001Thank you all. May I have a motion to enter executive session to discuss uh matters relating to hospital promotion or discipline of five employees, matters that will imperel the public safety to disclose matters relating to two particular corporations and the superintendent of move second by Dr. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Hi, good evening everyone. Uh we are returning from executive session where we discussed matters relating to the possible promotion or discipline of five employees. Matters that will imperil the public safety if disclosed. matters relating to two particular corporations and the superintendent's evaluation. And with that, I'm going to call to order our uh Oh, no. First, we're going to do agenda changes. Any agenda changes? >> Um, no. >> Okay. Now, I'm going to call to order uh our public hearing for the proposed
002expenditure of funds from the repair reserve fund. >> Mr. Mertz Loft was able to work with um a representative from NOCO and we're requesting to use the repair reserve um to help fund what isn't grant funded. Let me see. Um our repair reserve was established in July of 2022 with a resolution to not exceed $500,000. Um, it was funded at the end of 2020, that must be 2023 with $200,000 and it currently has a balance of about $495,000. [Music] Um, we used the repair reserve back in May of 2023 um with $41,000 to repair the culvert up here at the high school. And this is our request to use again um to address energy consuming lights in conjunction with the NOCO energy grant. The estimated total of the whole project is about $48,000 with rebates
003from NOCO for $27,000 leaving an estimated use of the repair reserve of $20,000. Um, I'm requesting that we use 30,000 or at least approve up to 30,000 in case there are some unforeseen expenditures that come about. Um, at the high school 59 exterior lights would be upgraded and the projected annual savings, energy savings is about $4,900 at the middle school. 45 exterior lights um with an estimated energy savings of about $2,000. And at Parkdale um we would take care of 22 exterior lights and 30 interior lights with an annual projected energy savings of $1,300. [Music] So this just summarizes the previous slides. And are there any questions? [Music] >> Um, thank you, Miss George. Just a question in terms of the re rebates and the incentives. What happens if for some reason like are are
004those we're pretty certain we're going to receive those rebates and incentives and if those don't happen, then what would happen in that situation? I defer to Mr. Mertzoft. >> So this program is working with us but it's a nice program this year and they have been successful at providing those grants to other corporations, other school districts. Um no is partnering with with us to seek those grants and help do the work. Um I have not I haven't seen those grants not. >> Okay. And will we know that before the project started that the the grants or the um the incentives and the rebates are going to come through or how does that work? I'm just trying to understand the process. I'll have to find out. [Music] I can ask that question. >> Thank you. Thank
005you. >> So you said that program was ending this year. So this which is why we're doing this today, right? Okay. >> Anything down on this end? >> No question. Oh, okay. >> I have one more question. So, when does the projected savings kick in? Is that like do we like we were buying something? Is that after it's all peaked or that's projected savings or is this the savings that we anticipate using? >> No, this is the energy consumption savings. So, um, when they did the calculations, they looked at the type of bulbs that we currently use in the mixtures that we have, came up with how many kilowatts and what price we're paying. Um, and then with the new bulbs and split those, you know, subtract that difference, and that's what produced the savings.
006So, the savings would be annual throughout the year. You know, even our lights are on, we're spending less and less, you know, money on energy throughout the year. And so like the the value of it is in year one we're saving X but we're going to save that every year. Uh and and the length of I think Mr. um Mer was saying the length of light bulbs themselves last longer. So it's really um a wise investment especially because of the incentives. Yeah. It really turns that that around very quickly. >> So on this project we've got a two and a half year return on investment. So with the energy savings after two and a half years, we'll have saved enough on the cost of energy to cover what we did. Um, additionally with that being
007LED, the life expectancy of the LED is substantially longer, like three times the length of the current bulbs we're using, plus the man power to actually go ahead and change those lights. So this the the savings that we're seeing the 2.5 um time of recruitment is really just purely on the energy and it doesn't show the energy the savings in labor and what it takes to cost. >> Great. Thank you very much. Thank you m Miss George. Um so we do have a visitor comment section for the public hearing. This is not the general visitor comments for which I've received two cards. Uh but I will open uh in case any uh visitors have any comments with regards to the expenditure of funds that has just been discussed. I am represing. You als can can
008I just get your name for the sake of our district clerk? >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Okay, we'll move on to board members comments. I have a a feeling that Ms. Dan, Mrs. Daniel has one. >> I'm just going back. We just closed that though, right? I I just wondered if we can do that by October 15th. >> Well, this is your chance board member comments. >> Oh, I thought you were saying >> Thank you. Is that Is that something that's I understood? >> Is that something doable? >> We did discuss this. We knew that the the funding and stuff had to be approved here. We've been in discussions meeting up to this um everything that they have they got supplies on site and proceeded. So once we get the green light then we'll
009sign and they'll start right away. So we should be able to get them. >> Thank you. >> Any questions down here? Comments down here? No. Okay, great. Um, well, um, thank you all. Do I need a motion to adjourn this? No. So, with that, we're going to adjourn the public hearing at 7:31. Uh, next up is item six. Uh the superintendent um recommends that uh the board approve the appointment of Jillian Green to 1.0 FTE position within the 10-year area of speech language path pathology for the 2526 school year as detailed in the Did I miss something? >> Oh yeah, as detailed in the agenda. May I have a motion? So moved >> moved by Miss Arbra second. Second by Miss Witzel. Uh discussion. All in favor? >> I opposed abstensions. And that's pass 6.
