001to the Tuesday, June 10th, 2025 business meeting of the board of education. Um, we're going to start with a motion to call the quarter, please. I need a second. All in favor? Motion passes. By law, we have to state the emergency exits, which are behind you and two off the stage. Um, I need a Motion for the approval order of agenda, please. Motion. We need a second. Second. All in favor? Okay. We are going to start with the pledge of allegiance. I believe our voice of the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Okay. I need I need that board of education ac I need a motion. I need a second. Second. All in favor? Motion passes. public comments people will be recognized if you
002wish to address the board on agenda item 20. All right. Uh we're going to start with our students of the month. Mr. Mar, you lead us out. Thank you, Mr. Spring. Going to ask two of my outstanding elementary teachers to please come and join me, Miss Hutcherson and Miss Hol. [Applause] All right, welcome our two last two students of the month. Two fabulous students. Looking forward to everyone meeting tonight. Our May student of the month, Vivi Gold. Phoebe, come on down. [Applause] And our June student of the month, Sophia Erbano. Sophia. All right, let's start with Phoebe, our main student of the month. Phoebe comes to school each day with a smile on her face and is eager to learn. She consistently gives 100% effort in all that she does and helps make her classroom
003a positive and productive place. She is always ready to lend a hand to her peers. She takes great joy in helping others with their work or offering encouragement when needed. Her kind and supportive nature is appreciated by both her classmates and teachers. Whether it's explaining a concept or assisting a friend who needs a little extra attention, Phoebe is always there with a smile, making her a valuable part of our our class. In addition to her help with this, Phoebe is very creative. She's frequently found crafting animals and small projects using her imagination to bring her ideas to life. Her love for reading also stands out. Phoebe is always searching for new books to read. Phoebe is an excellent role model for her peers and the perfect choice for student of the month. Super job, Phoebe.
004We are all proud of you. And our last, but certainly not least, student of the month, our June student of the month, Sophia Orbano. It is with great pride and excitement that we recognize Sophia as our kindergarten student of the month for June 2025. She's a shining example of what it means to be a hardworking and dependable learner and her presence in the classroom is truly something special. Sophia approaches each day with curiosity and determination. She is thoughtful and contemplative, often surprising her teachers with the depth of her thinking during class discussions. Her questions and comments often help others look at the topic in new ways, inspire her classmates to think more deeply. Creativity is one of Sophia's most remarkable qualities. She's a true talent for turning everyday objects into beautiful and imaginative works of
005art. One of her favorite things to do is take up paper towel tools and decorate them and transforming them into houses for her little teddy bears. In class, Sophia loves the writing workstation. This is when she gets to create her own characters and stories. Right now, she working on a story about a butterfly uh named after her 15-year-old sister, Naomi. Her love of writing reflects her passion for learning and storytelling shows both imagination and heart. Sophia learned all of her lowercase letters and sounds in a very short period of time. And when asked how she did it, she explains that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, but she knew first she would need to learn how to read. So Sophia read letters everywhere she went, including at the grocery store. She
006taught herself with determination and focus. This code kind of motivation is rare and incredibly admirable. Sophia especially loves going to physical education with Miss Carrie, where she can run and play with her friends. Sophia also enjoys her time outside of school, especially when her mom takes her to the playground. At home, she's the youngest of three siblings. She looks up to her sister Naomi and her older brother Christian, whom she loves to give big hugs to when he comes home from college. We are so proud to celebrate Sophia for the welldeserved recognition. Her love of learning, creative spirit, kind heart, and dedication to her goals make her an outstanding role model for her peers. Sophia, thankful. Thank you for everything you bring to our school. You helped make it a better place to learn, grow,
007and imagine every day. Congratulations. [Music] This the Mr. Springer, good evening. Allow me to introduce May's student of the month for Hampton Bay Middle School, fifth grader, Adam Ojas. [Applause] This is what Adam's fifth grade team, team inspiration, had to say about it. We are excited to celebrate Adam, a fifth grader who is truly a standout student and an easy choice for student of the month. Adam is a hardworking student who always gives his best effort, whether it's tackling a challenging math problem or sharing insight about a class novel. His kind and respectful attitude make him a joy to be around and he always ready he's always ready to lend a hand to classmates who need support. Adam leads by example every day, making him a positive role model for everyone around him. Way to
008go, Adam. Keep up the amazing work. Now, I had the privilege of interviewing Adam and he told me that his favorite subject this year is math with M. Reynolds. He's especially enjoyed learning about how to how to use coordinate claims. Beyond the classroom, Adam enjoys being a member of the student council where he's been able to make important decisions like when we should have school spirit days such as pajama day. Very important. Beyond a school day, Adam shared that he enjoys being outside, riding bikes, going to the park, and competing against his dad in tennis. He said he can beat his dad in tennis. I'm not so sure about that. 100% true. Okay, we heard it here first. High school and college feel far away into the future for Adam, but he knows he would
