ERCSD - Regular Board Meeting 06-02-26

001Okay. Good evening everyone. Uh, I'd like to bring this meeting to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Thank you and good evening everyone. Again, fire exits are located in the sides of the room, in the front and back. In the event of a fire, you will hear a fire alarm at that time. Please move in a common orderly fashion to the nearest exits. We will now make a motion to open the floor for public speaking. Do have a second. >> Second by trustee Charles Pier. All those in favor say I. Anyone opposed? Obstain. Motion carries. Speaker number one. Good evening. I understand that you interviewed four candidates for superintendent last Thursday. Now it is your responsibility,

002the primary responsibility of the board of education is to complete the interview process and identify a permanent superintendent. There is no time to waste. It is June the 2nd and this district must have an experienced superintendent with a strong track record ready to begin on July 1. The children in the public schools cannot stand another year of instability. Complete the superintendent search without delay. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you. Speak number two. Right. Spring Valley High School. notific. Ramapo High School. Gracias. Thank you. ma'am, would you mind specifying which situation you're referring to? Can you >> Yeah, perhaps some speak. Okay, she it's fine. It's fine. You can speak. You can speak to Mrs. Mong. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Um that concludes public speaking. >> No, you're good. Okay. So before we move on

003to well we don't have student [snorts] feedback and updates today. Um before we move on to superintendent I am going to read a statement and give the public an update on the superintendent search. Good evening members of the East Ramapo Central School District community. I'd like to take a moment to update you all on the status of the board's progress on selecting a new superintendent. As was mentioned and as we know, hiring a superintendent of school is one of the most important jobs of a school board. We know that and the board the board at United Board has taken that job very seriously. As I've shared with you before, the board has been working very closely with Southern Westchester Boseies as our search consultant to find a new superintendent. As we have mentioned, after extensive

004search, the unanimous board, the United Board, successfully selected a candidate to serve in that role. We enthusiastically sent that recommendation to the state monitors. They rejected the board's unanimous choice, a choice, shall I say, who we still think would have been a phenomenal and highly qualified candidate for this district. Um, the monitors rejected the board's unanimous choice. It provided no reasons for the decision. And those of you who were at the board meeting last month heard the monitors refused to explain why they rejected the board's chosen candidate. After this happened, the [clears throat] board was so committed to our chosen candidate to file a lawsuit against the state education commission, state education commissioner, and the state monitors. We asked the court to overturn the monitor's decision. Earlier today, the judge ruled and did not overturn

005the monitor's decision and ruled against the board. Needless to say, the board is extremely disappointed in the monitors and the court's decision as we firmly believe that this was the proper candidate for East Ramipo for all the children in East Ramapo. However, the board understands its legal obligation, the urgent need to find a new leader. The board as a united board has continued to work with the Bosei search consultant team. Last week, we interviewed four potential candidates provided by the search consultant. We narrowed that list down to two finalists and the board will be interviewing them a second time in the next the next as soon as our schedule reaches works out with the candidates. Hope we're hoping for next week, but it might be the week or the week after next. We are confident

006both con both candidates are qualified to serve as our next superintendent. We intend to make an offer to one of them as soon as the final interviews take place. The monitors of course continue to play a part in the process knowing the board knowing that the board has asked the monitors if they are agreeable with the two finalists. The monitors again refuse to answer the board and to give us proper direction as if they will approve or won't approve these two candidates. This means as this means we could again for the third time select a superintendent candidate and be again have the monitors say no. So we don't know. We sincerely hope that this does not encore occur and we want the public to know the board is doing everything and it's a united board

007in its power to hire a superintendent as soon as possible. We only wish the state and monitors will partner with us in our efforts. As soon as we have an announcement, we're hoping by the next board meeting to have an announcement with a candidate. Thank you. That's the update for today. Um, we will now give it over to our superintendent for the superintendent report. Thank you, President Rose. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and uh trustees. Uh, we begin our presentation with um an announcement uh for our tenure recipients and our district retirees. And I'm going to ask our uh executive director of HR to uh give us an update. Uh Matt Kravitz. >> Yep. Thank you very much. As stated at the last board meeting, uh we'd like to recognize those who are receiving tenure

008this year uh this entire past year at and as far as and also those who are retiring on Tuesday, June 16th at 5:30m in this room with some light refreshments uh starting at 5:30 uh followed by a board meeting. They're more welcome to, of course, they're welcome to stay for the board meeting, but that's not a requirement. Um, but we are looking forward to celebrating our our retirees and our tenure recipients. Okay. >> Thank you. >> And now I'd like to turn it over to Miss Maronei who will discuss a survey for special education parents for our special education audit and a summer program. >> Good evening. So, we shared at the last board meeting that the district is currently undergoing a special education audit and we have a survey here for families to fill

009out for students with disabilities. There's a QR code available. We're also going to be holding a special family university tomorrow night at 6 pm. So, we hope that uh families will join us, engage in dialogue around programs and services for their students. Next, we wanted to share about our summer learning opportunities. We have our kindergarten jumpstart program. The program is going to be for students who did not attend a universal prek program. So, the jump start program is by invitation only. Invitations have been sent out to families and families will be asked to return back that letter with whether or not they're interested in attending the program. The program runs July 13 through August 13th, Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and we will be having an orientation on Thursday, June 18th.

010And the information will be in the letter with regard to that event. >> Thank you. And now I'd like to ask Miss Honazawa to provide us an update on um our summer programs for our K through8 and then for some of our high school students. >> Thank you. Good evening. Buenos. Um this is just as we mentioned at the last board meeting. Uh our summer explorers program is for our um rising so current kindergarteners and our current seventh graders. program successfully um has registered 900 students and it has a wait list. So as um spaces become available, families will be notified. This summer program runs from July 6 uh through August 13th, Monday through Thursday from 9 to 1:00 p.m. Um it will be located at Khaki at Seam Academy and busing will be provided

011as well as breakfast and lunch. So be on the lookout if you get called if you're on the waiting list. Um, additionally, our high school summer academy is for our incoming 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. So, if you have a student who's going to be um in ninth grade, 10th or 11th grade next year, this program is for them. And I am happy to announce that we have a 100 students registered for this program. So, we hope that you encourage your children to apply as well. It is both academic as well as it is social to help our students integrate into um high school. So for those that are entering nth grade and building their skills so that they're ready for the following year, it'll include um some trips and some fun activities. This is

012a partnership um with WCORE. So we are asking our families to please remember to register your students or encourage your students to attend the program. >> Thank you. And I'd like to invite Dr. Gonzalez to give us an update on our seniors um our summer program for seniors. Good evening, uh, Superintendent RLCO and, uh, members of the board and the community. Um, as we have mentioned a few times now, our senior, uh, summer school program will be taking place at Rockland Boseies at Fieldstone Middle School in The New York. Uh, we have targeted those students that are uh, close to graduation. Uh, and we are hoping that the involvement in the summer program would help them to get to that finish line. Students will be provided breakfast and lunch options as well as uh transportation

013to and from uh Rockland Bosey's site which is again at the Fieldstone Middle School. Uh the program begins on July 8th and runs through August 17th followed by the New York State Regent exams which are going to be held on August 18th and 19th. >> Thank you. >> Sorry, just a quick question. Um, how many students do we have signed up registered for the Rock and Boseies program so far? >> So rather than having them register, we are actually meeting with students individually. School counselors, we have the list of all of the students that would qualify for graduation in August. So there are 136 students across both of our high schools. The school counselors are meeting with them individually, having conversations with them, asking them actually to sign a document indicating that they are um

014actually going to attend the summer program. Uh once we receive that documentation, then we will be able to provide the transportation to and from uh the Bosei site. Uh we have up to 200 seats available. Um, so where appropriate, if there is additional space and we've already uh met with all of the students and uh have the total enrollment, we will then open up that program to additional students in grades 9 through 11, >> but no students have signed the document or committed yet as of today. >> Some of them have signed it and returned it. Some of them we are still awaiting for them uh to return it to their school counselors. >> Okay. But we just don't have a number. >> I'm sorry. >> We don't have a number of how many signed

015so far? >> I do not. I I will uh have that update by the end of the week. >> Okay. And the slide before this um was it that we had 100 students registered or we have 100 slots open? >> We have 100 students registered. We have room for more. >> How many more? >> 100 more. >> So 200 total. >> And the um kindergarten program, how many students registered? They're they're not registered yet, but we invited I think it was 214. >> So, we're waiting. >> Message has went out to all the UPK programs around uh the county that's within the district. >> It's for East Ramapo students who didn't attend a preschool experience. We invited those students to attend the Jumpstart program >> that didn't attend. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you.

