001Mr. Moody, can you please take roll call? Sure, I will do just that. Thank you, Madam President. Uh, board member Jeff Bennett, board member Dearra Brown, board member Elizabeth Callahan here, board me board president Nubia Dval Wilson here. Uh, board member Richie Eert here. Uh uh board member Bill Gford, board member Deal Kapatia, board member Will Meyer here, board member Shaina Saki Gable here. All right, we have a quorum. Please take notice that adequate notice of this meeting has been has been provided in the following manner. That written notice was sent from the office of the secretary of the board at 2:30 p.m. on January 3rd, 2025. That said, notice was sent via email to the Maplewood and South Orange Township clerks and the editors of the news record, Star Ledger, Tap into Soma, and
002the Village Green. I would now like to make a motion to enter executive session at 6:32 p.m. to discuss attorney client matters and personnel. Uh, the length of the executive session is estimated to be 30 minutes, after which the public meeting of the board shall reconvene and proceed with business where formal action will be taken. May I have a second? Thank you, board member Eert. All in favor? Great. Let's go. Good evening. I'm going to uh read the board president update statement and uh then we'll have public speaks and then we vote. So tonight is our organizational staff renewal special meeting during which we vote on staff renewals for the district along with those who are up for tenure. We also have another important vote tonight. It's our teachers contract for 202427. Before we get
003started, I would like to share some acknowledgements. First, thank you to the district for working with the board to ensure performance reviews were conducted. After we received our QAC audit where we lost points because of incomplete evaluations, we agreed as a board last fall to strengthen oversight through committee work to address this issue. We appreciate the SLT team, HR, and CNI for working together with our building administrators and supervisors to stay on schedule with evaluations. Compliance with this process ensures accountability and enables our board to more confidently pass these recommendations with our votes tonight. Next, as I said, we're passing our 202427 contract for our district's amazing teachers who work hard both inside and outside of the classroom to support our students. We truly appreciate the community's patience and understanding as we work through this
004process with Sumea leadership and the district. Although this process began in February 2024, we did not confirm this the percentage of salary increases until after our first negotiations meeting on January 7th, 2025. That January 7 meeting started at 5:30 p.m. and lasted until after midnight. Uh a special shout out to Mr. Bing for uh buying us pizza. Um and uh Oh, yeah. No, Regina, Regina, Liz and I really enjoyed our pizza sharing moment together around midnight. Um, and a shout out to the negotiating committee for their endurance. After months and long meetings in between to finalize the salary guides, we are here today to deliver a contract that will enable more than 700 teachers to receive their raises this summer. Teachers, please know we appreciate you and we thank you for your patience. At a
005time when the country's Department of Education is in flux, government aid is not a definite and the state of New Jersey is experiencing a teacher shortage as is the rest of the country. It is imperative that we continue to create an environment in SOSD that is attractive to new teachers while also supporting our teachers who have been here for years. Lastly, there was a resolution on policy 5120, assignment of students, to skip the Maya AAA survey this year for a number of reasons, including the fact that the district is planning to revise the survey to more effectively collect data that will have greater impact on the success of the II. There have been a number of surveys and data collection instruments to our district families in recent months that have provided insights for us such
006as the II survey released at the end of January 2025, the Satan Hall University market research project, the handover research diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging survey and the NJ Sky culture and climate survey which is going on right now. We look forward to discussing the district's adjustments to the triple survey at a future Rutgers committee meeting. Now we'll read the board president's statement. The schoolboard meeting is a business meeting in public and not a meeting with the public. Oftentimes, it may appear to members of our audience that the board of education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, it has thoroughly been reviewed by the administration, the superintendent of schools, and the board of education after which
007it is placed on the agenda for board discussion and action at a public meeting. Uh, do we have public speaks? Has anyone looked at the Mr. Moody? You know what I'm It doesn't appear we have anyone. Okay. All right. Just want to make sure. So then I will skip hearing of delegations. Um so that means that we are now brought to the action portion of the meeting. Mr. Moody, can you please read the resolutions into record and then we will have Deardra, our u board member Brown read um our survey resolution into record. But first, can you please read the Sure. Um resolution direct. Yeah. The board is being called upon to take action on items 4798, 4799, 4,800, 4801, 482, and 483. Uh, and um, so we can move forward with that. All right.
