BPS | Board Meeting 5/28/25 Part 2

001An acknowledgement by Fort McC. The Buffalo City School District respectfully acknowledges the Hoden Shani Confederacy on whose ancestral territory our schools were built. We honor and pay tribute to the indigenous ancestors of the land we use. We acknowledge the historic intergenerational traumas that they have endured and offer hope and opportunities for healing and reconciliation as we go forth together. One key the whole Den Oani principle is to live in peace and harmony with each other and the natural world. So all life to be respected and cared for because what happens to one living thing affects all living things. So we are grateful for the abundant natural resources in this land of the Hodenani people and for all who work to protect these resources. We acknowledge the Hoden Onani people as the past, the present and

002the future take care caretakers of this land and the water. And we are grateful to share the opportunity, the opportunity to live, work, and educate our children on this ancestral land. We are grateful. Thank you, Bo. Now, we will have the board margirl statement by uh board member Janita. As the Buffalo board of education has committed to becoming a board focused on improving student outcomes, we recognize that our adult behaviors must change to uphold this commitment. As we have given the superintendent specific guardrails that protect the values of our community, we understand the need to establish guardrails for our behavior as a board. The board shall operate within the board's role as defined in board policy 1101310 and the board's current operating procedure specifically as defined in board policy 1311 6110. the board either collectively

003or through actions of individual board members. Go one shall not invest less than 50% of its minutes each month into monitoring student outcome goals. Go two shall not perform or appear to perform any of the responsibilities delegated to the superintendent. Go three shall not violate any board adopted policy or district procedure. and got row four shall not behave in a manner that would violate the student code of conduct. Thank you, board member Everheart. Uh we don't have any board recognitions. Right. All right. So the board held an executive session to discuss number one matters related to the superintendent search and the appointment of an employment appointment employment of a person with the district. Number two matters related to the appointment employment and potential discipline and or dismissal of specific district employees. And lastly, for the

004purpose of receiving legal advice, action was taken on certain matters pursued to New York State Education Law Section 302A. At this time, um our first uh honorable speaker is here, the Buffalo Teacher Federation President Nigro. Um I would like him to come forward. Hello. Hello. Uh, thank you. Uh, good evening, superintendent. Good evening, esteemed board members, all guests attendance, people hearing in the hall, speaker, in a time where we're fighting um, first, I apologize. I wanted to speak um, off the cuff, but we don't have time for any extemporaneous dialogue. I might do my white talk too much, so I put it down writing. I'll be as brief as possible. In a time when we're fighting things such as cut to the Department of Education, tax attacks on public education uh in favor of privatization,

005the last thing that we need to do is fight among ourselves and show distrust. Now, we have a full house here tonight. Under all circumstances, I'd say that's a good thing. We've got administrators, we have parents, teachers, aids, substitutes, we have community members. follow these homes to it are people that you want at the table when making decisions that impact our district and the children's children whom we serve but tonight I suspect the crowd gathers out of concerns over a number of issues I'm here to speak on two of those issues out of respect of to our fellow speakers I I'll try to keep this very brief on the budget I don't envy the board's uh or the superintendent's uh position here with this daunting task of balancing on over1 billion budget and I respect

006your goal of attempting to do so while remaining fiscally responsible. But I believe the current budget as presented does so on the backs of students and teachers. I realize COVID relief funds pumped in a three-year injection of money into this district and red district pay for a number of things that have benefited our kids including an increase in particular to student support services specifically school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and attendance support teachers. In a time when student attendance is at an all-time low and student anxiety and depression is at an all-time high, how could we possibly see fit to reduce those teachers who are charged with working some of the neediest and our most vulnerable children? Certainly, it's got nothing to do with right sizing as teachers currently serving in these roles have very

007high case loads. so high that these numbers uh outpace what's recommended by uh for example National Association of Social Workers by double in some cases custom music and art teachers where students are given a space to explore their own creativity ingenuity and cathartic expression and as somebody who's major in advertising art and photography at McKinley High School and as a musician I can't overstate the importance and the benefits of such programs I believe our students are entitled to and should enjoy the same opportunities and privileges that their suburban counterparts enjoy. Which brings me to Wazed. Should the budget pass as it appears right now with millions more being pumped into Waz for a third year, it will be to the peril of our students. Why? Because so far the roughly 8 million that has been

008spent on that program in the last two years could have been used to retain positions of instructional technology coaches for example whose job in part was to integrate is to integrate STEM programs into classroom. cuts nicer from the even to the instructional coaches who receive training to WED to then change to then charge subject area teachers to use Wad curriculum on top of the increasing list of things that they're already asked to do uh in recent years um is unfair and it's unrealistic as an expectation. before signing up with Wazette, did you reach out to our own instructional technology department to ask them how we might be able to do this with the staff we already have? Those folks are already drawing a paycheck from the DPS. What teachers or subjects uh area directors have

009been asked to weigh in on this curricular decision? When was that invited district personnel to conferences? For example, what is the purpose of the conference? Who attends these conference conferences? How does that benefit students or teachers uh those who are expected to execute the lesson plans? As a former instructional technology coach, I design curriculum and work with teachers throughout the district. The teacher center has STEM equipment and programs that are available to teachers. Why would we not choose to leverage our own expertise and our own resources and our own staff in this area before signing over millions of dollars to a company on the other side of the country for something that we might be able to design and execute right here at House. Our kids here in the city deserve the same opportunities and

010access to their suburban counterparts. I said that earlier and I believe that. But we need to be smart about how we do it. If we have folks with an expertise in a particular area right here as a BPS employee, then that should be our first stop. The first stop that we make you do have um you do everything that you can to retain instructional and uh staffing position at uh at the boots on the ground level. That includes looking inward uh to see what cuts might be possible, not necessarily at schools first, but here in central office as well. And this leads me on now to um my second issue topic and that is the uh independent investigation. On that independent investigation, we have before us an opportunity born out of tumultuous times. When the

011board announced that it would seek an impartial third party investigator to look into any allegations of any wrongdoing and doing any allegations or accusations of cover ups on the district's part, you couldn't have handled that any better. The best thing for our district would be to remain handsoff in this process. But if you put out a bid with an RFP, which would require the district's involvement, even in a small manner, a small measure, you inject out into that equation. Now, it's not impossible to remain impartial, and I've got confidence that the district um would be able to do that. I I've had experience over the last two years working with the district in various meetings and labor management meetings. We've collaborated on a number of things. And so I know that that that is a

012possibility of course. Uh but this large microscope that now hovers over the BPS is that the right thing to do. Why would we invite any measure of distrust? A shadow of a doubt. You've reviewed contracts before and proposals as a board. You got the authority to vet applications. Keep those responsibilities confined within this body. Make sure that they are absolutely there are absolutely no familial or past transactional relationships with whoever you're deciding to hire. See this thing through and let's all get through this uh to the other side. DPS we stand at the precipice right now and the next step with regards to budget and the next step with regard to this independent investigation will determine and shape our future. Thank you all for your time. [Applause] So at this time the board welcome welcome

013speakers who have signed up to speak at tonight's meeting. Please be reminded that all speakers remarks are must be limited to three minutes or less. We ask that speakers be mindful that this is a business meeting open to the public and televised locally. Attendees attendees and viewers include persons from throughout Western New York, including children. The board asks that speakers conduct themselves professionally and that their comments remain civil and courteous, bearing in mind that they will be heard by people of all ages. If you have have printed information to share with us, please do not approach the board table. provide your information to the district clerk who will make sure we receive it. This is an opportunity for Buffalo's residents to address the BBOE about issues that serve the public's interest and district mission and

014the board asks that speakers demonstrate appropriate talk. If I may add, because of the volume of speakers that uh we have tonight, I will be taking notes and either myself or one of my cabinet leads will get back in touch with you to follow up. So I will not be doing as I normally do where after each um speaker I give you know kind of a narrative or tonight I'll be taking notes and then I will be following up with you uh within a week or one of my staff leads will be following up with you. Thank you. Thank you for I'm s I'm sorry. Sorry to hear. So I So I shared that. Think I think everybody echo tonight. All [Music] right. So, first hold Come out. Come out. [Music] speaker. [Music] Okay. So,

015the first speaker is um Next speaker, Sher Murphy. Clerk, lost time in mental health. Thank you. All right. Maggie Winship, her parenting program. Um, I did very happy on my statement. All right. Thank you. Um, my name is Maggie Hamilton Winship. I uh know Buffalo is a small town because I've come across a few of you just through community development in Other Worlds. I'm here to speak about preserving monastery education at public school 32, Bennett Park Monatory Center. I'm a proud uh West District resident represented by board member McCoy. Um and I also want to thank board member Woods for her autonomous um for our school over the years. My story is our family starting to live our values. In April 2020, I had my first son. We were living in Amherst. My husband and

016I watched the world around us from our privileged place at home with a newborn and decided we wanted to realign our life and our values for our children's benefits. This included moving back to the city and sending our kid to a diverse public school. It also included pursuing educational paths like Monasuri that embraced the wellness of the whole child and not just academic success. Let me make this very clear. We left a top 10 ranked suburban elementary school to come to the city of Buffalo for Bennett Park Mon. Helen, now pre-K student at PS32, is an amaz in in an amazing monastery classroom. He's been supported through an axi speech delay diagnosis and has been encouraged to thrive in ways I could not have imagined. At five, he can do addition, subtraction into the hundreds

017and thousands, and even has an understanding of negative numbers. He understands reading and phonics even with his speech delay. In the past, I joke with people that we've won the lottery twice. wants to get into Bennett Park and wants to get a monastery teacher. I did not understand the weight of that joke until recently. After having twins last year, I finally attended my first MCA meeting last month. I was shocked to learn that only 24 teachers in the entire school are certified in monatory education and not a single administrator. As you will hear tonight, announced just this past spring, the school administration will now no longer honor parent or teacher requests for future student places. This ignores a core philosophy in monastery education to work with a whole child and to keep siblings and families

018together. This is also against the district's philosophy of parent choice to pursue a monatory certified classroom. And I ask you, who exactly is the authority on monastery education for PS32? It cannot be the parents. No BPS officials hold the certification to my knowledge. That is not an adequate answer. The district must find the original school charter that established the school as a guiding document in the 70s. Uh and given our inquiries, one of you might need to take this on as a personal mission because nobody seems to be able to find this document. Um and lastly, we need a third party with expertise in diverse Monasuri public schools to immediately evaluate the school and implement an action plan to preserve Monasuri public education with real accountability measures. Our childrens are not experiments. Stephanie Mangellos teacher

019regarding bilingual education. I am. I am also a proud local public school graduate and I here stand before you tonight on the behalf of dedicated educators and concerned community members. This is now our third time coming before the board to speak to you about the urgent need for Spanish RTI or response to intervention framework in our schools. And yet, despite our repeated advocacy, we have not received any formal response or followup regarding our concerns. We are not here to criticize but to collaborate. Our bilingual teachers, many with years of experience and specialized knowledge in valuable education, are ready and willing to work with the district to develop a comprehensive plan for Spanish RTI that ensures equitable support for all students, especially our emerging bilingual learners. Why is Spanish RTI essential? RTI is designed to provide

020early systemic assistance to students who are struggling. However, without RTI available in Spanish, we are failing to accurately assess and support our Spanish speaking students. Research showed that assessing and intervening only in English or bilingual learners can lead to a misdiagnosis, either overidentifying or underidentifying students with learning disabilities. According to Clinger and Artillis in 2003, when bilingual students receive interventions in English only, they may appear to struggle not because of a learning disability, but because they are still developing proficiency in a second language. The National Center for Culturally and Responsive Education Systems recommended using RCI models that consider students home language and cultural backgrounds to avoid inappropriate referrals to special education. Furthermore, we are seeing the real consequences in our classrooms. Students disengaging, families frustrated, and teachers without the tools they need to help. There

021are successful models across the country where bilingual RTI have led to increased student achievement, reduced special education referrals, and stronger homeschool partnerships. Buffalo can do this too if we take action. Let us be clear. We are not asking the district to have all the answers, but we do expect a response. We are eager to work with you, not against you, to ensure our Spanish-sp speakaking students receive the same level of support and opportunity as their monolingual peers. Tonight, we are once again asking for a formal response from the district. Our students cannot afford to wait any longer. We are asking for the immediate implementation of Spanish RTI for all students in bilingual schools in a response to this request today. Thank you for your time and we look forward to your partnership in its essential

022work in bilingual education. Thank [Music] you. Vinnie Ronelli, parent reserving the monastery. Hi, I'm Vinnie Randelli Park. Uh, good evening. Uh, thanks for thanks for letting me speak. My name is Jenny Aronelli. I live in the district. I'm a father of two children at Bennett Park with more to come. I'm also the vice president of the uh parent group uh monator community association. when my wife was training uh I attended VPO Ben Park open house I left I left it um very excited my wife and I believe um we think it's the best way to raise curious independent free thinking children we read [Music] we read we read the books material the appearance of child record work within limits race of courtesy and um leaving the children where they are, meeting the child where they

023are. We received our letter from independence and like most of us here, we felt like we allowed. Uh during our three years at Kark, I noticed um that not all classrooms were delivering a monosur model as advertised. My oldest child uh didn't have a certified teacher, but her efforts to deliver set education and uh the love and attention that the teaching team gave my children uh child satisfies. Uh as you will hear from parents that are attending today, not every child was a mytory classroom is organized with multi-age cohorts in one classroom. Teachers along with their aids are trained to manage classrooms. Having untrained and unwilling teachers in these environments can add to distraction, disruptive behavior from students, opening the doors for bullying, dispondency, and general unsafe environment. During my time as a parent in

024the parent leadership team, uh I feel several calls uh of disappointment about the deliberate education and concern that their children were being neglected. The biggest tool a Monasuri school has and any school for that matter is it teachers. Currently credentialed Montasuri teachers are a minority at the school and until standards are raised uh we hope and expect the administration to honor any teachers or anything parents request to be placed in a Monasuri classroom with a trained teacher. We have chosen Monasuri for our teach agenda today. We are asking the Buffalo School Board, the Buffalo Teachers Federation, and the Bit Park Montory Administration to work with parents as partners in crafting short, medium, and long-term strategies to deliver monastery educations to the children of Buffalo. Honoring parent choice for monatory classrooms and prioritizing Monatory trained teachers

025and staff and future hiring would be a great step. I'd like to leave everybody with an excerpt from the down. Uh, the pieces of a chariot are useless unless they act in accordance with the whole. A man's life brings nothing unless he lives in accordance with the whole universe. Playing one playing one's part in accordance with the universe is true humility. Truly too much honor means no one honor. It's not wise to shine like jade and like stone shines. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we will have Kim Shear, who is a concerned citizen regarding no cuts to guidance counselors. Good evening. Good evening. Thank you for this opportunity to be heard. I'm a lifelong resident of Western New York. I've lived in the city for 15 years. I often file school budgeting issues from various

026sources and greatly concerned about about what I'm bringing recently. I believe that education is essential to getting our young people ready for life and jobs. It's also important that we have fully staffed school counselor positions to ensure students are meeting their requirements for graduation and don't find themselves at the end of their senior year to learn that they are getting a diploma. Just nine months ago, the school board signed off on a four-year financial plan. This plan covered anticipated costs for years up to 2028. It did not anticipate laying off 11 school counselors as it does now. Importantly, it also did not rely on any COVID related funding. for the school year 2025 2026 expected to have a surplus of 36 million,000. All reductions in staff to reach the goal would be handled by not

