May 7, 2026 KLSD Board of Education Meeting

001Good evening. Tonight is May 7th, uh, 2026 and welcome to our board of education meeting. Somebody want to make a motion to return to public session. Motion by Arwin, second by Bill. All those in favor? 6. If you would join me for the pledge of allegiance, please. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. I hope everybody is starting to enjoy this lovely spring weather that is coming our way. That's it. We get to hear from you this evening. And before you start, I want to say great job with your um letter to the editor. >> Thank you. Yeah. >> You know, you continue to represent the school with being a shining

002light. Um so, thank you. Um we couldn't ask to see a better representation of what's happening in these schools. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah. Um, good evening to everyone in attendance and listening on Zoom. Our seniors are officially on their internships for the next six weeks. Uh, while the juniors can now park wherever we want, which is great, the hallways do feel very quiet um without them and we wish them best on their internship and congratulate them on finishing their school year. AP exams are going on right now. Sophomores had AP Euro on Monday. Juniors had AP physics yesterday. Uh, AP US history is tomorrow afternoon. um along with a variety of others. Donj Mo Robotics finished at Worlds this past weekend in Houston. Mo Robotics ranked 12th in their division, which was

003higher than any other team from New York. They ended up winning their division, becoming one of six division champs in the world. In the final round, they placed in the top 18 robotics teams in the world. Congratulations are due for Sige, Kira, TJ, Keshan, Matthew, Howland, Emerson, Oliver, Alex, and Mr. Peters. This unbelievable accomplishment is a testament to your persistent work and the support of our district and community. >> JFest last Friday was awesome yet again. We had shortened periods and then our spring uh pep rally. After that, students got to head outside for burgers, hot dogs, spikeball, pickle ball, live music, and hacky sack, which is now back. >> Outside my window. Um following uh following the activities, we all headed to the gym for the unified basketball game. Um it was an incredible

004game and our entire community showed up and supported the students. Following it up on Friday, Saturday hosted our sports teams having events throughout the day culminating in the lacrosse game versus Gley. We had a huge student turnout and the entire crowd crowd got on their feet. Even more impressive is despite the non ideal score um our whole crowd stayed for the entire game. Uh John J. High School's one act plays were yesterday and today. This is a fun night for everyone involved in theater and an opportunity to showcase their talents. They are entirely directed by eight seniors and involve 40 students total. Uh special congratulations to AP Lit teacher Mrs. Benny. She was highlighted in a New York Times article this past weekend about her students and their approach to AI. Uh students testified that

005Mrs. Benny's class is both challenging uh but pushes them in ways that make them incredible writers. Two weeks ago, Katona Elementary School fourth graders got a showcase. Schoolhouse Rock Jr. uh a great night for everyone who attended Chris Miller fifth graders will host their play on March 13th and 14th at 6:30 uh and Middle Ponds on May 15th at 5 and 7:30. Um I also wanted to share a quick story about two KS teachers, Mrs. Buckley and Mrs. Gafolo. >> Um so my mom was out to dinner at Blue Dolphin last week, uh sitting outside, uh and the entire restaurant was packed and everyone was in their own conversations. Uh meanwhile, Mrs. Buckley, a second grade teacher, and Mrs. Gafello, a fifth grade teacher, were walking by. Uh and a few parents spotted them and

006started to scream their names, and the entire restaurant proceeded to all crowd around the banister and call out to them. Um this story just it stood out to me uh because it shows how popular our teachers are outside of school, um and being treated as genuine celebrities and getting more reaction than actual ones would get in Katona. Um, and it highlights that they're not just amazing teachers, which I got to witness firsthand having both of them, um, but just their everyday involvement in our community outside of school. Looking forward, Junior Prom is this Saturday. Our theme is masquerade, and we'll be decorating the gym. Uh, tomorrow on May 20th at 8 a.m., John J will host the underclassman award ceremony to celebrate the achievements of underassman here at the high school. The humanities research symposium

007is on June 1st at 6:30. And I strongly encourage everyone to attend this night. learn about the Humry program. Um, view humanities research one students projects on poster boards and then see full presentations by HRY 2 students on their papers. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Always so much going on in our schools. So, we're schools who are very fortunate. Um, next board committee reports audit. >> You could start. >> Are you sure? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yes. Awin and I were there at audit. We're missing John. >> Oh, that's right. Sorry. >> Um but uh I think it was really just a planning meeting for our upcoming um external audit for next year. So a lot of um just I think for Arwin and I both as newer board members really understanding the

008process that's ahead and understanding what to expect, understanding when it begins, what they're looking at, what they're looking for. So, I feel like it was a really good uh question and answer for the community and for members that were there and for us to learn about the external audit process and their plan. >> Yeah. I I want to reiterate the fact that when we first when you first join the board, you're asked to join a committee and then you go on to your first audit, your first audit presentation, and there's a stack of like I said, it's put in front of you and you're like, I don't know what this means. I I hope that we're doing good. Um, so this meeting after a year of being here and having been to other audit, we

009there was finally some like a real like light bulb went off and I was like, "Oh, well that makes sense now." So I think it was um I think we have a >> I want to say we have a member of that committee who how long did he say he was on the >> committ since basically the audits um became a requirement. >> Yeah. So, we have a member of this community who has been on this committee since 2007. And >> you know, he I was I'm always, as much as I am surprised by all the stuff that goes on in our school and happy like the amount of commitment we have from um the public in this town always makes me extremely happy and in this district. So >> brings a lot of history

010and um >> understanding of of where we've been and where we're going. >> Yeah. Yeah. And and he continues to stay there and he has nothing but good things to say. So I you know I that was something that I took away from that meeting >> and we got our preferred date >> scheduled. He always manages to get us >> the first week of August. >> Yes. The first week of August. >> First week of August. So we'll be busy. She'll be busy. >> It's all good. >> Finance. I have not met on the >> facilities. >> Just a couple of brief items here in the high school. Construction on the front of the building is going well. It's on track. And similarly, construction in the sea wing is still going well. Um we're on

011schedule to be completed by the end of August with all of our major work associated with the bond. So, it's very exciting. And then, um we'll move to um a list of punch list items hopefully. Um over the summer there will be some work ongoing in KES regarding the vestibule and of course the geothermal project still underway. And then just shifting gears a brief update on water in two places. So everybody will remember that um at both Meadow Pond and the John J. Middle School we are working to mitigate some water issues and these projects can take a really long time. At Me Pond, we have already awarded the bid for the contractor back in February, March, but now more recently, the state has approved the work, so we can get going this summer, which

012is to set expectations. It could be as much as a year, maybe even a little bit more before we have portable water in the building. Um and then also at uh the middle school, the Westchester County Department of Health has approved our remediation plan and now NYAD has to approve the engineering and um the rest of the scope of the project. So things are moving, but it does take a lot of time. And then finally, just a quick note about the EPC to reassure everybody that as I mentioned the last time, we have the solar panels and they're being safely stored over at leds. So there's no jeopardy. The fact that they're outdoors waiting for the start date from Honeywell. I know Honeywell has been on the premises a few times and last I heard

013we were still waiting for the start date. I don't >> start date. We're still waiting on the final start date, but they've been here and a couple times as you said and looking at the roofs like one-on-one again, you know, in person. So, just waiting for that final date, too. >> Great. And I won't steal Barbara's thunder, but I will just give a prelude that the EPC is, you know, yet another EPC that we've undertaken and just a small part of the facility's work that's going to inform a piece of news that I'm sure Barbara is going to share. >> No. to share the great news already shared so much of it. Share the news and I'll give up so I'm done for it. >> So I mean this is news that is the result

014of the work of so many people. I I don't think I can even start listing because it's staff, teachers, students, former staff, former trustees, but we have received the remarkable um award to be named a green ribbon school out of two schools in all of the state. And um it's really quite an achievement. The I mean Dr. Drake participated in in really submitting the robust application and and the evidence that we have to to provide to really show that we're doing the work to to earn this is tremendous and it just really speaks to how we're integrating sustainability into our curriculum, into our facilities, into everything that we do. Um, and so this is something that everybody should be really proud of. It's just another great distinction for our district. So, at the community, we

015at the meeting, we talked about signage. How do we get banners up um for the u you know, sh showing the that we're a Green Ribbon School um on all on all of our campuses. Um we really was mostly a reflection of the incredible event um and that the sustainability fair um discussing what went well, what we would change about the format next time um and continuing to uh empower student voices at that event to get um the the most um time and attention, you know, just transitioning crowds from one one place to the next and how that shuffle went, what we could do better. Um, but really just a really was mostly a celebration to talk about the green ribbon, talk about signage, reflect on how well the event went. Um, Bill, was there

016anything else? >> I think a shout out to Melissa Brady. She does so much work on sustainability across all these >> these areas. She she was uh she spearheaded the whole thing and >> yeah, >> she she's done a great job. >> A great job. And she's really taking the she's bridging the the data of of our energy per of our emissions reductions and um report reporting out and taking it um back to the classroom for kids to do stuff with the real data um and real real time um energy usage that's happening at our school. So I think making that curricular connection for students was also a part of the conversation which is really impressive that we're doing that taking our real data and allowing students to um dive into it. So that's the

017goal. >> Yeah. She's integrating it into our whole curriculum which is which is >> huge huge part of it. Yeah. >> And even into the artwork that the kids are doing the installation at the middle school. >> Yep. >> Of the recycled caps. Right. >> Yeah. >> And a shout out to Lisa as well. Lisa partnering a lot with Melissa on all of this. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. And getting our NEPC contract over the finish line. >> Yes. Huge. >> With a kind contribution from so six figure number. So, thank you. I don't know how you did that still, but I appreciate it. >> Worked her magic. >> I don't think Lisa sleeps. No. >> I think there's a competition of who sleeps less. >> And Lisa will be a celebrity because she was

018interviewed by on board magazine. >> She's we're going to be profiled there. So I'll yeah kneel over. >> Yeah. >> And I know we spent a little time at the celebration there too, but um just also we have some really long-term community members of also >> and on that committee too. It's like wow. >> That's what I was thinking when Arwin was talking about the audit committee member and I was thinking wow across so many different committees we have >> so many >> the elected officials have come and gone but they have been really um pillars for those um >> those committees and the work they do. Shout out to Jan. >> That's the sustainability pillar. >> Your top is >> and to Janet Harkham for starting the committee. Yes. >> Yes. Way back when

019having the foresight. >> And then I um just mentioned a few names here again. I'm just kind of new for a couple years, but Mike >> being just from the beginning on the way just just um is always always so tied up on exactly where we need to go next and the next steps. Again, we're talking about how do we electrify our grid to a better space as we hopefully get to those ebuses and things, but just he is so so >> he goes into the classrooms. He's literally I think I mentioned last time like he's brought students up on the roofs. he's talked to, you know, he's brought them to the parking lots to look at the um wind and solar powered, you know, lamps. I mean, there's so many things that he does

020the AP getting our our, you know, he and getting our architects and engineers at the at the showcase and >> um making the connection with the students. >> Yeah, the bluebird bus is there too, I think, at the show. >> Bus and and he's the one who makes, you know, got the data, he gets the data to the students that they load it to the smart um start app. Yeah. >> So he does um >> the handoff >> and all of the green team leaders as well and all the work that they do uh at the building level. So really >> so many people who do a tremendous amount of work and are really committed. >> So get those banners up. >> Yeah, >> sounds good. Uh so we will go back to parent council.