008Resolution to SOMD BOE policy 5120. Whereas the South Orange Maplewood Board of Education recognizes the importance of gathering meaning meaningful feedback from students, families, and staff to inform decisions related to district strategy, school supports, and professional development. And whereas board policy 5120 outlines the implementation of the experience survey as a tool for collecting such feedback regarding the intentional integration initiative. And whereas the board of education is committed to continuous improvement and regularly evaluating the effectiveness of its tools and practices. And whereas the district is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of feedback mechanisms and exploring more efficient and effective more effective and strategic approaches for collecting data to inform planning, policy development, and program implementation. Now therefore, be it resolved that the South Orange Maplewood Board of Education hereby waves the directive to the administration to
009conduct the experience survey for May 2025 under board policy 5120. Be it further resolved that the board supports the administration's efforts to identify and implement improved strategies for collecting and utilizing feedback to guide adjustments to district strategy, school supports, and professional development. Be it finally resolved that the board will revisit this matter upon the conclusion of the district's review and will consider any proposed updates to board policy 5120 that reflect new or revised approaches to gathering stakeholder input. Thank you, board member Brown. Um, any comments before we vote? Yeah. Um, thanks Jeff. I move that 4801 be severed and considered separately. And that's the one for the surveys, correct? Yes. Pertaining to 5120. Okay. Make sure, Mr. Moody, did you hear that, Mr. Ming? Yes. Severed. Mhm. Yeah. So, I just wanted to note for
010the public that the uh personnel resolutions um up for vote tonight currently only list the staff member names. Typically, they'll include the salaries. The plan is to present an updated resolution at a future board meeting that will include these once the Sumea and ASA contracts are fully ratified. The former of which we are voting on this evening. So, so still getting used to the new system over here. So, why don't we vote on policy? My computer's stuck so I can't I don't remember the number. Voting on policy items. I'm actually on Not policy but resolution actions 49 4798 through 4803 with 48801 severed. Yeah. Okay. So that will be the first vote and I'll begin that roll call vote now. Board member Bennett just confirmed this is like for the everything other than 4801. Correct.
011The non- sewarded uh item. Yes. Board member Brown. Yes. Board member Callahan. Yes. Board member Dval Wilson, yes. Board member Eert, yes. Board member Gford, yes. Board member Kapadia, yes. Board member Meyer, yes. Ward member Saki Gable, yes. Okay, so we Okay. Or order in the house. And now on to the other item that was severed. Uh item action item 4801. So I'll conduct a vote there. Board more. Yeah, we'll have discussion. Would we get to Don't we get to discuss? Sure. Discuss now. Sure. Um, so for the public, this pertains to the triple eye experience survey, which was called for in policy 5120 as originally passed, I think in 2021. You know, the district's supposed to do two um experience surveys per year, one in January and another in May. Um, and those months
012are named in the policy. And, you know, in the first year, the triple I the district did not do any survey. And then in years two and three and then in this January 2025 the district did do the surveys but you know certain people like like me and others now um believe that the triple eye survey could be much broader. You know, the triple eye surveys questions are 18 out of 19 about like the culture and climate of the schools, which is incredibly important, but there's only one question about hardship, and it's just like, are you in hardship? And there's no um follow-up questions about like what kind of hardship someone could be in. It could be in because like the child is a very long bus ride, or the child's in isolated placement or
013could be like an emotional hardship, which could also be logistical, of like someone who's like one block from a school, but like assigned to a school two miles away. Um it could be like hardship because like you know three of our elementary schools start at 8:53 which the teachers here know or like you know the child might be picked up at like 7:20 for an early start school by the bus. Like there are a lot of different kinds of hardship someone could be in and like you know I think that we should you know at least ask some follow-up questions about like what's the source of someone's stress or hardship. Um, you know, this is something I have spoken about before, like in June 2024, I spoke in public speaking saying that we should have
014a broader triple eye survey and then like I said it like once I was like on the board of education starting this January. Um, so it's a bit disappointing that like the board and the administration didn't start like an earlier conversation about changing the triple eye survey. I've been told that like 2024 and 2023 it did come up, but it wasn't really pursued. Um, I'm glad that the administration does realize that we have to like revise the survey in one way or another. Um, but I just don't accept that we can't do it now because like we ask you guys to do some really difficult things, things that are hard budgetarily, things that require like navigating a thicket of regulations and you do it things complex contractually, which we all just went through. And I
