001Commissioner Desiah, can you lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Lead us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible. >> Thank you. We are right into staff and student achievements. Y Okay, we're going to recognize. >> All right, we are going to start our meeting by some student and staff recognitions. In midFebruary, the PSLA at Fowler boys 4 4x 200 meter relay team won the state qualifier meet qualifying them to compete in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association State Championships in Staten Island, New York. Congratulations to senior Dearyan Gary, sophomore Christian Pete, senior Jaden Cotton, and senior Troy Jones Huddleston. >> All right. >> Troy also took third place
002in the 55 meter dash in the state qualifier meet and competed in the event at the state championship as well. Congratulations All these pictures. >> All right. >> Okay, guys. Here we go. On three. One, two, three. One more. One, two, and three. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Good job, coach. >> Thank you. As part of the New York State Art Teachers Association Region 3, naturally student art show, Franklin and Hener students have had their artwork on display at Beaver Lake Nature Center. We appreciate our dedicated art teachers for creating opportunities like this for our students. Congratulation to the Franklin student artists, New Ru Daid, Shu Hussein, Amina Hussein, Honor Murray, Muk Kong, Peg, and Emabra Mukisha and Henford student edge artist AK Paul, Shayen Sweding, Malia Harris, Ava George, Ailen Gonzalez, Sara
003Magusu, Yari Ray, and Joy Mason Osorio. Congratulations. All right, guys. Look up here. One, two, three, and one more. Big smiles. One, two, and three. Congratulations. This May, ITC senior a potion shin and PSLA at Fowler senior Zenad Abed will be headed to Albany. Thanks to the support from the League of Women Voters of New York State and League of Women Voters of the Syracuse metro area, these student leaders will be attending the students inside Albany program where they will be among 60 students from across the state who will get a firsthand education about their state government. They will be invited to our state capital, shadow senators and assembly members, participate in interactive lectures, and more. Congratulations to you both. We also have a proclamation this evening, office of the board of education and the
004superintendent of schools. This proclamation is in regards to assistant principles week. Whereas assistance principles play a significant role in the Syracuse City School District by working tirelessly to foster an inclusive, supportive, safe, and positive school environment. And whereas assistant principles serve as educational leaders who support their principal, work collaboratively with their students, staff, and communities to ensure student achievement and success. And whereas assisted principles demonstrate knowledge of effective instructional strategies, social emotional supports, and are key players in supporting the learning needs of both students and teachers. And whereas assistant principles play a crucial role for their school's leadership team in helping create and monitor performance goals in order to ensure student achievement and success. Now, therefore, the board of education and Pamela J. ODM, superintendent of the Syracuse City School District, do hereby proclaim April
0056th through 10th, 2026 as assistant principal week and commend its observance to all districts employees. Jessica Corseniti, vice principal at Frasier, will be accepting this proclamation. What? >> Happens a lot. All right, we're going to go forward with our uh meeting. I'll ask for a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. >> So move. >> Uh second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? I'll ask for a motion to accept the monthly financial report as submitted. >> So moved. >> Second. Thank you. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call vote. >> President Barnett, >> yes. >> Vice President Rayford, >> yes. >> Commissioner Cordano, >> yes. >> Commissioner Hhabib, >> yes. >> Commissioner Doggy Jamanna, >> yes. >> Commissioner Reford, >> yes. >> Commissioner Root, >> yes. >> Motion
006passes. We will now hear from those visitors who desire to address the board and who has filled out the appropriate card available near the entrance to the boardroom. Speakers are asked to limit their comments to no more than 3 minutes. Board policy 1510 does not permit in public session. Discussions involving individual district personnel or students. Persons wishing to discuss matters involving individual district personnel and students should present their comments and/or concerns to the superintendent during regular business hours. All speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene language, threats of violence, statements advocating for racial, religious, or other forms of prejudice will not be tolerated. If you wish to speak and have not already submitted your blue card, please do so now as additional cards will not be accepted once the first speaker has
007concluded. The board is here to listen to all comments. However, we will not engage in dialogue with speakers during this meeting. I'll call your name when it's your turn. >> I thought you had a blue card. I was >> All right. Our first speaker is uh Nicole Cassel. >> Good evening, President Barnett, Superintendent ODM, commissioners. Welcome to our newest commissioner. Uh, I'm Nicole Capsell, president of the Syracuse Teachers Association. As the district moves forward with Elevate 315, we are gaining clarity and growing concern. We've repeatedly asked to slow down and scale back implementation, meaningfully to meaningfully engage the educators responsible for this work. We've also questioned the continued investment in ed elements when our district already has experienced educators, coaches, and administrators capable of delivering the personalized learning. While we value partnerships with community organizations,
008what was presented to this board does not reflect the reality in our buildings or meet the standard of true community schools. There is there is a clear disconnect and more coordination is needed to ensure these supports actually align with the needs of the students and staff. At the same time, the district plans to invest further in I Ready, increasing student screen time despite well doumented concerns about its impact on learning and development, all in pursuit of improved test scores per New York State. We are also hearing concerns about right sizing staff. Yet, in our highest need schools, educators are asking for more adults, not fewer. If we are serious about student success, we should be prioritizing smaller class sizes, not reducing staff. I urge you again, slow down, scale back, and listen to your educators.