016And now I'd like to invite Mr. Gandhi to um give us an update on our progress to towards converting towards parent square as well as uh our updates on family university. >> Thank you superintendent RLCO. Good evening board and the community. So we continue uh as part of our uh rollout plan continue to remind our community that district will move from uh to parents square as a primary communication platform uh beginning July 1st. So we encourage [clears throat] all families to register their parents square accounts by June 18, 2026 to participate in a friendly school competition. Schools will be recognized based on their account activation percentage as of June 18, 2026. So families can register using the parents square mobile app um website with the email address um and [clears throat] or the phone number

017we already have connected to the school. So this transition will help improve communication, family engagement. Um it will make easier for parents to just access one platform for all their updates. And this month um technology team will be at various promotional ceremonies including the graduations um just to share information with the families and also provide support if needed. And uh as always reach out to your child's school uh if you need to update your email and phone number. We also actually have a email address for our parents square support listed there on the slide deck. It's uh parentsquare.org. Thank you. And just a quick update on um some [clears throat] of the upcoming family university virtual sessions um scheduled for June. Um these sessions are designed to provide um helpful information um and just to

018support student success. Um so the June 3rd session as uh Miss Maronei uh um said earlier is led by PPS team will focus on special education audit uh and give families an opportunity to learn more and provide feedback. June 10th session the technology team will host a parent square training session to help families learn how to use and navigate the new communication platform. And just just as a note, uh the time for that session has changed from 6 6 pm to 5:30 p.m. Um and final session will focus on uh the Finkelson Memorial Library uh youth services team sharing their uh information about summer learning uh opportunities, student programs and free family resources. And all sessions will take place uh virtually through Zoom. And families can join by using the QR code shown um on

019the slide. and we'll also communicate um we'll share the communication again with all the families. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Mr. Kravitz has been working with our principles to uh plan our moving up ceremonies and our graduation celebrations and I'll ask him to provide us with an update. >> Sure. Thank you very much. There is a lot to celebrate in the month of June. It is a very very busy time here in our schools but it's a very good time. It's an opportunity for us to not only celebrate the accomplishments of our students, but the support that their families and our community gives them as well. So, this first slide has a list of all of the end ofear school events um moving up ceremonies and the like uh at our elementary schools, our

020K through K through six students. That's available on our website as well. So, an early congratulations to everyone there. And if we can go to the next slide. So these this slide represents the five um the five secondary schools. On June 25th, which is a Thursday, at 9:00 am at Khakiat. Kakiat will be celebrating um their moving up ceremony. The following day, we will have four ceremonies slated at Clover Stadium, home of the the Boulders. U beginning at 9:00 a.m. with Pomona, 11:00 a.m. with Chestnut Ridge, and then 4:00 in the afternoon with Ramapo, and 7 o'clock concluding the the day's festivities with Spring Valley. I will let everyone know that we've been meeting once a month since October as a group. Um all five um all five buildings, well not not the entire building,

021but all five um administrators and and others from the buildings in addition to Tom Carton and Mike Smith and we're trying to cover all of our and the technology department trying to cover all of our bases to make sure that we're all on the same page. So that being said, um we al there's one thing that we can't that we're going to plan for that we hope in that doesn't happen and that's rain. So in the event that there is rain, we have secured um Rockland Community College. Our hope is we do not need to use Rockland Community College and more information will be coming out very shortly about what that would look like in the event that there is rain. So our hope is for a beautiful 75 degree day on that Friday where

022everyone can be celebrated at Clover Stadium. um in the event that there's rain, we'll make that call um early and we will let the community know what those guidelines would be. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Just a quick recommendation um just from past experience also from what what I experienced at um Rockland Community College uh moving up ceremony a few weeks ago. If possible, maybe if we can just uh make sure we have water for all of our students. >> Yeah. So, it is not ideal obviously. It's it's hot there. It's there are a lot of there are a lot of reasons to try to keep it at Clover, but anything else besides water that you think that we should >> um I think what we did making sure Spring Hill is on standby of

023course we did have a few incidents um at RCC with that as well. Um and if we can have I know Chest and Pomona they're good with having fans u maybe with the school's logo on it um just as precaution. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you for the suggestion. >> Okay. This is a reminder that um we are open for UPK and kindergarten registration. So if you have a child who will be four years old by December 1st, 2026 eligible to register for UPK and we encourage you to do so. Um UPK is available 5 days a week, 5 hours a day. You can register here in this uh building or you could do so online. Similarly for kindergarten if your child is five years old uh by December 1st 2026 is he or she

024is eligible to register for kindergarten again you would uh register here in our registration office or you can also do so online. Uh we had a wonderful celebration for the seals of biiteracy and civic readiness that was um organized and run by uh Miss Renon Tomasawa and I'm going to ask her to provide us with an overview of this celebration. >> Thank you very much. Um yes, last night we had our annual seal of by literacy celebration where we celebrated 47 um students who have achieved um high proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English as well as in more than one foreign language. So many of our students received the seal of literacy in Spanish. We had some students who received the seal of literacy in French and Haitian Creole. So they're multiple

025seal recipients. We also had um six students who received for the first time the seal of civic readiness which is um a distinction of recognizing students who have attained high levels of proficiency in civic knowledge, skills, mindset and experiences. So the students not only worked on research projects beyond their classroom class uh coursework but they also had to present their um their projects to you know variety of adults that they don't know and and really you know a lot of courage in presenting to an audience and speaking about topics that are are important not just to them but global issues. And so it was really um quite an experience for our families as well to celebrate with their students. Um and our goal is to continue to increase the number of students who received both

026the seal of biiteracy and the seal of civic readiness um in the years to come. So, congratulations to all of our students and thank you to our staff, our teachers, our administrators, central office, everybody who played a role in making the projects possible and making the event happen for our families last night. Thank you. So, the Rockland County School Boards Association had its 79th annual recognition dinner and uh the focus of that dinner was to recognize IT teams and leaders uh in Rockland County as well as our student board members. So, our assistant superintendent for technology and information management uh Bobin Gandhi was uh recognized. Congratulations, Mr. Gandhi. [applause] In addition, um, our two student board members, Anderson Aler Conn and Jennifer Rubio were also recognized for their leadership and service. So, we thank them

027as well. In addition, as many of you know, we successfully um passed the budget or you successfully passed the budget by voting for it. Thank you so much. We thank the board of education for its support. Thank you very much for your leadership, Eric Stark, and thank you to the community for supporting the school district. And now I'd like to pass it on to uh Eric Stark, who's going to lead us in the facilities update as well as a transportation update. >> Thank you so much, Superintendent RLCO. Um before I go there, I would just like to echo the previous slide. Thank you to everybody involved, um the board, uh the staff, everybody that was involved in creating the budget and most importantly the voters for supporting it and um having it pass. There are

028so many things that are really important within that budget uh especially some of those dollars that we have earmarked for capital work which will help us to uh do some air conditioning work and other important projects throughout the district during the year. Um so we are very thankful for that and appreciate everything uh and all the voters who went out and supported it. Uh so for facilities um just to to give a quick uh overview we have a couple of slides and then a guest uh with us um in terms of facilities and transportation. We do have uh another facilities and transportation committee meeting tomorrow. Um and the way that we have been asked to report out on certain things is that we're doing some of our work with the committee first. So when we

029are presenting things this evening, um we will be presenting the the work that has been done with the committee already at the previous meeting. We then have uh that a new meeting tomorrow. We'll be doing some additional work and we will be having guests back at our June 16th meeting to present out to the full board on those newer items. So, um, just in terms of quick facilities update, I'm also going to ask Carl Thernau, our interim director, to to join me, um, to to give a little bit of support in terms of, uh, what I'm going to go over now. So, Carl, you feel free to to come up there to correct all of my mistakes. But, um, we have made, uh, great strides in increasing the number of air conditioners in our schools

