001Okay. Uh, this is the call to order for the East Or Union Free School District Board of Education meeting October 20th, 2025. Uh, please join me in the flag. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you all. May I have a motion to enter executive session uh to discuss matters relating to the possible promotion or discipline of one employee, negotiations with the EA and the EA CSPA matters relating to the appointment or resignation of two employees. matters protected by furpa and the superintendent's evaluation. >> So moved. >> Moved by um Miss Arrest, second by Mrs. Whitel. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? And that's pass 5. >>
002Thank you for joining us everyone. Uh we are returning from executive session where we discussed matters relating to the possible promotion or discipline of one employee, negotiations with the EA and the EA CSPA, matters relating to the appointment or resignation of two employees, matters protected by FURPA and the superintendent's evaluation. And we are back into uh open session. Uh, do you have any agenda [snorts] changes? >> No agenda changes. Um, round to item five, items requiring board action. Uh, the superintendent recommends the board of education grant tenure to Mary Chambers 1.0 FTEE school psychologist behavior specialists in the area of psychology anticipated effective January 18th, 2026. May I have a motion? [clears throat] So moved >> moved by Dr. Emproa. Second >> Second by uh Mrs. Whitel. Discussion. >> All in favor? >> I >>
003opposed abstensions. That's pass 6. [clears throat] >> Start over there. OKAY, [applause] >> thanks for joining. >> Thank you very much. >> All right, folks. We're going to move on to item six, uh, community member comments. Um, just as a reminder, uh, that, um, each speaker is given three minutes to address the board. Uh, the board, uh, may or may not respond, uh, to the person. These aren't these aren't intended to be back and forths, but ratherformational for the board to hear from the public. Um, and with that, we have one card submitted, and that would be um Sean and Bin Patterson here to speak about girls and boys hockey. >> Thank you. I'm Sean Bin, you can sit there, but first off, uh, thank you. So, this is following up on our meeting in
004the spring and the letter submitted recently. Um, and then if everybody supporting hockey that came here, I want to thank you guys all to show your support. So, if you could stand up for a second just to show. So, um, point here is we have an incredible an incredible amount of community support. We have, as you guys know, this has been in the works for 10 plus years. We have now over 240 kids in the East Aurora Ice Hockey Association. We have um over the last few years kind of worked through all the big issues that we've heard uh from the board through Brian Lombardo. He's been very supportive and just knocking down the barriers. Um in the spring meeting, we presented uh we raised a significant amount of funding to pay for girls hockey.
005um that has that funding is still sitting there. Uh we have now um the feedback there was that um we could not uh the optics with the bad budget year uh the um you know method to actually pay for hockey wasn't really in place. So, it was suggested to go to the educational foundation to have a separate fund. Takes away all the financial risk from the school, sets up a long-term plan. We propose an an endowment that would fund hockey for as long as it needs to be. Um, so, uh, we had that meeting this, uh, recently. Um, and then that was basically shut down again. Uh, the reasons were, [clears throat] uh, mainly that I've heard were, uh, we don't have boys hockey. it's not fair to the boys. So, um I'm here to
006also say if that is the issue, then we will fund boys hockey as well. Um I am willing to set up a long-term endowment. I know boys hockey is quite a bit more than girls. Um I think $40,000 a year. Um I have a high degree of confidence we can get hundreds of thousands of dollars to sit in a fund to fund girls and boys hockey. biggest pressing issue right now is we have um as we talked about last time, we have one final chance to get a girls team and partner with Orchard Park and Frontier. That requires absolutely no school resources. Um everything is in place. Um that needs to happen right away. Um these girls don't have a you can see them. They have no place to play. Boys have club hockey. Um,
007it's not school, but we have a modified, a JV, a varsity team. So, what I'm proposing is we start girls hockey this year. All the funding can be paid for. We have over 10 years worth of that already. And then I'm proposing that we meet over uh we agree to fund boys hockey as well. and we spend the next, you know, 6 months figuring out how much money the board needs uh to feel comfortable to to pay for that long term. Um there is a tremendous amount of sport uh uh support for that. So um the last thing is girls have one less sport in the winter. Um all they can do it's it's basketball. They can cheerlead for the boys basketball team or they can run indoor track at Howland. That's it. Um, wrestling
008was suggested, but boys and girls wrestling, I don't think that's happened. So, they have one less sport. They have no way to play hockey. All the funding's in place. The optics are away from the school. We understand all the other issues you guys have to deal with. Uh, and so I'm really begging on behalf of the whole community to take the money, work with us, work with the foundation to fund hockey. It's been many, many years. These teams, other schools, they've been in place for, you know, 10, 15 years now. They're not going away. I know there's been issues with indoor track team and other things. Girls partnering with Orchard Park, Frontier, big schools. It's not going anywhere. with the Aurora Ice Association. It continues to feed hockey players and they keep leaving the district
009or they end up quitting a sport they grew up playing. So, I'll shut up. Thank you for your time. I would love to meet um we don't have a lot of time uh for girls. I think we have a decent amount of time for boys. Lastly, funding wise, these parents with kids that play club hockey all pay over $1,000 a year for the kids to play in that league. The money is there. um just work with us to get the teams. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you, Mr. I I should have done this in advance, but I do want to just confirm with the board members that um uh on the emails that we've received since our September 25th meeting. Um, so going through these, uh, we received an email from Steve Sherowski with
010regards to the capital project presentation. The Parkdale PTO for FallFest. Uh, Mr. Russ sent us an email on grading with grading articles. Uh, uh, Mrs. Perry sent us something on the new podcast. We received two emails from uh, Shelley Ferillo on girls cheer. And then we received emails on girls hockey from Sean Patterson. Uh Bridg uh Ross Putino, uh Sharon Turlington, uh Donald Janis, Calder Flynn, Jeremy Jaggy, uh Katherine Mard, uh Nathan Easter, Michael Brennan, Nick Bond, uh Ann Marie Mat, uh Heather Solder, uh Greg Whitman, Katie I don't know how to pronounce it. >> Keamse and uh Kevin Doring. Uh and I just want to confirm with board members they all received those and had an opportunity to thank you all very much. Okay. Um we are moving on to item seven, superintendent comments.
