February 3, 2026 - Board of Education Meeting

001Board of Education: Committed to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it remains, one nation, God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Board of Education: Alright, B1… Board of Education: And a motion to approve the minutes of the January 13, 2026 Board of Education meeting as presented. So moved. Second. Board of Education: Questions, comments? Board of Education: I'll go to the bathroom. Board of Education: Post. Same passes. Board of Education: Alright, budget presentations. Board of Education: We have our first, presentation budget season, mainly focused on revenue, and, as well as some of the requests from the buildings, that, we're gonna start off with. Board of Education: Joe's gonna, lead off tonight, and then I'm gonna jump in partway through, and then, he will wrap up, wrap up

002at the end. Board of Education: As I'd like to be said, this is the first of many presentations. We'll have a presentation at every board meeting developed in the, the, public forum when you would vote, and then, the vote for May, so… Board of Education: Joe, I'll let you start off with the governor's, budget, proposal and highlights. We received the governor's budget, she's pretty weeks ago now. Board of Education: Highlights from her proposal is referral state aids at $38.5 billion, with a $1.32 billion increase to foundation aid. Board of Education: One of the factors was brought up, it was 2.8% was used for the CPI increase, but is likely to decrease by 2.7, so it's like, hey, we're just about the jump, first, don't go, we're gonna reduce it immediately to your net budget in

003April. Board of Education: Of the 673 school districts, 461 of them is full of homeless, meaning that they… the Foundation 8 formula is actually projecting them to receive less than they did the year before. So it's two-thirds of districts across the state, and as you'll find out, we are one of those districts. Board of Education: So the expense-driven aids are fully funded, there's no changes to that formula, and the majority of, kind of, the debrief with… amongst business officials about the changing to funding to UPK. A couple years ago, we got the expansion grant. Board of Education: So we increased to a third classroom. Those slots were $10,000 per student in those slots, so of our UPK program, our first 18 students Board of Education: Obviously, $10,000 in revenue. The state changed it that there

004is no, multiple programs. Every student is $10,000. That's great news. Board of Education: So, one of the biggest components of this, proposal is foundation aid. So, that's a historical look-back of what we've received, since 2019-20 in foundation aid. With those zeros being in there, there was a couple things that were happening in those years. I believe in 24-25, I think we ended up receiving $1,350, which we talked about last year. Board of Education: salting, I felt like a little bit. So, last year was great. We received $769,269, or an 11% increase, and then this year, when the Formula 1 ran, your expected less than we got last year. So, it is a 1% increase, that's where that $73,952 comes from. Board of Education: So, while doing an analysis, Board of Education: Our total amount received

005in foundation aid last year was $7,395,208. Board of Education: when we are… Board of Education: data was put into the formula, which is a massive, you know, 75 factors that goes into it. This year, we came out to receive $7,288,051 Board of Education: Meaning, we are held harmless, which was a $107,157 less than we received last year. So, as you may recall, last year, districts in this spot, the governor had a proposal to do a clawback and try to get back the difference between Board of Education: districts she was funding above formula, we've now become one of those districts. So, it was a point of emphasis last year, and path writing tomorrow will become that way eventually again. So, right now, because we are quote-unquote overfunded, it is, well, an outlook here, it's possible we

006could receive a little bit less if they start to look back at it. Board of Education: So, the factor that changed the most in the formula is total. Yep. Board of Education: Do you mind questions before we go? Oh, no, I love boring. Board of Education: And even before what you're showing here, from my recollection, it's kind of always been with this, right? Where it's like a roller coaster. Yeah, you just never know what it's gonna be. Board of Education: I mean, it would be nice, from a budgeting standpoint, if it was kind of consistent. Right. Board of Education: No, definitely, there's ebbs and flows, and I think the factor that has the greatest impact… Board of Education: It really comes down to. There's a couple high spots. Board of Education: Last year, there was

007changes to the formula, so the P&I index changed for our pupil needs, and students with disabilities, ELL students started to get a higher count, so the dollar amount per pupil increased drastically last year, going up by, like, $1,000 per pupil. This year, it increased by $60. Board of Education: Yeah, I mean, I mean, that's a significant difference. Yep. Board of Education: And that… I mean, the rollercoaster description, Mike, is exactly right. And one of the pieces they've been arguing with the state for is to come up with a more consistent format so school districts don't have a history like that. Right. Board of Education: Okay. Board of Education: Okay, so in the analysis, one of the factors that goes into it is the total available eatable foundation pool units for a TAF pool. So when

008I looked at TAF pool, our TAF group decreased by 20 students from last year to this year. I'm going to be 38 between 10. Board of Education: It gets multiplied out by this foundation amount at $8,800, and that's how you get your number. So when I did an analysis, if our enrollment stayed flat and it didn't change, we actually would have received less than what we're receiving on the 1% increase, so there's no, like, best-case scenario here. Board of Education: If enrollment and stayed flat, we still have the same class certificate. You pay health insurance district, and de facto vote for that 1%. So… Board of Education: That's where we are right now. Last year, the health harmless provision changed, and I believe the number was increased to 2%, so if that were true, we

009would get 147,000 instead of the 739,000. Board of Education: So then, I guess, well, looking back at it, where we end up being with our now increase on top of being $100,000 funded over formula, by getting 1% increase, we're actually now $181,000 above the formula. Board of Education: So, if we continue to get these Board of Education: Minimum increases will continue to stay above the line, and if it's a look back, though, if you remember funded as a spot to kind of fall back to. As we saw, two-thirds of the district in this very exact same position in the state. The majority in Mount Vaga County. It's a very small amount of districts that are running formula, as what's referred to. So, a… Board of Education: Further dive into… this is what our run looks

010like. Board of Education: So the number at the top, our foundation aid, is the primary way New York State distributes money to its 700 public school districts. It's designed to ensure every student has access to a sound, basic education, regardless of where they live. Board of Education: It's the primary indicator of how the budget's doing that year. So, last year, we saw that number, it was at 2,000, other districts from all part of the assembly, and they were waiting for some less. It was, alright, we're in a really good place. Board of Education: And now we're under $73,000. Board of Education: The second line, UPK, that is that increase of the $10,000 per student, so as you can see, they're projecting 440,000. That would be if we had 44 students in a program. Right now,

011we normally have 29. Board of Education: So if that number stayed the same, the number would actually be flat. So that $144,000 increase is already taken off the top because it comes from federal funds, it's not in our general fund, which brings our increase down to $600,000. Board of Education: Boces Aid and Transportation Aid, those two are based on budgeted amounts, they're not actuals, so they won't come in until this year closes. So that's $600,000 right there, which is the remainder of our increase, really also… Board of Education: It's there either, it'll be decreased significantly. So… In total. Board of Education: Our increase is really the $73,000 trip, so we have a 1% increase on the first go-around that the state would run, and then, we'll be advocating for, you know, legislators, moving forward and

012Board of Education: hopefully get some momentum to maybe get some more dollars to flow CNY's way from last year, and started to flow back to New York City. That's what it ended up, because that's where they were taking the money from the pie and sending it back. Board of Education: And there's, Joe mentioned, I sent the board a, legislative breakfast coming up in February, if any of you are interested in attending. Joe and I will be attending, and the student board members are welcome to that, too. Again, please do listen to that. Board of Education: As well, and that'll go to meet them with our elected officials. It's usually held, right, at the OCN BOCES, the administrative building, and literally there. Board of Education: So… with… A small increase in foundation aid, And with… Board

013of Education: Costs going up in a lot of places, like healthcare, and with contracts, and all that other stuff. Board of Education: That means that… Board of Education: essentially, the foundation aid, what we're getting from state, doesn't really cover those costing. Right, and as you'll see, state aid is our largest funding source. The tax levy, which is our local share, which is our second funding source, by equipment. Board of Education: So… Basically, we have to find ways of… Board of Education: covering those differences, one way or another, or find ways to reduce costs. Absolutely. So now the revenue is going to reflect so we can look at the expense side, budget. Board of Education: Just trying to summarize it. Board of Education: From my understanding of what we're looking at. Board of Education: In our

014first photo. Yeah, rendition one, so hopefully it gets sunnier as we go. Okay. Sometimes it does, sometimes if it's worse, right, we don't… it's a process. Board of Education: So, in our allocation of resources, things that are looked at is our enrollment trends, state, federal mandates, what's required, what do our students need, our IDEA for special needs students, ELL population, as you had just pointed out, minor contractual obligations. Board of Education: And then lastly, there on the bottom is there are factors that go into a tax gap calculation. So I did a kind of a preliminary tax gap calculation as well, with where CPI is at 2.63. The growth for our district is .0025, which I believe is the lowest of all of the growing districts. Board of Education: Most of the business. Board of