030and classrooms. Um we have done that in two ways both um in terms of installing window units in areas where we were able to do that and there was a a two-part process actually a two or three-part process there and then also the portable air conditioners that have been added to the high schools um to ensure uninterrupted um regions exams um during the regions week. So, I'll just turn it over Carl to Carl quickly to discuss some of the buildings where we've uh uh gotten uh the window units completed. >> Thank you, Eric. Um yes, I think I mentioned briefly at the last update that uh during the window project from ARPA, we did plan ahead and we put insulated panels into most of those uh schools that did receive the new windows. Um, and

031so the installation of the air conditioner started with cutting holes in those insulated panels. That just meant that we didn't have to remove glazing. Those panels were already installed. So, we simply cut holes in those panels and permanently mounted the window air conditioners in those rooms where the panels had been previously installed. Uh, in elementary schools where we didn't have the panels installed, we did purchase those panels along with the windows. And so the construction crew on the district's mechan maintenance staff went uh ahead of the other staff and installed those insulated units and then uh the uh mechanical electrical guys came along behind that ran electrical to those locations if needed and then installed the actual air conditioners. And so through that phase process as Eric mentioned we have completed all of the elementary

032schools um that we had uh intended. We had asked each principal to provide us a priority list of the uh worst classrooms from their perspective. So all of those priorities have been completed with the exception of um um Grand View I believe which is being uh completed tonight uh as we speak. Uh excuse me uh that's um I have that wrong. Uh it's not Grand View. I think it's Summit. Um in addition to that, I think you're also aware that we have rented 60 portable air conditioning units to be prepared for the heat this spring season in compliance with the laws passed by the state last year. Uh in addition to the normal temperatures during the remainder of the school year, we are also planning ahead for region sweep. And so all of the schools

033uh received a certain number of uh air conditioners to to again be dispersed. as those principles uh identified their worst cases, we will retrieve some of those to spread back into the two high schools to make sure that all of the classrooms needed for regions exams have air conditioning available so that we will not have any impact with high temperatures during regions exams. Uh we have multiple uh oscillating fans available in the district warehouse uh for any classroom that may need it once we retrieve those portable air conditioners to go to the high school for uh regent week. Uh in addition to that uh khaki in was not completed yet because they have very large windows that we cannot handle inhouse. So we have obtained uh uh funding from ERIC to provide a contractor to

034uh modify that glazing to again install insulated panels and then those permanent window air conditioners. Um longer term um we are aware that we have the energy performance contract and it made no sense to us as facilities folks to install brand new unit ventilators throughout many elementary schools in the district without providing those new unit ventilators with uh cooling capacity. And so we wrote to the state education department. We haven't approved EPC. We do not want to jeopardize that, but we did receive their agreement that it makes sense to install uh cooling coils in that new equipment at the time we install that new equipment so that we can be prepared to install air conditioning in the future with the money that the public just passed in the recent budget. So, we have begun to

035plan that with our architectural firm uh feasibility to make sure that we can follow through with the money recently approved and install that permanent air conditioning uh throughout all those elementary schools. And then once we do that, we will then retrieve those window units and have them available to use in other locations throughout the district. Uh and beyond that, uh we have also uh gotten permission uh and funding from the business department to begin to um tackle some of the uh larger and aged chillers and rooftop units at some of the other schools such as Ramo High School has three units that we're going to be working on shortly. Uh as well as Chestnut Ridge and so forth. So, um, we're in good shape for the remainder of this year for [snorts] air conditioning, and

036we now have a clear path forward to provide air conditioning throughout the entire district as soon as we can get these projects designed, approved, and underway. >> So, I I just want to make sure that um I know we're we're focus on the high schools to make sure there's no interruptions for regent exams. Um, but I want to make sure too that we don't forget about our ele elementary students who will be in the classrooms till the 26th of June and also our middle school students who will be taking finals and also be in school till June 26. Um, I think the focus should be throughout the district and not just on one. Um, because at the end of the day, school is still in session regardless. >> We agree and we did not um

037we did not neglect them. They have all received significantly more air conditioners than they were originally led to believe. And we have installed those permanent air conditioners in the elementaryaries on their uh priority basis. But we do need to retrieve a few of those portable air conditioners to ensure that all regions exams classrooms have appropriate heat or excuse me heat cooling uh during exams. But you're correct. We did not uh we we are leaving significant numbers in each elementary school. Okay. as well as the installed window units. >> Okay. And uh my second thing is that um the water I know it's been um said before that students are not really drinking the waters from the water fountain. I know we do still have water dispensers I want to say throughout each building. Um will

038the students have access to that while they're in school? >> Uh I don't know that. Um >> the water bottle spent. We spent approximately a million dollars on a 100 cooled chilled water fountain/bottle fillers because we were spending $150,000 a year on bottled water. We have the test results to prove that the water is clean and lead free and that information is posted on the website. There are limited bottle coolers still in every elementary school. I think mostly they're in the nurse's office and so forth. Um but the bottom line is um the reason that we spent that million dollars in capital money was to prevent recurring annual costs for water. So we can show that the water is clean. We can show that it's safe. And there is no doubt that bottled water does

039taste a little different than tap water with minerals and added this and that. But um I don't have an immediate solution for you because the kids are accustomed to drinking bottled water. >> No, no. I mean I I understand all that. I mean it's it's I know it's on the website. I know we've mentioned it at board meetings, but I mean even if it's just for the month of June, like I said with the hot weather, will students have access to these water codes that are in the buildings um knowing that they don't drink from the water fountain? I guess that's I would have to say that that that's a local principal decision or if the board wants to or if the superintendent wants to share that information. But at the moment we don't have

040significant numbers of water coolers in all those schools because once the water fountain the permanent water fountains were installed and operational and tested then we retrieved those gave them back to the company to cut those costs. I believe each elementary has two or three. I don't have information on where those two or three in each building are stationed. >> Well, I'm not referring just to elementary. I'm I'm throughout our district period. Elementary, middle school, high school. >> I'm sorry, I missed that last question. >> No, no, you're you're focused on elementary, but I'm I'm speaking for our elementary, middle school, and high school students. >> Correct. There are limited numbers in the elementaryaries and the middle and high school. I should have specified all three. I don't have immediate information on where the principles have

041stationed those remaining bottle fil bottle uh water water bottle stations. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Carl. Also, just just just to reiterate, um we do have um the district architect coming to um tomorrow's facilities and transportation committee to discuss an air conditioning feasibility study, which will be a detailed long-term look at all of the buildings and all of our facilities um in terms of air conditioning. Um he was al he will also be presenting to the committee um a a report on um all of the capital projects over the past several years and all the work that was done both in those projects and through ARPA um which was requested and then um after doing that with the committee tomorrow he will uh come back to our next meeting on June

04216th and we'll give that presentation to the full board. Okay. Um so moving on to transportation. Um, as we have discussed on uh a couple of occasions, certainly with the committee at our last meeting in May, um we did um put out several bids uh for non-public schools on a per pupil basis um as opposed to renewing the routed um contracts that were um in place in previous years. We are continuing to do a final evaluation of those bids, but based on where we are right now, we expect to see some modest savings over what the routed renewals would have been if adjusted for CPI this year. Um, and we had had um some conversations about um what needed to be done in terms of how we wrote the bids. We had prior conversations with

043many of our vendors and it seems to be uh working uh nicely. Uh we will be asking the board to uh look at those bids and approve them on June 16th. Um and we'll have again further conversations with uh the committee tomorrow. Um the nonapp excuse me the non-public application processing is nearly complete. We have logged and processed 4,530 paper uh or electronic forms. We continue to check all of the different areas where those could be deposited to make sure that we are not missing any. We believe that we have them all now. So, I would say we're 99.9% complete. Um, we received affidavits through the new affidavit program for 28,97 students for a grand total of 33,437 non-public applications for the 2627 school year. Uh, finally, we have uh noticed um not sure if