011Um yes, you just have one for the board tonight. Um based on the cash flow provided by uh BCC, the district will need to issue the remaining debt in December uh for the capital facilities project. Uh we look to sell about uh 7,394,746 uh dollars in bond anticipation notes on November 19th and close and fund on December 3rd, 2025 to mature uh December 2nd uh 2026. In 2026, the bands would then be converted to bonds or rolled over into bands depending on the market conditions. That's it. >> All right. Uh, administrators. Are there any administrators who'd like to address the board? >> All right. I'll go first. Um, about a week and a half ago, we had our favorite event of the year in my opinion, our [clears throat] fall fest sponsored by our PTO.
012Um, a highly successful event. Um, tons of baskets that were raffled off. The magician was great. Bounce houses. Um, just lots of family fun all over. The bike bus joined us. fire department. So, thank you to our PTO for hosting such an incredible event for our entire community because there were people there who didn't even have kids at Parkdale yet. Um, but we're just excited to be a part of that event. So, thank you. Um, coming up, we are very excited at Parkdale to be hosting our very first ever readathon. Um, and it's going to be kind of twofold. We obviously love to spark the joy of reading and our youngest learners. Um, so we're hosting 10 days of reading at Parkdale. that's also pairing as a fundraiser for our phase one of our playground
013um which includes our students with disabilities and prek playground. Um so starting November 3rd, we are kicking off our readathon and students across the two weeks of school are going to be engaging in partner reading. We're going to be doing a one school one book where we read the same book to all of our students at the same time. They're reading in the dark with glow sticks. They're buddying up with classrooms. So, just a lot of really great events um to get kids, you know, enjoying reading um while also raising funds for something that we know we need to add to the Parkdale community as soon as possible. Um so, we're very excited. So, stay tuned. Um we are going to be putting out some videos to highlight some of our mystery readers that are
014going to be taking place. Um and also just the fun that'll be happening at Parkdale. So, that's what we have going on there. >> Parker, anyone else? Just real quickly, just a couple past events. We've had our small family social. So, thank you to our PTO. This is the third year that we've had this uh outside on the lawn, food trucks, games, uh super well attended. So, we supporting that. We also had an assembly about two weeks ago and uh some of the high schoolers might remember. His name is Brad Herig and we brought him back because he was so amazing. Uh quick story, he lost both of his arms from about elbow down when he was in high school. Uh came back to be a high school football player, collegiate football player, uh and
015turned out to have a really successful life. You'll never find the middle school uh as quiet as it was uh with everybody in one room for a whole hour. These kids were just so engaged. We followed that up with a community circle shortly after that. We do these once a month where the school just pauses and we we circle up. and uh the message was around his his message of [cough] find the way. So it was uh really his message of practices. And this Friday is our popular uh decades dance. Uh still uh sticking with the same theme year after year and kids will love that for grades five through eight. So um if you're bored on Friday night, swing by here. We'll have a couple hundred kids in the cafeteria. >> Thank you. >>
016Thanks, Mr. Lero. Thanks for the invitation. >> I don't want to ask >> Mr. Lombardo. >> Um, want to thank again the board and the support we've had. I wasn't at the 25th meeting after the tour, but you kind of saw the activity we had on the fields and the courts. um how successful this fall season has been with them and even now as we're getting into playoffs and practices, we were able to get a modified game up on the turf and they were very excited um to have that opportunity and things we just haven't been able to offer in the past. We are the fun part for athletics is we're now in kind of getting into our playoffs. Um ECIC's are done for boys and girls golf. Girls tennis is actually already completed as
017they were the section finalist. We had four division winners in boys soccer, boys golf, girls tennis, girls cross country, boys volleyball plays a match on Thursday night for the division title as well. And we are into playoff season. Girls soccer for those that are um looking for something to do at 6:00. Girls soccer will open their section playoffs um right at our stadium as a number five seed tomorrow night at 6 PM. So from there, everything else is kind of going to go. The boys soccer team meeting is soon, girls volleyball, boys volleyball, all those evenings are coming up and we're into that time frame where it gets kind of fun and stressful and exciting for our student athletes who are here nodding their heads at me right now because they understand that too. >>
018Well, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Lombardo. >> No other administrators. >> We had a textbook committee meeting. >> Excellent. >> Meeting [laughter] um it was a couple weeks ago, so we approved the adoption of and then boom for sixth grade English again. Um, it's a novel. It follows a boy navigating a difficult childhood until he's fostered by a family on a farm. Um, they selected this book to replace the Lightning Thief, which they've read forever and they love, but they're finding that many students have already read it or have seen the movie. So, they wanted to provide a fresh highinterest option. Um, and the teachers are going to use the book to practice analyzing figurative language and to compare and contrast themes with historical fiction texts. >> That's all I got. >> Thank you,
019Miss Lions. Final chance for administrative. >> Great. Thank you all for being here. Really appreciate it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um and my apologies. I meant to say this sooner just for the people who are with um the board will be considering this over the next month and so we'll be having discussions and we'll be responding to your letters. Um so um uh they just need some time to evaluate what's been presented to them and so we'll be prepared uh next month to share that with you. >> Great. Thank you. >> Uh we are moving on to item nine uh board presidents and board members comments and committee reports. Um, I will just say that uh last Thursday uh on behalf of the uh district I represented uh well I represented the board at the uh