009As board members, you have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure resources are used effectively. Before reducing any studentf facing positions, we ask that you closely examine the growth in administrative roles and the continued spending on outside consultants. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Mr. Rex Jarding here. Oh, over there. He's usually up front. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. Let me just get back on my page here for the record. Um, I've attended all of the JSCB kickoff public meetings. Nottingham, Seymour, Webster. Attendance and participation is important, right? The latter two buildings long overdue for the transformation. They're going to get with a double dose of maximum cost allowance. Good for them. Surprising that surprisingly, that's not why I'm here to speak this evening. Difficult to keep up with the news and
010SCD SCSD in the news. Tonight, I'm here to comment on the decision to engage with Xanadu Consulting Firm for approximately $715,000 to chart a path forward for greater success at the district. Glad to say it was not a unanimous vote. I'm not sure I would have voted for it, but I'm not in your seats. District administration bring lots of years of experience sitting in the highest positions. Time in the classrooms is probably the most important experience. I counted 17 individuals on the organization charts with the title chief, executive chief, assistant superintendent, or superintendent in their titles. I'm not sure if the perspective and experience this school district currently need is sitting in your current roles at leadership roles or at Xanadoo. What is the right metric to measure success or lack of success? I see
011four schools on the brink of receiverhip, another half dozen close behind. I don't have the data or the background to get into that, but as a resident, not the news I want to see. Often the root cause is out of control absenteeism. Your teachers can't be expected to shape a mind or teach someone that is not in the room. Lots of sobering statistics. Graduation rates seem to be in the low 70s. Uh whereas many surrounding districts can boast in the high 90s. I think Fateville likes to boast theirs is 98%. I don't know how to measure or or or indicate successful or satisfactory outcomes, but maybe for $715,000 Xanadu will show us. I do like numbers. Top 17 administrators in SCSD handsomely compensated ranging from 156.5,000 to 226.9 certainly way more than a living wage.
012I suspect more than double what many of your teachers earn. Collectively 17 bring home 3,169,400. Maybe those with the title chief, executive chief, assistant superintendent or superintendent should voluntarily chip in to cover the cost of this consultant. If you took this their wages, gave them 73% if that's what graduation rate is, it would cover the cost of Xanadu. Seems fair to me. And the district royalty would have some skin in the game. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker, Mrs. Kelly McCann, Madame Superintendent, President Barnett, commissioners, executive leadership, good afternoon. My name is Kelly McCann. I am a resident of the city of Syracuse. I'm a parent. I am an educator in the city of Syracuse. My son is a student in the Syracuse City School District. I am invested in this community. Anytime
013I speak with my students families, so I'm so nervous. I'm a teacher, but I freak out speaking publicly. Anytime I speak with my students families, I tell them before I am anything, I am a mother. So this afternoon, I'm talking to you as a mom, a parent, and an educator. I understand that the computer program I Ready is proposed to be part of Elevate 315. Admittedly, I don't know a lot about 315. It doesn't affect the school that I'm teaching at, but I do know that our children do not need another electronic learning program. They will not benefit from additional screen time. Our students need face-to-face human interactions. I have two short anecdotes to share. in central New York due to our whether we have a lot of time for indoor recess all the time.