021Um, so parent council met. Um, and I just want to remind everybody parent council is a really good opportunity to hear from the P the leaders of the PTO and for them to hear directly from Rey and then they can disseminate that information out into their communities. And so I when I go I'm almost there just to listen and and see how we can what information we can take back from them and what information they need. Um, last week was a really good conversation on the budget and the budget questions that they had um and budget questions that they were getting from people and Ry was able to answer them and we took some of that away for the Q&A. >> So, um, it I think that that's I don't know when parent council started.

022It's been around since my kids were for a long time. So, but you know, it's it's it goes back to what we were talking about our community and the level of commitment that we have from our community members. Um, and that is one of those committees that I really like being a part of because it's direct interaction with the the PTA or the PTO organizations and then the people who they cover. So, >> thank you. >> Policy. We have not >> we have not met. We are next meeting on May 29th. And I think we have one first reading. >> I think we were going to have one first reading, but I >> I don't think we do. No. >> Okay. >> More to come on out. >> Um you um just a reminder that

023we're getting ready for our annual dinner on June 8th. It's usually a really lovely night and it's in person in Pleasantville. And then tonight on our consent agenda, we have the Westp budget and slate for our approval. And member dues are going up just, you know, really incrementally 3% which means anywhere between 34 and $155 depending on the district's size and wealth. >> Thank you. >> It is a great evening. >> It'll be fun. >> We've always had some really good topics of conversation at the meetings. >> Uh district safety. >> No, have not met. ERJC. >> No. Uh, next meeting is in early June. >> Okay. >> Um, food service committee. >> Yeah, we had um a second meeting of our um subcommittee really with the community um on developing our food new food

024and wellness policy. So, which I think we've, you know, wanted to get that done in the spring. I think it's going to be more like a year-long process. Um and one of the first ways that the community wanted to handle um getting input was was asking students about um their experience with the food program. So we started uh building a survey and that's really the first uh step and really dividing up the our work into um I think three three pillars of of use pillars again but um nutrition or food um physical health and then um mental mental health and well-being. So a three-part um I think endeavor and I we're starting with food starting with a survey. So that's where we're at. Is is the survey at all levels? So, elementary >> still exploring

025that. I think that would be the great I don't know about we'll get to kindergarten, but you know, we may be able to pull some fourth and fifth graders. I think would be a reasonable endeavor. >> Yes. And I think, like I said, this is a really new this is really new to have a a free and reduced breakfast and lunch. And it just brings about the issue of equity and access. And so, it's going to be a fun thing to really dive into on the food part. And then the physical wellness and mental health obviously are important as well. And I think we've not really included um some it's going to be a broader policy than um it has been before. So it's exciting. >> And a little bit about digital wellness. >> Yes.

026And digital wellness kind of wrapped in the under the mental, social, emotional um pillar there. Digital wellness and looking at what that what what does good policy around that look like. Great. >> Yeah. >> It's exciting. Uh so that brings us to um 8.01 board announcements. Um I do want to thank Lisa and Ray for um great Q&A last night. But Lisa, you gave him the controller. >> I actually >> Yeah, she did. >> Zoom was not my friend. So hopefully everybody got their questions answered. >> Yeah, it was a great session. Um I think uh Amanda did a good job at screening the questions coming in and to try to group them together >> and topics from when I sounded. Um but really thank you to the community for submitting some really good questions.

027Um and we just do continue to recommend that the community come to the budget website. We've got a great budget website with FAQs that are being updated very frequently and get get the facts at at here and um if you have any questions there's even I think at the bottom a contact us button um that you can submit more questions. So >> we have the two coming out on the 12th and the 14th >> Tuesday 7 o'clock and then uh Thursday is at 9:30 here at the >> district office. And I think that we were I think that there were um different questions, right? Like I think that was the first time that some of those questions had been able to be answered. So I again some of those questions came up in parent council

028and um came from the community that way. So I I really do encourage any was that that was recorded, right? >> Yes, >> that was recorded. Yeah. So I encourage you to go back and watch it. Um, as for board announcements, I know there's a board discussion, but to Hudson's point about last week with Jay Fest, Marjorie and I were both at the unified basketball game and I will tell you, my son was visiting and he did not want to go. He's like, I don't want to go back to that campus. I haven't been there in I don't know how many years. He actually he had a tear in his eye. He said, "Thank you for making me go, Mom." Because it was such a special thing to watch. And so Marjorie had pointed out

029that was the first time that we had ever done it during that time of the day during JF Fest before. And >> I don't think it was the first. >> No, it used to it used to be right after the school day and then last year it moved. >> It's a new tradition. >> Okay. So it was a new tradition. So it was a second year. >> I mean there was we didn't even have a seat. We were standing in the entryway because it was so crowded and >> it's electric in there >> and it was just it was just it was absolutely wonderful. It was so crowded actually came over to talk to Mar didn't even see me. So >> well I will say this is the first year I've missed JFEST um since

030co we brought back the whole JFest and um because my daughter graduated on Friday. It's easier tonight. Um, but I it's really my favorite night day of the year and that game is thank you to Chris McCarthy or AD to have the foresight to bring that to the school day and then actually last year to move it into the school day because the sports teams >> used to have to trade off of who was going to go to practice and who was going to stay and watch the game. There's always kids there, but to have the entire student body there, >> and I know we always cheer for all of the kids when they make their baskets, but I also think it's appropriate to say, "Go John J, we won >> and it was a

031great game. It was a really close game." >> And in the fourth and the fourth quarter, we pulled it out and it was really really exciting. So, I felt really proud of those kids, all of our kids. >> And just kind of adjacent to that, I wanted to thank our PTO for an amazing senior week. And um >> even some of the underassmen got to at least see some of the events and and take a little bit of part in, for example, words of wisdom Wednesday where the words of wisdom are written on post-it notes by the seniors to be imparted to the underassmen. Um and other really fun activities throughout the week. It was a a big lift for the PTO and really grateful to be able to do these events in person and

032then also the in-person nature of the gratitude. I wanted to thank our PTO and the recorder for um facilitating the candidates night on Monday night and I know we'll have a chance to welcome and hear from our candidates all of you again which is great. But we had not had that event in person for many years and I think we did our our community a service. It was well attended. it was um a learning opportunity. So feel really grateful to finally be bringing even that back in person. That might be one of the last things >> that hadn't yet come back and I was so happy that it did. So thank you. >> Just wanted to add on the PTO point that it is appreciation week and just to see on social media and at

033the schools how much the PTO's are doing at every building. Beautiful breakfast, beautiful spreads, the kids chalking messages in the in the sort of entrance of the school. It's really warm. It's wonderful. Lots of families get involved and hope our our teachers and staff really feel the love. >> And just one more, thank you to Kim Piccolino for um being the coach of the unified basketball team and Yep. So, uh, it's, uh, all good things going. >> Anything else? So, we will move on to our CARES survey. >> I'll go ahead and jump start that. And we've got uh Frank here from the high school who kind of give us some overview here. I just want to bring the board back to kind of where we're at last year and talked a little bit about

034a survey that that for a few years been given at the high school. And the idea was to shift into a survey that as a district, as a school, and actually at the billing level and down to the council level and down to the student level that can be actionable for us to help make some impacts. And so we've you'll be seeing here the ability for us now to look at it norm reference data set so we can understand where we would align ourselves with other uh I think there's over a million students who've kind of been using the norm reference on this data set. where would we typically see and where we would typically be uh in that regard where would our goals hope to be and then break that down as we would

035look at down to the student level and so now the other piece you'll see here Frank will walk us through about what are some of the other added values that we're going to see so I'll go ahead hand it over to here Frank again that care survey so thank you so much for being here Frank >> thank you Dr. Blanch and all of the talk of JFET and all the activities that lead up with senior week uh and this well-being idea is a perfect segue with this title of cares uh as well. So uh but good evening again and thank you for another opportunity to come back and share some of this exciting news with all of you. So tonight I'm going to share an overview of the care survey initiative and the work underway

036to better understand how we plan to support student well-being across our secondary schools. So this presentation is intended to provide you with that 30,000 foot view understanding and we'll walk you through why this work matters what the cur survey measures what we learned from our initial implementation and the next steps moving forward. So the agenda is uh I will provide you with a brief recap of how this work began, why student well-being matters, an overview of the care survey and its structure, the tools used to administer and analyze the data, a look at our findings, and finally next steps for implementation and continued growth. So this work began through our investigation of a universal social emotional screener that could provide meaningful and actionable insight into student well-being. Through that process, we explored the co-vitality survey

037developed by Dr. Michael Furlong from the University of California, Santa Barbara. That work eventually evolved into the expanded California student wellness index and what is now known as the care survey. So, in spring of 2025, we piloted the survey with a sample of high school students to better understand the student experience and the usefulness of the data. So, why does the care survey matter? Well, first, we know that student well-being impacts nearly every aspect of the school experience, relationships, academic performance, extracurricular involvement, attendance, and overall engagement. Second, the care survey allows us to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach. So instead of waiting for students that are struggling significantly, this tool helps us identify trends and areas of need earlier. And third, the survey provides actionable data that aligns closely with our multi-tered

