001Whoa. I'm hoping for that. Would you please let Darcy know that the mics are on? Thank you. Let me know, sir. Oh, we're good. Thank you. Uh, I'd like to call to order the special meeting of the Selen Board of Education, uh, May 20th, 2025. We will start with the pledge of allegiance. So, standing as you're able. And tonight, Brad Gerby is going to lead us. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Tonight, I want to just uh welcome Carol Diglio is here on behalf of all the uh uh staff of the district. Thank you very much for coming this evening to answer any questions that could
002arise. Seeing as there are no members of the public here, we will go right on to approval of the agenda. Like to entertain a motion to approve the agenda as printed. That would be Tim Austin's making the motion. Support. That would be Lauren Gold. Yes. As seconded. All in favor, please say I. I. Opposed. All right. We have an agenda. Thank you. And we have a full quorum as well. I was looking at a board meeting the other night and they all did a quorum voice call, you know, at the beginning and the agenda even earlier. Anyway, action item tonight. I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the superintendent contract and compensation package for Dr. Rachel Kowalsski as recommended by the compensation committee. Do I have a motion? Probably someone from the compensation committee.
003Uh, so move Steen Wow, I was correct. Okay, so let's have a quick discussion this. First of all, I also if I could just kick it off by saying thank you very much for all of the heavy lifting to uh on behalf of the board members, the compensation committee who worked at cleaning I should say cleaning revising this contract as existed and for all of the great deal of help that Carol Diglio has provided for the HR department. So Jason, I'm gonna turn it over to you and or Jennifer or Brad. Jason, why don't you go ahead since you took this last round. Okay. Uh, pretty straightforward. Nothing uh substantive changed uh from the original draft. Just reformatted uh and put in the recital and the definitions so that we could be consistent throughout the
004contract. Um the only uh I believe uh item that we wanted to discuss was section four, the extent of services uh per request from Dr. Qualsski to continue uh her contract work with MASA in order to continue to teach classes for uh superintendent uh preparatory classes. Sorry, said that I guess out of order. Preparatory. Uh so uh that is I think the only item uh unless anybody else has any other items uh to look at but we wanted to discuss the limiting language in that particular section. Yeah. Um, this is where I would ask Carol uh to come up um because I think you had that direct conversation with um with Rachel to better understand um exactly what the time commitment is with that obligation right now. And and I think the um I don't
005want to say the pause, but the the the seeking of more information was just because we know how big this job is and and um there was a potential conflict of interest clause in the previous contract with Steve. Thanks. Uh thank you. Yep. I um have had the pleasure to work with Rachel on behalf of the board of education. Currently, she is committed and enjoys the work and sees the work as part of her own um professional development. It it allows us to stay on our game when we are teaching others and moving them forward. Um on our phone conversation and as mentioned in email, she is happy to share her schedule. It is no more than two times a month, which is why I worded it on the average. Some months may be less
006than two. Um, but she said it's usually no more than two times a month. I think she probably does some kind of hybrid also in the evenings that might occur. Um, but she is more than happy to share that schedule with you. That current um commitment runs through April 2026. So, she's with this current class um of u future superintendent. Some might even be current. Often Europe, you could get hired and then go to the superintendent academy. So, she also made mention that um it would not proclude her from doing evening events. So, if a class was to happen on a board night, she's coming to the board evening. she'll do her um class during the day and be here at the evening or any other evening events that may have or may take place
007on those days that she is um working with her MASA um future or current superintendent. She's flexible, very open to um working with the board and and providing you with any additional information that you may um need or want. And I'm happy to speak to this in any way uh that you might have questions. Brad, I just have a quick comment. Um so first of all, I I see two things here. I'm I'm very much in support of this for for two reasons. Number one, um we talked about like in our interview and there were questions that spoke to like visibility and representing the school district and those kinds of things. And I think by her doing this kind of work, it also looks favorably upon our superintendency. So I think that that's a a
008positive thing and for her to make those connections. We could have changes that happen in our leadership and now she would have connections that would be she would be able to um to be able to leverage. So there's that. And then the second thing that is in here is she's willing to use her vacation and personal days to do this work. And so like I don't see a reason why we I will I I don't see I will not support this. I I don't think that any of the discussion was just to say thank you. I don't think any of the discussion was not in support of that, but it was more of a let's specify the time commitment a little bit just so we're all sort of on the same page. So, I'm fine