009like to attend college and work alongside his dad doing electrical work because he can help people when they face power out outages. Adam thoroughly enjoys reading graphic novels in his spare time, as well as an old favorite for many of us, Diary of Wimpy Kid, which I have quickly added to back to my summer reading list after hearing Adam suggest I want to grow up to be just like him someday. What a great series. His advice in his own words to new middle school students is this. Focus a lot, finish your work, review it, and stay away from distractions and stay focused on work. Congratulations on this recognition, Adam. You have a bright future ahead of you at HBMS and beyond. Keep up the great work. Congratulations, Adam. It is my pleasure also to introduce
010the June student of the month for Hampton Bay Middle School, eighth grader Nicholas Stalato. So Nick was nominated by team perspective, his team of teachers. I'll begin tonight's words about Nicholas with the words he left me with when he shared the secret to his success. Nick said this, "I try my hardest. I am focused on getting good grades. They don't just give these awards to just anyone. You have to be committed." Absolutely accurate. Absolutely accurate. And I Nicholas is committed to personal excellence at HBMS. Our interview confirmed for me that Nicholas is the ideal selection for this student's award. He is well-rounded and has made the most of every opportunity available to him. And Mr. Rashad, Mr. Morgan, get ready because he's just getting started. For example, Nick, who is challenging two regions level courses
011this year as an eighth grader living environment in algebra, shared his favorite subject is social studies with Mr. Dubos, where his favorite topic has been learning about World War II. Nick, who has been a two-year member of the NJHS, is one of 59 special young people who devoted their Saturday this past weekend to serving the Hampton Bay community. Nick, who chose to contribute to improving the grounds at the Palm Quad Beach Cleanup and the public library, expressed what most what was most memorable about the day, which was the third in existence, was that he could serve his community with his friends. Nick shared he has some great memories from this year's Frost Valley trip. The best times of which are the time back at the cabins with friends after an active day of hiking. Back
012in HB, beyond a typical school day, Nicholas is also a scholar athlete and an actor. He's been proud to compete as a member of the school football and baseball teams and this year join the volleyball team, too, because he just doesn't like to be on the sidelines in any sports season told. For two years, he's contributed to our HBMS drama performances in Frozen Jr. and this year as the memorable Olaf in Beauty and the Beast. And this summer, he looks forward to acting in a production outside of school, a community theater production of School of Rock. Also this summer, Nicholas plans to play football and join the workforce. With his working papers in hand and lots of applications in, he is ready to get to work. Nicholas, I didn't say this to you today, but
013I'll say it here. Put me down as a reference. After high school, Nicholas has two interests he will pursue in college. Acting and entrepreneurship. We should watch for him to replace Chris Pratt, one of his favorite actors in a future Guardians of the Galaxy sequel. His entrepreneurship ventures may include woodworking, building furniture, and using his hands to build things. Lastly, his advice to new middle schoolers is this for September. Don't worry about middle school. You'll do fine. And it will feel amazing to have the freedom of not walking in line with your class anymore. And there are no more lineers. Congratulations, Nick. and best wishes this summer and in high school. You're going to do marvelous things this summer and throughout high school and beyond, and we can't wait to see what you achieve next.
014Congratulations. Hello, Mr. Morning. Good evening. Before I begin, I'd like to bring Miss Droan down to the podium. It is with great pleasure that I introduce the Hampton Bay High School May Student of the Month, Emily Linda. [Applause] Emily was nominated by the foreign language department for her outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication. Emily is the definition of a helper. When she commits to something, she does so with her whole heart and an inspiring 110%. This is clearly demonstrated through her leadership as president of the Striving for Wellness Club. It's particularly fitting that we honor her in May as she was instrumental in organizing numerous uh numerous events for mental health awareness month, a cause that she is clearly passionate about. Her leadership also extended to the club's participation in our recent successful prom shopping event.
015But Emily's commitment to our school community doesn't stop there. She is an active committee member of No Place for Eight, fostering a positive, inclusive environment for all of our students. Many of you will also recognize her talent from the stage as a dedicated member of the chorus and select choir. She recently shared her joy in their spring concert where they performed over six songs fresh off their performance at music of parks at Disney. Academically, Emily shines as well. Currently enrolled in AP Spanish, she recently applied for her prestigious seal of biiteracy. Her presentation on the University deandes showcased her deep understanding of the language and culture. detailing everything from campus life to academic offerings. While she explored options a far, Emily has decided to stay a little bit closer to home for her next chapter.
