001A couple announcements I just wanted to make. I don't know how many of you have been to board meetings before. If you have comments that you'd like to make, we do have a process now. There are cards um that you will fill out and then you can hand them in to Suzanne. So, if you guys could do that, our district clerk. So, if you have any public comment that you'd like to make, just make sure you fill out the card before we get to that section. And then the next thing I wanted to say is unfortunately our superintendent is feeling very under the weather. So, thankfully we have Mr. DeGideo who's going to be standing in for us, our assistant superintendent. And while he's serving in that capacity. With that, I'm going to turn the
002meeting over to um Mr. DeGideo. Thank you very much. Tonight we're going to begin with our budget proposal for this evening. And I'm going to ask Ms. Carrie Cohen to come up to the Good evening everybody. I'm Michael DeGideo. And we're going to start off um by talking about our budget adoption presentation, which is basically a recap of what we've been talking about over the past several months. Uh it's the culmination of our budget cycle. So, when we talk about our budget, there are some foundational principles that we'd like to highlight. The first is smart spending, student success, and long-term sustainability. And we really try to balance these foundational principles as we go forward with our whole budget process. When we talk about smart spending, we talk about using our funds efficiently, trying to get
003the greatest value for the dollar that we allocate in the various codes throughout our budget. When we talk about student success, what we're saying here is that we really prioritize our students in every financial decision that we make. We make sure that our funds are used effectively and they're always going to promote student growth. And then long-term sustainability, which means that when we put together a spending plan for a particular year, and we're talking about the 2026-2027 school year, we don't just focus on next year's needs, but we really make sure that we can keep those programs going in the future. So, not only are we talking about the budget for next year, but we're always looking ahead in the years to come to make sure that we can keep our programs going forward. And
004when we talk about all three of these things, we're really talking about a balanced budget. And when we also talk about a balanced budget, there's another meaning embedded in that, which means that when we put together our spending program for next year, we want to make sure that we have the revenue to match. So, a little bit later on in the presentation, we're going to be talking about how we're going to pay for our spending plan for 2026-2027. I'd now like to introduce Carrie Cohen. She's a very important member of our team in finance and operations. And then last year about this time, I had asked Carrie if she would put together some interesting graphics to really give a little bit of a change to the presentation because I believe that when you present the
005information, we need to present it differently so that it can be heard in a different way because it just helps to present things differently. So, she did a really great job and I'd like to introduce Carrie who's going to take the next few slides. As Mr. As Mr. DeGideo mentioned, we are very excited to have the budget complete and ready to move forward. I will now start by walking you through all the categories that make up the 2026-2027 budget with the highlights. Starting with our instructional program, additional pay for IAS teachers, more elementary PE time, and the creation of a very exciting high school Bloomberg lab. This is an image of what we expect the Bloomberg lab to look like. The one is And there's these are some key fun facts. Students use the exact
006same Bloomberg terminals as invested Becker, hedge funds, and corporations worldwide. They can watch live movements of stocks, currencies, and commodities. Subjects like math, economics, and business suddenly become hands-on as students analyze real companies in a global setting. Lastly, the experience of the Bloomberg lab can give students a head start towards careers in finance, business, data analysis, and even journalism. Moving on to support athletics, we will have additional coaches next year for game day cheer, wrestling, and field hockey. Within art and music, we will be renovating TV media lab at the high school. The district is always looking for equitable opportunities for all students. And next year we are happy to say that we have a fully funded dual enrollment college course program. Continuing to Continuing to invest in our mental health and well-being for staff
007and students, we will be adding a wellness room at the middle school. And within student supports, we will have new opportunities including high school robotics program, plus rock band, guitar, fishing, and water polo class. Lastly, the budget continues to support our facilities program by increasing security at all elementary schools, adding a cleaner to the high school, and investing in our capital project with an additional $1.7 million for high school pool construction project. I will hand it over to Mr. DeGideo to go over expenses. Thank you, Carrie. What you see here is a pie chart that shows how the various categories of expenditure are broken out. You see 74% is for employee compensation and benefits, which is no surprise since what we do in the school district is educating students. And we do it through our
008public staff, our aides, and that's why three-quarters of our budget is spent in that area. 18% is for contractual services, and what that means is whenever we bring a company into the district to do work, whether it's professional development or repair and maintenance, that's where that category of expenditure is. It's bringing people in to do those kinds of services. And then you see some of the other smaller areas. And if you want to see what it looks like in dollars, that's the same chart adjusted in dollars. Now I'd like to talk a little bit about our revenue. So, our total proposed budget for next year is approximately $162.5 million dollars. As you see what we have here is a pyramid which shows the largest revenue category at the bottom, although you have to the top.