038systems of support, MTSS, and helping us determine where universal or targeted or individual supports may be needed or beneficial. So this is far more effective than anonymous surveys as anonymous surveys can provide general themes yet making it rather difficult to drill down to the individual students to identify those possible roots. And since we were talking about a mention of pillars earlier, uh this definitely circles, sorry Frank, >> it's catchy. >> Uh we can we can absolutely circle that back around to two pillars in particular. One being being pillar two and belonging and then the focus of tonight pillar five well-being. Just >> peeking around the corner. Turn around this way. Excuse me. >> So the next part of this too is as we are thinking about uh the preparation of our students for life beyond

039high school, employers consistently emphasize the importance of skills uh beyond the employees technical skill set. So not too long ago in 2025, the World Economic Forum put out their top 10 list of core skills from their future jobs report. So, I'm just going to give you a few moments to take a look at this list that came out and see if you can pick up which core skills might align with the care survey. And if there are any thoughts, you can shout them out. >> Number two, resilience. >> Okay. Yeah. Number two, resilience, flexibility, and agility. Number seven. >> Number seven, empathy and active listening. >> Leadership and social influence. Number three. >> We may be cheating. >> The ones with the arrows. >> Feel the love. Frank, >> I'm approaching optimal. If you if

040you looked ahead again 100%. So yes, so those are some of the examples and and I'm I'm sure you can understand like the connection and looking at that glance and what that means and why the structure of the survey will be aligned with that. So so really what we're looking at is you know to better understand and support the competencies that uh not only contribute to student success in school but we're also looking at the postsecary support and planning. So that's the college work, career work and just life in general and doing that. Okay. So uh a breakdown of the care survey. So it stands for the comprehensive assessment of resilience and emotional strengths. So as we just talked about earlier, this is formerly known as co- vitality. It is a nationally normed survey and

041to date has been used with approximately 1.2 uh million students nationwide. And this consists of 27 questions that are organized into three primary categories. Student well-being that is the California student wellness index, connectness and belonging which is represented by total connectedness and student strengths which is represented by total strengths. You will see that the California student wellness index is highlighted because that will be the focus of our discussion this evening. And so together, these categories provide the insight into students perceptions of themselves, relationships, and their overall school experience. Okay, this next slide is the snapshot and breakdown of the categories. I will draw your attention to the bottom row and that will give us the breakdown of the California student wellness index, the total strengths and the total connectedness. You keep painting around the corner.

042Sorry. Sorry. Am I It's It's absolutely freezing right here. So that's why I'm sitting this way. >> I'm not You could see Bill's paper. >> It's a good movement break for me too. So uh so all of these uh allow us to examine the overall stren strengths and exploring more of the specific domains collected or connected to resilience, emotional well-being and school connectedness. Okay. So more specifically uh the well-being section. This first category focuses on well-being. And these questions explore areas such as emotional health, optimism, and overall psychological wellness. These responses in particular help us understand how a student perceives their ability to manage the stressors and navigate challenges. >> What a good way to teach our kids how to self-evaluate themselves so that as they continue to grow, this applies in so many different

043ways of life from homes um friendships, work, and this is this is some really good stuff that we're teaching our students. >> Yeah. And it's connected to that that life piece. It's not just what happens in the school, but beyond the walls of of our buildings and doing that. >> Well, to Laurian's point, this this also came up for some of us later in life, right? So, this is all here and now showing it to kids earlier. So letting them be honest with them because how many of us when we first had one of these at work lied because we're like we don't actually want them to think that we're not well. So we're encouraging them to be honest with their emotions at an earlier age >> and to that point uh what all the

044students understood going into this uh it wasn't anonymous. Um so they knew uh very well that the information that they were going to provide or respond to with these prompts uh adults in the building meaning like counselors, clinicians and administrators would have access to them this information. And in a later slide you'll see that the participation rate was was a really a good start um and and having that um that 75% of our of our entire high school participate in doing that. >> Wow. So it's a credit to our students who are um on that frontier of self-disclosure doing that. >> And this was only given to the high school students, not >> uh so we we did a small group with the middle school uh with the eventual roll out to the entire middle

045school. Uh so that was the phased approach. We started with the high school 9 through 12. >> Great. >> So this next section on total connectedness uh it focuses on the uh on belonging as well. And so just research consistently shows that students who feel connected to peers, adults, and their school community were more likely to engage academically and socially. So this portion of the survey helps us better understand students self- belonging within our school environment. And this final category focuses on student strengths. This highlights areas such as perseverance, self-awareness, and resilience, helping us identify strengths that can be reinforced and leveraged through supports and programming in our buildings. This next section, uh, the the tile to the right is what we've already been discussing what this care survey looks to do. So, we know

046that this is a a universal student wellness screener. Uh but if I slide to the left uh when I'm looking at the screen for performance matters uh this is something we're very excited about because I like to call it a one-stop shop for information. So we have um uh academic information that's housed there and now we're able to um have the social emotional information partner with the academic in doing that. So performance matters is the platform that houses the care survey itself and then it will allow us to disagregate information based on different subgroups that we want to look at and identify themes in doing that. So when we look at that holistic approach and looking at the whole student, not only do we have the academic side of the house, we also have the

047social emotional side of the house. And for as we continue to uh learn about our MTSS process, those two are married together. It's they are not independent um variables. They are they're coexisting. >> I thought that was going to do that both both the academic and this data. That's really >> that's a pretty big distinction between RTI as we've known it and MTSS. It's like that that multi-tered whole, >> right? But this is like a tech solution that allows you to pull up. >> Um, but performance matters is is um a dashboard that you can upload whatever data you're curious to look at into and it also is a a program that allows you to create assessments and administer them uh through schooly but then obtain the data directly into the system. >> Okay. So

048upload whatever you >> want to give us. Frank and and Moren and Jess and Amarie, I think, put this all together in performance matters. >> Really, the credit goes to Dr. Kingsbury and and Moren Jones and Amry. They they did all of the the heavy lifting. I just got to look at it after to see what you're supposed to do. >> Wise men let the women do the do the work. >> That's not right. >> No, they're they're a really good team. But really any assessment you could build in this in this program. So I'm going to pull on that a little bit then that and working with Julia and Frank and the team where the idea of student engagement. So it's really as you look at engagement it's kind of the a effective behavioral

049and cognitive. So the ABC of engagement. So really this is the affective piece that we're talking about here tonight getting into that into that dashboard. Look behavioral will be pieces now we're going to be able to bring into that dashboard look at student attendance and other tardies or there things that are happening there. I want to look at from behavioral side and then from that cognitive side as we're looking at student uh performance on our internal assessments maybe some external assessments as we start looking at how do we measure students cognitive levels of engagement now bringing those all together and I like the way you described it Frank that you can't have one without the other yet one indicator one area can tell you you better pay attention here because that could have a negative

050impact or a positive on the other side so and then getting that to the practitioner's hand is where as Dr. Drake had kind of started looking at this tool as being one of those elements and then now with Dr. Kingsbury and the team coming on how can we actually get that data to make me bring it to the teachers so now they can take action on it >> thanks yeah so we're very fortunate to have performance matters as that platform because it it really does move beyond the collection of information so now it's using the data uh to strategically inform what we're doing every step of the way >> thank you foring So, we're going to start to make our way into taking a look at some of the data, uh, the initial data from

051our high school administration. So, as we share this information, it's important to remember that this is a baseline and it's intended to help us identify trends and strengths, opportunities, and growth over time. I think one of the things that sometimes uh may get misunderstood is that this is not a risk assessment survey. Uh, we're looking at well-being of students. uh there is a difference between the two and it would have different approaches based on uh that terminology that we're using. So, >> and would you use this to determine whether a student needed a risk assessment? >> It could. So, so part of that and and you'll see as we talk about the color bands or performance bands and where students fell within those bands if we need to look into it more and do an

052item analysis that leads to an interview conversation with the student and then that will that's the skill work in our clinicians and counselors. That's the interviewing uh techniques that they have to do that within this like a a a comfortable warm environment so they don't feel like they're, you know, in an interview process, but really just someone cares about you. Someone's looking out for you and how are we going to help you through that situation that you might be dealing with. >> Great. >> So this next slide is the California student wellness index that Dr. furlong had developed and just a quick explanation of what this means. we had to identify within you know student responses what would be the the mean score um and so that is identified uh by the arrow uh that

053is on the screen and then we also had to look at what is the standard deviation so you know roughly it's eight so we're looking at plus or minus eight of that median that mean score which brings us to those other color band areas and then we were able to align each of those sections with red yellow, green, and blue. And that leads us to the uh the notations of what those bands stand for. So, when we have students that are in the the blue, they're in that optimal range, in that 90% or higher. Near optimal will be 70 to 89%. Approaching optimal will be the yellow, 50 to 69%. And then sub-optimal will be 0 to 49% in doing that. So in case uh you are picking up on any kind of NWA uh

054hints here, we tried to line up the colors the same way as NWA. Why did we do that? Like it's everything is in performance matters. We have some uniformity so that when we're talking about those categories or using a color band, um it's somewhat synonymous in doing that. And then Frank, I'm just going to ask our participants here this evening to please not go to the next slide. >> Don't go past your key or stay in the key. >> Leave me to it because in the the previous one that was going to ask if anyone >> Sorry, I missed that last one, but stay at the key and then we'll go ahead. >> And you all know I did not pre when we were talking in our planning meeting, I closed my eyes. >> True.