015think that we could like, you know, subtract a few questions, add a few others without that much difficulty. Um, I also think like, you know, we could disagregate responses by families who are assigned to their proximate school versus a non-proximate school. Like we can and we do disagregate by race. So, we can be able to do it by proximate versus non-proximate. Um, I know that like some people have said that it's not an option to revise the survey in time for May. And I I hear that. But even if we don't do that and even if we can't figure out a way to disagregate approximate versus nonproximate, like I still think it's worth doing because like we have the open-ended questions in the triple eye survey and parents could still fill that out. And you
016know, some people might see that we're doing another survey and blow it off, but other people might actually say, "All right, I'm going to do it this time. I missed it in January. I'm going to do it now." So we might get some new responses and anyone who answers can actually fill in the open-ended questions, which we have. like we have that and even if we don't do any better with the May survey, even if we don't get any more like really insightful responses than we got in January 2025, I still think it's worth it because it's an opportunity for the board of education to discuss the triple eye placement process, which we don't really discuss that much in public except for Michael Alves speaks to the board even though it's probably like the most
017important policy that we locally control. So, um I I move that we actually continue with the May 2025 survey. Um hopefully making some improvements. Like we don't want to make the perfect the enemy of the good, but even if we can't change it, like we should do it because it gives another set of parents a chance to respond and it gives the board of education administration a chance to discuss the triple eye. I don't want to talk too much. Thank you. Thank you, board member Gford. Um one thing I will This seems so sorry, Bennett. I'm tired like where is G? He's over there. Yeah, thank you board member Bennett. Um I was going to say you made me think of two things. One I think that we should encourage our community to provide feedback
018when they feel they need to provide feedback and they don't need to wait for a survey. If there are parents out there or caregivers that want to give us feedback on their triple A experience, they should feel empowered to send us an email or just send it to Mr. Bing. Um and also uh Dr. Gilbert has informed us that when we have our um the ALS group come next month um they'll be they'll be presenting but then Dr. Gilbert is also going to be presenting cumul cumulative data on all of our surveys and I think that will provide us a really good opportunity to even more have that dialogue that you're talking about um board member Bennett and also discuss ways to improve it so that the district is even more armed to to do
019this work and I I don't take it lightly I don't think we should take it lightly how much work it takes to put a proper survey together even just observing Satan Hall and their process over the past couple of months it did not take them 30 days. They have been working with us since six months. So, we don't want the district to rush. They have been very busy. And so, I do respect the time that it takes to do this. And I also appreciate all of your thoughts. Um, was there anyone else that wanted to chime in? No. Yeah. I was just going to say I appreciate your passion, Jeff Bennett. Um, I think you you're always focused on transparency and I think that's great. I just know as FFT chair, we were very demanding
020of this uh administration in terms of getting us a lot of documents and I think that um it's been very busy for them and if they need a little bit more time, you know, I but but I appreciate your passion, Jeff. I I know how the vote's going to go. Um, but like could we I'm fine with I think maybe like everyone who's on the board should like be at least once on like the small side of like an 8 to1 vote or 7 to2 vote or something. Um but you know could we like commit though to like trying to release the new survey in the fall of next year instead of waiting till January like yes actually that is something that we discussed that January and May May they're just so close together that
021why don't we do in the beginning of the did we did we not already talk about this trip that we maybe it was Regina and I go on Regina I Jeff we've had countless very fruitful conversations about the II and the survey and we are always so aligned. Um, you know, I think honestly I think the resolution kind of captured I think high level why we're not doing it and as as somebody actually who came onto the board when they did start the survey I think there's there's a lot to to be improved with it and so um you know listen at the end of the day the yes the administration has a lot of work on their plates. The III is something that is one of our most important. There's a lot of smiling
022right now. Um but uh but I I I think I just want to reiterate like this this vote isn't saying that the board does not want to collect any feedback and is going to stop the survey. And I believe it was in our last Ruters committee meeting we did talk about that revised timelines of like fall and then maybe right after the new year. something that's a little bit u makes a little bit more sense and also being able to capture more um useful information. I think what we've found is not through only the survey fatigue of just every survey that's been going up, but even through II specifically for this round, you know, Dr. Gilbert, it was it was a lot of a lot of push, a lot of push. So, um you know,