009So, let's take us through the different revenue categories. The largest is the tax levy, what we're asking the community for for next year is about $140 million, and that's collected across all four classes of district properties. The next largest category is state aid, and you see here we have a map of those subcategories of foundation aid, building aid, OCES aid, and transportation aid. The reason why I have the word pending there is because we still do not have a final state budget for next year. The figures that we're using here, about 28 um almost $28.6 million, are based on estimates that we received from the state. The next category that we're talking about is other revenue, which is a miscellaneous category that includes a few uh key components such as tuition that the district receives
010when Long Beach school district educates of other districts, whether special education or some of our general ed program, the largest being the Island Park students that go to Long Beach High School. We receive tuition money from those districts. Another important category is the interest that we receive in our bank accounts where we have some of our reserve money in the bank, we get interest for that. Um as well as there are certain taxes that we we can collect, the state sales tax on utility bills, and other smaller fees are lumped into that other category. Um also some of our PILOTs, which is payment in lieu of taxes. And that brings us to the next category, which is the LIPA PILOT. So, we get about $4.4 million from LIPA. They don't pay taxes, they give us
011a payment in lieu of taxes, and that's another category. And the last is what we call appropriated fund balance, which is a category that is is something that works in tandem with the tax levy. So, once we find out and get some estimates on state aid, estimates of what we think the other revenue is going to be, what our life of pilots going to be, we sit and we try to see, well, how much do we feel is a responsible request to ask the community in terms of a tax levy for the following year, and then what do we want to put towards next year's spending plan from the operating revenue surplus that we may have this year with or some money that's in that reserve fund. And we always try to balance those two
012things. So, the appropriate fund balance helps keep tax levy at the level that the board wants, feels comfortable at giving the community before. When we talk about the tax levy, it's important to talk about the property tax levy cap. So, many years ago, um the state said that we're going to be using a formula where school districts can find out what their maximum allowable levy is. So, it's a formula that we do every year, and for Long Beach, our maximum allowable levy increase is 2.65% of the current year's property tax levy. What we are proposing for next year is under that 2.65% maximum allowable levy increase of 2.2%. So, that's what we're proposing for next year. Some important upcoming dates, May 19th, which is the third Tuesday in May, is our budget vote, the trustee
013election. It's always the third Tuesday in May throughout the state, and this year it's May 19th. The week prior to that is our budget hearing, May 12th, which is an opportunity for anyone in the community to come to the board meeting, to the budget hearing, and to talk about the budget. Tonight is our budget adoption, which is when the board finalizes the budget that they want to present to the voters on the ballot on May 19th. So, that's the difference between tonight, budget adoption, when they say this is our final budget to put to the community for a vote on May 19th. Between now, April and May, May 19th, I will be going around and meeting with the PTAs, with our community groups to do a presentation and talk about next year's spending plan, talk
014about some of the items that Harry Cohen had listed in terms of the highlights of the various areas of our operation, of the school district, and also to explain how we expect to pay for that. Um we're hoping to get a final state budget as soon as possible so that we have some more clarity on what really that number is and how close it is to our estimate. So, I started this presentation talking about a balanced budget, talking about how we approach our budget cycle, which usually starts in December, that we really try to think about how we can have an effective use of our finances, have a great value in terms of the effectiveness and efficiency, promote student success, always thinking about our students first, and really considering long-term sustainability. So, we are balancing
015these foundational principles and also making sure that the ultimate spending plan proposal is balanced with our revenue projections. So, this time I'd like to thank Ms. Cohen for all her help over the course of the year. Thank you so much for all you do for our finance and operations. Thank you for doing such a great job on this presentation this evening, and thank you to everyone else in finance and operations, and to all the district staff who we've met with um over the past few months where we go through in very great detail all of the different lines in our line item budget to make sure that we have exactly what we need for our students in 2026-2027. So, now is the time for board comments and questions, please. Um just thank you, Ms. Cohen,
016and thank you, Mr. DeVitto. One just quick question about the state aid. When do we expect to get our final numbers, and is there ever a surprise that it goes up more than we anticipated, or do we really get an idea [clears throat] Well, that would that would surely be a surprise if it goes up more than we expect because in January, when we got the governor's proposal, they the governor said that excuse me, there would be a 1% increase in foundation aid for those districts like us that I've spoken about this plan this year at a full hardware, which is which is our our situation. The information we received in January said it's likely it's going to be a 2% increase. I doubt it's going to be any more than that. I think really
