001To 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. All >> righty. Good evening everybody. And at this time, I will call for presentation by the Southern Leadership Class. >> Sorry, >> y'all. First. >> All right. So, good evening everybody. Uh my name is Bernie O'Donnation. Um and we're here to talk to you about something that we would like to uh present for you. So one of the problems that we see for some of the youth in Sullivan County uh surrounds comfort and hygiene products. So some of the studies show that when students do not have access to this basic necessities, they are unable to fully engage in learning. Both hygiene products and comfort items are essential
002for the growth for our youth, not just for scholars, but also as individuals. So the comfort closets for Sullivan County School Districts, the class will fund raise and ask for product donations to build each school its own comfort closet. one closet to each school building fully supplied on installment. Schools that already have something uh similarly in place um they will still receive supplies and support from us. So, some of the items that we're planning on having in these closets uh deal with hygiene products, sensory items, soft snuggle pets for some of the younger generations, simple graband-go snacks. And the whole entire concept behind this is uh for these items uh that they would be uh you know available quietly and respectfully so that no child feels ashamed or singled out. A student will be able
003to get what they need and go back to class with dignity intact, ready to learn and participate. As far as fundraising, uh our class plans on both monetary and physical donations. Um, we've already been speaking with Home Depot along with some other local businesses that have made some soft commitments, so we're very helpful in that area. As far as budget, each closet is going to cost roughly around $112. Uh, an average cost for supplies is somewhere in the vicinity of 300 for a total cost of $412 uh for a total uh estimate of somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000. With that being said, we thank you very much for your time and uh we hope that you uh consider this. And as far as some of our questions, do you have anything like this currently
004in play in your school district? >> We currently have um and Mr. Harp's here to speak more about it. We do have a backpack program that's housed here in the elementary building. Um we do not have a um that kind of covers a little bit of some both schools um because of siblings and we do not have anything at JSHs. We are we have been looking at trying to start something >> great. So we're lucky enough that this is uh and this PowerPoints from our original proposal. We've already uh started working with uh Liberty and Monaceel and Falls already. love to support you this guy uh you guys that support this project the budget and stuff that was actually just for the chamber foundation. This is completely funded by our class through hard good donations.
005We've already had a couple different companies and local businesses reach out. Um as well as some grants that we're looking for. This is nothing that you guys would ever have to worry about uh paying for anything. Um as far as the backpack program, it's really great that you offer that, but uh I believe that focuses primarily on food, correct? Yes. Um this is more a focus on hygiene products whether it's um you know uh toothpaste, shampoo, detergent um also clothing hygiene products for some of our older students and then also we want to supply clean um undergarments. So uh underwear, undershirts in various sizes. Um obviously we're not going to supply a whole wardrobe but things that can really help out the community especially in uh trying to support it quarterly. Um, so that you
006always these kids always have access to some of that stuff they need. Um, with as far as u facilities like do you uh have a place to maybe house the program? Do you need a closet or a cabinet supply? Um, that's some things that we're trying to initially talk to the schools about to see where your needs lie in trying to think about something like this. >> We can definitely I know in both buildings we have the space and we could definitely come up with the shelving or whatever we need. Um but yeah, no I'm very interested. >> Great. Um and a big thing with the chamber foundation and the class project is sustainability. Um I saw the county my entire life. It's always great. Everyone wants to do something great for the community, but
007generally year or two later kind of peters out to support shifts. um the chamber of creation the film film sorry uh of the uh chamber of commerce and every class needs to have a project that they're uh committed to sustaining for the long term. So members of our class whether it's someone hopefully in your school district or others will be on call checking in. We do want you guys to take some ownership of this as well. Um maybe when you do uh your any type of food drives also say oh and also maybe these comfort closets we love for donations there things like that but we'll also be there to support and continue to uh keep you guys stocked up hopefully. Um now our the only thing we would need from you guys is a
008contact person. A lot of schools this is a guidance counselor nurse's office some you know uh some superintendents like to take it up but uh they're very busy people. So, do you have information that we can maybe share with us that offer that person to contact where we can coordinate? >> You can put myself as the contact. >> Great. Great. Do you have a card? >> Um, not with me. >> Okay. >> I do have I have the email address that you sent you correspond with Lisa. So, I have the email. So, I'll be in touch tomorrow. >> Perfect. Perfect. Thank you guys so much for having us. Any other questions? >> Great. Well, thank you everyone. >> Thanks for coming. Thank you for your time. >> All right. Next on the agenda is the
009discussion for the academic calendar for 2026 2027 school year that we all have in front of us. Anybody have a chance to look at it? Take a few minutes if we need to to look at it. I don't think it's changed much. I think the biggest question was when we started school, when we wanted to start school, I think was the biggest question. >> Yeah. >> Was either after Labor Day or before Labor Day, >> right? >> And I believe the consensus of Sullivan County is before, right? Or after I mean >> after Labor Day. >> After >> we actually >> that's kind of me personally, that's the way I >> only because >> it's the end of the summer. People go on family vacations and then they're going to have to get back for
010four days or three days of school and then a three-day weekend. you know, it doesn't really make sense to do that to them. >> So, you know, right now we do have the eight. I was able because I know there was some concern this year we have six snow days. I know there was some concern about going back to seven snow days. So, I was able to gain an additional snow day. Um it was I it was interesting because we thought we were going to have to do um Junth to recognize June 8 June 19th on Friday June 18th. I got a memo from Nised saying that June 18th um there can be school. It's a rating day and so that gives us an additional instructional day which means I can give seven snow days.