016She will be attending pieces Peace University's Manhattan campus where she plans to major in psychology on a pre-med track with the inspiring goal of becoming a psychiatrist. Emily also offers some valuable advice to her peers. Procrastination is your biggest enemy. Don't leave something until the last minute because you won't be able to give it your full attention effort. Finally, Emily would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to her parents. Their unwavering support and the powerful example they've set has been her motivation to strive for excellence and understand the value of hard work. Please join me in congratulating Ellie Lana. And before I close it out for our last student of the month of the academic year, I'd like to invite a number of people down to the podium. Mrs. Penza, Mr. Burrell, Miss Catalia,
017and Miss Oral. [Applause] These four individuals are part of our LSA team. They do incredible work with our students and I'm extremely proud to have them as part of our school community. So, thank you. It is with immense pleasure and pride that I present our final student of the month, our June student of the month award to Ashley Biz Fernandez. [Music] Ashley is a 19-year-old student in our self-contained life skills classroom, and she truly exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated, kind, and responsible member of our school community. Her commitment to education is unwavering, which is reflected in her nearly perfect attendance and consistent hard work in class. Over the past year, Ashley has made tremendous progress, not just academically, but also in her social interactions and in her vocational skills. Her determination and
018positive attitude are a constant source of inspiration to everyone around her. A shining example of her dedication is her work at the elementary school. Three days a week, Ashley helps assemble and deliver breakfast bags to students. She approaches each task with focus and enthusiasm, taking great pride in her responsibilities. The teachers and young students at the elementary school always eagerly anticipate her arrival each day, a testament to her positive impact she makes. Beyond her workplacement, Ashley is a natural problem solver and is always seeking ways to help. Whether it's organizing materials, assisting classmates, or contributing at home, she consistently takes initiative without needing to be asked. This proactive spirit shows how much remarkable level of maturity and leaders she has and in everything she does. Ashley's presence brings a unique warmth and positivity to our
019classrooms and our school. She is genuinely kind, thoughtful, and consistently looks out for her classmates and her friends. Her strong sense of responsibility, consistent effort truly goes above and beyond, making her an incredible role model for all of our students. Ashley, your remarkable growth, unwavering determination, and vibrant spirit make you a truly deserving recipient of student of month. You embody the core values of abandonment, our school, and set an example that we all can aspire to. Please join me once again in congratulating Ashley Yep. All right, we will move on to the student presentations. Who is up next? I'd like to just call down Miss Tiffany Lou, uh, Alexander Oski, Hayden Wilson, and Maddox Suarez. Please come down to the podium. It is my great pleasure to take a moment tonight to recognize one of
020our outstanding middle school educators, Miss Tiffany Lou, and to celebrate an exciting accomplishment by a group of our exceptional seventh grade middle school students. Exactly one year ago this month, I had a conversation with Miss Lou about a resource called First in Math, a free program available to New York State public schools that challenges students to build number fluency, critical thinking, and problem solving skills through engaging and competitive games. Miss Lou didn't hesitate. She took the initiative to try this program out with her seventh grade students this school year, embracing the opportunity not only to bring something new into her classroom, but to transform the way that students think and experience math. One of the highlights of this program is the 24 game, a fast-paced and mentally challenging activity that pushes students to combine four
021numbers using basic operations to reach the number 24. It is deceptively simple in concept, but mastering it requires strong mental math skills, strategy, and a quick mind. Miss Lou used this game to sharpen her students number sense, and quickly it became a classroom favorite, turning math into a daily challenge that is not only rigorous, but fun. And the results, they speak for themselves. Miss Moo's students went on to compete in a virtual tournament this spring where they went head-to-head with students from across New York State. Their commitment, determination, and enthusiasm for math truly stood out. And because of that, three of Hampton Bay's own math superstars earned top scores and were invited to represent Hampton Bay's middle school at the first in math state competition in Albany on May 31st. Please join me in congratulating
022our star math students, Alexander Oski, Gabe Wilson, and Matt Suarez. These students demonstrated not only academic excellence, but a passion for learning and a spirit for perseverance that makes us so proud. To Miss Lou, thank you for your willingness to grow, to innovate, and to challenge both yourself and your students to think about math in new and exciting ways. Your dedication has opened the doors to new a new level of achievement and engagement for our students, and your impact is truly commendable. Congratulations to you and your students on this amazing accomplishment. Congratulations. Okay. So, you look like you're ready. I'm ready, Mr. Springer. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Um, hold on. We need some reading glasses here. Uh, this evening, we're celebrating the retirement of three educators at the high school who are absolutely critical
