001the dark side or the good side. >> All good sides, of course. >> Good evening. It is Thursday, October 23rd. May I have a motion to return to um public session? >> Sure. >> Motion by Barbara, second by Marjorie. All those in favor? 5-0. Sorry, I had to do some quick math. Um, if you would all join me in the pledge of allegiance, please. >> I pledge algiance 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. Okay, we'll just do that right before. That'd be great. Yeah, thank you. Um, so board, I just wanted to go ahead and and see if just to step out of our normal process here a little bit. So, just last
002week, we may know that was board appreciation week and so hopefully all all received your airline tickets to Hawaii and everything. Sure. So, but uh even better uh we have actually these amazing I don't know if if I'm going to make it through the whole meeting while he's seeing these things but um with the the the recognition here tonight. So, we have uh we have Lindsay here uh kind of our representation of our parent council speaking on behalf of the rest of our parents. So, so thank you Lindsay. >> Thanks for having me. So, I'm Lindsay Anthony, president of the Katona Elementary School PTO and a member of the Katona Lewisboro School District Parent Council, where I also am serving as president this year. Um, it's an honor to be here tonight on behalf of
003the parent council to express our heartfelt gratitude to the members of the board of education. Last week, as Ray mentioned, was the National State School Board Recognition Week, a moment to celebrate those who guide and govern public education. And tonight, we proudly continue that recognition by by honoring you, our own KSC board of education. Board of Education. You carry the tremendous responsibility of leading our schools with vision, integrity, and compassion. Your decisions shape our students experiences, support our teachers work, and strengthen the sense of community that makes Gatona Lewisboro so special. Under Dr. Blanch's leadership, our district continues to build on a vision of belonging. One that ensures every student, family, and staff member feels seen, valued, and included. That vision comes to life each day in our classrooms and on our playgrounds. And it
004begins here with your thoughtful, inclusive leadership. Each of you brings unique strengths and perspectives. Yet, you come together in partnership, always centering what's best for our students. That spirit of collaboration and shared purpose, it's what truly defines our school. On behalf of the parent council and the parents, teachers, and students of the district, thank you for your dedication, your integrity, and your unwavering commitment to making Katona Lisper a place where every child can learn, grow, and belong. >> Thank you, Liz. Thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. And um I do want to say on behalf of the board, we are very appreciative of everything that the PTO's do for our students and our staff as well. So uh thank you very much and we very much appreciate these goodies. >> Thank you. >>
005Um all right, board announcements. Does anybody have um any announcements? Any meetings that happened? Um I do want to say u and unfortunately Dr. Pilates is not here tonight but we had our first meeting of seek our special education >> empowerment >> empower thank you empowerment committee this week and um it was it was a very well attended. We had 21 people in attendance and a very heartwarming heartwarming meeting >> where most of um the meeting was getting to know everybody, sharing vulnerabilities, um how we identified ourselves, what are what values we were bringing to the table. Um, and you know, just some basic problem solving, setting the ground work for us to be able to come together as a as a committee and really tackle the difficult um, discussions that have to happen. And
006I was very appreciative of everything everyone shared and we had a great facilitator there who will be joining us, Beth Pogue. Um, and I just I'm really looking forward to, you know, bringing more. It was a lot of icebreaker type of um activities this past week and then next meeting in December 4th I think. >> Um you know I'm hoping right after that to bring back some more substance but um really happy with the selection of the committee members that PCG did. I think it's a a good cross-section of the community that's affected. Um so I think I think it's going to be great. >> Yeah, I agree. And I think one of the pieces where again just to appreciate the board last year for allowing the latitude you know within the year to go
007um and engage with PCG to come forth with some you know strengths we've got going and opportunities and so we did go back and revisit those pillars for that group that identify recommendations and this was one of those the family and community engagement part here and as said this is intended this is a council and that was a piece where we were looking at for that team to provide thoughtful suggestive advice to how we can move forward. So, I I knew it was it was a really really lovely first meeting and we had our students there too, which was really amazing, too. >> That's great. >> I I walked in very hopeful of what we were going to be able to accomplish and I came out feeling very encouraged. >> Great. >> So, um and
008like I said, Dr. Polardis did a great job. We had our own circle and she brought in >> the goddess of >> education. I don't know, but arts. I think that was it. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So that was our talking piece that she shared around and stuff. So it was wonderful. >> That was great. It was very good. >> Okay. >> And then I guess uh we had the ERJC real quick. I think it was uh uh that we had uh was that just last week, John? I think it was last week. Yeah. Yeah. >> So I think that you know from all intents and purposes, we picked up where we left off last year or last year. Yeah. At the end of the year. So, and with that, we spent some time really