011So that was one change. Um we've all agreed for Sullivan County um on the countywide conference day which is Friday the 6th. Um spring break is early um and that is the 26 is a Friday. That's Good Friday. In the majority of contracts throughout Sullivan County, Good Friday is given off. So even if we had because we all the superintendents talked about what about the following week, we'd still have to give off that Good Friday. So that why the consensus so all Sullivan County schools are also off the same week. Um there was a long discussion on that. Um >> doesn't a lot of that coincide with Boseis also >> and that is Boseies. So Bosey's helped us out this year by putting out a um agenda um calendar a draft first and we've gone
012through a couple of different um iterations of the draft and then when finally everybody said that um you know the 8th is when we're going to start then we're starting on the 8th and that'll put September 2nd and 3rd as superintendent conference days. So the employees have to be in no kids or just >> no kids on the second and third. Those are just those are the um employees. >> Okay. >> And then they have the fourth off and the seventh off and then the first day of school with students is the eighth. >> Yeah. That's that's the norm. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any any other discussion? Everybody good with it? >> All right. All in favor? >> I very good. Passed. Done. >> Okay. That good enough, Lisa? >> Perfect. >> All right, >>
013Mr. Amadore. >> Yes, >> I would be happy to be the Sullivan County representative. >> Perfect. >> For the Sullivan posties. >> Outstanding. Anybody have a problem with that? >> All in favor? I >> I move on to the superintendent report. >> Thank you, Ardore. >> You're welcome. We're going to keep you here one way or the other. >> Okay. A couple of things. First of all, I want to say on this past Monday, um we did have a two-hour delay just because of the um extreme temperatures that we have been dealing with for I think forever. That's how it feels. Um and that was because the buses did gel over. Um actually got to see what a fuel filter looks like, what gel looks like, all that stuff. I do want to say thank
014you to um Donald Hunt or we call him Bosco. He works for the town of Lumberland um for his help because he made sure he gave us some extra bottles of 911 diesel recovery which comes in like little quarts. They are sold out. We were looking in Pennsylvania. I was looking in Newberg, Middletown. Everybody had sold out. So I do want to say thank you to Bosow for his help. Um also I want to say congratulations to Amanda Zroic. She is receiving tenure tonight. So, congratulations, Amanda. Um, now we're dealing with the budget. Now, um, the 2627. So, we've gotten the executive budget proposal. So, that we received at the end of January. Now, this is Governor Hokll's proposed budget. It does show an increase of $311,676. That is in the proposed state aid runs.
015Um but we need to keep in mind that this increase is based on pre kindergarten funding. So right now one of her proposals is we currently get $5,400 per pupil for prek. Her proposal is the UPK for all to remove the limits on the number of kids you can have in UPK and to up it to $10,000 a child that so we see in our state aid runs an increase of $340,000 historically we've never had 34 kids in prek so this is again a proposal so I just we have to keep in mind that this increase is not really a true increase once you remove the prek a a lotment. Our increase is actually pretty much flat. It was $40,000. Um we did receive a 1% increase to our foundation aid, but our um found
016it's actually based on 60%. So it's a 1% on 60%. Um so it's a 6 increase. So it gets very convoluted. Um now we have to wait and see what the assembly passes. It is an election year. I did some comparison just to see for special ed costs where we stand within Sullivan County. And currently right now for operating special ed operating co costs, we're at 14.06 of our budget. That's based on 2425. We're ranked seven out of eight in the county, meaning we're seven out of the lowest costs. Um, and then, you know, we always want to keep that target low, which means we're spending our money wisely for special ed. We started that if you remember when we created the 811 um class in the elementary school and that's to make sure kids
017stay in district and not be shipped out. So we have keep those costs relatively low. And then the actual money per education student we're ranked six out of se six out of eight. We spend $34,25 per student with special ed. And then when I looked at because again we have to look as as small as we are our numbers tend to get a lot bigger because we compared to a lot of other schools are small. So then I looked at Orange County and we are actually we're right smack dab in the middle when we look at Orange and Sullivan County on operating expenses and the cost per student. Um I mentioned last time there was a vote proposal for next year regarding AM and PM schedule. and the AM schedule would be for the juniors
018going and the PM would be for seniors going. Um myself, Sullivan West and Tri Valley actually got on a call with Susan Schmidt. We basically all had the same thing. It impacted us not only on um transportation costs which was minimal but it did impact our students as far as the ability to take um college level classes, electives, band chorus and so um and all three of us said the same thing. So with Susan Schmidt, she did say that that Bosey's proposal would be tabled for this year. they'll look at something next year, but it does impact our students because then if we have juniors going in the morning, then they come back. And my point was, I've got to make sure by the time they get back to the high school for their afternoon