023members of our team. And at this time I'm going to ask that Larry Strez Edney and Mary please join me down here. Almost 20 years ago, I met Lara and Edie who have both worked on our special education team, helping the kids that arguably needed it the most. And they did it with the type of love and care that um every principal and every parent and every community member could ever ask for. This year marks more than 31 years for Larry Fredic and 22 years for each honey as dedicated teachers and role models for the children of Hampton Bay. During this time, they helped countless kids by organizing backpacks, modifying lessons, and serving as the person many kids needed. Whether it be listening, offering advice, or another pathway towards solving an academic problem. On any
024given day in the high school, you could walk the building and find them sitting beside a kid helping them overcome the challenge. Every child could count on Mrs. Tunny to help them to connect to the literature and Mrs. Kresik to complete that lab report. More importantly, they could count on them both to care and move mountains if needed to help them find success. Mary Streker joined the district 24 years ago and it took Mary and I a little time today to figure out when she joined the high school team. Oh, I'm I'm still making mistakes today, Mary. Uh but Mary came over to the high school in 2013. We figured out. Okay. And um when she arrived in the high school, she landed in a very unique program. Um and the emphasis of her work
025for the last couple of years has been in the area of reading intervention and um she's been doing very special work of helping kids that were struggling to read to overcome that challenge and much like her colleagues and and Lara um have really taken the time to help kids that need it most. Um, I am grateful to each of you and I'm going to miss you a great deal in the years to come and uh I wish you all a happy, healthy, and incredible retirement. Congratulations. [Applause] [Music] Defin definitely the least favorite part of my job saying goodbye to great people and I'm about to introduce you to three of them right now. So I'd like to ask the following teammates to please come down. Carolyn Caleraro, Maryanne Henderson, [Music] Caroline has been with us
026for 22 years. During this time, she's been providing great assistance with all our students in a variety of supporting roles from one-on-one situations to entire classrooms of children. Carolyn is taking care of every student at Hampton Bay Elementary School the same way she took care of her own father with love, compassion, and kindness. Caroline's dad passed away this year. Even in the most challenging situations, Carolyn never forgot her sense of humor, always finding the positive and seeing the glasses half. Carolyn served as an unofficial class mom for many, many years. I want to thank you, Carolyn, for your years of dedicated service to children of Hampton Bay Elementary School. We wish you nothing but the best and a long, happy, healthy retirement. Kind, caring, and compassionate are all the qualities that made Teresa Delasta a
027great school social worker. Teresa would walk in our newest kindergarten students holding their hands as students transitioned from the love of their parents to the love of Hampton Bay's elementary school. House fires six students 24/7. Teresa was available fund raise, problem solve, and serve as an unbelievable resource for the entire school community. During the CO shutdown, Teresa never worked one day from from home. Immediately she was knocking on doors, giving students technology materials, and making sure they were connected with our food bank program. Every day we would get lists of students not participating in online learning. And Teresa Delasa would be at the house the next day. How can we help? I sat in hundreds of meetings with Teresa and I heard her ask that question hundreds of times. Just a couple of weeks ago,
028we did a community giveaway on Saturday and there was Teresa giving out clothes, resources, anything the community needed. Every every Christmas, Teresa and her team facilitate hundreds of gifts for children. Again, another Saturday giveaway. And if you ever have trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, come and watch that program. Personally, Teresa would drive all night, many times to see her son Lucas wrestle at John Hopkins University. After his wrestling career, Lucas went to work at Bloomberg and her son Luchiano, after graduating from Boston University, followed her into the helping professions as a mental health counselor. Teresa's already got some great plans leaving for Italy next month without me. I did try I did try to get on in on the trip. She said not interested. Uh Teresa, on behalf of the thousands of children you
029have served. Thank you. [Music] Maryanne Pendlebury has been with Hampton Bay Days Elementary School for 26 years and she was truly a mermaid to us because we found her swimming after spending six years at Shelter Island. As our school librarian, Baranne was a literacy advocate, making sure a variety of books were always accessible to students. She was always looking to develop strategies to excite and help struggling readers. and draw upon different sources to make reading fiction and non-fiction more enjoyable for all students. Maryanne developed a shared library flex program where she serviced 35 classes every single week. Maryanne's daughter Maryanne followed her into education as a fifth grade teacher at Hampton Bay Middle School. Her son Charlie's a deputy sheriff in New Hampshire. Maryanne's looking forward to spending some more time with her three grandchildren.