020annual business meeting for NISBA uh and that is where we go through the legislative priorities uh for uh our association. Um I will I am happy to report the meeting was only six hours long. um and not eight as it has been uh in the past. So it was that was progress I would say. Um you should should all have received a uh a copy of the resolutions uh that were uh approved. Uh and I believe that there will be more information that comes out. Um uh typically we see that uh in email format but um uh I thought the meeting went really well. there was a lot of um good discussion and uh and yeah so but that being said I am certainly open to handing that off to someone next year [laughter] um
021Charlie maybe no um but uh but yeah so uh also in uh something that uh I have and I can share with any of you is the legislative committee handbook from uh ECASB um again some uh some great information in here. And on that note, I want to uh welcome uh David Lowry, uh our executive director from ECASB and our area 1 uh director from NISPA uh who's here with us tonight as he does once a year. We appreciate you taking the time to come here. Um the final thing uh that I [cough] have here [clears throat] is we have the um information from the Erie Tubosis uh regarding their uh annual meeting and the vote for their administrative budget. Um potential dates uh for the annual meeting are Tuesday, April 14th and Wednesday, April
02215th. And for the uh the vote um uh they've got dates here of April 16th, 22nd, 23rd, and 28th. Um so I can send that we can send that out uh following the meeting. I don't know if >> it's on the agenda to be discussed. >> Oh, it is. Okay, great. So we'll have that discussion >> also later. Um, no. Was that I will hand it over to uh Mr. Schwitz. >> Uh, so I went to the park fallest which was a lot of fun. I went and volunteered and it was so wonderful to see all the little kids running around and the parents again. So I was I appreciated that invite for the team. Uh I also went to the textbook committee meeting and I then read the book and it was fascinating and
023wonderful. I think the kids will really love it. So that's great. And then this coming week several of us have the New York State School Board. This keep saying this but New York State School Board Institution annual meeting. So I'm looking forward to that as well. >> Thank you. Um, I don't have much other than to say homecoming was lots of fun. Everything from the parades to the floats to just the involvement and the community involvement. I um I was late and I really wanted to see everybody. So, I ended up riding behind the parade on my bike um following it. But what I saw is something that I I usually just watch it from one point. what I saw is the number of people that were out along Main Street, but then along the
024whole parade path, which I didn't quite I mean, you everybody who's in the parade knew that, but I didn't know that. And so that was really neat to see the number of community members who may or may not be watching somebody they know in the parade out there watching the parade. So, I I really loved that. Um, and I especially loved when they got to the elementary school to be able to see the the the joy on the little on the little ones faces. That was that was awesome. Um then all the activities that for homecoming I just I attended those. It was fascinating to uh or the the tailgate for families was was excellent. Um and then football game. It was just a very well-run um evening followed by the dance the next day
025which I volunteered at. Um which was just a beautiful night and very very well attended. So, in general, that uh homecoming was great. >> That's it. >> And thank you. I just remembered something and I can't believe I I I lost my almost lost opportunity to one of our biggest audiences that if you don't already subscribe to Blue DBTV on YouTube, please do. Uh all we we broadcast sports there all the time and uh the schoolboard meetings are posted uh after the meetings. are not live streamed, thank God. Um, and uh there are other things on there like the uh uh there's been a podcast uh that has started and this uh most recent episode stars uh Mr. Mertzoff uh from our building and grounds uh and uh talks about our our capital project. There's
026an increasing amount of really good information uh on on BTV. Plus, there's wake up EA every morning. the if you need information on the news what's going on at the high school, it's a great way to get informed. >> The middle school does not as well. >> Yeah, the the middle school is is doing some uh announcements as well. And last year, I know Parkdale had it once, I believe. Um so just tell tell your friends, uh tell your neighbors. Uh thank you. U my alarm clocks right here. >> Please do. >> Uh yeah, I do a report. The audit committee met on September 29th. Committee members, Mr. Brunson, AD, [laughter] Phil, Cadet, and I attended the meeting along with the superintendent, business administrator, and district treasurer. At the committee meeting, the auditors from Lumston
027McCormick who performed the district's internal risk assessment audit and treasure in Milwaukee who performed external audit presented their respective findings for fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. minutes of the meeting and the detailed information that was presented at the meeting are included in your schoolboard packet. An important point for you to remember as you review the two separate reports is that the external audit is a comprehensive audit process that has to follow established guidelines throughout the audit process with little flexibility and how the audit document is prepared. The internal audit process on the other hand is a much more flexible process that allows for the school district representatives to determine which operational areas to focus on from year to year. This risk assessment log document is being put together. Finally, both documents support the good