015Education: Hmm… Meaning, less rebuilds, less debt-based growth in other spaces. Board of Education: Do you agree with that? Board of Education: So this is our enrollment trend, and I apologize, let me see if I can zoom in here. Board of Education: Okay, so just a couple of highlights. Last year, pre-K, I remember, was 43, but this year is when, so… Board of Education: Our trend kind of has always been an increase, flat, stabilized to increase, and flat. It's just been kind of across the board, but it's not always a long-term, it's maybe short-term. So this is one of those things where we have a really quick drop-off, which typically we're not losing 14 students, in a year, but it can happen. Board of Education: So, in a further outlook, we're looking back to the 2017-18

016there, I've just highlighted our 7th bulk population. We had 430 students, and now we have 327, so 100 students are no longer enrolled in. Board of Education: Less than 10 years. Board of Education: And then our bottom line number, again, if I go back even just one more, for the further year, 967, currently 840 if we bring our charter students, and, students are going to broke those schools. Yeah, the bottom number is all school-age children within the district. Board of Education: Whether they're ours on private colloquial loans. Board of Education: So it's not like we're losing a large portion to homeschooling or anything like that. No, our current public school numbers are 37, charters 5, private and broken 15, and homebound is 7. Board of Education: So, 37's a pretty good number, but you can

017spread that out of the 12th grades. Board of Education: Yeah, and probably some come from the same family. Yep, correct. So just some interesting data points here. I think right above the 430, you see 235 in grade 3 through 6, and if you slide that all the way across, that number's 233, so there's actually almost no change. So just a mutual institute, so… Board of Education: How that… how you have those ebbs and flows, and they typically align with, 8. Board of Education: And it is not a non-obi Central, I think, concern. It's across the state. As we saw, two-thirds of districts have less than they did the year before, and the main plug there is Board of Education: I'm gonna Alright, so try to zoom back out of that. Board of Education: Alright, so

018the other fun factors. Board of Education: TRS is actually a slight decreased from 459 to 8.24, as far as what the district is contributing to the teacher retirement system. However, the employer retirement system increased from 16.5 to 17.6. Board of Education: I know that I've heard from outside of school districts, just… do you see what your national grid bill went up to? Well, it's true here, too. We're looking at about a 20% increase in both, electric and gas. Board of Education: Healthcare consortium. Last year, our number, I think, increased was about 7%. Without years looking at 6. Those numbers are now 10 and a half in double digits over the next 5… so in 5 years, you're looking at a 15% increase in healthcare. So… Board of Education: Bar members, you know, 2.5 million, we're

019looking at $3.75 in healthcare over the next… Board of Education: 4 or 5 years. So that's one of those factors. It's not a lot. Right now, the range is 95-10-5, and it's a healthcare consortium's kind of. Board of Education: Looking at some other factors of what else can be done, what picture reserves can be looked at to bring that number down. Board of Education: We haven't received our district premiums yet. I reached out to Reagan, our numbers are looking at somewhere between a 6% to 8% increase, and then BOCES, another part of our budget. Tentatively, we're being on the conservative side, and say we're looking at about a 12% increase, and then to get those actual numbers in, it's another place where there's possibility of savings, so another place we'll be focusing. Board of Education:

020Next part of our presentation, I'll just go over, the building requests, and I've broken this down into, the first three buildings, the requests that basically are gently flat. We do have some additional staff requests that we put onto a different slide. Board of Education: That I'll talk about it in a few minutes, but, from a materials and supplies Board of Education: Within the building, as, Board of Education: That's been traditional. Those are remaining pretty flat. Board of Education: From the buildings, and we're not looking at increasing any of those. Board of Education: This is broken down by technology for each of the buildings. Board of Education: And you'll see that there's, you know, two Dell 16-inch laptops. I won't go over them unless you want me to, line by line, but it's a total of

021$56,350 for Rockwell, and the technology upgrades, which we do every year, and then we'll have a total at the end. Board of Education: with, Wheeler Elementary School, we total out at $45,950, and from year to year, one school may be higher than the other. It's a rotation now. Like the buses. Like the buses. Board of Education: And overall, you'll see the number later on. Overall, we have about $150,000 a year we need to budget for, for, technology upgrades and replacements. Board of Education: And then at the high school, it's $31,800, and you can see how that's distributed out. And part of this goes back to our budgeting philosophy, and our presentation philosophy is, when we start our first budget presentation, which is today for the season. Board of Education: We start off with our revenues,

022we start off with our building requests. Board of Education: And then, as we work through the process, as we get through to the… hopefully the 1st of April, by the 1st of April, we have, or before we have, all of our staffing configured, what we're going to, keep in the budget, and what we're not going to build within the budget. Board of Education: And this could be the same thing for technology as well, too. Board of Education: as, Board of Education: Mr. Hart has done a good job and conservative, and, he, you know, he has some pieces of technology in there, and if, needy, we can pull them out and wait for one more year, but it still means passing it out one more year and holding on to it, so… Board of Education: Some

023curriculum instruction pieces. We've been working on this this year, the therapeutic crisis intervention. We want to, continue some of that training, and build that into the budget with just, around $6,500, and… Board of Education: continue the MTSS, the multi-tiered system of supports Leadership Network, with the COSER policies. When… when you see the word COSER, there's also a percentage of state aid to get back on that, and not knowing what this COSER has, but an example might be we might get 75% state aid on it. Board of Education: So we're only paying 25% of it. Board of Education: District-wide technology, this is for administration, transportation, facilities, and the tech department, is about $9,200. Board of Education: The administrative laptops is an example in that here. Those are on a 5- or 6-year location, depending on how

024well they last, if they're… if they're… Board of Education: If their end of life comes earlier than what we like, we sometimes have to move that up. Board of Education: Yeah, this is the total for the annual technology lease. Board of Education: that I just went through, and this is just a clear impact on the whole entire builder. Board of Education: And as we've been seeing in pricing, the price variations have been changing drastically because of AI. You probably won't get a final price on some of these, so this could go up. Board of Education: Because the price of RAM right now is, crazy expensive, as the AI industry is driving Board of Education: That, Board of Education: the price and the demand up significantly. I would add these are 5-year leases, so it's a

025$30,000 increase annually, and then for the 8 ratio, it's about $9,000. Board of Education: And this is basically our initiative many, many years ago. Board of Education: for doing one-to-one computing for our students. Yes, correct, yup. Because of the age of technology. Board of Education: Perfect. Board of Education: The actual 9,000? How's it come down to that? And that's the… Our rain ratio is, like, 73%, I believe. So… Board of Education: It's a 5-year lease, so it's $30,000 is the cost of the district, and then we're gonna get back 70% of it to follow, so we're gonna get back that, which is part of that boat seats number, so that the… our local share is the $9,000 attributed annually. Board of Education: And with the BOCES aid, anytime you do BOCES, or a service through

026BOCES, you have to front the money of the first year, and then you can get paid back the next year. So, so there's a… there's a lag of one year at all. Board of Education: Which can be, taxing on the budget. Board of Education: So… Yeah, anything added for most of you? We need to put it in here. In previous years, we've, talked about putting in a capital outlay project, and that's another example of… the district has to fund the money for that capital outlay. Say there's lights that need to be replaced in a gymnasium. Board of Education: Or, it could be doing events in a few classrooms in one building. Board of Education: We front the money on an app. Board of Education: That money, that $100,000 is what the state allows you to

027do without going out for a capital project, and then on return, you get your building aid back on that, and then that building aid is about, you know, 85%. Board of Education: So it's 15 cents on the dollar that it ends up costing us, but you have to wait a year to get it. Board of Education: We've wanted to do that for, like, the past 5 years. Board of Education: just so we can do maintenance. Like, you pick a building, and then you can do $100,000 each month. Board of Education: Because it has to be per bill. Board of Education: All that. You can't spread it out over two bumpies, you can't break it out. Board of Education: But we've never done it, because we just couldn't get it. And the other piece is we

028have the capital projects so close together, and the capital projects have fallen on, when aid is coming off. So, instead of letting the aid fall off, then we're getting Board of Education: We had work from the Building Conditional Survey that we wanted to get done, so by renewing the capital… by doing another capital project, it renews that aid, doesn't ask for any additional monies from the taxpayers. We stayed within the limits that we were already getting, and I think, Board of Education: Joe mentioned the building aid piece, which comes in separate, so when you see the building aid projections on our state aid fund, it looks like it's a lot of money. That money's only for the capital project, and the state paying their portion of it. Board of Education: And it can't be used

029for anything else. It would be nice to eventually get that capital… what do you call them? I'll outweigh… Board of Education: in place. Board of Education: Because, like, at some point, because we probably won't have Catholic projects for quite some time, right? Board of Education: Just because of how the funding Board of Education: Comes off, like, we won't have the debt fund in 15 years, so… That's where this… Board of Education: Strategy would eventually come into play, where Board of Education: Because the state has also talked about, instead of $100,000, they might up it eventually to, like, $250,000, where you could do a little bit more on, like an actual building, and that would be nice in the future, if we had it in place, because then you could do little maintenance Board of Education:

030projects. Board of Education: Just to keep things, you know. Board of Education: You know, it'd be better than, you know, to pay 15%. Board of Education: project than 100%. So what we'll do is we'll update our building conditions survey after we finish this Phase 2 of the capital project. Board of Education: We'll update our building condition survey, and then go back and prioritize the work that we get to get done, identify anything else that's reaching end of life. Board of Education: And, you know, what is the anticipated date of that end of life, or whatever the equipment is? You know, it covers everything from walls to roofs to HVAC. Board of Education: But yeah, we probably don't have to… Board of Education: I'm worried about, or try to… Board of Education: 2728 update the building

031commission survey, and that'll give you a roadmap for the next 10 years. Probably a couple years before we really want to try to hit that. Board of Education: Capital outlay built into the budget, and then it's 50… a rolling figure. Board of Education: Ideal, that would be nice. Board of Education: Transportation is the next, request, as we purchase every year. Annually, we have a request for, school buses, and we've already talked about this at previous board meetings. Board of Education: And, we have two, propositions right now, is to look at 266, electric buses, and then, one for a passenger bus. Board of Education: And that would total, just over $1.3 million. And when we look at the, the $595,000 after the NISBET voucher, and, of $714,000, Board of Education: based upon a 5-year payback on

032state aid, the electric buses are still going to cost us zero amount of money, because we will get state aid back on the mark of $3 million, not on the number after the voucher. And then… Board of Education: For, the other proposition that we're proposing is for 5 buses, 366 passenger buses, and two 30 passenger buses. Now, some of you are going to be like, wait a minute, I thought we only do 3 a year. Board of Education: Yeah, we do have a proposal for 3 as we go through the budget process. The purpose for the 5… 5 buses Board of Education: is to, pull them ahead in terms of their timelines of purchasing gasoline buses by the state has not changed. This will be the last year we could purchase gasoline buses and engine

033buses, according to the zero-based emissions legislation, and 2035 is still the date that we have to have our fleet turn over to all zero emission buses, so… Board of Education: I think something's gonna get, I just don't know when. Board of Education: So that's what we're looking at. And then, the aid on 732,000, I think that's spread out over 5 years, and that's 76.2% state aid on that, so we're, you know, just under 25% that's spread out over Board of Education: 5 years, which is about $30,000 a year, I think we calculated. Yeah, it's about $35,000. And about $40,000 with interest payments. Board of Education: Has any progress been made on state aid for, like, infrastructure and charging stations and stuff like that? Board of Education: not only… nothing that we found new. There's grants

034out there to do that, but nothing… nothing… nothing's changed from the last time we went out to vote, a year ago this past December. Board of Education: Oftentimes, I think they said they need to have a PO in hand, so it'd have to be approved first, and then it's not, like, the point-of-sale voucher that you get for the buses. You go and do the infrastructure, and then they refund the district afterwards. You actually have them built into your budget. Board of Education: So it's hard to do when we don't know. We do have the voucher, or… we have the waiver we're gonna apply for. Board of Education: with the waiver, to get the points, to receive the waiver, you have to continue to bring the buses forward. So, that's kind of what we're thinking, but

035they won't look at the waiver until July 1st, 26. So, and the other thing they did, which was convenient for them, and for the state, that is. Board of Education: is we were, all set to submit for the waiver using our December, vote a year ago, December of 24. But now, they changed the date of the waiver and when you can use your vote. Board of Education: So we can't use that vote to submit the waiver, we have to use the vote from this coming budget season. We didn't put another vote last May? No. Board of Education: Just the one in December. So I get that point, it has to be a year out, and that waiver wasn't released until after we would have done the one year on December 3rd, I think it was.

036Board of Education: So, we will be applying for a waiver, but it doesn't change the end day. So, if you get the waiver, you can buy gas up until 9, but it still has to have a full fleet conversion by 35. Board of Education: just doesn't make sense. Just the rest of our time frame to how many buses you replace in a year to have… to be in full compliance, and there's still not a clear answer on Board of Education: When you get to that timeline, in terms of supply and demand, but if the district chooses not to buy the electric, is the state not going to provide them state aid? And $175,000 for a 66-passenger bus is 100% in cost falls on the district. Board of Education: Versus, you know, the elect… Board of

037Education: Right, and I know that we here know this, but I just feel like it needs to continue to be discussed in terms of transparency, that our current grid does not support the infrastructure. We would have to front the money to build the infrastructure, and then Board of Education: There's some points in the waiver in that as well, so we think we should be good, so we're gonna submit, but they won't look at it until after the budget folks. We have to have an outside company do that for us, they won't take our word for it. Board of Education: So, we're having that done, so… Board of Education: National Grid told us that, but that's not good. Board of Education: What's up? Board of Education: Who's paying that outside company to do that? What's that?

038Who pays that outside company to do that? NYSERDA? Okay. That's 100% funded. Yeah, it's a grant through NYSERDA that's our tax dollars. NYSERDA got the grant for it. Board of Education: Eric, moving right along to maintenance. Board of Education: we have, a couple of our plow trucks are getting up their age, and we'd like to start a cycle of replacing the plow trucks. And, so we have an estimate in here for a maintenance truck, that also comes with a plow for our monthly winters. Board of Education: And then also continuing to replace aging security and safety equipment, as well as adding additional cameras if we need them at any location. Board of Education: And you can see the total there is around, at $109,000 for coming in. Yes, they have come in handy. Board of

039Education: Just some additional staff requests, that I wanted to share. We've shared these in the past, and, some of them, you know, come directly from the building or from the department. Board of Education: And, the PE physician, has a request coming in. Board of Education: That request is based on, it would help out with the master schedule, if the building goes forward with, departmentalization in 6th grade. Board of Education: We currently have the .5 closer position, which is aidable on the first, $30,000 of the salary. I think next year it goes up to, the first $35,000. So that position is a .5 that we have right now, at the high school that we're using, currently. Board of Education: So, question on that, then. Board of Education: So do we have a deadline than if we

040are going to make the Department of Innovation? Board of Education: My recommendation is the deadline follows along with what we decided on staffing by the middle of the end of March. Right, because if it's dependent on it, then we're going to have to make a decision. It's not 100% dependent, and we'll make the master schedule. Board of Education: much more, robust for the students. It can be done, it just… they won't be as good, Board of Education: classroom, setting for Phys Ed and some of the specials. Board of Education: If you remember, last year, we reduced an AIS position, the staff at SKV, for the FDE back in, Board of Education: for the AIS position, and then the music department has asked for a .5. Board of Education: FTE for the music department, and that

041FTE would base… would, cover, Rockwell Elementary General Music, so then, the choral and band teachers at Wheeler and Junior High School would be able to handle that. Board of Education: And Rockwell, what we would look at Rockwell is we would look at an itinerant position, like the Phys Ed, and we would try to share a position with another district. Board of Education: And that would actually give Rockwell about .1 increase in music time. Right now, they're .4, so that would be a little slight increase. Board of Education: And then the estimated TRS, Social Security, Medical, and dental, is around $80,000, and the total of that is $230,000. Board of Education: On a budget that's… already typed. Board of Education: Prior years, rightsizing, and, this is just, from last year in terms of what we did,

042in the elementary buildings in the, junior-senior high school. Board of Education: Where we reduced staffing with retirements. Remember, we offered an incentive last year. It incentivized people that were past retirement age and past the TRS eligibility. It offered an incentive, and we had several staff take advantage of that. Board of Education: But then on top of it, we also had several staff just to make changes in their lives. Board of Education: We had over 20 movements last year in staffing. Board of Education: 20. I have to… I won't move over now, but 20. Board of Education: We were looking at it today, just from a historical purpose, because we thought going into this budget, when you look at our state aid increase last year at 11, you know, just over 11%, and you look at

043our state aid increase at 1%, we had to reduce staff last year, with the state aid increase of 11%. Now we have 1% on the books right now. Board of Education: we have retirements, and there's an opportunity, and I haven't… I don't have a recommendation for the board tonight of what are those positions we fill, and what positions we don't fill, but that comes in the process between now and the end of March. Board of Education: But I just wanted to review with, the positions. I did number one. Number two was elementary position. The pre-K position at Rockwell, if we remember, we didn't have enough enrollment, so we reduced that position. Board of Education: And remember, when you looked at the State A numbers, that money comes in on a different line than Foundation Aid.

