001I pledge allegiance to the flag, United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I would just like to welcome you to the meeting tonight. Welcome everybody. First, we are going to acknowledge our bus drivers. Today is bus driver appreciation day, so we want to acknowledge all of our bus drivers. They are the first person that your kids see in the morning. They get them to school safely and the last person they see when they bring them home and get them home safely. So, we want to acknowledge them today and tell them what a great job they're doing for OUR CHILDREN. SO. NOW, I'M GOING TO TURN THE MEETING OVER TO DR. GALLAGHER. Thank you, Ms. Bellizzi. You know, I was
002reflecting today on two programs that have come to fruition during the time I've been here and how, you know, we've watched these programs go from a dream to a reality. This morning we sent off our high school robotics team to the national championships in Texas. And I remember not so long ago talking to Principal Jeff Myers and saying, "Wouldn't it be great if we had a high school robotics team?" And saying, "Yeah, we have to find a place to put it. Who would run it?" And five or six years later they're on their way to nationals tonight. So, that's pretty neat. AND THEN THIS SECOND DREAM TO REALITY, SOME OF us just saw tonight. For 2 years we, a bunch of us, have been studying the Oceanside High School Wellness Center and saying, "We need
003to do that here." Longer than that, there's some people here, PT people, who I've had that conversation with for many, many years. And um over the last 6 months we have created this beautiful, beautiful wellness center that stays at our high school. Our high school wellness council speak to you about tonight. Kristen Ford is the chief staff who, you know, supervises the wellness center on a day-to-day basis. Kristen Golden who does some programming at the center through guidance, and Jack McPadden and Andy Smith who supported at the administrative level, but it is a beautiful space and it has been well utilized by our students. There's statistic on this slide tonight that over 500 individual students have utilized that wellness center since it opened out of our total 1,300 population. That's astounding. Um and a real
004tribute to that space and what we wanted it to do, and that's provide just a safe calming space for our students to take a break when they need it. Who doesn't need that? I said inside, I think I'd like that for my office. Um but we're so happy to be able to provide that so that it can come into reality tonight. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce Ford and our high school wellness council. The other people who will be presenting on our wellness program at the high school. First of all, I want to give you that. Chip Watkins. Good evening, everyone. My name is Kristen Ford and I'm the wellness center teacher at Long Beach High School. I've had the privilege of bringing the well to life alongside our incredible school community. Tonight,
005you're not just going to hear about the well, you're going to experience it through the voices of the students whose lives it's already impacting. Right next to me here are our youth wellness council members as well as officers who have been coming to the well since we opened our doors in September. Before we explain what the well is, we want you to feel it. Because the well isn't just a room, it's not just a program, it's a space where our students begin to feel seen, connected, and valued. And to give you a better sense of what the well really looks and feels like, we have Anna McCarthy coming up as the president of our Youth Wellness Council. GOOD EVENING. ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH WELLNESS COUNCIL, we thank you for having us tonight. The well
006is a space where students can take a break from their day, reset, and feel supported. Students come here during their free periods to talk with a trusted adult, connect with peers, journal, or just take a moment for themselves. It's always monitored, and students sign in, so it's a safe and structured environment. It's always monitored. What makes it special is that students choose to come here. It's the feeling of being in the room. You see connection, balance, and a real sense of belonging. We also see that students come in for support and take the next step to reach out to guidance or other resources when they're ready. As you can see in these photos, this is what it looks like every day, especially during lunch periods. Students are engaged, present, and not on their phones. Every
007day, students can try something new. It's also given the Youth Wellness Council a new home and many more opportunities to expand to new members. As an officer, it's very exciting to see students take our population and apply them to their everyday lives. Now, I'd like to introduce Sebastian Lang, who's a new member of Youth Wellness. He would like to share his experience. Hi, I'm Sebastian. People call me Sebby. I'm in 11th grade. I started going to the well in the beginning of the school year with my friends at lunch. It started off as a welcoming place, and I felt accepted automatically. It was comforting as it felt like a safe place for me to go, whether to relax, do work, socialize, and more. I ended up joining the Youth Wellness Council not long after that