009with the two times a month. Good. Are you satisfied that you Oh, is there more? So, mine is more of a grammatical, but um the BOE is approving the Dr. Kowalsski. Should that be out of there? It's going to happen from time to time. It's it's going to happen from time to time. I have a few scripturers errors. It's something do we care to discuss or do I just say small bring them up to Jason? Okay. Maybe you can bring them up to Jason Atis or Carol. You did have a concern about bolding as well and I think that's what I did and then I do have just one I think clarification that would make me at least happy. um for section 22 dispute resolution with the arbitration clause and we've only because we have
010um timelines in there is it going to be business days or calendar days that we're asking for example the grie may submit the grievance to the secretary of the board of ed within 10 days well yeah within the first one's 20 days one is 10 days one is 14 oh wait well the 14 22.2 has 14 working days, but the other ones are missing it. So, I just wanted to make sure that we clarified. Okay. And for clarification, none of that was changed. That's the same language. It was just cleaned up to have the enumeration. So, okay, I agree. Uh 222 says working days. 221 223 does not depict. We we could certainly identify that. I mean, you know, if you look at uh section 23 with notice, I kind of assumed a 90-day notification
011was going to be flatout calendar days, but it was just the smaller, shorter time periods that I felt it was important to enumerate. Do we want to make it working days then or should we say I think it might actually follow state law. I I think it's going to be prescriptive. Is it uh is it is it in one is it in 1229? I don't know. So, did this come up with the lawyer, Carol? Any thoughts on this? Um, I I would check I would check with Tim to make sure it doesn't. It he's gone through this a couple times now. It It seems as though he might have flagged that, but I agree that if it's a simple I can get his recommendation on it and then um follow up with you all in
012email and then make the adjustments if there are any adjustments. I'm happy to do that. And I agree the 90day longer and someone that's worked several years with grievances that short day those 10 happen very quickly if it if they are calendar days. So yeah because if you look at part uh section 8 with the evaluation it says within 15 calendar days. So I just want it consistent. Yep. I will check and get back with all of you. Yeah I I agree Darcy. I think um when you're when you're in the middle of following up on something like this, it's very important to know exactly what it is. Hearing no further discussion, I think I'd like to put this to a vote now. Uh all in favor, please of Oh, I had one other thing,
013Michael. uh in the first paragraph we we um we did want the board of education I think that was the consensus to have it up in the first paragraph because it's the first instance even though the definition is down in um 1.3 the very first paragraph on page one um in the last line it should say Selen Area schools and board of education parenthesis BOE in in the in the header of the the declarative yeah So, are you suggesting the line that has the two BOE's, one in brackets, should be taken out? The very first one. Yeah, the the first instance. Scriveners. We can take care of that. Yeah. And and then I I just we used to have people when they came for open comment and I think the city still does this um
014say their address for the record and we moved away from that practice and not I don't think any of the other um contracts that we reviewed for superintendents had the address and she's selling her home right now. So, I don't know if we I'm fine with us removing that whole reference, too. It's a just a little personal out in the in fact, it was being discussed be before we actually uh started this meeting. It actually came up and Jason was was pointing out to Jason. So, what if we just put a period after and Dr. Rachel Kowalsski Dr. Kowalsski period. Great. Well, yeah. So hearing no further comment except for the occasional scrier's error which will be dropped the minute we ink this and print it and put it in the u online someone's going
015to find an error that's just the way it goes and it's fine all favor please say I I I any opposition well hearing none thank you so we at some point in the next two days we will sign this contract with Dr. Kowalsski and apparently I have to sign it and you do as well Darcy Yep. So, if I could clean it, get it cleaned up and get um that final um feedback on the grievance paragraph. I'd like to um have it ready for the next board meeting, which is next Tuesday. Is that does that sound okay for everyone? And then um she's in the district tomorrow. I probably won't have it turned around that quickly, but I'll work with her to get it signed as well. I understand she'll also be here Thursday, so
016maybe that'll give you Perfect. Good. Maybe that'd be great. Yeah, we do some signatures. It won't be a big flourish in front of everybody, but we'll just do it. That sounds great. I'll I'll focus for this Thursday then. Yeah. Great. Perfect. Uh ju just for clarification, you're going to have the attorney look at 22, correct? Correct. And then uh I I can turn around the rest of it this evening. Oh, that'd be great if you send it to me and then I'll um work with him and then we'll get it ready for Thursday signatures as long as Secretary Burke can get me the changes that she saw right now. Okay, perfect. Yeah, I can get it to you tonight. Okay. Hey, Carol, when you Thanks for the teamwork. When you talk to him also, will
017you just see if we should accept the execution copy into consent agenda? I think we might have to. Um, so then I can just roll on the next one. Are you saying let's put the copy in the consent agenda? Yeah, I think that that's be practice. Probably not necessary since we voting to approve it, but why not make everything as transparent. It's going to be posted eventually anyway on the web quiet page, but let's get it in the consent agenda. Next board meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 27th, 2025 at 6:30. I'd like to entertain a motion to adjourn this hearer meeting. So move Burwick fastest meeting ever. Support to today's All in favor, please say I. I. Great. Thank you. 70. Prior to this, the fastest regular meeting has