028work being performed in the business office specifically and by the school district as a whole. The audit committee recommends the board of education approve both the internal risk assessment audit and the external audit reports for fiscal year ending June 30th 2025. And then just on another topic, the schoolboard visitations are scheduled for Friday, September 7th at Parkdale in the morning and a middle school in the afternoon. Little high school visitation will take place Monday morning, November 10th. >> Thanks, Mr. Roberts. >> Mr. better. [clears throat] >> Um, I want to say thank you for my uh shirt and uh my sign. I really appreciate those. They're I'm going to put out on my lawn. I'm going to wear my shirt soon. Um, [laughter] and then also uh for homecoming update of homecoming, I thought all
029of it was run really well and especially a football game. I thought our student section was well attended. We looked pretty cool in all blacks. I thought that was really cool. But yeah, >> awesome. Thank you. >> So, you have a lawn sign. I do >> for for for school board appreciation month. >> Well, there you go. And it seems to me that you're close enough to be thinking about actually being a full-fledged school >> board. [laughter] Save that sign that Mr. Brunson. >> Thank you. >> I concur with Mr. Blower's uh remarks with regard to the audit committee which I attended and and I want to thank uh um the the members of the audit committee for their participation. Your dad, AJ Block, and in particular Paul Blower's leadership uh to help us to
030monitor. It's not the it's the it's not the most uh uh entertaining part of being a school board member, but it's important that we that we keep an eye on the finances of the district and that we and that we treat that whole matter seriously. And so, uh I add my congratulations to Superintendent Russ and his staff uh for the the uh for the excellent audit that we hear in. Thank you very much for that. >> Thank you. I do not have anything to add this evening. >> Excellent. >> Yep. Please do. >> Um so I I I usually Mr. Roberts, Mr. Skullski would be here tonight. Um but they're both tied up with with other engagements. And I just want to comment too on homecoming. I thought um I have been to many many
031homecoming uh celebrations. And um I have to say the pep assembly this year was maybe amongst the best. Uh the dances and the competition were hilarious. Um there's so much great camaraderie and just it's such a positive way to start the weekend. And I have to say I couldn't be more proud of our students because they are kind and accepting and together and having fun. It's just about as good as it gets. So Charlie, you can take that back. And the people who are here today, our students and their parents should feel very proud because uh we're just so lucky to be able to celebrate that way and our you can just feel it in the room. There's just this positive energy and um I just wanted to share that with >> just oh it
032was a it was a great weekend. >> Um Eric, we are moving on to item 10 legislation. Uh is there are there any legislation Uh item one, reports and discussions items uh uh letter A, the 2425 school district previously advertised. >> Good evening everyone. Uh my name is Jar. from fresh like that is external auditors mentioned earlier this pass out a short present within here we're just going to go over uh some of the products of our audit and then just some trends we've seen at the school district with in terms of general fund itself. So on the first slide, um as of now, we've already issued the financial statements. Um we completed fieldwork couple months ago. Um there's usually some wrap up information we need from state federal government. Uh your attorneys tend to
033be a little bit slow in responding to. Um but everything was met by the October 15th deadline. So we're all set on our end for the most part. Uh the basic financial statements are the main reason we're brought into the district to perform the audit to be you know just an objective third party take a look at your financial information and then provide an opinion on your financial statements that those are free from material misstatement. Within the financial statements you'll see two different audit opinions that are on our letterhead. One is on the financial statements themselves saying that the numbers are good to go. The other is on government auditing standards which is a separate compliance audit that we perform. In the past there would be a third opinion there on it's called the uniform
034guidance or federal awards. The current year financial statements don't have those because we're still waiting on guidance from the federal government that hasn't been issued yet. [clears throat] If you were to hold up this year's financial statements to last year's financial statements, there's one other item you'll notice. Um, the school district implemented what's called Gazsby Statement 101, which changed the way you record your compensated absences. You're going to see a separate footnote for a restatement of that position. And then you'll notice that that liability is quite a bit larger this year compared to last year. There's no real difference from the district. It doesn't impact the general fund or anything like that, but it is going to be presented a little bit differently. The second item on the list here is the management letter. This
035is what we use to provide any recommendations to the district. Um, in the current year, we just had a minor payroll item that we wanted to communicate. And then we also like to put in future Gazsby statements that district should be aware of in case it's going to change any operations, but the ones that are coming up aren't very impactful. Auditor communication letter is a required letter from our firm to the district that it kind of lays out our responsibility for the [cough] audit and then the board's responsibility for the audit. We like to make it clear that we only own the parts of the financial statements that are on our letterhead. All the other information in there is the district's and is owned by management. We compile it, but it's all provided to us
036by the district. If we had any disagreements with management over a certain accounting treatment or we were restricted on access information, we would be required to communicate that to you as well. We didn't have anything like that. We believe we got free and open access to the district's post. Everybody at our firm, including myself, is required to be independent of the district, and we require all of our staff to sign off that there's no conflicts of interest between us or anybody on the board or anybody in this district's management. The final item here is the extra classroom activity report. This is a separate cash basis standalone report that just shows the receipts and dispersements of the district's clubs and uh you know activ extracurricular activities. So on the next slide [clears throat] get into some