014My students ask if they can use laptops. By this point in the year, they know that they cannot ask me for laptops. They have to interact with each other. They play games. They play Uno. They play Bopit. They play Simon. They play with one another. They talk to one another. Yesterday, I was so like my mom heart, my teacher heart was overfilled. I heard a couple of students actually talking through a disagreement. I had no idea what was going on, but these three girls were just chatting about what was happening and they talked about it. They had a meaningful apology. They owned their feelings. There were no screens to hide behind. They had to talk to each other. My own son went to an elementary and middle school that used I Ready. He wasn't seen
015as the funny, thoughtful, anxious kid that he is. His teacher saw him as not yet proficient and needing extra support and that meant an assigned extra time on I Ready. He was literally failing in seventh grade and needed to take summer school. I blame I Ready for a part of that. He was not seen as a human. He was seen as data. He's a ninth grader now at Steam. Shout out Steam. Yo, listen. If you can't get to steam, get to steam. He's no longer an atrisisk student. In fact, he's on the honor roll. Didn't know that because, you know, he doesn't tell me those things. He has a 90 average in algebra. He didn't get smart in two years. He had relationships built with him at Steam. Face-to-face human interactions. Please consider the ramifications
016of another electronic learning program. Listen to the educators. Less screens, more human interactions. Our kids need it. Thank you. >> Our final speaker, Mrs. Goulson. >> Hello, my name is Phoebe Goolson and I'm a senior at the New House School. I'm working on a project regarding the school district and the recent removal of a board member. In the coming weeks, I will be reaching out to the board members with questions. So, I wanted to come here today to introduce myself before all of that. I know you haven't been able to speak with other outlets on this issue, but I hope that you consider sitting down with me and answering my questions. If you have any questions for me, I will be in the lobby afterwards. Thank you very very much for your time. And if
017anyone in attendance would like to speak with me about this issue, you can also find me in the lobby after. Thank you. Right. So, that concludes our speakers. We'll move uh forward to the president's report. Well, I want to welcome our newest commissioner. I'm working on this. I've been I've been sounding out doggy jana. Jumanna. >> Of course. >> Oh, man. Can you just pronounce it for me one time? >> Jana. >> Aana. All right. Well, welcome. We enjoy you here. I was watching. One of the commissioners was live during your swearing in ceremony. It was very heartfelt. So, we just wanted to welcome you to the school board. >> Sorry all of us couldn't be in attendance, but it was it's tough with spring break and kids and everything. >> Thank you for for
018welcoming me. >> Superintendent, I'd like to defer my time to the superintendent report. >> Go forward. >> Again, we would like to say welcome to We had a great meeting. I think you're right on point and I think you're going to do an amazing job on the board. So, welcome. Yes, you know, I have my shout outs. So, um we are again committed to, uh making sure that the good news about the district is really getting out. And so, I have some for you tonight. Our mock trial success, Nottingham High School's mock trial team will take on Fyville Manulus in the Anadaga County Bar Association Championship tomorrow morning at 8:45 in the county courthouse. Before break, the team defeated James Phil Dit in the semifinals. The team is led by adviser Don Little and several
019dedicated coaches. This is the team's fifth consecutive county championship appearance and I want to wish them the best of luck. I apologize because if I get this wrong, I've been practicing all day and I hope I don't get it wrong. Champion Speller, I'd like to congratulate and wish good luck to one of our students at Syracuse Latin. 12-year-old seventh grader Suir 8B Ava won the 2026 Syracuse.com regional spelling bee in March. >> Right. He will represent SCSD in Washington DC on May 26th at the script national spelling be. >> Wow. >> Art exhibit. From now through April 26, you can see the artwork at of our talented Hener High School and Franklin Elementary students on display at Beaver Lake Nature Center. The exhibit called Student Art Naturally features nature themed artwork from students across our
020region in 6th through 12th grade. We have eight students from Hener and six students from Franklin that were selected to have their works on display. >> Which school had eight students? >> Sorry, I didn't hear you correct. >> Eight students from Hener. Six students from Franklin. >> All right. Spring sports are underway. Over the last week or so, most of our spring sports teams have started their games and matches. I just want to say good luck to all of our teams in this new season. The Syracuse East girls flag football team is off to a 2-0 start >> and had a great comeback victory over CNS during the break. Modified sports begin on Monday and please remember to do what you can to please support our athletes. Mark your calendars. This Friday, April 10th, the
021SCSD Special Olympiad will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at OCC. If you have an opportunity, please support our athletes on Friday. Also, this weekend, students at Clarion Elms will perform the musical Spam a Lot, the Young at Heart, the Young at Heart Edition. shows will take place on Friday at 7 and uh 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm in the afternoon. Also this Saturday, our all city choir will perform at Nottingham High School at 2 p.m. So if you can make any of these events, let's show our SCST pride and support and let's go out and support the kids. Um, are there any commissioners that wish to bring uh anything for discussion at this time? I know you're at the baseball game. >> I I was at the baseball game. It's