044Board of Education: One teaching assistant at Rockwell as well, an elementary classroom teacher at Wheeler that was a layover from the federal and ARPA funds, like number one was. Board of Education: We carried that on, another year, because we knew we were having retirements, and we didn't want to lay anyone off. And then, two teaching, systems at Wheeler, one English position at the junior-senior high school. Board of Education: We, reduced a math and special ed position. We initially had looked at the whole math position, Board of Education: And then it ended up with the special education numbers, when we looked at it, we weren't going to be able to get away, we're not… Board of Education: half that position back, so we had to add back in that half a special lab position that that

045math position held, and then go into the system at the, Junior Summer Ice Cream side. And the way that all worked out is we didn't have the landing one off. Board of Education: For, you know, traditional layoffs. We had people leaving. Board of Education: And, that's how we took care of that, either through retirement or moving on to someplace else. Board of Education: Any questions? Board of Education: Joe's gonna do a budget look-back now on the next screen. So, we provided this, last year. We thought it was good to keep in the presentation. Board of Education: put all of our retirements, we just kind of looked at where we were and kind of where we are now. So… Board of Education: 19-20, you seem like a good year before our pandemic, and you notice we're

046enrolling, what, 773 students, now we're at 712, it's an 8% decrease. If I take that back 2 years, it actually becomes a 15% increase, or decrease, rather. So, it gets even further drastic as you go back, so I wanted to be reflecting just kind of the current population of what we have. Board of Education: Those salary and benefits numbers are based on what we currently have, our current salary and contractual obligation moving forward for the 26-27 school year, so those numbers total up to $17.4 million. Board of Education: Our stadium number is at $13,951845. If you go back to slide 3 and looked at where our run was, it's the bottom number, when you take out the $440,000 for pre-K, because it's not part of the general fund. So it's including all those other numbers,

047even though we know some of those numbers are actually overstated. Board of Education: The tax levy, that number is just a… it's a simple, I look that we did the last two years. I believe we went to 2.5% and 2.75, that's the lower of the two, so it's just a 2.5% increase. Board of Education: Just to show, really, the percent of Board of Education: Salaries and benefits have increased by 31% over that same time period. State aid also went up at 33%, so it's keeping pace with… we grab a $3.4 million increase in state aid. Tax levy went up 1.6% in that same time period, 16% increase, just so we have kind of the numbers of… Board of Education: It's really the only places we have for revenue. It's our two main, big buckets. And

048then… Board of Education: the, salary, benefits, spending per pupil is our two bottom line numbers. Yeah, it's… Board of Education: it's not inclusive of the whole picture, but it's as simple as taking the total salaries and benefits and just dividing it out. So we know there's a lot more to it. We were looking at the NYSA data site today, just seeing what type of ratio, what kind of information they could provide, and they have things like the staffing ratio is kind of one. Between them is not the case. Board of Education: It's just… somebody's thinking it's a full calculation. I don't know if this is how many staff there are, and it's not really the… Board of Education: And when you look at that staff to student ratio on the student of the book art,

049it takes teaching assistants and teachers into consideration, and it's just based upon the total population of the lead. It doesn't take into account the student lead, that they have either, so… Board of Education: It makes it look really nice when you look at it and say, oh, 10 to 1 student ratio, but it's not really an opinion of what's really in it. Board of Education: So… Board of Education: Also, these are, again, rough numbers, because this is a revenue presentation. So, the revenue number we have, what we have for state aid right now, I put in, that at 2.5, that's where we would be, just so we have an idea. And then our annual trend, our budget said it increased annually by 3.72 over that same time period. Last year, I think we increased by,

050like. Board of Education: Something like that. So, it's not just straight back to last year. Just as an average, all the information wasn't in yet. But the difference between budgets, excuse me, revenue and expenditures right now is $2.2 million. Last year, at this exact same time, we were at 2.3. Board of Education: Our… we brought it down to 1.6. The goal is to bring that down even further, so that's something we'll be striving toward, and working at refining numbers, and looking at best-case scenarios, and what can we do to provide the best for all students, but as we close costs. Board of Education: Next steps? Board of Education: So, this is what we have left to do. For April 1st, that is when the governor's budget's supposed to be in. It hasn't happened that way

051the last couple years, it's about a lot later. We'll be looking at our district expenditures, staffing enrollment trends, our district equipment needs. Board of Education: post these final service requests, so right now we're using the numbers from last year with a 3% increase about… I think it came way even lower than that, last year, so hopefully they come in just as well. The tax cap calculation is due March 1st. Board of Education: And then the difference between the two budgets and determining that threshold, where is the district comfortable being right now between our revenues and expenditures? So that was that 2.2 number we just looked at. The properties action work is due April 27th. The budget is, due to be submitted about the same time. Board of Education: So these are our upcoming meetings. We

052have a meeting on February 24th. The tax cap will be submitted after that meeting on March 1st. We have meetings on March 10th and 24th. Board of Education: April 7th is when we will present a final budget with the hopes of adopting at that meeting. It has to be adopted by, I think it's the 24th, so the last opportunity to adopt would be at that April 20th special board meeting. That's typically just that one Monday meeting I should have highlighted in Board of Education: Monday meeting for April 20th, so we're all aware, that folks he's meeting. Always Monday, yup, always Monday. So then May 5th is the budget hearing, and then two weeks later… Board of Education: So, ending your questions. Board of Education: That was our revenue, budget for… Board of Education: February 3rd.

053We're at two meetings a month, and, you know, back when we, the boarded plan was. Board of Education: Many years ago, in terms of leading into the budget, presentation, when, we go through this every two… it's about every two weeks. Board of Education: That way, if there's questions that come up, we need questions that come up from the board, we can address those at the next meeting, and then make any adjustments that we need to make within the dollar amounts. And as we narrow down to the end of March, we narrow down onto the, what do we absolutely need. Board of Education: And then can, have a number, and then by the end of, February, the next meeting, Joe's mentioned it a couple times, he has to submit a tax cap calculation to Board of

054Education: We'll stay down on March 1st. He already has a number ready for that. That doesn't mean that number can't change between March 1st and when we finalize our budget. We just have to submit something by March 1st. Board of Education: And what that turns out to be. Board of Education: So basically, next board meeting, we should be prepared to bothered everything. Board of Education: Probably the one. Board of Education: Yep, and with that number that we submit is the number that we have to go out with every budget. We have to submit that. Board of Education: I did a quick calculation, I was all excited, I told the superintendent that that number was at, like, 7%, been bringing it down. So I was like, alright, guys, it's 2.8. This would be the first time

055I get to go to the meeting with the other districts and say, yep, now I've got a system, just like everybody else. Board of Education: And then I talked to our fiscal advisor, and he's like, oh, we have this, and we have this, and it's 4.6, I think is what the number is. But it's just… that's… it's a mathematical calculation, so the number can be the number, it doesn't mean that's… that's… that's the max. Board of Education: can't go higher than 4.6, but we can go anywhere around 2. And if you go above… if you go above your tax threshold, it's a supermajority for a boat, which I don't recommend, and I don't think Joe does either, not to speak for him, but, you know, with everything else going on. Board of Education: We need

056to be conservative in that thing. Board of Education: It's just, it's nice to know our notes. Yeah, it is nice to know. Board of Education: And I, you know, the only years that I recall us going out at our max is when we got a negative number, or we were at 1%, or we were at 7.9.79%. Board of Education: You know, I think it was negative . We're like, okay, yeah, we'll go back to the max. Because 0 would have been a supermajority. Yes, it would have. Board of Education: Yeah. Yeah. Board of Education: have a lot of work to do. Pending your questions, as always up for the budget presentation for this, meeting. Board of Education: Okay. Board of Education: If you've got questions, don't hesitate to shoot us a text message, ask them

057to be here. Board of Education: If you're, you know, working on the question and trying to figure out what you want to ask, you can, you know, shoot us an email, we can bring it back to the whole board. Board of Education: We can talk about things now, if you want. Board of Education: So, fancy. Board of Education: Those are on continuity. Board of Education: Okay. Board of Education: Thank you. You're welcome. Absolutely. Board of Education: C1, I have a motion to accept the requirement of Patricia Cormier as Rockwell School Nurse, effective September 3rd, 2026. Board of Education: How beautiful. Board of Education: questions, confidence. Board of Education: We missed, wrote a lonely retirement letter that everyone should be… Board of Education: Be part of our school community for… Board of Education: Yes, we will

058miss Pat, and I'm… and I'm excited that she, planned her retirement, so she can help us with the transition with the new school nurse over the summer. That was, that was very nice of her. She'll be able to help the new school nurse. Board of Education: Come back to school on the first two staff days, so… Board of Education: Yeah, she will be best, and Never truly replaced. Board of Education: I actually were to put this fee. Board of Education: Hunting. Board of Education: Long time. Yeah. She was the nurse when I was down in Rafa, but I've been… this has been my school career my entire school career. I didn't go to the different elementary school, and she was there when I showed up, so… Board of Education: Reluctantly, all those in favor? Board

059of Education: bonus. Board of Education: Spain. Board of Education: motion, there's. Board of Education: Superintendents from Courtney. Board of Education: I just, attached here, we have, emergency closing days, and it was more just, as an FYI, we have one more snow day, to use up, and then we have the days on the back of the calendar that the board has approved as take-back days. Board of Education: But I think we're gonna be all set. When you're done, he's just gonna be cold one time. I heard Lake Erie is 95% closing over, so that's gonna reduce the amount of snow from Lake Erie. Now we just need Lake Ontario to freeze over. Board of Education: You know, I've been teasing people, saying I want to break my record of snow days, too. You want to hear