055>> That is true. So uh so if if you remember uh earlier in the year Mike Pompa and Mallerie McDonald brought you through the exercise of the collaborative inquiry protocol. So I'd like to do that tonight but just a lighter version of that. We won't we won't go through the entire key itself uh but just the beginnings of that. So as you remember may remember the goal is not to simply collect the numbers but to engage in thoughtful inquiry around the data and what that might be telling us about student experiences and again how we can respond effectively as a school system. So um with that I think all of you should have a copy of the collaborative inquiry key uh with the chart below that is asking you to cast your predictions for each

056of the color bands. So if you can please take a minute to start with the first part of predicting connected to going visual by adding the percentage please instead of like the number of students the percentage of students that would fall within each of those four color bands. Thank you. know there's going to be math tonight. >> I should I should have made it easy on myself and used just like round numbers instead of Mhm. >> I was thinking I was thinking like it's like >> you also gave that message about not going ahead too late. >> What did you think? I don't know. >> No, we could frame a line right now. >> So, so competitive group. >> So like so we were in like a like a PLC in our in our in

057our teams. uh we would have uh put this up as a visual in a collective group. Um we don't have that opportunity to do that here, but if you're comfortable to share some of the percentages that you came up with, that would be our go visual part of this key. >> I had seven. Which side do you want to start? >> Whichever you prefer. >> So for the right, I had 7%. >> Okay. >> Five to 10. >> I had five. >> Yeah. 10. Okay. >> I said I don't know why I made it hard on myself to not use but thinking I might get an edge and So, so far I'm hearing between like five and 10%. >> I actually had three >> three. Okay. >> Any other numbers? 20. Okay. >> Well, that

058that's also part of >> things you say 20% is a >> Yeah. So, so, so there's no right or wrong to this exercise as well. So, you know, so Hudson, it's not like you're, you know, making the incorrect, you know, guess and doing that. That's why this this inquiry exists in doing that. So, so, so we have a range it seems like from between three and 20 >> or suboptimal. It goes from 0 to 49%. So, it is a large >> number. Yeah, >> you might. >> And how about for yellow then? We'll we'll move up to the next category. >> 16. Okay. >> 10. >> 20. >> Okay. 40. Okay, >> that's great. >> It's >> between 10 and 40 so far. >> 1740. >> It sounds like between 10 and 20. Is that

059what you said? >> 40. >> 10 and 40. >> 40 and 40. >> 40. >> Okay. How about green? Near optimal. >> 60%. >> 60. Okay. >> I said 50. >> Okay. So, 40 I hear on one side of it and 60 on the other side. >> 50. 50. 45 25 >> I'm sorry >> 25 okay >> so 25 to 60 right >> and blue optimal >> I have 25 for that one >> 25 >> 20 >> 17 >> 30 >> once was I committed to the 7% >> you had your do like a billion >> so 17 I think I heard 30 was there anything higher 30 >> 60 >> great >> sounding positive optimist >> that's what I said >> good frame of mind >> so just just to recap to make sure

060I didn't miss anything suboptimal between three and 20% of our students approaching optimal that's our yellow between 10 and 40% of our students green which is near optimal between 25 and 60% of our students and then blue which is optimal. That's between 17 and 60% of our students. >> Range. >> Okay. >> Wow. >> That's huge. >> So, even before we drop in, just I think I heard you say it too was the that that's a conversation within itself. Right. >> Right. >> And so, again, not there's a right or a wrong. It's just then you can have that deeper dive of conversation before you get to look at the data set. And then as we come out of the data set then there'll be a little bit there. So is that right? >> The

061reveal. >> Okay. So this is the chart. >> Wow. >> Of our students. And so just a couple of highlights. The uh to note the left column is the distribution of the performance bands. Those are the colors that we were talking about earlier. Then we have the middle column which is the student count. So tallies. uh if if you want to look at it that way. And and that that total number of participants equates to 75% of our high school students participating. And then the column all the way to the right equals the percentage of students in each performance band. And that was my ask of you is to come up with those percentages. So we can see that uh 28% of our students um came out in the optimal or the blue range. 54%

062came out in the near optimal range are green. 13% came out in appro approaching optimal are yellow and 5% of our students in the suboptimal or the red. So this third this last part of our see I light is the observe part and that's where we would follow up with statements like I notice fill in the blank I see fill in the blank I'm struck by or identifying some areas of celebration. So is there something that stands out to you in your observation phase? >> I have a question. >> Yes. Was there anything as you were looking at the data that stood out in terms of how you sliced it, say for example, that seniors tend to be more stressed, right, because they're going through um and so they're maybe more likely than I don't

063know, sophomore. I don't I'm just making things up, but was there anything that sort of jumped out that you noticed about the data in terms of the different ways that you can slice it and what you can learn from that? So that's actually exactly what was happening with the the training that our clinicians and counselors and administrators went through is how to disagregate and look at subgroups. So that's actually part of the next phase plan in doing that so that we can identify those areas. Uh and we can do that through performance matters. Again another another highlight and the positive of having everything in in one place. It's also uh it's also helpful to know that as we as I start to do a cursory look at student responses, the the the system itself uh

064doesn't uh factor out or um or filter out, I should say, non-responses or students that did not answer certain questions. So, the 27 items actually force you to respond. So, if you or to to uh navigate from each page to page of that of that survey. So if you did not answer the question, it actually assigned a value to it, which is very misleading when you look at the information. So you would think that there are some students that might fall in the red. And in actuality, we had a handful of students that only answered one out of 27 questions. Now, that one response could actually have been a green or a blue response, but because the other 26 responses um uh were had a value associated with it, it average it together basically making

065it a red. So, that's also important to know that as we're looking at information and looking at the individual student, we have to do an item analysis to make sure that, you know, are they truly falling within those color bands and doing that? >> Why would a student answer one question out of 27? Why would they? Yeah. Well, >> uh not interested. >> Uh it's you know disinterested. >> Yeah. >> It was optional, right? >> Yes. Correct. It's optional. >> So why would you wanted to ran out of time? >> And I think that's where now though your team can go back and follow up with that individual where we couldn't before. Right. >> So now that the team can step that out is helpful. and and then that was actually part of our immediate

066action plan. So that if we did have students that were in the red or some part of that in yellow, we already had our counselors and clinicians meeting with those students just to make sure because even if that one that student answered one question, we still needed a check-in >> to make sure, you know, why did they do that? So, you know, to answer the question, why why one and not the rest? Maybe they weren't interested. they didn't want to continue because the survey itself aimed at being a snapshot actually took less than five minutes uh in doing because of this you know the response scale uh it's you're you're just clicking a button >> but Frank I'm going to take us back to the observation part because this is exactly what one of the

067the key challenges is in the collaborative inquiry process is just flatout observation so like if we look at that 50th percentile score on the on the bar chart you gave the standard deviations we would have been could have predicted we'd have 50% of our kids below in the kind of the yellow and the red the 50% above but we I'm observing directly that we had 18% of our children in those two lower categories when we could have expected a 50% so we have 32% less of our students at that level so that's an observation I would see directly from those numbers >> those are the kind of pieces that when we work with our team to really look at what is it you're seeing? What are you looking at breaking down there and not getting

068yet into the conversation about I wonder those kind of things, >> right? And and so when I think of like of an area of celebration and I take the the green and the blue, uh we have over 80% of our students that that fell within both of those ranges collectively. So that's encouraging and actually highlights a lot of positive indicators among our student population. So there are those feelings of uh of well-being and connectedness uh to our school community. And so we won't do it today, but I'm just going to just for a second go around the rest of the cycle. So then that's where when we get into that green part, that inferring and that questioning and the wondering and that's where kind of we would our teams would go to that next level

069of detail. >> Correct. Yes. And so just to bring this into another version of a visualization, uh it's taking that information and putting it into the chart format that Dr. Furlong used for his California student wellness index. And just to put that side by side, uh the the smaller box is the wellness index that Dr. Furlong has used and then our blue uh chart uh is represents our students. >> Fascinating. how it really tracks. >> It certainly does. >> Yes. >> Y so the other part of celebration connected to those percentages when you think of all the people that wear various hats within our school community, they are seemingly going out of their way to make students feel like they're cared for. >> Very very low percentage. The one through 14 is very very small

070on a >> Yes. the downside. >> Yes. Yes. >> And I do just want to hand it to you and your team because we've had some really good discussions about once you give a survey like this, you're obligated to respond to all ends of it and you put together a really nice plan um as is your way and the way of your department to support students no matter where they fall on this. And that's really well done. I think >> I thank you. What I I I think also, you know, the the interest and the excitement with our wellness team uh is really high. We went through that training not too long ago on our uh PL day and you could see them really like uh like clawing at the information. They wanted to get

071in there. They wanted to learn about the students that they work with. They wanted to figure out ways they can continue to help and support them along the way. And if it's something that they're not doing, what else can we do to help uh and that that that all came from them and their interest to move it forward. >> Yeah, absolutely. I really appreciate um you know we were having this conversation this time last year and we were looking at the senior survey and we're like oh this is very nice and good but what does it really tell us? >> Um so I really feel that this was a a great opportunity for you to take something that the board asked for and put it into action. So now it's not only just a senior

072survey, but we're going to be able to track all of our kids um and see how they're see how they're perform, you know, how they're feeling and really living up to our vision 2030. That's a good point and that's also another entry point for us with our senior seminar and and having those focus groups uh with our our seniors who are leaving us, but they have that reflection over the four years of their high school careers so that they can build that into the feedback cycle that that we're looking for and then use that to help support our students who are currently or will be with us. >> Not to put you on the spot, but I know you don't mind talking to us. Did you hear any feedback of what people thought of this

073new survey? because you know many people nobody had taken the senior survey before so this was all >> um I don't think I could offer like uh I was on varsity >> um I I actually was playing >> I don't know if Jim is like 25% I was able to do it the first time. >> Um, we all thought it was there were like the 25% athletes that were >> great. Yeah, Hudson, that that's a really good point because that's what we saw in in even though it's 75% of the high school that participated, one of those areas that we identified is how we can continue to increase participation so we have an even better perspective of our students perceptions of their well-being and connectedness in doing that. So the same way with NWA, we

074build that into the classroom environment. Uh that's actually one of those areas that we're considering uh as well to increase that participation. But thank you for for picking that out. I I'll just say this is also good education and the collaborative inquiry protocol whether you're using it for CARES or NWA. >> This prediction phase helps you check your own bias. So you may be telling yourself a narrative of the way something's going um and then you get to check yourself as part of this process. And we've found that that's been really eye openening like across the content areas. Um and it's a good way of keeping us honest and um it has led to a lot of good conversation >> and and even with the uh with our wellness team as a whole. One of

075the important parts connected to this is how to slow down and be in the moment and be present with what you're looking at. Many times you try to go go into solution finding phase uh and sometimes that could lead to missing some aspects of of that data or that or because those numbers are student names, they're people, they're in our building. So the intentional slowdown helps facilitate that. >> That's great. >> Thank you. So to summarize and tell you what we're going to do next, uh so what we've already done is as we've heard, we've developed the care survey. We put that into performance matters. We piloted the survey uh with middle school students. We did it through our student council uh in the middle school. So that's just a handful of about 40 students