008with some friends also. First quarter, I was honored to be a first recipient of the Well Award, which recognized students for kindness, leadership, and positivity in our school community. As you can see, the Well has been a great experience to be able to connect with more people through wellness. There truly is something here for everyone. Now, Magnolia Campell is going to share how the Well came together. Hi, I'm Magnolia and I'm the vice president of the Youth Wellness Council. And with that being said, as a member of the Youth Wellness Council for the past 3 years, I witnessed firsthand the Well start as an idea in Miss Lewis's classroom, where our meeting is City Hall 306. And I watched it start as just a small, simple idea that we all had, and well, that being
009the fortunate thing. And have watched it firsthand quickly grow into something much bigger. These photos show the transformation behind me, what the space used to look like as to what it looks like right now. What makes it even more meaningful is that students such as myself, my peers here, and others throughout the school have been involved every step of the way, bringing ideas, building projects, and contributing their own talents to the Well. This is truly been a collaborative effort between students, staff, and our school community, all working together to create something that supports the well-being and overall benefits of all of us as a school community. Your monthly themes, and just to name a few, we have word of the year, January journaling, mindfulness March, and right now active April. And other school-wide projects, the
010Well continues to grow and positively impact the culture of our school. With that being said, one student who has been part of this from the very beginning is Vivian Zangaro, who has helped bring so much of this space to life through her amazing and very talented art. Hi, I'm Vivian. First off, I want to thank everyone in this room who was a part of bringing The Well to life. My involvement in The Well includes adding student art. I painted the vines and made the plant letters. I painted the space next to the entrance and helped with many other design suggestions. This project was given to me by Mr. Fazz. It was just a simple mural that has become something so much bigger. I swim on varsity since 7th grade and I swim for a USA
011team outside of school. Since I'm a national level swimmer, I do not have the time to be very involved in the high school despite wanting to be. And this project gave me that opportunity and it gave me my opportunity to leave my mark at the high school for something other than swimming. I'm beyond proud of this board and everyone involved for making this vision come together. The Well has grown a tremendous amount since my first days working. And I've watched it grow into a mindful, colorful, accessible space for everyone to come to. I can't even express how amazing it is to watch all the different groups come and enjoy The Well. The Well has truly impacted the high school and all the students for the better. Students now have a safe, calming space to enjoy
012along with the best teacher to help and guide them. The Well and this board are something very special and have a long-lasting impact on the high school. Now I'd like to introduce Marissa Miller, who will share some initiatives that have grown out OF THE WELL. HI, I'M MARISSA. UM I WANT TO START OFF BY acknowledging how immensely The Well has grown since the start of the school year. Um one way in which The Well has expanded is through therapy dog Thursdays, where we partner with Pet Partners to bring Jackson, a golden retriever, into the space. Students and staff have been able to connect with him and he brings a sense of calm, comfort, and joy to everyone who visits. Jackson's visits have also inspired student-led including a fundraiser to support therapy animals and help make
013future visits possible. Projects such as these have allowed us to explore many ways of building a positive school community. Furthermore, we have also been able to expand our impact beyond the school community and into Long Beach as a whole. We have partnered with the Board of Education and the city on the Boardwalk Banner Project Banners for Hope, where student messages of hope and wellness will be displayed throughout our community. All of these experiences demonstrate that students aren't just using the well, they're helping expand its impact beyond the room itself. To further illustrate the impact the well has had so far, I'd like to introduce Kate Bergona, who's going to share some of her student feedback AND DATA. THE WELL HAS BEEN SEEING A HIGH LEVEL OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, with new students still coming in every
