001I haven't read that part yet. I just read your headline. What headline? I'll read it after the meeting. He doesn't do the headline, does he? It is 18 minutes past 7. We have returned from executive session and um we can call the role please. Mr. Spicer here. Dr. Collins is excused. Miss Anderson here. Mr. Ryder here. Miss here. Mr. Fitzpatrick here. Mr. Lamb here. Miss here. And let's stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have one action coming out of executive session BOE 12. This is a salary adjustment. Be be it resolved upon the recommendation of Dr. Paul J. Pedalino, superintendent of schools, that the board of
002education hereby amends the salary of Joyce Long, director of special services and programs out of district to $139,86. Effective April 23rd, 2025. So second. All in favor of BOE 12. Any opposed? BOE 12 is approved. Motion carries. We have approval of minutes from July 9th. If I could have a motion. Second. Any discussion on the minutes from July 9th? All in favor of approving? I. Any opposed? That motion carries. That brings us to our public comment session. We do have several people signed up. So, good good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us tonight. We are about to enter the portion of the meeting where we welcome public comments. Although state law does not require that we hold a public comment period, we feel it is crucial that we hear from our community about their
003concerns, the board is here to listen. Your concerns and questions may be addressed at a future meeting of the board or you may be contacted by the appropriate staff member or administrator. If you have prepared a written statement and do not have the opportunity to present it, please leave it with the clerk of the board who will see that all the trustees receive it. Each speaker will have three minutes and we ask that you please adhere to that time limit for public comment and the total period will not exceed 30 minutes in total. It is important to note that state and federal privacy laws and collective bargaining agreements prevent us from discussing certain topics in this venue, including specific employees or students and pending grievances or negotiations. Any speaker who does not adhere to those
004posted guidelines, and they are posted on the wall, will forfeit the remainder of their time. Thank you for your adherence to the rules and your interest in the continuous improvement of our school district. All right. First, uh Erica Middleton. Good evening everybody. Uh my name is Erica Bernaby Middleton. You may recall me from the election. I I lost um but I was the fourth most vote getter. Um, our community voted for me because I represent a very substantial portion of our community's interests. Um, I am prepared to, um, be a full-time member of this board. I wouldn't have run if if I wasn't a serious person running for this board. Um, and I'll say that I still stand by all of the policies and um, perspectives that I brought to the board. I know that
005it's quite a split board. Um, and I'm hoping that um whether or not you personally um believe in my candidacy that you'll actually fulfill your obligation as a board, I'd love to work next to you um and make sure that this upcoming year, which is bound to be a hellish year uh for the budget, for policy, and for all kinds of aspects of our school system that you allow me um to serve my community. So, I'm asking again. I know that the deadline is September 28th, I believe. Um uh I'd ask that the board please make a decision um sooner than that um uh so that we can get to work. Thank you very much. Thank you. Marissa Manelli. Hi. Thank you for your service to our community. Um I'm here as a parent of
006twin girls who are going to be entering uh kindergarten at George Washington this fall. Very exciting. and um I'm here to voice my enthusiastic support for Erica uh as to be appointed to the vacant board seat. Um just three months ago, we as a community went through an exhaustive uh election cycle where we evaluated the candidates and participated in a board election. There was a lot of conversation, discussion in my community in Uptown about who would make a good uh trustee for the school board. And we really liked Erica's appreciate Erica's energy and perspective. Um uh we as a community deserve a full fully seated um board. So please appoint Erica. Thanks. Thank you. Christina Picker. Good evening. Uh, I'm a parent of two children in the district and I recently also learned that there's
007a vacant seat on the board for the remainder of former board member Jennifer Fitzgerald's term and I'd like to speak in favor of filling this seat with the candidate who had the next amount of votes in the last election which is Erica Bernabby. Uh, this has been done in the past when previous board members have resigned before their term was up and it is the right thing to do. I believe that more voices are better than less on a board and an even number is never a good idea as it just slows down the decision-making process. Most importantly though, the board would best be representing the voting public by filling the seat with the person who ran and got the next amount of votes, most amount of votes, which is Erica Bernabby. Thanks for your