076or so. Um and then we piloted it uh with high school students. So as Hudson mentioned, he was part of that group. Thank you for helping again. And then that led to the larger roll out to uh to our grades 9 through 12. And then we also had that training with our secondary administrators along with our wellness teams uh which include our counselors, clinicians who are psychologists and our social workers. So moving forward, our next steps, we are going to look to administer this survey two times a year semiannually in grades 6 through 12. So now we're going to have a full secondary scope uh beginning next year. So that will allow us to use longitudinal data to monitor their growth and their changes over time. It will al also allow us to review data

077collaboratively within our teams. So using the CI protocol along with our uh PLC time that we have students uh uh our teams will be able to look at our student information and then develop uh our systems of intervention or build upon them I should say strengthening what we already do uh to continue to help our students. And so the last part as I mentioned earlier was to continue our efforts to increase participation knowing that fizzed was a was an entry point but not maybe the most ideal because we do want to have as close to 100% participation. So if we have students that are an option sure we miss them in that in that part of uh doing that. So if we can build it into one of the academic classrooms we know those students

078are there. And then uh I really just this a lot of this cannot be done without giving a really big thank you to Dr. Kingsberry and Miss Moren Jones uh for their collaboration and expertise because they they really built this whole platform that allowed us to put it into performance matters or students using it in schooly that fed into performance matters. Uh they I always joke and I say you make us look smart because of all that buildup behind the scenes. They're the wizards. So it does what it's supposed to do so that we can take the next steps after that. And so this the last part uh I remember uh one of the last times that I was here I like to pull a quote from one of uh from the power of mattering

079uh use that from Zack Mccurial. I'm going to bring another Zach quote back in today. Um and one thing that stuck out with me is the way you see people is the way you treat them. And the way you treat them is what they become. And that's what this care survey aims to do because we care about people. So just thank you to everyone here for the ongoing support because that's the work that we do and what matters to us as a team. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate it. >> Yeah. And thank you for joining us again tonight. You >> thank you for having >> had some great conversations at our table this year. So we really appreciate that. >> It's it's a pleasure and happy to be here. Thank you. >> Thanks

080Frank. Thank you. >> Right. So, gonna top that with a budget some. No. >> Sorry, Lisa. So, uh, as we'll go ahead and and swi and switch and looks like Lisa does get the remote tonight. So, uh, we'll go ahead and shift to our kind of our budget hearing piece here. And as the board may recall that this is an accompilation of of all those presentations we've gone through the year. So this information will go through rather briskly but it is again something the board is seeing gone. Nothing is new here. So thank you Lisa. >> Yes. So yes as um Dr. Blanch said that tonight is our budget hearing and it is the final presentation that is um in the budget development in the budget development process which is exciting. Um um in previous

081sessions we've reviewed major components of the proposed budget. This evening, we're going to just provide a summary of the budget that that once again it it represents investment in the future of every student that we serve. And it's a plan designed to sustain excellence across all of our schools. It reflects thoughtful stewardship of our resources while advancing opportunity, innovation, and long-term finan fiscal stability for our schools, our community, and continued strength of our district. And again, I'm just we've gone through these and I'm so we are you can play back the tape, right? as they say. Uh but um so this is the board's fiscal stewardship and again so we did achieve um um you know u right at that tax levy limit the tax cap um and this is the development process and we're

082well past that now we're in um in May so that's exciting um the budget drivers these are um these are the drivers that we really that drive us every year um as far as our school programs supporting the you know the core acade academics and our student and our student programs and always looking at enrollment and class sizes and that guides our staffing and helps us maintain those favorable class sizes. Our professional learning learning to ensure our staff have the tools and the supports they need for our students. infrastructure for safe and efficient uh up-to-date facilities as well as salary and benefits which is as we know the largest cost of our budget is roughly 80% reflecting an investment in our staff. Our revenue drivers as we've mentioned um that in the this current school

083year and next school year we have seen decreases in our aid ratios and that's represented here. Um and we this is again our budget is guided by those pillars of of light of our um of our 2030 plan. >> Oh, did you want to speak to >> great and then just on the next slide? Yes. Yes. Is really just for a quick moment thinking about even Frank here being this evening again that idea about really the strengthen our programs again I think hope you saw and heard a very clear systemic process to strengthen our assessment of our students wellness and then they about investing in I I hope you heard again today about that professional development professional learning time etc. So just a short example of continuing those highlights we're doing so and then I'll

084just continue on the next piece in here again with uh um Dr. Polar's lead and our district's lead where uh just a few very clear highs want to make with special education with the establishment of our uh seek group there. Again, the really strong part with last year was we worked uh for months on that PCG report involving all members of the KSD family with our our families involved in giving us feedback having focus groups through surveys with the staff looking at on-site drowning and so that led into some things such as our ability to go ahead and increase our continuum for co-eing in that regard as we know the K through five at the elementary schools at every single grade level. So just again a clear commitment. The budget now is making that happen.

085Then on to that next side again a little bit on the fresh learning. You certainly heard some of that work here this evening. And then again thinking about some of those opportunities where and I'll particularly highlight the literacy leadership team that we're certainly aware of that we did a literacy audit and as the board has supported that budget supports the implementation of that program with professional learning as well as those resources that we have and we've been able to start that journey already this spring just last Friday or whatever it was with our teachers working on getting support and training with Molly Ness and the group. So again thank you community and board for the support of making that a reality. So, I'll turn it back over to Lisa on some of the infrastructure highlights.

086>> And um regarding infrastructure, again, we'll see another increase in our debt, but this is, you know, we have worked um with our financial advisors, stepping up that debt, keeping it aligned as the state aid begins to flow in, as we'll see later on that offsets this debt payment. So, trying to keep that uh stable increase. And um these other bullets we will go in to later in our um presentation about other investments in our infrastructure. I will not you know the tax cap again um it's not 2% cap and on this on actually in this slide you can see the exact formula if you care to and uh but if uh but that is a formula of how we actually calculate the maximum allowable tax levy or the tax cap on this slide you'll

087see here that our property taxes um again are at that maximum amount uh that we're proposing the property taxes um are at the maximum allowable levy tax levy limit. But um as you can see also most of our other revenues are remaining either flat or declining. So even though you we do see an increase in state aid, our foundation aid um which is a small component of our overall state aid um is actually the originals um the projected state aid runs were projecting a 1% increase which translates to about $70,000. Uh we do believe we will soon see a approved budget. Um and there it may be a little bit more. There was you know maybe talk of going up to 2% which is another $70,000 $131 million budget. So um but because you'll hear

088some other percent increases and those percent increases have to do with a foundation aid. That's one component. Majority of state aid is expensed or categorical meaning like for textbook we get a set amount of books per student. Uh expense is how much money we spend. We receive a percentage back where again you saw those state aid ratios above. So this increase here again as I mentioned before is is attributed to our um building aid because that uh as we are closing out our projects and we report to the state education department our building aid then begins to flow. But um as I did mention earlier this school year our our aid ratios decreased and for next school year they have decreased. And when I plugged in the base and when I plugged in the projected

089expenses and applied our um 24 25 aid ratios this year and next year um it would be equate to about $1.7 million loss in state aid revenue. And as if our aid ratios stay where they are, that means every year we are losing more revenue via state aid. And again, as we see interest rates continue to decline and other areas um other um you know other declining in other revenue areas, we only you know there is really much place to make that up. So um oh I'm going the wrong way. I apologize. And um >> then just really on this slide you'll see again as our enrollment over roughly the last decade here and as we've spoken about before as the board uh numerous years ago saw this trend coming identified looking at uh projections

090as far as demographic studies made the determination to go from four elementary schools to three elementary schools. So bringing those costs uh dollars down as much as we could and then as you can see right now as was predicted roughly a decade ago now there we're basically at that floor where we would see that right now. So you'll see as anything else a couple of up and down a little bit but there is no projection that we're seeing that would be heading back into that direction. We do a uh five-year study on that. Just about every year gets updated. It's based on live birth rates. And so that goes back and there's basically a yield that's identified for live birth rates in our area and where those numbers come out to. Any one of those

091single years, they're about 98 and a half to 99% accurate to where we're going to be. Um and so we would see again here we're at that floor along that same time as we would also see though that with the expansion or expansion of just the academic program the requirements that go from you know estate from be it special education services directly or be it some of the social emotional wellnesses we're talking about today or even when we're looking at adding uh you know facilities andor safety security to our schools. All those things add to the cost of running a school district. As well as at least started before, we're a little bit over 80% of our dollars or 80 cents on the dollar spent on people. We are we don't create and develop widgets.