014day. Across both semesters so far, there have been about 6,500 total visits, which is the amount of total sign-ins there have been at the well, including students coming multiple times. We are very proud of how the well has grown and the reach it has demonstrated. There have been about 555 unique visits, which means students that have visited different students that have visited the well voluntarily. This has had a profound impact on our student population. Some students come in for just a few minutes to reset, while others stay for an entire period, depending on what they need that day. Overall, the data reflects a strong and consistent use. What also stands out most is the feedback from our students. To get a better sense of feedback, we gave the students an opportunity to share their insight
015through an exit ticket. Here are a few things that students have said and shared about their experience in the well. About 80% of students have said that they felt better after visiting the well, and here are a few quotes from students that stuck out to us. And now you'll hear directly from two students who have been coming to the well since the beginning, Alex Michaels and Joe Lordi. My name is Alex. I've been at the well since day one. I have built a lot of strong relationships since coming to this school. This morning our amazing creation of the well has so many amazing effects. The well helps us get our work done, relieve stress, and create so many opportunities for us. But most importantly, this sport has provided me with so much support with basketball,
016education, and my life. My freshman year would not have been nearly the same without the well and this sport. I would like to thank Ms. Jeweler and Ms. O'SHEA FOR THE KINDNESS. HI, MY NAME IS JOE AND IN my four years of high school I haven't seen anything like this. I started coming to the well in November because my friend wanted me to see or wanted me to come. So she asked me to talk to And at first I was hesitant. I thought I wasn't going to like it. But I met Ms. Ford and realized right away that this was a place I was going to visit every day. I would come all the time with my friends and we would come to relax, talk, or play games. I would even help Ms. Ford with
017our projects, sort of. I would give small input that would make her laugh and then she would, you know, give me the nickname project manager Joe. Whenever there was a project, I was always the uh one of the first you'd call to help. I believe the well is a great place for students and I also believe Ms. Ford is the perfect person uh for this. No other person can do what she does. And now I want to introduce Ms. KENNEDY TO YOU. JOE. UH GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH the school year I was actually assigned uh to support Ms. Ford in her work. And what I've witnessed in that time has been nothing short of remarkable. I always joke and I say that although the well has only existed for about eight months, uh
018it does feel like the well has been around for like eight years. Uh and it already feels like a really deeply rooted and essential part of our school community. Each day, students fill in uh fill the space with purpose. Uh more importantly, they find a place where they feel safe, supported, and understood. But what stood out most to me, uh especially uh being a male educator, uh was the number of male students who consistently chose to spend time in The Well. Uh in a space Let's be honest, at an age where vulnerability for guys can often feel difficult, Ms. Ford has certainly created an environment that breaks down those barriers. Her ability to connect with every student who walks through the door is truly special. And the rapport she has built is evident in the
019trust and openness displayed by our students. The positive lasting impact on their well-being is pretty clear. Simply put, Ms. Ford hasn't just created a room, and I'm sure you guys feel it now, she has built a community. And as I reflect on what The Well has become in such a short time, I'm just going to leave you with this little quote. When students are given a space where they feel seen, heard, and valued, they don't just visit. Uh they grow. And in that growth, Ms. Ford has given Long Beach High School exactly what it didn't know it was missing, but I know now it certainly cannot do without. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, MR. CAPPUCCINO, AND ALL THE amazing students that were here tonight to speak. Um last year at the board meeting, we came
020to you with this vision and some goals, and we are so proud to say that we've seen every single of these things come to life with the help of our school community. And we are beyond grateful. Something that we practice in the well really every single day is gratitude. And there's a lot of people to thank, but of course we are so grateful to all of the community members, school members, the school board, the administration, building and grounds. You literally built this from the ground up. And we could not express our thanks any more than I hope we have made that come across tonight. So, thank you everybody for being here and for all of the endless support. And I'm going to have the last word tonight because if anytime you start a new program,
