001Can I get a motion to go into work session? >> Second. All in favor? >> I. So carried. All right. First up is the science of reading for ELLL students. Come on up. >> Happy new year. >> I like the new days. It's really super nice. Very efficient out. Yeah, that's great. >> Alrighty. Um, so thank you for having me and um, tonight I have I have to have to hit this. >> Okay, there we go. >> Don't go to any outside links. >> I will not go to any outside links. I know. I know that for a fact. So then I'll have to tap dance for everybody while we figure it out. Okay, so um, thank you for having me tonight and it's good to see everybody. Um tonight I am presenting on the
002science of reading for multilingual learners and um it's kind of uncharacteristic of me this presentation because it's more philosophical in nature. Usually when I present to you I have very concrete strategic types of pieces that I like to share with numbers and values and this was more or less uh something that the state has put out um to address the needs of literacy for our English language learners and multilingual learners. So, um, the associate commissioner for bilingual education, uh, Alisa Alvarez, has really championed the philosophy that we are all educators of multilingual learners, right? Because the amount of students that we now have in, uh, society nationwide and in New York State is exceeding the um, numerically exceeding what we're able to really um, handle without really embracing the whole child. And that's really what
003this is about. So, um, I I really feel as though teachers who are bilingual inherently understand how to address the needs of ENL students and bilingual students. And this is really more or less, if you really probably took a poll, you have more monolingual teachers who don't understand second language acquisition. And so, this is really meant for teach for teachers who don't understand the needs of that population of kids, if that makes sense, right? Okay. So back in a couple months ago, uh myself, Dr. Outlaw, and um my new assistant, uh Sonia Monsalo went to um a science of reading conference. It was a full day conference, and basically they presented these six briefs, which you were given. Um and the six briefs really discuss again holistically how to uh approach the needs of ENL
004students in literacy. Um, I like to think that it's not solely literacy. Uh, I know that this is science of reading, but really it's it's about the premise that the science of reading and how you address reading um is going to meet the needs of students across content as well as just literacy skills, if that makes any sense. Um, the the fact that here in Beayshore, we have our SCOP model and K12, we have our sheltered program. um we are already ahead of the curve uh in terms of meeting the needs of our kids because we have our teachers are programmed and um we're doing a a better job of course of outside of our ENL sections to now meet the needs of the teachers monolingually to um address the content and language objectives for
005the students in their classrooms. And that's basically what it comes down to. Um in this slide you'll see that um the the reason for this is that nationwide uh 10% of all students are now English language learners or multilingual learners. And in New York State that number is around 11%. Um just to bring it home a little bit for you, we're around 22% of students in Beayshore that are English language learners. But I think it's really interesting and very important to understand that um that number does not include kids who are bilingual who do not receive English as a new language services. So the number is much larger in terms of bilingual students. It's just that the the numbers that you're seeing 10% of students who are L's across the nation that does not include
006kids who are bilingual or heritage speakers. Um, and so that's the difference between the ELELLL acronym and the ML acronym is that multilingual learners is the broader term and English language learners is really the kids that are receiving the services. So that's the differentiation there. Any questions so far? Okay. >> Are we 22% with both of those or 22% with the L's? >> 22% of L's. >> Okay. 22% of Ellis >> or that would be considered multilingual that >> don't need support services. >> Correct. Okay. That's correct. We have um many of our students are truly bilingual kids. Yeah. That don't need the support because they're already truly bilingual. Okay. So um so the reason for this is that um you know people at the state level are starting to realize that standard practices for
007literacy are not meeting the needs of multilingual learners and effective instruction requires addressing ontological differences. So the state is becoming very um let's how could I say this almost almost no existential. I really should 25,000 points for anybody who can come up with the definition of onlogical. So, uh, ontological, do you know this already? So, ontological means, wait a minute, I had to write it down. Um, ontological is actually the essence of being and one's reality. And I I kid you not, it is on brief number one. And it is written right there if you'd like to see it right in front of you. And I will actually take it out and read the definition because this is this is really was kind of like going to a uh back to my undergrad days. Very
008I >> it very IB. So ontological means relating to ontology the philosophical study of being. Uh it is a study of existence and the structure of reality. It is written right here on the first brief. Okay. So um it describes a set of concepts and categories within a subject area that shows the properties and relations between them. So the way I interpret this really is that um everybody brings their own sense of reality to you know there's an essence and then there's reality and the reality for L's in an academic setting is very different than the reality for a monolingual student and that's what I think they're trying to address here a little differently >> maybe but anyway so as educators we embrace the onlogical uh definition and that's it we'll use that for 25,000