023I look forward to to improving that process and then continuing to collect feedback from those families. I'll just add quickly because I e echo what's already been said. Um the June records committee meeting on the agenda for that is time frames and milestones for updating the survey and testing it and administering it. So hopefully we'll get some firm timelines then. Okay, let's Oh yeah, sure. Yeah, I I I too will figure out the old model someday. Um, I appreciate I think both sides of it, right? I think I I feel a little torn myself on this. I just want to make sure as we consider whether to pause the the May survey or not. So, just want to make sure that we emphasize the importance of how we're framing feedback and and making adjustments to
024the survey. I think it's important that we don't characterize input from the committee solely through the lens of hardship or fatigue, but being open-minded to the responsibility to recognize that some families, some stakeholders are actively engaged, whether they're sending us emails, through these other surveys. Um, that could also be both confirming or affirming rather and constructive. And so, I just want to make sure that as we're doing that, that it feels like this is an investment, not a burden. and that we really do want to make sure that the feedback that we're getting um whether we decide to move forward and get it now or later um is through the frame of of having a balanced approach that we can make effective decisions moving forward whether again it's it's through someone who has you know
025affirming feedback because they've had a positive experience or areas where we you know could constructively get better. Thank you everyone. I think uh is discussion complete on this one? All right. So, for action item number 4801, uh, I'll conduct a roll call vote. Board member Saki Gable, yes. Board member Meyer, yes. Board member Kapadia, just for clarity here, if I'm saying yes, you're voting forth the uh resolution to delay the the survey. Uh, no. All right. Board member Gford. Yes. Board member Eert. Yes. Board me. Board President Duval Wilson. Yes. Board member Callahan. No. Board member Brown. Yes. Board member Bennett. No. Okay. 63 passes. Thank you. There you go. We don't always agree. Um and that's okay. Okay. So, we are now going to close this meeting. So, future meetings, the board of educa
026Oh, sorry. I forgot. Are there any um public speaks? Public speaks. Final public speaks. Hello. Oh. I'm actually happy that I'm the first one using this one. Uh Rosio Lopez, president of SA Maplewood resident, um AP Spanish teacher, um advisor of power, keep going. Um so today is here because you know it's about time and we're happy. So, we want to thank you even though it's been a long ride and it's been difficult. We want to thank you because at the end of the day, we got to the result and we're going to see our colleagues finally getting races. It's been almost two years for the last time we actually got races. Even though it was a year in contract, it's two years since we actually got it. So, it makes a difference for people
027to know that you're going to come back next year and you're going to make more money, that you're going to get a retroactive, you know, check uh for all the work that you did, that they finally value your work, that they give you a place in the district because sometimes as Sumea and you know, as the educators that we're in the lowest level, we feel forgiven And we should never be forgiven because you give your love once to us. We're the ones that spend the time with your kids. We are actually the ones that we are looking at your kids every day and giving them love and support and empowerment. And I I got to tell you that from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It's about time. And thank you to And thank
028you to this board because you have treat us different and we finally see people that see us and it was hard in the past because we were just numbers or you know just workers and we're more than that. We're people. We love your kids. after you guys probably were the people that love more your kids that you can know. We suffer with them. We empower them. We're every day with them. And when they get to college, we're happy for them. When they don't, we're there to hold their hand and say, "Don't worry. This is not the right school for you. You're going to get to a better one." And and we're always there. And I don't want you to forget about that because it should not take a year ever to get contracts. It should
029not take a year ever to make the most important people of this district after your kids to be happy. And again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I need to play this because if I don't play, it wouldn't be me. And again, I don't have a gagore there anymore. So, I can do whatever I want. Great. Why isn't this playing? You're not playing the message I left you last week, are you? Oh, no. You people doesn't want to know the you sent me. Oh, no. People doesn't want to know that. If I say that, we have a problem. Wait, wait. Come on. You got to play this for me. Wait, wait. Why isn't this playing? I do the Bluetooth. I'm I'm an old teacher, but I know how to use these
030things. Why isn't this linking? I had it before. You all heard it. Well, the song I'm gonna play it. Hey, can you play it for me? Wait, wait, wait. Now, oh, this is what you get from Sa. This is what you get from us. [Music] Don't know what's Okay, thank you everyone. Thank you. And as board member as board member Callahan said, it's also teacher appreciation week, which is nice. Okay. Well, I have a good wingman over here who reminded me that we have some online public speaks. So, um Yes, we do. Today's the 8th, right? Um, so let's see if they're if they're online still. They might have heard the music and thought the meeting was over. Um, Jen Sturm, is Jen Sturm on? Yeah. Yeah. Yep. I'm here. Can you hear me? Yes,