044it has to do with the spring weather and the way that that sometimes changes the behavior of children, but we've had some issues on the public school uh bus routes with behavioral issues uh recently. As a result of that, the superintendent has asked me to establish a district-wide committee to address school bus safety. Um I've started work with the cabinet to get um a committee off the ground and we hope to have that moving by early July and that will include members of central administration, members of uh school administration, um staff um if we can find some community members that would be interested in that. And uh so we we will be putting that together and hoping to meet for the first time sometime in July. Of course, you know, we do have summer vacations,

045so that could be difficult, but we're going to look to get that uh at least have a couple of meetings to get that moving before the start of this school. >> Okay. Thank you, Eric. Uh just two questions. Number one, we spoke in the middle of the year about um the tracking for the buses for next year. A lot of the parents were complaining about inability for the app to work with the tracking. How are we doing with that this year? How are we looking for next year? So, so in terms of of tracking, we we have for the uh for the in in the in the bids and the contracts that existed, we had uh future dates in them in order to uh notify vendors that they would need to do that. There were

046differences between routed vendors and >> because I believe there most of the the YPC currently have a tracking system that works. So there's not there's not a requirement for anyone that had a system working to change. >> Correct. But we're talking about the packages that didn't have any kind of tracking and that would go for not for the public or non-public. Is that correct? >> That would it would be for either, right? And >> right. So this year and next year, how is it going to look? that they're they're supposed to be having the GPS put onto their buses for the current year and then we will have to work with our um uh the software. >> Okay, great. >> To work that out. >> Okay, another question. It said you wrote over here we

047got 28,000 almost 29,000 affidavits which is great. That takes away a lot of the work for the office which is a huge improvement for this year which is great to hear. My only concern is um are who is auditing these affidavit coming and making sure that we have the correct information that the school is holding all the correct information that's needed. Is there any kind of process for that or >> So that's a great question and that was part of the whole conversation with the committee and with um all of the players and we had meetings with all of the with the vendors and the schools um and the um the existing students that are coming back those documents are on file with the school district already. So it was required that they be sent

048for new students. So students that are new to the school and for kindergarteners everywhere, first year students um and that will be the case moving forward. So there will always be >> So the just the renewals are coming through affidavits and new children. >> It's new and and renewals, but if they're new, then they have to send it along with the files. They have to send the proof of residency, so on and so forth. >> Thank you. >> If not, the affidavit suffices because we already have that information. Okay. >> Okay. >> Makes sense. Okay. Thank you. Um and then on top of that um we will be putting into place an audit system much like um when we audit our financial statements. You don't go to a school and look at all 4,000 files.

049You would go and you would take a random selection um each year. we will pick a random number of schools each year and then at each school you would pick a random number of files and you would audit them and you look for accuracy and if you see that there are lots of discrepancies at one school then you may have to take a deeper dive and if you see that you've taken 12 files and 11 of them are 100% correct and there's maybe a phone number wrong or something like that then you know you make the determination as to whether there's a need for uh further uh audit but we will be having a a an audit system put in place so that we are verifying on a statistical basis uh to to make sure

050that uh everything is is correct >> which is again similar to the way the financial financial done. >> Hey thank you >> very welcome. So now um as promised um we had this is this is a report out on the report from Ammon Consulting to our uh facilities and transportation committee meeting in May. Again we are doing additional new work with them tomorrow and Tim will be back with us on the 16th uh to discuss the additional work but we want to do that with the committee first. So this is our report out on the May work. So Tim Hammond from AM Consulting. Thank you, Tim. >> Thank you, Mr. Stark, Superintendent Alusco, members of the board, President Rose, thank you for for the opportunity tonight. Um, what I want to cover off uh many

051of the things we've talked about in brief here this evening already. So we we won't um we won't address those unless there's additional questions on it. But just to just to reorient everyone um just to reorient everyone on where our starting point was. Um ultimately after some of the challenges from from last fall, we had identified four primary areas that we were interested in in working on reform efforts related to those four areas focused on the operating structure of the department uh on the way that data was managed on the actual structure of the organization and then finally as we've spoken about a little bit tonight on the manner and the particulars of the contracts that were used to manage transportation. Um ultimately what we were looking to do in all of these areas is

052to reduce some of the complexity that's inherent in your existing system because of just its structure with the with the nature of of the operations very heavy non-public contingent and managing that complexity in a structure that allows for the the data that is required to manage particular parts of the system to be available to those folks in a simplified manner that allows the the operators both the contractors and the individuals in the department to not only over to provide the oversight necessary but to report back to you on all of the activities that are occurring in transportation. Um so then the inter the intersection of all four of these things uh these primary areas was how can we ensure that you as a board and that the community can fully understand the nature of what's

053happening in transportation and the quality and the effectiveness of the services being provided. And in order to do that, uh there are a number of items that we we started with. Uh if during the budget discussions last month, one of the things that we talked about was some revisions to uh the manner in which we calculated the non-allowable pupil decimal that that led to some additional state funding associated with that. Uh we mentioned tonight already the affidavit system and its impact on on the department and the aggregation of the data necessary for some of the non-public students. uh Traverso which is the routing software has been rethought and the department is has adopted it in a way that I think is well ahead of where it was last year and has allowed us to get

054in front of not only an understanding of where the system is at now but in preparation for both summer school and the fall. We are ahead of where we were last year as a conse as a result of of the hard work that the folks in the department have been doing in trying to realign the system to better meet the expectations of the board and the community. Uh we have done that through what what is a separation of the public and the non-public data for purposes of managing the information. The information gets aggregated and gets reported back out to allow for district-wide reporting. But in order to ensure that we can see the differences between routed students and YPC students and the differences in the contract structures um that separation of the data was one

055of the elements that reduces both the complexity and the complications of managing the systems as it exists right now. Um so as a consequence that's helped refocus the department on being able to do some of the things like preparing again for summer school routing and for in district routing for next year. Um and lastly as as Mr. Stark mentioned previously, we have uh released new bids and and are will uh with the board's approval in June be executing new contracts uh that realign some of the responsibilities amongst the individual stakeholders between both district staff and contractors in schools. Um, and we will be spending some time with the transportation committee tomorrow, both reviewing the results of those and talking some about the implications of those contracts, not only from a financial perspective, but also from

056an operational and from a data management perspective. When we come back on the 16th, we will be reporting those things back out to the board. Um so the items that that we are uh in the immediate term working on uh one of the key elements that we've spoken about and that the superintendent has had a particular emphasis on is ensuring that our staff is well aware of how to use the functionality of the systems that you have acquired. Um so we are in the process of once we settle out the organizational structure uh and and who's going to manage what we will be divi designing uh structured and a customized training program to ensure that we can look at individual positions when the or within the organization and understand what their needs are from Traversa

057and design an approach not only to training but also to reporting and analysis that allows them to be able to do that more effectively than they've been able to do in the past. So certain folks will be seekers of information. So how do they go into the system and find things? Certain folks will be producers of information. So they will be developing routes and they will be doing analysis and they will be doing those kind of things. They're going to need a different training program than than the seekers. And then other folks are going to be responsible for analysis and oversight. And so they're going to focus heavily on the use of the information developed by the producers and how to report that back out. And all of those things are individual functions within Traversa

058that we will be thinking about how to customize the training program associated with. Um that is highly uh related to the review of the organizational structure. Um, in our meeting with the transportation committee last month, we received some really useful and helpful feedback on concerns around ensuring the the management of the non-public and the public systems are done in such a way that allows for the continued coordination of those systems even if we have to have some separation of the information. Um, so we took that feedback and we will be speaking with the committee again tomorrow on how that may change some of the things that we have been talking about to date and realigning the organization in order to try to better accommodate what I think were some of the committee's goals around around

059organizational structure. Um, we will also be reviewing as I mentioned the bids with them um in order to try to finalize the contractor awards for June 16. Uh and then that gives us the opportunity to transition into the operational phase of next year which starts with the rollover of students to be able to start to redesign routes. Um and then to President Rose's question earlier, this this idea of how do we ensure that now that the information in Traversal will be current and it will be accurate. How do we report that back out so that parents can use the communications tools that that you have acquired? Right? So that's all part of the work that will begin um well is ongoing now in some respects but will begin in earnest in the summertime once we