027filling positions that have become vacant from retirements and being more selective in the hiring process rather than laying off people. Since then, the New York State budget was passed on May 9th, and it has allocated the highest level in state aid ever. In fact, it increases the prior foundation aid by 1.46 billion statewide. That's a 5.9% increase the 4-year plan. It only anticipated a plan increase. So in actuality the state has now passed twice as much uh twice as much money has been allocated through the found through the foundation a so that should solve all of these budget initi issues as far as it appears to me. Um I don't know if the budget has been revised since the state has passed it on May 9th. It's only been um a couple weeks ago. I

028just wonder if the the whole budgeting process has been alloc reallocated at least to adjust for that and hopefully not lay off anybody or especially school counselors. Um it does appear that even with the budget as proposed that there is still going to be a surplus. I understand you want to keep enough money in the revenues in case something you know unexpected happens but the money was already there and now the state has passed twice as much as what we had anticipated. Uh in the scheme of things it seems like keeping these positions seem to be a drop in the bucket. I don't mind paying taxes in the city, but it just seems that there's no need to school counselors, especially when it appears to be increasing uh hires of administrators. Thank you by private

029investigators. [Music] Thank you. I was going to speak about the investigation, but I think uh the uh Rich handled exactly what I was going to say. So, um I wanted to speak as the president of district parent coordinating council tonight for my first half of my speech. Uh today, um the parent congress sent a letter to all board members. Um just giving an outline of what we do and how we support um families and the district and our work. Um, we just ask if you have any questions on that email. Feel free to reach out to any one of the six parent groups um to talk about that. Our overall goal is like Rick said, share decision making and everything we do. I think we um we have a good framework set up. We've met

030with uh Ebony Bullock and all the unions and the parents and we have rewritten the documents are waiting to get that approved and said it's for approval. So, we're moving in the right direction. So, um I now want to speak as a parent. The budget I have concerns that we took over $200,000 out of athletics or modified sports and I'm concerned that our athletic director is moving sports in the in the wrong direction. It's um making it narrowly he's putting it in buildings instead of spreading it out. The identity of sports is being taken away from high schools. We had um seven or eight girls soccer teams last year and we only have one varsity team this year. We're losing our school identity because the athletic director no longer has athletic committee. We had a

031committee for years and we met and we all agreed as a committee to do things. $80 million. Um I would say this problem started three or four years ago. We should have been looking at merging or closing buildings a long time ago and maybe this will be down. My worry as a parent is that we're going to be $40 million in the whole next year still and then we'll still be 20. We're going to we're throwing away good money. The money the $80 million could be spent so much better than it's being spent at all. Um then I have a personal thing. Um I would like the district to answer why two private investigators showed up at my house and knocked on my door to investigate me. because um of what I said on a

032radio show. So, uh they said they were hired by the district and they came to my house from the Buffalo public schools. So, I would like somebody to give me a call in the next seven days to explain why no one everybody in this building almost has my phone number. Like, you could have just called and I would have came in. I have nothing to hide. I leaked that document because someone gave it to me. What is the district going to do when I leak more documents in the future? They can send more investigators to my house. Thank you. Miss Carrie Anne Ricetta who's a parent who will be speaking about safety within school buildings. Miss Carrie Anne Rapetta. Okay. [Music] Miss Samantha, how'd I do? Good. Hello, my name is Samantha Escanto. I'm a

033teacher at school 31. I'm here today to talk about an event that occurred at school 31 with Harriet Russ on April 25th. That day, acting principal Kim Nixon Williams called all junior high students and staff down to the auditorium for an impromptu assembly. After a few introductory words, acting principal Kim Dixon Williams called five student council members of the stage for not to mention names. Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. Um, we're continue. Once the students were standing in front of all the their peers, the principal explained that the paperwork required for the school dance had not been completed by the student senate and wouldn't be happening. She asserted that those students right up front needed to be held accountable for the situation. Many of those students appeared visibly upset and embarrassed by this display of public

034shaming. It was around this point that the teachers were stunned that this was happening. How could a school leader publicly shame five junior high students regardless for what they had done? How could anyone wanting to be conscientious about the social and emotional well-being of our students think this was an acceptable course of action? Two different staff members tried to mend the situation. First, a teacher kindly walked to the stage and asked if those students could take their seats, to which the acting principal clearly stated no into the microphone. Later, a staff member stopped and spoke up about the fact that this should have been a private discussion with students involved. During this exchange, the principal attempted to interrupt the staff member multiple times, which culminated in an inappropriate confrontation in front of all junior high.

035Two student council members left the auditorium in tears while others remained visibly distressed. I have worked at Harry Ross Tubman for 5 years and been a part of this district for seven. I have never witnessed such an egregious display. The treatment of our students should be top priority and so far that has not been the case here. Members of the board have been made aware of this incident and as of yet no action has been taken to write these wrongs. It has not been a secret that school 31 has struggled under our current administration. I could say a lot about the culture and climate of our school this past year. I could reference the recent school climate survey from the BTF that showed significant distrust of the current leadership. But none of that is why

036I'm here. I'm here to address this incident because I believe that this single event speaks volumes and is enough to warrant immediate action. This is about the children. As a teacher, I can handle a lot. But what I will not accept is the mistreatment of our students. Thank [Music] you. So next, subteer regarding a new contract compensation. Is she here? Oh, she's coming. Madam President, just consistent with our past practice, we are going to allow one sign while speaker. All right, Miss Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity of uh speaking to you tonight. My name is Elaine Barell, a substitute teacher uh Buffalo public schools for the last 12 years and building soft for the last three years and for many years also I've been a educator in various other schools in the United

037States and abroad. I value my work with the students and staff of Balta public schools. As a building south PDM, I work every day. This is now my main employment and livelihood. But as opposed to a regular full-time teacher, I as well as other substitute teachers do not receive a full-time wage or benefits such as sick pay, sick pay, snow days, or holidays. For these, we are going without pay. Especially pressing is when a substitute teacher is placed in a position to replace a classroom teacher for over several months and even up to a year. In this position, a substitute is often given the responsibility of a full-time teacher with such duties as doing lesson plans, calculating and submitting grades and reports. and still only be compensated and paid as a substitute teacher. No compensation

038for the extra workload. Well, unfortunately, more often than not, a substitute would be put in this position. Also, as I mentioned before, a substitute becomes ill will for the day's miss. So, I myself have been sick. I've gone in and uh the next day after trying to recover, still having not fully recovered, I went in because I needed the money. Well, I was not compensated for the day was off. I knew I wouldn't be compensated for the day that I tried to recover. I went half and then still put in a full day work. So, uh, another responsibility that a substitute might have to carry is to enter a classroom of special ed students where the special and and work as a special ed teacher or a a special ed a need for substitute or

039the need for special ed classes and students have risen. In the Bubble Public Schools, there are not enough teachers, aids, or resources, and a substitute is often put in these compromising and risky, often risky situations. Although I'm fortunate, I'm very fortunate to work with an administrative staff that is supportive and supports me. We're getting close to your time. Okay. So, they do support me, which is great. For all of this, I am willing to work where I am placed, but with proper compensation. Substitutes are essential and should be paid accordingly for their pay and benefits. Thank you. And this nut, I must say, substitute teachers. We work together at Georgetown after school program. Thank you so much. Thank you. [Applause] Next we have Mr. Benjamin Daddy who is a parent regarding preserving Montasauri education. Good

040evening and thank you for your time tonight. My name is Benjamin Penny. I have a child currently attending Bennett Park Monastery School with another child beginning in the fall. We reside in Buffalo's central district represented by the honorable Paul Woods. Buffalo public schools utilizes a parent choice system and those of us speaking on this particular matter tonight firmly believe that having a public monastery option available as one of those choices is a benefit to Buffalo public schools as well as the families and children served by BDS. A metaanalysis by Campbell by the by the Campbell Collaboration published in 2023 evaluated data from 32 qualifying studies through the year 2020 that compared academic and non-academic outcomes such as executive functioning skills between monatory programs and standard educational programs. The analysis found that monatory programs provided statistically

041significant improvement in both sets of outcomes with high quality evidence for academic improvement in particular. This positive impact was present with both private and crucially public monatory programs. The review design took into account demographic information provided by the studies to ensure representative data was provided. For my own family, the monastery model provides a great fit for the abilities and personalities of our children. The combination of structure, the classroom setting, expectations and responsibilities for students, and freedom, the philosophy of self-directed learning has helped our daughter rapidly develop her skills. As a pre-K student, she is currently reading at a first grade level. And Julie's teacher being monatory certified has access to first grade materials and is able to comfortably implement them in class, enabling her to continue advance. This experience thus far led to us choosing

042to remain at the school instead of seeking to pursue or tested to other options and to also send our son. We unfortunately now have concerns regarding whether our children will be able to continue to thrive and excel at the school. This spring we learned that fewer than onethird of teachers at Bennett Park are monatory certified and those that do have certification are weighted heavily towards the younger classrooms. We also learned that the school will not be providing an avenue for parents to ensure that their children will have a monastery certified teacher as they join or progress through the school. Bennett Park is currently a CSI school with low academic scores. But families that choose to stay at Bennett Park for his monastery education despite these struggles are more likely than not to have their children

043placed with a teacher that is not monatory certified. This does a disservice both to families and to teachers who are expected to run a multi-age classroom without the adequate education and support to do so. There are resources available to help schools and districts improve their monastery program implement implementation and provide guidance on needed changes and improvements and one such resource is the national center for monastery in the public center. We ask that the district to affirm in action its commitment to maintaining Bennett Park as a monastery school. We ask this for the benefit of families and students and for the benefit of the district and its outcomes. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] Amy Carl, library media specialist at school 84. Welcome Amy. Uh hello, my name is Amy Carl. I'm the lecture media specialist at

044PS84, the Healthcare Center for Children. Um I know many of you know that our students uh that we serve are mentally disabled um and also have medical needs. Um, we have several of the bus kits from the elementary levels as I know some of the middle and high school level kits would be beyond our students abilities. Um, and we do use these kits and enjoy them though we use them much differently than our other buildings. Um, during our summer program a couple of years ago, our unique learning theme was ocean. Uh, so we used the 3D printer to make stencils of fish and then our students use a 3D doodler pen to trace or color in the fish. um which supported their rehabilitation needs and meeting their academic expectations. During the fall, we created a

045Mr. Potato Head type of activity based on a book, Creepy Carrots, and students were able to make choices on what types of eyes and mouths they could press into their creepy carrot. Uh we have also used a 3D printer to design and use adaptive equipment that allows our students to be more uh independent. One example being a finger support that a student will wear to use their speech device without needing another adult to help them. Um, this is just that example. Velcros onto their hand like there and now they have the support of their finger that they can press and touch uh on their iPad to speak without needing a teacher to help move their hand around and press. Um uh another example is we can 3D print pictures of our students who are with

046limited vision and they're able to feel their face and get a you know a kind of idea of themselves. We also regularly use the elementary drone kit. Uh it's very popular. I have students asking me to fly it around all the time no matter what. Um, while we're not really getting into aerodynamics, uh, we do use the drone for more practical reasons. With our visually impaired students, we fly the drone around them to help them with attending to sound, uh, and tracking. So, do they recognize where the sound is coming from? Uh, we use a drone as an example of weather and to feel the wind and they feel the cool air. Um, that gives them that sensory input. Um, and it can lead us to questions related to their activities of daily li living.

047You know, what should you wear outside when it's cold out or if you if it's breezy? Should you be outside for very long? Those types of uh questions. Um, we're still we have yet to receive the new animation AI and cyber security kits. Um, but I'm already adapting the program for our needs. The animation kits will involve sensory input with the play-doh and the robots. The AI and security kits will have our students making choices on what to build, controlling an object, pattern recognition and creation, as well as many opportunities to learn with cause and effect scenarios. Um, though we do not always use these kits as intended, they still provide us with so much that we can do with our students to support them in their needs. The range of use that the WAD

048kits provide is not easily found. Please wrap it up. Yep. and we are grateful to be included in the program, adapting it as we see fit to meet the needs of our district's most involved students. Kudos to you. Kudos to you kids. Next, we will have Miss Lisa Delanti who is a parent regarding Bennett Park Montasauri. Good evening. My name is Lisa Delonte and I'm a central district resident and a parent of two Bennett Park Monastery students. I also serve as a co-president of the Monasuri Community Association. The mission of the MCA is to help create the conditions for a high performing Monatory School, ensuring the commitment to the philosophy and practices the school was founded upon back in the late 1970s. The benefits of the monastery education are well researched and the district should

049be proud that it has for close to 50 years provided parents the opportunity to give their children this unique educational experience within the public school system where many children including myself have thrived in the monastery classroom. However, the current realities of the school and the fragility of its monastery implementation are increasingly are becoming increasingly hard to ignore. The percentage of Monasuri certified teachers is now well below half and will continue to decline as our veteran teachers approach retirement. Our classrooms are decreasingly supported by teachers assistants or aids who are critical to the daily management of a monastery mixed age classroom. The schoolwide culture and practices are no longer firmly living in Monasuri. This results in a hybrid or partial implementation of the method which one might say is no method at all and it's having

050significant consequences for our children. The outcomes of the school have been on the decline. Due to no shortage of effort, the school continues to be designated designated a CSI school due to its poor outcomes or academic outcomes. Despite increasing demand and increas increasing um interest in monatory education throughout the nation and local area, the school is experiencing low and declining retention and enrollment. We can't deny the correlation between the erosion of the school's implementation of Monasuri and the declining outcomes of the school. The parents of the MCA firmly believe that that the district's commitment to the school's monastery foundation is the only way to achieve sustainable improvement within the school. Our admin team and associate superintendent Karen Murray have heard our concerns and have taken action to begin rebuild to begin to rebuild confidence amongst

051our parents that the school and district will meet its commitment to provide a monastery education through 8th grade. However, the work to rebuild will require focus and attention across all areas of district administration, which is why I'm here today. On behalf of the Monasuri committed parents of BPMC, we ask for support in the following requests. With the understanding that the district lacks any official with authority on monatory education, we request the district hire an external consultant that specializes in implementation in Monasur and public schools such as the national center for public uh for monastery in the public sector to review the current state of the school of monastery implementation and propose a plan to improve it. We request increased transparency to current and prospective families from the district about the current state of monastery implementation

052within the school so that both current and prospective families can make school decisions based on accurate information until there is clear and consistent application of Monasuri throughout all classrooms with Monasuri certified teacher. We request that administration honor our request uh for parent from parents to place their children in monator. And lastly, we request clear accountability for implementation of a monastery improvement plan by a named district leader with regular communication to families on the status of the progress. Thank you. [Applause] Parent preserving monatory programs. I apologize if I messed up the pronunciation. You said it right and no one ever does. I'm so um my name is Mary Badani. My family and I live in the West School Board District and we are represented here by board member Makoszi. My oldest child, Beatatric started at Ben

053Park Monastery Center in 2022 as a three-year-old. My family was elated. We used the model at home and felt so lucky to have a public monastery option. Beatatrix has severe sensory processing disorder and is moderately delayed in fine motor skills. Her disability is a major reason why monatory education is so important. Monatory classrooms provide multi-layered sensory opportunities for children where they can develop a strong ability to understand the environment around them. The independence, freedom of movement and choice, encouragement of intrinsic motivation, reliable routine and classroom order that certified teachers provide. When Beatric started in September 2022, she was placed in a non-monatory classroom. I didn't even know this was a possibility at a monastery magnet school. I was assured the philosophy and tenants of Monasuri would emerge with traditional early childhood education. This however was