010Congratulations. Welcome aboard. We look forward to being able to see you a little closer. >> All right, we're moving on to uh item seven, community member comments. Uh before we get to the uh folks who uh submitted cards, I do want to acknowledge that the board has received a number of emails since our last meeting. Uh the uh MCSBA uh emailed us with regarding their school law conference. Erie 2 Boseies emailed us with regards to the Bosey's directory. Uh Christian Hecman uh emailed us about the athletic hall of fame. We received an email from Rachel Hayne uh regarding non-public nursing and two emails from Susie George regarding non-public nursing. Uh we received from Trisha Lewis from Trish Lewis uh a letter in the mail uh regarding a uh mascot change. Uh we received an email
011from uh Ms. Pantoa uh regarding a playground update. Uh Kurt Derfwine uh email emailed us about the his breakfast concerns and some cross-country course concerns. And um Kelly and Edward uh Sirriano uh sent us a letter regarding the non-public nursing. Did you all get a chance to uh receive and review those? >> Yeah. Thank you all. Okay, with that uh we have uh Allison Ketty Higgins here to talk to us about the SEPSA uh membership. I believe you're going to uh approach the podium there. It's far more formal than usual. Um hi, I am Allison Kenny Higgins and I am the president for the special education PTO for this year. um just for all of the students here that is actually parent teacher and student association. So if any of you would like to be
012members you're more than welcome to come and join us on that. Um we wanted to offer an invitation for any of the board members and anybody here that is not already a member of the SPS. I should have brought in the QR code so that you brought the QR code so you guys could scan it, but you can just go to our socials or to our website and it's there. Um, thank you to Maria and for coming to our last meeting. I was not there because I had COVID, but everything else sounded like it went really well. Um, we're really looking forward to this year. We have a lot on our agenda, on our plans. We're putting together a mission that can more clearly define what are we doing and so people can join us
013and know what they're looking for. Um, we have we just want to open the invitation to everyone on administration and for anybody that's doing programming. If you have questions and you're wondering like how can we make this more accessible or more inclusive just reach out. You can email us and we can have a conversation. We had a great conversation with web and the um response was really really nice. So thanks for that. >> That's all. >> Great. Thanks. >> And we do have to do membership every year. So that's the biggest change. It's you have to redo it. >> Great. Thank you. Uh next up we have uh Cecilia Dphano >> who is going to speak to us about the ball fastest. >> Hello. How sensitive is this? Okay. Um hi, my name is Cecilia
014Dphano. I have um three kids. Two are at Parkdale. Welcome to our board of education meetings. are high school students. I have missed a couple so I haven't seen you at them. Uh but welcome. Uh I am one of the co-vice presidents of the Parkdale PTO this year and so I want to formally invite the board to Fall Fest. Um so Fall Fest is going to be on October 9th 5 to 7. Uh just a couple of things are going to be happening at Fall Fest. We have bounce houses, face painting, hot dogs, sensory room for our friends who have some sensory needs. We have alpacas. We have Hawk Creek coming. We have a magician that's going to be there. We have cider and donuts. We have a separate, this is new this year. We
015have a separate prek area for our prek and kindergarten kids because last year we noticed that um the larger kids and the little kids, they collided a lot. So, we're going to keep them in a separate area where they can be a little bit more safe this year based on uh feedback from our community. And um we also have our basket raffle. So, you may hear about PTO members going out in the community and asking for donations from local businesses. Um, they have until October 3rd to make any donations that they'd like. We use this basket raffle to fund a lot of our PTO initiative initiatives throughout the year. It's not our biggest fundraiser. That does happen in the spring. That's our fun run. Um, but the basket raffle is really fun and last year
016we had like 140 baskets. It was amazing. Um, so we invite you to come stop by if you haven't been to Fall Fest. It is a blast. It is a little chaotic, but we would love to see you there. >> Rick, thank you very much. >> Uh, and we are on to uh item eight, superintendent comments. >> Um, yeah, I just wanted to say that I just want to thank um our students and and the staff um and the administrators u for such a great start to the school year. Um it has been like maybe one of the smoothest um in my tenure as superintendent in the 20 plus years that I've been here. Um I think yeah just off to a great start. The uh the cell phone issue has not been an issue
017for us. It's been pretty quiet. I mean there's been a few principles could speak to you about that. I'm sorry. Um and the um our new food service program where kids are able to get a free breakfast and lunch again is is gaining in popularity each and every day. We're going to have a report for you on how that's going next month. And so that's going really well. I think a lot of kids are enjoying it as their parents are too. I've had a few conversations that the parents are like, "Wow, I don't have to make lunch." And that's kind of a relief, you know, making it every single day. Um, so yeah, I think it just I want to thank everybody for putting in such a great effort and the kids have been awesome.
018I've had a chance to meet with some of them and they're doing great things and uh there's just a really good feeling uh in all three of the buildings. So, I just wanted to thank everyone for their efforts on that. >> So, okay, great. We'll move on to item nine, uh, administrator comments. Are there any administrators? I see two, uh, Miss Lions. service around Great. Thank you very much, Mr. Brown. Speaking of our we have our various Rockets family event tomorrow 5:30 to 7:30. I will tell you it's a little bit more chill at the second I just want to let you invite you to I know many busy tomorrow morning at 9:00 we are at the schoolwide assembly and our speaker came here about five years ago and Brad is motivation speaker and he
019talked about his journey. This theme is called find. And the last thing I just wanted to mention was our cell phones and I can tell you the middle school pretty close. I know at the high school I'll speak for Bill is working on a few students overall how the students are responding how responsible and that shouldn't surprise us they always do Great. Thank you, Mr. Brown. Mrs. Right. >> We took our existing network. So as of us that their devices. We are thrilled that we were all level. October entire not getting that much. [Music] So we And my staff, they are not they are helping students. They are they are not so much Sorry. Again require school Everyone, we also rolled out next year. parents away. And then our car now. medical. We also being
020more. [Music] We also myself High school district. So in the videos. A lot of Yeah, I was going to say I think we get one of these updates from you annually and I think you outdid yourself this year. That's amazing. Great stuff. Thank you. >> Uh any other administrators? Mr. Man Brady [Music] should be a forum here. Um most of everything is the same as the draft August meeting. um the columns that are different on the right hand side column. Um just a reminder that five teaching position. So that 17.25 and 10.75 number um actually the other columns that are rows actually um the long substitute. So for the first semester we have five folks who are out on extended weed um with five folks taking them. So those numbers um kind of keep out
021or cancel out the numbers ahead of them. That's why they're in their own way so you know that the other column I want or the other piece I want to call your attention to the bottom left has gone from 78 last year this year. I think my budget goal is three are not the same as teachers because sometimes like that more important numbers we look at savings there in those numbers of that we have some that we have I do want to highlight the number is there the hour for that are in that We are currently running that being another January and February meeting. Any questions? Anything down here? >> No, I'm not that. Mr. Brunson. >> Okay. >> And one other public attention. Uh just a reminder that even though we have season this
022year last week of that we are set out with our families because there are both district benefits and additional family benefits. Um beyond just lunch and breakfast and we have kind of taking um we are taking down. The next question you're not going to ask is how are we doing? We have first Wednesday in October until we have our first meeting. So when we come back in our meeting status update odds are we're expecting it to be similar. We don't have a great population for us. So our goal is to get very close to that number. There's a lot of down on our side is out there information last year this year. So really public awareness campaign that are going to grab them eligible program >> and isn't that also a factor in our wealth