0172% would be the max. All of the other categories of aid are really based on our expenditure. For example, the BOCES aid that we get is based on how much we spend through the BOCES program. Our transportation aid is based on how much we spend in transportation. Um so, really the foundation aid would be the only real um significant aid category where it would be something that they would change just just based on that foundation formula. Thank you, Mr. DeVitto, and thank you, uh Ms. Cohen, for the presentation. I've sat through budget presentations for a number of years, and I can't remember one that's been so concise and comprehensive as this one. And thank you and your office, Mr. DeVitto, and Ms. Cohen, for all the work you have done. I just have a couple
018of questions in terms of I know how big the process has been, and we've been talking about it since November in terms of different departments. I always bring up the issue of cyber insurance, Mr. DeVitto, because we read about it in the paper in terms of people hacking and districts being such a a a wonderful source of getting all of the information that doesn't belong to people. Are we covered in that area, do you think, in terms of the allocation? I I think we're okay with cyber insurance. Um you know, we have additional cyber insurance, not just the basic component that we get through the district's general insurance carrier. Um we consult with people um periodically to make sure that we're sufficiently insured. So, I feel comfortable that the level that we're at right now
019is sufficient. I also want to ask a question about electric buses because it's been something on the boiler for a long time now. In terms of allocations, in terms of where are we moving, are we moving in that direction, are we moving slowly in that direction, and what direction is the state giving us in that regard? Yes, so I'd say we're moving slowly. Um we're in the process of purchasing a small electric vehicle that we can use to transport one student that wouldn't require a big change in our infrastructure. At the same time, we have a group working with us grant-funded to create an electrification study that would then we would present to the state to discuss some of the challenges of living on the barrier island and where we might put our charging station
020that would really be equipped to charge, you know, several buses, you know, whether it's 5, 10, 15 as we scale it up. So, that's really been a challenge for us in terms of first of all, the price of the electric buses is very high. There isn't a lot of grant money to subsidize that, and then it's the charging infrastructure. So, we're working on it. It's it's it's something that we're currently involved in, but I'd say it's a slow progress. Um but one thing that I always like to say when we talk about electric buses is one thing that separates us, Long Beach, from other school districts. We have our compressed natural gas buses, which are already very green. So, to make a change from a CNG bus to an electric bus is not going to
021really make a big difference in the carbon footprint because we've already have a very green fleet. I just also want to applaud your office because I noticed in the budget you decreased the spending on contracted transportation by half a million dollars. I know that's been a big project that you worked on in terms of consolidating routes and doing that, and I still giving kids the transportation that they need. I just want to applaud you for the energy and the effort in terms of that. Yeah, we still need, you know, more bus drivers, and we still have, you know, a certain amount of slots that are vacant and spare buses, but our our routes are as efficient as we can make them. I think my worst nightmare, Mr. DeVitto, is what's happening in Rockville Centre. Anybody
022who's aware of what's happening in Rockville Centre, they're a full million dollars short. They cut 17 teaching positions. They cut a number of clerical positions, a number of support staff, a number of coaching. And so, I can only wonder how they got in that position, and I know under your stewardship, we'll never find ourselves in that position. I would uh that's enough. Thanks, Mr. DeVitto. Thanks again, Ms. Cohen. Thanks. Um [clears throat] um Harry, Michael, thank you for the presentation. Over the last few meetings, you've given us really great line-by-line items, uh breaking down by primary and secondary, instruction, all the costs of bringing together in this package today. Really really appreciate everyone's hard work. Um one thing I really want to bring up, and I think it's it's kudos to everyone involved, including the
023unions, including administration, and just also the sharper pencils about how we're living in an environment now where costs are escalating unbelievably, and they're outside of our control. And what we see today is that we're still coming in under the tax cap with responsible growth. I mean, I was talking to some parents about the Bloomberg lab idea. They are so excited. You know, we used to joke about, you know, teaching kids how to balance their checkbooks, but now those don't really exist. So, bringing in those Bloomberg labs and doing all the business improvements. Do you guys use checkbooks? Yeah. I don't think kids use [laughter] checkbooks anymore. They use balance or Venmo, maybe, but whatever the case may be, it just took a lot of work, and we were excited for the improvement, we're excited to
024see the capital projects coming together, uh the pool and everything else coming together for the district. So, uh good work to everyone involved and thank you for this presentation. Thank you. Thanks, thanks. Go ahead. All right, so I I would also like to thank you both very much for your presentation. Um and everybody on your team, I know at our last meeting I put out my thank you's because I know how comprehensive this is and a lot of hard work has been put into it. So, thank you all so much for all of that. I really do admire the fact that the focus when you started out with this, Mr. Pito, is that it's on our students. It's on their programs. And our district really has done an amazing job of putting our students first,