037of the general fund trends. This one shows the revenues of expenditures of the district. Uh note that that doesn't include things like bond issuances and uh transfers between >> the top line there is or the blue line there is the revenue and as you can see past 5 years have been fairly consistent. Those lines are just kind of tracking right with each other and that's from a budget perspective kind of ideally what what you want to see. You don't want to see big wide variations between revenues and expenditures. In the current year, revenue increased about a million dollars from 44.1 million to 45.1 million. That's primarily due to increases in property tax collection. On the expenditure side went from about 42.3 million to 45.8 million. And that's kind of that was spread out a bunch
038amongst a bunch of different categories. So judgments and claims, salaries, contractual, all kind of increased like inflationary pressure. Um, overall your expenditures exceeded revenues by about $130,000. And if you go to the next slide, you see your overall fund balance position [clears throat] from about 7.3 million in 2324 to 7.2 million and 2425. This slide shows it broken up between your restricted and unrestricted portions. So that $4.7 million, that's what comprises all your different restricted fund balance or your reserves. And then the unrestricted portion, that 2.4 million, that's what your unassigned and assigned fund balance. And I show that in a little bit more detail on the next slide. So as you can see, your primary reserves are your capital project employee benefits and retirement reserves. There weren't any large contributions to any of those
039in the current year. The increases is primarily just interest earnings throughout the year. In that other category at the top, that one shrank about $200,000. That's your repair taxi and your liability reserve which was liquidated in the current year to pay those judgments and claims. And on the next slide showed the unrestricted fund balance. Um the categories here being that top portion of $11,000 is incumbrances. So these are purchase orders that were part of the 23 2425 budget that are going to be expensed in next year's fiscal year. The 77,000 that's what [clears throat] was assigned during the budget process. And then that 1.7 million is completely unassigned. So that's funds that could be used for at the district's discretion. That amount, which you can see on the next slide, is subject to a real
040property tax law limit where you can only maintain 4% unassigned fund balance of next year's budget. And as you can see on the chart, >> currently at 3.7, so well within that that legal requirement. That's pretty much all I have. If anybody has any questions, uh, feel free to go ahead and shoot. Um, if not, I have my contact information as well as Charles who is the uh director on the engagement. If anybody would like to feel free to reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns, be happy to address >> any questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Have a nice evening. Thanks for your time. Okay. On to item B, Capital Facilities Project up here. >> Um, yep. So the capital facilities project right now is funed in um sorry >> and
041I was making >> so it is uh the time if you choose seniors you may you met your hours uh obligation you don't have to go >> you can stay Bye. >> You're the good guy. the last check. >> I'm not the treasurer. >> It may maybe someone check. >> All right. >> Um, >> hey, thanks for sticking around the rest of you. We appreciate it. >> Um, yeah. So, capital facilities. Um, we're kind of in like a staging period for preparation for work in December. Uh, we're tying things up at the high school. Um, things are looking really good, but there's some final touches, railing, those types of things that need to be put in place. So, they're finishing that up. Uh, but as Mr. Lombardo said, the facilities have gone to good use
042right out of the gate. And like to thank our our construction management team and our architects for uh keeping things on track. these things always go astray, but they did a beautiful job uh preparing for the opening of school so our kids could participate. I think Charlie would say that he loves a new field for soccer and so um just a lot of good positive feedback from our athletes and parents alike. Uh so we're really grateful for what's happened there and we're really looking forward to the next phase of this project which will include um this space right here recreating a new library up media center also our family and consumer science classroom as well as upgrades through the main halls. uh HBAC and those types of things. So, we're looking forward to that getting
043started in December, January, uh with the hope that it will be concluded by next August. >> May I ask if the water was fixed, the the water that's outside in between the fields, >> the drinking fountain? >> Yeah, the drinking fountain. >> They haven't been able to address that yet. That is [clears throat] on the It's on the punch list. They'll uh they'll they will address that. They haven't yet. They've got to contact the manufacturer for that unit to find out why it's not working the way it is. They did test the water um and it seems to be everything seems to be within the proper levels. >> Okay, that's that's good to know. Thank you for that update. >> Ryan, what part do you say be done by next August? We're talking about the
044athletic. >> Yeah. Um so um all the facilities here uh so the uh the library and the consumer science class upgrades to the hall is all completed um for the opening of school next year. >> That's our that's our intention. >> All right. Uh moving on to item C. Uh the uh aforementioned uh Boseies dates. Um so again in our agenda we have the uh the options that I uh mentioned previously and so what we want to do is um respond to them uh with the dates that would be the date that would be best for the board for uh to attend the uh the annual meeting uh April 14th or 15th. I don't know if anyone has any uh preferences. >> Is that the one where we meet early in the morning? >> That