023ratio for our foundation >> a ratio factor in grants factor in college applications you can have scholarship. There's a huge list of things that fall under umbrella. Everyone knows that the main driver of it continues to >> Yeah. And do we think there'll be a time where we might find out how it's going in other districts? Um >> it might be interesting to learn if if anybody has you know found a a key to really uh maintaining that level. >> Yeah, sure. >> Great. Anyone uh down here have any questions on that? I'll give you a report. >> Okay, great. Thank you, Mr. Manrey. >> Oh. Uh, any other administrators? All right. Um, thank you very much. Uh, we're going to move on to, uh, board presidents and board member comments and committee reports. Um,
024I'm going to start off by doing my standard plug for Blueevil, uh, television on YouTube. If you're not subscribing to that channel, please do subscribe to it. Um there was a uh a notification that we got with regards to um specifically the streaming of live sports. Uh there are pe people out there trying to direct fans of live sports and high schools towards uh not great websites. Uh so if you s subscribe to the uh blue BDTV YouTube channel you uh you can get notifications and go straight there to enjoy that and also enjoy wake up EA every uh weekday morning uh amongst other things. So um I want to uh call out something else that I saw on social media which was a uh a post with regards to how we communicate. Um it
025was a really I think effective uh communication uh to let people know uh the different ways in which we communicate. A lot of times we'll hear um that uh you know the district isn't necessarily uh sharing information and it to see it all in one spot uh was really impactful uh and I hope that it will encourage people when they see that uh to consume uh the uh communications uh in ways that suit them. Um, just really quickly, I attended uh Erie County Association of School Boards uh budget and finance committee uh as well as their delegate assembly. And uh the only thing I really want to mention from those is the uh some of the events that are coming up. Uh October 7th, uh there's the con uh conversation with uh Commissioner Rosa uh
026which is a great opportunity. Um, I believe that's a September 30th deadline for registration. Um, so I would encourage folks to double check their calendars and get that information to Miss Casey. Uh, there's a resolutions dinner. Um, the uh resolutions dinner is modeled off of something that has happened down uh in some of the Long Island uh districts that get together. they hold a uh a dinner where they discuss the um proposed resolutions for the NISBA uh legislative year and um they have heard great things about that as far as getting clarity on it and helping uh those of us who attend the business meeting uh which is coming up I believe on the 16th of October. Um, and on that note, uh, in the recent, uh, emails, uh, that we got Sunday from the,
027uh, executive director of NISBA, uh, Mr. Schneider, um, you'll see a link to the proposed resolutions. I'd encourage all the board members to review the to review them. I think this year there's only 34, uh, which is a, uh, is great. Uh, hopefully we'll get in, uh, all of those in under eight hours. Um, and uh, reach out to me if you have any comments or questions, concerns about them. Uh, I've gone through them once and I'll be going through them again before uh, that meeting on the 16th. Um, yeah. So, those um, so, uh, here within the district, I attended the, uh, the new hire lunchon at the middle school, uh, which was great. It's always a great opportunity to meet some of our uh new uh faculty and staff. And uh then I
028also was here uh for our opening day uh to kick off the uh the return of everybody uh on staff uh faculty and the administrators uh to the school year. And then last night was open house. When was last night? When was open house? Two nights ago was open house here at the high school. It was our 12th and final open house and uh Mr. Roberts decided to change the format. Um and uh it threw my wife and I for a loop. We after 11 years of not figuring being able to figure out when we were at lunch and when we were not at lunch, uh we lost our final opportunity to get that right. But what I will say is the format of having everybody uh all of the uh the departments and uh
029and some of our uh our PTO uh members and the foundation and others in the gymnasium. It was a really nice way to be able to go through and um and chat uh with with folks and uh I really uh appreciated that opportunity. Uh last thing I'm going to make a plug uh because at that uh I was talking to uh Mrs. Horizon uh about the trunk or treat. Uh so we heard about Parkdale's trunk or treat last year and different groups will uh sign up to participate and they have will have a a a you know one of their cars open the trunk open and they'll be giving out candy to the families who come around. Um, and I think I brought up last year that it would be kind of cool to have
030uh the school board uh have a uh a trunk there as well. Well, uh, as it would happen um uh three of us will be uh at the NISSBA convention uh final day of the NISBA convention. So those of you who are not going to the NISBA convention, I would encourage you to it is the 25th of October. It's a Saturday. Um, I would encourage you to, uh, to team up and see what you can do. And if not, at the very least, um, uh, Missas is accepting donations of candy, um, so that the organizations or groups who might not be able to afford it, uh, can have some candy to do. We already I already sent my bag in uh, unopened and uneaten. I was proud, too. Thank you. administrators will will have a
031card and so I will be at NISSBA as well. Um but uh it was a lot of fun last year. It was a really great time. I think um greater turnout than we ever expected. Uh so the administrators will have a card. Could you you could join with them if you choose to do so. >> Yeah. And uh that is it for me. Nothing from Mrs. Danny. Mrs. Whitel. >> Yeah. the little >> Okay. Sorry, it's very strange being way up here. We're used to being near everybody. I have a few updates. I went to the Erie County Association of School Boards leg legislative team meeting and had a lot of conversations around the Belltobell ban and every district there said it's gone extraordinarily well and the only real complaint that has come up is
032it's louder in the schools because the kids are talking to each other. So that was good to hear. We had some conversations around different legislative priorities of AI in the classroom, zero emission buses, aid and these are all things that will continue to evolve throughout the year. Uh I also attended the open house and that was a different environment that had some really good sides to um people were excited. They got to really talk to teachers and get to know them a little bit. So I'm interested to see what feedback is on that. Hear that from Mr. Roberts and then all of us just did a tour of the new athletic facilities. They're beautiful and it was really nice to hear how they thought about the design of it, the seating, things like drainage and
033I really encourage people to go up there and take a look now that it's done and enjoy that. >> Thank you very much. Uh Dr. Mota. >> Okay. Hey. Um, I also attended the new hire lunchon and the back to school opening day. The back to school opening day is definitely one of my favorite things that I've gotten to do while becoming a board member because the there's motivational speaker this year. There were drums. That was I got to play drums the whole time. That was great. Um, so I I really appreciate that that we're able to go to that. Um then opening day we sometimes take turns about where we go and greet students as they come in. And I went to the high school and got to see the high schoolers come in
034and I would say they weren't like radiating with excitement but they they came in and greeted us and it was really nice. And then I went immediately to the elementary school and that is just the greatest. Um, just watching the kids go into school, watching the preschoolers get off the bus, watching, you know, how well the staff handles the the little ones who are upset about leaving or the parents who are upset about leaving the little ones. And it it's it's really so smooth and positive. Um, and just talking to the little ones is so fun. Um, then there the PTO hosted the the Parkdale PTO hosted a coffee hour. Unfortunately, they did get rained out, which stinks, but I think it was a really valuable thing after I watched some of the struggles the
035parents, you know, were were having that they had a place right on the lawn they could go talk to. Um, and they could really I think that was a great idea and I don't know if that's been done before, but I highly encourage that one again. Um, there was I do want if if it ever comes up and one of the teachers at the in kindergarten, if some kids says, "I thought there was going to be a dog in our class. It's my fault." Um, because they were talking about graduating and I said, "Kindergarten's fun. My dog even graduated from kindergarten." And because I had a photo of my dog and wearing her graduation hat and it stopped him from crying and he's like, "Wow, I didn't know there were going to be dogs here."