019classes, they have enough classes to be able to graduate on time with their cohort because it is a 45minute drive. Um, so right now we are in the afternoon for both juniors and seniors. So they have the majority of their days spent in academic classes here and that ensures that they are going to graduate with their cohort. Um there are three or two new coasters that are coming out next year that actually it helps us out. One is um for 2627 expanded college access coaster. They had a college access coaster last year past two years. We did not get involved with that coaster because at the time it did not make financial sense for that coaster. It would be for the district to pay 100% of the Sunni tuition cost for each student going. And
020because our aid what we get back is 36%. We were going to end up losing money. So we decided not to hold off. We decided not to do that. And right now currently our parents pay a reduced tuition rate to Sunni Sullivan. But it's up to the te the parents to reg and the students to register the parents to pay. It's a complete separate billing issue. With this new expanded college access coaster, it is where um they then would help us out by um paying a percentage of our teachers salaries that teach the college class. So then it makes more financial sense to pay for the district to pay that tuition because it's a reduced rate plus we get help with the teacher salaries that are teaching the courses. So we you know they are
021expanding it because it's right now um the only I think it was Monaceel and Falls because they get enough aid that it makes sense for them to do that. For us it didn't but now and Caleb and I are going through the numbers now it makes sense for us to do that next year. Um, we also have an instructional services substitute coaster. So, this is also an expanded coaster for next year. That's a win for us. So, when our teachers attend SE Bosey's professional development, particularly in instructional services, the coaster will cover those substitutes for the day. We will not have to pay for those substitutes. This coaster will pay and then we get percent back, but it actually helps us out with sub pay. Um cost savings right now it says $20,000. That's a
022typo. It should say around $2,000. Um and that could grow up to like $5,000, but that does give us a little extra money. And then February 27th, I'm meeting with Paul Kay and Peter Oberacker and they're attending the February Superintendent Council meeting and hopefully we'll get more information regarding the budget proposal. Um what may get approved, what's not going to get approved, what the New York assembly, what kind of they're leaning towards. Again, this is an election year, so we meet with them again at the end of February. >> And that concludes my report. >> Any questions for Tracy for the board? >> All good. Thank you. Elementary principal report. >> Thank you, Mr. Hollock. >> So, uh, over the last few weeks, our attendance has been hit pretty hard. Um, but we're actually staying
023pretty steady now at this point at 94.77%. The real positive here is that every single grade level in the intermediate wing is above 95%. And many of our younger children in the primary wing, uh, grades pre-K through 2 grade, they're the ones who are a little bit more prone to being sick, a little bit less resilient coming to school. So having that high attendance rate in those upper grade levels is important. As we move into the junior senior high school, we want to make sure we're stressing attendance, especially with our fifth and sixth graders who are going to move into the junior senior high school. in ELA. We had a review of our STAR benchmark data yesterday at our faculty meeting and then we had a little um data protocol we went through in uh
024looking at our fifth graders now their fourth grade test results of the New York State English ELA assessment. We're able to compare that to the STAR benchmark now and we were able to just uh see what we can infer, see what we can determine and then also what are we going to get our best bang for our buck where what what students and where can we target um the most appropriate uh instructional practices in order to improve student outcomes. So that was really helpful um with that and improving student outcomes. We're going to have targeted enrichment coming up in March and April. So in the morning, um we have much of our staff in grades 1 through 6, grades 1 through 6th grade. They'll meet with students in the morning, 7:30 to 8:15, and that's
025really a targeted intervention for students um who need it. Um and so the teachers do an assessment based on the data that we just discussed in the benchmark. We um nominate students, we reach out to parents, and then we have them come early in the morning before school and just really target specific areas of need for deficits of those students. And that's for both math and ELA. Uh we had some good math uh meetings with our math coach this week. Um Peggy Golden went well and we'll meet with her again in March. Uh with leader and me, I'd like to give an invitation. The student council here at GRM is putting on a vocation advocation day. It's on March 17th on St. Patrick's Day. And we would like to invite any board member who would
026like to come and discuss what they do for a living or what they did for a living. Right. Same with you, Mr. Alec, right? And so it's really for us right now we have 15 volunteers that the student council is vetting and that we're vetting um as a building to make sure that they're appropriate for our grade levels. And so what will happen is those 15 people will be uh here at GRM on March 17th. And we will have little blocks of time for each grade level to come and see different um persons and be able to describe what they do for a living or what they have a passion for. So their advocation, what they advocate for and what their vocation may be, what they do. Um, so we just wanted to open up