092So we can't go ahead and say we're going to make a few more of those and generate a little bit more revenue. We're a people business and that is the most expensive part of an enterprise related to salary and related to benefits, be it the medical benefits, our obligations to social security and those things. So that is again why those dollars do increase significantly more than the consumer price index from a business perspective and we're a business that's built on people. So the reality is when you're seeing increases in health insurance costs that are eight n 10% again that's why that's going up so more so it's very um challenging for school districts and we're not alone in this as we've talked before other districts right around us and other areas that even though this

093is a fairly typical trend in the Westchester County and quite frankly across the entire state those increased costs again are related to expansion of program as well as the significant ificant increase in cost from uh medical and any other benefits that go along with that. So, just wanted to point that piece out there because it is a piece that we're seeing not just here but but across the the area. Thanks, Lisa. >> These are projected tax rates. Again, we will set those in July and they we set the tax levy. The towns do the assessment and as a result of those two combined tax the tax rate is then generated proportion to the assessed value in proportion to the overall amount of the budget of of the levy that we need to raise. Um I'm

094not we're not I don't think we're going to go into class sizes. It's just here for reference. Um and the >> so this is the highest slide here just again what's the best we could do with those significant increase charges here or increases you'll see there was a net reduction of approximately 11 full-time equivalent positions to allow us to stay uh right at that tax heavy limit as we talked about at the board before a lot of it is depending upon what is 2728 look like what is it going to look like honestly for our health insurance because we've brought that down this is kind of our last step at the secondary level now where we're at that baseline there there just isn't room now as the district has slowly over the last decade you

095can see just slowly but surely FD kind of coming offline this in essence is what the last step and and frankly some of those are pieces that if we would perhaps decide really not to do yet trying to be as strong as fiscal stewards as we could we looked at taking that opportunity to say okay particular when there were individuals who were uh leaving our organization for multiple reasons, retiring new job locations. So bringing those positions offline where they didn't get refilled. So talking about a pretty significant number there. We also did want to show that redistribution we spoke about before working to align over to getting some of those co-taught experiences as you see those first three FTEEs being shifted over to go ahead and create that co class in the elementary school. So

096thank you Lisa. And this just illustrates again um really the very I think the very first presentation um that we did back in uh January we had that balance right. So the balance of the revenue expenditures and that is that starts you know we start projecting our revenues and then and rolling over expenditures and then and then we continually have to go back and forth on seeing how we can get that to um to be balanced to be equal as far as the amount of revenues we're bringing in and expenditures. So this is just illustrating that. Um oops sorry and that was not Okay. Um, so, um, >> look, I got the remote back. >> Okay. And so, our proposed, the proposed budget is 131,816, $42 is an increase of $4.4 million roughly, a 3.46

09746 percentage budget-to-budget increase with a property tax levy increase of 3.72%. Um our major areas of increase again is benefits. Um and and that is um primarily health insurance and that is again something we see in both public and private. That is the greatest cost area um increase that um is just seen across the board. our special education costs um are the increases have to do with the placement of where students are and again that those charges are not something we control and um other you know anything related to that our debt while you see a $1.3 million increase in debt is offset on the other side of an increase again on the revenue. So really, it's not true. It's really about a uh about a $700,000 really net increase in the debt yeartoyear. And

098again, even though we saw the $4.4 million increase budget to budget and there's a $5 million budget increase here, again, we are offsetting those increases with increases in revenue. So um and major area again is that debt that's offset with um building aid and um I will you know um do you want to go through the highlights or I can um again it's the um the proposed budget does maintain all current student programming while expanding our literacy program and um can continuing to prioritize favorable class sizes support for all students and professional learning incorporating addition debt, but that was approved by the voters in October of 2022 of that bond referendum and that it supports significant infrastructure enhancements in all five of our schools as we've seen and being mindful of our taxpayers and holding

099the tax levy at the New York State tax cap. So, the first proposition that is will be on the ballot is the approval of the budget and I'll talk to I'll turn to Dr. BL. And so as we look at that proposition too, as we've spoken before, you the $2.5 million that has been set aside as a savings account. And so we'll be going ahead and accessing that. And so as you'll see on this piece here, some of the major elements here again are some of those athletic pieces where you've got some structural spray that's again intended to extend the life of that uh track, the AP field turf across the way, some some repairs to tennis court and things like that. fitness center ADA accessible flooring and related upgrades in that space. And then

100some overall safety security updates with some exterior door replacements. We're looking at looking at ADA walkway over to the plaza, especially with now with that community lunch that we've have and then some gym resurfacing that we're looking at the middle school and KES. And so really kind of cuts across a number of things that uh have been identified there. And then after proposition three here you'll see the idea about looking at the prek uh community center space and coc there. And as the board may recall started this a year ago and having that conversation at the board table. Then earlier this fall H2M kind of came forth with a number of different identified perspective ways to use this as our kind our community based community decision was. Yes. Now we we see that there is

101really an opportunity that frankly um didn't even exist. You know 2020 is when that started out with the idea about prek and then most recently now the state identified just earlier this year that they're going to increase that dollar aotment as we've got identified here now $10,000 per student. So then that really helped make it a little bit clear now let's let's see if we can utilize that community space in that building. The architect team came back with three different versions as we went back and forth on a couple of meetings. The determination there was to move forward with that work and then go ahead and identify that uh you have a good portion that's coming down and then um significant portion that's staying for the classrooms proper and then some of the larger spaces

102be it what was the cafeteria what is the scale the current gymnasium staying and then there's also what was the library staying as opportunity to create more multi-purpose spaces in that regard and so this is the ask for that prek for our four-year-old uh children to start that. Just as a reminder as our timeline here is if our community is uh does pass this piece, we would anticipate shooting to start that in the fall of 2027. The ability force to move quickly on this project because there are no adults or no children in that campus. As we all know, a bond project like we're getting ready to close now, you're talking anywhere between a 48 to 60 month process. And then inherently in there you're looking at escalation cost as well too because you have

103to plan for that going up. So so we've been able to go ahead and walk this conversation through a few times and I'll just go ahead and mention that next slide we have a little bit of a layout there. And so you can see again in that blue those are those 10 classrooms that we've identified right now for prek. One of the important pieces in here too is is that by state of New York, if we are looking and accessing, as Lisa said before building aid, we have requirements we must put in place in here. Our building a currently is about 25% of the ailable building. And so when you're looking at a space like this, um if we said, "Oh, we're not we're going to pass on that. We have to have restrooms in

104their 900 ft." you talk about multiple millions of dollars that we would not be able to help offset the cost of that project. So that is a requirement by the state of New York. Um and then you'll see in that kind of light orange I guess uh color there. Those are those multiple spaces I was speaking about. And then the new entry is on the left for community kind of usage of those spaces. >> So we can't get the rebate. The building aid units are it's sort of like a it's like a refund for portions of what we do. Exactly. We can't get that unless they're 900 square feet. That's where that number comes from. >> Yeah. And great example because even as Lisa mentioned like the seaweing we're doing right now with the science,

105the state says here's the square feet your science rooms need to be. If they are not, you will not be getting aid on that building. >> And I was curious on that one. Are the um is there different requirements for special education preschool square footage? >> So in this space there are some different requirements just like we even have now in our schools. So there are different requirements there for preschool for special education that actually is uh run through the county. So the county goes ahead and works with different providers to to do that if we uh and which we might be interested in doing see and we believe if we can get one of those spaces to be identified to support our children locally here because right now sometimes families have to drive significantly

106distances to do that. We would meet those requirements within that square footage >> with the 900 square foot. >> Yeah. It's just more about, you know, because those are going to be smaller ratios of those the children in there. >> Okay. I see. That's how they meet that. It's just a smaller ratio in the same classroom, but we could still possibly >> Yes. Because a 900 square that's that's that's a big classroom. Yes. >> Yes. And so the reality is you're going to be having 18 children in this space. And if you have a special education program, you're even at a smaller number. So that will serve pursue purposes. >> Curious about that. >> Oh no, it's a great question. And if you just do see the small blue kind of classroom in there in

107the middle of the base, that's identified as like uh for all any child that's in the maybe get in there with in the preschool PT or OT services because many students get those services and many times they'll go now to some of our practitioners, but if they're in one space, they go ahead and get that access there. >> I learned last night there's like a a quad. So, in sort of the the middle of the outside area, >> there's going to be a playground. >> Well, if it's all released, so maybe if I think you get your mouse. I don't know if your mouse will show up on there. >> Is that my >> Oh, yeah. So, I'm gonna >> Yeah, I want to just go here. Here we go. So, um, >> thank you

108for mentioning that because the reality is we're going to go ahead and square that corner off right here with a fence. So, that will create a playground for four-year-old children. We have a playground in the back, but that was designed for K through five. Still there, still there for communities, but this will be going ahead and kind of fully enclosed. You can see some of these classrooms actually have direct access to that space. If they don't, there's access that'll come in here into that space. So, again, that will be an exterior learning space. So, >> wait, before you sit down, will you show everybody you show everybody where that security door is? >> Oh, yes. Thank you. So again, the access point in here for community is that way and into the front space of

109the building here. Oh, sorry. The front space in the building is looking at this way. Come, I'm going to lie. It's not that one. Front community and then going in here through the front door for the uh preschool. Access to the classrooms. Access to the classroom. There's one doorway here by fire code. We must have that to be able to connect for egress. >> So, as you will see that it swings one way. It does not swing in this way. Those will be locked all the time. Only way they can go is from the classrooms here with children and the teachers and adults. So the reality is is that especially the age group, there's always an adult with those children. So they cannot go from the community space in here. It is locked by fire

110code. We have to be able to have swing one way and that's swinging out. That's the reality of what that creates. So again, community can come in community center 620 ft. So very, you know, personal space, book clubs, whatever determined. And then up over here could be that common space for cafeteria. It's not a cafeteria full. It's a warming kitchen piece because whole different layer of things. if we have department of health and then this new covered piece that connected the gymnasium again I think is I've come to more if you understand uh our town Lewisboro the the breath of offerings that they do for the community is extremely strong and that is a huge place that's used and go back to building squaring that off the exterior space. >> Thank you. Well, while you're

111um sorry, wait, while you're doing this, just with regard to the classrooms, is there anything more granular that you want to clarify in terms of how you're getting to 10 in the blue boxes? >> Oh, yes. Thank you. Cuz when we started back with our architects, we were looking at some different numbers. Let's get that to that 10 spot. And I'm going to actually go a little bit further. So, >> um initially we had this space here as using as like more of a multi-purpose space. We said, "No, we need to get to that 10 to start because that will basically get us to 180 kids with by projections 200 be the max. We are not anticipating we'll get 100%." But that'll get us pretty darn close if we had to 90%. And so with

112that, we then though do have an opportunity in here and Lisa and myself and the team were just talking with architects the other day to pre-plan if we need to. we can go ahead and subdivide that space and go ahead and create another classroom in here. But we'll be ready if if we are able to do that like we get 100%. We have the ability to add that classroom right now could be likely but we'll be ready to do that. And a couple of other nice questions came up the other night too with uh and last night and earlier in the morning about you know if for whatever reason we have a classroom space that's available or things get started. I would fully anticipate we'll have other school districts that would say we would like

113our children to go to preschool and you have a space. We'll send them here. So then those revenues we have to come to us that will help us pay for the heat, light, the cooling and the cleaning. So I do not predict there'll be an empty classroom. Uh again, hopefully it'll be of our children. But if there is a classroom or two, we will not have a problem going ahead and fill larger community because there just are not enough free school programs out there in the larger area. I mean, you're talking almost overnight that foury olds are now have full access to the New York City has been doing that for a while, but they've taken quite a while to get to there. Now, this will be >> Thank you. >> Before I So this