060that? Board of Education: 7 days is my record. 7? 7. 2015, I think it was, right, Tim? Yeah, 2015, we had two days, our buses didn't start, and 5 days. It's just terrible. Board of Education: Yup. Board of Education: That's before you had infections. Just kidding! Board of Education: We also got a give-back day, because we had exhausted all of our snow days, and that was the question. We had give-back days, so that year, we only made up one day of the spring break that year. Board of Education: Attendance wasn't good for students, but we did all that. Board of Education: But, you know, that roughly, you know. Board of Education: stated roughly $35,000 to $45,000 a day. We can't… Board of Education: pass it up. So, but we're not there yet, and hopefully, you

061know, the Groundhog, didn't see a shadow, so when we have 6 more weeks of winter, I hope it's my… Board of Education: So… Board of Education: Attached, just, if there's questions, attached is, just some minor updates to the, 26-27 calendar. Board of Education: We, have that on there. Board of Education: just giving people some time to take a look at it, and then, you know, either the end of February or the beginning of March, we can approve it, if everyone's good with it. Board of Education: Attached also is the, nomination for most of these, board members. You can see that in there. Board of Education: And then a new partnership we're starting. Board of Education: Tim and I and Ryan, was it a couple weeks ago, we met with, a representative, Ron Moore, Board of

062Education: from, David B. Falk College of Sports Management, SU, and, they're looking for internship opportunities for their college students. Board of Education: And, so we're gonna try to work into an agreement where their college students can come down and help us with, athletic management, from game stats to assisting the athletic director or the principal who's on duty tonight for the game. Board of Education: also sending our students up to see the, Falk, College of Sports Management, as well. That would be interesting. And, Mr. Moore was a, Board of Education: a, NBA champion on the Detroit Pistons in 1987. Board of Education: 89? 89. 89? Well, basketball guy, you better than Jim. So he was a very interesting to me, nice guy. We look forward to, you know, getting a new partnership with SV beyond our

063super classes that we already have, so… Board of Education: The 10-year questions, that's all the head. What are they, interns? Interns, yeah. Board of Education: Great. Thank you. You're welcome. Board of Education: Staff reports… The district served almost $138,000 in interest through NICLAP, $68,000 of which is from the general fund, so we're still doing well with our investments. Food service for the month of December was a $5,000 profit, so a gap that are added. Board of Education: Fees, again, still doing well. I'm happy to report, we have received the highest designation titanium with honors for the Utica National School Safety Excellence Award. Board of Education: The award is for an annual recognition program presented by Yukon National and Honor School Districts and Board of, Cooperative Education Services, both seated demonstrating an exceptional commitment to safety,

064security, and the well-being of students and staff. So, it's comprised of questions on athletics, facilities, Board of Education: school safety things. Board of Education: 25 tabs, and we provide all these self-attestations, attestations, and then, provide our effects as well. So, district administrators have been really helpful in making sure that we got everything we needed to make our submission, and just district staff as a whole and safety of our, you know, school district. Board of Education: I'm also happy to inform, the board that we've received the DESH, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Cybersecurity grant. Network Admin and I attended a webinar, and it was an opportunity for some money, so we, applied for it, and we received the grant. It's being used for MFA infrastructure and other cybersecurity components, so more information to

065follow as we, as we get into Board of Education: Spelled out last week when we just wanted to let you know. Board of Education: Damn, that's what I got. Board of Education: That's basic. Board of Education: statements. Board of Education: So, feel free to pull out facilities… Board of Education: So, Phase 1 project, we're almost there. We're almost completed on this. So, CBM has completed their, punch list, almost 95%. They were here over break, taking care of some stuff, as we talked about last time. Board of Education: One big thing we're, waiting on is defective covers. That's the story, right? Vector covers. So, Board of Education: It has been selected yesterday, I believe, for the covers, and, RCM has executed and delivered data numbers. Board of Education: So for Phase 2, starts tomorrow. Board of

066Education: And we're gonna start that tomorrow. We'll be on site. Bernie's will be getting filmed. Board of Education: And you know, mobilization for the contractors start on Thursday. Trailers will be arriving, gigs will be going up, all nine yards. Demolition will be starting next week on that demand. So, we're there, and we're ready to get it going on that. Board of Education: For Browns, we're just dealing with South. Board of Education: You know, moving files, keeping up with it, you know, Board of Education: Same here as I saw, maintenance. They completed, district-wide manner installation and replacements, and continuing, work orders every day and solving the program. Board of Education: And, the custodial staff is covering all weekly events and weekend events. Every weekend, it seems like we have something going on here, and… and, they're

067covering all that stuff on their day-to-day basis, too, which is cleaning and rug once and cleaning up and all that good stuff, so… that's all I got for our facilities. Any questions? Board of Education: You said the convectored governments takes over the paint color? Yes, I believe so, yes, granted. With respect to stainless steel, it's gonna be pain if you're able to get discounted. Board of Education: That's what I told him. Board of Education: Yeah, their spec is stainless steel, which is more expensive to paint it, so… they're gonna paint on them. Board of Education: Could you say, fair enough. Board of Education: No, that's what I told them, and they can't, they can't provide us with stainless steel without the scratches in them. I thought they were going to be brushed. Board of Education:

068They can't provide them with that without the scratches and none of them. Board of Education: Some will be able to do with manufacturing. Board of Education: So… Board of Education: The other option is to go with a painter. The other option is to go with a painter, and then, you know, to get it cleaned out. Board of Education: And it's fine to have to get creative on what to do. Board of Education: Anything else? Alright, you're welcome. Board of Education: May here with you. Board of Education: Feed in and help with extra snow days and all that's got access to both of these. Board of Education: But on that note, we're really just dealing with the cold onto mechanics, bus drivers, all the students and the parents. It's, Board of Education: Fair. Board of Education:

069keeping the buses running, hitting them on the road, the drivers are dealing with pole buses will make it in. Sure. Glad to see they're all probably pretty much parked out some boots to get used to it now. Board of Education: So that's doing good. Got our fuel issues. We don't have to worry about the buses starting, something like that. Board of Education: Our biggest thing coming up is, as you'll see, we have another provider here. It's gonna be part of the district. So just the staffing. Board of Education: Well, I thank the drivers, mechanics, their flexibility. Board of Education: There's a lot of drug movement. Board of Education: Get roots covered, and the mechanics are starting to pick up some extra time. Board of Education: They're willing to drive also. Board of Education: So that's

070really just our main thing up right now, is just making sure we got everything covered and get everybody where they need to be. Board of Education: Thank you, thank you In terms of… Board of Education: Okay, so our teams have been busy. Our MTSS team that hosts these on the 22nd, we had the opportunity to engage in a data review, and we took a look at our academic and our social-emotional screening data. Our team also discussed creating some common understanding and language around our chronic absenteeism and our support plans. Board of Education: We started our fifth cohort of therapeutic crisis intervention training today. It's a long day, but we had a great first day. And then we're working through our second round of social-emotional screening for the year, and our next step will be to

071have some data review meetings and talk about our student support staff. Board of Education: Do you have any questions, please? Board of Education: Thank you. Board of Education: Oh, well… Board of Education: Okay, so we've completed our main swipe testing, then we've done our cycle of data meetings to go through the test results and figure students to get the support that they need through our fiblock and through our AIF structure. Board of Education: Our mammogram bus was a… was a big success, even though we had to reschedule and had to find a flat spot that they, you know, they even tested out the spots that it was flat enough before, we decided for a flat spot, but everything went smoothly, and I think that they were able to see, 8 of the different appointments from

072the people on the gate, so… Board of Education: I just want to reiterate what our indoor recess guidelines are. We have had these kids pretty cooped up in the… they have a lot of energy to burn, so we're doing our best to kind of get that out, because, we do… the way that we handle it is we check the weather bug. Board of Education: the weather station at Clary Middle School, which is the closest weather station that we have, to Rockwell, and the real feel is, 20 degrees or higher to go outside. It's below 20. Board of Education: And it has been, as you all know, we go to 20 for quite some time now, and these kids are dying to get outside, and we hope we can get them out there soon. Board of

073Education: We have pre-K registration open up yesterday, and we currently have 16 students within the first day of register. So that's great. Board of Education: So, but that's also typical, that we have, like, a big flow on the first couple days, first weeks, and then we don't really know how… how it's gonna pan out from that. As you heard in the budget presentation, we've had quite a Board of Education: different number of cohort sizes, but I thought I would also just seek the opportunity to remind everyone of what our process is. The window is open to register through May 1st. Board of Education: If we go, over the 38 seats within that time frame, we would do a lottery system. That means every student who's registered between the first day and May 1st would be

074put into a spreadsheet that we would use a randomizer and pick 38 students, that would be able to attend, and the rest would go on a waitlist. If the waitlist is sizable enough, we would have the conversation if we would open the third classroom or not, we still have all the materials in that Board of Education: and our ability to do so, just not the future staff. Board of Education: We also then would… if we… if we do fill the 38 seats, anyone who registers after May 1st would automatically go on a waitlist in a first-come, first-served. Board of Education: Any questions? Board of Education: Alright, thank you. Board of Education: Apologize, it's my… Upside is the one when I talk, I don't get some there. Board of Education: Alright, Jim, there's a good time.