054not the case and it became very clear throughout the year that Beatatrix was in a purely traditional classroom housed within our Monasuri magnet school. Beatatrix really struggled to understand social dynamics in a multi-age classroom that was not upholding the principles of monosuri which make the multi-age classroom work. I received many complaints from her teacher that she wouldn't follow directions and was displaying problematic behavior like hitting, shouting, and not listening. Then the problematic behavior turned into her fully withdrawing from any classroom activities. She came home with pages of photocopied work every day the extent of what three-year-olds were doing in her class. At the end of her first year, I requested her placement with a monastery certified teacher. Something we thought was a given when we enrolled her in at school. For the past two years,

055I have watched my child thrive both academically and socially with her monastery certified teacher. As a kindergartener, she is now a classroom leader, a role which gives her pride and confidence. I desperately want my child's monastery education to continue. She is learning to read with sounds, do basic math with beads, and participate in a respectful community through these fundamentals. Next year she will be in first grade will where she will need to use these building blocks as she advances. Different from the building blocks children in traditional classrooms are taught. Her sister Isidora will be starting at BPMC in the fall. I felt so secure sending her there despite our difficult start with feed because I knew my classroom request would be honored as they always have so that my children would get the education they

056need to thrive. However, after our school after school placements were assigned and without time to find other BPS options, we were told that classroom requests would no longer be honored without exception. I have two children being placed into new classrooms at BPMC next year. Will they be with Monatory certified teachers? Chances are no, since less than a third of our educators at the school are certified. I am incredibly fearful of the setbacks my kids will experience without the education I selected for them when I chose this school. A public monastery school is a boon to the city. To see it degree is disheartening. To watch my children suffer without speaking out is [Applause] unacceptable. This Chris Salamone, vice president of the substitute substitute teachers union regarding the self-eing contract. Good evening. Good evening. A few

057weeks ago, I addressed this board and informed you that our substitute teachers, although required to have a bachelor's degree, start out at just $17 an hour. After four years, or if they're certified or retired, then they can work themselves up to $22 an hour. This is almost half of the average of the hourly rate that a bachelor's in Buffalo earns. They earn at least $40 an hour. That's starting at the lowest. I asked you to consider giving the substitutes a living wage suitable for someone with our education. A few benefits like pay for snow days if schools were closed when someone was already scheduled to work. professional development or training to appropriately deal with special education or difficult children and maybe some extra pay when a sub is filling in for a full-time teacher on

058an extended sick leave. So, imagine my surprise when I looked at the proposed 2526 school budget and I saw that $1.5 million has been cut from the substitute budget. How will substitute teachers get what they deserve when so much is being taken away from them? And as I read through the budget, I was alarmed to see that although cuts are being made to the lowest paid employees, there was 29% increase in the hiring of the top paid exempt employees. In the past two years alone, our number of top paid employees rose from 45 to 58. We have supervisor supervising supervisors. There's a million of them. All making top dollar while our subs are praying they don't lose a day's pay if it snows. [Music] The summer school budget was increased. There's fewer schools having summer

059school. Most are only four days this year, but the teachers and aids are receiving almost double their normal salaries to teach summer school. But not the substitutes. The substitutes are not paid anything extra, just their regular $17 an hour. And they're working those full-time days just like the other ones. A couple of weeks ago, the district had a half day of school followed by two superintendence days. Those two and a half days were used to provide professional development for everyone except the substitutes. despite the fact that we have we won in our last contract um the right to professional development. Um at the last minute though, some of those schools offered the half day and the two full days to their building subs, their full-time subs. The rest of the subs, like myself, we weren't

060offered anything. So, we lost two and a half days pay. Now, as you know, I'm a retired teacher. I have good benefits. So, I don't work as a sub to make a living like probably 75% of our subs do. 75% of our subs are full-time employees without benefits working for minimum wage. They come every day. So, I'm asking you tonight to vote down this budget, fix it so that the money is being utilized for our top to get rid of our top heavy administration. take that money, disperse it among our students, the programs that are necessary to improve our schools, and the lowest paid employees who show up even when they're not paid what they deserve. Thank [Applause] you. Bilingual education Good evening, Superintendent Williams and board members. My name is Linda Maas and I'm

061a teacher at school 33, a dual language bilingual Spanish teacher. This is now the third time I stand before him to advocate for something that should already be in place. a strong researchbased Spanish literacy curriculum for our K to2 students in bilingual programs. Right now, we're using pieces from an outdated English curriculum, one that was already deemed ineffective for ELA. We're making do with scraps, and our children deserve so much more. Since my first time speaking, nothing has changed aside from a formality of a conversation. Recently, there was a posting about curriculum committees that will work with the division of multilingual education to develop frameworks and content for Spanish home language arts. But we cannot wait for a committee a committee's process that may take months or even years. Our kids need it now. We

062need to educate. They need their education now. Our students are learning right now. They cannot press pause on their literacy development and and wait for the committee to make their decisions. We need an RFP issued immediately to secure a high quality Spanish literacy program. We need leaders with deep knowledge of bilingual education and pedagogy. Leaders who advocate and understand that early literacy in a child's home language is not a luxury. It's a foundational Our bilingual students have been waiting long enough. We're not asking favors. We are demanding the equitable resources they are entitled to. We are asking for the immediate implementation of Spanish RTI for all students in all bilingual schools. Not next year, not once a committee is formed. We need a response today. Our children can't wait and neither will we. I have

063a favorite quote from Gabrielle. The future of good children is always today. Tomorrow shall be too late. Thank you, [Applause] Mr. Joseph Fenny, a teacher regarding bilingual education. Good evening, Dr. William Knight, board members and attendees of the meeting. First, I would like to thank the superintendent and the board for listening to the concerns of myself and my colleagues and the community members expressed this evening. I'm asking for the immediate implementation of Spanish RTI for all students in bilingual schools and for a response to this request today. I have returned to speak in front of the board again as a follow-up to my request from last month's meeting where I asked for the implement implementation of Spanish RTI in our bilingual schools. This time I ask what is the district's response? Since last month's meeting,

064we have received no correspondence regarding the future of Spanish RTI or bilingual education. Spanish RTI is still not taking place in our schools and we have not been informed of a possible plan for when it may start or what programming or guidance will follow to support the continued growth of our Spanish speaking and bilingual students. So tonight I asked two questions. When will Spanish RTI be implemented in our bilingual schools? And what programs and supports will be provided to the teachers to facilitate the learning that will occur in the RTI classrooms? As summer approaches, teachers want to plan for the upcoming school year. I hope that prior to the end of this school year, we will be made aware what steps the district has taken or will take to ensure the availability of Spanish RTI

065and our bilingual schools for the start of the 2025 2026 school year at the latest. Finally, I want to highlight that many of our bilingual curriculums are either non-existent or merely translated copies of the English curriculums offered to all the students in Buffalo public schools. I have provided a copy of the sixth grade English language arts and Spanish language arts module lesson plan as an example of this. These module lesson plans are simply translated versions of the English language arts module and are only available for the first two units of module 1. There are six ELA modules total for sixth grade and each one has about three or four units in them. That means that over 75% of the modules aren't even available in Spanish. Further, sixth grade students are not reading books by Spanish-speaking

066authors or about people who look or speak like them. Our district prides itself on offering, supporting, and championing championing culturally and linguistically responsive initiatives. I urge the board and the district to think of this as they assess and reflect on the existing curriculums, programming, and education that is offered to our Latino, Afro Latino, Hispanic, and multilingual students. Our students deserve a curriculum that acknowledges and reflects their identity, background, and culture, and they deserve the very best version of it. I came here again tonight because I know that if we work together, we can provide a strong bilingual education in the Buffalo public schools. I look forward to hearing the district's updates surrounding Spanish RTI and the continued strengthening of our bilingual curriculums. Thank you. Speaker, Sierra Johnson, Student Leadership Network, regarding Student Leadership Network. Good

067evening, Superintendent Williams Knight, Dr. Brown, board members, and attendees. I am Sierra Johnson, director of college counseling at Mass Science Technology High School, and I'm proud to represent student leadership network work in Buffalo public schools. Student Leadership Network isn't an outside organization. We are Buffalo. Our team of 10 directors of college counseling work directly in your schools every day. We've hired locally, invested locally, and most importantly, we're seeing Buffalo students succeed at unprecedented levels. Let me be clear, we don't replace counselors. We extend their incredible work. DPS counselors manage case loads of over 400 students, handling everything from crisis intervention to scheduling. Our DCC's focus specifically on college access for smaller cohorts, working hand in hand with school counselors to ensure no student fall through the cracks. At MST, I work directly I work directly

068with our counselors, our school counselors to identify students who need intensive college planning support. Together, we've created a system where every senior has a personalized post-secary plan. Through our collaborative approach, our students are making great progress. This year alone, across our seven schools, the class of 2025 submitted over 2,000 post-secary applications. That number reflects not just college, but a variety of workforce development opportunities. We are dedicated to ensuring our students can afford their postsecary plans. Across the district, we have helped improve FASA completion, college attainment network, FASA tracker. As of May 16th, all Buffalo schools combined have seen a 40% increase over last year, and student leadership supported schools have seen a 73% increase in FASA completions. We are proud of our partnership with Say Yes Buffalo and are pleased to report that as of

069May 22nd, working tightly with Say Yes, 64% of eligible students have submitted her say yes applications. It is a privilege to serve the district in unlocking opportunities for our students like Destiny from East High who became the first in her family to attend college. Marcus from McKinley who is now enrolled in engineering at University of Buffalo. and one of my very own MST student board members, Rahan Rashid, who has enrolled at Vaughn College School of Aeronautics and [Applause] Von College School of Aeronautics and Techn and Technology majoring in aviation maintenance. Go ahead. Buffalo students deserve every opportunity to succeed. When we invest in our programs that work, programs that complement existing supports, and deliver measurable results, we invest in Buffalo's future. Thank you for your continued support of student leadership network. Together, we're not just

070changing individual lives, we're transforming Buffalo's collegegoing culture. Thank you. [Applause] Cheryl Banko, a teacher regarding the Wazed curriculum. Good evening members of the board, superintendent um and community members. I'm Cheryl Banko. I am a proud technology teacher um at school 45 and I teach seventh and eighth grade and um I have one of my students Gladiana here and she's going to talk a little bit when I'm finished and she is one of my students at school 45 um and I am here to share how integrating the wasv curriculum into our classrooms has made a real difference in students learning and their excitement about learning. This year, I've had the privilege to guide students through hands-on experiences in 3D printing, cyber security. They've built their own little computers and coding with Spiro robots that are really,

071really cool and really fun. Um, these aren't just tech buzzwords. They're real skills that empower students to think creatively, solve problems, and understand the digital world we're going up in. And I've seen students who struggle at tra traditional academic settings suddenly light up when they're programming a Spiro to navigate a maze they've designed themselves. I've watched quiet students become confident collaborators as they tackle cyber security challenges and teams. I've seen the pride on students face when they hold a physical object they designed and printed on a 3D printer from scratch. This curriculum doesn't just teach technical skills. It builds resilience, critical thinking, and confidence. It prepares our students for the future, whether they pursue tech careers or any path requires problem solving and adaptability. And I urge the board to continue supporting STEM initiatives like

072this. Um the return on investment is clear when you see the students engaged, curious, and empowered. Let's keep giving the students these tools and opportunities they need to succeed in the world they're inheriting. Thank you so much. And student like let's say a few words here. Hi, my name is Leon. I'm a student at 345. I'm in eighth grade and um before I came to eighth grade there wasn't like we didn't do all the things we didn't did in 8th grade. We didn't do we didn't do 3D printing. We didn't do what's that what like we didn't do all of that and it's way more fun to do that than just sit around like I did in seventh grade. Absolutely nothing. teach all the truth. Thanks to WhatsApp, um, we get to do more fun

073things and everything. We get to do 3D printing and we don't have to worry about any budgets or nothing. We could just do whatever we want. Robot robot cars and spears, stuff like that. Awesome. All right. Good job. Awesome. [Applause] Get something to eat. Thank you both. Next we have an advoc civic engagement project. Good evening board. My name is Vas Ahern. I'm not only senior at South Park High School, but I'm their validictorian. [Applause] Fantastic. I am the first in my school to attempt earning my seal of civic readiness. So, thank you board for uh allowing our district to go for that. Um it's in been implemented for two years. Um earning this seal, I've done a capstone project on why and how geography could be a required subject for high schoolers. First, I

074made a multiple choice multiple choice test based on elementary and middle school geography questions to prove that students don't know geography already. These are questions like please highlight the United States of America on a world map which only 64.6% of students could answer correctly. Another question was what's the capital of Canada which is even closer than our own state capital and only 25.4% of students could answer this correctly. I tested 377 students across all four grade levels in high school and less than a hundred of them could tell me what the capital of Canada is. I don't expect these students to memorize what the longest river in the world is or what the smallest country is, but they should know that north south is not a direction and also not the direction you go to

075get to downtown from our high school. It is the second part of my project was working on possible solutions and community implementation. I made a workshop for two 10th grade classes to go over local geography and their cardinal and intercardinal directions. I made an activity for them to identify shapes of local locations such as Erie County and Lake Ontario. Students felt like they learned something from this. Um, since Global 9 is no longer required to know for the global exam, I propose a curriculum reviews to teach students more geography or to put more of an emphasis on knowing where we are in the world. I also suggest that students uh I also suggest that teachers do a geography review in September for their students knowing the United States of America is not a is not

076the continent of Africa is a building block that should have been established prechool. The fact that over 5 to 10 teenagers across high school think that the continent of Africa is the United States shows that we're not doing this subject justice. Social studies has become less about the world and turned into classes on how to pass the New York State regent exams. This project has taught me a lot and made me even more passion passionate about education. During my workshop, I had at least two students tell me they just didn't want to do the activity. I came here to tell you about my project and my findings. Yes, geography needs to be taught more comprehensively to students. Yes, it needs to be made into a subject or be reviewed more. However, what will make the

077biggest change in my findings and for the future of our district is finding a way that gets students involved and want to be educated by our schools. How do we make learning more of a priority than drama or a phone? How do we engage our students? Our students should be our priority. I encourage the board when making decisions to look at student perspectives to help us feel more cared about. When students don't feel cared about, they don't have the motivation to engage with school. We all need to do so much better. Thank you. [Applause] Pam and Contro, a teacher who will be talking about instrumental cuts. I'm Pam and Contro. I'm a teacher at school 94. I teach two days instrumental and four days general music there. Um I'll just try to keep this because

078I've spoken here before. Um my first request is that you restore music to 94. That's my school 95 white you know talked at the last meeting and I believe R3 was looking at a string program cut and many others frankly. Um these are successful programs. They're not struggling. We have hundreds of students involved. We have weight lists. Students are excited to come to school every day to be in these programs. we know the benefits of music education. So, it's very sad to see that decisions were made to have these programs eliminated in building budgets because of other needs in the building. I do understand that. I want to thank the board members who are trying to keep up on what's going on with the budget who have addressed and talked about these music and instrumental