060have our ability to look at both summer routes and fall routes and and design processes around that. Um so just from a target date perspective things that are happening in the month of June June is a very busy time in transportation because we're both closing out a year and starting a new year and so it has a lot of crossover activities that have to occur. um the the areas that we are looking at at some of these um activities that I've mentioned will have activities within procurement which are obviously focused predominantly on getting the contracts executed. But in addition, one of the things that we've spoken to the department about and the department has embraced is this idea of with the new requirements that exist in the bids, how do we ensure that we are

061on the same page with the contractors on a regular basis. So, how do we develop a communications protocol back and forth with them that where everybody understands what the scheduling requirements are and data submission and all of those other pieces that are elements of the contract? So, we're going to be working on that in June so that everything gets submitted on time starting for the new school year. Uh in addition, we will continue working on the data management component of things um which will continue to be cleanliness of the of the databases, the separations as they're required, the training sessions um that we will have and then ultimately one of the things that we have been working on and talking about is this integration of telematics data so the GPS data into the routing system

062so that we have a better sense of are there differences between what we've expected to happen in the system and what's actually happening in the system and that integration which is complicated technically and then somewhat complicated from an operational perspective to make sure you're using it properly um is something that we will continue to work on beginning in the fall um and that will similar to the way that we have improved in the way we're using the system now get better over time. And then uh lastly is again the organizational structure component of it which is where we're looking at separation of the public and the non-public system and the communications protocols that'll be required um not only with the vendors but with the schools with the parents with the community in general. Uh and

063then building out some of the changes in operational procedures that will be reflective of everything that had happened up to that date. So our changes in contracting, our changes in organizational structure in the way that we use the data, how does all of that change sort of the standard protocols that occur um within the department and then documenting those so that they are repeatable and that we can use them as part of the training documents for staff as we go forward. So with that, happy to take questions. Just um one thing that we also talked about um we don't want to really report on it but there were some suggestions in terms of the uh personnel and organizational structure from members of the committee at our last meeting and we will be discussing the the

064incorporation of some of those ideas into the plan uh that uh were discussed. So we'll be discussing that with with the committee tomorrow and then reporting that back out as well. So, I just wanted to make sure that that um those that are on the committee that are with us understood that we we heard you, but we're not reporting out on that until after we discuss it with you tomorrow. But um we we have taken some of that to heart and are looking at some changes uh in in the plan [clears throat] with those things in mind. Um I would like to know did I understand correct that we're transferring all nonpublic schools uh to YPC or some of them something you mentioned before >> some not all >> it's not all >> and it

065and it's not to it's so it's not necessarily to YPC but to a per pupil contract and bid as opposed to routed. So YPC is specifically those are generally run by the schools themselves. But this is just uh a different way of doing the bid and the payment structure of the contract. But yes movement for most of the schools up until a certain number and I 50 of 50 or more students moving to the per pupil basis um and those under because of the scaling uh 50 or less remaining on um routed. I I have an issue with uh any school that's not participating in the affidavit procedure that since they're lying that the parents have to apply for their kids not in other words the school is not taking not doing anything for them

066which what happens what happened in the past that if a parent didn't apply their child might lose a seat. So if we're going per child um they won't have a seat on the bus versus if it would have been a package then that we might have been able to accommodate for that parent who didn't apply for any reason. >> Why won't they have a seat? >> Because if it's per child then the bus won't allow them the because there's no seat for them. >> It's not that the bus won't allow it will cost more to the district and if it costs more and >> if it cost more then the district won't accommodate them. I see. In other words, a a school that participates in the affidavit system, they make sure that all the they

067follow on the parents. They make sure that all the parents apply. >> If it's only the parents, their responsibility. In the past, we had a lot of people that for any reason they didn't apply. And this if we can accommodate them, we should accommodate them. That's the law. My understanding that's the law. If it's per student, then it costs more for the district, which means that parent that child will not have a seat on the bus. And I I don't think it's fair. >> Well, that will that would could be the case in some situations. There will also be um in in each school, there are children that are applied for that don't wind up going. So, in in the event that we can do it without um increasing the cost, we can and there

068are still other procedure or policy what this district will do in case of a parent didn't apply. Well, that that that that would remain that um we would we would try to transport the child if it if we were able to do that without >> it will cost more for the district >> and um but but it is the responsibility of the parent to make that application. >> I understand but there will be no way for the district to accommodate for that parent for that child. >> There could be if there were spaces available in a contract where there were other students that may not have gone to the school or if it's still one of the schools that is routed. But it's it's going to make it's going to be more complicated to accommodate

069for them. >> It could it could potentially be >> which which makes me feel very uncomfortable to follow that route. >> That that's not something that that came up in in the committee or the conversation with the vendors. But um >> so whoever's on that committee I would like to whoever's on that committee I would like to cons to take that in consideration. Well, just for clarity, this it would for the bus company to get paid, they would have to ensure that there is a packet on file for that child, >> correct? >> So, it was so I I understand Mr. C's concern, but but you're saying it's the parents responsibility to apply >> by April 1st, correct? >> What happens after April 1st if the parent hasn't applied? Again, that was part of the

070question, which is that >> if the district is able to accommodate without increasing the cost, then we we make every attempt to do so. >> What happens if somebody moves in in August and needs busing? >> If somebody if somebody moves in to the district outside of the date, exceptions are made for that. >> Thank you. >> I have to show the proof of moving in and the all the different aspects of that. >> I thought I heard that. Thank you. I have a question with the operating structure um with the budget that was just passed and I know you mentioned that uh there's plans to have conversations about the structure tomorrow at the meeting not knowing what those positions are or what the structure is going to look like. Um is that budgeted for

071next school year? >> Yes. Yes. We believe that the budget for next school year um is appropriate for all of our transportation needs >> without titles positions yet really confirmed a set in place. >> Yes, we believe that >> now I I could be wrong but I believe that we did a good job. >> So, >> okay. >> Questions for Mr. Ammon? >> Thank you so much. see you again tomorrow. See you tomorrow. >> Thank you. It was nice seeing you. >> Thank you very much. >> So, I I'm not sure who's doing the next part, so I'll turn it back over briefly to Miss uh to our interim superintendent, Miss Rusco. >> Thank you very much. And uh thank you, Mr. Ammon once again. And so now we go to the part of our

072presentation that is focused on student outcomes. And I will invite Dr. Gonzalez and Miss Andreello who will be providing us with information on our elementary and I guess it's K through 12 actually literacy. Yes. And math. Good evening uh board community and our cabinet. Um, my name is Ellen Andreello, executive director for elementary schools. Here to report out some information on our Renaissance Star, which is giving K through 12 updates on reading and math. So, you're looking at our first slide here, which is our early literacy. This slide, this slide shows our earliest readers on their literacy journey. In kindergarten, students are first screened and then routed into either early literacy or star reading based on their readiness. Throughout the year, we saw more students transition into star reading, indicating growth in foundational reading skills.