021I think people know that you have to have the right person really own it and run it. And from the beginning, this has been Kristen Ford's passion project, dream, um you know, idea. She shared all the vision to the Oceanside Center. We talked about how this could look. And I can't thank you enough for what you have created for our students in this space. And you know, you're very humble about it. You always, you know, give credit to other people and team, but we all know that this wouldn't have happened without you. So, thank you. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF. I know that this is something very special to Ms. Conway. Um but can I just tell you just for the last 15 minutes, I
022could feel the impact of that room. I'm actually feeling a lot more mentally well. I'm happier. Um I feel the relief right after crazy and crazy day. Um just a few minutes in the room talking to everyone else, right? Because it's all about reflecting and working with each other and showing strength and resilience. And this is just the epitome of it. It's really we're very lucky to have people that are so committed. Uh students, parents, teachers, staff, uh people giving donations. It's just a great thing. And this is one of the moments that we really get to appreciate. And great job everyone speaking. I know it can be scary speaking in front of a group, but you all have the resilience and you pulled it off, though. Good job everyone. Congratulations. Um I just wanted
023to say something. It's funny that you said that, Sam, because I was feeling it as well. And And there's something There's something about the space that you created. Um it not just the physical space. There's a feeling. And you all really It just emulate that feeling and it and it it's just wonderful because you took it from a concept to a reality. And it's just brilliant to see that. So, I thank you all for your hard work in in getting this off the ground. And I wish you nothing but the best of luck in your endeavors there. And the only thing I'm going to say is that puzzle was anxiety. So, I remember last year at a board meeting when we discussed the Well. And you know, as a board, we were all very excited
024to have such a wonderful project for our students. Because we know it's not just the academic piece why kids come to school. The social emotional piece is really the glue that holds them all together. And when outside forces affect us all, our school is usually the place where we go and we know that we're going to be taken care of. And I know that that happens, Dr. Smith, in all of the classrooms that our teachers take care of our our students. But it seems like it even more so occurs in the Well. Because the students know that they go there and they have the support who's really there and there's no papers. There's just talk and puzzles and paints. And the connections of building within yourself as well as with others is quite evident. So,
025I I I echo everybody. Thank you so much for leading this project such grace and love. It it really is beautiful. Um and I also would like to thank the Michael Ruby Foundation, the Michael Diamond Foundation, um you know, community organizations that that come and they donate their time and and their funds because they know that a project like this is very special. And you know, we always say Long Beach is special. We really have strength in the love we show one another, and I think the well is the heart of all of that. So, I I want to thank you. And um I guess I want to thank I was actually feeling like I was going to cry, actually. I'm not saying that I'm feeling emotional. I'm not but I I I know I'm
026going to cry. Well, because it's Listen, it it's it's very special when people come together just to be with one another and to take care of one another. It's a lot. Um You mentioned the banners of hope that we are doing. Those um were also fundraised by Michael Ruby Foundation, Michael Diamond Foundation, and G2H. And the banners will actually put on the boardwalk. So, they're going to be on display on the boardwalk. You know, the Long Beach Pride and Joy. They'll be on the north side. So, everybody did create a design. Well, everybody who comes to Long Beach and walks along the boardwalk will be able to see those banners for the month of May. And that again is a tribute to Miss Ford who really helped out a lot on this project. Did not
027help those students create these banners. And when you see them, you are really going to feel it deep within your soul. They're beautiful. So, thank you again. Um and I do want an invitation to meet Thursday therapy dogs. Um definitely. But thank you again. Thank you for taking the time to come out and for speaking to us. It's one of It's the best thing I can get from students like you. So, thank you. Dr. Smith, do we have a lint roller for the when the dog comes? We have four. You have four? Yes. Uh student organization announcements? Hi, yeah. Thank you. Um I'm Leah. I'm here on behalf of Long Beach High School Student Organization. We just recently held a blood drive this past Friday. That was very successful and we can now guarantee a