027that invitation to any board member who may want to join us on March 17th. Really looking forward to our talent show tomorrow um at GRM. I think it's going to be a great time. We've invited parents um to come and enjoy it. It is at 1:00 tomorrow. We will have our prek through 2nd grade talent show participants um between 1 and 1:45. And after that we will have our third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade talent show participants uh going forward and having their uh showcasing their talents uh after that. So it will be up for the prek grade levels. We don't think it's appropriate for them to be there for like the full 90 minutes to two hours. That's why we're doing the little ones first. They'll watch their counterparts and their peers and then
028they'll probably head out and then the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade will stay and then watch their peers. So we're really looking forward to that right before the break coming up. Our winter clubs, almost all of them conclude this week, um with after school activities being cancelled on Wednesday. I think it was yesterday, right? Or Tuesday? >> Tuesday. I apologize. Some of those just had to be rescheduled till after break. Um so they got the required number of clubs in. So that that's great. And then um always a great time. Uh the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade dance. There's a typo on my report. I apologize. It's not at GRM. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade dance is up at the junior senior high school. Um, and this has been a and I really
029want to thank Mr. Conklin and Miss Garren to just inviting our sixth graders. It's a nice little bridge for our sixth graders to go and uh hang out with the seventh and eighth graders in a on a dance that's uh, you know, no parents, right? No PTA involved. So, it's always fun. I've shot Ronin a number of times. It's a ton of fun. U, important dates coming up today. We had twin day in the building. Uh, nobody dressed up like me. I was uh, a little depressed, but we got through it. Um, I will give a shout out to the sixth grade for twin day. Uh, the sixth graders, you know, they're getting a little older. They're going to middle school next year. Uh, almost all of the sixth graders participated and I I think
030we have a sixth grade teacher here. Yep. Uh, they asked everybody to wear black on top, jeans on the bottom, and they almost all did. So, it was just nice way of including everybody. It was really awesome. Uh, talent shows tomorrow and then our hundth day of school is on the day we get back from break. So, it's always chaotic that day in an elementary school. Um, and so hopefully, you know, parents and students remember, but we always have great like pieces of 100 things on shirts and other all day long. It's a lot of fun. So, that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Mr. Grampier. Any questions or comments from Ward? All >> good questions. Go ahead. >> Recorded the talent show when we watch it later. >> Yes. So, um, thank you to
031Jason and Tina. Oh, did it go back on? Uh they are going to record the talent show. We wanted to make sure just for student privacy there were certain things that we didn't include. Um we were able to work through that. So it'll be um recorded and we're going to put it up on our YouTube channel. Yeah. >> Okay. Secondary principal report. Mr. >> All right. Uh thank you very much Mr. Carpenter. What time am I performing tomorrow at the talent show? >> It's easy to confirm. >> So we will have a faculty piece to the talent show. It is to Madonna's Vogue >> and that's all I'm going to say. >> All right, I I I'll see you there. I might have to get over after dismiss all Mrs. Fair. I might have to
032make my way over here >> just to let everybody know. >> All right, thank you very much. Uh so attendance real quick from January 12th to February 10th, we were at 90.88. That is up from last month, I must say. However, we are uh still, you know, battling uh illnesses here and there and stuff and just getting through that. academic outcomes. We had the region exams from uh January 20th to January 23rd. Again, we had our exams picked up uh or shipped to Premier Assessment Services. This was during the time of I believe a lot of snow, but still the turnaround with the premier scoring was uh a day or so. Um and and it was a good experience. And all students have been told about their scores and it's really good to have the
033January regions still operate school the entire week. It gives students a chance to kind of catch up on a regious exam they might need or it gives students a leg up in in in a regious exam that they, you know, might give them a leg up on their transcript and they don't need to take it in the future. So, it's always a good opportunity and it also gives our teachers a sense of what is the region's looking like towards June, you know, so it's always good. Um, the math department um is going to be diving more into the new curriculum and vision. uh however they're going to be going through more targeted professional development with the company themselves uh envision so looking forward to that Mr. Krebs is organizing that for them and we are
034going to start talking about the process to look at a curriculum for social studies mainly our global studies and our US history um because we're seeing a need there to kind of guide that as a curriculum map. So uh we're going to dive into that eventually soon actually. Then the master schedule junior senior high school again we we took a look at the schedule and what works best for for our students. Um and right now we're looking at a rotating drop schedule. We've gone on two visits now um with uh myself, Mr. Krebs, and a couple staff members. We went to Warwick Valley High School um a couple weeks ago, and we went to Washington High School this past Monday. Um we have another schedule uh another visit to Putinham Valley um later this month.