036here and he walked in and I wanted to be like, "No, he didn't graduate from here." But so I'm really sorry to any kindergarten teachers that anticipate that. Um I also attended the novel selection. Sounds like a great book. Um and I I was able to go to the Sepsa the Sepsa meeting as well. Um, and I highly encourage anybody who hasn't attended from here or the public to go because the the positive inclusivity that that they have and are just sharing among the students and the parents and the information. I I just I it's it's just a really positive atmosphere. Um, yes, we attended the open house at the high school. I have to admit I probably talked I didn't actually see my own child's teachers. I all of them I talked to other
037people but that was fun. Um and then yes I've been if although it's not all the new athletic facilities are not completely done yet and there's still some kinks to work out. It is a beautiful beautiful um place up there and and I think as it progresses we'll see how beautiful it can be. Um and that that all of the I know there were some concerns about oh the cross country invitational last week they weren't running up a hill or anything and and I think you know as long as the everybody's still communicating with the the public that no they'll they'll have their hill back. This was just a temporary thing and so that's going well. Um then the final thing I have is uh the the form that you spoke about, Mr. Cassidy, um
038that Mrs. Mazano put together. I was wondering Oh, I thought I had it on here. Um that was excellent on social media and and actually you were there handing it out at openhouse as well. it had all the different ways to communicate and I was wondering if we could also share that with the um community engagement um committee because that would be like the senior center and um you know the kuanas and all of that. I that it was so well done and it gave everybody any kind of option that they wanted. Yes. Um it gave everyone any option that they wanted and I think that was a really good step. It's all right there. And you even had the the little codes down at the bottom. That was excellent. Um, that's it. >> All
039right. >> It's been a busy month. >> That's it. >> It's been a busy month. >> Yeah. And how and yeah, I was also at uh Parkdale for uh the first day of school and I echo everything you said despite the rain that day. Uh it was uh really just uh it it lifts your spirits to watch the interactions and the kids coming back. >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Brunson, >> thank you. Uh, I just want to thank Mr. Manrey for working with me to, uh, tell the new employees a little bit about the history of East Aurora and, uh, take them around to look at the three buildings. Uh, it's always fun to meet the new staff. They look like a a very young group of people and an enthusiastic group. They they
040always look younger each year. I don't think it has anything to do with them, but there you go. There you go. And the same thing is happening to me with regard to these microphones. You know, I could hear every word that anyone said out in the audience, but I can't understand hardly anything that you folks are saying because it's an echo in here, which garbles in my ear. Uh, being an 80 year old ear, it doesn't work as well as it used to. So, thank you for your attention. That's all I have. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Arust. >> Thank you. Um, thank you to the superintendent and everyone for opening day. It was very uh great and positive. And thank you to our new student board members for bravely standing up in front
041of every single person who works in this district. Great job. >> Um, thank you also Mr. Russ and our representatives, our administrators and our representatives from Buffalo Construction and um, Young and Wright for the tour today. It was wonderful to see the gorgeous new athletic facilities. how our students are so very fortunate to get to be in East Aurora right now um with all that we have to offer them. So, thank you for the tour. >> Thank you, Mr. Finerity. >> Um so, I just want to say the school year's started off really well. Uh student government's running a food drive right now, huddle for hunger, and we've trying to step it up from previous years as if it was like a slower thing and we weren't raising as much as other schools. So, this
042year we've made into a competition between grades. So it's like there's a freshman, sophomore, senior or junior, senior and staff too. So uh and everyone you bring in your cans and the winner the winning class we came up with a thing of they get to dress um Mr. Roberts and whatever for the pep assembly for homecoming. So that's like the incentive to win. But it's been successful and it's been working a lot better this year. So >> great. Yeah. And if anyone wants to see a preview of what that might look like, watch today's wake up EA. Uh they stormed his office and uh yeah so it was fun. >> Cool. All right. Thank you. Mr. Fry, you want to turn on that microphone? >> Yeah. Is it? Yeah. >> There you go. >> Um
043yeah. Um like Arbur said on the tour, um really good. Charlie and I were both there and then we were also at open house. Um and then opening day as well. So that was all great to get back and everybody. And then also um up at the high school, we kick off our homecoming week tomorrow with Duncan Kirkwood who is a guest speaker. So he's coming in and at the end of the day for a an assembly and then we have on Friday um next Friday the pep assembly, the parade over to Parkdale and then football game and then the dance on Saturday. So I think a lot of people are looking forward to that. So yeah. >> Nice. Thank you very much. >> All right. Um, with that, I'm going to take a minute
044to uh dismiss our seniors. Thank you. Uh, you can you don't have to leave. You can stay if you want to. Huh? >> All right. So, um, just one other thing, I did skip one thing in my laundry list of, uh, events was the back to school dinner for the Erie County Association School Board where we had two full tables there to and specifically honor Mr. Brunson who received his lifetime achievement award and that was a a great evening and a well-deserved recognition. >> Well, thank you and I appreciate those of you taking the event. Uh, it's was an unexpected honor and I appreciate it very much. >> And Mrs. Daniel, you had one thing. One more. >> I was just gonna >> Okay. >> Um, just as a reminder, um, on November 6th of
0452025, it's going to be the 13th annual uh, celebration event for the East Aurora Educational Foundation. And Mrs. Shutum is going to be honored uh this year with the recipient recipient of the James Ford commitment to education award. So I just wanted everyone to be able to put that on their calendar because I know our next um meeting isn't until later in October. So just a reminder, it's always a great event. It's a wonderful event to if you can >> there's a website where you can get tickets or >> become a sponsor. And thank you to several of you in the room today who are sponsors of this event. We appreciate it very much. >> All right. Thank you all. Uh we're on to uh legislation updates. Do we have any legislation? >> No. Okay.
046We're going to move to reports and discussion items. Uh >> we are going to move facilities ahead of business. Is that all right? Uh so we'll move uh a uh to the front of the line. So capital facilities project update. Uh >> y today we have um Steve Sharowski and Justin Meyers uh with us from uh Young and Wright are architects and Buffalo Construction. Uh so they just completed the first phase of the project. Um and it's gone well. I mean they like as Miss Dr. sort of said there's a few things that they're still working on in that part, but then they're moving over to the middle school, which is really exciting, and that construction will be getting started shortly. So, they're going to kind of give you an overall update of what we've
047accomplished and where we're headed. Appreciate. Quick update every year. last year. The other So really Five We are extract. [Music] summer. There we go. Remember, Finance. very contract. that million dollar targeted library as well as all re Unfortunately, lower However, contract. Hello Facebook. So all that Christmas. That document. We're not We're going to Thank you. Uh we'll start down here. Any questions? >> Just a comment. >> Yeah, the the uh we're very fortunate to have such uh skillful architects and construction managers uh working on this project. Uh the quality of the work is outstanding. and and your dedication to it is is palpable. You know, it shows with everything that's done. So, I appreciate the work that you're doing. Uh the my goal has been since I came to work here 50 some odd years
048ago uh was to get the middle school renovated. And I lived through the complete renovation of the high school and the complete renovation of Parkdale. and the middle school is getting there, which is great, you know, and step by step. So, instead of it being a one big thing all at once, it's been in in increments, and that's okay. So, there's a few increments left to do. I think the very last one is probably the superintendent's office, but kudos to him to say that it's more important to get the library done and the fax room than to redo your office. So, I I hope I'm still around to see your office redone and the work in the gyms and the mechanical work that we were unable to do in this project occur in a year
049or two. So, thank you for your hard work. uh down here. >> Just want to add one more Great. Thank you very much. And I just want to add that thank you for the tour up there. It's great to see the way we're improving uh things for our students uh and giving them a you know uh the correcting the tennis courts and giving them some fields that they can practice on in early spring and and all of that. It was it's really great to see that and it's been fun to watch the progress over the summer. So, thank you for all of that. I do have a question. So, so I know that this is generally a good time to get to get this, but have we the reason why we got so many more
050bids? Is that because some of the the work is wrapping up at the stadium? Has that opened up for [Music] Thank all of our only and thank you for the tour today. Um my only comment on that is that as we move forward that we do keep in mind the um the population of the maybe older populations that that might find getting to some of our locations a little difficult. >> Thank you for the fantastic call on the bids. you you've guided us through that process so well. >> Yeah. >> Thank you both. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Do you have anything to add to it? >> No, I just um again of all the projects we've done since I've been here, I would say this part of it has gone the most smoothly. Um
051we really didn't have any any hiccups uh per se and and actually we we came in um we were anticipating some groundwork uh that could be complicated and difficult because you never know what you're going to get into and actually that went our way as well. We've saved some money there and so that made the project um come in a little bit under budget. we were able to do some extra things that we needed to get done some of the final touches and so um again great communication with the team again cooperation from the administrators Mr. Mrs is a key part of that because he is communicating with with the architects and engineers continuously throughout the project so we're grateful for his work um and again like you said cooperation for like Mr. around and
052the teachers, you know, they have to move out, get out of their space, they go into a space that doesn't really fit. Um, but they make it work for 6 months and then we're going to be what much better off again when, believe it or not, we start next September. So, I think we're in a good space and I think the new changes to the middle school are going to be quite beautiful and uh a great space for our kids for many years to come. >> All right. Thank you all. >> Yeah. >> All right. We are gonna hop in our time machine and go back to 12A uh the business office operations report. So for a year now. So, I'm back first week of September. But I just want to make you aware. Great.