030Good news, fourth one's on the way. In addition to some more trips, Maryanne will soon be giving her senior rescue dog Mo longer belly rubs. Maryanne mostly will miss seeing all the kids develop from kindergarteners to fourth graders and all the night events at the elementary school, but most of all her elementary school teammates. I will miss seeing her reading the kindergarten students in her beloved rocking chair. Congratulations, Maryanne. Will miss you much more. [Music] Never mind. Okay, we are going to move on for the recognition of candidates for tenure. And I see Mr. Mashard is up there. Thank you again. Uh, good evening. At this time, I ask of the board's consideration for five outstanding professionals as candidates for tenure. Would Niello, Brady Castoro, Alexa Toy, Frank Ferdon, and Michael Burell, please join me
031here at the podium. Over the past four years, each of these professionals have demonstrated exceptional care for our students, strong pedagogical skills, and consistent desire to grow. In addition, each of them have become critical members of our high school team. Nina began her career at Hampton Bay High School as a member of the life skills academy team, later joining the social studies department as a probationary teacher, teaching global history, economics, government, and AP European history. As any student would tell you, Mrs. Ielo teaches with compassion, care, and a sense of purpose for helping kids find success. In addition, she has served as a class adviser, cheerleading coach, and mock trial team adviser. I can't say enough about her professionalism and contributions to our school community. Frank Bidone is our business department. Literally, he's a one-man
032band. While teaching all of our business classes, Mr. Verdone brought us into the virtual enterprise world, instantly helping our students reach national competition levels for marketing and product development. Mr. Tribone also brought credentials to the high school that allows students to earn college credits through Suffach Beacon program. In addition, he coaches golf, advises FBLA, and brings a great deal of energy into the classroom. And as most teachers will tell you, he's also more than willing to drive one of the district vehicles for a field trip. He's a dynamic young teacher and team player, and I'm excited for his very bright future here in Hampton Gay. Alexa Toy is a champion for ENL students and simply put a great and thoughtful teacher. Her work with my story is one of the many examples of her appreciation
033for interdisciplinary teaching and advocacy for students who have migrated to the United States in search of a better life. Alexa's everpresent at the high school celebrating accomplishments everywhere for kids. In the short time she has been here, so many kids have been helped and many diplomas achieved through hard work and care. Britney Castorro is a dynamic young teacher credentialed in biology, earth science, and chemistry. She teaches our AP biology course and does an amazing job of sharing her love of science with her students. As co-advisor of the science club and our first robotics team, Miss Coutur Castorro supplies students with rich experiences that are positive, fun, and deeply focused on learning. Like her colleagues, she's always here. I mean, always here chaperoning events and supporting our kids. Um, again, another wonderful member of our science
034team. Congratulations. Michael Burrell has served as a teaching assistant in our life skills academy, primarily working with a student that suffers with significant physical disabilities. Each day, he comes to work with a positive attitude and a genuine desire to help. Mike attends community outings, runs around our culinary lab, and does everything in his power to improve the lives of our kids while meeting all of their educational needs. Mike, you're a very important member of that team, and we're proud to have you. I stand here proud to recommend each of these candidates for tenure and sincerely hope they spend their careers in Hampton Bay changing lives. Okay, on to the middle school. Mr. Sh. Good evening. It is with sincere pride and joy that I recommend four truly exceptional faculty members for tenure. Mrs. Misia Lisa
035Agolia, Ms. Heather Fagenbound, Miss Jennifer Jonia, and Miss Tiffany Wood. Please join me. Each of these educators represents the very best of our profession and their contributions to Hampton Bay Middle School have been profound and will be lasting for years to come. While each serves students in a unique capacity, together they provide young adolescence with a high quality and memorable HBMS experience. They don't just teach subjects, they reach and teach kids. Each is deeply committed to individual student growth and well-being, fostering an environment where every student feels seen, supported, and confident. Mrs. Agolia supports student specific learning goals while celebrating small wins. She knows just the right amount of personal space each student requires to succeed in every moment of every day. The team on which she works ensures students learn authentically alongside their peers
036throughout HBMS. She encourages students on community outings as they successfully engage in socially appropriate exchanges or use money to pay for merchandise. Earlier this week, Mrs. Agolia's students were shining on stage performing a concert with independence and confidence. The sweet sounds of rhythm sticks, boom whackers, and bucket drums fill the air with popular songs conducted by Miss Mer. And they were surrounded by displays of their beautiful art portfolios created this year with Miss Yaguiardi. Miss Lou delivers high impact math instruction, building students self-confidence and problem solving. Her classroom is an exciting place to learn where students are directly involved in clearly taught lessons. They're often actively engaged with one another or learning through collaboration and a healthy dose of competition. Her students know she loves teaching her subject as much as she loves the kids