009looking at the calendaring for recognition of different groups across the year. So, that we'll be picking that up at the next me. And I just want to say thanks to Neil. He's been he's kind of taken point on that one. Um, and so it was good and we got to meet in the B-wing. >> Yeah, I was going to say we were in the B-wing. That was pretty fantastic. Neil and I were reflecting on the walk over. It was great. Beautiful sunset and uh it's a great space to meet. >> Well, how do we get our meetings in the B-wing? That's awesome that >> how how attached are you on the streets? >> I I can be proud. >> Okay. Anybody else with board announcements? >> Okay. So, next we're going to turn to 7.01
010um discussion of the Lewis Burough Elementary School Evaluation Committee. Um we did meet last week, last week uh the 14th. Um, I do just want to take a a moment to thank the committee members that have been working since Februaryish of 2024. I think we formed the committee and um they've brought some really great conversation and ideas to the table for us to consider. Um so um it included our administrators Lisa Hurley, Mike Lavoy, um Andrew Slesnik, now Ray, uh Ashlin Fields was on the first year of the committee. Um and then we had various uh board of ed members, Julia Hadlock, Marjgerie Schiff, Rory Burke, Barbara, and Carolyn. Um, and then myself, I've been the chair of that committee. And then our amazing uh community members, David Cooper, David Lzowski, Michael Lynch, Brendan McCormack,
011Tracy Nichols, Geraldine, Zekeley, I can never Zly Zickly. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Geraldine. Um, anyway, they've they have spent hours with us working on this. So, I want to just thank them um for everything that they've done with us. But this past week, we were finally able to meet with um the architect architects H2M to review the potential solutions for the development of lees as a UPK space. Um the committee and the architects have agreed that at this point doing nothing with the Lewisboro building is not an option. Something has to be done. Um and of course the the boards in the past years has made it clear that selling the property also is not an option because we may need that in the future. Um, so we have we have come to the agreement
012that a UPK speed up UPK space with the potential community use after hours would be a a great addition to the property. Um, so there are some town offices still in the building, but they should be moving out shortly. Um, and then the architects present presented some initial plans uh for some potential solutions for the property looking at what would happen if you took down um just different areas of the building or moth and then mothballing certain areas of the building. Um and they went back and took a a second harder look at the building and they just came up with some new ideas uh from when we had last met with them. Uh so there will be some renovations that are going to be needed no matter what we end up doing. Um some
013of the classes are more well suited. Uh the pre pre excuse me the pre kindergarten classes require have different space requirements than some of the other classrooms. So they're taking that into consideration as how we could reconfigure or reuse some of the existing spaces. Um there is the suggestion or the the plan going forward with um our EPC contract with the solar panels being placed on the side fields. Um which really if you weren't familiar with leases, you most people wouldn't even know that that side field is actually part of the school. It's kind of behind a stone wall and it's a nice little field, but it's going to be able to uh work towards our sustainability needs. Um there is plans of course to keep the gym and uh with some renovations. A lot
014of the roof needs to be replaced on the building. Um so we expect that and I don't remember I apologize the date that HTM will be coming but soon will be coming >> at the next board meeting. >> Next board meeting. Um they're also looking at multiple ways uh to address the water and sewer issues that we know and they've got some ideas that they'll be able to present to us. Um so you know we may need to discuss potential bond issues and capital reserves um for the long term but uh the architects are hopeful that possibly even by the fall of 2027 now I've said it public so we're going to hold to it >> that we that we could be in the space um and have you know up to five UPK classes
015for our community and >> um you I think It's going to save a lot of money for community members and be a great welcoming space. So, um I said a lot and Caroline and Barbara, any input or anything I missed that you feel that um should be added to the conversation and of course any uh questions from other board members are appreciated. I >> I think you covered it all. I just think it's very exciting to think about having a space that's going to be able to serve um our community and to open up even more prek spots for families that that need it and um to have sort of a lively operating school in the neighborhood, you know, that's sort of brought up to um up to standard. I think it's just going to