025of ensuring that the programs are helping to guide our students so they can face this change in our world socially, emotionally, and academically. So, I'm I'm very happy about that and I've really seen a lot of growth. Um one thing you also mentioned was the BOCES dual program and at our last meeting we mentioned how now parents won't have to pay for those courses, which is again wonderful for all of our taxpayers. So, I really want to thank you if you really researched everything, you made sure that what we are presenting to our to our community and to our staff is something that's viable and that's growing and and thank you for it. And I also want to echo what Ms. Pinto said about the 2.2 tax levy. Very impressive that we are staying under
026the tax cap. I know how difficult that is. And I am still hopeful that the governor is going to stay with the whole harmless. So, 2% is still better than what we got from last year. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. We have a very dedicated team, so thank you. I vote yes. I have nothing to add. Thank you both. Um next we're up to student organization announcements. Not here. Not here tonight? No one's going to speak on their behalf? Okay. Um questions and comments from the public on tonight's agenda only. Kelly Solfrey. >> [snorts] >> Hi. Kelly Solfrey. Thank you. Hi, good evening. My name is Kelly Solfrey. I live at 501 Grand Boulevard and I'll be speaking tonight on behalf of myself and my family and I'd like to say a few words about
027our friend John and Nancy Pito. Okay. Uh I don't mean to cut you off. Um two things. First of all, what in this venue you're not allowed to use names, okay? Also, if you can just leave, um the questions and comments right now are on the agenda, meaning on the budget. You're more than welcome to come back again when we go through just questions and comments from the public. I understand. Okay. No, no, that's okay. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Yep, just hold on. Come back and and just as a reminder to everyone, um in this venue we're not allowed to use names um and we really can't discuss personnel. Other than that, you're welcome to come up and say whatever you like. Um okay, so questions and comments from me tonight's agenda only, no?
028Okay. >> [cheering] [applause] >> Thank you for that. Typically, also don't do a lot of clapping in here. If you guys could just GIVE US THAT. >> [cheering] [applause] >> SKETCH YOUR NAME. I JUST WANT TO REINFORCE WHAT MS. MASON just said. It's not easy for us to sit up here in terms of deliberation. We have rules, we have meetings. We've met twice every month since whatever. One of our rules is there's no applauding and there's no booing. It's sort of like a Broadway play. If you can't stand by that and I ask you, please leave. You're very welcome to come up to use the microphone on new business if you have something to say. You have a 3-minute time cap in terms of that. But please respect our rules. They're rules that are enforced
029by every board of education in the state of New York. They're not our rules. No applauding, no booing. And everybody has a right to speak for 3 minutes if he or she so decides. So, we ask you to respect those rules. They're not put in place for tonight. They've been in place since the inception of board of education. They're rules of public education. So, please respect those rules because it will make it for a more productive and calmer meeting. So, thank you for your understanding. Thank you, Don. Um moving on, we're going to move on to the treasurer's report for February uh 2026. So, actually later, Um moving on, approval of minutes for executive session and regular meeting of March 10th, 2026. >> Motion made. Second. Any discussion? No? Mr. Pinto? Yes. Ms. Conway? Yes.
030Ms. Belz? Yes. Ms. Duch, um Grant? Yes. And I vote yes. Ms. Mason, we have a walk-on resolution. Okay. Can we read that now? It's not ready. Thank you. Resolved that pursuant to section 913 of the education law, the employee names in executive session, and referred to as employee A, B, may be directed by the superintendent to appear for a psychiatric examination in the office of Dr. Randall Solomon. And it's further resolved that Dr. Randall Solomon is hereby appointed school medical inspector pursuant to section 913 of education law in order to evaluate said employee's ability to perform their duties as an employee of the district. Can I get a motion? >> Second. Any discussion? Mr. Pinto? Yes. Ms. Conway? Yes. Duch? Yes. Ms. Belz? Yes. And I vote yes. Okay, moving on. Presentations of the
031superintendent. Thank you, Ms. Mason. I'd like to present personnel matters as action one, certificate. Motion. Second. Discussion? Yes. Can we talk about the retirements and give thank you's? Yes, you can. Um not going to name any names, but thank you to all. Sorry. Thank you to those who are on the agenda tonight in regards to your retirement. Um congratulations, well deserved. And we wish you well in your uh next chapter. Thank you, Pierre. Anybody else? Oops. Okay, Mr. Pinto? I vote yes. Ms. Conway? Yes. Duch? Yes. Ms. Belz? Yes. And I vote yes. I'd like to now present personnel item number two, house certificates. Motion. Second. Discussion? No? Mr. Pinto? Yes. Ms. Conway? Yes. Duch? Yes. Ms. Belz? Yes. And I vote yes. Item number three on the agenda is the adoption of the 2026
0322027 budget, which we just presented, which is $162,466,655. Motion. Second. Discussion? Question, if I might. It's sort of piggybacking on what Ms. Belz just asked in terms of the state coming through with the money. If in fact they're a lot that's significantly different than what we've projected, what do we do in terms of having voted on this number? Sure. Well, what we're voting on tonight as item number three is the actual budget number, right? And that's the number that goes before the voters in May. In terms of actually setting the tax levy, we have some time to do that. So, that's not really pressing in terms of having to take that action tonight. We do have it as item number four, which is what we voted to uh say is the corresponding levy, but if