035And they have some form of rotating drop schedule. And what is a rotating drop? And it's a it's a high school or middle school schedule where students have a set number of classes, but not every class meets every day. So you drop a class depending on what uh style you choose. You're dropping uh one or two classes per day. So it kind of the main goal is to increase our instructional time and uh have those uh students and teachers and the whole community kind of build uh you know solid relationships. So we're really are looking at this. We're looking at the pros. We're looking at the cons. Which brings me to my next point is transparency throughout the process. uh faculty and staff are already involved as you know they'd be coming on visits with
036me and I'm working on scheduling times where I can meet with parents and stakeholders if they want to talk about this. I was thinking about probably three sessions uh maybe one Zoom, two in person uh different times if people have any uh concerns or stuff they want to talk about or experience with the rotating drop schedule. So uh looking forward to moving along with that and I thank my uh the faculty yesterday at the faculty meeting for their kind of growth mindset looking at this whole thing. It's it's been great to have uh their support throughout this. So, uh more to come on that just miscellaneous stuff. We sent our SOL 180 district impact grant and I think if uh Mrs. Crouch is here, I think I got an email today to make some edits
037to that, but um they always send back edits, but we did apply for the district impact grant and wait to hear. Uh well, I heard um it'll be worth about $20,000 if we do get awarded it and it would have an impact on the entire district. So, I didn't just include the junior high school. We also have stuff for GRM in there as well. And we're currently in Hope Week. Uh you really should just see what's going on in our building. It's it's just it's unbelievable. We have many great things. We have theme days that are going on right now. And uh tomorrow it's going to culminate with a bunch of activities. So we're going to do uh there's a movie watching station. There's a meditation. Uh we're going to be making stress balls. Um
038Kids Got Worry Stones this week. Side note to that, I really want to thank the PTSA. Um they've really supported us with that. They we one day we got an Amazon haul of a bunch of stuff um that we we we did candygrams during lunches and stuff like that. It was just it's just been great to kind of promote the the mental health awareness and you know social emotional and the kids are just loving it. And my favorite day was like the uh the the lifeguard day cuz our hope squad advisors, the students that were chosen were dressed as lifeguards. Um, so it was just it was just really cool, you know, and it's been it's been a great week and it's going to uh, you know, end tomorrow with a bunch of activities kind
039of heading into the uh, February break. And I have a quick EP pack update. Um, I met with a student today regarding El Performing Arts. Um, I'm not going to mention the student's name, but the student had some ideas about being a student advisor for this club. um you know although it won't be something on a you know the the a huge play but some great ideas that are uh we're going to see what interest we have after the February break and uh Mrs. Fer I'll talk to you about that meeting that I had today and just getting creative outside the box because I know how important that you know the performing arts is and we need to have that cuz we have a group of kids that is interested in that. So um hopefully
040I got something brewing there. We'll see. And uh that that's it for me. Very good. Any questions? >> Okay, moving on to the director of instructional I'm sorry, student report. You got that? >> I got the student report right here. Um, we had some conflicts today and one of the one of the reps is uh sick. So, real quick, student council collected 210 cans of soup. Um, they had 34 non-p perishable goods and all were donated to GRM for the backpack program. Um, the kids are working on a hosting an in-person Sullivan County student council meeting. So, Sullivan West last year put together a countywide student council and uh, Miss Drew has worked with uh, her uh, student council here and they want they want to host a meeting which which I think is great
041to bring kids from other uh, districts into our building. Uh, hope week I already talked about that. That's happening. Uh, tomorrow we're doing the activities. Uh, freshman just completed their popcorn fundraiser and and we'll begin their flower power after the break. Um, uh, seniors are selling Gchard Hawk. There is a ton of Gerchard Hawk chocolate in the junior high school right now. It is insane. Um, everywhere. Peanut butter seems to be the most popular. It's tough to get. Um, so but but I know a guy, so let me know if you need anything. All right. Um, and 10th grade is hosting the dance like Mr. Carpenter said. And we had academic assemblies today to celebrate kids for their uh, principal list, high honors, honor roll, which was good during lunches. Um, sports, basketball's continuing. Uh
042got some postseason action coming up. Indoor track has ended for the season. Uh spring sports signups have started and spirit wear will be available uh through the varsity club. And that's it for the student report today. >> Very good. Good. >> Mr. Krebs. >> Thank you, Mr. Alec. Uh I just wanted to let you know that we were continuing our conversation with the technology director uh Tina Rodriguez and working with the governance team to look at our phys both physical and uh and online presence to make sure that our buildings are safe uh from threats outside of and both uh like I said in in person where somebody can get into a building or where they might be able to uh gain access to uh student data and things like that. Um, our March conference