045would be the ne that would be the vote. >> This is the one we have it at a location. >> Oh, they invite we go there. >> Everyone. >> Yeah. So, so those are a Tuesday um and uh Wednesday tax. Um any any preferences for anyone on on either of those? [cough] [clears throat] Uh that's fine. I can uh we can let them know that either works. Uh and then for uh us to vote uh on the budget and that would be the >> morning >> the early morning vote that we tend to do. Uh we've got options of uh April 16th, April 22nd, April 23rd, or April 28th. >> I can't do the 22nd or the 23rd. The [clears throat] other two days are fine. We could >> Yeah, we could stay forward that
046would actually >> Yeah, technically >> be helpful helpful for me. >> The 16th. >> Yeah. Yeah. Would uh what would you all think about uh Thursday, April 16th at um 7:30? >> Yes. As long as we can be done by about 9, >> I think. Well, I think we'll be done by 8 at the latest. Um because we have agenda planning scheduled for then. Uh and Kim and I will just stick around. >> Yeah, it's just the vote usually. >> Yeah, usually that's that's about a 15. >> So, the 16th of it. >> Yeah, the 16th at 7:30. Uh and yeah, >> I'll take your All right. Great. Thank you all uh very much. Then move on to item D, the business office operations and financial reports. Ms. George. >> Hi. >> Hello. [clears throat]
047>> I'm going to report on the end of August today. Um our cash in the bank was about $4.6 million. um we had expended approximately 8% of our budget and received 59% of our budget. But please take note that's a little um confusing because the taxes, school taxes are in accounts receivable. So we didn't actually receive all the cash yet, but it's coming. Um our cash flow ties in the general fund. One um note for the board. Um as Jared um commented, our expenditures exceeded our revenues last year. Um and when we look at cash flow, that's something we'll have to keep a close eye on because when that happens, we could run out of cash to meet our obligations. on the cafeteria fund. I don't have much to report except that um Immaculate reached
048out to us um over this summer with Universal Feeding and we have added um Immaculate to receive lunches every day and Chef Mike and Personal Touch is doing a great job at getting that all coordinated and done. Um, in the federal fund, um, we expended a little over $200,000. Um, and that has to do with the summer school program. Um, and revenues, we received about $25,000 and those came from the education foundation, which is wonderful. Thank you. our capital fund over the summer as we're trying to finish up on the first phase at the high school. We spent just under a million dollars um over the summer and we didn't receive anything because we didn't go out to bond yet. Just interest earnings. That is all I have to date. Any questions? Thank you, Mr.
049George. Appreciate your move on to item 12, the uh consensus items. Is there any board member who wishes to uh withdraw anything uh from the consensus agenda? >> There are none. Uh are there any board members who have anything the consensus? We may have a motion uh to approve the consensus agenda. So moved >> by Miss Arrow, second by Mr. Blau. Any discussion? All in favor? opposed extensions. And that has passed 6. We fast forwarding all the way to page 17. >> Uh, page 17. Item 17 days a uh the superintendent recommends that the board of education approve uh the purchase of and the boom uh by at least I have a motion moved by Dr. second >> second by Mrs. Whitesel discussion >> the committee read the book or looked at it. >> I've
050read it. Yeah. And it's and then just >> Oh, hello. And then boom. >> And then I I think it's a great I think it'll be a great book for the kids to read and it's written in a way that I think will engage them and challenge them. >> It's well you you know we don't always have novels in there. you often times very ponderous texts they you know so heavy that you really couldn't carry them back if you're on that committee it's kind of fun to be able to read a novel rather than >> speaker absolutely >> texted chemistry >> um all in favor >> I opposed >> abstensions that's pass 6 uh item 17B. Uh the superintendent recommends the board of education approve price uh price decrease to the previously established milk prices
051for 2025 2026 as detailed in the agenda. May I have a motion? May I have a motion? >> Okay, I'll make a motion. I could have wrote down, right? >> Yes. Motion moved by Mr. Blau. Second, seconded by MRO. Discussion. >> Yes. >> So, I went back to um um personal touch to talk to them about some of the concerns about the price and uh they were able to bring the price down to 80 cents. In addition to that, they're also going to be built with a serial option. So if you take cereal as an option, milk's not included separately. So therefore, they're gonna every time a kid takes a cereal as an alle cart menu, they're going to get milk included. So they won't have to pay any additional cents. >> Oh, that's an
052if they take cereal as an alle cart item in addition to their the free meal. >> So they could actually get two milks at that free meal if they if they paid for the cereal. >> Yes, correct. >> Thank you for doing that. Nice. Eating cereal is pretty hard. >> Just it just because there's nowhere else to put it. Um there was the speaking last month of milk and milk is life and all the rest of that resonated with me. Um last September we sold about 10,000 cartons of milk. This September um and it we've sold 14,000. Um and part of that is that's even as they're learning the new system uh of the universal feeding. At the same time, we went from about a dozen alikart milks, which is what you just voted on,
053down to about five alle cart milks per day. So, um, if milk is life, we have a lot more life going on. Uh, because we're we're serving in SE and again, universal feeding has now taken off now that folks understand what it is. But even in just September where the first month or two folks are still making lunch, folks were still learning it out. We went from 10 to 14,000 cars in that month. Um, so it's and it's going up. We're >> The cows aren't happy, but we are. [laughter] >> Charles, uh, uh, do the students understand now that they can get breakfast and lunch? >> Um, I mean, I express it to a lot of my friends and now most of the mornings we sit in my math teacher's room eating cereal and milk.