009extra points So >> correct. So um uh this is this is I think a key concept um for this particular um philosophy. Being bilingual is different than being monolingual because the two languages interact linguistically, psychologically, culturally, cognitively and emotionally within a student's brain. So they want all educators to understand the bilingual brain in order to address the needs of all of our multilingual learners. Our challenge as educators is to view these differences as assets because really it's a shift in mindset because for many many years we have looked at English language learners, second language acquisition as a deficit for kids and so now u the mindset is you know what there's a lot of positives in a bilingual brain and we need to start embracing what those students bring to the table and that's that's
010the message here. >> It's a good message. >> It's a great message. That's a great message. Ontologically speaking, I think it's really >> I think it's fabulous. >> Certainly. That's right. That's next on the chopping block. Right. So, I try to um I try to sort of scale down the briefs um and try to be I'm trying to keep within my 15 minute time frame, but it gets a little um kind of comprehensive. So, in the slides, I have written uh educators should. So, those are the key concepts there, and that's what I'm just going to keep repeating. So this is the uh expanding the scope brief one is expanding the scope of reading to include multilingual learners. This is the onlogical aspect of it and how to expand scope is critical to academic success
011for L's and MLS. Um educators should consider L's and and multilingual learners uh backgrounds and their educational realities. Uh they should teach beyond foundational skills such as phonics and decoding and build background knowledge in order for students to derive meaning from the text. So um by the leadership of both Mr. Pashkin and uh Dr. Outlaw, we have already in our district started to look at um and one of the goals for this year as you know is vocabulary building. Um our ENL teachers, I can confidently say do this with as second nature. It is it is 100% what we have always done um to build background for um for our L's. it needs to be uh expanded upon which we are now um championing championing within district um and trying to do this in our
012content classes as well as our our SCAP P&L sections. Okay. Um brief two really talks about um the student biography and again this is about just think about the whole child, right? That's what they want you to think about. Educators should leverage the student biography which includes socio so socioultural linguistic cognitive and academic aspects for the students. Uh effective instruction requires understanding the whole child including their social cultural linguistic as I've said um and success in one area cannot exist without the support of the others. And so again in our ENL our ENL teachers are trained for this. So we're we're looking beyond that. We're all educators of L's and that's what the state really is trying to promote that we all embrace all of these aspects in order to understand um >> these are
013not uncommon themes in education they are not >> I'm looking at it as an educator and I feel like this is this is not an uncommon theme wrapping it up into >> the the L's and stuff but the whole child understanding background knowledge when you're reading text >> but go back to the >> ontological aspect and that the realities are different and I think >> so hard for our teachers. It's not like it's a big step. >> That's right. >> It's not like I'm stepping into some unknown. This is part and practice I think of what we do. >> That's correct. So when we were sitting uh at the um science of reading um seminar for the day, I felt bad for younger teachers who were waiting for this magic bullet theory to be presented
014to them. So that how how are we going to effectively teach literacy to elves? And you know with all of my experience and and time on on task There really isn't, >> right? I mean, there's not, but magic bullet theory really is about building background, using content and and vocabulary uh and and all of those pieces and respecting the needs of the kids. >> Good educational practice. >> Correct. >> Good teaching. >> Correct. Okay. So, brief two. Um, educators should shift to assetbased thinking by focusing on what students can do versus what they lack. um use holistic assessments uh versus standardized measures um to ensure accurate representation of student learning. Um I do want to talk about that for a quick minute because um I think it's super important to give you a scenario so
015that you can kind of understand why it would be more accurate and um to use um performance-based assessments versus um a standardized test for kids. And so I want you to just uh think about an 11th grade newcomer from El Salvador uh who's expected to pass the US history regent exam simply by being giving a given a translated copy. Right? Does that make sense? It's a it's a band-aid fix. They're trying to meet the accommodation of the students by giving it to them in their language. But the truth is um this expectation ignores the critical inequity that translation does not equal instruction. So the kids in El Salvador are not necessarily being taught US history the way our kids are. And so the state recognizes that and so we're being penalized for it because the
016kids come in and they are expected to to they're held to the same standards as everybody else which is why you can see the shift in the paradigm um and the different um pathways that they're going to start to make for graduation. It makes a lot of sense, right? So I think a lot of that um ideology sort of stem from the fact that this growing population needs to be met uh more accurately. So um so uh a brief three uh is about emerging multilingual in early childhood education classrooms. Uh again we need to value students first language and support the transference of the skills from the first language to the second language because in the first language if the kids unlock the decoding skills and encoding skills they can transfer those to English provided
017they are given the vocabulary support because without the vocabulary support students will not be able to recognize what they're reading and you know as well as I do if a if you don't understand a word you're going to approach it much differently than if you understand what the word means. Right? So, so that's that. Um, so understand the misconceptions of bilingualism. So, often times, uh, the misconceptions are stated right there. Uh, young children, um, pick up a second language very quickly. I mean, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Depends on if they're immersed. Depends on if it's social language in addition to academic language. That's much diff more difficult. Uh, more English is better. Not necessarily. Depends. Again, um, bilingualism confuses children. I would refute that 100%. if it's done and and the student is