016be a really exciting development and I think it's going to be a great conversation to have when we have actually the the plans and everything to look at. >> Yeah, I agree. very exciting, very um bright options for for kids. I think the the one thing I'll say is that you know UPK is is means you know the state is providing a a a free and appropriate education for four to 5year-olds. UPK that is what that is for the community and that all we need is the space um in order to obtain those funds for our community to access that state universal prek option. So I think you know just want everybody to know this is we're you know we're hoping to give that access to as many community members as possible many cost savings
017to many families >> right because I also think right now our lottery is fills up every year and we have to turn people away and as a result we're also leaving money on the on the table from the state >> right >> so it looks like that we we will be able to accommodate >> all requests going forward so that will be >> a fantastic Like I don't even want to guess what um pre pre kindergarten costs these days. I know what it cost when my kids went through and uh my old my youngest is now 18. So it's been a long time since I've had to pay for that. So I think it's an exciting opportunity um for our community and hopefully that'll bring um our enrollment up as people will want to move
018here um for that program. >> Yeah. So we'll be coming back at the next board meeting and at that point in time our uh colleagues from H2M our architect uh on this project will be looking at um multiple pieces. So the the overall uh project as far as the building envelope that will remain and uh what will be kind of brought offline uh and then the next component will there be the the potential time frame of the cost related to that to make that a reality. And part of this conversation will also be putting in there the anticipated cost that will save the larger community. If you conservatively say right now you're anywhere between 12 and $15,000 or more for UPK program right now. So if we add roughly a 100red students in that space
019you're talking at $1.5 million that you'd be saving our families in the community on an annual basis. So there's there's that larger community savings there. Yes. If we do a bond there'll be cost there. The reality is is that from the overall piece on an annual basis there's a significant amount of savings that will be there and then also as an early educator myself having children come to us at that age as they would smoothly walk into our schools is extremely helpful um just from structure standpoints as well as just getting to know the components as we would work with our uh partners like we do now of giving an earlier step into even our literacy programs as we're looking at that or some of our understanding about our K uh our KC 2030 plan
020in some of those areas and in a campus like that it'll be uh anticipated they'll have unique spaces like the gymnasium where they can go into as well too. So there's going to be uh clarity on all those elements. So the board would be able to succinctly walk through that and here's where it is and then seeing what your thoughts are about as how we might be able to start working on that. We'll certainly then if we get that positive head nod start connecting with our community start work with some of those folks and stuff. So and Hudson I think you had a some What did you think about this idea? >> Um when we were talking about it yesterday I I thought it sounded kind of amazing. Um just like the cost for parents
021I know it's very expensive. Um so the cost saving the community but I was also thinking about the idea of like everyone they're able to meet each other before going into kindergarten. So, I just think the whole transition will be easier for everyone. Um, I think it's a great opportunity. >> Great. Thank you. Thanks. >> Great. So, we'll see you next uh meeting and we'll have some pictures and all that good stuff to look at. So, >> and I was really impressed with our architects. I, you know, they were bringing a lot of different ideas. So, that's good. >> Um, so now 7.02, we have a resolution regarding the Lewisboro Elementary School evaluation committee. Um so essentially we want to make continue on with the committee and make it an ad hoc as needed and
022um we'll be working with the facilities and the finance committee to make all this come to fruition as we go along the way. Um can I have a motion on the resolution? Motion by Marjorie, second by Carolyn. Um any discussion? All those in favor? 5. Thank you. Uh, next is our public forum. Um, so we have nobody here for public forum. I I I do want to say at the special education committee, um, yesterday I had some parents addressed to me that they wish we had more opportunities. Um, and sometimes it's difficult to make it here for these meetings. And you know the board's always open to re to receiving your emails and um a couple of us can meet with community members as needed. Um not in this meeting session. So please we are
023here for the comm for the community and really do want to hear from you and your needs and your thoughts good and bad. So um we do encourage people to reach out. Uh so at this point I'm going to close public public forum. Um next is our 9.01 our consent agenda. Um, anybody have anything that needed to be pulled out? Uh, can I have a motion uh for the consent agenda? Motion by John. I'll second it. Any discussion? All those in favor? 5. Oh, I like this part of the evening. >> We have such a generous uh community. Uh 14.01 is rec resolution regarding donations and gifts. Paul Kuzinski has donated for our beautiful B-wing um a foosball table. Um and I'm sure the ch the students are getting a lot of use of it