037she's responsible for teaching. Miss Viking carefully selects music that suits her students abilities and interests while challenging them as vocalists. Her passion for coral music builds trusting relationships, creating a space for connection. She does this in before school rehearsals, during lunch periods, and in class with large ensembles, all while focusing on proper vocal techniques. Miss Jonia, our speech language pathologist, empower students by gently helping them reimagine receiving related services in practical ways through a strengthbased lens. It's a testament to the safe environment she cultivates when students, even though it's not on her case load, ask, "Can I come to speech with you?" Middle school students require dynamic and flexible teaching and these four candidates use creativity in their methods to reach and teach adolescence. Miss Agolia is eager to launch the HBMS LSA coffee shop
038thanks to a grant award from Tanganger Kids that will provide real world real world learning experiences. Students will run the operation from stocking shelves to taking orders and handling money building camaraderie in the school community. She works in close coordination with the OA team, demonstrating seamless teamwork. Miss Lou employs her unique LU dollars, you may have heard Lou dollars, right, system to incentivize participation in active engagement in making learning fun and competitive. She consistently uh deflects praise to her department's support for each other's success and actively co-advises the HBMS Innovation Expo, a sort of Shark Tank meet science fair event that highlights students creativity and problem solving. You're also hearing about how Miss Louu and a mighty group of seventh grade math wiz represented HB in the first math competition in Aub. Congratulations again. Miss
039Vagenbound strategically selects music that motivates and challenges her diverse coral groups which over four years raise the rigor of their performances. She's often seen supporting colleagues during their student music performances and is a key supporter for the high school drama productions. Though she'd appear to be a department of one chooses to immerse herself among colleagues co-advises earthquin in the loop crochet club as well as chaperoning the eighth grade Frost Valley trip. and this past weekend's third annual NJHS volunteer day, expanding our students sense of community. Middle school is a period of significant transitions. These teachers are aware, forward thinking, and accepting the responsibility prepare students for what comes next. Miss Agolia has learned the value of a smooth transition for students. She zooms out to see the importance of bridging these three district LSA programs.
040And she zooms in when it's time to welcome a new individual student to the program, taking necessary steps to see each new entrant up to long-term success. Miss Fagenbound looks forward to her fifth and sixth grade students whom she's taught to read music feeding into her seventh and eighth grade program. She's excited to build build long-term relationships with them to propel them to future success in the Hampton Bay School's music programs. She even supports high school drama performers for several seasons and looks forward to building on momentum with her current students. Miss Jonia is keenly focused on the important transition phases of adolescence that their adolescence are navigating from grades four to five and 8 to nine as well as often the more subtle transitions between uh grades 5 through 8 every day in middle
041school. She's a catalyst between speech and lang language service providers in the elementary school and high school, ensuring a seamless journey for our students. These four faculty members exemplify the dedication, compassion, innovation, and collaborative spirit that define exceptional middle level educators. Their impact on our students and our school community is immeasurable. In closing, I'll share this memorable thought. One of tonight's candidates recently expressed that she feels like coming to work in Hampton Bays every day is like winning the lottery. I can say working alongside these four people makes many of us feel the same way. It's without reservation that I recommend Lisa Golia, Heather Fagenbound, Jennifer Jonia, and Tiffany Woo for tenure in the Hampton Bay School. [Applause] Okay, fire. Thank you, Mr. Swer. All right. And all this good news, and the day is
042only going to get better as we head into tomorrow, kindergarten field day celebration. A lot of good news going on. Great night of celebration. The celebration continues with the recommendation of tenure for the following five people I'd like to ask to come join me. Vinnie Baglia, Jake Papopoulos, Aaron McDerman, Christa Cabo, and Rebecca Yakabosi. [Music] It has been my pleasure to watch these five individuals grow into the outstanding educators that stand before you tonight. All of them with focus on professional development, continuing to obtain extra teaching certifications to better serve our students. I see many of the same great qualities in our five tenure candidates that I see in our retirees tonight. Kindness, compassion, and going the extra mile every day to serve our children. Vinnie Vitalia. Vinnie's commitment to physical education extends far beyond
043the classroom. As a member of the Suffach Zone New York State Association for Health, Vized and Recreation and Dance, he routinely attends conferences to further his education to bring innovative practices back to our district. After earning his professional certificate in Vized in physical education, um then he went on to obtain a certification students with disabilities grades 1 through six. His dual certification has allowed him to do an excellent job with our life skills class every day, and we enjoy having him there. As a teaching assistant, Jake Papopoulos, Jake has been an invaluable asset to our special education, library, foreign language, and technology departments. He's provided essential student assistance and help gather materials, which have greatly enhanced the resources available to both students and faculty. His collaborative spirit and willingness to support various departments exemplifies his