018approached uh correctly. Um you need to be able to use that as an asset and that's that's the shift in the paradigm that the state would like for everybody to understand. Um and bilingualism leads to weak skills in both languages. No, in fact um research shows that it actually does the opposite and so the state wants everybody to recognize that. Okay. Um so according to the research uh educators should focus on early pre-iteracy skills preparing children for reading rather than pushing uh to formal reading skills too soon. So I would like to give you a scenario uh in that regard because and I'm going to jump to our dual language program here in Beayshore. I want you to think about uh our kindergarten students that are in a bilingual classroom in dual language. Um the
019way that we approach it here um we have two teachers as everybody knows and the students who are Spanish speaking um are taught all of the pre-iteracy skills in um English in the beginning of the year, but they are not formally instructed in English for literacy until January. So, we're building all of that background knowledge that we're talking about and all that we're saying and promoting or vocabulary skills and all that other kind of piece all those pieces in the fall and then we introduce English instruction formally in January. However, those same Spanish speaking students are receiving literacy instruction in Spanish in the fall. So again, it's the transference of those skills, unlocking those key concepts for literacy and then transferring that knowledge once SP English is introduced in January. Does that make sense? So
020without those type of So what I'm saying to you is that we do it right here because we're doing exactly what they're promoting. It's already being done. So kudos to all of us for that. Um they also would like us to use in inclusive materials, books and materials in both English and home language. um tailor the teaching, adjust the teaching methods to match each student's current language level. I mean, these are all differentiation of instruction pieces. None of this is new. This is really what this is. And then again, treat home language as an asset and choose the right curriculum which is culturally culturally respectful and appropriate. And uh brief four is the science of reading and dual language immersion classrooms, which I sort of just touched upon. Uh again, what I'll tell you here
021is that in Beayore, we already do this. So, um, the biiteracy component, you've heard me speak on this multiple times. Uh, we value biiteracy here. I can tell you that in other districts that's not necessarily the case. In a transitional bilingual program, uh, the native language is phased out and the focus is on English and we here have a dual language immersion classroom where it is additive. So, the students are maintaining their their native language and then adding English or adding Spanish whichever um whichever is appropriate. um the states saying that there are three pillars of dual language immersion, bilingualism and biiteracy, high academic achievement, which of course you know that we reflect in our dual classes and the social cultural competence. Um I I just have to underscore here and I've I just said
022it but it's worth repeating. You cannot move students along in biiteracy if you don't have the appropriate staffing. And so I must thank you all as a board in recognizing and taking um our recommendations for what our program looks like and supporting it because it's not going to work in other places. And that's the piece that we really need to hold on to. I do believe that the state is moving to uh a more immersive type of language sort of development program across the state and I think they're going to already advocating for more dual language classes. Um and and so we're again ahead of the curve and I'm super happy and thankful for that. Um okay, so brief five is the science of reading in multilingual K to2 classrooms. So this is not really
023about dual language anymore. This is really about ENL specific um and how we approach the um the students there. So again, we have content and language objectives here in Beayshore, and they're they're saying they're stating that we really need to re-evaluate the big six standards for literacy instruction, which are phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and oral language. So in standard classrooms, when you're teaching um literacy, those are like the six big um big six. But they expect us and want us teachers should educators should additionally emphasize listening and speaking the oral components of it. U cultural context English language development lang the first language to the second language connections which is L1 to L2. Um and also not use not use methods solely designed for native English speakers. Um and honestly that's good instruction
024as you said it's good instruction for all kids. um and then customize which differentiate which we already do. Okay. And then brief six basically talks about um how we need to be able to um lead and to make these changes um for advancing multi-iteracy. So the instructional leadership uh leaders should emphasize program models and teaching practices aligned with research such as dual language immersion which are proven uh to improve academic outcomes for L's. As you know, mo many of our dual language kids uh enter into the IB realm when they get up to the high school and so their brains are constantly, you know, sort of reaclimating to the um to the new information and it's just a very different type of mindset. Uh data leadership, this involves using individual and group data in context
025to inform decisions and prevent the misidentification of learning disabilities because that's also a very key piece to this. We have many students now in Beayore as as across the state and the nation that are being identified as having both language um deficits in English as well as special education needs. And so um the state is very concerned that we are not um misidentifying kids in either capacity. And so they have specific provisions for us to um and that's again why the performance-based assessments are better suited for this population than standardized assessments. uh the culture of learning. Schools should foster an inclusive assetinformed culture that aligns with the principles of culturally responsive sustaining education and also that we need to make sure that we're in compliance and advocate. Uh leaders must ensure compliance with civil rights