024already. Uh we need to get some pictures of of that. >> You get down there yet, Hudson? >> You have a fooball table yet? >> I haven't got a play yet, but I saw people playing earlier. and and is now that we have the our community launch, there's lots of opportunities for people to use it. >> That's that's great. Um I'll move to uh accept the gift 14.01. Can I have a second? Second by Barbara. All those in favor? >> 5. Um is there any further board dialogue or discussion for this evening? >> No. >> Hudson, anything for you to add? >> Uh no. I I think everything is is good right now. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you, Lauren. Very briefly, this is something I heard on NPR earlier today and I it made me
025think about all the work that we're doing here. So, um Yale recently published a a metaanalysis study that looked at data from I think 2008 to 2020 about the impact of social emotional learning on academics. And of course, STL is not intended to improve academics, but they did find that there was um I think a six percentage point increase in ELA scores both looking at GPA and test scores and then I think a 4% in math. But I thought it was really interesting to see that kind of evidence about the effect of social emotional learning on academics. It was really exciting to hear and I just, you know, wanted to share this with everyone. Yeah, have to look for that study. Thank you very much. >> Sure. >> Um, with that I will turn to
026future meetings. 16.01. Uh, so October 29th, the finance committee will be meeting in the district office. Maybe we can change that to Bwing at 6 p.m. Uh, Friday, October 31st, the policy committee will be meeting in the district office at 9:00 a.m. November 6, we'll be here with our architects um 7 p.m. for our month our board of education meeting. Friday, November 7th, the sustainability committee will be meeting in the district office conference room at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, November 20th, um board of education meeting 7 o'clock here in the high school library. And Friday, November 21st, uh the policy committee meeting at 12:00 in the district office conference room. It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is staring us right around the corner. Um thank you. Uh 17.01 01 superintendent's comments. >> Couple of things. One, just
027again, I know we started off the meeting, but thank you board for um all of your um service to the committee. And I I heard that where we were speaking uh before a little bit when um Lindsay was talking about I wrote a couple notes down here just about the guidance and and and through your governance and your integrity and things and one of the words that wasn't laid in there was patience. Uh so I just want to say thank you uh for your patience with me uh through all the different conversations and things. I know that you are volunteering for this work and you've got your your family life and your work life and everything you're going through and this is what we live and and and the ability forwards like hey that's slow
028that up right now back out. Let's walk through that again a little bit or can you bring that on speed is very helpful and and or even this project like hey hell yes you know is this is this real? It's like I think I think it can be. So, thank you for allowing myself and our team to kind of explore through that and especially again as as you are volunteering for this position and things. So, I just want to say thank you for that one. Uh the second piece um uh quiz time. Uh so, uh so if you can just mentally hold this in your head. So, a quick piece on our pillar of belongingness. So, think about our belonging in your head. If you what number is that pillar? We're going to come back
029to that in a second. So what I'd like to do is to go ahead before we close is that it it is on belongingness and it's this idea about how do we achieve belongingness through gratitude and appreciation and our and our adults and faculty and family doing that. So I thought if it's going to swing around the table if each one of us wouldn't mind sharing our thoughts back to this question. What did you notice this week that made you really proud to be a part of KSD? And um so everybody around the table, Mrs. Monzen is going to go ahead and go ahead and say Cheryl's like, "What's the thing that made you like I'm I'm I'm proud to be here." >> And so I'm going to go ahead and I'll start. Are you
030ready? This is great. You ready? Go away. Yeah, this is good. >> I can say working with all of you. It has been a tough time in my life in the past few weeks and having all of you has made me feel very grateful and that I belong here with you guys. So I appreciate all of you. >> Great. >> Thanks. You okay? You got anything? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um this week uh during lunch I had a math test the next or the next period. So uh a few people we came down to the B-wing to study for like 20 minutes during lunch. Um and our our we there was a couple like people in our class down there. We weren't really sure what was going on. Um came over, helped us for 20
031minutes. They spent their lunch on us. I thought it was really great. >> Thank you. >> Awesome. >> Thanks. >> Uh I'll go a calendar week and uh the last Thursday at ERJC at the meeting and being able to sit there and have side conversations about education with Steve. Stephen, um, >> it was really nice like kind of comparing notes of public versus private and things like that. It special moment. >> Thanks, Joe. >> Just going to go back to last night, >> literally almost 24, actually literally 24 hours ago to the minute, >> um, where I was participating in a book conversation with six other parents from our Lewisboro community. And so I feel very grateful to live here and to be in a community of parents who not only are raising our children