079cuts and trying to find ways to restore them. So, I appreciate your efforts and I hope we can continue to work on that. Right now, I can tell you I've been at West Turtle for 10 years. In that time I have had between 125 and 180 students every single year. I've gone from full-time to point8 to point6 down to 0 2. I'm concerned because music is the thing that seems to keep getting cut from all the schools. It is so integral to a school's identity, to the students involvement, to their education, to their brain development. There's so many reasons. Uh Dr. Williams, you came for your visit. You saw the students uh that greeted you on the steps. Those were just the section leaders from my school. Although the the eighth graders were student leaders

080of their sections and some of the best players, but they represent 10 times the amount of students you saw and they all love to play. Um, students need music and sports and art. It's it's the one thing that sometimes gets overlooked. It's been mentioned before by other people, but these are the things that get them out of bed in the morning to get them in the seats at school to make them want to be there and it just it addresses the whole child. My second thing I'm going to ask again in future that you consider moving music funding to board budget and not building based buildings are building principles have so many challenges right now with all the different programs and needs of their students music even if they don't want it to it gets

081dropped down. Um but we for equity for all students I think it should be board funded there's interest. It's sad that this school there's a choir. That school there isn't a choir. This school there's an orchestra. That school there's an orchestra in seventh grade. This school only third grade. Some have musicals, some don't. I'd love to see all our students have the same opportunities because they deserve that. Um, and in lie of that, um, one thing I'd also like you to consider is doing a pilot program. Buffalo, right now the students move as cohorts all the way through 8th grade. So they have general music every year in groups fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. All of the districts in the area, once students reach fifth or sixth grade, they choose between band, orchestra, chorus, or

082general music. If we did that, it would require creative scheduling, but it is possible. We have to look in creative ways to meet the needs we have right now. We could do that with limited impact to staffing because it would be utilizing the teachers who are teaching general music would then be able to do choir, orchestra, band, and we could address these needs and not cut these programs. Um, I'm going to end with X. I know we have lots of speakers. Thank you for your time and I do hope you can pursue these. Oh, one last thing I did forget. Transfer portal opens June 1st. That's next week. So, you have senior teachers with lots of experience who have to make a decision next week whether they're going to stay at the school that they

083love that they've been at for years or whether they have to move somewhere that has a program. So, I hope you can make these decisions soon and notify people. Thank you. [Applause] We have a newly attained doctoral Dr. Naomi Quinny. All right. Well, thank you for that introduction. I wasn't expecting that. Good evening. Um, I am here today to speak on behalf of Stanley Makowski World ID School and the impact of Wyatt program. Wisette brings real world STEM education to our classrooms and gives students the opportunities to participate in hands-on engaging activities. One of the standout benefits of WISE is how it integrates foundational skills like reading and math into project-based learning through building simple circuits coding and a with that are age appropriate with age appropriate tools or creating digital stories. Students aren't just

084learning technology. They are reading instructions, writing reflections, and applying math concepts in real time. For example, when a second grader programs a robot through a maze, they're not just developing computational thinking. They're also also measuring distance recognitions, recognizing patterns, and sequencing steps, which are key math and literacy skills. was that lessons also encourage vocabulary development through storytelling, helping students articulate their ideas clearly and confidently. In fourth grade, students are also connecting science concepts. Students are use research skills to find information on biomes such as as tundras. Once their research is complete, students will work together to recreate their biome using Tinkercad, our 3D software. Students utilize math and make precise measurements, critical thinking skills and create various items in their biome and communication and use communication skills to work as a team and voice their

085thoughts. Most importantly, the curriculum builds curiosity and confidence. Kids see how they see what they're learning in reading and math and how it connects to real work to real world, which boosts motivation and retention. Why that is the exciting part of our students week every day where they look forward to their lessons. Many students exclaim that they're just having fun while not realizing the impact that is it is having on their education. This program helps prepare our students for future jobs and provides them with the necessary skill set to engage in a meaningful career in wedd doesn't just teach tech. It teaches critical thinking and collaborations, skills that our students will carry with them far beyond the classroom. Our teachers see substantial benefits from the program each week and have also gained new skills themselves.

086Don't be alarmed if you come to Macausski and you see a drone flying above you. It is just the way that we learn and we work hard at Macausski. Thankfully at Macakowski we were blessed with a phenomenal integrated technology coach who provided in-depth training and support for our teachers which helped to disband the feeling of technology inadequacy inadequacies. Unfortunately due to the budget constraints we were unable to fund her position. It is our suggestion that we do not waste the millions of dollars that has already been invested in Wazed, but we invest in training the teachers across the district directly and provide resources to maintain the support of our ITC adowski. [Applause] Miss Cheryl Cooper, Substitute United of Buffalo, regarding promoting substitutes. Hello. Um, I believe and hopefully this is going to be very short

087and sweet. So, I thought I started off with something like, "Why were those someone came up to me the other day and said, "Why were those teachers eyes crossed?" And I said, "Because they couldn't control their pupils." That's a cute one. Hello, I'm Cheryl Cooper. I'm a member of Substitutes United Buffalo. I've been a teacher for many years. I've been in the private sector for many years. I've been a substitute teacher for many years. Thus, I've perceived life from many different angles. I know you know the best results in a working environment come from one working conscientiously. Mhm. Two speaking out when needed but listening as well and working together. I see every day how much effort substitutes give to their schools and students. how devoted they are. The executive board of subs work very

088hard behind the scenes to bring the fairness and equality to its members. Obviously, there are many issues. Some have been discussed tonight. There's fair, one important thing, fair and just pay for substitutes that is welld deserved. Is there something wrong with the fact that a substitute makes less than a first time employee at McDonald's? Wow. Also, subs have assignments. They choose an assignment. They turn down other assignments. At the last moment, their assignment is cancelled or postponed. They're never okay. They never are fully compensated at all. Numerous issues are out there and hopefully they're being. But please, please listen. We subs are not secondhand citizens, right? Or secondass citizens, right? Schools, teachers, parents, students need us just as we need them. Life is all about give and take. And if needed to make improvements, okay,

089compromise is not the enemy. Please, please listen to our needs. We are here for each and every one of you. Let's work together. There's an expression, a tree alone in the forest can struggle. A tree surrounded by other trees in the forest can flourish. We're here for you. Please be here for us. Thank you. Thank [Applause] you. Our next speaker is Katrina Martin advocate regarding school budget. [Music] Mike um kind of cut to the chase with this thing. Um I'm I'm really here I noticed that I seen from a board member on um social media versus um securing and or saving um social work and counseling positions. Um so number one what I noted first is that the teachers union received the longest um speech and got to actually speak first. Um there is absolutely

090no data or mention of the success of adding several social workers related to co 19. There is no qualitative data related to the experience of the students or their families. There is no consultation with parents or students on how these services can be delivered by places like um best self um the say yes program and the Erie County Department of Social Services. This is actually what I call a Trump move. You suggest eliminating an educational curriculum that hasn't been implemented long enough to see its impact to secure to secure jobs ahead of securing educational engagement and increasing student opportunity for their lifetime. But we suggest giving those that already have 80% of the equity, the support and consideration at the expense of students and educational curriculum that they deserve and need. How many contracts and

091opportunities have been given and exist for minority people? Over 80% of the most privileged already receive the bulk of the $1.5 billion dollar everyone is speaking of in pay, benefits, and pensions. You will never be a better expert at what we need for our children in our communities. Minority children need special consideration from people that look like them, understand them, and live their life experience. I hope you all take that into consideration when you go in to speak about this budget because that is what is actually happening now. This is an institution of children's education. This is not an employment institution. for master degrees and PhDs. Myself, as an educated person that works in a hospital, the priority is the patient and that's the only reason why I'm there. So, we don't close down floors.

092We don't close the cardiac program. We keep those programs going because we know that people need it and we ourselves figure out how to deliver those services. Thank you everyone. [Applause] Take that. Lewis Hawkins, parent regarding kids first. Good evening, superintendent. How are you doing today? Good evening. Board members, how are you as well? Community members, everyone here today, how are you as well? We're fine. My name is Willis. Everyone probably know me as Wookie. Um I'm a resident of uh the central district under the leadership of Miss Paul Woods, but today I speak on behalf of all students in Buffalo public schools. I have a niece who's um who's graduating from HUD with a 4.0 plus a scholarship to RIT. Okay. She uh will be majoring in computer science because of the STEM program

093that the district provides. She alerted me uh uh uh something about a post on Facebook about cutting funds from that program. All right. Now, you know, for more mental health counselors, why take from the children in undeserved and diverse communities for the focus really should be higher education? I truly believe that. And to my knowledge, DPS has partnered with Bestel to provide those behavioral counseling um you know, programs that they need. since co to my understanding that they've added 50 more positions right so you know the Buffalo board of ed really is just that an educational system is not a mental institution nor a employment method instead of hiring more psychologists how hiring more teachers give them support they need to educate the students I spoke with principles and you know they really recommend them

094because it gives the students a better chance to improve their quality of life now my niece she fears her younger brother uh will be deprived of this opportunity to have the access to gain a higher education. Although you know mental health counselors is certainly necessary and in a valuable endeavor, education is education. You just have to understand the audience. And lastly, education is key. Remember the kids come first. That should be the real reason why we are all in this room today. For academic achievement through education, not mental evaluation. Thank you for your time. Nice. [Applause] Our next speaker is Jessica V. Walker, parent regarding parentity. Good evening, uh, superintendent, board members, community members. Um, just wanted to note as a as a parent leader, I'm Jessica Bar Walker, uh, co-chair of the community health

095worker parent and student association. Also speaking on behalf of parent congress and our six board recognized parent groups. We we made this um issue raised this issue before. This room is very inaccessible for families and community. There are snacks out in the hall that we brought. Um, just noting for for access issues in the future. We would appreciate that consideration. Um, I wanted board members to recognize that we as parent congress sent a letter to you today outlining some of our issues. We appreciate that we've been able to work with superintendent uh Williams Knight and her cabinet over the past several years on a list of issues and we wanted to make sure that the board in this time of transition is aware of those issues of our parent groups and the assets that we

096bring to the district. Um, I know we're talking about the budget and resources tonight and I want to urge the board to consider relationship infrastructure in addition to technology infrastructure, in addition to mental health infrastructure. And it's not a one or the other thing, right? It's about putting holistic things in place. It's about us all working together and putting together teams and working with directly impacted people. The people who are closest to the problems are the closest to the solutions. Let's focus on equity. Let's talk more with parents and caregivers. um let's make sure that we invest in wellness supports. Technology infrastructure is great. We also need relationship infrastructure. So some of the issues that are raised in this letter and you can um look at the detail. It's not a very long letter. Um

097but we would like to have an opportunity to discuss this with you. Some of those um infrastructure pieces are are shared decision-m, right? So we're not getting to budget time and fighting for a bunch of different issues that we can say our children need all of these things. We have a district committee of stakeholders. We have school-based management teams. Let's make sure that we engage in robust shared decision- making so that we're not dealing with this just as a one time a year thing, but we're making hard decisions and we're using a a mentality of abundance. And if we all come to the table, we can find the resources we need for our children. School wellness, we need robust school wellness teams. Uh we need to make sure that parents and students and community partners

098are part of those wellness teams and helping to co-lead them. We need a food commissary. We've been asking for that for years. I'm hopeful that this will be coming to the board shortly and we can get this done. Um, so making sure that we prioritize that. We need solutions and not suspensions. We need to get this done. It's almost the 15-year anniversary of Julon Daniels being shot and killed when he was suspended for roaming the halls and when he was in Lafayette High School. We need to resolve this for once and for all. There are solutions. Let's shift from a primitive system to a restorative system. And lastly, please use us as parents as content experts. We have six parent groups that have expertise in public and community health, special education, multilingual education, violence prevention.

099We're on the ground with our kids. We're in schools. We're in communities. We have relationships. When we advocate, we're doing it for our children. We're not doing it against the district. We're here. We want the district to be successful. We fully believe in the mission of the district, putting children and families first to ensure high academic achievement for all. So, please review the letter. It's in your email if you haven't seen it already and we would love to engage with you as parent congress and help build a bridge between this board um the outgoing superintendent. Thank you for collaborating with us in terms superintendent cross and the incoming district leadership. Thank you so much and wonderful. [Applause] Final speaker Mr. Sherman W. Washington a concerned citizen regarding funding the needs of the students. Good evening,

100Superintendent Sherman Wy Washington. And I just want to address uh I have read an article uh in reference to the cutting uh programs for the minorities for my for minorities and those who are uh really not at an advantage to take advantage of uh funding for college and what have you or being solid academically. I myself am a product of the Buffalo school system myself. Um, I went through uh grammar school uh up to 10th grade and I left from the Buffalo public school to Connecticut. I moved to Connecticut um and attended a school a public school in New Haven, Connecticut. I happened to see the difference in when I left. Uh my background is I'm originally from the Perry Commodore projects. uh nine siblings, one parent household, uh father was in Connecticut, uh mother

101was here working two jobs, going back to college, and what I saw is and even with that, she managed to I could look up in the school in the in the U cafeteria and see her volunteering. um what I experienced and I'm I'm talking from a point of advantage now because I'm successful in what I do. I've had that opportunity, but I'm concerned that um with in lighting of bringing in more counselors, bringing in more psychologists. I I was one that was diagnosed as hyperactive. So I probably was one of the first back in 1960s, right? So, what I found is that there was three key things that happened to me in my early childhood here in Buffalo. And then I'm going to show you real quickly what happened when I moved to Connecticut. One

102is I couldn't understand uh the the algebra uh uh equation, right? But as the teacher was trying to articulate how this is coming about, she there was not a sensitivity to certain things in my makeup, right? And I'll get to it in a minute to explain why. Going to Connecticut, there was a connection because there were groups supporting all the work we were doing. They were supporting uh educating my father on being a better father. Do you know that my that my grace shifted from failure I was labeled as uh encourageable. All of that shifted in Connecticut. It was three important things that I found is the support network was there. I think when we counsel from crisis, we're not getting at the root of the problem. We're not even addressing fatherlessness. And and and

103I tell you, a student learns better when there's involvement even if it's not his own father. There were programs that kept me locked in until I was able to reconnect with my dad and from there uh the the the my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my mind my maturing or or the maturation process for me took off okay so what I'm saying is this when you vote you know let I tell you let your conscious uh not be your guide let your heart be your guide for these children that you're seeing now that these and I'll cut it right here they could either be like me and get the support that's needed and and get the uh uh needed funds to fund these

104programs. And once again, I I do believe in counsel. I believe in psychologist, but there were some key component things about my makeup that they missed. And you know who helped was teachers with a good attitude and a willingness to be patient. Uh parents who were willing to learn from the programs that were instituted to help them. and then the help that my father received to be a better father and to connect with his son. Thank you. [Applause] Okay. I'd like to thank all of the speakers who may still be here and again I assure you I've taken very very copious notes and either myself or one of my cabinet leads will be in touch with you within a week. um to discuss a little further how we can support what it is you spoke

105about tonight. Thank you. Thank Thank you. Next on our agenda, uh we have our student representative report. Rahan Ran to Rasheed. Rasheed. Go right ahead. Uh good evening everyone. Uh I hope you all are doing wonderful today. Uh it's kind of hard to believe, but it's actually my second to [Music] last and I wanted to take a moment to say how thankful I am for being a part of this journey with all of you guys. Uh being able to stay here represent students across Buffalo Public School and grow in this role has meant a lot to me. Uh now I want to talk a little bit about my recent trip to Albany. I and Julius Jackson from South Park High School had the opportunity to go as part of the big five urban school district