033we have to change that, we can certainly change that and make adjustments according to whether it's through fund balance or the tax levy itself based on a change in our estimate of state aid. Okay, thank you. Yep. So, item number four is the adoption of the property tax report. Um a little more discussion. I just want to say once again, thank you again for presenting the budget and now we're voting for our spending plan. Uh if you were paying attention at the meetings, this is a responsible plan that offers a lot of improvements to the kids and it's all uh to the kids, to the students. Uh and also brings together a a trying to frame this right, but a lot of times when we're looking at education, we're looking at folks and standardized testing
034and everything else in the matter. Right now, we're really trying to transition our way into uh creating a better environment for project-based learning, uh learning for creation of opportunity in the future and this this budget is a great example of that. This is our spending plan for and I'm really happy that I'm able to support it. Thank you, Mr. Pinto. Anybody else? All good? Okay. I vote yes. Okay. I vote yes. Okay. Duch? Yes. Ms. Belz? And I vote yes. And I vote yes as well. Item number five is the budget transfer. Uh Motion. Ms. Gifford? We did get it. >> I need a second. Second. Thank you. Any discussion on that? Are we talking about an item? Five. Five. So, Mr. Pizzo, what exactly happened to him in the Medicare area? Sure. So, we
035realized everything is in a different fund, and what we do is we reimburse retirees that are eligible for Medicare Part B, and that's a sliding scale and not like a set amount, and you know, it depends on the income of the retirees, and they would get a chance of of reimbursement. So, we just need some more money in that code in order to make the payments to the retirees, and it's something that we do every year. We just need to transfer some money, and we do have to have some additional money. We're running a little bit of an operating surplus on our special ed students that are that we follow with the attending BOCES. We're still waiting for some of those placements to come through, so we were able to shift those funds from BOCES
036special ed code to the Medicare Part B reimbursement code. We won't need that money once the 250 children are going. At this point, it's the end of April, so, you know, we do that We respect a certain amount of money to educate those students who are on home instruction, and it's a different cost level than if they were in the BOCES program. So, this doesn't happen. So, there's money available for the transfer. Okay, thank you for that clarification. Question? Okay, Mr. Pizzo? I vote yes. Yes, Mr. Conway? Done? I vote yes. Ms. Belsey? [clears throat] Yes. And I vote yes. Please feel free to lump items together, Mr. Pizzo. I'm I'm going to lump items together, Doc. [laughter] Very good, thank you. I'm going to take Can we I'd like to present item six through
03716 for the board's consideration. Motion made. Second. Any discussion? Okay, Mr. Pizzo? I vote yes. Mr. Conway? I vote yes. Sorry, I forgot. We have a donation, right? Uh looks like we do. I vote yes, we do. Yeah, thank you for the $1,000 donation to the robotics club. Appreciate that to uh Thank you. Yeah, that's amazing, right? Yeah, and I vote yes. Mr. Conway? I vote yes. Done. Okay, it's a discussion item. Hold off. I just want to once again on item number 11, we asked that when bids were submitted that we see all the bids before they're awarded. We can make every effort to award it to the lowest bidder. I just want to thank your office once again on item number 11 in terms of where the highest bid was 99 $99,000, and
038the lowest bid was $55,000 for the same project, and you know, the lowest bid. So, thank you for clearly that information in the agenda, Mr. You're welcome. And how do you vote then? Yes. Ms. Belsey, how do you vote? I vote yes. And I vote yes. Okay, moving on. We are going to Board of Education and any new or old business that you'd like to discuss. Any votes? No? Okay. Now we're at the questions and comments from the public, if that Youngs Youngs Bay? Mr. Conway. Kelly. Kelly? You want to come back up? Thank you for your patience. Hi, can I take your name? Hi, my name is Kelly Colfer. I live at 590 Grand Boulevard. I'm speaking tonight on behalf of myself and my family about our friend Coach. Coach, my husband and I
039have known [clears throat] Coach for many, many years, and that time he's proven himself to be one of the most reliable, trustworthy, and genuinely good people we know. My husband and I have worked alongside Coach for almost 20 years in many different roles, both in the school district and in the City of Long Beach. No matter what the position or the challenge, Coach was always someone you could count on. He shows up, he follows through, and he gives his full effort every single time. What really sets him apart is the way he gives of himself to others, especially to the kids in our community. One small but meaningful example is something Mike has been doing for years. They drive 40 minutes an hour Sunday nights to hockey rinks around the island just to supervise and
040support the kids. That's who Coach is. He gives his time, his patience, and his energy without ever asking for recognition. Coach has also had a profound impact on people around him. When Mike was considering a major career change to become a phys ed teacher, Coach was there every step of the way as a mentor, a guide, a steady source of inspiration. That kind of support changes lives, and he gives it freely. At his core, Coach is a stand-up guy. He values family, faith, and friendship. He leads with integrity, humility, and a genuine care for everyone he meets. He treats people with respect, he listens, and he always tries to do what's right. Coach has dedicated so much of his life to the children and families in our community. His impact reaches far beyond what we