054So, >> I love it. [laughter] Okay, >> that's a lot of us figured it out. >> Thank you. And and donuts on Wednesday. Yeah, >> the principles were making additional announcements to make sure that >> Oh, thank you. It's a wonderful addition to to uh making sure that there's secure uh nutrition for our people at least during the school year, you know, but there's more work to be done in this area. We we have we have them for 180 days a year. There's 365 days in a year. and you get hungry on days when these free lunches are not available. And so, so it's a challenge, I think, for the community and for community service agencies like the Rural Outreach Center, Boys and Girls Club, or any of these other groups that that look after
055young people uh on the days when we're not in school uh to uh uh to make sure that that they're not hungry. So, uh, whatever I can do to help with that, I'll be happy to join in any any endeavors to address that. Uh, and in the summer, when you think about I mean, we have a summer school program. Do we provide food for the summer? >> We don't qualify. We don't qualify. >> Yeah. So, there you go. So it it uh uh it the state of New York is to be congratulated for for making this change and uh and I thank the school district for making it come about and for working hard to so the students understand that they have this available to them. [cough] I think we all >> certainly hand off
056when I got hired here in 2007, you were an advocate for that food security. So this is just something involved right now for you. You've been pushing and following this. >> I've been on the milk watch for a long time. >> What's [laughter] that? >> I've been on the milk watch for a long time. >> Yeah. at least 07 before that probably. >> I would say just to comment on that that [laughter] this um this program is um beneficial to us because um even in the the restrictions or the qualifications have changed and more and more schools qualified. We did not. So, and uh now we do and so it's a great opportunity for >> you needed 25% of the students to qualify for free or free and reduced lunch in order to provide it
057for everyone. We were at 14% last year. What we were a prosperous community and they keep telling us that you know the state >> I just weigh in speaking of that and tying that to the budget conversation. Um there was a lot of concern that with universal feeding we would see less participation or free and reduced um uh participation and even though the food is free that number gets used in a lot of things that benefit kids benefits families and is a factor in the general aid formula that you get. I'm happy to report on this year's bed stay we um due to very concerned effort from um our social media team from our PTO's from our principles we actually had a higher free and reduced participation on this bad stay than we had last
058year. So even taking the free and reduced food kind of the carrot to to get folks to sign up. Um we have more folks um our percentage is slightly higher this year. The fear was it was going to was it was going to tank because the incentive for the meal was gone. Um, that being said, if anyone advertisers here, if uh anyone's family situation changes during the year, you can sign up at any time. >> Thank you. >> And thank you, Mr. Russ, for uh hearing the concerns raised at the last meeting and working to uh >> uh we have a motion by Mr. Flowers, a second by Miss Armbrust. Uh all in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions and that's passed 6. On to item C. Uh the superintendent recommends the board of
059education accept ex accept the 202425 internal audit and corrective action plan as presented by the internal auditor. Uh and attached to the agenda. May I have a motion? >> So moved by Mr. second. >> Second by Mr. Brunson with discussion. >> I just want to uh thank uh everybody uh who worked on that uh for efforts uh internally as well as our our friends from Winston McCormick. Um all in favor >> opposed abstensions. That's pass 6. Uh item D, the superintendent recommends the board of education accept the 202425 audit of general purpose financial statements and extra classroom activities as presented by the representative from dress room uh and attached to the agenda. We have a motion moved >> by Mr. Blau second >> second by Dr. Emproa. discussion. >> Well, just a comment that after
060hearing the report from the auditors tonight and having heard it before at our meeting and and reading the documents, uh we do have to watch uh those lines, you know, because I've been around long enough to know that the red line um which uh which is supposed to be below the blue line has been spiked years several years ago considerably higher. In other words, our expenditures are were exceeding significantly our revenues and and that happened for three or four years in a row. And that's when we had that period of time when we had to have all those layoffs. >> So the the So we need to watch that line. You know, just the fact that it's up above [cough] one year doesn't mean anything. It's it we can't allow it to continue to to
061to separate for two, three years. when it gets to the third year. I remember when I first joined the school board years ago, I went to a workshop in Albany to learn about finances. And the um uh and the the woman who was giving the presentation said, "Watch that line. If it's above for three years, you're in trouble." So, she know she showed us those lines for several school districts and she showed us healthy school districts and districts that were in significant trouble. So, so it can't be above that line for three years in a row. We've got to watch it. >> Thank you. >> Uh we have a motion by Mr. Flower, second by Dr. Emproa. All in favor? >> I opposed abstensions. And that's pass 6. Item E, the superintendent recommends the board