073While this is encouraging, the data also reinforce the need to continue strengthening early literacy instruction for our youngest learners. So what this what this slide is showing is when children enter first first enter school they are not ready to read books independently. Renaissance uses an adaptive assessment. This means that students begin the screener and are routed either into early literacy or star reading. And just a reminder early literacy for students are for students who are still learning their letters, their sounds and beginning reading skills. Star reading for students who are already in who are already read independently that is star reading. So the kindergarten story from fall to winter to spring it shows in the fall out of 660 76 students tested 60 kindergarten students advanced into star reading. By the spring that number in

074increased to 223. This means that more kindergarten students develop the foundational skills needed to move into indep into independent reading. So if you look closely at the slide uh you'll notice that there is a number uh underneath that is is associated with the total enrollment for that grade in each of the particular seasons. Um you may notice that the assessment totals don't match the enrollment totals. Um this is expected for a number of reasons. One of which is students may be absent during the testing date that is selected. We do have windows of test uh dates but the student may have been absent. Some students as is uh widely known across our district are English language learners and may be testing in the Spanish star early literacy assessment and enrollment changes throughout the year as

075students enter or leave our district um as such a transient population that we serve. Um therefore the total uh tested population will not always equal the total enrollment population. Uh if you look down further on the slide for grade one, many of our first graders are still building some literacy skills. Uh the number of students needing early literacy support remained pretty high throughout the year. This tells us that while students are making progress, we will have significant work to do in foundational reading skills. Um also in grade one it is considered a bridge year um where students move from learning how to read toward reading a little bit more independently. So moving students along that continuum is really important and pushing the work that began this year uh into the 2627 school year and moving

076forward will be very important. Uh many of of our first graders are still developing foundational literacy skills, which is why a significant number continue to take the early literacy assessment. Uh as students strengthen those foundational skills, they'll transition into star reading where we begin measuring whether they are actually reading at grade level. Uh the key takeaway here is that more kindergarten students moved from the emergent literacy level into the star reading pathway over the course of the year. Um while we are seeing some growth as is evident on this slide, we do know that foundational literacy uh remains a major focus across the district. >> It seems to have dropped in the summer. Could you go back to that slide? >> I'm sorry. The question was >> it seems that it dropped in the spring.

077It was already up to 78 and it dropped back down to 54. >> Uh what? So those are the number of students testing into the early literacy and that's what you want. You want the you want the number to drop testing in early literacy and you want the number of students tested to to shift >> and so no professor. So specific to your point, uh, Trusty Gruber, is if you look at both kindergarten and first grade together, >> uh, it'll the next slide will tell a story about first grade specifically. So I understand your point if you allow us to at least uh, begin discussing what you'll notice in grade one. >> I'd like to understand the number of star reading is the better grade than the number of early ls. It's it's a it's

078a misnomer to think that one is better than the other. What you want to see is progression. So you may have some >> You want to see progression up or progression down. >> I'm sorry. >> And by kindergarten and spring, you have 223 kids as star reading and 491 is early literacy. And by first grade you have 54 in start reading and 528 in early literacy. In kindergarten, the numbers of early literacy dropped and the numbers of star reading went up. But in the grade one, it started with 56 in the star reading and 606 in the early literacy. The amount of students tested dropped that I see we probably lost students in during the year. Looks like I can't read the small numbers, but I see we had 78 students and start reading in

079the winter and now we only have 54. And between winter and spring there was only a change of three students. Four student three 737 to 734. >> Right? So all all of those statements are true. And what you would like to see is the number of students testing into early literacy decreasing as the year goes on. >> So that number dropped. It was 624 and it went to 582. So the numbers, not the bold numbers matter, only the numbers on the bottom. Well, all of the numbers matter because they tell a story about where our students begin uh and where they end up throughout the year. >> It may tell a story, but if you could explain the story better because I don't understand the story. >> What is the proficiency are students that score

080at either the level three or four? >> So, that number dropped from fall to spring in grade one. So let me try. So great question. So let me try to explain um in this way. So there are so as our students enter first grade, we provide them the assessment in the fall. As as I mentioned, not all of the students were um captured in all of our data. However, what you'd like to see is that as the year progresses, the number of students that are testing in early literacy would decrease overall. So what you're looking at from fall to winter to spring is a slight decrease in the total number of students that are testing in the into the early literacy. What we uh what we do know is that uh last summer we began

081with the K jumpstart and we believe that the students that are captured in K jumpart are starting to learn those literacy those foundational literacy skills through the summer which would help them in the fall to test well. Um now because of we're such a transient population we don't always capture all of the students that come in. Um and so that's I we we recognize that that's part of the story. Um, as you look across for grade one, the total number of students tested in the fall was 656. The total number of students tested in the winter 624. Total number of students tested in the spring is 592. By uh virtue of the total number of students tested, that tells part of the story that more of the students are testing out of the early literacy.

082So, of those 656 students that were tested in the fall, only 56 tested proficient. Of the remaining students in the spring that tested f the 582 students that we tested, 54 tested into uh uh star reading and out of early literacy. So, what you're looking at is a uh total years worth of growth in those students that are testing. You want to see students testing out of early literacy each assessment that is provided. Teachers have the uh authority and the autonomy in their classrooms to adjust their instruction based on these star reading assessments and then move students into the star reading and out of early literacy um in terms of the instructional and curricular materials. So that's what you want to see. Is there a number in between? >> In between which two? >> Meaning

083out of literacy but not star reading? >> No, it's either or. It's either the early literacy or the star reading assessment. Maybe some of the questions might be answered as we go on. These this slide here is our reading uh from grades one. We're doing that in a grade level from grades 1 to 12 for the fall, the winter, and the spring. So what this slide is showing um it's looking at students grades 1 through 12 who are reading at or above the the level expected for their grade level. Okay, this is star reading. Now uh we measured students fall, winter, and spring. The good news is almost every grade level showed some growth from the fall to the spring. And with this particular note, some of the largest gains occurred in our grades eight,

084nine, 10, and 12. So that's the proficiency, which is at or above grade level for each of those cycles of testing. So while we're quite pleased to see some growth, we do want to be very clear that the sample size is not a full representation of our total population. Um, for example, we noticed at our middle schools that not all sixth, seventh, and eighth graders were tested in the fall. Uh, once we discovered that, we made course corrections and as you can see, the total number tested in each of those grades increased from the fall to the winter uh, and remained roughly steady going into the spring. Uh, we also know that our high school numbers don't reflect the full representation of our student numbers. Um what's also important to note is that with chronic

085absenteeism rates, we are digging into the data to see if the students that were tested uh that tested proficient are those that are attending more regularly and are invested in their academic success. Um that should not undermine the work that's being done at the secondary level uh to move the students along the continuum. We just know that there is a lot more to be studied here um so that we can identify where those gaps exist to help our students continue to progress. Um so while we're encouraged uh with the growth, the percentages also show that many of our students are still testing and reading below grade levels. Um which is why literacy remains uh one of the district's highest priorities. Um the trend line is moving in the right direction and we're seeing more students

086reading at grade level in the spring as opposed to the fall. However, these results also reinforce the need to continue strengthening literacy instruction across the entire district and identifying the lowest performing students and making sure that we're using data to identify those areas of focus. >> Just just to reiterate what you were saying, Dr. because I mean while it is great to see the improvements um the numbers are still I mean like sixth grade 14% um fifth grade 11% proficiency this is >> 35% >> I mean that's 35% in grade 12 in 12th grade I mean this is I mean as you said the trend is in the right direction but we're severely severely deficient and like this is embarrassing think >> you're right, President Rose, and that's part of why we're making this a

087an urgency. I like to use the phrase my feet are on fire. Uh when I when I see data like this, because it shows the the strong strong need for um really good instructional practices K through 12 and quality instruction uh in terms of what curriculum is being used. As you as you may recall, we implemented new literacy curricula in grades K8. Uh we're looking at and will be vetting uh instruction literacy instructional materials for our high school students in the near future. And we also just finished up a math audit which I will explain a little bit greater detail once we finish with the math scores. >> And would you have an explanation why in first and second grade and first it actually dropped and in second it was flat throughout the year. >>

088So we we have not done the deep dive to actually look at individual student trends. We'd like to do student trends, teacher trends, and school trends to identify why that's happening. We do know that we have a number of early grade um interventions in place. We have Wilson Foundations. We have uh American Reading Company and and other uh instructional literacy instructional materials that are being implemented. Uh but this is there this this paints a picture of uh a very high need across our district to continue to bolster up literacy. >> And to understand these statistics, why would the winter drop from 22 to 13 and go back up to 17 in first grade? Was the test wrong or we taught them wrong? What what something this is >> this is like >> Yep. So that

089that's so that >> the heart rate >> that that's part of the story of the previous slide. So especially in first grade, you want to see more students testing in the STAR assessment as opposed to the early literacy assessment. The way the assessment is crafted, the first three questions of the assessment, uh the the entire assessment is adaptive. The first three questions of the assessment will either route the student into the star reading assessment or route them into the early literacy. So that was my question on the previous slide. Actually the winter had the highest star reading and over here I see the proficient is only 13%. So I just uh >> my numbers don't add that way. >> Yeah. And so it that's why we wanted to show you this slide to uh sort