026laws and they're very concerned about that piece as well. Um and this these are the four critical this is just a little summary of the four critical um educational leadership uh pieces for L's. It's just basically synopsis and then I put the links there. I'm not going to touch the links, but I'm going to put the link put the links there unless you want me to take out my tap shoes. Um, and I did I took this quote off of the website the uh Office of Bilingual Education because I think it really does wrap up the uh it sort of summarizes everything. It's uh it says by intentionally leveraging and the linguistic and cultural assets that students bring from their home languages and communities, educators can cultivate literacy practices that are inclusive, equitable, and transformative
027for every learner in every classroom. And that's what the goal really is. >> Thanks. >> Anybody have any questions? >> So, it seems like it would probably be a great conference. >> It was a great conference. >> What does that mean for us? The good news is >> I I feel like >> we do so much of this already. >> Be an example for what to do. >> We we are an example of what needs to be done. I mean, you know, can we get better? We could always get better, you know, and again, but we're already ahead of the curve because we've talked multiple times last year uh under Dr. Outlaw's uh guidance for this um science of reading. Uh we've talked a lot about what this means and the conversation did come up
028multiple times about how our ENL teachers inherently understand how to do this. And so we really need to be able to push out those strategies into mainstream classrooms and to gened classrooms so that everybody can kind of teach this because even though you may have students in your classrooms that are bilingual that don't receive ENL services, it doesn't mean that their brains aren't going back and forth between both pieces. And so it's just good teaching as I've said in the past scop the scop model with content and language objectives like what are we learning from this content it needs to be contentbased instruction and and that's what we have here we've built something that really will sustain the district for a very long time >> so for this and what what you were just saying
029do you think or foresee some of this um in PDS >> yes like I don't see us doing anything in particular No, >> other than sharing it with other teachers that say, "Hey, I'm have a lot of students and I want some support." I know we do a lot of different PDs and people can sign up and they do after school stuff. Um maybe superintendent's conference day. So, is that how you kind of see it? >> 100%. It needs to be it. That's the way it needs to be. And honestly, I really believe that my u my teachers could really um lead those PDs. I do have one teacher who does this stuff all the time, Katrina um Bowos. She does a lot of PDS and offers them internally. Um but that that's exactly the
030type of thing um that needs to happen because we have so much talent here and we have we have the desire from many content teachers who have expressed that to us like we really need to you know to to learn how to do these strategies. So >> already created >> we do have some that are already created but we we definitely have to develop our own based on what the what the ideology is. Yeah. >> So uh I just wrote down a question about >> Sure. you see what we're doing and trying to do what all you're trying to implement here. But how do we compare with other schools around us and and how do we partner with other schools to share the the exposures and to expose the needs of other children and solutions
031can be found? How could we do stuff like So I will tell you that um again this is a very prideful topic for me because I know I will give you a for instance um this program was built in my prior district by me and when I left it was disbanded and few years later they were scrambling to put it back together because they understand that it is good instruction for kids. this is good instruction for kids what we do here guy and I think that um we should be the model for other districts um you know we we collectively understand but >> I hate to say it we do so much more we do so many more things better than other districts um and I and I I hate to say that but it's
032true >> speaking on that >> is this something that could potentially sorry be presented or would you be able to package something about the programs we have it be sure for like the New York State Boards conference. >> Yes, we've been asked actually we've been asked to do that and uh we did put a proposal together uh maybe two years ago and it was denied and then last year we were asked to go as you know um but it wasn't on this particular topic it was about the family engagement hello ambassadors piece so but this is really instructional you know >> that was the um national conference correct >> um even the New York State one is is um >> I think more local to what you know districts here might be might want to
033be and might be interested in because I think everybody's getting the influx that we have are also getting of the ELLL students and they want to do the best they can and educate them. I'm wondering if we couldn't >> we could submit again. >> Yeah, we could we could submit a >> I don't have I'm on the NASA cuffic board and they're always looking for ways to because they try to do a monthly some kind of seminar for their members. Um so I like because Long Island is I mean there are many districts facing the statistics that we face. Yeah. So, I mean, if this is something that we could we could potentially propose to them to >> So, it's interesting because we've had we've had other districts come in and um and look at
034our sheltered programs at Brook Avenue when it started. And that's really where the um the model really first took off. Um and we are always met with the same resistance in that it costs a lot of money. And what I try to say all the time is, you know, you whether you whether you you have to invest in the program model. Um when your population influxes, right, it es and flows and it es and flows. You have to commit to the program because some years you're going to have those classes filled with 30 kids and other years you're going to have those classes filled with five. And if you disband those programs when you only have five, you're going to have to you're going to be behind the eightball in order to do it again.