106joining students leader from Rochester, Syracuse, New York City, Yoners and other including Utica, Albany, Montan. Uh it was a powerful experience hearing from so many different students who all have similar stories to tell. Uh we had direct conversation with several key state leaders including commissioner uh Dr. Benny Rosa who is the New York State Education Department commissioner. We met with Assembly Member uh Crystal B. People strokes uh Senator Andrea Steward Cousins who is the Senate Majority Leader. uh the assembly member uh Williams Conor Conrad, uh Senator Patrick Ryan, who's actually running for mayor of Buffalo, um Senator April Baskin, and many more other legislator and senators that I could name go on and on and on. Um we spoke about couple of really important topic. We spoke on behalf of students across New York State,

107especially in our Buffalo public schools and we made sure they heard what we have been dealing with. We talked about mental health and how it's still one of the most underfunded area and how students are struggling without enough support or resources in their buildings. We asked for more fundings, more staff, more mental health professionals in school. We talked about transportation and how the 1.5 miles rule isn't fair for fair in cities like Buffalo where students walk through freezing cold weather, dangerous neighborhoods or routes without sidewalks just to get to class. We asked the state to revisit that rule and make it safer for our students. We brought up the foundation aid and how the formula being used is outdated and is not reflecting the real needs of urban districts like ours and that has to

108change. Uh we also address the rapid expansion of charter schools in areas that are already stretched thin. Uh we're not against school options, but when public schools are being left with fewer resources, that hurts all of us. Um then we also advocated for CT programs and the importance on hands-on learning for students. These programs are more than just a class. Uh they keep student motivated uh focused and excited about school. CT programs and programs like it such as WAZ help students figure out what they actually are into and give them a path for what they want to do after high school whether that's trade, a job or college or something else. Uh we also spoke about how a lot of students today uh today are losing motivation in school and how programs like these are

109reasons many of us keep showing up to school. Hello. Uh these gives purpose to what we are learning help us feel like we're working towards something act that actually matters. We made sure to thank our state leaders to continue to invest in CT, CTE and similar programs and we asked them to keep that support going strong so even more students can benefit. Lastly, we focus on English language learner especially in uh places like Buffalo where we serve a large number of immigrants refugee students. We asked for more support, more funding, and better resources to make sure these students can succeed just like anyone else. Uh this trip reminded me how powerful student voice really is. Uh when we come together, no matter what district we're from, and speak up with honesty and purpose, people do

110listen. Uh before I close, uh I just want to say thank you to Dr. William to the board and to every student advisor leader who helped to make all this possible. I am proud of what we have accomplished and I'll carry this experience with me forever. Um and I'll be back next month for my final meeting before graduation. Until then, thank you again for all the support. Uh and thanks for giving students a seat at this table. [Applause] So this is an example of a Buffalo public school graduate 2025. Thank you for that. So now we're looking at the superintendent update. Um there will be no presentation um in light of the length of uh the number of speakers you have had and uh but the uh monitor reports board members are in your packages

111for 3.1 uh three high school. Take your time and read that. It was updated by Annel. And then second one is interim goal 4.1 um high school the percentage cohort 2024 student who earn 5.5 credits by the end of their first year of high school will increase from 59.9% in June 2024 to 64% in June of 2025. So, take your time, look it over. Any questions? Uh, chief about a challenge there. Give her a call. Uh, with your questions, right? May we like I thought we were trying to do more time on progress monitoring during our in light of the length of speakers. I was we were detering that. Okay. You have a burning question? I do. Okay. I usually do. Okay. So, um I noticed in interim goal 4.1, the monitoring report, that there

112was an 8% decrease that we were hoping for. 74% was the goal and we're at 66%. So, I saw that some of the what we're going to do next steps seem to more focus on increasing participation um for example, attendance initiatives. So, I was wondering if um what we're doing to increase performance and if there's more of a clear strategy to ensure um that more students are making the mark. Sure. So, there are num every school has a different plan. We went over the data principal meeting. They also have been submitting their current status um for Q3 to um you'll notice that even though we didn't meet that interim goal, I believe we are above the final goal. Yes. Um so attendance is definitely an impact. I know that part of the um philosophy of

113the council is not using attendance as an excuse. Um so I won't but I do know that many schools have attendance initiatives to ensure that students are accessing the educational opportunities in the classroom. Um they're also exercising as many opportunities as possible for after school. So some do a little before school, some do a little after school. Um some of the groups mentioned tutoring initiatives. Um credit recovery types of opportunities as well. I know a lot of the schools have been u working with students to decrease which is the other goal. Um but it's part of all this work. Um they've been doing um meetings with families, bringing them in to help them understand the grade of course and where their students might be um stumbling and how they can work with the family to

114increase the students ages. Um they've had one-on-one meetings at many schools with the particular students who are not quite on track. Um so they've been having awareness initiatives, attendance initiatives and then definitely offering opportunities for students to work with teachers and additional time. Some schools have AIS built in. Just depends on the building. Any other questions? So if you have any other questions, contact um individually. Thank you. So now we're going to look at the exception list the meeting minutes. Okay. So, we have action on minutes from previous meetings of April 9th, April 28th, and May 14th. I have a motion to approve the minutes. I I apologize. I just noticed this when I was looking. Just if we can just amend one sentence. Which one? April 9th, our board meeting. It's Dr. Cresty's was

115there, but then under speakers, it says Dr. Williams responded to the speakers if we could just strike that. Okay, Lisa, I'll let her. Okay. Thanks. One sentence on 8th and 9th. Any other motion to approve the minutes? Second by Adriana. All in favor? I oppose. All right. Next, we have the consent agenda. Okay. The consent agenda. Um, a motion to uh accept the consent agenda. Plet Woods. Second. Larry Scott. Okay. So, the acceptance checklist, we all have a copy. All right. So, line 28 C. This is the Harvard Graduate School of Black Education Leadership. Okay. 16C, the Harvard Graduate School of Education Leadership Development for Principles. Oh, hi. Hi. Come to the podium. Um, Adriana, board member Adriana Zul has a comment or I guess it's a question or a question. Hi, I just um

116I don't know how like the cycle of the year goes. I just noticed that this is the third Harvard graduation or graduate school of education um trip or funding. I want to say yes. Sorry. Um do we ever like throw them all together or just as they come up or how many on average how many unique Harvard trips are there? It depends to your depends on what Harvard is offering and what really aligns with what we're doing in the district. So we have the urban leaders that they've gone to principles have gone to in this case they're doing leadership development. So principles that are interested um opt to go to Harvard it's specific whatever the training isn't really blind to their school what their initiives are they offer program and they go for the training.

117Thanks. So I believe recently Dr. Reynolds um team went for like community and parent engagement training. So they have different trainings that they offer. Okay. Okay. Um, I can follow this. I did speak to her. Okay, I'll follow up. You follow that one? Okay. So, what about uh 18 Lamar Advertising Billboards? I I guess I just still wasn't sure about the billboard. It's in the Q. Yeah, this is the way. Yes. Mhm. There's an answer there. Did you read? Yeah. Yeah. I I mean, did you get a chance to read it? Were you satisfied? If not, ask your question. Um I guess or comment. Okay. Yeah, comment. I guess I just am concerned that like it's like 80 here, 50 there. Like it all adds up and we are at such a deficit. So I

118was just looking where we could trim That's us. Okay. Thank you. 24A256 to protect the podium. There's a question or comment by uh board member Shuga and also Agent and I would like to have a comment as well too. Thank you. Go first. Oh, okay. You want me to go first? I was going to hang back on this one. Thank you, honor. is here. Go first. Okay. So, this is on a couple things. This is budget. Did we put any thought into offering incentives for retirees to try like this year because we had such an over or no, we over estimated. So, Perhaps it um so was there anything at the state level or the local level for Senate we will be working on the summer that was one question um I think is uh

119Mrs. Brown and and I think I I had conversation with um with you and uh Dr. Williams yesterday. There was something that I don't think people understand about the cuts of 14 guidance counselors in the social workers principles like were principles allowed to choose between a guidance counselor and a social worker or not? Do we know like the answer? Yes. The answer is yes. Right. So, so then is that because I will tell you that last year I was flooded with calls from principles and parents about guidance counselors and social workers. I didn't get a call. No one was calling me saying the guy I need a guy we you can't cut. I did to hear one thing about a a shining star guidance counselor. They're afraid to lose, but it's a new hire, but

120it isn't a position. So, that's what I'm struggling with because again, like this is going to be a close um a close vote and it's just and but I didn't under have this articulated yesterday maybe the the substitute [Music] um teacher who said that there or I don't know if it was a community member. Is it true we had a 29% increase in se central office this year from 45 to 58 position? Uh no no that's that's not accurate. It's not in this budget nor was it ever contemplated. And regarding the reduction in the substitute line in the budget um I think she quoted 1.2 million in every line of this budget. We cut $20 million in nonstaff expenditures and we also took certain lines that are chronically under spent like say we do our

121best calculations for subs and it's $10 million. Well, guess what? This year because of the size of the deficit, we've reduced it to more aligned with historical spend. We're only spend uh 8.8. That's the reduction. There's no reduction in the usage of subs and bodies of the subs and the pay of the subsidies. We had to take out our conservative budgeting and budget closer to cost this year. Okay. Um I I provided Adriana with with uh an answer to a question regarding that central office versus schoolbased budget comparing preSA right. to the superintendent's proposed 2526 budget. Schoolbased budget FTEEs are up 100. Guidance counselors are up 24. Uh SST team members, the psychologists and social workers are up 22. Um over that same time period, central office staff is also up 100, the same amount

122as the schoolbased budget, but 66 of that 100 are security guards. Nine are tradesmen, five work in food service. So when we say central office, I I think we're not perfect. The superintendent uh has charged me with we review every position in every department. Um is there always room for more cutting? Yes. But when you say central office, it's the essential services that support the schools and make this place run on a daily basis. Food, bus aid, security guards, processing payroll. So we know we're not perfect. We know we got to keep trimming there. Uh but there's inefficiencies remaining at both the schools and the central office and we'll get to them. So, but the super I'm sorry, one less that the superintendent has made progress in each of those areas these past three years

123then guided us through that horrible our best or loss of funding so that we're still up 100 at the schools and yes we're up 100 at the central offices 66 of those are right and so I think if if you see that and I think that's probably where I get the calls about if they say central office is up 100. People don't realize that those 66 guidance count or the not safety. Yeah. And my other question um was when we hired guidance counselor and we knew that we were oversaturating because were the kids the the needs of the kids during postco were those new hires told that they were funded through us or did they know that they did they think they were not going to be laid off? Everybody knew that it was a

124temporary assignment. That's why they're not layoffs. They're temporary assignments. Most of them went in temporary and not a probationary. So the people were were going to lay off our tent. They're not they're not laid off if they're in their assignment. So probationary staff get laid off. And that's why we don't do a Well, that's why go. Sure. That's why we try not to do what you call is that um uh where you interview and they want to make a a temporary teacher, a short-term teacher into pro so they stay temporary so that their assignment ends at this end of the school year. If there's another position for them, they'll go into another position. It may not be at the same school at the same location, but we try to find them another position in another

125year, you know. So these folks that we're talking about are people that were working on a temp that weren't guaranteed and I don't know if anybody I don't have my staff telling me that anybody is being laid off necessarily because there were some adbacks some people that were added up. My staff are not telling me that there's layoffs coming because they're temporary. Temporary is an end of assignment. Layoffs are different for two different and they were told. Yeah. And that's why sometimes people are like wanting to get interviewed so they can get out of that temporary status into a probationary status. Well, we put a halt on it when they have the school based budgets and it's reflecting that the school is not necessarily buying the additional then in a schoolbased budget ran by the

126principal and not the person committees the building committee. Can you c can can you repeat that that the principles made the decisions the schoolbased budget team which is the families the parents and the principles made these decisions on what they needed and what and they funded and this is what as a principal we understand this is what you want and when they don't when they when they're not happy with the outcome after the schoolbased budget They share that information with you. I know all of the cabinet members met with their board members individually to hear the concerns that their constituents in the principles in their areas had discussed. And I didn't have anyone say anything particular to me about it's not a I mean an infinite budget like a building couldn't say I want 10

127more social. Okay. So I mean they're within the constraints of what they can spend. Right. Right. There's a budget that's allocated. I don't speak that language. financial language, but it based on the number and staff. But wait a minute. Can you also clarify that the superintendent met with all of us board members and everybody who complained about I need that back. I want that back. We lobbied and she added 42 positions back into this budget in spite of we have a $78 million deficit. So she heard us. She heard the principles. She heard this parents. Yes. And she put this all this stuff back. That is true. So it started in the building with the building teams um prioritizing what was needed in their schools to help us to reach the goals that this board

128has put upon the superintendent for our students to reach. You know, in some schools, you know, perhaps the performing arts, they might have prioritized arts. For Hutchinson Central Technical High School, they may have prioritized JOTC. Whatever the schools prioritized, um, is exactly what we have given. And you know for every request that was made from the schools through their associates of school leadership it was honored. And after that we had a meeting with board members individually where you were able to come before us because I know sometimes principles may not want to share with uh their associates what it is they need. So they shared it with board members and every request that the board members came to myself and the finance team with was honored. Thank you. So very good questions. Thank you, Jim.

129You're welcome. Okay. So then we have Okay, Terry. Thank you. Uh Jen, yes. So I did not putting it out there before anybody else, but I did not meet with the district because my questions were being put, you know, to us through email, to us through the community, and I was watching and reading and seeing the answers that were given. Okay. As a board member, I appreciate all the work that we're doing. I do. But I think people forget how I got here. It was coming to this podium and saying the same things over and over and over again. And we've seen that multiple times and it's not a fault of anybody. There's no finger pointing. It is what it is. But when the perception is what it is, you have to try and go

130back to the drawing board and either communicate better and this is my reasoning for having an issue about what's going on here. You know, we talk about the difference between social workers and programs. That's not a thing. A guidance counselor is a position that is already overwhelmed and without the guidance counselors, my own children, a validictorian who is now a teacher would not be where she is. So I do not whether they were only in for a certain amount of time, the need is there. And this district has made sure that when we need, we have. So if we see this need and we know they're overwhelmed regardless if there's 22 or 35 or whatever that we have extra or that have been in place. We talk about 66 security guys. We need them. We

131have a safety issue. That's a thing. So I appreciate everything that's been happening. But I have an issue with how we're communicating. I have an issue with how we have so many people asking for we have a bilingual school that has issues with bilingual education. That's part of the budget. We have this. Let's talk about the WZ program. I appreciate it. My schools appreciate. But there are schools that are not even utilizing it. So why are we not putting those monies? And I've asked you this with the correct I came to you and asked put those into the buildings that are utilizing it. So we can maybe take some of that money and put it into other positions. I'm not really seeing I saw the cut. I know we you know we and I'm not

132sure and maybe it's my fault for not meeting is saying okay well those monies that we save when we cut from the program we're putting into the schools that are utilizing it. So I'm just hoping that's the case. If not and we're still hoping and praying that the schools that have not really taken advantage are using it. That's title one. So what you started out with is that you know we need it all. You know what I'm saying? It's not wise versus student support staff and that's all perception of what came to the table today. I just we got a certain finite amount of money. So we know we can't give it all. So we are up 24 counselors from where we were prior to CO. We're still up 24 counselors and WZED we did

133decrease in half because of the meeting that I had with both yourself and board member Scott. We decre I'm only using Wazette as an example because it was brought up. That's not the compar. It's not apples oranges. Wazette is a program. The guidance counselor is a position. Correct. Do you see what I'm saying? And when we're not communicating where we're saying and guidance counselors are inundating all of our inboxes with this is a need. This is a need. This is not a program. This is not an opportunity. This is a need because our students need this student leadership network. I looked into it more and talked to different to my parents and to my schools and saw where some schools really benefit from this. But I need something across the district because that creates this

134we're favoring this, we're not favoring that, we're favoring this and guidance counselors are a position. So, if we look as though we have, and I'm glad you put the numbers up there, 66 security guards, you know, because that's not what's communicated. If you didn't say that just now, it's not what's communicated. So, it looks like our central staff, you cut the travel, you cut the benefits, but there were no positions cut, yet we're cutting what our students need in order to get through the dayto-day, the third poverty city in this country. So, I'm just putting that out there that these are my concerns. And I'm not I'm not saying right, wrong, or otherwise, but folks have spoken through emails, through phone calls, through coming to the table, coming to this podium. The folks have spoken

135and I led hundreds of people here, how many years in a row to say the same thing. And that's how I got my seat. So, I have to put the community's concerns out there. I have to make that real and I have to do what I have to do. Understood. And I get So, if I can just say though, there's probably no one here that understands the role of counselors more than me. I I understand that. I'm not I'm not saying that. I value I value the work that they do, which is why, you know, we didn't just last year, you know, uh decrease by, you know, 62%. We're trying to chip away a little at a time. I understand that. But the communication piece around what happened here, central staff does not have cuts.