090of question. >> This actually shows the opposite than that >> look like recipical changes. Somebody understands what it is over there. the winter shows more star kids and over here it says that in the winter it dropped from 22 to 13. >> So this so I just uh went back a slide. This slide shows the early literacy test. So this slide represents the students that took the that began the assessment the first three questions routed them towards early literacy and this slide shows the students that after answering the first three questions routes them into the star assessment. What you would like to see is fewer students in the winter and the spring testing in early literacy, which there is a slight decrease from 606 to 546 to 528 and a an uptick in the total

091number of students that are testing in the STAR assessment. Many of these students that are testing in the winter may have just moved into the STAR assessment for the winter because they may have tested in the early literacy in the fall. So what you're what you're saying that this slide that we are looking now is only of the kids that did the start assessment. >> The kids that didn't do the start assessment that 560 kids are not on this slide that we see now. Is am I understanding correct? >> That's correct. So they they sat for the assessment. >> So these 78 So these 78 kids that in the winter were tested on STAR only 13% of them was proficient. All of everything you see here is star. That's why I want to make sure

092we're we're using the same terminology. The star will either route them into the early literacy which is here or the star will route them into the reading which is on the next slide. So this is all star that that's why you you would like >> star is the name of the assessment. The star is not the grade. >> Correct. >> So when you say star reading it's on the bottom it says 78 students are proficient. 78 is 13% out of 46. I don't think so. >> Whatever. >> I don't I'm not sure where you see percentage >> on this or do you see percentage on the next slide? >> 78% and this is 13% children. >> Yep. >> Um so the so in the winter of the students that tested the number there is help

093me out 391. My glasses are working. So, of those 391 students that tested in the winter, 13% of those students were testing proficient. That 391 is representative of all of the students that sat for star reading plus some of the students that moved up from early literacy into star reading. That's the increase from the fall to the winter. grade 12, grade nine had a significant drop in tested students, right? >> Yes. So, um that's part of what I uh discussed earlier that looking at enrollment, we are uh trying to identify why the high schools did not test all of the students. Um and to give us a better sample size in the future as we roll out the STAR assessment uh grades uh K through 12. Okay, the next slide here is for math. This

094slide [clears throat] looks at students who are uh performing as reading at or above grade level in mathematics for STAR math. Just like reading, students were assessed in the fall and the winter and the spring. Good news. Most grades showed improvement over the school year from fall to winter to spring and particularly in grades four, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12. Those are just some of the highlights. >> And again, this does mean that more students are demonstrating grade level math skills than they were um in the spring than they were in the fall or in the beginning of the year. Um and growth is especially encouraging in our middle and high school grades. Uh but again understanding the population of students that actually sat for the exams is of utmost importance and so the

095district will be um uh working to identify those trends. Um district leaders and school leaders are working to measure these results against the high school regent assessments. Um there isn't always a correlation. Um and exams are not always analogous and measure different student outcomes. So we have much much work to do as it relates to foundational math and taking steps towards more complex topics and courses. Um we are finishing up we have just finished up a math audit that was done by an outside organization. Um and we are looking to partner with uh school and district leaders to make sure that we make the appropriate choices for professional development and a curriculum and and measuring the students needs as it relates to math instruction. So where we are now and where we're going. So the

096building level instructional coordinators in our elementary schools are um working really really diligently alongside the teaching staff in their classes as well as the content directors in in the secondary schools in grades 7 through 12. We have program directors uh for both um PPS and MLE offices working alongside our schools. Uh there's a ton of professional development that we have invested in including on-site coaching uh not just from our instructional coordinators but also from our partners. As you can see there uh we just finished up the math audit and uh are are currently closing out program evaluations that the content directors have uh gone through there this this year. Um and just be reminded that this is the first year that all of these positions on this slide exist. So, we are looking forward to

097utilizing the the strengths of our instructional coordinators and our program and our content directors to continue to strengthen our instructional program. >> And our last slide here is again how can families continue to help at home and we work with the families. Each school building works with the families to do this. Ask your child again to share their power reading goals, their math goals that they're working on each day. Again, reading with children every day, even just 10 minutes, no matter what book, makes a huge difference, any language, and talk about some of the books they bring home. And just we really try to celebrate as much progress as we can make each year. Um, we know we have a lot of work to do, but again, with all the boots on the ground from

098this year, we hope to continue that because that will help us in this hard work. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I'll say this again. I know I mentioned it at the last board meeting, um, or when this was presented, um, which was that, you know, us knowing what the problem is or trying to figure out what the problem is. Uh, we need to have a district-wide structured literacy program and a math academy offered to all students K through 12. Um, you know, not only after school, but during the summertime and on Saturdays. um you know that's the only way we can help them work on their phonics um you know problem solving and I think until we put something like that in place we can do all the PD in the world but

099if we're not using it to the best of our you know to benefit our students then it's just um you know our teachers taking PD but not applying it and making it work for our students to be benefit from it. Okay, thank you. This concludes um our presentation for this evening and um I will we'll just wait for President Rose to return and then we'll pass the baton back to him. Thank you, President Rose. We've concluded our presentation and I'll just pass the baton back to you. >> Appreciate it. Thanks for your patience. My apologies. Um, okay. Thank you, Superintendent Rusco, and thank you for the cabinet for your presentations. Um, that concludes the superintendent report, student outcomes updates. Oh, this we did that already. I'm sorry. Moving on to consent and agenda items. I

100have a motion for consent and agenda items one through nine. Moved by Mr. Gruber. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Simon Cth. All those in favor say I. I. Anyone oppose? Abstain. Motion carries. Um before we move on to amendments to the section one constitution and bylaws, Douglas, I have a question for you. >> Yes. >> Hi. First of all, good evening. Um >> hi. >> I believe we were having the discussion. Do we need to vote on this or I I thought we don't need to vote on this? What's the mind? You want to fill us in here on this? Yeah, I um [clears throat] you don't legally need to vote on this. This is uh opting in or out of this resolution is typically something that's done by the superintendent in

101conjunction with the athletic director and principal. And uh my understanding is that the section is uh there's an encouragement to have this voted on by the board to give further gravitas and further weight behind it, but it is not something that the board must vote on from a legal standpoint. I can't tell you that there's a legal requirement that you vote on it. >> But who who do you say recommends that we should vote on it? >> I believe it's coming from the section. I think um Anna has a little bit more detail on >> on the the the nuances of this, but the general idea behind this is that the the goal of this is to have a limit on the private school students, students going to private school participating in sectionals. uh even

102though they may compete during the during the regular school year. This is not an issue unique to section one. This issue comes up and has come up in probably every section throughout the state all the way out to Buffalo and and the north country. Um there's I think a general generally there's a concern among some of the the public schools that the private schools will are are not geographically bound. So they're not they can pull kids from any any area. They can also recruit kids to come to the school to then be part of a very robust athletic program and that sort of gives them a leg up if you will on some of the public school uh students and the athletic teams. So the idea behind this is to allow that competition during the

103year but to limit their participation at the uh sectional level at the highest level uh for I I believe that's that's generally why this is being put forward. So, >> but from a board standpoint, no. Legally, you don't have to vote on this to to enable the school district to vote on the change of this uh constitutional amendment at section one. >> Is there any downside for voting on it? The only downside that I would see it voting on it is I I know that historically the state education department, the commissioner's office has um not has been has discouraged boards from voting on things that they don't need to vote on. >> Um just a sort of a general a general rule. Um but >> so as our council, do you recommend we vote on

104this or remove it from the record or remove it from the agenda? I mean if I may add to just um as I brought this to um the light when I started on the agenda um I'll just read what I did send about this where it says that based on the governance structure of section one um this matter typically does not require formal vote by the board of education rather the district's vote is generally cast by the superintendent principal athletic director or another designated representative acting under the district's authority. While some districts may choose to bring similar matters to their boards for discussion or a formal resolution, that practice is not uniform across section one and does not appear to be a required step in the voting process. Given the importance of this issue for