008consideration. Thank you, Malia Cornell. Good evening. I'm here today to ask you to vote to appoint Erica Bernaby to the board of education. Yes, she had the next greatest amount of votes during the recent election, but that's not why I think you should appoint her. Erica is smart, great at listening, working to understand all sides and all parties of an issue. thinks about the big picture and solving and preventing problems by looking at the root cause, which means efficiency and effectiveness for the Kingston City School District. I think Eric would be an excellent trustee and I hope you all vote to appoint her. Thank you. Thank you, Andrea Gi. Hi, I'm here as a parent of a child in the district. I'm also a local business owner. Um, and I also would like to urge
009you to vote to add Erica uh to the vacant seat. I think having a vacant seat on this board would be a travesty. Uh, Kingston deserves to have a full board and to have um seven pe I'm sorry, nine people math um making these decisions and having conversation. I only met Erica during the election process and she has shown to me that she is very intent on listening to a wide variety of community members and working together to work towards common goals and I think that is something that Kingston needs. I think that's something the school district needs and I think she can deliver. Thank you. Callie Jane. Hi. Um I'm Callie Jane. I'm here as a parent of a graduating senior, class of 2025, and a rising seventh grader. Um, I'm also a community
010advocate, and I'll say that I've never been more excited to vote for someone who I feel represented my children than in this school board election. Um, and so I'm here in support as well of you filling the vacancy with Erica. And I'm grateful for all the work that you all do. And I just have to say that our children really deserve a full school board. As a volunteer in many roles, I understand that sometimes we are stretched past our capacity and our children deserve to have every seat filled, especially now more than ever. And so to have a vacancy, it it's not right. And so I'm really just supporting you um urging you as a parent, as a community member, as a business owner to please fill this vacancy to the person who received the
011next amount of votes. Thank you, Lee Thompson. Hi folks. Um I'm uh here I'm an educator of educators. I am a business owner. Um I'm a member of the human rights commission in Olster County and I'm also more than anything a parent um of a fourth grade of a soon to be going too fast third grader. Um they seem so big sometimes. Um I work with school districts across the country and I know more than anything the challenges that uh are facing municipalities and school communities. Um, from students to parents to community members, we all rely on what our school's leadership can provide. Um, and the school board is the the the body that holds that leadership for all of our young people who will become the adults that actually get to hold our communities.
012Um, the uh I also was thrilled to uh witness and experience Erica Bernaby Middleton's candidacy. I'm thrilled um for what she brings as a person who has experience in policy and supporting municipalities. She has the tools to build bridges across difference and difficulty and doesn't and knows very deeply um that serious problems require serious solutions and serious approaches. Um she knows how to go deep and how to stick it out for the long haul. Um and so I know that she would be a great representative for me and for my family um but for our community as well and to meet these challenges. is I think full having a fully seated board is absolutely necessary to meet these challenges head on and have all the skills and tools available and to represent the full diversity
013of our community um and have that available to you all. And so I hope that you will vote to fill the seat with the person with the most uh the most votes um and to bring Erica into the poll. Thank you. Thank you. And that's all I have. Is there anyone else in the audience that would like to address the board? Okay, that moves us out of public comment and into the superintendent. Thank you, Mr. Anderson. I know we went over in executive session. I apologize to everyone for that. Um, so I will talk faster than I usually do, which is pretty fast. Which is pretty fast. Uh, just to give you quick updates, uh, summer school. So, our K through three summer school, um, our summer n program, our sixth through eight summer school
014all ended la uh, last week. So um reports will be to the board probably meet to the board at our next meeting. Our extended school year and our 10 through 12 which are high schools summer schools will go until the 18th. So with that those last few days being reason exams for our 10 to 12 uh 10th through 12th graders and our ESY is our extended school year for our students with disabilities. So they they go they both go to the 17th. So you'll have complete reports on those. Um that that you won't have till September for those two. Summer graduation. Just a reminder to everyone, summer graduation is August 25th at 5:00 PM at the Wendel Shear Auditorium. That's wrong. 26 26 It's 26 at 5:00. Um, we continue to prep for next year.