041can see and is deeply felt by so many. Simply put, Coach is someone who makes the world better just by being in it. He deserves all the respect in the world, and my family and I are incredibly grateful to call him our friend. Thank you. Please. Please. [laughter] Thank you, is sufficient. Thank you. Jerry McKay, 523 East State Street. First of all, I want to thank all of you on the Board of Ed for all your time and volunteerism, and all you do for our students and the community as a whole. It is appreciated always. It's not an easy job, and you all do it well. Secondly, it's been a lot of years since I've been up here at the mic. I'm a past PTA president, Central Council, East School, and the high school as
042well. It's good to be back, but it does break my heart to be here for these reasons and for for our good friend Coach as well. I do stand here on behalf of my family, the McKay family, um saying how we feel that Coach has been an amazing person in our lives. We met him way back when before we even realized he was a part of the Long Beach School District. We met him through the Long Beach recreational program when my sons were just teeny, tiny tots, and that's just about 20 years ago or so now. This man was always the most caring man in the room. He worried about each and every child that was in the wrestling recreational program, and he was dealing with little children, and he knew how to deal with
043them beautifully, eloquently, calmly. He is a good man through and through, and we felt it. As luck would have it, my my boys continued with their wrestling career, and their relationship with Coach just blossomed throughout the years. He was always concerned for every single wrestler in the room, boy or girl, and we did have some gentlemen and ladies during that time who wrestled. He is an outstanding individual, and he always encouraged the boys to do the very best they can. In addition, it wasn't just about being the best wrestler. It was about becoming a good adult. It was about becoming a good citizen. What was most important to him, and he was quite a stickler about it when he was in middle school coach for my children. He made sure that the children who wrestled
044were good sports. He knew he was helping to prepare them for long life skills. Later in life or a few years down the road, I had the pleasure of working very closely with him because I asked him to help out with the religious religious education program where I work. I can tell you he dealt with students who were difficult to deal with with such care and respect. Coach has a good and wonderful heart. He is a decent and faithful man, and I just hope as a taxpayer that we are really looking into this situation from every single perspective, doing the right due diligence, and that we don't make any rash decisions. In final, I want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved in this situation, and I just know in the
045end the [clears throat] truth and the goodness of our good friend Coach will prevail. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you, Mr. Pizzo. Thank you. Thank you. Jeff Costner then. For those of you the rest of you who are coming up, you don't have to say your addresses out loud. We have them written down. You can just say your name or you don't even have to. Just say your >> [clears throat] >> My name is Jeff Costner man. Uh I'll keep my remarks focused on coaches. I'm not familiar or privy to the legalities regarding Thanks for the microphone Jeff. Push the button. Okay. Thanks. Should I go again? My name is Jeff Costner man. As I'm not privy to the legalities regarding this situation, I'll keep my remarks focused on coach. The individual
046at the center of this controversy whose life and career seem to be hanging in the balance. I was employed by the district as a social worker from 1981 to 2010. Well, I was assigned to the high school for the majority of my tenure. I also worked in the middle school from '98 to 2006. I worked in the high school when coach was a student there and knew of his reputation as an outstanding wrestler. The high school wrestling program has a long history of excellence. Not just in winning championships but also in developing strong character by providing their members with a shared experience of being part of something greater than themselves. At that time under coaches Leslie and Jones, a structure existed that fostered the development of respect for self and others, accountability, dependability, determination, pride,
047honor, and the ability to cope with disappointment. I believe that participation in Long Beach High School's wrestling program set many young men on on a successful path as these qualities became incorporated into their personalities. While I never worked with coach directly during his time in the high school, I believe he was one of those young men who benefited from the experience. This belief was born out for me years later. Our path Our paths crossed again in the early 2000s. I was working as a social worker in the middle school and coach had been hired as a fit fit ed teacher and dean. Our offices were in the same suite. I very quickly was able to see first hand the man he had become. We collaborated on numerous situations pertaining to our students within evidencing time
048and time again the qualities that he began developing back in high school. In addition, he demonstrated the clear ability to look past presenting behaviors with considering underlying factors with a caring and compassionate approach. It was a pleasure for me to work with him. He walked a fine line as the dean having to blend discipline with compassion and he did so with grace. Coach was clearly a professional who can engage those kids who are a little bit rough around the edges. Not surprisingly, he began he became involved again in our wrestling program bringing to it not only his physical prowess but the supportive and growth inducing qualities that had benefited him. I returned to the high school through 2006 and ultimately retired in 2010. I'm here tonight because I consider myself a stakeholder in the Long