022painful. Um, I would like to echo what the superintendent said. I encourage you all to get out to a sporting event, watch our kids play. They are amazing. They have heart, they have spunk, and they are just so much fun to watch. So, um, I I the catcher for the varsity team might be the cutest kid on the team because he's my son, so I might be a little biased. Um, I also would like to invite anyone who wants to come to the audit committee meeting on April 17th at noon. It is an open meeting and anyone who wishes to attend, please feel free to come on by. >> And that's the one where you're supposed to get an update, right? Yes. That would be a pretty important one to make sure you if you're
023available to make sure that you're there. Um most recently I attended the New York State School Board Association's DEI committee meeting. I was in person in Albany. Um more information about that in terms of continuing to look at uh ways in which we see the policies that are developed that we all have to follow and what lens they all fall in. just um a good time to meet people from all across the state that are on that committee um and continuing to you know tell about the good things that's happening in the city of Syracuse and how we are you know continuing to put kids first. All right. Don't let me move forward and say just one more thing. Anything from the side? >> Good. >> You guys are good. >> Thank you. >> All
024right. All right. So, we'll go forward with the consent agenda items. All right. Ask for a motion. >> Approve the consent agenda items. >> Second. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Action items. >> 10.1. Like to make sure I'm right. >> 10.1. I would like to introduce and recommend the resolution title submission of grant proposals. >> Ask for a motion. >> Some moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Wow. >> I'm sorry. I have to distract. That was that was a that was a short second. That was a solid That was a solid second. That was like kind of like what Commissioner Rayford does. All in favor? >> Any Jesus. All any oppos we got a loud group today. >> I see. I see. >> You got to You're
025back. Got to get >> this away. >> 11.1. I would like to introduce and recommend the resolution titled Elevate 315 Leadership Stipen. >> For a motion moved. >> Second. You got that one. All right. You got that one. Um any >> any discussion? >> I have some discussion, please. >> Yep. Go ahead. >> Uh uh thank you, President Barnett. Uh so I'll try to be quick. So I'm aware that it's not my duty as a a board member to negotiate contracts and agreements. That's the role of Superintendent ODM, and I respect that. Um but since it's the board's due to decide on financing the agreements, um I believe it's important for me to express some concerns and reservations uh that I might have. First of all, I support paying all uh district employees for extra
026work and responsibilities. I think it's the correct thing to do. Um with this proposal, I do worry about only paying the principles and not the VPs. I understand this was negotiated with their union. Um but I do personally find it hard to believe that VPs will not be sharing in the workload either directly or indirectly and I fear that leaving them uh without some sort of compensation can lead to disharmony in the building leadership and therefore thereby negatively impacting implementation of elevate 315. I mean heck we just celebrated uh assistant principles this week um and we did it today. Um secondly, uh the negotiated stipen is a substantial sum and I do trust that the district uh will closely monitor the work of the principles in relations to the nearly 10% boost in their pay
027over the next few years and make adjustments as needed as Elevate 315 moves forward. But what actually bothers me the most is the board's about to vote for $15,000$12,000 stipens for some of our highest paid employees while the district all too often nickels and dimes some of our lowest paid employees. I looked to the fact that the district this past contract chose not to pay TAs who engage in toileting duties an extra 50 cents an hour or about $650 700 a year. But here we are about to vote on spending an extra 180k on principles at elevate 315 schools. And again, I want to stress I understand the extra responsibilities the principles have to move forward with this um to move this program forward. And I assume a similar proposal for the teachers will be
028coming before the board in the near future, which which I have no doubt will pass. It's my hope that in the future the district will see the value of promoting stipens or compensation for our lowest paid employees who are not only employees of the district but overwhelmingly live and raise their children in the city of Syracuse. So given all my concerns and with some apprehensions, I will be voting for this stipen with the hope in the future the district will do more to elevate the pay and or stipens of our lowest paid but equally hardworking and valuable employees of the district with whom the school district could not function. Thank you. All >> in favor? >> I I Any opposed? >> 11.2 Two, I would like to introduce and recommend the resolution title settlement agreement
029>> for a motion. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? Ask for a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> They're having discussion over there. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Meetings adjourned. >> Thank you.