031we can. Yes, we can hear you. Okay, great. Um, please. Yep. Go on. Okay, great. Congratulations to Samia and it really should not take a year. Um, my name is Jen Sturm. I'm here to talk about how the Columbia High School robotics team has been unjustly denied the opportunity to participate in an international competition taking place in Southbend, Indiana from June 19th to 22nd. I'm parent to Z Luchiano, the incoming president of the Columbia High School robotics team. It's the end of Z's third year on the team and next year will be their fourth and final. I don't know what you know about this program, but up till this year, the club was like the Bad News Bears. I mean, this is no insult to anyone. I love the Bad News Bears. But up till
032this year, the two teams that comprise the club had so much heart, but without a faculty adviser and without any funding from the school district and without really any support at all from the school other than a room, they lost more than they won. There was no adviser because nobody wanted to do it. And then this year, Suzanne Fox stepped up. And I mean, she stepped up. I don't believe Miss Faulk had any experience with robotics prior to this year. She said about to change that from day one, pouring so much heart and time into the club and the competitions. Miss Faulk and Mr. R both. And then a crazy thing happened. Both of our teams started winning tournament after tournament. Their robots are actually incredible this year. Both teams made it to states and
033both made it far in the playoffs for the World Championships. I don't know if you know how important that is, but let's just acknowledge that the kids in the robotics room day after day are the future inventors, mechanical, chemical, and aerospace engineers, architects, academics. They're brilliant. Each and every one of them. These kids, when they graduate college and go on to their careers, are going to be putting Columbia High School on the map every single day, despite the lack of investment the school has made into the club. Which is why I'm here today, because the lack of investment in this club has been embarrassing for the past three years. But as I learned from Z last night, what's even worse is that while one of the teams was invited to participate in an international competition
034for which the kids raised $3,000 in two weeks, not including the gift Mr. Sanchez secured last week from the Cougar Boosters. Because the school year ends June 20th, the district has outright denied them from participating. I'd like to try to make sense of this, but there's none to be made. Between that and the rumors going around that a new teacher will be installed as robotics adviser. I'm wondering if we weren't better off when the school district ignored the existence of this program. Sure. The kids lost, but they didn't have to face this level of Jen. I just want to let you know your your time is up. If you want to just wrap up your Thank you so much. Thank you. And next we have Dana Luchiano from Maplewood. Yes. Oh. Oh, did we lose
035her? No. Hi. Sorry, I'm having trouble unmuting. Can you hear me? You're a little You're a little low. If you could speak up, that'd be great. Okay. Sorry. I'm sorry. Yes. So, I'm Dana Luchiano. I'm another robotics parent, and I just wanted to add uh to our confusion, outrage, dismay, and our plea um to the school district to reverse this decision of these kids. I mean, this is going to be one of the highlights of their young lives. They worked so hard all year. They've been invited to an international competition. This means so much to them. I also I don't understand the reasoning. It seems arbitrary. Other clubs and teams participate in uh you know in um competitions over the summer and during breaks. This doesn't they don't seem to have paid any attention to
036how teams actually work, right? competitions don't respect school districts calendars. I did notice on the Columbia High School website that the football team is playing scrimmages, including away games, all summer long. So, I have to wonder why the football team has this uh privilege and the robotics team is being denied it. It's almost like a bad high school movie where like the jocks rule the school and the nerds get shoved into lockers. Um, but I have to say this is not this is not how Columbia wants to be treating an incredibly successful team. They've made this school proud this year. They hosted their first competition in years at Columbia High School. Uh, it went beautifully, right? Um, people were very, very excited. Half the district showed up, right? Um, and for the district to then
037turn around and slap these kids in the face like this is really it's just shameful. It's not the the um Soma school district that I have known that we have been in for years that we moved here in part because of and I really I I plead with you to reverse this decision and allow this team to participate in this competition and get this honor that they've earned. Thanks. Thank you. And that completes our public speaks. So, next um I will announce our future meetings. The board of education will meet in public session on Thursday, May 29th, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. where action will be taken. Uh Mr. Moody, I would now like to make a motion to adjourn this meeting on Thursday, May 8th at 7 I just have a comment. Uhuh. Okay. At
0387:22 p.m. May I have a second? Thank you, board member Brown. All in favor? and meeting is adjourned. Thanks everyone.