053Thank you. Any questions down here? None here. >> Thank you, Miss George. Uh we are going to move on to 12C uh and get a grading update. >> Um yeah, so I wanted to to give the board an update on our grading committee. Um we've been working together for a couple of years and we've actually been studying grading for a while and looking at equity and consistency in grading which is something that is a challenge. U many teachers most teachers are not trained in how to grade what a grade actually means or the components. So when they come into school they go to their colleagues well how do you grade you know and they kind of share their practices. And so what happens though over time is that you know you know people bring it's
054like the the the the art of teaching. You bring in your own feelings about what your grade should look like and and so it has varied across the board. And so um we've been working 5 through 12 because again K through 4 and even prek uh the grading system is completely different. um and and uh Miss Lions has worked with Miss Pantoa and Miss Parker um in regard to their grading um practices and the report card and they've done a fantastic job updating. So I would say um K through four is is ahead of the game uh and they've really refined it and it's a much um I guess um a much more thorough uh report and a much more st uh understandable report in terms of what your child's um skill set is, where
055they are. It's not based on number grades. It's based on, you know, what they're accomplishing, what the goals are are for the the grade level in each subject area and how your your child is is achieving along the way and how that progress is being made and where they want them to start and where they like them to finish and they have those conversations and we have active parent participation and that has gone quite well. Um, so we really said that, you know, over the last few years we've been saying what does 5 through eight uh, 5 through 12, excuse me, look like? And, you know, we started talking with some teachers about it. And I just want to just read the members of the committee because they they've spent a ton of time. It's
056uh, it's it's it's members of both our middle school and our high school and our administrators as well. And it's Sharon Zacroski, Courtney Vetello, Stephanie Martenddale, Kim Collins, Hannah Moran, Josh Dubet, Karen Ort, Austin Dodge, Chris Cummings, Kirk Shraranti, Emily Kraussa, Matt Brown, Matt Librock, Bill Roberts, Chelsea Skullski, and Cindy Marinagio, and Miss Lions and I are are kind of chairing the committee together. And so they have just worked really hard over the last couple of school years evaluating a lot of really difficult data. Um, and I'll be honest, a lot of schools are are reluctant to touch this because grading is such a personal issue for teachers. And so trying to bring consistency uh and understanding to grading what a grade actually means. It takes them um you know just it's a it's a
057big effort and you have to really be open-minded and this group of teachers and the administrators have just done a stellar job. Um we've been working with um Tom Gusky and Joe Felman who are two um experts in the field. uh and we've had actually them come to speak to the entire staff on two different occasions. Uh Mr. Gusky came, Dr. Gusky came out in October of 23 and then a team member from uh Mr. Feldman's uh group came out in October of 24 to start that conversation with the larger group teachers. And actually um this group is telling us there's a lot of positive feedback from those discussions. And so basically what it is is we're looking at what a grade actually means. And a grade should reflect what a child learns over a
058period of time. And so all the ancillary pieces like what we call habits of work like how do they participate, handwork, those types of things should actually be evaluated in a separate way. And so we've been working on that and they did a pilot program this year and they took a group of their students and they ran parallel grade books which was a ton of work and they were just seeing how the grades actually converted and actually got some really good and positive data from that. And because part of the question is because so many school districts across the country um grade in a more traditional way, how will this impact our students grades and will that impact their ability to move on after high school, especially because most of our kids attend college? And
059so we've been working with um college recruiters as well, getting information about them, how they would evaluate and analyze this data. Uh, and then we're just working on this new portrait of a graduate where we met two principles from Pennsylvania who have done a lot of this work just by coincidence and they were saying about how they've changed it and how responsive the uh, school the colleges and the universities have actually been to them. And so what we're doing this we're going to be um, hopefully moving into partnering with uh, grading our acts. We've already been working with them and they've provided been providing some u some support for the team. Um but we're um Slines and I are going to be presenting to our foundation for a grant to support the uh the expense
060of the consultants. So we're really hopeful that'll come through. Uh that's going to be on October 7th. So we'll know uh probably shortly after that. And so we're hoping that uh with that grant we'll be able to take on um their um their experience and their consultation. And we're looking forward to like rolling this out to you and parents and students over the next year with a small implementation possibly for 26 27. So um there'll be more to come. Um but this is just the initial stage like this kind of work um as I told this group um is some of the most important work of our careers, right? Because they do really well with instruction. We've got great students. Uh we've got great parents. We've got all those those resources that are there to
061to provide a really great experience. Um, but one of the things that is is most impactful and most powerful is how we are equitable in how we grade our students. And it's part of just the equity that we've done around um like for instance stepping away from ranking. You know, we went through an extensive research and um I think Mr. Roberts did a brilliant job um presenting it a few years ago. Again, a really hard thing to achieve. most school districts in our area um still continue to rank although the majority of schools in the country don't rank you know in our area on the east coast most do and so trying to step away from that was really a challenge but what the research showed us is that the arbitrary uh arbitrary how arbitrary
062a ranking is is really an ineffective way to to judge a student's performance and so backing away from that really makes sense but it wasn't it wasn't an easy thing to do and this the same thing with this um taking on grading is a huge challenge for everyone who's involved, but I think in the end it's going to bring us to a much better place. And so I think it's it's a pretty exciting thing and uh again um thanks to Miss Lions too who really helps the coordination of it. Uh she's a great cheerleader and the teachers love to follow her and so uh that makes it that much much easier to keep moving this forward. Um so I don't know Miss L anything anything else? Greatly Any questions? You recall the the guest speaker
063at that dinner that you mentioned earlier was the new regent for Western New York and he was particularly interested in portrait of graduates and he seemed to be a very inspiring speaker and an inspirational individual with his students teach so it's I think this is ball is rolling and there's a lot of people are are grabbing hold and encouraging it. So, it's good to know that we have a reg as well and I'm sure a point in >> Yeah, I agree. Yeah. And I'll share some articles with the board just to like familiarize with some of the researchers that we've been working with. Um I think you'll find it interesting you what what the research has told us. Thank you. I just want to thank you Russ for the um the dedication to the long
064process. Uh we have been talking about this for years. A number of us attended uh NIVA sessions I don't know how long ago ago that were very eyeopening and in how how we rank our students and and how we provide feedback to them via grades and how it can vary based on each individual teacher's methodology the color of the tie and everything else. Um I uh I applaud your dedication to bringing everyone along the way. I know how difficult that is. I know that um I may have had a a wish to move faster and I'm I'm so grateful for the way you are handling this and it is meshing so nicely with the rest of the work um that's happening elsewhere. It's great to know that all that leg work that you were doing
065will has given our faculty the opportunity to embrace what will be the new >> great thank you very much. Thanks for the update. Uh we are going to move on to item 13. Um, are there any board members who wish to withdraw any items from the consensus agenda? Hearing none, we're going to ask, are there any uh is anyone like to add anything to the consensus agenda? May I have a motion to approve the consensus agenda? >> Moved by Mrs. Danu. Second. Second by M. Mrs. Whitel. Uh any discussion? All in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions. And that's past 6. And we're going to fast forward to page 229 here. Uh item 18. 18A. Uh the superintendent recommends the board of education perform a second reading to adopt uh the uh revised policy
066as detailed below. May I have a motion? >> Moved by Miss Dan. Second. >> Second by Miss Arrust. Discussion. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions. And that's passed 6. Uh item 19A. Um, superintendent recommends the board of education approve increases to the previously established meal prices for 202526. May I have a motion? >> Moved by Miss Dan. Second >> second by Dr. Emproa. Discussion. >> Yes, please. the uh I sent you all a little note indicating that I'd probably bring this up. Uh I I'm dismayed that we are considering increasing the price of milk from 40 cents to a dollar. That's 150% increase in one year. You'll notice that the price increase for the full meal is only 25 cents and that includes a container of milk. So there doesn't seem to be any rhyme
067or reason to this. If it were if there was a rhyme and reason, there ought to be at least a 60 60 cent increase on the full meal. If if the price of the milk relates to uh the price of the meal, the uh the other thing is I think about our older students, uh our athletes and and our teenagers. Uh do you ever see one of these little containers of milk? Yeah. It's about a gulp for some of these folks. You know, they down it goes. Uh so it it in my view we should be encouraging these folks to get a second container of milk. And if you think back we have had a surplus every year in this account. We've had enough money to be able to paint a mural on the walls
068of the middle school uh cafeteria. We bought new tables and chairs for the cafeteria. And I am don't object to any of those expenditures, but not at the cost of uh of requiring this large increase. Think think about children who brown bag their lunch because not everybody wants the free lunch. So mom or dad make make or the the student themselves make lunch and they bring it in in a brown bag and they're going to buy milk to go along with it. Well, for them the cost is going to be a dollar. Now, now in the in the course of a year, 180 school days, that's over a $100 increase in the cost of their having having their lunch. That's more than the increase in my tax bill this year. So, I'm opposed to this.