028scholarship for two of our graduating seniors. Um we've been discussing the possibility of fundraising for this club in these last few weeks of school as well as holding a student organization election for the upcoming school year. That's pretty much it for the updates. Thank you so much. Thank you. Yeah, congratulations on the fundraiser. Thank you. Also, I would just like to give a plug for the Beach Boutique that is this weekend. Friday afternoon is the drop-off of any donations Friday at the middle school the back back doors of the gym entrance from 3:00 to 6:00 and then the boutique is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 2:00. Families, students can come in and shop and enjoy the abundance of clothes that is at the boutique. We also have a hot chocolate bar that's
029very popular. And if any of the students are looking for community service hours, that's a great way to get some hours in as well. So, Peach Boutique is this weekend, come out and enjoy and shop for new to you clothing. Thank you. Questions and comments from the public on tonight's agenda only? Approval of the minutes of executive session and regular meeting of March 24th. Motion. I'll second. Any discussion? Ms. Conway? Yes. Mr. Pinto? Yes. And I vote yes. Yes, Superintendent. Thank you. I ask the board to consider item number one, certificated personnel. Motion. Second. Any discussion? Ms. Conway? Yes. Mr. Pinto? Yes. And I vote yes. I'd like to introduce Mr. Angelo Tagliere who's here tonight. He'll be one of our new site assistants. WELCOME. WELCOME. I ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ITEM TWO, classified
030personnel. Motion. Second. Any discussion? I would just I would just like to thank Mr. Kramer for all that he has done for our district and I wish him the best in his retirement. Yeah, I'd like to second that as well. Thank you, Mr. Kramer, for all your hard work and I know that we have now soon we will have a really good succession plan after this vote. We already filled position for him and now we're following through with the next position. So, it's I think this is a nice movement of process. Ms. Conway? Yes. Mr. Pinto? I vote yes. And I vote yes. And I'd like to congratulate Mr. Chris Gandy so he's here tonight although I don't see him at the moment. Oh, THERE HE IS. SUPERVISOR BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE THAT'S PART OF the
031succession plan that Mr. Pindo mentioned. Chris, we're thrilled that you're in this new role. Congrats. Thank you. I'd ask the board to consider item three. Motion. Second. Any discussion? Ms. Conway? Yes. Mr. Pindo? I vote yes. And I vote yes. Item four has two parts. This is the annual approval of the BOCES operations budget and then the second part will be the election of BOCES Board of Education members. So I'd ask the board to consider item 4A, the approval of the proposed BOCES administrative operations budget. Motion. Second. Any discussion? Ms. Conway? Yes. Mr. Pindo? Yes. And I vote yes. And Mrs. Sammelwitz, would you kindly read part B and take a roll call on the four candidates. Resolved there are three seats available for the BOCES Board of Education. Four people are running for the
032three seats. When I call out your name, if you could raise your hand. Deborah Coates. Lauren Springsteen. Douglas Pascarella. And Jean D. Scazzidda. And then I think we have these two people to vote. Oh. To appoint those two people. Can I get a motion? Motion. Second. Any discussion? Mr. Yeah. No, I was just going to say if we should reiterate the names of the people. You can. Yeah. One reiterate the names that we chose was Greenstein, Pasquarella, and Greenstein votes in Desposito. I apologize. >> Yes. Yes. I vote yes. And I vote yes. And I guess the votes can be considered as five agreed together. Motion. Second. Any discussion? I have a point of discussion. Okay. I know we always thank the people who make donations to the to the district, and there is a
033Ms. Annie Conway made a donation of a baby grand piano, so we thank you for that. And we also want to thank uh Mr. Camara for his donation for uh the five $25,000. Very nice of them as well. Thank you. MR. CAMARA. I VOTE YES. MR. PINTO. I vote yes. And I vote yes. Board of Ed, additional new and old business, Bethany. Um I just have one thing. I You know, we've been really celebrating a lot of great things, and I wanted to just give a shout-out to see Mr. C hiding over there waving. Uh we had a really great achievement this last week, right? Uh correlation we had some middle schools. Can I just ask you to come up for a second to say like one or two things about how great it was
034to just watch them win uh the region. I know how much It's difficult. Sorry for putting him on the spot. I didn't know he was going to do it. But I think you're happy to do this, right? I I'm happy to speak on behalf of Mr. Cramer. He really ran the whole show. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you Well, Mr. Cramer and all and all the students did for Sure. Thank you. Um I'm Mr. C. I'm the science director. Um I would love the Explorer Visions ceremony at the middle school last week. The event that it was competition of contest really spearheaded by Mr. Cram and his middle schoolers. They did a project using envisioning technology that had to be 10 years into the future and they made these sero scanners, these like nanotechnology bracelets that if