015Just a reminder every also our first day for teachers is the 28th of August. Our first that's a superintendent's conference day. The 2nd of September is superintendent's conference day and the first day we welcome our students back will be the 3rd of September. Um quick updates on the Edson Bailey project. If you've been over there, I'm sure you're very concerned, but don't be. We have uh we are on, believe it or not, we are on we're on target to be ready for the start of the school year. I mean, it looks kind of crazy over there. I know I've been over a couple times, but uh met with the architect and our construction management team today. Um over at Eden, the front curtain wall and windows are nearly complete. The um back lowers are starting
016to be worked on those windows. A new administration place is being um kind of framed out. Our HVAC units are in place. just a waiting just a waiting testing. Um the steel for the rooftop HBAC is all in place. We're just waiting for the crane to come put those put those rooftops in place. Front sidewalks been removed which again you saw that replacing this starting I think starting this this week. Over there similar things curtain wall window installation continues. That's that's a big big part of our project. HVAC piping and ducting has ducting has all been installed. Um steel for the HBAC rooftop is also up there. Again, waiting for the crane and the to come put them on. Um interior electrical upgrades throughout the entire building is go is ongoing next week. There'll be
017no power in the building, so they have to shut everything down to um switch over to our new to our new power sources. Uh but we will we do have temporary power in in the areas like that we're still using like the kitchen um and the administrative suite. So, we are um the subbase for the parking lot extension is in. Curves have all been installed. We switched that figure out in about a week. So, they're moving along. Uh again, there's a lot going on over there. So, it looks like it's it's a stretch, but if you've been through any of these, you know, it looks like that frequently and by Labor Day, we're ready to roll. So, there's So, it's exciting things going on over the over at Bailey and Edson. Oh, Mr. Honor, could
018we set up a time like to tour with you like pre everything getting done like soon? Yeah. And there are going to be some things that are not completed. There will absolutely be some things that are not completed. And that's that's you know, and remember other projects we've gone through, there will be some classrooms they may not have the ceiling tiles in yet or or those type of things. So, um that's why this is a two two season project. But I mean all all health and safety issues will be taken care of. There may be some aesthetic things that just need to be worked on or or won't be worked on till next summer. The theater is not touched this time. It's next summer, correct? Right. The theater of Bailey will touch next is next
019summer, right? Anyone have questions? A couple of questions. Dr. We know that in June, uh the new science regions were um a challenge for many of our students. Um, and I know that we approved um some review courses over the summer. Did we have fairly good attendance with it? And what does it look like for those that are actually registered to take the August exams to hopefully do you want to handle that one? We had 12 sessions for all exam review sessions. We also had a great participation in these sessions. administrative staff or guidance reached out for all students that were in need and very high. And what's our approximate uh enrollment that are actually going to reset for the exam everybody? Okay. What are the dates for regular 19th and 20th? Sorry. The 19th
020and 20th. That's all right. That's okay. Any other questions for the superintendent at this point? Okay, that moves us to the um board of education. We have one committee report that's not totally a committee report. Mr. Lamb, I don't know if you're prepared to address it. I know Dr. Pedalino is. Just very quickly, um the first reading of the um personal electronic devices is in your please make sure to read it and if you have anything, send it to me before Friday because Friday morning we have a meeting with the lawyers. Um and we'll go over any questions you have. Um packets are out and we will be meeting Friday at 9:30. Do you have anything more to add to that, Dr. Panelino, regarding that um policy? Because we do have a deadline, correct? For
021the electronic. Yeah. Student. Oh, yes. The electronic device. Yes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes. Yes. So, the cell we do have a deadline for that. Yes. That is that really is a change in our policy. While we changed our practices, we didn't change the policy around cell phones. So, our policy is still read in our in our old practices. So, we do have a deadline. We also have applied for the funding through the state through the state education department for um for what we've already done and for what we need to do in the future. So that's been offered and so we applied for that back maybe two weeks ago. So that's part of the reason that's part of the reason we need to pause. Yeah. And just so for the public, we are already
022a year into a practice of not having students with cell phones. So now it's required uh by law and so we're just making sure that our policy matches our practice. We started last last September in 5 through 12 with the with our yonder pouches and our cell phone free schools. Again, we we were able to um leverage other funding to pay for that. But now the state has offered to to reimburse us for what we spent. And moving forward, you know, that it's not a one-time cost. So moving forward to continue to give us money for whether it's training, whether it's communication, whether it's parent meetings, whether it's more more yonder pouches, any of those kind of things. Just one question. Does it go? It could. He might not be totally prepared. No, my question
023is just you had mentioned I thought that we'll have you'll have the attorneys on the meeting on Friday to ensure the language is what it needs to be. Yes. Okay. Thank you. We've requested the attorney be present at our policy meetings, every policy meeting, and so we will see Marggo there on Friday. Yeah, Mr. Shaw confirmed that this evening. So, okay. Any other questions for policy or Mr. Lamb? We um have one reorganizational resolution that we did not approve um in our reorg meeting. Um that is the um R19 board of education meeting schedule. If I could have a motion second and discussion on the uh meeting schedule. Mrs. Siri sent it out and everyone should have had a chance to review it. We are still on a Wednesday night schedule. I just confirmed. So
024there's one Tuesday, right? April 21st and that's so that has to be that night. The rest are Wednesdays, right? Any other discussion on the calendar? Just one piece of discussion was not necessarily on the calendar. I do and I know because last time we did this, it turned into a large issue. um we may be we will be asking the board to get together between now and the 20th or after the 20th to to accept our tax rates that are we won't have them done by the 20th. So again it will be a one item agenda and and I know we call them it's not an emergency but it's a special meeting um one item agenda just to get that done because we have to do it and it won't be ready by the 20th.