049Beach schools and must do what I feel is right. I'm a stakeholder not because I pay taxes, not because I've lived here for 66 years, not because I'm a product of our school system, and not because I devoted my professional career to this community. I'm a stakeholder because I have six grandchildren currently in the Long Beach schools aged 10 to 17. It was through them that my contact with coach was reestablished through their participation in our rec programs in our rec department programs and camps. This brought me back in contact with coach. He was always good to see and see his caring and compassionate sensitivity for kids of all ages. I've made it clear to my grandchildren, male or female, whether in school or rec programs, if a problem arises and if coach is on
050the scene, he's the guy to go to. I stand by that today. While I started by saying I would not address any legalities of the situation, I'm aware it's complicated with many facets impacting all parties involving different perspectives and responsibilities to all. Social media does not help. I certainly don't envy anyone involved or having to navigate this current situation. Coach returned to our school district after college and his time in the service to teach, to coach, to work with [clears throat] our youth with the goal of giving back to this community what he had been given so long ago. Speaking only for myself, it is impossible for me to believe he could be involved in any behavior that would hurt or endanger a child. Not having him in our schools would be a significant loss
051to our community. Thank you for your time. Thank you. I just wanted to say to Mr. Costner who walked I just wanted to initially to for your installation into the Hall of Fame. Thank you. I think that DESERVES SOME APPLAUSE. >> [applause] >> THANK YOU MR. COSTNER. DESIREE MCCAFFREY. The next person knows who she is or he is. I think you could possibly sit closer to the mic. You could probably move the meeting along a little bit. Thank you. Got it? All right, yeah. I'm good. I'm good. Okay, perfect. Okay. So, bear with me because I did some crossing out because I didn't know the names then. So, um I'm going to have to improvise a little bit. Okay. Dear members of the school board, um my name is Desiree McCaffrey and I'm writing to
052uh for my strong institute uh strong and sincere support for a staff member in the district. I have known him for over 15 years as both a parent in this district and as a fellow member of the church community where we attend mass together. During that time, my children had the privilege of having him as a teacher and supporting member of the athletics program. In addition, I have been an educator and coach for over 26 years which has given me a deep understanding of the level integrity, professionalism, and care required to work with students effectively. Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to observe a wide range of educators and coaching styles which allows me to recognize and truly appreciate individuals like him who have consistently demonstrated the highest standards in
053working with young people. He is a kind, compassionate, deeply dedicated family man who has made a lasting impact on countless students and families within our district. His commitment extends far beyond his professional responsibilities and he consistently gives his time, energy, and care to ensure that every student feels supported and encouraged. One experience that stands out is when my daughter Morgan was in eighth grade and was struggling with the physical fitness test required to try out for high school athletics. She was extremely nervous and despite her efforts, she did not pass the test because she was short by a couple of sit-ups. What impressed me most as a parent is that he did not compromise his standards, ethics, or values. At the same time, he showed tremendous compassion and he spent additional time working with her,
054encouraging her, and helping her build both her skills and her confidence. His support helped her grow even in the face of disappointment. Additionally, my son Matthew served as an altar server at our mass and was often he would often take the time to commend him for his dedication and service to the church community. Those moments may seem small but they meant a great deal to my son and to our family. They reflect the kind of person he is. He is someone who notices, encourages, and values the efforts of young people both inside and outside the school. As a parent, I have great respect for the fact that he is not someone who would ever place himself in a position where his integrity could be questioned. He upheld expectations fairly while demonstrating care and dedication to
055my children's success. That balance speaks volumes about his character. He has also been a constant presence at school functions and events. Whether it was games, shows, award ceremonies, graduations, it was always comforting [clears throat] as a parent to see him there consistently showing up supporting students beyond the classroom. That level of involvement speaks to his genuine and dedication and the pride he takes in being part of the school community. Both of my children have now graduated yet they still they still speak about the positive influence he has had on their lives. He has always served as a strong role model and someone who leads with integrity, and a genuine desire to see students succeed not only academically and athletically but as individuals. In my experience, he has consistently demonstrated professionalism, responsibility, and deep commitment to
056the well-being of our students. I have full confidence in his character and judgment and I firmly believe he would never do anything to endanger any child. He is the type of educator and coach who strengthens the school community and leaves a lasting positive legacy. Thank you for taking the time to consider my perspective and I am grateful for the opportunity to share that he has the impact he has had on our families and community. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Tamara Richards After Ms. Richards is Farah Hoffman. Hi. Good evening, uh members of the board. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Um good evening, members of the board. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Tamara Richards. I'm an educator with over 30 years of experience, a former