069I won't vote for it. And uh I I think we ought to reconsider uh the the value of encouraging ch children to drink milk. Um, so I I happened to sorry um I happened to meet with um personal touch because we were working on the the free and reduced lunch for Immaculate. So we had to kind of back things up and and kind of start over again which was really quite complicated as it always is. So um so after we got through that process we sat down and talked about this and so one of the reasons their cost of milk Mr. Rodson has gone up to around 60ome cents per container because they have implemented this new um process for uh processing and storing and identifying where milk has come from. So now the process
070is very complicated. They can identify the milk came from this exact cow. >> Yeah. >> And so through that whole process, it has to be stored for so many days and tested. I'm not exactly sure why this has changed to this degree, but it's all about safety, but that safety has added significantly to the cost of milk now. So, so the cost for personal touch, my understanding is around 60 60 some cents per container. And so adding on their cost and profits and things like that, that's where the dollar amount came from. So the the good news from this though is that they each get milk with their breakfast and lunch, which is now free. And we only have about I think 12 students a day who actually buy an individual milk container outside of
071the lunch because many times what they'll say is if you take the breakfast or lunch you get the milk for free. So most of the kids take it and they eat some of it they share it with their friends or whatever it is but they do end up getting the milk for free. If they wanted a second so they get the milk with breakfast with lunch they wanted a second one. Yes. then they would have to pay the down for the container. But that's the reason for the increase because of that increased cost for them um is then obviously rolled forward to us. >> So I'm not opposed to a small increase. Yes. >> You know, I mean, you have about a 10% increase in the price of the meal. You know, a 10% increase
072in the price of the milk would be reasonable. I It just seems to me what are we accomplishing? If it's 12 students, you know, we're going to save that uh $12 a day for the school district. Uh uh uh and and at the same time uh send a message that uh you have to pay this extra money for your milk. I >> I mean, we can lower the cost. We would just need to know that that would then come out of our our food service reserve. >> Sure. $12. >> Right. Right. And even if it was more than that, like say it's >> Yeah. or whatever. However, >> whatever it is, >> however, however many it is. Sure, >> that's possible. >> I have no desire to be argumentative and also >> um cow's milk
073is not as popular now as it was. Many people drink alternative forms. So, the we may end up subsidizing a small very small portion of the student population. Um, and maybe that's not a good precedent to that. >> Is there a reason why we have these just these three choices? Skim milk, skim chocolate milk, or 1% milk? Why don't we have oat milk? Why don't we have some of these other choices? Uh, I mean the maybe we just need to table this and look into it more as opposed to necessarily voting because I, you know, I probably don't have the votes to vote it down. And I I frankly would like to see some uh research done here to see if we can come up with something that would encourage uh children to to do
074milk and and to keep the price within line. I mean, if it's costing them 60 cents, why are we charging a dollar? So, you know, I I would I would move that we table this for further discussion. >> What what I'm hearing is our cost is a dollar. >> So, that that was my my suggestion. We potentially don't >> subsidize those small >> Yeah. >> handful of students. >> Yeah. Well, but when we give them the extra lunch at two and a quarter, a dollar of that is the milk. Doesn't make sense. >> I was just gonna say heating. Yeah, the universal heating all that works together. >> Yeah, >> there's other break that apart. Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. If they don't take the whole meal, then they get charged for it. So unless
075you take all elements of the meal and that's again how the universal feeding, it has partly to do with that, but it's so complicated it's it's actually hard to understand all the fees. >> Yeah. I'm prejudic. >> Yeah. You know, because for me, when I bought that container of milk when I was in elementary school, well, first of all, it came in a glass bottle and second of all, it was 4 cents. It was 4 cents. And so the the the and for me that was all I had, you know, unless my mother was able to have enough food to to pack me a sandwich to go with it. Sometimes all I had was a milk. So I I have a personal feeling about this is this isn't just dollars and money and and who
076gets a profit or whether the government has given us the right information here or or whatever it to me it's it's a gut thing. Uh milk is life for me >> and I know it's not true for everybody. >> The exact opposite. So, I want to get at uh the uh the the west end here. By the way, if you haven't noticed, we've switched ends. This is not the west end. That is the east end today. Just >> for for the sake of >> Maybe that's why I'm having trouble hearing. >> It could be. Uh but I want to get uh any input from our our student board members on what it's been like with the new uh uh uh meals. >> Yeah. No, I think it's definitely been a excellent thing um with the
077new free meal and breakfast and lunch. Um but just a question regarding milk now. Um if you were to go to just buy milk, but if you buy meal >> um so for me, for example, this morning I was getting I was getting breakfast, I was getting cereal. Uh they told me as I was walking like, "Oh, if you get a milk, then this is a free meal." So, um I mean, they're pretty big on like handing out the milk, doing all that stuff. So, I don't know. They're I guess they're advertising the milk because like they're like, "You do this, you get a free meal with it." So, kind of a big thing. Um they're getting pretty big on that. So, like you can't even I mean, half the time people don't even drink
078the milk, but it's just you need to have it. And it's it's kind of a big thing now. >> Yeah. I've seen a lot of um other people that are traveling now take advantage of free lunch. They'll bring a lunch. I mean like especially some people in between classes to go to lunch. Have a free lunch because they're like I already have stuff but I need something pass me over from class to class. Well, that was the whole idea of it was to make sure that you folks had something in your stomach when you go to the next class and you're not thinking about hunger rather than math. >> Moving down to the thoughts of what you're saying. Okay. I I agree with the heart of what Mr. Brunson is saying very much, but we
079now have the free meals. So, any kid coming to school does have access to getting milk and a nutritious meal. This is a supplementary milk that they would be buying. And that's the difference I see. And when I buy milk for my family, the price is extraordinarily high compared to a couple years ago. So it didn't strike me as a a hindrance because there is a free healthy meal for the for for every child in the district. Um I I'd be fine if we want to discuss it more, but that's my feeling. >> Anything? Um I actually you're what what you said um reminded me of something the which may be a solution for everybody but it would be something to discuss later on um with the apples and oranges. There's that bowl if you
080if you don't eat your apple that come came with your lunch you put it in the bowl and somebody else can have it. There are kids who get the free lunch but don't drink the milk. Is that a an option? And then there's here's your free milk. Like then somebody else can grab it if they want milk. But that might be so I think there may be options to to to look at at some point. >> I like idea. Um I'd like your idea if we can, you know, if there's a way to make that work. That that sounds useful. I enjoy hearing from you about how it's working in terms of the meals and I think that's really valuable to us as a board to hear. Um and I do think uh it's it's
081interesting because you do have um some of the students just taking it to get the milk or they're just taking it to get the food and then they leave the milk. So it's just it's kind of you know it goes both ways. So, um, do you see I'm just curious most of your students taking advantage of of getting either a breakfast or a lunch? >> Yeah. >> Or both? >> Yeah. >> I I see a lot of people just like in the morning they already have their breakfast. They're like, I want to snack throughout the day. So, they have cereal and a bunch like a bunch of people just grab it so they can have something throughout the day even though they have their own lunch. or even there's a lot of kids or athletes,