032and our families together, but also are willing to extend themselves into just conversations about life and literature and um for their friendship and companionship. So feel very very grateful. >> Thank you. I'm going to share I uh was at an elementary school just a few weeks ago and um walked into a classroom and young young student was I remember you and it's nice to be remembered. So I was like can I come back and read it? She can. So it was it was just nice to but to have our children greet an adult like that was it was awesome. And it comes from the home comes from the teacher and then the student. So it was really good. So thank you. Mine mine's a little combination having the Lewisboro committee meeting where my children went
033to elementary school and then special ed and one of my children were a part of that special ed and then bringing all that back together this week hearing how well one of my my youngest is doing in college. Um and knowing that it was because of everybody sitting around this table and all of our um staff members that have done so much for all of our students. So, it's really special. >> Um, so earlier today, I met someone who is new to the community who moved here, who has a little one that would probably take advantage of a new uh prek years. And she was telling me how she decided to move here because of the district and because of the community and that as she's integrating into the community, she's just so impressed at
034how um connected people are. and even when people's children have graduated that that they stay because they love where they live so much and this is exactly where she wants to raise her family and it made me feel proud to to be here. >> That's awesome. >> Thank you. >> Um I had the pleasure of going to the JJMS PTO uh principal's coffee this week and it was all about belonging talking about u we all read an article about uh the research behind kids having a third place that's related to their school. So, a club, a sports team. Um, and really the whole conversation center around how do we get more kids to find their third place? And that was just really cool to sit in a room and everybody was really honest with each
035other too about about, you know, what can parents do, what can the school do, what can teachers do, what can other students do, and how do we how do we um get kids more plugged in to um fun stuff after school, too. Um that creates that third place for them. So that was a pretty whole whole hour of belonging conversation. >> Yeah. Uh yeah. Earlier in the week I had the opportunity to go to a kindergarten classroom and increase Miller and similar to your experience, Ray, uh I didn't get called out by the students by name, but um just the the unconditional love and support in that classroom from the teachers and from the students immediately walking in. I just felt so good to be there. and I ended up staying there a solid 2530
036minutes just because it was just so great to be um in that classroom. Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. It's hard going towards the end. I also felt the same way about ERJC and our school visits and our walk to school on Friday. But what's really resonating with me is the literacy leadership team meeting on Monday where we brought a lot of people from across the district together in one space and we learned together. And then we also like started to really leverage the expertise in that room where everybody's participation is important and all of their expertise is being leveraged and I I feel like that really contributes to a sense of belonging because we really value everybody. Everybody's there very deliberately so and uh we're better for it. It's it's energizing because there is
037a lot of expertise and we're leveraging it um with a shared purpose and enthusiasm and I think uh we're in a really good position. So >> officially um that was shared. Um I was thinking last Friday I had the opportunity to represent uh Kona at the um electric school bus forum down at the county center. um that Shelley mayor of Sustainable Westchester was hosting and share our experiences and hear. But as soon as I walked in and they saw my my uh you know tag, they said, "Oh, we want to hear about your geothermal projects and all the things." and knowing also our students have participated in in their competitions and you know and going back years like meatless Mondays and all of that you know all of that coming together and just knowing that
038I'm just a part of that you know the community here um and just of our you know work together in different parts of just for towards sustainability but so many different initiatives so just being grateful to be a part of that so thank you yeah >> that's awesome >> thanks Lisa thank every board for allowing to do that and and again just belonging here and and also everybody in their own shape, form or fashion. You you make a difference to actually make this. And again, I couldn't think of a better way to to thank you board to hear all these things you just heard a second ago because of your support and your leadership for for us and for our kids and for the community. So, thank you. >> And pillar two. >> Yes. >>
039Okay. Don't raise your hand. Just saying. >> I was like, should I let go? Should I not? So, >> I was debating between two and Um, thank you. That was a great exercise. I really appreciated that. Uh, may I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Sure. >> Motion by Barbara, second by John. All those in favor? 5-0. And thank you again to our PTOs. We really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.