us as an administration. Um and unfortunately because no one is in their office to answer a phone in Washington, you can't really get any a reassurance or an answer on on things that you would be inclined to call and and reach out on. Um uh lastly uh unrelated to that, I had the opportunity to represent the district at
086a lower Hudson Council meeting last week uh with the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's executive director. It's a lot of words, but Robert Zas, wonderful person, um who was willing, uh to to stand up in a room with 90 superintendents uh to express concerns regarding private and parochial schools ability uh to compete in postseason competition against public schools. uh which in in our particular area um we're a AAA we're we're a large high school so we compete at the large school level there's not a lot of parochial private schools that compete in postseason play against Arlington uh but there are at the levels below us and uh when it's nothing you know it's no disrespect to a private or parochial school but they don't have uh they're what we refer to as
087schools without boundaries in that they can recruit students from a large area uh sometimes a tri-state area uh to come play for them and and they do and uh that creates a a significant competitive imbalance when it comes to postseason competition and uh uh so um I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Zas and share some concerns as it relates to that um along with a few of my colleagues and I just wanted to draw your uh attention to that matter should you see anything uh related to it in the months ahead. That's all I have. That's it. Thank you very much. That brings us on to board reflections. Does anyone have anything like Brian? >> So, I wanted to thank all of you guys who were able to attend the 49th annual Arlington
088Home Show. Um, the weather cooperated. We're able to move the show up and complete everything, get everyone out on time safely. Um, there are going to be a few more opportunities for people to see the band before National Championship in Syracuse. Um, Friday, October 17th, um, halftime at the football game versus Suffren. Sunday at Kingston um uh high school will be performing at 2:44 p.m. And finally, the senior sendoff on October 25th at 3 p.m. which is free to the public and a great chance for everyone to see the band and wish them a good performance um in nationals of Syracuse. And quickly just want to congratulate the 23 seniors that are on the team. Um, Lorraine Amarati, Xavier Bell, Jamira Davis, Peyton, Dilla, Deljudis, uh, Noah Denta, Xavier, uh, Durandis, Panel Gandhi, Noah Gilman,
089Patrick Gray, Michaela Kennedy, Sergio Lamores, um, Kylie M, uh, Matias, um, Victor Morando, Derek Mueller, Alex Papa, um, Connor Riley, Richard Sehey, uh, Nikai Stump, Chelsea Taylor, Heba, Tjar, Ray Ben, Ben Sotin, apologize for the pronunciations, Leila Webb, and of course, the closest to my heart, Rihanna Arnold. So, thank you guys again, and uh we'll see you guys soon. Appreciate it. >> Okay, anybody else have some reflections they'd like to share? >> I have a couple. Um, I attended the Hall of Fame. Um, I just want to thank uh Mr. Cring um and our former board member Dave Goddard who started the Hall of Fame and um Napor who works so hard on it. You know, all these people that work so hard. It's a It's a really nice event, but what's really nice about
090it is you can see how um it's kind of like when you said we we hired a woman for the Arlington Education Foundation or they hired someone who was an Arlington graduate. All these things add to a sense of larger community where people feel connected back and appreciated for things they did. You know, some of the people spoke they were being recognized for something that occurred 40 years ago and you see them like a young person sort of reliving the moment on the field and the exciting thing, you know, it's just it's nice to see and it's nice that that we take the moment and and um create that sense of community for our for our uh for our community. So, that was I thought was really good. Um, I want to thank Fran and
091um and Arthur May for all the work that went into making this such a lovely board appreciation event. Uh, it's really appreciated by us. So, thank you so much. Um, and finally, I Does everybody have any more? Because I'm just going on and on here. I have one more. I have a I have a um I have a reflection for Melissa on our new website. I have had an opportunity several times to have to look something up and the search function is excellent. I have just hit I don't know how many times and after being on the board a while and not hitting sometimes, you know, it's just delightful. And actually, one of them was the Hall of Fame. I was going to call Francesca and say, "You know what? Some board members would really
092like to know who's being honored in the Hall of Fame." I started to write it out like, "Mary, why don't you just try just try to do it yourself?" you know, and I'm telling you, just like that, it came right up. Told me all the people that were going to be honored and I want to thank you for the work that you put into that. And um there have been other examples, too. But but thank you for that. >> This is great. Can Can we give you breaking news on the website? >> What >> can you share? We're going to unveil unveil a new feature >> really >> that you're going to love. If you love the search feature, you're going to love this. I was going to say I was thinking just that we're
093introducing I believe December 1st our new chat box bot which will allow people to ask questions and will provide us with some great analytics as well as >> um feedback on what what might be missing from our website. >> So really excited to launch that. >> You just talk to it or write to it and we'll do the search for you. >> Wow. >> On the website. >> Wow. >> Well, that's great. Like I say, I've been mostly looking for very specific information like calendar, you know, sometimes really oddly it would have been very hard to find the calendar sometimes and it was just like bang, you know, and and not like some calendar that you don't want with the real calendar, right? So, um anyway, I just wanted to say thank you and it's
094been noticed and appreciated. I >> think you're not the only person that feels like that. I think you hear the buzz around the district that people really find it so much better. So, kudos. Good job of shouting that out. Um, any other reflections? Seeing none, um, I'm going to call for an adjournment. Can I please get a motion to adjourn? >> So, move. >> Thank you. Um, all those in favor