043day, we're we're looking forward to we got everything planned. I had a scripted uh draft that I've sent out to our constituents and we're making sure that we have everything planned for that. Um, Dr. England and myself have been participating in the state performance plan training. It's indicator 8. They have a number of indicators. Indicator 8 is one of those that participates in parental involvement for our special education population. So we have to look at ways in which um we have a number of things that are put in place for parental involvement and then um every cycle period I think it's about every six years we send out a survey to gain um feedback from parents in special education about how well we're doing. So that'll probably take place starting September of 2026 and it
044goes through I think April of 2027 where the survey is provided to the parents. We try to get 95% of the parents. I I would think that mostly we get almost 100% of our parents that participate in the survey. It's about uh eight or nine questions, very simple about how well we're doing as a district in providing parental uh support to our um families that have uh special needs children. Um also, uh the last thing is is that we met with the high school. We're looking at continuing the great work that the elementary school is doing in their MTSS program. And we've started to update our literacy uh decision rules and our tiered descriptors to provide um needed support for students in seventh and eighth grade particularly in our MTSS process. But then um right
045now we're looking at literacy and we'll move on to math. And there's been a big proponent for mental health also as being part of that multiple uh multiple tiered systems of support would be uh mental health is also and behaviors is another um one of the tiered supports. So we're we're on board with that and it's really coming together as a group. That's all I had to share with you this evening. >> Thank you Mr. Krebs. Any questions from the board? All good. Moving on. Caleb, >> you're up. >> Uh Jason, do you have that? Uh >> for advance for you? >> You're going to do it for me? >> Yeah. >> All right. Yeah, I guess that's fine. >> Nope, that's fine. All right. So, let me turn this down a little bit loud.
046Um so, what I have here is a just a preliminary budget set up for us right now. uh revenue is going to be 20,8788. Now that isn't final, but it's going to be very close. It's not going to change a lot from that. Um that's about 2.26 more than last year. Uh what makes that up is the tax caps 2.38%. This is assuming we are going to the tax cap. We are still awaiting final Bosey's capital. So part of the tax cap is the difference between last year's Bosey's capital expenditures and this year's. Boseies has told me that they do not anticipate that to be much higher. So, it shouldn't have much of an effect. I mean, we're talking maybe 10,000 on this 20,87. Um, and then, uh, the debt service estimates, they come from
047a company called Bard P. Donigan, and they estimate how much building aid I'm going to get. The other component to the tax cap is our debt minus our building aid compared to last year. So, the difference between the two of them. also not expecting that to be uh much of a change over what I've already got. Um interest's calculated based on an assumption of 2.5% interest rate. Right now they're doing rate cuts. They're they're talking about rate cuts at the next meeting. We're at 3.57% at the moment. Um this is conservative. It might stay around 3.5%. We don't know. Um but that's where the 125,000 comes in. I also based it on an average monthly balance of 5 million. Ours is, if you actually do the average, is 5,488,000 and change is our actual average
048monthly balance. Um, so I'm conservative with the interest rate number. I almost always come over the number. I don't want to overdo that one. The state aid estimates came in. The governor's proposal, which is subject to change, had a 1%, as Tracy said, increase the foundation aid, which is 60% of the state aid itself. Bosey's aid is up a little bit because they increased the cap that they allow for teachers and uh staff. It used to be that you can only get aid up to $30,000 on salaries. Now it's 40. Next year it'll be 50 and the year after it'll be 60 and that's when it's going to cap. So you're going to get a little bit more in Bosey's aid. Um we're at the minimum. So Bosey's aid will be level because we've been
049getting hammered on the state aid runs with our percentbased aids because the real estate property values here. That's going to level out now which is good. Um, it's not great that we're at the minimum, but since you're at the minimum, at least now you can plan, right? You know, it's not going to drop drastically the next year. Um, we do not calculate the effect of these proposed UPK changes. If the UPK changes come to fruition, we will get at least $50,000 extra for the school. How much is going to be based on enrollment? And um, and if they argue that number down, so she's proposing 10, it was 54. And as we know how politics work, they're going to get together in a room and they're going to hash something out and it might come
050out and be eight at the end. So once we find that out, we'll update this. Obviously, we'll have a presentation in March and April. And if you guys want to have a workshop, we could have a workshop as well to kind of go down through the line by line. So this is just an overview while we're still getting some information. We also don't include the funds that were requested from the assembly woman. So, we won't know if we get those funds until they approve the legislative budget, which is supposed to be done by April 1st. They often go over that time limit, but if they have it April 1st, and she says, "Hey, we have that." Obviously, I'll incorporate that into the budget that you guys approve April 22nd because you guys don't approve that
051until is April 22nd or Okay, got the right date. Um, this is how we project the tax levy cap. Um, that tax base growth factor that 1.0124. So 1.24% of our cap is because of new buildings. So that shouldn't have a tax impact on the district overall. So new houses, new businesses that came in, they'll be picking up that. Um then you have the plus minus pilots and exemptions. The exemptions are your capital that I was talking about just before. The um the debt service minus our debt minus our um capital. And then the allowable that's the 2% the allowable levy growth factor down there that's two the lesser of 2% are inflation. So if inflation's over two you have to eat it um or hope you know that you have really good growth. We