044versatility and dedication to our school community. Jake's very reliable, dependable, and punctual, consistently meeting deadlines, and fulfilling his responsibilities with a high degree of professionalism. His attention to detail to all assignments ensures that tasks are completed accurately and efficiently, making him a trusted member of our team. Aaron McDermott. Aaron began her journey with the Hampton Bay family as a student teacher, where she quickly demonstrated her dedication to supporting students in their various academic needs. She then transitioned into a response to intervention support role where she gained invaluable experience collaborating with teachers, collaborating with teachers, and implementing the latest interventions in both math and literacy. For the past four years at Hampton Bay, Aaron has supported inclusion classrooms at the second grade level. She has worked collaboratively with her co-teers and differentiated instruction to meet the
045needs of all students, ensuring that every student received the necessary support to thrive academically and socially. Christa Sino began her journey in the district also as a student teacher for first and fourth grade. Christa taught reading and math alongside two teachers. For the last three years in our building, she has focused on teaching special education for the bilingual first and second grade classes. Crystal plays a vital role in fostering teamwork within the classroom. She promotes positive ongoing communication and planning sessions with general education teachers and participates in collaborative meetings with special educators and specialists. Her contributions as special ed teacher have greatly enrich enriched our learning community because of her qualifications and diverse instructional strategies. And last but certainly not least, Rebecca Yakabosski. Rebecca began in the district as a student teacher. She immediately began
046a substitute for all three buildings and quickly found a home here at the elementary school. She grew to become a par profofessional for a student with cognitive and behavioral needs where she found her passion for special education. Rebecca continued her journey to Hampton Bay to become the teacher teachers assistant for our life skills program as she earned multiple teaching certifications. For the past 5 years, she's been the lead teacher in the life skills classroom and has grown with the program. As you heard, these are five deserving candidates who I strongly recommend for tenure. Thank you. Congratulations. [Music] Thank you so much. All right, before we let everybody go, we're going to have a quick word from our superintendent, Boss Clansson. Good evening, everybody. I just want to echo what um what you heard from our
047building leaders uh about our kids, about our tenure candidates, about our retirees. In the next couple of meetings, we will be introducing new faculty and staff who um are uh in the hiring various hiring processes right now. So, we live in so many different worlds um at the exact same time. As we're welcoming kindergarteners in, we're unfolding and scheming caps and gowns to exit the seniors out. um as we're committing to tenure um for really young career and aspiring individuals who have already made an impact. You don't receive tenure in the Hampton Bay School District simply by existing for four years. Um you have to have your fingerprints on something and you that means something for kids and opportunity and access. You heard our our principles talk about that today. Uh, and then the other
048smilers are the ones that are smiling about a career well spent, using your time and your treasure and your expertise, but also for that Italy trip and the grandbabies who were coming and all that's to come. This is the best meeting of the school year because we get to celebrate it all. There are a couple hundred people in this room and we celebrated great kids heading to Albany and contributing in every corner of the district. Um it's a celebration and I know I share the sentiments of the district level leadership as well. Um and on behalf of the board um I did say each of the members that each of the faculty and staff who I've been meeting with over the last couple of months that tonight's a good night also for restaurants carell and
049Francesca's hand base because all of you guests here you're on the hook for taking these honores from kids to our retirees and everyone in between out for dinner or ice cream and you have to celebrate. So congratulations tenure candidates. I have a feeling the vote's going to go your way. So, if your families are here, um feel free to uh go get that ice cream or special uh celebration tonight. Congratulations. [Music] [Applause] Kick up here. Kick up the [Music] All right. Um, thank you everybody for staying. [Music] Thank you, Mr. Piano. [Music] Um, today's enrollment uh sits at 1,996 students. So, we continue to fluctuate right at that 2,00 mark. Um, we are in your packets. Uh, board members, you have uh the calendar of events over the next couple of weeks. I didn't give
050you field days, but I can get that for you if you want. Uh, but it's moving up ceremonies, award ceremonies, proms, all of those things. And if you look at the very bottom, summer's over. Wednesday, September 3rd. We're back to school. Sorry, Mrs. Hey. uh talking to um in thinking ahead, one of the items there, if you look at Monday, June 23rd, the commencement parade over the Ponqua Bridge, uh we've been working with legislator Anne Welker, uh who has been a remarkable ally for us um in many ways, but helping us navigate uh whether or not the five time limit um is structurally would is structurally aligned to a parade for an hour. We have heard from the senior uh the structural and civil engineers in the county and it is so we engaged a
051conversation with our student leaders the other day Mr. Char and I uh to talk about that. And while that group who we spoke to was fine being on the bridge, we did acknowledge that there might be students or families who aren't. And this is a remarkable group of seniors um as usual, but um these seniors were more concerned with classmates opting out and not being able to participate in something uh which is just a testament to their character. Um, so we're working with Legislator Welker and the town to figure out what might happen. It will be a parade on Dune Road of some sort. Um, maybe beginning at Pqua Pavilion parking lot where it is truly a parade that goes down the street where we put the seniors. We don't know yet, but we're working