082they burn so many calories that like one lunch isn't enough for them. So having the free one to do that is almost like they can get two meals for what they used to get, >> right? >> So it's like I have a bunch of friends that come home with or come to table with three plates, it's like uh it's I guess it's really helpful for them. >> They can get a lot more. I do agree that increasing milk is a bit drastic, but I mean just get a sandwich and I have a question. Is it you get two free meals a day or just breakfast or lunch? >> Both, right? Yeah, >> that could be two. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, you get a breakfast and not two lunches or two breakfast but breakfast and lunch
083>> and milk with each of them. in each. Yeah. >> Right. So that's two milks a day >> if you get the breakfast in the morning. >> Yeah, >> that's great. You know, it's just the price that bothers me. >> Yeah, >> you know. >> Yeah. And um so I guess you know, Mr. Brunson put forth the uh idea of tableing it. I first I want to thank everyone for for the discussion on it. um before we look to the possibility of tableling it, um I guess what would we be looking for as far as information to help us get to a decision at a future meeting? And then the followup to that, is that something that that can be uh delivered to us for the next meeting? So um Mr. Brunson, would it be,
084you know, looking at uh other price points for the the second milk? Um, >> well, sure. I would I would I I would go for a compromise of some kind, you know, an increase of a modest increase rather than a 150% increase. It's It seems as though we're just targeting milk here, you know, and and that's uh doesn't make any sense to me, especially if it's all the infected 12 kids today, you know. Maybe I should just offer to buy those 12 kids a container of milk every day. I could do that pretty easily. I withdraw my offer to my motion to table this pull. >> Okay. Um All right. Any further discussion down here? >> Okay. Well, I I appreciate the discussion. Um uh having had the discussion, uh all in favor of the
085motion to approve I >> I >> that's five uh um opposed. >> Nay, >> abstensions and that is passed 510. Thank you all. Uh we are going to move on to item B. Uh, the superintendent recommends that the board of education approve the revised 2025 food service management company contract with personal touch as attached to the agenda. May I have a motion? >> Some moved. >> Moved by Mrs. Danny. Second. >> Second by Miss Mrs. Whitel. discussion. >> All I just I do want to say something regarding that. We have had some parents reach out over um over what their child may or may not be eating at school. And um I do want to make sure and I know it's on our website, but just somehow remind find a way to remind our parents
086that the menu is posted on all of our apps and it's posted on the website. So, at any time they can find out what's available every day. And there are a variety of offerings. And I think that that's just important for them to know. One of their other concerns that I've heard, which we've also responded to, but is that oh well, there's sweets or whatever available or soda or I don't remember what it was in the vending machines. But in our policy that we just approved tonight, it also has a a line that says there is a restriction of those type foods from bell to bell. So if their child is is getting it, then they're getting it after school, which it's after school. That's not really our responsibility at that point. But I it's
087an important question that they're a that they're asking. But we do have it on our websites in our policies that we are that they can they can find and it's valuable information >> and and personal touch follows all the very strict nutritional guidelines. So they're meeting all those nutritional guidelines that are set for us. Um and so they're very stringent about that. >> Yeah. And they have their information is on our website as well. Um that they explain quite more than just the menu which I thought was was good. Thank you, Dr. Proto. All in favor? >> I I opposed abstensions. That's pass 6. Uh on item C, uh superintendent recommends the board of education approve the uh uh resolution uh resolution attached to the uh agenda uh to expend $30,000 from the repair reserve
088fund as discussed earlier during our public hearing. May I have a motion? >> Moved by Miss Armbra. Second >> Second by Mrs. Whitel. Discussion. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstension. And that is pass 6. Uh we are into bid results. Uh, right. >> Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out which >> Oh, there we go. Um, so the superintendent recommends the board of education approve the following resolution uh for capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 202 abatement and demolition. May I have a motion? Moved by Miss Armbra, second by Dr. Discussion. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? That's pass 60. Item E, the superintendent recommends board of education approve the following resol resolution uh uh for the bid results capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 203 general trades. May
089I have a motion? >> So moved by Mitel second. >> Second by Miss Danu discussion all in favor. Opposed abstensions and that's passed 6. Item F, the superintendent recommends board of education approve the following resolution bid results for the capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 208 carpentry. May I have a motion? >> Some moved. >> Moved by Miss Narra, second by Dr. discussion. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? And that's pass 6. Item G, superintendent recommends the board of education approve the following resolution bid results for the capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 209 flooring. May I have a motion? So moved >> moved by Mrs. Whitel. Second >> Second by Miss Danu. Discussion. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. And that's pass 6. Uh, the superintendent recommends the board
090of education approve the following resolution uh for bid results for the capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 22 22 uh plumbing. May I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Miss Armbra, second by Dr. Emproa. Discussion all in favor? Opposed abstensions and that's pass 6. The superintendent recommends the board of education approve the following resolution for bid results for capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 223 HVAC. May I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Mrs. Whitel. Second >> Second by Mrs. Danu. Discussion. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstensions? That's passed. 6. On to item J. Uh, the superintendent recommends the board of education approve the following resolution for bid results for capital improvement project 2022 phase 2 contract 226B electrical. May I have a motion >> moved by
091Miss Armbra second by Dr. Emproa. Discussion >> all in favor? >> Opposed? abstensions and that's passed 6. We're moving away from bid results to item K. Uh the superintendent recommends the board of education approve the following novel for purchase uh chicken soup for the soul think positive for pre-teens. May I have a motion? Second moved by Dr. Second. Second by uh second by Mrs. Whitel. >> Um >> what's that? >> Discussion of the So this is approved for purchase, but the PTO is actually purchasing. So I don't know if we need to >> write that in there. >> Nope, we're all good. >> Okay, that's >> Thank you. Uh all in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions and that's passed 6. Uh may I get a motion to approve the seventh amendment to the
092contract of employment for the superintendent of schools. >> Moved by Miss Armbra. Second. >> Second by Miss Stanu. Discussion. >> All in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions and that's passed 6. >> Good job. Uh and we are through on to item 20, new business. And does anyone have any new business to bring before the poll? Well, guess what? I do. Uh three things for the board. Um, one, uh, we would like to, uh, we've had some, uh, I've had some discussions about the possibility of starting our meetings at, uh, 5:45 for the sake of getting us into executive session and settled in so that at six o'clock, by six o'clock, we can be into the discussions and make sure that we have time with the healthy uh, executive session agendas that we have
093um I'd ask the board if anyone would have any objections to doing that. >> No, >> we'll see. >> Um could we could we put it on for our next meeting and and see how it goes and take it step by step? Um it's just I know that in the past we have as needed done it but we thought perhaps especially because we have been spending uh we've gotten a lot of executive items uh to go through. So >> on a related matter where do you intend to have these meetings once the construction starts? >> I think it's going to be in the cafeteria. So >> cafeteria. >> Yeah. So, we'll have to uh have a space for executive session. >> Um yeah, there's that uh conference room right up the stairs here. Um the