075Board of Education: Occ Day was a great success. It was well received by the staff and students. We… Rockwell Second Grade went. Occ, they told us we can come back whenever we want, so that's gonna be a great partnership moving forward. It made the news, it was a nice PR article, so… Board of Education: That was well received. Sydney and the girls, the varsity, they were at, school Friday. The kids made, Sydney a nice poster for her 1,000 points, so they were there Friday morning. This Friday is open if any of the board members want us to swing by and Board of Education: Donate their fists and support them. Board of Education: This one Friday, I know it's a little chilly. What's going on at Rockwell or Wheeler, market period 2 is gonna close, report

076cards will go out on Friday. Board of Education: We finished our CBT training, or simulation, sorry. That's the computer-based testing that, all Wheeler will be taking this year, grades 3 through 6. It's just a simulation to see if, the readiness and get kids, use of computers, teachers. Board of Education: So we ironed some things out. Board of Education: Before the test at the end of the year. Friendship Dance is next Thursday, February 12th. 6th graders will be invited up with the 7th and 8th graders, is that right? They'll be out for schools. Drama Club, had their auditions and their, Board of Education: their postings, February… So that's gonna start February 4th. Last week, I was watching some of the editions were pretty interesting, but I've only been used to the high school drama, and it

077was… Board of Education: It's really neat to see their, ambition. Board of Education: A lot of… they were great, great. So, Talent Show's gonna audition, they actually had their auditions today. So that's gonna take place in March. The drama performance will be in June, as always. Board of Education: At the high school. February 4th and 11th are our last two days slated for Ski Club, which has turned into a big success. I have parents emailing me every day, asking to get on board, for next year, so we're looking to Board of Education: expand that next year, and if Matt will allow us, and Snow will allow us, we're gonna continue on. Board of Education: past the promotional days that they do at the mountain, because our kids all have seasonal passes. So we'll keep going

078there as long as there's snow in both of the lobbies. Board of Education: And the club's still going, Zen Club, Character Club, Art Club. Other than that, any questions? Board of Education: I was gonna ask about Snowmobile Club in Snowman. Snowmobiling Club is… actually, that club is starting to kick into high gear, too. We had a great club weekend, so… more to come. Board of Education: All those Fridays, this month, this like that, what's this Fridays? To you, if you want to come. Yeah, it's an open day. Open day, kept it open for 4 months. Board of Education: 729, with 720, that's one of the siren going, etc. Board of Education: You don't deserve that day. Board of Education: Alright, good evening. Spirit Week starts next week, we have our theme days, we have, Monday

079is America Monday, Tuesday is Tired Tuesday, which is Dress Comfy. Board of Education: Wednesday is, Warm-hearted Wednesday, where you can wear pink, for those you love. And then, Thursday is Swin or Trip Day, Thursday, and that is, you know, dress like a buddy, and then the color awards that we always have on Fridays, for each of those. Board of Education: On January 14th, after our last board meeting, I actually had a scheduled principal's cabinet meeting, and one of the items we discussed was food service, based off the last meeting. And the students reported from, you know, the group that we had with the principal's cabinet that the quality of the food is good. It's not outstanding, but it's good. It's, you know, correct me if I'm wrong, Ellie, everybody Board of Education: Seemed to, you

080know, appreciate the launches and that we had. Board of Education: They did offer some suggestions, more chicken, more chicken poppers, more pizza, versus the lemon chicken or the general tau chicken. Board of Education: They, they did that, so I brought that feedback to Jen Currenti, who runs the, food service for us. Board of Education: And I also talked to her about the expiration of the milk. Board of Education: And some of the times, and what she explained is that they did have, on two separate occasions, milk explode and spill, and they didn't, you know, they cleaned it as best they could, but it smelled. It wasn't expired on one occasion, and the other one, it expired on that day. But they now have a protocol in place to make sure that they address those, before

081that they get served. Board of Education: I explained to the students that if that ever does happen, that Ms. Hunte is, the person to talk to, and she would make sure that everything is, taken care of. And if it doesn't happen, then let me know. Board of Education: So, we met, they, they, were very, happy to have that discussion, and, they are happy that we have the free lunches. They really enjoy that. And our numbers have increased, as I think we've seen with, you know, the revenue coming in from our institutions. Board of Education: The next topic, and it's not, for, board, to take up tonight, but it will be on for the next board agenda. Mr. Meyer is looking to take his band students to Disney, in the, spring of 2027, which would be

082a year out. Board of Education: And I provided a lot of the information in there, but it basically students will participate in a soundtrack recording workshop with the Disney musicians. Board of Education: Learn and practice musical ensemble skills to gain insight into the entertainment industry and apply their current knowledge Board of Education: With a real-world scenario. The estimated cost right now is around $22, $2,300, $22.95, but they're going to be looking at doing some fundraising to help offset those costs, through the club, and manage both their costs. Board of Education: Right? Board of Education: And then, just a bit of good news that we received, two days ago. Board of Education: We have been placed on the College Board AP School Honor Roll for the 2024-25 school year. And this is an AP school honor

083roll that recognizes schools that have done outstanding work to welcome more students into AP course and support them on their path to college success. We scored a school of bronze. Board of Education: But our school culture was a score of silver. Our college credits that we offer was a gold, and our college optimization was a bronze. So the overall score was a bronze for that. So, congratulations to the students and staff, for all their hard work and Board of Education: time that they put into the college level courses, the resources, that we offer for the students, and the community for supporting. Board of Education: All right. Any questions? Board of Education: the, Board of Education: That band trip is… sounds phenomenal. It is, and Mr. Meyer has done a really nice job of putting all

084that stuff together and making those connections. Yeah. I think it's going to be a wonderful opportunity for our students. I just remember back to my high school days, and we did a band trip down to Virginia that I remember, and… Board of Education: we got together with different bands, and there was some guy, like, instructing us, but nothing compared to, like, what you just described. And, like, being in, like, a sound studio, and just… Board of Education: Like, I've watched some YouTube videos before about, like. Board of Education: how to make soundtracks and stuff like that, like, you can put on, like, these headphones, and you're… you're playing, and it's just… I… I'm just envisioning, like, what it's going to be, and I… Board of Education: Yes. It's gonna be an amazing opportunity. I think

085it's… I think it's gonna be amazing. Just send Mr. Meyer into chat. I might have to get my chance. Right, there you go. Very cool. Absolutely. Board of Education: Any other questions? Board of Education: Huh? Thank you. Thank you. Board of Education: I thought it was… Board of Education: We have been celebrating senior night for the last couple of weeks. Our last senior night is boys basketball, taking place tomorrow. Board of Education: That game is at Simon Bon, so be here for that, that'll be exciting. Board of Education: sectional games are going to be starting up, and matches are going to be starting up within the next couple of weeks. As of right now, it looks like we're fingers crossed, hoping the girls and boys both will get home games, at least for that first

086round, which would be awesome, to come out and support us here at home during sectionals for basketball. Board of Education: The last thing we have is we interviewed a candidate for the modified baseball position that's still open today, just waiting to get all the paperwork together and to have one more conversation with the applicant, to make sure that's the direction we want to go. Board of Education: And one more thing that I forgot to add as well, the spring sports registration for varsity and JV is going to open on Monday, February 9th. So next Monday is the opening for registration for spring varsity and JV Sports. Board of Education: Any questions? Board of Education: Thanks. Board of Education: Thank you for… Board of Education: So, bear one. Board of Education: Great. Board of Education: G1,

087motion to approve consensus items is presented and or amended. Board of Education: Oh yeah, I forgot board members. Board of Education: Yeah, thanks. Board of Education: I'm sorry, let's go back to, E3. Board of Education: The Board of Education member, so it was totally happy. Board of Education: I don't have anything, other than, Board of Education: I don't really know how the servicing does work with, like, the free lunches and stuff, but I had a staff member come up to me. I know during breakfast, there are, like, milks, like, and, like, juice with breakfast. Board of Education: she had been concerned that some students who maybe lived some dietary restrictions in regard to dairy can have other, like… Board of Education: Like, for… for lunch, like, like… - Board of Education: If they have other

088options besides yolk? Yes. I didn't know how that worked, like, how, like, if there were restrictions within the food service that might have played a role in that, but it was a concern that they wanted me to bring. They do have alternatives with water and juice. Board of Education: For people with very dietary restrictions. Is there any way to, like, present those at lunches? Right now, we only have milk out, and I was unaware that those were options. I think they just need to ask the things that come on at lunch. Okay, and they have to provide another option. Okay, sounds good. Thank you. Board of Education: I don't mind anything. Excited for tomorrow, thanks? Board of Education: Smiling. Oh, yeah, yeah. Board of Education: Completely. Board of Education: Always exciting. I just want to