025No. Okay. No, there's not that. And when is that due? When when do we have to have that done by? The 30th. Okay. I'm sorry. And I just and I and also want to end it would be a three item agenda because we have two RFPs that also need to be done for transportation. So, I'll just say that I'm away from the 27th through when you need that. So I would request if we can try to meet knowing that right now before the 27th it's the 26th. Okay. All in favor of accepting the meeting schedule for the 2526 school year. I Any opposed? So that motion carries and that meeting schedule is approved. That brings us to our consent agenda. Are there any items that trustees would like to have pulled from the consent agenda?
026I make a motion to accept the consent agenda. We have a motion to accept the consent agenda. We need a second. Second. Any discussion? All in favor of accepting the consent agenda? I. Any opposed? So that motion carries. Um Dr. Pelino, is anyone here that we would want to recognize? That's what I wanted to ask. I think we have a few teachers who have been hired who are here and I would ask if you are please just kind of stand up and introduce yourselves. There we go. We're going to start over here to my right. I'm George Cooper. I was teaching seventh grade special high school. Welcome, welcome. Congratulations to you all. We hope you have a great experience here in Kingston and a great year to come. We do have a couple of donations.
027Mrs. Karns doesn't know that that's her one of her jobs, but I think you have the uh information. I do. Uh, the board of education of the Kingston City School District hereby accepts with grateful appreciation the following generous donations to Ernest C. Meyer Elementary School for the Meer PTA. A check for $1,68.56 to the Kingston City School District from the Fairly New Thrift Shop. a donation of 13 gift cards with a total value of $975. Thank you very much and thank you to those who donate to our schools. Uh that brings us to old business. Um we have one item on the agenda for old business and then why don't we have a discussion if I may. Sure. I just now that we finalized our board dates, I will send the finalized board handbook and
028student handbook to Mrs. uh hearing and I will ask that hard copies be available at the next meeting and I would invite all of my fellow trustees to actually read again. We will do that. Thank you. Any other old business. So our um subject for discussion is the discussion to fill a board seat. If we can have a motion. So move to discussion and we'll enter into discussion. Mr. Spicer, is it possible to make a motion inside of a motion? He second you. second your motion and we're just discussing. Oh, okay. For discussion because I want to make a motion. You can make it anytime you want. Then I'd like to make a motion. Seeing how our community gave Erica Bernabi 1,76 votes, allowing her to come in fourth place, and because of Miss Fitzgerald's
029resignation, we now have a fourth seat open. I would like to make a motion that we appoint Erica Bernabi to fill the remaining time of Mist Fitzgerald's seat. That motion need to second. Second and what? Go ahead. You okay? Yeah. Did you get the whole motion? Yeah. Okay. Discussion. Mr. Ryder. So, my concern last time partially was that we didn't have a full board at the meeting um to have this discussion. We don't have a full board tonight and it doesn't appear like it's possible that we'll have a full board on the 20th. So, I I think we should just make a decision tonight in in my opinion. Um yeah, I I'll leave it at that for now. Okay, this is current. Yes. I'd like to first acknowledge um my fellow trustees for your thoughtfulness
030around my personal circumstances and acknowledging that I wasn't present for such an important conversation. So thank you all so much. I did watch the very full last board meeting. Um I have uh written some notes that I want to share about my position regarding the matter and my support for Erica filling the seat um that I would like to read. Um, so, uh, Erica and I ran alongside each other in the last election cycle and we're aligned with many shared values, if not all shared values and our intentions for service. And so, to that end, I feel closely aligned that it represents the voice of our community um, and those that are expecting the natural growth and evolution of our board to continue and the service that we do. Um, Erica's deep background helps move
031equity from intention to measurable impact. Um, vital in our district with a diverse student population needing culturally responsive policy and resources. As a reminder, as I said, this isn't something to fix, but rather something to continually evolve and make sure we are all up to date on best practices and always ahead of the curve, which we tend to be. Um when it comes to our responsibilities, um Eric has made uh clear the importance of amplifying community voice and bringing decision- making out, building trust in leadership, and establishing researchbased approaches to our growth. And lastly, I want to acknowledge something that was brought up in the last meeting regarding the quick learning curve and the short term of service. Um I think Erica's skill set and her expertise professionally lends to that quite well as she's