035And so you you have to make the commitment to the lowest performing populations in your district, which we do. But other districts don't want to hear that it's going to cost more for staffing. They don't want to hear that it's going to change the uh the the um the if I could think it would be helpful um the structure of the schedule in a building. You know, they don't want to there's resistance in that regard. So, it's difficult to to push the needle when you have resistance about um those types of pieces. >> It's funny how when uh the people are coming to school and like kids that I coached and all this stuff for a long time, they moved into our district and the first thing they ask is I want to get in
036that with the kids and learn dual language. >> I want to be at that dual language. And it's amazing because the kids are sponges and and they get together and they talk and then their kids come home and two years they're speaking Spanish >> in our dual language kids. I just had a conversation with a teacher who's here today. Um and she uh her son is in first grade and he's in dual language and it's in a different district and she said to me, "Patricia, I find it odd. he only has one teacher, you know, and again, it's the the possibility of really um teaching the depth of biiteracy to the to the point that we want the kids to be cannot happen in a classroom with one teacher and 30 kids. It just can't
037happen. So, I I find it interesting. Uh and so she said to me, I'm questioning that. And I said, well, I can't, you know, there's nothing I can really What am I supposed to say? You know, it's your home district. Um, I tell her that maybe she should practice a little bit more with him at home, you know, and just focus on those skills because it's just what we have here is very unique and it's it's something that again should be um should be profiled. Um, but again, D have assistant superintendents asking, principals asking and they come and they do a visitation. Well, we can't afford to do that and we can't afford to do this. But >> can't afford not to. >> You can't afford not to. >> And I, you know, I know
038you >> spend money on knowledge, >> right? is good. >> You know, the the district and stuff, but I think it's a community support. >> It is >> of the programs that we do. We continue over and over to have that community support because they see the programs >> and they see what's in our schools and they're satisfied with what goes on in the schools. So, we have tremendous community support for stuff like this. >> And if you didn't do it, the community would be at a detriment, right? And you know this because they wouldn't be able to participate the way that they do now, right? And so, it's cyclical. >> College ready. Correct. It's all cyclical. >> And so, uh, I think we already have an asset mindset, >> you know, when it comes
039to our ENL students and our bilingual parents. And I think that we embrace them and I think that we do a good job here. So, >> Thank you for your support. >> Thank you for >> who's going to follow that. >> All right. Miss Dela Universa and Mr. Pashkin. Broadway trip approval. Are you going to tap dance? This is a play. It's a play. >> She likes to sing. >> Okay. Thank you very much. If you remember last time we were uh talking about a Broadway play as well. This then came upon us as a amazing opportunity for our students uh that the some of our teachers brought to Miss Dell University. So, I'll let her share what the opportunity is and then I will present the predicament that it will present us with, but
040I think it's something that we can uh work towards. >> Okay. All right. >> There's a spot for a couple board members to >> there for this. Yes. Um and and to get approval for this for students, I will tap dance. I promise you I will. Um and so, as Mr. Pashkin mentioned this is a request uh for approval to plan an instructional field trip for our IBE English 12 students to attend an upcoming Broadway revival of the play Death of a Salesman which is set to begin its run in March and will star Nathan Lane and Lori Metaf. Um this is a the play by Arthur Miller is a board approved text. It is read by our IBE English students during their senior year and it directly aligns with the IB curriculum and the
041coursework as well as with the IB assessments that they're required to take at the end of the school year. Um, we do know that the staging of this production will be based on the original script. Um, so the content is and should be appropriate for a senior age audience. And we do also know um that seeing this play and really any play I would say but especially this one in person live performed on stage can help to enhance students understanding of the entire work. Um really for Death of a Salesman I would say the staging, the lighting, the sequence of events, the character development all just come to life on stage in a way that uh not necessarily reading the book alone can do. Um, and so we think this would help them to have
042a better comprehension of the work, but also to have more confidence when it comes to their written analysis when they sit for those IB assessments later on this school year. Um, the Basher Arts Education Fund has also very graciously agreed to cover the entire ticket costs for students for this potential field trip. Um, so there would be no cost for admission for them. The only associated expense would be for transportation. Um, which they would take the train. It would be about $11 per student for a roundtrip ticket. And we have, uh, 31 students enrolled in the course. So, it sounds great, right? Sounds wonderful. So, why are we here? Why are we here requesting her approval now? Um, I mean, I can speak to this piece or if you'd like to. >> Sure. That's I