089give a special shout out to Board of Education: of board members, Mr. Burton. Sam Burton, Board of Education: I couldn't go into the venue for… Board of Education: unspecific, well, specific reasons. But, he recorded 9-11 of COVID. Board of Education: coming to sing in the national anthem, and he had a state wrestling tournament. Wow. I didn't know he could sing, but he did a great job, and you guys actually ended. Board of Education: I put it on Facebook, so, yeah, it was a great job. Find out pretty quickly from the drama show how many amount of songs that he has. Oh, yeah. But thank you all for everything that you're doing. Board of Education: Appreciate you. Board of Education: Thank you, everyone. That's exciting news about the College Regginess Award. It's kind of terminology, that's

090really exciting. So, great job, everybody. Board of Education: Including, that's all I gotta say. Board of Education: Sure, see you. Board of Education: I'll just have a second thank you to Matt, transportation team for helping my kindergarten. Second round of forgetting her prized water bottle down to school for her. Here she is. Board of Education: Very good. Board of Education: Yeah, thank you. I don't think I have anything else to say besides that, right now. Board of Education: Awesome. Board of Education: Alright, back to G1. Board of Education: Took a little detour there. Board of Education: So, motion to… We've been sent items G2… 2… G… 8. Download. Board of Education: Our students and colleagues. Board of Education: I'm my, favorite elevator person for our elevator. Board of Education: Perfect. Board of Education: Rude. Board

091of Education: They work for Otis? Yes. Seriously? Board of Education: Oh! It would be more. Board of Education: So… In passing, center. Board of Education: Anything else? Board of Education: All in favor? Board of Education: For both. Board of Education: Motion carried 7-0. Board of Education: Each one of you. Board of Education: Superintendent Surge update. Board of Education: Okay, so… Where are we at? Board of Education: Let's see, we met, we met. We met with Matt, productions, in my opinion. Board of Education: District superintendent, things are going very well. Board of Education: And the application process has come to a close, and… Board of Education: We have a very healthy pool of applicants. Board of Education: 19 applicants. Board of Education: We were, our goal, we were hoping to have around 20 or so. Board

092of Education: Bravo died many, many years ago, he was 22. Board of Education: So, we were hoping that there would be about 20, that we have 19, so that's great. Board of Education: Matt has let us know that they, Board of Education: a lot of great candidates. We're going to be meeting with Matt to go over, you could say, essentially go over, like, paper. Board of Education: Paper screen, thank you. Board of Education: I'm very familiar with this myself from work. This is what I do a lot. Board of Education: Review candidates, on paper, and… Board of Education: You kind of figure out who are the best candidates, and… Board of Education: Who you essentially want to start the screening process. So… Board of Education: So we're going to be meeting as a board, and

093this… it's kind of like the executive session, because it's all kind of… kind of… Board of Education: confidential. Board of Education: So, we'll be doing that, That's our next step. Board of Education: And then after that, Board of Education: will be essentially taking the 19 candidates, and I don't know what the number might end up being. Board of Education: But, let's just say it… it… Board of Education: It takes it down to maybe 12 or so. Board of Education: And then we'll be taking the 12 candidates, and we'll be starting to interview the 12 candidates in the first week. Board of Education: As a board, all confidential. Board of Education: And we're working with Matt to set up those dates, in late February, early… Board of Education: March, that's what we call Phase 1. So,

094just so we're transparent about the process and what we're, we're, we're working through. Board of Education: So, I do have to share something really cool. Board of Education: With the whole process so far, and it uses AI. Board of Education: so… I took… and… Board of Education: it includes the survey. So, first off, I want to mention, thank you to everyone that filled out the survey. We had a very healthy, Board of Education: Survey response, with people that, took the time to fill it out. Board of Education: And, There was, comments, and… Evaluation and everything about… What… Board of Education: They're looking for in a candidate, And, Board of Education: I will say, you know, after we talked as a board and everything, you could see that there was a lot of alignment with the

095community, what the community is looking for and we're looking for as a board. Board of Education: And, I've been kind of getting addicted to AI. Board of Education: With a lot of stuff at home, with planning, like a trip or something, or… Alright. Board of Education: And just doing a lot of, like, analysis of data and all this other stuff, so I got the idea, and I was like. Board of Education: I wonder if I took the brochure that we came up with as a board. Board of Education: And how it aligned with survey. Board of Education: And is it kind of… So, same thing. Board of Education: So, meaning, what we put together as a board, what we're… what our vision as a superintendent matched up with the theory. Board of Education: And it

096was really cool. Board of Education: Did they match? Board of Education: it was… it was awesome. And this… with AI, you can basically just put in the files, like, put it in the brochure, put in… Board of Education: The survey results, and it starts coming back, it analyzes everything, and it just starts saying how well everything just aligned and matched, and… Board of Education: And that's what I wanted to share with everybody. Board of Education: That the vision that we have as a board, what we're looking at for a superintendent, what was in the brochure, what the community gave us back in survey results. Board of Education: It aligns. Board of Education: So, I'm really excited about that, we're in a great position. Board of Education: And, now we just go through the process. Board

097of Education: Of going through the different, you know, candidates, and start with the paper screening, and then we start. Board of Education: Going through, interviewing the candidates, and we'll see… we can see how it all works out. Board of Education: So, I just wanted to share that. Thought it was really cool. Board of Education: Okay. Board of Education: Any questions? Board of Education: Mr. Kuboxy? Yes. Board of Education: If the beginning parts are confidential, do not know what I intend? So, good question. So… Board of Education: What's gonna happen is, the board's job is to… To the paper screening. Board of Education: with Matt Cook, and then we figure out Board of Education: Who we're going to interview in person. Board of Education: The seven of us. Board of Education: And then from there, we

098have to figure out… Board of Education: Who are going to become, like, the final Board of Education: The finals. It could be two people, it could be 3, it could be four, we have no idea yet. Board of Education: Now, once we figure that out. Board of Education: That's where we're gonna start to develop… it's gonna be in a single day that we're gonna have different groups Board of Education: interview… the different candidates, and that's where I plan to have YouTube coming into play. Board of Education: And which group you're gonna end up in, and all that stuff. We haven't figured that out yet. We haven't talked with Matt. Board of Education: No, Mr. Hook, yet. Board of Education: It's just high level how it's… Going to work. Board of Education: So, does that make

099sense? That's where I'd like to bring you one. Yeah, you're welcome. Board of Education: Any other questions? Board of Education: Alright. Board of Education: I won! Board of Education: Let's see… oh… Board of Education: Where's great. Board of Education: Yeah. Board of Education: Transferring. Board of Education: Can I have a recommendation on the contract awards for Phase 2A of the 2026 Capital Improvement Project as presented? So moved. Board of Education: Back to you. Board of Education: Questions, comments? Board of Education: All those who invade me. Board of Education: Folks, staying… Acid 7 zeros. Board of Education: I have a recommendation. Board of Education: For, or motion to approve the contract and awards for Phase 2B of the 2026 Capital Improvement Project, as presented. Board of Education: Standard. Board of Education: Thank you. Board of Education:

100Questions balanced? Board of Education: All in favor? Board of Education: Folks? Board of Education: See? Board of Education: Motion carries 72. Board of Education: Discussion of the Tigers Patriotic Club. Board of Education: No, this year is Zoom, and I wanted to give the world some time to be able to look at it. Board of Education: If you want to approve this tonight, we can make the motion of that to do that, or we can move through the books. Board of Education: I was wondering if, Maxwell and Abby had any thoughts as students on it? Board of Education: We've had a chance to look it over and all at the Tiger Patriotic. I was looking over it earlier. Board of Education: And… Board of Education: on its face, I think it seems like a really good

101opportunity. Brings up some of the things. There were other things that did raise, like, a few red flags, especially in regards to history. Board of Education: Would that be because of what… I missed the last part, what did you say? I'm sorry. In regards to history, like, some of the wording raised some red flags to me, and I think… Oh, thank you. There's maybe something to be looked into a little bit more. Board of Education: Like, for the club's purpose and mission, like. Board of Education: the Civic Pride, Understanding American History Values, Institutions. Board of Education: The founding principles is what got me in a little bit, because, like, well, I think our nation is based on a lot of great founding principles. If you… Board of Education: think about what if it was actually

102there at the beginning, I was a little concerned. Board of Education: Good evening. Like… On paper, the principles were great, like. Board of Education: All men are created equal, like… Board of Education: Generally, it's one section of the law. Board of Education: Very little had actually happened. Board of Education: So, I didn't really know. Board of Education: what that… that wording was left, I thought, left some interpretation. Board of Education: Of, do we mean on paper some of its founding principles, or what actually happened? Board of Education: If that's what they are going to engage properly with. Board of Education: And we'll have to go back and ask the club advisors and the students Board of Education: I'm not sure if they were referring to the Constitution, or if they're referring to, you know, in

103that, we'll have to ask, do you know? We didn't start with the Constitution either. We started as the Articles and Federation when it actually occurred. Board of Education: That's a great point, I actually missed that on here, but thank you, Al. The founding principles of our country, all men were created equal, which didn't include women, didn't include people of color, so that's kind of… Board of Education: I don't know, something to think about in terms of just how they're wording their mission. I might be thinking too much into it, but it did freeze a little bit of a red flag to me. Board of Education: What if they ask the sponsors of this, too? Board of Education: We can have the, advisors at only the advisor leading. Yeah, I have some, some reluctance as well.