052do the next slide. So this is just what's been happening to our state aid ratios. You can see they're kind of finally leveling out. Um and that's because real estate values aren't skyrocketing the way they were. They were 800 million four years ago. They're 1.4 4 billion now here. Um but then this year they're 1.5 billion. So they've slowed which means these are slowing which makes it easier for me to predict what's going to happen here. Um and then you'll see high cost aid and Bosey's aid. High cost aid is for in public is for students who are in and out of district placement out of Boseies or another public school. And then the private one is obviously for for students who are in residential or private schools outside of here. uh you get a
053lot more money for a private school student. Uh don't know why that is, but um I'm assuming it's it's because private schools used to cost a great deal more and they just don't update their formulas. Um and then Bosey's aid we get on certain expenditures for Bosey's transportation obviously. Um you can go to the next one. So these are where our expenditures are looking right now. right now. Um, the biggest increase is in transportation, but it looks it looks big, but really it's we have to buy a new van. Um, and transportation is one of the you can tell on here is one of the lower line items. So, it's it's uh affected a lot more by by increases like that. Um, employee benefits, we're getting some offsets because TRS is going down 10% and
054that's one of our biggest ones. Our health insurance is going up 6%. But it's going to be partially offset by by lower ERS, lower TRS and um lower workers compensation, considerably lower workers compensation. Um, our transfers are going to be the same. That's partially us paying ourselves back in the cafeteria fund. um $230,000 goes into the cafeteria fund, but 80,000 of that is to pay back um money we owe ourselves essentially uh anytime we had an overage in the cafeteria. Um so these were key inceptions here in the general category at the start in February. Typically what I do is I just roll over take the contracts and increase everybody's salary by what the contracts are and take the information I've got in there. Otherwise, we have um for the maintenance, we need a truck.
055Our current truck is going to be no good for um DOT inspection. We need it for plowing. So, that's in that. Um in instructional expenditures, we're just rolling over our programs. We're still gathering data for UPK, CTE, special ed placement, so I don't have enrollment. So, those are big cost drivers in that area before we know what we're going to spend. And then also throughout February and March, what happens is you get your increases for software costs and things like that, things like that that they haven't sent to us yet. Also, like we went out for a fuel bid, by the way, we just did that today. I'll be approving it tomorrow. We're about 5 less. So, we're going to be $244 a gallon for number two fuel and $248 a gallon for diesel, which
056is decent pricing. um and is less than last year, but not considerably less than last year. Um but that this kind of information is just starting to trickle in. In fact, we haven't awarded that yet. We're awarding it tomorrow. They just sent me the bids today. Um transportation, just salary increases in new student van. Um employee benefits, as I talked about, we have a 10% decrease in TRS and offsetting decrease in workers comp and ERS. Debt is based off our current lease agreements and bonds. It's not going to change. um they send me a schedule, that's what we're going to pay, and transfers are held steady. So, we're still getting a lot of this information in. Um, in prior years, I didn't really do a February one, but I thought it would be a good
057idea to do a February one just so you know where we're about at because I do have the tax cap information. I do have the revenue. And since you have to do a balanced budget, it doesn't really matter if you know all of your expenditures yet. If you know you're only going to get 20,800, then that's what your budget's going to be because you have to balance it. Um, next slide. and then the $100,000 project. So, we're going to do the $100,000 project. Again, we do know it's going to be safety and security related. We're waiting to see if we get this money for the other stuff to see how we want to allocate that. This year, we ended up filing an emergency. You guys approved that on one of the board meetings um for
058the uh abatement. So, we had to swap out what we had originally wanted to spend that on for that. and then um that $35,000 water tank that had to get remediated. So th those two things didn't end up hitting our budget. We just didn't get the things that we wanted to spend it on because between the two of them, they came to under 100 grand. So that was fortunate for this year. Uh other than that, I'm going to have a lot more detail for you at the next meeting. And if you would like to have a workshop, let me know and I can get a lot more detail together for you. and let you know like line items wise what we're spending rather than just top end. >> We can we can look at that
059for April, right? >> Yeah, absolutely. >> You'll have all your data and information by March, >> right? And they're proposing some big changes. So, it's really hard to um for us, like if the UPK thing comes in and um Mike tells me we have 22 students and now it's 10 grand a student, I'm going to go from 113 to $220,000 for now all of a sudden I've got $110,000 more. That changes >> the math on this >> quite a bit. >> So, if we need to have a workshop, we'll do it. We'll do it in April. Okay. Any other discussion? Any questions for Caleb? Okay, congratulations, Amanda, on your tenure. You >> skipped over. >> I skipped over who? Oh, I'm sorry, Amadore. How could I skip over you, Ardore? >> I'm sitting right here.