035they come to fruition, would scan your body for your levels of serotonin and if you needed some boost throughout the day to help your mood or your mental health, the little sero scanner bracelet would inject this serum into you somehow. I don't know how they thought of it, but I'm like, you guys are onto something with the nanotechnology. It was great. It was 2 years in a row they won. Last year they had like a robotic eye and really it's I I don't have anything to do with it except supporting them and like Wally Cram does the whole thing from soup to nuts and I know Dr. Payne at the elementary level does the Explorer Vision for the elementary level students. So, it was really amazing. So, she became they all the kids got a
036Chromebook. They I don't know if they made it to the national level, but they were of a very small select group to win at the regional level. Two years in a row they were considered for nationals and it also came with a $2,500 donation to the school, which is Oh, that's right. That's nice. Uh wait, one more thing while you're here because I got an email as a parent and I'm doing a lot of parent things in general. What's going on with our flight to space? So, last year our student experiment space flight project was supposed to fly, but the mission got postponed until this spring. So, for 3 years we had a student student group um get their project up to the International Space Station and this year actually um one of the students
037is the son of one of our science department members from high school and two of his friends, They are sending watercress microgreens. And we are going to compare the rate at which they grow in space to the rate at which they grow on Earth. We made, you know, two different mini labs that are about 6 in long. And we just got an email from Nanoracks in Texas saying that everything is cleared to fly. So, for the third time, um it's going up. And so, we Pinto's mission design patch is going with it. So, it's um it's really really remarkable. Uh the whole thing is memorialized on the students Space Life Curriculum website. And I can post it. Sorry about putting you on the spot. And speaking of putting people on the spot, uh I said
038to the board tonight, it's been an accolade almost today for the district over the past 2 weeks. We found out uh this weekend that one of our middle school students has been the New York State winner in National History Day and will compete in our in the first for the first time in the national level National History Day, none other than Zoe Pinto. So, actually I would be remiss um to leave out um Murphy Moser is in the middle school and his mission patch is flying as well. And there's a lot of other students whose names I'm forgetting, but um it's all on the website. So, Thank you. Do you Do you know I did forget to mention that um Zoe Pinto and Miss Leah Berube um presented the matters of whole project to the
039city council last Tuesday and they really did an amazing job talking about it. So, we're lucky that we have so many wonderful kids in our district who are just willing to do a lot and help to represent us in a beautiful way. So, we're very fortunate. >> Lot to celebrate. Lot of celebrations. Okay, questions and comments from the public. Anybody? All right. Um announcements, Long Beach Classroom Teachers Association. Hello, this is Elise. Just a quick congratulations to Chris. We look forward to working with you. Very happy that you got that. And I just want to thank you to everybody up here and in the room. As we said a few years ago, when Ms. Ford and I came to you and you took a chance and I knew we had the person, the right person
040for the job, and she has just made it, you know, turned it into this beautiful place. So, thank you all for taking that chance, and we appreciate it. Thank you. And Administrative Supervisory and PPS. Hi, good evening. Keep these on? We'd like to extend our sincere thanks to all the dedicated school bus drivers and transportation department. Your parents are safe to safely getting our children to and from school each day does not go unnoticed. Your patience, care, and reliability make a meaningful difference in our community. We truly appreciate all you do, rain or shine, morning and afternoon and evening. Thanks for keeping our students safe and supported every day. I'd also like to congratulate Chris on his job. I also congratulate Mr. Kramer on his retirement, and also, uh, all of us present this evening
041for your wellness program. We look forward to this at the middle school. Thank you. Okay. Brucey, anybody here? Uh, congratulations, Chris, on your job. Uh, shout out to our bus drivers. Thank you. Thank you. No, Ms. Belson before we go, I just want to say I I know Daphne and Alexis have, uh, sent their regrets for not being here today to be sending well wishes, but you did an excellent job in their absence. So, kudos to Ms. Belson. Okay. PTA, anybody here? All right. Can I get a motion to adjourn? Second it. All in favor say aye. Oh, yeah, thank you.