094next uh thing I'd like to ask the board to consider is the um in conversations with Miss Danu and Mr. Russ. Um, I've recognized that uh in talking with other members from other districts, the idea of a board retreat is just like pretty much expected. They have one. It's every year. They know exactly when it's going to be. And I'd like to uh propose that we look for a time in January uh when we can have one this year and then start to look to um schedule it in the uh in the reorg meeting so that we have it and then we can plan the conversations once we have it uh scheduled. So I guess it's more of a um an ask of all of you to look at your January calendars uh and uh
095perhaps send that uh to uh um Miss Casey uh and we can collect that and see what we what might be available for us as far as a uh January retreat this year and then uh just make that a uh an ongoing >> is that like would that be a daytime evening weekend would like >> we'll find out. Right. Yeah. >> Right. Uh so it's going to be it's it's going to I think that especially this first one is going to be dependent on availability. Um and we can talk about it and we can also talk about it going forward what it might look like. Um so um the last one uh a uh we are going going to be entering negotiations uh the district will will be with the faculty association. Um, historically within
096the store school district, board members have sat in on those uh, negotiations. However, the it's been brought to my attention that that is not the norm. And it is actually we are one of very few school districts that do have a uh, a board member or multiple board members who sit at the table for that. Um, and so I wanted to bring that up for discussion um, as uh, Mr. Russ uh, puts together that team and uh, get thoughts from the board on um, on the idea of continuing to have a a member or multiple members on that team or um, just getting the giving the information to Mr. for us and receiving the updates directly from him. >> So, Mr. Brunson, any thought any initial thoughts? >> Well, I' I've been on every negotiating
097team since I started here uh as a board member. Um, and before that, I was on the negotiating teams for the union for a number of years. Uh so and and I was the chief negotiator for the administrators for golly a lot of years. So so I've got a lot of experience in this and I I see having a broader representation on the committee as being valuable. Uh you know it doesn't mean that we're directing how things are going. We're not. Those who've been on the committee with me in the past realize that uh the it's it's uh but the more we separate ourselves from the teachers, the less understanding it's going to be between us. Uh so so yeah, if you want to if you want to say well no teachers can't talk to
098board members, we got to have just the administration in between. Uh then uh fine. But but I don't think that's the right way to go. I I think uh the the uh uh benefits associated with it have far outweighed any uh concern about how other districts do it. >> Most any thoughts? >> I think I'd like to give it some thought and maybe have some individual conversations with folks to get a sense of the pros and cons. >> Okay. Yep. Any initial thoughts down here? >> I'd like to know what the teachers what the what the faculty think before and I would if they want us to, you know, be there to hear their their concerns or if they'd rather have um them presented by Mr. Russ like I Yeah, >> I agree with that.
099>> What's that saying? >> We can I think um We've just this has just been brought up tonight. So maybe some time to reflect on it, think about it and um and have some discussion would be would be good as we head into this >> um >> you know this next >> Yeah, I thought I thought >> negotiations and I agree and I think it's worthwhile discuss and it's worth pointing out that NISBA's um NISSBA doesn't necessarily give a direction on it but they do um uh I they do acknowledge that it is not the common practice. um and that certain um arguments against it that I was able to find in in researching it through NISBA is a um that could be a loss of cander uh in the negotiations uh confusion of authority
100and uh the messengers versus the negotiators. Right? A negotiation team is is typically the superintendent, business official, and legal counsel. Uh and they uh may simply be seen as messengers. Uh and having a board member present can uh and more poignency to the talks. So they also give some um some you know reasons for it, right? uh and that would be uh that uh nothing's going to be lost in uh translation uh and delivery uh to to board members. Um there's some credibility and community voice uh present at the table with that and it uh it also uh allows for some improvement improved communication. So um yeah, so I guess that that's food for thought uh as we look to uh to set up that that team for those negotiations. So, I appreciate all of
101you uh participating in that. >> Can I add >> I'm sorry. Um and in the same way of the for the new business um that that's something that that I'm wondering as well in maybe in a different way of how to because like you're saying we may not have interaction with with with the faculty but maybe there is a way to be more visible um to them. you know, whether it's we were invited to go to the Fall Fest if that's something someone's able to do where we can have an interaction that we kind of get to see them just, you know, in a little different way as well, but that might make us also more visible to them and help with other interactions. So, I' I'd like to look at different ways that we
102could do that that won't add extra work, of course, but different ways that we could be more visible. >> Thank you. Another small point is that in recent uh years, quite a few years now, the negotiations have been very formal and uh none of us on the team spoke. We there was a designated uh communicator uh for the teachers and a designated communicator for the district and that was the superintendent and and the teachers picked whoever they want. Uh and uh what we were there to to counsel uh and to and to help evaluate the various options that were put forward. uh and and uh I think there was some benefit to the superintendent being able to turn separately. I mean not not in at the table but caucusing to be able to talk to
103a couple of board members and to be able to talk to a couple of other administrators and and and get uh uh and and then come back with perhaps a a better understanding of what may be a way to move forward because it's it's a hard process. It's it's hard to move it forward >> and sometimes you know two heads are better than one on on figuring out a way to do that. >> Um yeah, I just I just wanted to just update the board. Mr. Stoneer and I met this week Monday. He's the chief negotiator for the association and we just started just talking a little bit about like what the schedule looks like. And so we're hoping to get a little earlier start on it and maybe get together for our first discussion
104in November. So that was like where we're at. And so we're hoping that that can start because you know when we get into our budget season in December, January, February, it gets kind of crazy blending this in. We also have the civil service association we're negotiating with this year. So we got to work cut out for us. >> And the contract expires in June. >> They both do. Yes. Yep. >> Yeah. It's it's a late start then. >> Yeah. even getting out ahead of time, right? I know it's >> so we're we're hopeful to to just um again, we just had some actually a very good conversation. You just talked a lot about how the school year was going and the stone brick had a lot of positive things to say about what's happening in
105the district. So that that boats well and you know negotiations is difficult. There's no question about it, right? And so um so we're we're hoping to get started in about like that would be about eight weeks. Um, all right. So, thank you all. I will uh actually I'll take some of the information that I found and send it out to the board. So, you have the that those uh that information and I'd be happy to have conversations with anyone uh that has if you have time to digest this and and u share other thoughts. Uh we're going to move on uh to item 21. Uh the next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is October 20th, which is a Monday. Um I believe that is uh one of our last ones that is not on
106a Wednesday. Uh and that will be uh back at the middle school. Um moving on to item B, we have the uh list of upcoming meetings, workshops, and conferences. Again, the top one is that conversation with the commissioner. Uh deadline to register the 30th. Uh on to 22. May I have a motion to Yep. One last. >> Yeah. Before we go, I just like to thank uh the board for my contract. Uh very generous and appreciate your support and and I said this um we're very I think um anything, you know, the relationship we share is critically important and it allows us to do all the good work that we're getting done here. um you set the agenda and uh we're very appreciative for that and so um with our two fine students here today
107uh they are the beneficiaries of your your hard work and so I just wanted to say thank you for that. >> Thank you. Uh and with that may I have a motion to adjourn >> moved by Mrs. Danu second >> by Dr. enthusiastically. Um all in fa or discussion all in favor I opposed abstensions and that's pass 6 and we are journed. Thank you all very much. No open.