136We're cutting guidance counselors. That was not clear. Staff has cuts up in the cabinet. There's cuts. So that's not as clear to people. And that's what I'm asking for. I've been pretty clear. That's what I'm asking for. This is what the community has been putting out there. So I'm just putting that out there. Every email, every email that I got, I'm putting that out there. I think that you know even with this 44% of our schools have more she's talking that one counselor I hear her you know in high schools they have more than two 44% of our schools and 47% of our schools didn't have any cuts. So between the two, 91% of our schools, there only five schools that have less. And in those schools, for the most part, they added a social

137worker, you know, instead of the counselor. So the mental health piece, you know, it's still there. We're trying to be real thoughtful, um, very sensitive, very strategic on making any reductions because we know our children need I believe you. I believe that. I'm stating what I'm hearing. I'm not trying to push back. This is not a battle. I I And to be honest, this inner this exchange brought up points that community doesn't know. What you just explained is not spelled out. These are things that we need to hear. Do you see what I'm saying? So, this is I'm done now because I feel like it's it's gotten a little bit, you know, but I needed to make sure I have a right to, you know, and next slide. This floor is open. So, let's go

138with Terry, you can finish because I want to I want to wrap this up. Uh, so how many schools are saying that they're in desperate need? Is there any more on that list that say that they're in desperate need of a guidance counselor? None have come to me. And I mean, our schools know how to advocate. We did that with me. And you're not hearing it. I'm normally the first one to get cuddled in and fair. So, don't even try. And the school that did ask me, they got it. We got the one at 27 or 72. We got the Whoever asked for it received it. So, so there's an assumption here um Madame President and super and superintendent that the principles don't know what they're doing. The principles I had a conversation with four

139of them and they were real clear that the people who they removed out of their bis building they did it for several reasons. Okay. They felt that they could get better opportunity, better support by placing maybe a social worker here. They had people who were in positions who were not functioning as they should be. One told me that she's had a counselor that has that takes off every year. She only comes in, she works a month or so. She only comes back in the beginning of Janu uh June because of her contract. And every year she's out for the whole year because she has seniority. She can't replace her. So there's a lot of reasons why the principles picked who they picked. This, by the way, is an educational system. Okay? We forget that it

140is not an employment system. We forget that in the process. Okay? But I'm so grateful that the speakers were kind enough to point that out. What I wanted to talk about, if this if it's okay with you, madam chair, is about the wise ed because I think we need to be clear on record about wise ed and what's going on with wise ed because there tends to be a tendency because someone brings something to the table that they don't attack, they don't like it because of someone who may have brought it. But this is a program that's very successful when it's used. If I go out and buy a vacuum cleaner and don't turn it on or move it or turn it on and don't move it, guess what? I don't get any cleaning out

141of that vacuum cleaner. So, I want to share this with you and I'm I'm going on record and I'm putting this in as a permanent form of the record because when I come back next year this time, okay? Um if there's a situation where our children are being denied this access to this opportunity, we're going to have major problems in my community cuz I'm going to make sure of that. Okay, Dr. Williams, I need you to know that in 219 when I saw little suburban kids in Syracuse and the and and they were in first and second grade working with robots, I said, "Our kids can do that." I immediately went to uh Phil Rumor. I brought it to Phil, put it on the table, talked to him about it. Phil loved it. I went

142to Crystal Barton, late honorable Crystal Barton, uh Bowling Barton. She loved it. said, "This is a direction we should be moving our kids into because they're sick and tired of just sitting up in the classroom just looking at instruction. They need to have some excitement." See, our student board member shaking his head, he he he hasn't benefited from that. And so, when Dr. Williams came in and made it a goal. She made it a goal to develop a a a legitimate STEM program for the students in Buffalo. This was after I saw the jobs down in the medical corridor, not represented by diversity at all. You guys may remember I had a grand nephew who was suffering with a major illness and was spending time up in Children's Hospital. This year will be the final

143purchase of the initiative and will solidify Buffalo public schools as a wise ed pathway of distinction district. That means Casey Way pathway uh uh uh district. I have provided for the board members and will be happy to share what that means. I want to run it down because we need to understand what we're talking about here. Okay. Grade K robotics coding animation. Grade one, drones, cyber security, augmented AR. I'm going to say AR, VR, but it's augmented reality and virtual reality. Moving forward, grade two, engineering, artificial intelligence, mobile development. Grade three, robotics 2, coding 2, animation 2. Grade four, engineering 2, cyber security 2, AR/VR2. Grade five, drones, two artificial intelligence, two mobile development, two grade six, drones, three croing, three animations, three. Grade seven, engineering, three, cyber security, three, AR, VR, three. Grade eight,

144robotics, three, artificial intelligence, three, mobile development, three. Grade nine, students will have access to all level four pathways from 9 through 12. As a result of that, it will open up the doors for children to think about the possibility of future careers and form our new way that we're going to be handling our CTE programs. So, I also provided for the board a list of jobs because if you're not teaching STEM, what are you teaching is the question. Okay. What are you teaching? Let's talk about all these jobs that you do not need a degree that connect to STEM. artificial intelligence 134,76 per year. ARVR uh 113 coding 68,683 a year cyber security 117,000 plus digital animation 99,000 drones 131,000 engineering 3D printing 79,266 mobile app development 117,000 robotics 105,000 average STEM career 101,650 every

145STEM pathway taught in in this wise ed program has a negative unemployment rate. Meaning that all the things that we're showing our children are in high need today for them to be successful. There are jobs that are available. So what we when we talk about the money being spent in Buffalo public schools over the past four years, we have spent less than onethird of 1% over a 4-year period out of the billion dollar budgets that we have. This budget represents $182,967,262 15% for employee benefits. Retiree Health 69,992,568 5% total 20% of the budget between employment benefits and retiree health. Again, WASED over a 4-year period, not even 33 of 1%. Okay, we need to understand why we're here. This is not an employment agency. This is an agency to educate children. Okay. So, I want

146to be real clear because what I'm concerned about is is that you can discount opportunity for children, okay, by not providing them. I was amazed at what the woman said about the 84 uh school 84, how they've taken that and made sure that they can if you've never been in the school, go. They've done some great things with that. So, we currently are paying uh lower rates. We're still paying our 2020 uh rates for for YZED. Uh last year when we uh came short last uh last year, Wised came up with $280,000 to cover our seventh and eighth graders. Okay. We are one of the first companies or one of the few in Western New York, which includes now 27 districts in Western New York. So the suburban kids are getting the education. of why

147aren't the urban kids being given the same opportunity? Principles tell me that the behaviors in the school are are have improved as a result. Kids are coming to school on time excited about learning because they're not sitting there. One of them said they're even using it for to help the children who are gifted uh who are advanced in the classroom so that they're not bored when when when uh RT RTI time is done. Okay. So, um, Salameica School District is on record for saying that they doubled their Native American, uh, uh, graduation rate, and as a result of them selling this product, they have 200 additional students attendance. I was there in 2019 when they sold me. They showed you and they've advanced their program. They've gone to from steam um, from STEM to steam.

148Okay. in their automotive department. Randolph School said superintendent. We are graduating students who are heading into highpaying STEM career fields instead of the more traditional pathways. It gives our children opportunities that they never had available to them in the past. Angela McCathry, assistant uh superintendent of Lacawana City Schools. Okay. Retired. Okay. These resources have elevated our STEM curriculum by providing handson standard aligned experience that engage students at an entry level. The kits are turnkey, making it easy for teachers to use. Don't get it twisted. Okay. Most importantly, we see a measurable increase in student interest and confidence in STEM subjects. Okay. Next, Max Gun Gundy from our district. sums it up for us in real totality. At the seventh and eighth grade, we have integrated four wise kids leveling three engineering, robotics, coding, and cyber

149security into the technological education curriculum. The teachers and principles have committed to the kits in earnest the excuse me, the teachers and principles who have committed to the kits in earnest have changed students exposures to and interest in the STEM fields. I have observed students solving realworld challenges with 3D printers, demonstrate the power of coding versus human input through racing the many spiros. And we even have a student compete in a coding challenge at Sunni Eerie Tech Wars against students from all districts all over Western New York. Y'all do remember when we sent two experiments to space because somebody stepped out on that. Y'all do remember that, right? Additionally, a computer science teacher from HUD was impressed with the level of contents in the cyber security kit and remarked that some of the concepts being

150introduced at the eighth grade level I teach my seniors. If the teachers, principles, administrators, ASLs, okay, are committed and they have support. I put that part in there. They put support from the district. students interests and engagement engagements have been excellent through the use of wise edits. I brought up the uh uh trips to NASA our children did because that's where I was exposed under Western New York STEM about wise ed and that's the advantage that we've had. So what I'm trying to put here without the further ado tying you up they have moved into Ontario but I want in summary to say this the wise program is helping students in many school districts acquired the STEM skills they need to be successful. It is having a significant impact in schools where it is being

151implemented including Buffalo. If we want our students to take full advantage of the program then we need to find ways to make it accessible to them. That means the adults have to open up their minds, okay? They have to make it available. I am confident that was ed will help us accomplish this. They have offered as much support as we need and I think we need to start taking advantage of that. meaning that they have brought cost-saving ideas to our district numerous times to save millions, 10 million on one example, uh uh uh much more moving forward if we just take advantage of some of the opportunities that the other districts are taking advantage of by their affiliations. We have to change the way we educate our students and programs such as wise ed gives

152our students the best chance at success. It is time out for our children sitting in a classroom not doing exciting things and not being prepared for the jobs of the future. And this would be entered as a permanent form of the record because in the future there may be a not need for a class action lawsuit if our children are design are denied opportunity in lie of making sure that adults get employed. Thank you for that time madam chair. Yes. So I am not against Wazette. What I have an issue with as a fiduciary, one of nine, no one's done any better than anybody else at this table. This is a fantastic program that is not being utilized across the district. We are talking about eliminating not at all. NAZA is not being eliminated. That's

153case in point. That is not the argument here. The argument is for the principles and folks who take advantage. We have spent the dollars for it to be a districtwide program and we have schools that are not taking advantage. So, if we cut that funding, is the funding that's available being used to uplift the the students that are really using it, or are we looking to really promote it across the district the way it's supposed to be where we have it in every school? Mind you, I get uh I get the climate of the school. I get cuts, but that also shows how we resource our schools. This is something we spent money on to resource across the board and I voted for it because it was resourced across the board. But for whatever reason,

154we are not mandating to the point of all of the passion that came from board member Cotman that every student has this opportunity and they do because it's in all the schools, but there are there are schools not utilizing it. So as a fiduciary, how are we going to make sure that this program is because it's available. It's there. It's in every school, but only for the principles who take advantage. What are we doing as a district and a board to make sure every school takes advantage? Absolutely. Good question. The implement equity policy. We have an equity resolution. trying to get across what I bring up was the reason I came to see you is if I'm hearing and then I saw it for myself kits that are there if it's because we don't have

155the teachers and we don't have then the money should be utilized to make sure we have those people trained as folks have asked for but I'm not understanding and if I'm not understanding how am I communicating to people who are asking me these questions right so this there's nothing that was said that I disagree absolutely nothing. I went to I Prep with with uh board member Cotman years ago and we talked about this and we sat with those folks who brought things to space. It's my school. I remember this. I was excited about it. But when I started seeing that it was a program that was again the principal's autonomy instead and we're spending money for the entire district. So that is an issue for me. So, I don't want people to believe, especially from

156board member, you know, I hate being that third person, but board member Jim Makoszi from the West District isn't saying get rid of it. I'm saying how are we utilizing it if we've spent this money? I get we're going to be accredited. Awesome. But how real is that accreditation if only a few schools are using it? You I don't think it's okay. So, it's unfair. It's unfair for me to say that because I don't know of all So, I know we can do it. We can do it better. That we have a lot of money invested in something that can is it safe to say half of the schools are not taking advantage of? I don't know. I don't want to give you a number. Um the person that oversees the program can do, you

157know, a service. That's that's where that's where my concern is as a as a producer. Do we have the I believe she does. So that's something that can be shared with the board, you know, but you got to remember too, this was a huge initiative. This is not something that we rolled out, you know, and we progressively added grade levels. All of a sudden, at one time, we said all 60 schools, all 30,000 kids would have access to it. And so we had to rearrange schedules. Initially, when we looked at it, my thought was we would do it for after school. And then we talked about equity and making sure that all of our kids would have access to it. So the thought was that we would roll it out to everyone. But that's understood.