032accustomed to going in and evaluating things very quickly um and ascertaining the important priorities to lend a voice to and I think that professionalism would only complement the wonderful strength that we have on the board today. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Lamb. I was waiting for that and I can get behind supporting Erica also. Mr. Ryder. Yeah. and thank you for sharing that. Um, and I I think I know where Dr. Collins sits. So, I'm I'm comfortable with us making the decision. I'm going to respond to one public comment because it was made by the individual that we're talking about and I hope that after spending some time if successful in the vote tonight on the board. Um, well, I hope that it was just a misspeak, but there was something about a divided board
033and I think generally this is very much not a divided board. So I hope it was meant on just this one issue but even if not I think after spending some time on the board um you may feel very differently on that because I think we are aligned in 99% of of the issues that we have in front of us and we are all working towards the best interest of our students. Um, and so that's what I was going to say earlier and paused on, but Madame President. Oh, I'm sorry. I was going to call the question, but if you have something to say, I'm sorry. Can I say something? Yes, you can. I just want to say the only reason last time I deferred is because I felt we had didn't have a whole
034board representative. And I concur with you, Mr. Ryder, that I I know what Dr. Collins also supports. And you're right. between now and Labor Day, it's going to be very difficult for us to have uh nine members sitting. I can only speak for myself. So, um I'm prepared to move forward with the vote. So, Madam President, can I call the question? You can call the question. Would you like a roll call vote? Do we need Why don't we do a roll call vote? Sure. Mr. Spicer, pass. Miss Anderson? Yes. Mr. Ryder? Yes. Miss Corone? Yes, Mr. Fitzpatrick. Yes, Mr. Lamb. Yes, Miss Karns. Yes, Mr. Spicer. Yes, it is unanimous. So, we are prepared to do a swearing in. Um, now if you're prepared, Erica, hello. I do solemnly swear I do solemnly swear that
035I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and the Constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully discharge the duties that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of the Kingston City School District of the Office of the Kingston City School District Board of Education. Board of Education as trustee. as trustee. According to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability. Welcome aboard. May your first back be a motion to adjourn. Are we? Yes. No, we have Is there any other old business? Any new business? And then we have board member announcements. Mr. Spicer, I just wanted to congratulate Miss Current and Miss I had
036to add you cuz I knew I so I had to add you. Congratulate you on your election to the election and appointment to the school board and I offer any support I can to make your new journey successful, rewarding and exciting. Welcome aboard. Welcome aboard. Any other announcements? I have one. Um, we will have to set board goals for the coming year. And when uh Dr. Collins and I met to discuss committees, we opted not to create a subcommittee for board goals. What we're proposing is that we do um a five o'clock session prior to our next meeting to discuss board goals. It is going to require that each of us has to do a little bit of homework looking at the goals from last year our own evaluation which everyone should have unless it's
037supply if you don't and then to come prepared to the meeting so that we can um finalize finalize those goals. I have found that we work better when we have a time limit. So if that meets the approval of everyone Mr. writer. So we have a document though for the evaluation that is a cumulative document. Can that go out? I'm just thinking of the two new board members who were not here through this process. Dr. Collins has it, but I'll make sure that it gets out to everyone in a timely manner. Okay. Because to have something to work on and then last year's plans can go out to everybody, too. I'll put out last year's goals. Goals. I think I said plans. Yeah. Sorry. Can we have the public hearing for the district safety plan
038on that night? Or we could have a public hearing at 4:30, which you're saying the 20th whenever. Or we could do it right at seven when we go into public session. before we go public session. Let's do that. Yeah, why don't we do that? But we're saying the board goal setting is on the 20th because we just at 5:00 prior to our meeting. So when was the start date? The 26th. No, the the 20th. We have the public hearing for the school district safety plan. Right. So we're going to move that to 7:00. So we won't we won't come into you know we won't be officially in session. We'll do that as soon as we're done. Then we'll go into public session. Okay. I understand. Okay. Actually graduation time. It's a turn also for people.
039That was graduation is the 26th. Correct. 26. Do you really think it's conceivable we can get to more? Well, we may not complete the task, but I think we can definitely I feel like we did it in an hour. We did. We were very efficient last year. Okay. Because we used to have like four times beforehand. Yes. And then present them. That was history. What? Let's go on. [Music] All right. As long as you think we can get that. I think we can. Lots of faith in this group. All right. Any other announcements? That brings us to our second public comment session. Is there anyone who would like to address the board? Hearing none. That brings us to our favorite part of the meeting. A motion to adjourn. and an orange. Thank you very much.
040We have cake for your birthday. Oh, we wow. Keep it