060>> We just pushed you back in office. How could I do that? >> Thank you. >> Okay, so get out of here for >> with the uh retirement of Dr. to do four. New York State Ed wants us to uh do a study and uh Sullivan Boseis is uh going out for RFP for an independent consultant. That report will be due back to SED June 30th. So we're interviewing now and uh next month I will have an update on that. >> That's all. >> That's it. Very good. >> Okay. Congratulations, Amanda. I don't I don't have anything. I I have some stuff in new business that we'll discuss at that time. At this time, I will take a public comment on the consent agenda items only. Anybody has anything to say about the consent agenda
061items? All good. Okay. Moving on to approval of consent. I have a motion to approve consent items 7.01 through 10.02. I need a motion. >> A motion. >> Motion by Justin. I need a second. >> I'll second. >> Second by Amodore. Discussion. >> Any discussion? I know there was a correction on coaches. >> We corrected coaches. >> Yeah. >> Um we corrected that. We also um corrected um >> Tyler. >> There was a date correction on one of them. So, and that was on the contract extension for the teachers. That was I needed to correct that date. And then there was title or put. We needed to correct the verbiage. >> Okay. >> Those are just corrections. >> All right. We're all good then. All in favor? >> I. Any old business to come before
062the board? Any new business? Okay. I do. Let's set up an audit for the next meeting. >> Okay. >> Have the audit company come in, go detail through the audit, through the books. >> Okay. >> Any discrepancies, any, you know, problems that anybody sees. >> Yep. >> So that we can see where we're at. I mean, I know you keep good books, but let's have them come in because that's part of our contract with them. Correct. >> Yes. Yeah. They'll do a presentation every year. We haven't done it in the past, but if I call her up, she'll come in and do we're we're having I'm actually just talking to him on the side about doing the audit committee to wrap that up. So, she'll come in and do if you want at the March
063meeting. >> Yep. >> Um >> so, let's have it done at the March meeting. >> Make that an annual thing, too. Actually, she'll go down line by line and she'll tell you the things that I need to improve on, you know. >> Good. >> I think it should be done I think it should be done in April because our vote is in May. >> Okay. So let them come in every April. >> April. >> So we want to do April. >> I'm sorry. March. I'm sorry. March. Next. Next March. Next March. Do themies in April and May. Yeah. Because then you get your final budget by April. But then come in and look at everything. Go over everything with us and make sure everything's up to snuff. >> Well, yeah, we'll do it. So we'll
064we'll do it earlier next year if you want. We could do it like December going forward probably >> would be fine. >> I can get that earlier. It's just we just haven't done it in the past. So I I didn't set it up for it to be, you know, it wasn't a planned event, but we could do it um in future years. We could do it a little earlier. Obviously, it's February right now, so we'll do it in March for you. >> Yeah. >> She'll go over all the numbers. She'll go over like last year's results. >> I mean, what's everybody's take on that? We want want to keep it closer to the budget. You want to do it in the middle? >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, why don't we just keep it at
065March? >> Yeah, that makes sense. Because then she can go over what she'll do is she'll go over this year's results last year results. what I'm getting at. >> This is what your fund balance is. These are the areas you can improve. >> And if there's any corrections in the budget that we need to do that they may pick out, we can do it before the April when you get your final budget. >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> So we're not going back too. So you're not like >> because if we do it in April and she comes up with something has to be done, then you got to make the corrections before May. We do March, it can be corrected for April and then that because what is it? March or April, we vote
066on the prelim preliminary. >> April, April. >> March you do the preliminary. April you you vote on it. >> You vote, >> right? So, let's let's do the audit. Let's keep it at March, right? Everybody up on that. Keep it with March and then we'll then any corrections and we'll be all good for April. >> Yep. >> All right. >> Going forward and we'll do it next month. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thanks. >> All right. All that being said, I will take uh any questions. Anybody want to discuss anything at all? All good. All right. I will take a motion to move into executive session for contracts and personnel. >> I'll make the motion. >> Motion by Alador. >> I'll second. >> Second by Kristen. Announcements. Next meeting will be held Thursday, March
06719th, 2026 6 p.m. Sorry, Mr. Carpenter, but we're leaving. Yeah, it's been nice. >> We're going back to the junior senior high school gymnasium and we will be doing this next year, I'm sure. I think it makes it easier. Amanda's got a game tonight over at school. Didn't have to work around a meeting. So, that worked out well for us. >> All right, everybody. Get home safe. Stay warm. Warmer weather's coming. And we'll see you in March. >> No business, right? >> No business after executive session.