062of education accept the 202425 financial statement audit corrective plan as detailed in the agenda. May I have a motion? >> So moved by Mr. Blau, second >> second by Mr. Brunson. Discussion. >> Um, I just want to thank Miss George and our our business office staff for their work on all of these items. um working closely with both our internal and external auditors. Um the reports are really strong. They've done great work and uh we appreciate their efforts and just wanted to say thank you um for all of their work pulling this all together because it's it's a lot. >> Sure. It's early to have this uh pass this yet again each year. I'm sure. >> Um all in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions. And that's passed 6. On to item F. Uh the superintendent recommends
063the board of education accept a grant from the East Aurora Educational Foundation uh for 20 or $55,000 for grading committee work. May I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Miss Armbra. Second. >> Second by Mrs. Whitel. Discussion. Well, it was a pleasure to to as a representing the foundation board to meet with Superintendent Russ and and Miss Lions to uh uh to read their proposal and I I I'm sure that uh Mr. Russ can tell you more about what he's hoping to do. >> Yes. So, um we're just incredibly grateful for the generosity of the foundation. We've been working on grading equity with the team, Miss Lions and I for about three years. uh we were examining um like kind of revamping the whole essence of how we grade students uh in
064terms of being more equitable. Uh we've been working with some researchers and this money is going to help us fund um working with professor from University of North Dakota uh to to kind of get us over the finish line. Uh we've been communicating with parents getting information back from them about grading working with our students and our staff. Uh so this is some that I um kind of like some of the most important work right now we're doing uh because it really focuses on a practice that while teachers are dedicated to it um and they work really hard around creating grading policy um there's no consistency through grading policy not only in our school district and school districts across the country. So this work will help us to bring that consistency which is really in
065the best interest of our students. So we're super grateful. It's a big dollar amount and um we're really grateful for their generosity because I know a lot of questions. >> Well, you did your homework. You know, the the we were all convinced that it was a great idea and and we were delighted to see the district a long-term approach uh because solving a problem like this doesn't happen overnight. So, you've been working on this for years and it looks like it's coming to to a conclusion and and we're happy to see that. Uh it it does however cause us on the foundation to have internal discussions about what is appropriate for us to fund and what isn't you know and I remember years ago uh getting requests for a couple hundred reams of construction paper
066you know and we said well that's not really what we're in the business to do you know we're looking for for moving the district forward innovatively and and uh and providing the support is necessary to do that. uh the so the and this one provoked a lot of thought too you know because it's a fundamental change [cough] for everybody affects all those things and so uh uh so the the the foundation board after a long discussion uh said it was certainly a worthwhile project to support just one other thing it's just a shout out to the teachers who are on the committee uh they've made a huge commitment to this um they've been running dual grading books uh to run data so that we can examine and how it impacts these changes may impact a
067student's grade. Um, I said researchers, they've been through conferences, so they've really gone above and beyond because this is hard work. This is really challenging work for them. And so I'm really grateful for the for the team that's come together to do this. >> Yeah. No, I just I I think it's fantastic that um your your work is now being supported by the the foundation so you can get it to the finish line. We get a lot of benefit from having the foundation as close friends and it's this is certainly uh going to be a big one for everyone. So, thank you. Uh we have a motion from uh Miss Arrust in Mrs. Whitel. Uh all in favor >> I >> opposed abstensions and that's passed 6. Uh item G uh the superintendent uh recommends
068that the the board uh declare the books listed in the attached as surplus and obsolete for board policy. Uh may I have a motion? Moved >> by Mrs. Whitel. Second >> Second by Dr. Emproa. Discussion. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. And that's pass 6. Uh we are on item 18, new business. Do any board members have any new business to bring? I don't have new business, but I was going to ask when um if we are our next community engagement um committee meeting. >> No, but it's on the agenda, so I'll be getting that out. >> Uh on to item 19, items of information. Uh we have our uh next upcoming board meeting, Wednesday, uh November 19th. Um >> item B, uh upcoming meetings, workshops, uh listed there. And uh we're
069on to uh item 20. Uh may I have a motion to adjurnn by a second? >> second by Mrs. Whitel. Discussion. I just want to thank everybody for being here and your time. uh and the work that we've done here. It's uh very important stuff and uh it's benefits our community and our students. So, thank you all. >> Uh all in favor? Thank you all.