043I I didn't want Miss Leia to have to deal with the predicament part. But uh as as you saw from our previous discussion, typically our protocol, our process is that we will have administrators preview the play, preview the performance prior just to make sure it is age appropriate and it is something that is uh appropriate for our students because with all good intentions occasionally, you know, there are things that we want to make sure that we know the kids are going to be seeing in advance. The difficulty with this scenario is the timing because the payment for the student tickets is due by February 20th. The play does not start running until March 6th. So therefore, we would have to pay in advance before we have actually gone to see it. Now, we act we
044have talked and and felt that it is still worthwhile for our administrators to preview it. Uh and we're willing to do that. And then if there was anything at that point, even though we had purchased the tickets that we would indicate and provide something to parents and then they could choose whether they would want to send their child, but we're not even anticipating that's going to be a problem at all. It's just a additional step just to make sure we are sticking with our process. So, our request is to to purchase the the tickets in advance and and get approval for this and then we would go through that vetting process after they have been purchased at that point. >> Fine. >> I mean, if it was if it was a more unknown, >> it's
045less than it's probably less than that, but yeah, around there. >> If it was an unknown work or something, it could go different, you know. >> No, this is this should be >> My only question is 31 students. How many teachers? What's the staff coverage? Uh it's I think two it's two staff members taking the two teachers for for the class. So and that would be plenty and it's within the you know >> down with the >> I know that's that's typically the question that everybody has. >> I've proven my chaperon. >> Yes. So so we appreciate appreciate that >> and I mean and the arts education fund has done so much for us. >> Great opportunity for the kids. Really a no-brainer. >> Great. Okay. Thank you very much. >> No tap dancing required
046tonight. >> Thank you. Mr. Speaking. >> Yes. Mr. Agustinino, >> are you going to dance? >> No. >> You'll go fast so we can get to the game. >> You stressed about a basketball. >> Yeah. What's What's the score? What do you got? >> We're up 22 right now. I did 23. Yeah, it was close early, but then we kind of put it away. Thank you. Happy New Year to everybody. I appreciate your time. Um, so you know, with our substance abuse program we have, when kids get suspended with with the vaping or whatever the case is, they go to Northwell. If they want to get back out of suspension after 90 days, they can get it reduced to 45. So Northwell's kind of changed leadership there, but I still like what they're doing. I'm
047very happy with what they're doing. I've sat down with their people, too, and it's really moving in a direction I like. The only little hiccup on it is they don't meet the needs of middle school kids because their program basically starts um they don't do anybody below 14 years old. So we have kids in the in the middle school that are running into this problem. So we don't have a place to send them to get a reduction out of it. So what I started doing some research talking to some people and we came up with the YES program basically right out of Brentwood they they run and it's a town of Icelib basically program that's fully funded by New York State and the town of Icelip so it doesn't cost our students anything. Um I
048I met with the the people at the yes uh program. They're phenomenal in my opinion. Uh I really like what they brought to the table. They were very fascinated with beayhore doing this. We're the only school still doing this in Suffach County where we're educating our students who have cons, you know, problems with this substance abuse. So, you know, I explained to them how we do it with Northwell and it's becoming more of like an assessment first with Northwell, too. So, let's really assess the kid to make sure that the the the student is doing what we, you know, is it recreational? Is there a problem? Like, let's look at this. And yes, is right in that program also. So I think to give options right for kids who don't want to necessarily go to
049Northwell which is based out of Amityville or do they want to come to the YES program. So I to me I just like to give as much options as possible and I think yes is a perfect example of helping our students right now. Yeah. >> Quick question. Is does Northwell is it a specific um once the evaluation is done, is there still a specific timeline? Like is it a two week program, three week and would this kind of mirror that? >> So there is a timeline, right? So that's where the hiccup with Northwell. They kind of changed their philosophy a little bit. It was traditionally four weeks. Now they're saying, "Well, Chris, it might be more. We might need more time with this student." Okay, that's fine. Like and that's you're the professional. So yes,
050I would be okay with it going six weeks. So they contact me once the kid's done. They'll say, "Hey Chris, everything's good. Finish the program. Great. Now we go." So same theory with Yes. They'll look at it. They'll assess. This child may need a four-week program. This child may need a six-week program. But there's no timeline basically on it, which I like now too. >> Would we be just using Yes. for middle schoolers or would >> No, we can use it for everybody. They could have choice. I would give them options if you guys would support it. When a kid um is involved in this and the whoever they're seeing says it's a four-week or six week, do their does those the time that they're going is that built into the 90 days? >> Yes.