158And so it's it's a huge we need to reook at it. So you know is there to improve with the roll out? Absolutely. Because what we know is where it is happening. The students enjoy it. The teachers are learning from it. The kids are learning from it. The benefits we know the benefits. I just want the benefits extended and whatever money I want equity from the implementation. This will be your third and final year of purchasing any other stuff. out there use it to make it bigger and better and make it you're the superintendent and we're the board and I'm at least one of your board members is saying please make sure that those who have been mandated cuz I spoke to you all and you had said the the district is supposed to be

159using this for those who are not using it for whatever reason better be a good one because it's unfair to you to have to sit in this public meeting to deal with this the director like what like there there is is it a supervisor or a director or what is it's so we have support from the office of uh CAI for the high school piece uh we have support from the CTE department and then we have one person that is trying to implement it districtwide any policies or anything that we can see policies like do you know or are we is saying okay guys more helpful is data yeah I I think what would be no what I think would be healthy is is to take a look at how it's being implemented and it

160is time now as we approach our third year because while it has gone on record to say they will bring someone in to help the district make sure that it gets implemented okay no they've been offered that from day one the issue is do we get involved in union issues that somebody he's doing that person is doing somebody's job. What do we get involved in? Okay. They cost to come. Okay. They No, they were willing to pay for their own. They pay for the person to come in because they wanted to make sure that this district because it's very successful in North Pananda Lockport. Uh Lockport has created their own curriculum behind it. Okay. So, they're doing some great things schools either. So we got to really look at but at the end of the

161day there is a need to relook at the program how it's being implemented and fix it this summer so that it can be equitable. We passed a resolution of equity in 2020. We passed it. I think it was in May of 2020 that all when we roll something out all children would be allowed. When I sit here and hear the union president make that statement and I'm look before we rolled it out Phil Rumor approved it. I mean, he met with the people. He loved it. He said, "This is what our kids should be doing. We want to get them ready for the future. This is the only really a huge flagship that Buffalo has over other districts. We need to make sure that we keep a a this shining light moving in this district

162whether I'm on the board or not. And it does not deserve after pay not even 1% of the budget that has caused this level of happiness to these children even being questioned from the perspective that we should be thinking about taking resources from our kids. Maybe nobody maybe many of you did not sit in the public Buffalo public schools. I sat there. Okay. I went there for for for my education and I know what it's like to sit there in front of a teacher with a book and do reading it. Okay, this is an opportunity for our children. You you don't know what education is like in an urban district if you never sat in a classroom. It is not your suburban experience. It's not. And so for people to make uh judgment calls and

163opinions about trying to nick something uh without even thoroughly understanding the impact on it. Okay. How do how does 64 compete with Tapestry if they don't have Wise? Explain that. Okay. We got to keep our students in our buildings. Don't even get me going on this because it's the point of the matter. Okay. Thank you. Denying children access to future jobs is what it turns out to be. question. I have something not W. My question is I can't say it. No, my I I don't know if it's a question or a statement, but we're getting a new superintendent in the next we we hope in the next two months, three months. And when it comes to the budget, what I think what is the new person's flexibility in changing anything is there or asking us

164to amend things. So if we were to approve this budget and a new the new superintendent comes in and says, "I don't like the organizational chart. I want to change." How does that work? Uh very I think that'd be a legal question. I can answer it from us. It depends. It depends on what the changes are that they want to see. I mean that's okay. So like has an awful lot of power. So like when I can remember because I've been through about 45 superintendent in my lifetime and every time someone came they had a crew and they changed the names and things so they had their their ability but they come to us they have to go correct correct and that's like having staff in the organization and stuff like that that has a

165lot to do with the superintendent and the superintendent's influence than requesting it of the board. But could please clarify councelor that when we hire the superintendent, she has the control over appointing her cabinet. She holds those positions. She does the structure, the superintendent is given that power in her contract. Okay. So there is an opportunity for some change. if we were to vote for this that we're in a different kind of situation. Well, that's like the question that I asked last time. As we go along and we see some type of surplus, are we able to go back into the budget and add things in? And Jim said yes. He said that it would be done quarterly. Financial ability or not to do that is reported. How much money is superintendent and take away at

166that point? Mr. Mr. CFO, Mr. CFO and the boardend Mr. CFO, a budget is a plan. A budget is a statement of your priorities and a budget always can get amended to fit the plan. The superintendent can suggest it and the board as a legislative policy can pass resolutions with five people to amend it. That is my degree. My masters is in budget and public administration. I just I just want one other aspect of the environment we are operating under. Because of the superintendent's credibility with external organizations such as the control board, our external augers in the state, when she puts out budgets or when she puts out quarterly reports and projections, the actual results are always coming in very close or better. Those people are going to be taking a closer and closer look

167at Buffalo as their fund balance goes down. And any deviation from a solid record of credibility, meaning I really thought about this plan. Here it is. And all of a sudden in 3 months, you're changing it willy-nilly. You will invite greater introspection. I guarantee you. Yeah. I don't think we we would approve any willy-nilly budgets. Yeah, that was super attendance. The new super red flag if a new superintendent came and changed for people's who for people who believe in consistency, thoroughess of planning before you put it out. They don't like substantial change for no reason. You act like the superintendent don't have a little kitty of her own. Now, let's not forget that. I would think the new superintendent would come though and look at what is working and what is not and you know

168modify you know it's no different than when principals go to new school buildings or we hire a new principal. You know, you don't just go in and jump and change folks from teaching kindergarten to sixth grade. Some people do. Well, some people do. It doesn't often work well. Okay. So, 87 and then number one. Oh, by the way, your reference to the superintendent's contingency, it was better than a couple years ago when you called it my slush. I'm growing. I'm growing. Help me. Thank you for helping me out. Still a flesh. It's too It is. I I I didn't put my mouth. I didn't I didn't put it out. A couple just a couple hours ago, we got the Boseies breakdown from feedback. Um and the students said um some of the challenges of the

169district students said the mental health epidemic and a key theme was lack of mental health and behavior supports. So if wise ed was.33 uh of 1% if we're using those numbers then the whole SST in the budget is what 2 of 1% to use the same no No, no. If I said it was 4 million, what did you say? It's 430. No, no. The positions that are being cut, you said that yesterday. It was 2.5 million. No. Uh, my understanding request was was to add back 19. I think it was 11 guidance counselors and social workers that come. That's that's equivalent to about 2.5 million. Okay. um the slash. So I I can understand the whole like a superintendent coming in and kind of inheriting 11 months of a budget because I mean I I

170feel like sort of inherited this too. Like I watched last year when we talked about right sizing and a mindful budget, but we're still dipping I think it was 83 million into the resource last year. Okay. And then now like we are again. So I guess I just I have concerns. What are we going to do differently, you know, next year? You want to raise some people if you have to in prior. Do you mind if I give a little more detailed answer? I know one's getting tired. We need million deficit that you're hopefully going to vote on tonight. All right. Here's why this one is also thoughtful and mindful. This year was supposed to be a year where we closed the school and we're expecting 300 layoffs or 300 retirements. The retirements didn't happen.

171Blame it. I did a bad projection. So you could panic, right? Okay, they didn't retire. I'm going to lay off 300 people. Superintendent could have did that. or she takes the two-year approach. She sees that the current years we're going to save about $29 million. Our results are going to come in $29 million better than what we told to the control board in our external out and transfer that money to partially fund the $78.8 million deficit this year. It's right here on page five. And if you factor those two years results in, our projected ending fund balance comes in at at the end of next year at 290 million. It's a very small percentage less than what we told the control board and it still meets any measurement of financial uh solveny for a school

172district. So this plan makes sense. Um the other option would have been to just take and pocket those budgetary savings this year and lay off like 300 people. That was an option. It was discussed. Um that's how you maintain your financial solid. But you have alternately managed and we're financially healthy. We can consider alternatives. I do want to just sort of sum one thing up as you get prepared to vote. This was a bottom up budget. The principles, the schoolbased management teams, the departments enter their own budget request. It was also transparent and well communicated. Sometimes we speak a different language. I think I'm being clear, but maybe I'm leaving some out. transparency. We had monthly meetings where we identified these huge cost drivers that are impacted by the deficit. 10 million in transportation, 18

173million in benefits, 30 million in contractual increases to our 11 unions. Those are things you can't do much about. They just they hit all in one year. a $10 billion which could be $15 million increases charter tuitions not driven by enrollment increases driven by rate a change in the formula for the rate. Um so you get hit with all that um and that all happened one year. Now, how are we gonna even in the midst of all that? Some of the key factors I showed you how our fund balance stays healthy and almost on target. But secondly, they're all monitoring our FTE count because everybody knows we need the right side. This is the enrollment. This budget still cuts 12 FTEEs overall and 21 schools. What makes up that difference? We added 35 sped teachers.

174The majority of those that we stuck into um a department account because they hadn't been allocated to the schools yet. So we get hit by that trend factor as well. So to get a real good feel of how you arrived at 78.8 need and how you have uh your CFO, the control board, your external auditor saying it's a good budget under all those circumstances. Those are the factors that you have to consider and and I know they're hard to consider when you're not thinking about it every day. So if a line here or you dispute a line there or there, I understand that's your job. But we've been communicating these big trends for six months and you've been in meetings with us. Um the last minute uh questions and that we scramble to get you

175full and thorough answers and you'll see that every one of them is consistent with prior communication. So, I'll wrap it up this way without sounding threatened. The consequences of not voting and passing a budget. You you should be aware of those as well. There'll be no teacher transfers. Uh until one's passed, there'll be no purchase orders cut. Um, I'll I'll have to drive to the control board and the city of Buffalo tomorrow and tell them that we missed the due dates for our budgets. Um, there's a whole host of things. Summer school. I'm not cutting POS without an approved budget. I'm not going to put myself in that position. So, I'm waiting for the board. [Music] Thank you for the additional information. Um, I really appreciate that. Um, go ahead. Um, I just want to

176speak uh on the topic. Excuse me. Can we give him your attention? I just wanted to bring back the wet topic. Uh I know we talked about how we don't have a policy in place to mandate uh principles to actually put the program in place for the students and how it's just we're hoping that the principles are doing what they're asked to do. Uh I believe that it's unfair to leave it that way. We need to have a policy set in place where it's mandated for all principal with the consequence of not doing it. uh because it's unfair to students and it's unequitable because some school students are taking advantage of it because they want to and their principles are willing to give them the opportunity such as my principal Mrs. my wonderful principal but

177some schools are getting the opportunity and it's not fair that I get this opportunity and the other students don't get the opportunity due to the lack of their principles not willing to implement it although the board is actually giving the money and resources that's necessary for these programs to be running you guys if you like to sponsor I can help you sponsor you can do that we can come on now you haven't sponsored Everyone, let's get you to sponsor a resolution before you leave. How's that? You can do it. Just like you went to Albany, you can do it. Okay. Okay. Thank you for that. But I think we need to do it cuz we don't know how the next is going to be. We're hoping for somebody who's going to be better or even

178like our current superintendent who's wonderful. We will miss you, but I'll see you later. But we need to make sure we set some policies up. And I mean, yeah, we want to trust our principles, but not every principles are the same. Everyone wants to take their opportunities. We need to make sure these programs are set to place where it's equitable. And it's like all the other classes. A principal can't just say, "Oh, I don't want to teach English class in my school cuz I want to." That shouldn't be a thing. Just like that. Uh just because a principal don't want to. Doesn't mean students don't get the opportunity to. If they have a specific circumstance, they could bring that up to us as a board. We could decide. But I don't think it should be

179our question. I love them. Student student voice. Thank you, Rachel, for that. Now, this is from the model of the age. Yes, this is a student voice. Yes. Okay. Who was teaching kids how to fly, how to do drones and stuff. They learned and they started teaching little kids how to do it. Okay. Council member Scott. Thank you, President Evans Brown. So yeah, implementation is definitely a major issue because this whole list here is certainly not occurring districtwide, you know, in all of these grade levels. Um the the I hear repeatedly that boxes materials are stockpiling in buildings. Um and that sometimes in some I don't know if it's all building some buildings, it's being implemented a few times a year during RTI periods. Um, and I just want to remind everybody I do have

180kids in Buffalo public schools that have attended three different schools. Um, but I want to move on to something different in regards to the mental health staff. So, Dr. Williams Knight took the time to email me a breakdown of mental health staff kind of breakdown per school. And we aren't after seeing that we're not in a horrible place. But it prompted me to go through and look at each elementary school. High schools seem like they're not the ratio is not horrible from the ones that I looked at. But there's inequity when I looked at per school. Um, for example, we have some. So I took SST staff, added it to counselors, and then took the student population and divided by that total staff. And so for some schools we have as low as 9875 for

181mental health staff and then others were as high as 186 2011 186 177 and I kind of in my from my gauge flagged about 15 schools that I think are far different than some other schools that are lower and it seems to be like our larger schools are where we're the ratio is higher. Um it's districtwide. It's not in particular zones or areas. And my suggested consideration was, is there any way we could add back to some of these schools that have the higher ratios to make it more equitable so that there is increased access for those students in those schools to a mental health profession? Do you have the name of the school, Scott? The ones? No, he did share that. Um but again this was a bottom up you know the principles shared

182with their ASLs what they needed what they prioritized um if it didn't make it through at that time then they were able to do unbudgeted requests and say okay you know I still need this or I still need that in a thoughtful way. I did not hear from the schools that that was what was needed. And then another layer was that I met with the board members and principles were able to speak with board members about what they needed. And I didn't hear it there either. So I mean if we're talking about, you know, we've got a $78 million deficit. I don't know about adding back. If we add back, what are we taking out of those school, you know, of other schools? We're we're now talking about taking it away from some schools and

183putting it in other schools that didn't ask for it. And you know, um I would caution us from, you know, micromanaging to principles at that level and telling them, you know, what they need. I I'll just say that I'm hearing differently from not necessarily always principles but SPMTs, parents, teachers that they need more. Um we know that our population as higher need population. Um our student with disabilities rate is much higher. And so, yeah, maybe there isn't a formal request that's being made, but there's a lot of people that are certainly approaching me and I know other board members with this need. That's all for me. Yeah. I just also want to we have Sorry. I have been walking through the district with our new board uh board members who are running and the parents

184and all our surveys have said to them, to me, and in our our all of our hearing sessions, they want reading, writing, arithmetic. They want teachers. We just had speakers here. Three speakers spoke on bilingual education teachers. Six uh six speakers spoke on Monasuri my school. They want the Monasuri teachers. Four speakers spoke about why that and how important that we get the jobs of the future and train our children for the future. Then three speakers spoke about the substitute teachers making less than McDonald's. One person spoke on Whoa. What we need is more uh mental health staff. Now, I am your budget person, and when I look at a $78 million deficit and a new superintendent comes in, what that superintendent is going to say, "Why aren't you cutting? Why are you sitting here

185talking about running a $78 million deficit? You cannot sustain that. We will have a $290 million fun um surplus fund balance fund fund balance but 200 of it is committed. You got 90,000 un unre measured undedicated and you got a $78 million budget. So the bottom line is we should be cutting. Now when I had a superintendent and Mr. barns tell me that we have 24 more guidance counselors, 22 more social workers than we've ever had. And they tell you that during co the COVID crisis when these kids have been locked up and and not on on computers, not socialized, that they added those positions because Biden administration gave us $283 million in architecture funds. The people were hired to address that problem. The people were hired as temporary because the money was for three

186years. The money is not there. It is not fiscally sound. It is insane to be talking about adding more positions when we're running this size of a deficit. And I cannot in any way, shape, or form support adding on top of the extras that we have. Now, if the new superintendent comes in and and for some miracle, the principles who are supposed to be running their school say, you know, I forgot to tell my ASL, I forgot to tell my budget person. I forgot to tell the superintendent that I need a a an extra social worker aid. Then that that'll that'll be addressed. There is a sorry, there is a contingency account. No, it won't be addressed. But the but the bottom line is let the principles who have to run these schools, who made

187these decisions, allow them the respect to pass the budget that they put in. They do know they have best self behavior. They did fund this leadership program which I have five schools telling me that that's an excellent program helping these diverse children get an education. That's an excellent program. You've had these other folk including our student uh uh representative tell you the jobs of the future are AI programming etc. I have to commend Mr. Barnes and the superintendent for even putting up with us asking for 42 additional positions on top of what they'd already given us. This budget has had input from everybody for 6 months. It is as big as we need it to be. I really think we need to cut more. So, I'm saying pass the budget. It's sound. It's sane. It's