052on that. We'll communicate that AC uh through the uh Broadway. Um, two things we're going to need to work on this summer. Uh, one is Governor Hogal's distraction-free school environment um, law which is commonly known as the cell phone ban. Um, it will be a bellto bell ban for I've talked about this in public previously. It will be a bell-to-bell ban, meaning first bell to last bell throughout the day. Um, districts have a number of options they can they can um make about how they how they store a cell phone. Uh, from my anecdotal work with colleagues across Suffach County, including the conversation we had today, I mean, uh, it seems many are looking at lockers, put them in the locker, end of the day, go get them, and that's that. their own student lockers,
053not at this time yonder pouches. Some districts do use the yonder pouches. Um some had explored that super heavy duty velcro um and student leaders in the district where that was being discussed, right? They said if there's an emergency and we're pulling out our loud heavy duty velcro, wouldn't that be a compromising thing? So yeah, it would. Um, so the good thing about this is policies can change every year. So, um, I spoke to a member of the governor's staff, uh, the other day about this directly, um, about concerns that I was hearing in my role, um, in the superintendency. And I think what we're going to experience come September is the beginnings of a culture shift. It's not going to be like I'm just going to where you mandate everyone has to wear red
054shirts put on a red shirt. It's done. This is going to be a process of culture shifting where we're getting away from the phones adults too to be quite honest. And so um we'll we'll continue to work at that. We'll communicate that. um out we I'm considering a survey um that we would put out through parent script to the community uh to hear and students would have access to that as well so that we can hear some feedback about what their concerns are, what their ideas are. Um the other piece is a resolution tonight uh authorizing the first reading of a new board policy uh providing for an exeicio student board member uh which is really exciting and I have some information uh to share with you that New York State school boards has been
055working on uh guidance on how this could work. So in there are districts that exist where they've had there are districts where this has existed for some time and it's been met with great success. So typically um what we've seen what I see from uh colleagues in Suffach County is that it is typically the senior class president or this or the student body president. So, we'll work through that this summer and uh train and on board and Marian, we're going to have to order a plaque so that um and then we'll figure out what the best role is for um how a student board member can be helpful. In some districts, and you'll see in the guidance, in some districts, the board has charged that board member with uh getting student feedback on a topic
056or working on a project over the course of the year. to bring student voice to the table and then also for that individual to be a really powerful civic experience. And so the the board policy and first reading tonight is that also um you will um for Kevin and Rich, congratulations on your reelection and I join Suffach County Executive Ed Roma in offering those uh congratulations. So he sent you both um a congratulations letter. Thank you for your commitment to serve again on the board for three years. Um, and then finally, uh, tonight we're going to approve the calendar for next year, uh, next year's board me board meetings. I just wanted to note a couple that are out of sequence. Uh, the sequence being the second Tuesday of every month. Um, the first one
057being the th that Tuesday, July 15th, will be the third Tuesday of the month. I'm traveling for work on both the first and second Tuesday. Uh the first Tuesday is a transition away from the presidency of the New York State Council of School Superintendent. The second Tuesday I'll be in Washington uh meeting with um Congressman Loa and others around federal legislation that's related to education. So statuto statutory education law states reorg meeting needs to happen um the first Tuesday of the month unless the board passes resolution and then it can happen anytime in the first 15 days. So, we're right there. Um, and then November 18th is the third Tuesday it is out of cycle because the previous week is election day. And then Tuesday, April 21st is the regular business meeting. Bosey's budget vote.
058Bosey's budget vote is set by policy as well. And also the April meeting tends to be later because um we want to it gives us another week to to work on this the proposed budget for 26 27 and then in May the first Tuesday so that's the quick turnaround late April meeting early Tuesday meeting um and uh that'll be posted on our calendar as well but we need to get that done before the end of the school year. Um, I think that is it for my report unless anybody has any questions. Busy end of the school year. Everyone's uh working hard to um end on a positive note and before you know it, we'll be handing out diplomas t uh Thursday, June 26th, 6:00. See you. Um, okay. Okay, we're going to do a consent
059agenda from 4 A to I believe 5B. I need a motion. I need a second. Second. Yeah. Uh, all in favor? I motion passes. Okay, we're going to do the 6A, which is tenure. Okay, we're going to move on the line here. Start with bottom. But I need a motion first. I'm sorry. Motion. I need a second. Second. Okay. Um, dot. A or a. Okay. L. Hi. Uh myself I bridge I I in favor I motion passes. All right. So now we will do a consent agenda from 68 to 17. Any questions? I need a motion. Motion. I need a second. All in favor? I passes public comment. person is made by the board of education on any matters of interest or concern. Board President will recognize all speakers of public. All right. In that
060case, I need a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion. I need a second. I just have one thing I wanted to share. Hold on. For the second year in a row row, we received from the New York State Transportation Department a absolute perfect inspection record of all of our vehicles. Seven inspections, not one. That's fantastic. I like that. All right. Thank you, Larry. Uh, okay. And then I need a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion. Need a second. Second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Meeting is adjourned. Everyone get home safely. Thank you for