104I think on paper, it seems okay. Actually, I think that's great that Abby picked that out. Board of Education: That's the point of the wording of it. Board of Education: I just would like some safeguards in place of… Board of Education: How we're gonna make sure that it's inclusive, and protecting people's identity that weren't necessarily included, like our founding documents and things like that. Board of Education: And making sure we have safeguards to ensure compliance with non-discrimination and FAFSA policies and things like that. Board of Education: Okay, I… yeah, I don't… I see what you're saying, and when I read that, I did not read that. I don't think it was your mom got to… I did not read it into that, that it would be an exclusionary club, it would be an acoustic club.

105Board of Education: From… from every… for anyone to join that, is interested in… History. Board of Education: merit history while I was in, in politics. I thought it was inclusive of… regardless of where you stand, so we'll get clarification on that. Board of Education: Where am I? Board of Education: breathing fingers, I gotta… I got him to come, Board of Education: I think this is being right into way beyond admittance. Board of Education: There's nothing in here. Board of Education: I read the first one, I've read this one. Board of Education: About any exclusive legal supermarket. Board of Education: And, you know, you could bring up, you guys to bring up points about how maybe your family's country wasn't so great after them. Board of Education: And maybe that's true. Board of Education: But if

106the next generation and generations to come after them don't understand Board of Education: all of it, and how it was founded, and what the mistakes were made that have made. Board of Education: It ain't gonna change, either. Board of Education: And I'm sorry, but you've got a limited amount of time. Board of Education: to teach Best History Soul Studies that are on college in any class. Board of Education: You're never gonna get to the depth. Board of Education: A true understanding of where his country came from, what he's gone through, where it should be. Board of Education: And… It just seems like if you've got a bunch of people. Board of Education: That want to take the effort, take the next step, and learn a little more, and go dive a little deeper. Board of

107Education: And understand things to a deeper degree, and where things went right and where they went wrong. Board of Education: I think we should be ashamed of ourselves if we don't get out. If every other… Board of Education: Possible thing, an opportunity for a program. Board of Education: So… Board of Education: I'd be pretty depressed if we gave them a hard time. I hope that they're not getting the opportunity. I just want more clarification. Board of Education: Yeah. If I'm wrong, just… No, my reason for wanting clarification is because, as it was originally proposed, this was supposed to be part of Club America, which is part of TrainPoint USA, which is exclusionary. Board of Education: And I have lots of examples that I can provide of that, and I want that to be on the

108record. So I don't want to be this to be restated as something that is the same thing. Board of Education: as that. Board of Education: And we don't have any other clubs that I know of, which I posed this question, I don't think anybody answered, that are associated with political action, which Club America and Turning Point USA would… Board of Education: So they are presumably not wanting to associate with that anymore, but it's still the same type of club, and I agree that on paper, if students want to take a deeper dive on U.S. history, I think that's great. Board of Education: Noelle, the, the main, the main difference with the, this club and their title, their naming the same as Club of America, is this club is not promoting Board of Education: That we

109empower bold student leaders to promote free thinking, engage in grassroots. Board of Education: activism. That was the piece with the Club America, that it was our belief, when Mr. Mumford and I talked with the advisors, that teaching activism, whether once or regardless of the side, is not appropriate for, kids in 7th through 12th grade. Board of Education: They're not fully developed in terms of their frontal lobe and their logic and reasoning, and I think that's a dangerous road in society. This isn't the only club, the Club America, there's also one on the other side that uses the same terminology. Board of Education: And I… and I… and I caution educators and parents about getting their children involved Board of Education: in anything on activism when they're not fully mature and they're developed yet as a

110adolescent teenager. I think it scares me as a parent. I wouldn't have not allowed my kids to get involved in something like this, and I don't recommend it on either side for OCS students. Board of Education: And that's what I thought when they came back with this rendition, and what they were looking to do. I thought this was good, because the whole Club America, it caught Mr. Mumford and I, Board of Education: By surprise. Board of Education: This looks like a patriotic club. Board of Education: And, I mean, I'm looking at their field trips, like, to our county courthouse in Albany and things, and… Board of Education: I don't… Don't see that. Board of Education: I… that's why I say, if we could bring that, you know, I have to advisors, Dr. Bald. Board of

111Education: What they want to do. Board of Education: All right? The board wants to hear that, too. We have to talk about it. Board of Education: Every photo here is open to all seed. Board of Education: Yes? Board of Education: there… I mean, there is a little bit of exclusionary language in this, because it says you have to enforce Arabic and have to have, Board of Education: What if I'm saying? Board of Education: Don't get interested. Board of Education: social studies or civics, so there is sort of, like, a threshold city. Board of Education: So if you don't have the 85 class, you're not yet, I don't know. Board of Education: Do you have other clubs? Other clubs have academic thresholds like this? I don't remember seeing this previously clubs. Not, not necessarily, yeah. No,

112like, you… I would think of, like, either the academic clubs that we have, they would, but… Board of Education: not specific to that. We have had the discussion years ago. Board of Education: About our academic eligibility policy, right, so curricular activities, and it was years ago, in terms of the academic eligibility is technically not just for athletics, it's for everything. You know, so that's been there. Board of Education: Our academic eligibility policy is pretty immediate, and it's intentional of that, because we, you know, also know that extracurricular activities are also a motivator for some kids, and excluding Board of Education: them from those sometimes is not a motivator, it discourages them, and then they're not as involved in the school as we would like them to be. Looking at, sort of, the mission of this

113being said in the basement, so they're better understanding of our government. Board of Education: There's no, intellectual thresholds would be a voting. So… Board of Education: be good for anybody, but again, you know, academic levels, or even more understanding of those things. Yeah. Board of Education: Yeah, I think somebody with a lower social studies rate can then take a deeper dive. We can just have them follow the, follow the, the, athletic, or the FTX, right, the academic policy we have now. Board of Education: I would think that would be better, unless there's a specific reason they need a… Board of Education: I average for this, because if the whole point is to teach. Board of Education: you know… And supplement, then why do you need a certain average? Board of Education: I don't see it.

114Board of Education: Greeting. Board of Education: Hopefully he'll command in the spot. Exactly. Board of Education: Yeah, I think it'd be critical. Board of Education: Truder vision. Board of Education: Alright, go ahead and leave that mutually. Board of Education: Sounds good, thank you. Board of Education: Recognize for motion to approve the memorandum between the district and the Conanaga County. Board of Education: Onondaga Central School Faculty Association for Renee? Board of Education: Oh, Questions. Board of Education: Just a comment, and the difference between this one and the one in the fall is, if the employee runs out of time, they have to figure it. Board of Education: Other than basically. Board of Education: happened, opposed to people. Board of Education: What's being done. Board of Education: big into the boys? Board of Education: Joe, you're right

115on top of it. Thank you. Board of Education: What are they needing? Board of Education: Alright, so as previously mentioned, here's our workshop. Board of Education: That will be, doing the fever screening. Board of Education: February 11th. Board of Education: And then, we have our policy meeting. Board of Education: Same day. You guys are gonna be busy then, yeah. Board of Education: We need to change that policy meeting? Board of Education: to apply. Go ahead. Board of Education: Well, I took back, and then sent them back to the workshop, right? Yeah. They need to? No, I don't need to. I was… I've had to be flexible. Oh, you need to do it, like, later? Or a different day. A different day. If a different day works better for you, that would be okay. Board of

116Education: That's fine for me. Okay, then keep it then. Sure. Board of Education: Then, next board meeting, February 24th, back here in the cafeteria, and then March 10th is at Trampio. Board of Education: Glory. Board of Education: The, the draft board, meetings for next year, you shared rough, and yours, October 18th is not Tuesday. Okay. Now we're not on Tuesday? I didn't know the appropriate time to bring that up, yeah. Well, that's fine. To just change that eventually. It's either the 13th or next month, yeah. Board of Education: Probably just the simplest thing. Yeah. Board of Education: So I put it all on the calendar. Board of Education: Yeah, there you go. Board of Education: Yeah, no, chat GPT product. Board of Education: That was a little crafted. Board of Education: Alright, enter into executive

117session… Board of Education: Motion to enter into executive session to discuss the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person or corporation or matters leading to the appointment. Board of Education: Employment, promotion, emotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person employer. Board of Education: L. Board of Education: So, close second and that one. Board of Education: Thank you, have a good one. Thank you, it was the motion, then? Board of Education: Thank you.