051>> Okay. So, that counts as some of their days and it helps with the reduction. It's not starts after. Okay. Good. I'm glad glad to hear that. >> That's quite true. >> Good. >> Is there an initial >> Say that again. >> Is there an initial evaluation or any interim evaluations that will be passed along to us? So, as far as an evaluation of the student, there are they'll evaluate students and then they can't give us any of that information because that's that's all hipper stuff that they can't give us that information. But if and >> just their attendance, >> right, their attendance, we'll know they completed the program, they started the program, they completed like I have a we have a student right now who's in the program. She I actually tal spoke to
052her today and she's you know she's right doing exactly where she should be with the program. >> And does this program allow the parents to be involved as well? >> They want and Northwell kind of wants that also too. They want the parents involved >> so they have the opportunity both. >> Yep. >> All right. >> Yes. Thank you. >> I say yes. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. I'm going back to the game. >> Good luck. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Uh the final thing tonight is the first read on a couple more of the board policies. Um Lou, you're going to go over or tell us the changes to 2360 regarding board minutes and 2342 agenda preparation and dissemination. Correct? >> Yes. The these are both short. They're both basically uh focused on how
053we conduct and record what we do and how we share it with the public. The first one 2360 and it's the standard existing language is in red and xed out and the added language is in yellow highlighted. Uh this basically is about the minutes how we take them and disseminate them. And our original policy had to do with the way we used to hold minutes before we did video. And that was precoid really brought in the video more than anything else. Although we had discussed this a long time before that. And I had originally been against video although I am not now. I'm very much in favor of it. But I would suggest that everybody read this very closely and the last couple of sentences uh we might want to talk about a little bit
054further. They seem relatively innocuous, but they do have to do with making videos uh available to the public and whether or not they're made in the form available in the form of actual videos or whether or not they're uh we provide transcripts. >> Anyways, >> we do. >> Yeah. All of it's on YouTube. >> Our live streams are all all available >> like the full recording. >> Yeah. So that's >> I'm saying that's why we you should read it. They are available already. No doubt. >> Yeah. >> Uh and there's no need to my my point is there's no need to provide a transcript for something that's available anyway. But uh I >> because that involves extra work that >> that's not necessary >> is duplicative. Yes. Not necessary. >> And then that's it on
055that one. The other one, same thing as far as what's xed out and what's added. Uh the only thing in the last paragraph is something we've discussed in the past making uh support materials available to us prior and uh this says five days. I don't know if we want to make it business days or what but >> can I >> again nothing nothing uh nothing monumental here but we may want to make some kind of a tweak to it going forward. Can I ask a quick question on the first one? It's probably for Caitlyn more than anything. Is the board minutes ago? Um, I used to always have difficulty finding stuff. With our website redesign, is where the minutes are located easier to find? >> That would be Caitlyn. >> So, I'll I'll maybe touch
056base with you. I'll I'll go on the website myself and look and see make sure they're accessible and >> definitely >> available. Goal. >> Yeah. >> Working towards brought that up >> um to and Christina, especially anything for board related. >> Yeah. >> Needs to be a little more >> accessible and just kind of >> be able to find it. I I think that you could really kind of >> change the labeling of it to make it more clear because it's not once you know where it is, it's very easy to find, but but getting there and figuring it out each time is but I think if we labeled it a little differently or like I think it would be a pretty easy thing to do. I'm gonna >> and to that point, the uh
057the red text that's uh xed out at the end all has to do with making our uh minutes available to news media, which again if they're if it's posted >> Yep. >> if it's made easily accessible, that's certainly >> right. That was back when we didn't have all the stuff on the website. Right. I just I'm curious why we why we cut out the two days in the agenda. >> Which one? >> In the second one where we said to the extent practicable two days, they will be released on the public district two days. >> And so it seems like we're only going to put the agenda up 24 hours before the meeting. >> I'm in the last paragraph. The agenda and supporting material to be discussed the board meeting that's permissible to be released