188a plan. And budgets are plans and your priorities and they can be amended and they always are getting amendments. So my same plea is do the right thing and pass this budget. Okay. So we have Jerry and Ben. Okay. I know we've been getting summaries, but it was May 16th that we got half the budget, the not school-based budget. So, that's not a lot of time. So, like that's the first time I was seeing like, you know, the increase in the contract. I understand. Okay. And then like there there is guidance and I said, you know, recommendations for guidance counselors like one to 250 students, not one to 400. No. And I I just got texts from one principal where my daughter's at and two counselors that said they were hired as probationary and they

189were never told there was a risk of what I'm getting to. I I I want to clarify the one thing. They were hired under a grant. That sort of trumps every other semantic or a a memory that oh I thought she said this when he said that they were higher on the grant. probationary ends don't employ the agency the same way we're saying like the 66 increased security jobs aren't on the table because we're prioritizing safety that there's 66 more security jobs than prefer I just want to make sure and clear there's a need that there's a need the same way the same way I would argue there's a And the first year SST I know we're just And there's 24 more counselors and 28 more SST staff that have been moved when our veteran

190into the general fund. I know I think we've agreed to this. Yes, probably. Okay. Thank you. Um here I'm just you know um talking to my colleagues here. What would it take for people to pass this? And your suggestion was to balance out those ratios in the in 15 or some of those 15 schools that I've highlighted in the document that was shared. Well, and how many How many is that? 15. And I'm sorry, there's another way to think about that. Instead of just adding 15, why don't you take some from the schools that have a a lower ratio and move them? Then they it hits your ratio. No, I know. I'm just I'm thinking of it another way. Well, and and another challenge too, which I did bring this up in in our individual

191budget meeting, is counselors are told and taken for CPSC, CSC meetings and aren't available to the students in the building that the principal purchased them. psychologist all psychologists are asking a small number of additional cases I think Terry did you you were after well I just you know what because it looks like this has a very strong possibility of failing and I just would like if it fails then we we fail the children and it's district. That's what we fell in. Not the ducks. We're killing the children. Um, can I talk what what has to happen here? Because I went into one of my buildings and bless her heart, Marilyn Whitman was there, former principal, ran an excellent school. And she said, Sharon, you've got people who are afraid of our children. Afraid of our

192children. Don't know their names. Children don't know them. Okay? They in their office. They chilling. They having a good time and they not even making sure our children get what they're supposed to get. If the principles decided this because what's not going to happen is we're not going to continue to play this game where children are not getting what they need. If you're going to do anything, you need to make sure we get some grassroot organizations in here so we can change this formula in this district. Okay? Because what's happening now is not working. you living in suburbia coming in here is not fixing up is not helping. We need grassroot people who know how to deal with these kids and we have some great very good programs. But what's happening in this district the

193way things are going, we need to change some stuff because it's not successful. Okay? It's not successful for the majority of the students the way the game is being played now. The principles know it and the principles are aware of it. Okay? And so one of the things that one of the principles said, pull the Sharon, if you want to see what's really going on, pull the attendance records. Pull the attendance records for the SST team vendors and see how many days a year they're not even in the building to help children. So this is bigger than sitting up here threatening to not pass a budget, okay? because this sends a message in addition to that to anybody who applied to be the superintendent candidate that this is a dysfunctional board. Okay, we just had

194an incident that a couple of weeks ago where we where we rushed the judgment and didn't follow procedures. Had to go back and redo it right to be transparent. Okay, the complaint was we're not transparent. We don't do something in a transparent way. We we fixed it. Okay. But not passing this budget is a bad move. Okay. Is a very bad move. We've already been told if there's a situation where if you need to um change some things, there's a possibility that's available. But not passing this budget and we're looking at trying to entertain people to be superintendent is crazy. Is a big mistake. Okay. A big mistake. And I don't know why we're even having this conversation because you already know that we have to get the budget passed in order for this district

195to move forward. And then if something needs to be addressed, then you approach it and you change it from there. But you cannot sit here and threaten not to because you're not hiring counselors. I'm not threatening. I'm not talking about I'm not talking just to you. I'm talking to this board. Councils, not hiring people. I really feel like you're trying to speak for everybody. I don't care. I'm speaking for me. Well, no, I'm speaking for me. I had more experience on this board than you do and ever will have. No, it's it's time out for all these games being played. People putting on Facebook stuff and all this stuff is ridiculous. Let me say this. Student outcomes don't change until adult behaviors change. Amen. Okay. We adopted we adopted uh the council gay city schools

196student outcomes focused governance and until we recognize that kids are our priority kids are our priority. It's okay to to to agree to disagree but the bottom line is we've been dealing with this budget for the last 6 months. our CO CFO has communicated it in detail along with uh board member Plet Woods assisting as the chair of our finance department and we're waiting till the midnight hour to begin this nonsense. Our kids need us to be prudent. They need us to provide them with some Next week is June. Summer school will be here. This budget will allow for teacher transfers, transportation, the invoices that Jim talked about, and so on. This is bigger than us. Any other comments here? All right, Jen. So, as I was trying to state, I don't appreciate being felt

197like I'm not here do I'm doing adult behaviors at the expense of our children. I want for folks to realize that I'm not fighting because I'm down with just being here until 9:00 at night getting busy about something we've already had at the table. There are things that have not been communicated that I'm trying to communicate. That is period point blank. And until those things are communicated, I'm going to continue to bring this up. Now, the reason I haven't met is because a lot of these questions, like I said, have been answered through emails, through and and I've been, okay, well, you have your answer, but they're still coming. They're coming right now. So, the midnight hour is just not because I'm speaking or anybody else is speaking. The midnight hour is the people who

198are speaking to us as well. So if we don't do our job as representatives of the communities that we serve and the BPS district that we serve, then we are not doing a service to everybody that includes our students. So I'm asking folks if this doesn't go through, what is the extent to your issues and there's a lot there's a lot. So, I'm hearing everybody, but I do not want to be put in this box of because of this, it's this, because of that, now you're going against the kids. That is not the case. I have three grandchildren, one daughter who's a teacher, a child with an IEP going into ninth grade. I have more skin in this game with or without a title than most parents do. So, I have every right to ask

199what I ask and I do not appreciate being made to look like I am not here for the students. I'm putting that out there and I don't appre, you know, all the harumps and the eye rolls and all that. That's all childish stuff. What I'm stating is if I have questions, I'm going to ask them. Period. Point blank. The end. I don't want anyone to perceive me as someone who's just looking to start some crap. It's not the case. Yeah. Everybody's entitled to their opinion. But to have it like downplayed and then be told that we're all doing this, we're detrimental. We're this, that is not fair. There is nine of us. We're all individuals, but we are working as one. And for one, this person to speak on behalf of everybody that doesn't hold

200the gabble. That's not correct. Madame President, may I say something? Yes. Um, I'm always going to be vocal about Buffalo public schools. I I went to I went to Buffalo public schools. Okay. It's in my heart. It's in my soul. I did. Okay. I have paid my dues. My children went to Buffalo public schools. My brothers, my sisters, all of us. You don't lay here, but you do it all. All of All of us. All of us. This is somebody who's running for office at the record. You're right. You're right. You're right. So, anyway, my point here is that I'm going to speak on behalf of the ferry district whether someone likes it or not. Okay. And the fairy district is the most improved district as a result of me being in in this position

201because all of my schools were set to close when I came and all of them are now in decent standing. So I paid my dues when I said to the board that we have to pass this budget because we send a message of dysfunction out to everyone by not doing that. And we've already sent one message out in May about dysfunctionality. We don't need to send two is what I have to say. Now, let the record reflect that. Thank you. I think we all have an opportunity to um on the budget. I have one more thing because I think I'm going to be the deciding vote again. And um just your last I finished and I just if it's passed and there's problems what will be the policy for people to come and get some

202um resolution like there there's a problem with there's a problem with some of the WADAD funding. There's problems with schools that won't have adequate uh addition addition, you know, counselors, what can we do before I can vote? Yes, that is a question for the superintendent. Now, new unbudgeted requests are handled. There's a policy, there's a procedure, it's called the PBR. You submit unbudgeted requests, anything that asks for additional resources. my team assembles all I think I'm going to super and review them with her and she signs off. I really really uh just want to offer my opinion. You should really have given this quite a bit of thought before you voted on it. And you shouldn't vote on it. I don't mean to use these words, but if you think you're going to change it

203in a month, uh, and that sends a bad signal to use somebody's phrase here, but that's the procedure. Terry, so then if we vote it down, what happens next? Why don't you? No, no, no. Step by step, please. First of all, disrespect. It is disrespect. I'm asking questions. I said to the to No, no, no, no, no. I don't have a problem with you asking questions. What I have a problem with is that this is not the first time that this that this as a board we've had to make hard decisions and the decisions were made to make sure that this district runs smoothly and then we came back and if we had to fix something, we fixed it. Okay? But we never sat up here and threatened to see it all. This started in

204But for God's sake, it started in January. We've been doing this since January. Am I threatening you? For God's sake, you're making it into a threat. We're trying to have a discussion in No, she she made a threat saying she wasn't going to pass it. I didn't say it wasn't going to pass. She said anything. Yeah, you said it. That's the threat. That's the threat. Pass. That's the threat. It's the threat. It's going to be a divided board again. It is divided into not I'm trying to like bring it together. Yeah. Some some going to vote. It's not going to be unanimous. We know that. But let it get entirely on. Okay. So for here's the thing without without an approved budget T and HR can do teacher transfers all the typical both year end

205procedures and the beginning of next year's procedure. There's 3600 teachers. There's another 1,000 central office staff. Uh, and then there's 1,700 hourly or 1,200 hourly orders. It's a it's a tremendously complicated, time consuming process. Okay. And the people impacted are going to be exceedingly vocal. Just so you know that who the people who the transfer process, the teachers move. Just so you can be descriptive. Okay. Um, two, as your CFO, I should not be issuing any requisitions or purchase orders without an approved budget. That's like spending money that's not mine. So, and and when would we get together if there is a no vote? It would be up to this body and the superintendent. I There's more than that. Yeah. And Okay. to purchase several everything stops. But then why and why did anybody think

206of that when we got this information the final thing on March 6 or May 16th? We had a we had a firm schedule for the vote on the 21st, right? A firm schedule is also 14th. 21st was the vote. The 14th we get 21st was the work session. I was wondering we were supposed to have 21st was originally a business meeting to vote on the vote. 21st was supposed to be the business meeting. No, it was supposed to be the vote. It was communicated every month meeting. I give you a schedule. No, no, but our bylaw says the third Wednesday. Our schedule have a board meeting. That is a third on the 21st. Yes. What would be the reason that we would not take a vote tonight? What would be the reason? Oh, we going

207to take the vote. Okay. This sending a message to you. I think it's 9:00. Okay. We've we've we've uh you know marinated in this budget for over an hour. We've had opportunities to look at these books for some time, let's say two weeks, but you had all ever since January 1st, the last six months. So, as a board president, may I have a motion or do you want me to May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? [Music] So move second chair bel any any names any oppose to this agenda voting call for vote I just need a second to move it I don't need a yes yes okay with respect to the motion to approve this agenda. Do you have any exceptions? Board member Belin Common. No exceptions. Board member Everheart. No

208exceptions. Board member Makoszie. Exception 24A. Board member Shuda. No exceptions. Vice President Scott. Exception 24A. Board member Woods. No exceptions. board member Zulich exception 24A and I'd just like to state for the record the needs of our most vulnerable students will not be met in this budget and I cannot support it president no exceptions motion passes thank you I mean [Music] God bless yeah functional. Okay. All right. May I have your attention, please? So, we can move on. Resolution to name the auditorium. Okay. So, resolution on the 2526 board business meeting calendar. Is there any discussion? If not, motion to adopt Terry Scott. All in favor? Oh, you got a poll. Okay. Um, okay. Motion to adopt the resolution regarding the 2526 board business meeting calendar. How do you vote? Board member Belson, yes. Board

209member Everheart, yes. Board member Makoszi, yes. Board member Sha, yes. Vice President Scott, yes. Board member Wood, yes. Board member Z, yes. President Evans Brown, yes. The resolution is unanimously adopted. Are we doing a resolution about the That's okay. So about the what? Second second resolution to name the auditorium of school number 61 in honor of Dr. Williams Knight. Board member wow board member Bel Cotton has filed a resolution which I will ask her to read at this time. So this resolution was uh requested by the um school. I got a call. They said that they had a meeting. They had decided that they wanted to do this in honor of the superintendent. And so I put it forward. Uh it is available for co-sponsorship. And it reads it reads as follow. Uh whereas superintendent

210Dr. Williams Knight has demonstrated exemplary leadership, unwavering dedication, and an enduring commitment to the students, family, and staff of our district. And whereas Superintendent Dr. Williams Knight has been a steadfast advocate for equity, academic excellence, and community engagement throughout her tenure. And whereas her vision and service have significantly enriched the educational experience for countless learners and have left a lasting legacy within our school community. And whereas Dr. Williams Knight served as dedicated principal of Arthur OE School of Distinction, demonstrating exceptional leadership, compassion, and commitment to student success. And whereas Arthur OE School of Distinction has benefited directly from do Superintendent Dr. Williams Knight's leadership, including her pivotal role in writing and securing the grant that solidified and expanded the school's vibrant art programming while continue to inspire creativity and express expression among students. Therefore, be

211it resolved that in recognition of her outstanding service and contributions in education, auditorium of Arthur East School of Distinction shall henceforth be named the superintendent Dr. Williams Knight Auditorium as a lasting tribute to her legacy and impact. [Applause] Thank you, Mr. Board member. I had one other thing in there that was was not uh in addition to this the work that uh Dr. uh Williams Knight did at 61. We also were able to get a gifted and talented program established in that building. Okay. And it's one of two in the city. And so um uh there's a long story behind this. One day we'll talk about it, but it's a great thing that happened um in the community. And if you don't know it, it is the best kept secret in Buffalo. It is the

212best one school that exists. It is a great school. It really is. Thank you. Can I be added as a sponsor, please? Okay. So, uh, thank you board members for all the comments. So, as this resolution was filed less than 48 hours in advance of this meeting, can I please have a motion to bring this resolution before the board? Motion. Um, I have a second. First, second. All in favor? Any opposed? So, this resolution is now before the board. Any discussion? And you had it. I just wanted to be added as a sponsor. Oh, does anyone else want to be added? I'll be added. All board members, you want to be added? Yes or no? Sure. Okay. Absolutely. Thank you. Um, any other discussion on that particular resolution before uh council poll discussion and vote

213on the resolution? Okay. Oh, enough discussion. Okay. With respect to the Motion to adopt or approve the resolutions to name the auditorium of school number 61 in honor of Dr. Williams Knight. How do you vote? Board member Milton C. Yes. Board member Everart. Yes. Board member Makosi. Yes. Sh. Vice President. Yes. Board member Wood. Certainly. Board member Zul. Yes. And president of the confirm. Yes. The motion unanimously passed. May I have a motion to go back to section to discuss forget about that proposed government litigation under index number 20 number two of proposed settlement agreement regarding litigation brought in state supreme court under index number 80 80307 17 2021. Number three, matters related to the appointment, employment, and potential discipline and or dismissal of specific employees. Finally, for the purpose of receiving legal u advice.

214Can I have a motion? Move. So move, Scott. Um Terry, all in favor? Any oppose? Motion passes. So the board will go back into executive session. Oh no. [Music] I think we should have read. Huh? We didn't read that.