114over here is >> but it's on this side of door. >> Yep. So this this piece here we just got some updated drawings on that part which you just described. So there what this door is no longer going to be there here. And so the architects are working on that spot and then they've designed new entry into this space. So you come through here and go that way. >> Is that like the library? >> Yes. Yes. This is the existing library. So, as you if you look at the visual, that's that nice kind of glass front. >> Yes. >> Okay. Got it. >> Yep. But they're they're continuing to work and adjust in here like they just finished. These are restrooms meant for the adults, but those are full restrooms that are available now, I

115think, uh for four to six people that allows access there. And there's actually water already in here that they're doing this piece. So, and then this is new because this is all coming down which was kind of the intermediate kind of grade. I think it was fourth grade. >> Fifth grade. Thank you. >> Sorry. >> So, that's coming down and we had the front when you pull up. That's all coming down. So, the reality this is a new covered access into this space. Again, only swing out for fire code. That's what allows us to this is basically the existing footprint. Then you're talking about new roof talking about new HBAC and all those components. So that's where when you when I had a lovely conversation again my dose of thanks leader but I had a

116chance to meet with our senior citizens about 60 years old senior citizen the other day spent some time talking about here and the idea even last night with you're talking about a new roof over this whole facility restructuring of classrooms bathrooms now in each one of these classrooms our HVA system is is living on borrowed time as my colleague Mike told me. And so the reality is is where that kind of physical plant is now is over here. And so right now it's kind of getting over here to to kind of keep the gymnasium going. It is not anything that is going to see sure how he's actually getting that work. Um and so that's a significant over cost in there. So you're looking at um a pretty big cost just in roofing, building envelope,

117redesigning classrooms, water, and all those components. And there is uh intent to update the water program here. As Marjorie was speaking before, we believe we have two models of water going on metal pond and then John J middle school a little different but now the department of health approval like proof of concept now we want to put a solution in here taking care of the water. So that's in part of that solution too is taking care of the water. >> Next the outside still Yes. So the full exterior the facilities the ground area I we would anticipate leaving that current space. We'll work with our architects on the site and they're going to be tearing down basically if we'll probably go and like uh level out a field or something like that because we're going

118to have the earth moving equipment. Kind of leave that to go into that work because really you're talking about four year olds. This is going to be As you can see, just square foot size is significantly larger than even our gymnasium. It's it's a really large large space. >> Outdoor space is amazing. >> Yeah. Amazing. So, um kind of thing we're going to put out there. >> I think what we had talked about like a soccer field on this side. That's the hope. We're going to level it >> like like um um the small the smaller like a kid. >> There's going to be space out there for for community use and space and things like that. Yes. So, as we spoke about before, what does that look like and how does that change? >>

119A small field. >> Yeah. Yep. But again, used for the appropriate size children. >> Yep. >> Is >> Oh, thanks. >> Um I was just wondering is the EPC going to look to expand here um to >> So, that's a great question because in in the back of the facility right now on that lower lower field there uh EPC is going that Roger mentioned before were the equipment's on site. This campus actually is a part that we would ask our sustainability committee to work on with new roofs and those components. We would certainly be exploring could we go ahead and put new solar on here. Then the reality is is this campus may become kind of self-sufficient through the uh ability for that significant amount of panels on top and the building being smaller. So,

120we would definitely like to perhaps re-engage with Honey Well and do some of that work. You're exactly right. Yeah. >> Yep. >> Thank you. So um meeting dates um leaves us to um as mentioned earlier well last night there was a live Zoom um but um on Tuesday May 12th um at 7 p.m. we have the PTO um budget presentations at John J. High School in the theater renovated with money. Come see it. And um Thursday, May 14th um at 9:30 a.m. in the district office in the learning studio. Again, uh PTO sponsored budget presentations opportunity again for questions and answers. So, and um Kim, do you want to speak to anything about the ballot sir? About the voting? I know it's >> so as everybody knows we have five candidates for three seats on

121the ballot with one of those terms filling John Puffenburgger's seat which is an unexpired seat will um expire sorry in June 30 of 2028. So the the five candidates on the ballot, you're not voting for we run as at large, meaning you're not running per seat. The top three highest vote getters on the ballot will uh serve on the board starting July with one candidate starting May 20th. And how it will work is the top two candidates will fill the three-year term from July 1 through June 30, 2029. And then the third highest would fill the vacated seat by John. So they would technically start on May 20th and go to June 30, 2028. If an incumbent wins the top is the third highest vote getter, um their term they will continue on the board,

122but they will end their term on June 30, 2028. And one of our um other candidates would begin right away on May 20th and serve until June 30, 2029. >> There wasn't enough slides for this. Yeah, that was Thanks, Kim. That was >> super helpful. Kim, if if you I don't mean to u put you on the spot, but it is a little bit confusing then that in that second scenario a candidate would serve a term that's greater than three years. Did legal provide any rationalization or you know kind of help us to understand the thinking there? Because we are a seven member board, you would go to you need someone to fill that vacated seat. So it would go to that top highest vote getter. >> That's just, you know, how they explained it.

123And >> even when we had this when John filled the other vacancy, we had the same scenario. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Kim. And again, some more explanation here is what Kim just went through. Um, so that leads us to the end. Um, so May 19th, Tuesday, May 19th, budget vote and the board of education election take place. >> 6 a.m. to 900 pm. >> Yes. At the elementary schools. >> Thank you. I'm uh sure. Well, I guess you have two more opportunities to present this, but thank you very much. Uh so that brings us next to our board of education candidate statements. Um we will um be asking each candidate to be joining us at the podium um and invited to make a threeminut statement regarding their candid candidacy. And we

124will start with Nancy Bahana. Good evening. I'm Nancy Bahana and rather than repeat my introduction from Monday, I would like to focus on why I believe I can contribute to the board and how my values align with KLSD's vision 2030. My family moved to Ktona in 20 23 and our youngest quickly found a sense of belonging pillar three through the theater program. We're grateful KLSD has created many pathways for students to feel seen, valued, and connected. I applaud the district's focus on different learning styles. As a student, I had undiagnosed ADD and fell asleep or struggled in classes where concepts felt too abstract. Calculus finally clicked when a professor drew a curve on a board and explained limits visually how the curve got closer and closer to the axis but never touched it. And different

125learners sometimes just need different doorways into the material. Pillar one, knowledge and skills. I'm excited by the district's new senior internship program because of my missed opportunity in high school when a teacher landed me an exciting internship at the local police station. My parents decided I would instead do data entry in a cubicle. But I never forgot the impact of an educator who saw potential beyond academics alone. Pillar two learning learner centered leadership. First of all, we have Hudson. I've been very impressed watching you over the last few weeks. Sometimes you have to trick a kid though to give them confidence. In 10th grade, a teacher kidnapped me, really to lead tours at a historic mansions fundraiser. She stationed me alone in a room with a script to guide adults through the history and the

126decor of the mansion. I was normally shy, but I loved it, and that experience foreshadowed my current work as a museum educator and tour guide. Pillar four, sustainability and global citizenship. I earned a master composter certification through the New York City Department of Sanitation and introduced redworm composting projects into classrooms and scout programs. The children were fascinated. They asked great questions and understanding the soil science and the role of the little tiny critters that help with decomposition was key. Global citizenship has also become personal for our family. We currently host a student am I done? No. from Sweden who is attending the Harvey School. Watching him succeed in honors science classes taught in his second language has been humbling. Though according to him, the best thing about Harvey is the breakfast. Pillar five, student well-being.

127As wellness chair at PS9, I secured a grant to bring movement-based brain breaks into classrooms through the chalk just move initiative. working collaboratively with teachers. Pillar six, we achieved 70% participation and teachers reported improved focus and engagement in the classroom. Lastly, good boards require collaboration, fiscal responsibility, and consensus building. I've practiced those skills, too, including serving on my co-ap board during difficult financial decisions. Jury duty taught me something, too. In three separate deliberations, I became the closer, the person who listened carefully, synthesized the evidence, and helped move the group toward agreement. I'd be honored to bring those skills to KLSD. >> Thank you. >> I was remiss in mentioning it's uh is it 1 minute or 30 seconds when the yellow Kim? >> I think it's like 2 minutes and something 40 seconds. I think

128it's >> and then when the red the first beep is a warning. First beep is not your end. It's not your end. Uh Melissa Delmani. >> Hi. >> Good evening everyone and thank you so much for having me. I'm Melissa Dagani and I'm running for the Katona Lewisboro Board of Education. Since my family moved here over 13 years ago, this community has truly felt like home. From the very beginning, I became deeply involved in the community as a small business co-owner alongside my husband, as a very active volunteer, as a responsive parent, an emerging educator, and always as someone who genuinely cares about the future of our towns, our schools, our families, and ultimately our community. Over the years, I've served in various leadership and community service roles with organizations such as Katona Chamber of

129Commerce and Katona Museum of Art, and I co-founded the inclusive Initiative Born from the Town of Bedford Task Force focused on inclusivity, connection, and support. Very recently, I've immersed myself deeply in education through graduate studies while simultaneously developing a hybrid education program for students with chronic illness. Along the way, I achieved my board certification in special education, and I'm nearing completion of my New York State teacher certification. But beyond the titles or credentials, what I really want to say and what really drives and defines me is simple. I care deeply about people. Within that vein, I care deeply about any work or role that I take on. If I say I'm going to do something, I'm allin. I don't express an idea without the readiness to pursue the idea. I do what I say. I'm

130thoughtful, highly engaged, and naturally look at issues from many angles because I believe that good decisions deserve careful consideration. I also bring a systemsoriented perspective. I zoom out and I look at how all the pieces connect while still paying close attention always to the details of lived experiences of families with a flare in anything for keeping all that I work on creative and joyful. And I bring the perspective of someone who has built and run businesses from the bootstrapped ground up for many years. Those experiences as well as with many from my youth taught me resilience, adaptability, long-term planning, and the importance of asking sorry asking thoughtful questions. I I believe the strongest boards are made up of people who can collaborate respectfully while also bringing independent thought, diverse perspectives, and genuine openness to dialogue.