058to the public will be posted on the district's website and made available upon request to the district clerk to the extent practical 24 hours before the meeting. >> So that's um right so that's like any so we do post it. Yeah. >> They go up it's up there early. This is if there's like a change if we add something in the the goal is to have it at least 24 hours which is what we do now anyway. So if we've you know we're adding a a make it a an add agenda to the agenda. >> This was changed this was added this was and it'll be noted. Okay. um if we have to have a special meeting, sometimes time doesn't allow us to. Um but again, we try and get those notices out in advance
059for people to know. >> Um so basically, >> but we're not going to stop. We're not going to change our practice practices of putting it up earlier. Okay, that was my only concern. But again when when this comes up for the second >> when this comes up for the second read and it is so short and easy to go through and these are both things that we have discussed at length on on both of these uh we may want to take a closer look at them see if there's anything you want to change or add. >> All right thank you Lou. Um, I just want a reminder that to whoever might be watching and to everybody here that we are aware of the upcoming criminal proceedings as reported in the media. The criminal proceedings involved
060the prosecution of the defendant by the district attorney's office. The district has complied with this lawful subpoenas, but the district is not otherwise involved in the proceeding. So, we do not have involvement in the next upcoming trial. >> Next week, January And our next meeting is will be a Tuesday, two weeks 13 days from today um instead of Wednesday, but that'll be noted everywhere else as well. >> January 27th >> 7th. Okay. >> Do you let David didn't do his >> David didn't do his report last meeting? >> We'll do it now. >> Okay. David, do you want to do your report now? >> Oh, sure. >> Okay. >> Catching up on the school stuff. Sorry, just need one second. >> Yeah, okay. So, good evening. I'm excited to share the highlights for the month
061of December across our school districts because we didn't get the chance at the last meeting. Um, so at the UPK, we celebrated the spirit of the season with our winter concerts, breakfast with Frosty and family style breakfast for staff. We were excited to have vendors from the community at Breakfast with Frosty as well as well as our win program from the high school. Uh Brook celebrated Thanksgiving season with various activities ranging from a $2,000 fundraiser for families to his visit from a live turkey and steam robot parade. They're looking forward to continuing their new word of the week vocabulary initiative and the many upcoming holiday events. Fifth Avenue School celebrated stellar behavior with bucket filler brunch honoring 30 exemplary students alongside families and staff. The school also launched winter with the annual PFA sponsored winter
062wonderland welcoming over 500 attendees for gifts, food, Santa, the Grinch and festive fun. At Mary G. Clarkson School, we held our first principal award ceremony. Classroom teachers nominated two students from each class who exhibit role model behavior, a strong work ethic, and positivity from our school community. These children were celebrated and received special certificates along with free ice cream Sunday vouchers from coils. At Gardener Manor School during the Thanksgiving holiday, the fourth grade classes showed their generosity by donating 47 pies to a local soup kitchen. The school is celebrating kindness and spirit week with various activities and a new playground edition is underway which is generating excitement among students and staff at South Country School. SAF staff surprised students with a 67th day of school celebration uh featuring themed attire, fun math activities, and decorated
063classrooms. >> Students and staff also enjoyed an inspirational vis uh virtual author visit with Peter Brown. Additionally, um, South Country School successfully kicked off the holiday season with a toy and coat drive and participated in spirit week as well. At the middle school, the middle school exceeded its goal during a holiday toy drive as well, collecting over 75 toys for the Jacob Marley Foundation. Members of the photograph photography club, excuse me, continue to volunteer at school events, capturing images of the uh to support the school yearbook. Winter sports are underway and student council sponsored spirit week celebrations began the 17th of December at the high school. The past month has been filled with fantastic music and drama performances and the winter sports season is underway. We are now preparing for midyear exams and assessments starting
064next week which will begin January 12th uh 12th and run through the 23rd. So that's all. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Good luck. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other comments or All right. Can I get a motion to exit work session? Motion. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So carried. >> Thank you. Have a good night.