105our student athletes and athletic programs, it would be appropriate for the administration to ensure that the decision reflects input from relevant district leadership, particularly the athletic department, in alignment with established practice. So I know um Mr. Ghart when I spoke to you um we talked about you know bringing awareness to the board and sharing the information with the board but this is not something that should be voted by the board. >> Yeah that that's that's what I said. >> Okay. >> You want my leg my legal advice is I am telling you legally it is not a requirement that the board vote on it. So the question before the v board really is is there a strong feeling by the board that they very you very much want to support a yes or no vote

106on this issue and if there is that strong feeling then the board should vote on this to express that I >> I think the board wants to follow the procedures of what we need to do and as >> it's unfortunately discretionary I mean I I >> I'm not going to tell you how to vote because I it's your ex it's your exercise. It's the board's exercise of discretion based on what we're telling you. So, >> okay. >> Um, >> thank you. We'll move on to action items. We'll leave this out. >> Yeah. I was going to say, can we can we just get more clarity and then bring it up later on? >> I don't think I think we got the clarity that we need. We don't need to vote on it. >> There's no

107reason to vote on it. I think we can move on to the next. >> I agree with Sabrina that it should be going through the the proper course of action. So, um, okay, let's move on to action items then. Action items one through nine. Do I have a motion for action items one through nine? I'll make the motion. Do I have a second? Second, Mr. Moses Moses Cth. We'll open it up for any discussion on these matters. I just wanted to get more um clarification with the budget transfer. Um I know there's a lot I see there's a lot of transfers from school trips um to graduation expense equipment to equipments. Um, can we get a little bit more detail on what these equipments are? And I'm just wondering too with all these school field

108trips where we have money left over, are schools aware that there's money in the bank for them to take students on field trips um in these schools? And also I think there was also a item I don't know if it was ever responded to in the email but about the physical monitor that transfer also being transferred to contractual services. If we could get more information on those that would be great. >> Sure. Mr. Stark. >> Yes, I can answer all those. So, the equipment um one thing that um is true of equipment in in a school budget in New York State is that equipment money can be transferred from one equipment account to another, but you cannot take non-equipment money and increase the overall amount of equipment money in the budget. So, um some of

109the equipment money that was not spent um we have transferred um all of that into the equipment line for facilities so that we can purchase um an additional vehicle. Um and we knew this toward the end of the budget process. Um, and actually when we made some of the reductions to the current year budget, I'm sorry, to the 2627 budget, we reduced one of the vehicles knowing that we would be able to make this transfer and then uh purchase that vehicle in the current year budget with unused funds. So that's the first one, right? >> That's for one vehicle. >> Say that again. >> That's for one vehicle. >> That that will um I that that's I think going to be for two of the F1 F350 trucks. Mr. Dow. >> Yeah. So, it's two

110two of the large uh the large pickups. Um >> we only pay like 75,000 per 350. What do we have? >> That's the transfer. There's still some in that account already. So, it it will add enough to that account to to buy two. I'm not sure exactly what the prices is. >> That's a chi. What do we buy in the back? Is it a is it a dump truck? Is it a pl is it? Uh Carl, do you recall what the what those two trucks were? They were they the dump bodies or the >> dub bodies? >> For what? For garbage collection. >> Yeah. Replacing old and rotting vehicles. Yeah. Um the question regarding field trips is uh was are the are the schools aware that they had those funds? Yes, they are. Um during

111the the course of the school year, there are also um uh funds available through some of the um funded programs for the from the special aid funds that allow for field trips. So some of the the trips wind up going through some of the the federal funds. So it winds up having things uh left over at the end of the school year. And the third one was Oh, the fiscal monitor. Was that the third one? >> So the the fiscal monitor. Yes, I I did send um a reply late in the day that had I had written and never hit the send button. So I apologize about that. But um in terms of the fiscal monitor, uh when I created this year's budget, it was based on the midyear projection for last year's number, not

112necessarily what's in the contract. Um and at the time, the the spending um was not at that level. The spending uh limit in the contract is for,250 hours. What was budgeted for based on the projection was approximately a thousand hours. We expect that the total number of hours will be 1,100. So we needed to increase it for that but it is still well within the uh limit of the 1250 hours in the contract. >> Don't the monitors get a set price? >> No. No. They they they um put in expense reports based on the hourly uh work that they do and that is all kept track of and then approved by the business office and then also checked by the um school district. >> I remember something to the effect of $250,000. What was that?

113Well, there there are there are different codes for the the two different monitors and and in both of the areas they have the the fees that they charge and then also um dollars for um reimburseable expenses such as travel, hotel. >> I remember last year when we hired Dr. um far that there was like a lump sum of 250. I remember something wrong or >> I there's not a lump sum figure. No, they're they're paid based on >> Eric Eric. The two 250,000 is what the state provides. >> Okay. >> The state provides in the the state budget $250,000 to the district towards the cost of the monitors. >> That's that I I don't know if that's the 250 you're talking about. >> I remember something to that effect. So maybe that's what I remember.

114>> Yeah. So that the cost the cost is more but the state as um the the state provides 250,000 to the district they provide 250,000 to Rochester. Rochester has one monitor. East Ronald Hall has two. So it's really just partially covering the overall cost of the monitors. >> Have to see how much we paid the monitors total last year. I don't have that here, but I can provide that to you in an email tomorrow. >> I think didn't we uh request one of the emails was responded. Kathy, do you remember we discussed about an email? Just trying to see. >> I think it was provided a couple weeks ago. >> Yeah, I remember it being provided. >> Wonder what it was. >> No, I'm [snorts] saying I remember was provided vail. Kathy's going to look

115it up. But what what is it that you're looking for? >> For the total amount we paid them last year. >> Current year or last year. >> Well, the current year is not done yet. I'm the same last year. >> The 20 >> Yeah. 25 year. Okay. Let me let me I can open up the system while we're here. So, >> yeah, sure. Thank you. Um, yes. Um any further discussion or questions on these matters hearing? None. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. >> I. And on oppose say motion carries. Information and reports from the board. Any board members would like to share. >> Um yes. Um I won't go into details of what was already shared. Um, as we all know, it was already shared that um

116the Rocklin County Schoolboard Association uh held its 79th annual recognition dinner um where we um honored Bob and Gandhi, our assistant superintendent of tech and our two uh student board reps. Um but in addition, I just want to also say congratulations to Bob Bavin Gandhi who will be receiving the 2026 Dr. Gerald E. Demar award. Um he was selected by the New York the New York school's data analysis technical assistant group for this honor. Uh the award recognizes an an individual who has made significant contributions to improving student achievement through the promotion of datadriven practices. So once again congratulations. [applause] Also, I want to mention that um yesterday I had the opportunity to attend this not only the SEL of biiteracy uh award ceremon celebration but also the smart scholar celebration at Rample High School

117um where we recognize almost about 20 students who took um it's the smart scholars early college high school program which provides students with the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school, helping them get a head start on their higher education journey and future careers. So, I want to say congratulations to all of them, but especially to Lenza meme, who earned an impressive 46 college credits and will be attending Temple University in the fall. >> Thank you, Sabrina. Um, moving on to future meeting dates. Regular meeting is scheduled for June 16th, 2026 being 7:30 right here in the PLC room and administration building 105 South Madison Avenue Brook u Spring Valley, New York 10977 letters and communication. Since the last board meeting, the board received emails from Carlos Alonszo and Mary Moda regarding

118the superintendent search. I will now make a motion to enter executive session. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. Rivera. All those in favor say Oh, wait. I'm sorry, >> Kathy. What are we discussing? >> Yeah. Um to discuss matters regarding the possible employment or termination of particular persons. We do not expect action following. >> Take a second by Mr. Rivera. All those in favor say I. Anyone opposed same? Motion carries. Thank you and have a good night. Bet answer >> 282,723 >> that's per monitor >> between the two >> so 250 provided by the state 32 by >> right >> taxpayers >> was 148 265 and 458 total 282 720. >> Okay. I think maybe >> and this year we're up to already >> quarant that's a another report I didn't Okay,

119good evening on would like to bring this meeting back to order. We now like to make I would like to make a motion to adjourn this meeting. I have a second >> second by M Charles Pier. All those in favor say I. and our post of