131continued learning and growth. I'm incredibly proud of so much of within this district and community already. And if elected, I promise that I will continue to show up thoughtfully, to work very hard, to listen carefully, and to ask questions, and that I will remain deeply committed to this community and the responsibility of the role. What you see with me is honestly what you get. I will always lead with authenticity, thoughtfulness, and care, and I would be truly honored to serve the community in this capacity. Thank you so much for your time, your consideration, and for the opportunity. Thanks. >> Thank you. And uh next is myself, Lorraine Gallagher. Good evening. I am Lorraine Gallagher and I'm running for re-election because I believe deeply in this district in public education and in the responsibility we share

132to lead it thoughtfully, responsibly, and with an eye to the future. I'm a 30-year resident and a parent of three John J alumni. Our schools are personal to me, not just as institutions, but as places that help shape my family and continue to define our community. Professionally, I'm an attorney responsible for oversight, risk management, and decision-making, and complex, highly regulated environments. That experience has shaped how I approach board service, focusing on evidence, fiscal discipline, transparency, and long-term impact rather than short-term pressure. Over the last three years, the board of education has navigated a period of real transition and complexity, and I'm proud of what we have accomplished together. We have maintained strong academic programs while continuing to review curriculum and instructional initiatives to ensure they meet evolving educational expectations. We completed and are implementing the

133recommendations from our literacy and special education audits. We have adopted responsible budgets that balance educational priorities with taxpayer impact. Our budgets have been beneath the state tax cap and increased less than inflation. We have prioritize student support and well-being, including special education and mental health resources, recognizing that learning depends on students feeling supported and safe. We have implemented and overseen security measures across the district to enhance building safety, including the installation of security vestibules in each school. Together, we have developed uh KSD 2030, the center of our decision-making, ensuring the needs of our students are our first priority. These outcomes did not happen by chance. They required preparation, collaboration, and a willingness to make careful, sometimes difficult decisions, always with the long view in mind. If reelected, my policy priorities remain clear. First, sustaining academic

134excellence by supporting strong data-driven instructional programs that prepare students for what comes next. Second, fiscal responsibility and long-term planning with budgets that are transparent, sustainable, and respectful of taxpayers while protecting core educational programs. Third, student support and well-being, including continued oversight of special education services and student mental health resources. And fourth, strong governance and community trust, ensuring the board remains focused on policy, not politics, and communicates clearly with the community we serve. I'm running again, not because this work is easy, but because it matters. Our district deserves steady leadership, sound judgment, and thoughtful oversight, especially in an increasingly complex educational environment. I would be honored to earn your support so we can continue to move KSD forward, building on what we've accomplished and preparing responsibly for what lies ahead. You can find out more about

135me at lorragallagher.com. Thank you. And oh, sorry. Next, um, I welcome Stacy Isacson to the podium. couldn't leave her without her water. Uh, good evening. I am Stacy Isacson and I thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. Uh, it's my privilege to run for a seat on the KLSD Board of Education. And if you haven't had an opportunity already, I invite and encourage you to watch the recording of this week's meet the candidates forum to hear more from me about my ideas and what I value. I have thorough experience in education that gives me a broad base of understanding for the work ahead. Whether that is the continued literacy audit or execution of vision 2030. I'm excited to bring a new perspective to the board and to contribute on important topics including hands-on learning

136and leadership and how we can utilize high school internships to build out career pathways. As I mentioned on Monday's forum, college is a very expensive place to discover what you do not like. Uh if you are meeting me for the first time tonight, I'm happy to share a little bit about my background. My husband and I are deeply embedded within this community along with our two children, one currently at JJMS and the other at JJHS, meaning next year they will be in the same school. Um I've worked in schools and community for the last 20 years. I've taught in middle and high school classrooms. I've served on school leadership teams and in PTOs. My experience in schools is truly from the inside out. I've even had the opportunity to help lead the creation of a

137brand new public high school from the ground up in New York City. And you know what they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I had an insider's view to the innermost workings of a school and district, and the experience I gained there was invaluable. I've also been the owner and operator of a small business, a family focused community space, allowing me to explore and respond to the needs of the community. This gave me the opportunity to work with community- based organizations and serve on boards such as the Head Start Policy Council for pre kindergarten programs. I've trained in areas important to the community, including at the Anderson Center for Autism, Mental Health First Aid, and as a volunteer crisis counselor for 988 and Crisis Text Line, which I do

138to this day. So, what does all of this mean for you and for my candidacy? Uh my experience in education and community work will make me an informed, inquisitive, and valuable board member. In me, you'll find not just someone with roots in our community, but the unique, beneficial experience and credentials that I bring to the table. It would be my honor to serve. Thank you. >> Thank you, Bill Swartfer. Good evening everyone. Uh my name is Bill Schwarfagger. I've been a Katona resident for 43 years. My wife Diane is a retired teacher 40 years from the Hender Hudson School District. And we've raised three children, John, Mark, and Teresa, who all went through our school system and now live and work in this community. We all strongly believe in public education in the Katona Lewis

139School District. We also are proud grandparents with three grandkids who will be coming through our district shortly. If you want to read more about my background, go to bills swordfiger.com. Suffice to say, I've been very involved in this community. Three years ago, when I first ran for the board of education, I committed to showing up, listening, and making a meaningful impact. Today, I'm proud to say that together with our dedicated board, outstanding educators, and an engaged community, we have delivered real progress. We strengthen leadership by hiring Superintendent Dr. Blanch after nationwide search, who would provide clear direction for this district. We restructured and enhanced our special education department to improve organization, accountability, and outcomes for our families. We prioritize literacy by embracing the science of reading, ensuring every student builds a strong academic foundation. Through

140broad community collaboration, we developed vision 2030, empowering all a roadmap guiding our decisions at every level. We also improve communication and transparency, making district information more accessible and responsive. As chair of the finance committee, I focused on fiscal responsibility. Staying under the tax cap, helping to secure a no cost solar energy contract and planning for long-term stability. We've delivered on facilities, safety, and sustainability, all while investing heavily in professional development for our educators. This work reflects a simple principle. I've been a tireless advocate for children my whole life and that commitment matters. I'm running for re-election to continue building on this progress and the trust you've shown in me to keep this district moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. That uh closes our candidate statements for the evening. And next we um turn to

141public forum. No one's here for public forum. So, we will close public forum and turn to the consent agenda. Anybody have anything to pull out of the consent agenda this evening? Uh would somebody like to make a motion um to move the consent agenda? >> Sure. >> Motion by Marjorie, second by Bill. Um any discussion needed on >> There's no way to get that three to three vote here. Um, with that said, uh, have a vote. All those in favor? 6. Sorry, I lost my thinking about what would happen if we had a >> I know I >> had a tie. And next we turn 16.01 board dialogue and discussion. I just want to thank the community for all of their questions that they've been submitting um to the district and attendance at the Q&A

142last night. We hope to see some more people, you know, May 12th and May 14th um at our upcoming um sponsored events by the PTO. Um and we just it's really great to get the community involved in in reaching out and getting more information. Thank you. >> And thank you to you and Bill for seeking re-election and to our candidates for their interest in board service because I guess when we come back we're going to be a board of seven again. >> Yes. >> So, um, tonight was great and thank you everybody for taking the time to organize thoughts to speak with the rest of us. We really appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> And go out and vote. >> Yes. No more dialogue with that. Uh we turn to future meetings. Oh, a huge

143special thank you to our district clerk who is amazing on all accounts, but she will be here um beginning 9:00 am on Saturday, May 19th in the sorry, May 9th in the district office uh for a special voter registration. So, it's not too late. If you're not registered to vote, please come out and uh meet Kim, find out how special she is and um be registered and you can vote in our election on May 19th. And then the uh so and then May, I will just reiterate again, it's not on my sheet, but May 12th, 7 p.m. at the theater, uh we will have a Q&A session May 14th at 9:30 a.m. in the district office. We have another Q&A section followed by the vote on May 19th um at your local elementary school. The

144polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. So you can vote at Katona Increase Miller or Meadow Pond Elementary Schools. Uh we will be back that following Thursday, May 21st, May 21st at 7 p.m. here in the John J. High School Library for our meeting. uh followed by the finance committee meeting on May 28th at 6 PM in the district office conference room. >> With that, I turn it over to Dr. Blanch. >> Well, I I just wanted to say thank you so much for uh the time with Frank this evening. Hopefully you get an sense of uh you know he is new to the team here and and just this year but hopefully a really clear understanding came forth about his his passion for our children his ability to look at the larger

145kind of landscape of components and then tying that in to students academic wellness as well as their behavioral and their cognitive piece. So we're we're really and he mentioned also uh Dr. Kingsberry here again. It was a new team member. So hopefully you're seeing the work that uh as a central office team that as we're bringing on new members of our leadership team that um don't think we could have found a better person to join us with Frank. Same thing with Jess. We have a very strong really looking forward to Shannon joining us in the fall for our new director of special education. And I would say that everything we heard about tonight is And it's very interesting that as we I get a chance to meet new individuals who may be joining the district,

146one of the top things that they'll bring forth is looking at that 2030 plan. They'll identify the clarity. They'll identify our empowering all piece. They'll look at our steps and where we're going as a piece that is attracting them come to the school district and obviously repetition around our region that's been developed for decades. and then say okay and here's next space that we would like to go. So again, I want to thank our community and the entire war for us to be able to put that forth. And then now it's it seems like wow, I wouldn't have anticipated something like that taking place, but it is. And we're getting teacher candidates to say piece because that is part of when we bring any member of the committee on. Have you had a chance to

147look at the 2030 plan? And if they haven't, it's been really nice to know you. And so the reality is folks are coming forth and they're seeing and understand and how could you help add to that value. So uh it's it's really permeating across everything that we're doing. And so that would be a piece I want to just say that we want thank the board for that. And the last piece I'd want to thank again is we had a lovely uh Q&A last night and I did actually have a chance earlier in the day to meet with about 60 of our senior citizens uh out uh down Shade Lane. they kind of meet at at a church there. And so I spent about an hour and a half uh with our community members there and

148just asking and addressing lots of wonderings that folks had. Well, I just can't thank them enough for letting me kind of take their time and doing that. And uh I wanted to say the same thing I did last night and say tonight the closing, I hope everybody has a lovely Mother's Day. So please enjoy. Thank you. >> Thank you. With that, somebody want to make a motion to adjurnn? Motion by Carolyn, second by Arwin. All those in favor? 6. Thank you. Thank you.