057colleague of coach, and a parent of two student athletes whose lives have been positively impacted by him. My son is a former Long Beach wrestler who still supports the program. My brother was lucky enough to have coach as a teacher and as a supervisor at numerous athletic events. Through these experiences, I have seen firsthand how the Long Beach wrestling program operates. These coaches work as a team. They constantly support one another. They work across levels. And it is very common for coaches to move in and out of each other's practices, teaching and helping wherever needed. They each bring their own skill set. And the collaboration that they have is a big part of what has made this program so successful. Coach has been a key part of that success. As the founder of the Gladiators
058Youth Program, he helped build something meaningful for this community and brought countless young athletes into the sport. I know he was just as excited about bringing the sport into with the girls team starting this year. What has happened here is not unusual. It reflects what these coaches do every single day. A veteran is a teacher, an experienced wrestling coach who's providing instruction to student athletes. Nothing more, nothing less. Coach has spent his entire career standing up for students, helping them, guiding them, and showing them I'm sorry, and showing up for them when it mattered most. That is why I stand here tonight struggling with what has felt like a process that from the very beginning lacked fairness and thoroughness that this situation demands. Does his lifetime of dedication and service to our community excuse wrongdoing
059if it is proven? Of course not. But it certainly certainly warrants a process that is thorough, balanced, and fair. And that has been denied. From the very beginning, judgments have been made, decisions were formed long before a full and fair process had the chance to unfold. Conclusions were made before even hearing from the man himself, before relevant witnesses were allowed to be heard, before the context of the situation was given. I am here to address the tarnishing of one's legacy and life's work without fair and honest consideration of one's inalienable rights. Because how we handle moments like this defines us. We can take allegations seriously while still ensuring fairness. In fact, we must because our students are watching, and so is this community. I urge you to ensure that what happens next reflects not just
060policy, but fairness, integrity, and the values that this district claims to uphold. Thank you. That's Farah Hoffman, and after Ms. Hoffman is Nicole M. Fosse. >> [clears throat] >> Um I'm Farah Hoffman, and my child has been in this district for Green is on. Sorry. Green is on? Green is on. Yeah, green is on. Speak a little closer. Okay. There you go. Okay, ready to talk. Um coach, I've known him for about 15 years, and he was my child's teacher, and I have never heard them say that the present is not appropriate. I've never heard them speak so highly, and be so excited about being present and supportive of this organization, especially by him. They would come home and talk about coach to the point where my head was going to explode. That's all I
061heard. Coach says, coach says, coach says. And so again and again, my child absolutely adores him, and my heart is broken that this is going on. And I hope and pray, and I'm still praying, that this completely goes away because this is an amazing, amazing human. And I've been a teacher for 24 years, and I've never met anybody in any capacity, as a especially as a coach, as wonderful and caring and kind as this human being. And I would not be saying this if he was not the kindest human. Thank you. Thank you. Nicole M. Fosse After Ms. M. Fosse is Deborah Rubinstein. Um and >> [clears throat] >> it is with my deepest disheartenment and concern how the district and administration have handled the current situation involving my brother. The response appears to have
062overlooked the profound emotional financial impacts on him and his family, as well as the broader effects on the community as a whole. My brother is an active pillar within his community. He has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving others, always acting in the community's best interest. His dedication and integrity and contribution is something that my family and I are very proud of. He is making a meaningful difference, and we are grateful for him. Thank you. Deborah Deborah Rubinstein, after Ms. Rubinstein is John De Venio. Hello, board. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Um Oh, you can't hear me? It's green. Okay. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I have a short story that I want to tell about a teacher that my child was lucky enough to have. Actually, she didn't even
063have the teacher, but last year when she when my child started sixth grade, she was brave enough to make a big change to her physical appearance, and it affected her social situations, and put her in an awkward position. One day at gym, she was I'll say disrespected in a way that was very hurtful to her. And a highly athletic phone call, excuse me, >> [clears throat and cough] >> from not her gym teacher, but the other gym teacher that was kind enough to ensure that my daughter was okay. He followed her. He went to the bathroom to seek out her to see if she was okay, to see if she was going to come back. She sent in a female teacher to make sure that she could continue on in that class. She did not
064want to come back out. She stayed in the locker room. He followed up with not only with the counselor, but also called me, which was above and beyond anything that I have really experienced from most of faculty that I have been lucky enough to be involved with here in Long Beach. He showed empathy, compassion, and he told me that he was going to look out for her, and that if anything like that occurred again, he would certainly call me. I did [clears throat] not get a follow-up call from her counselor. I did not get a follow-up call from her gym teacher. I did not get a follow-up call from anyone else. It was him and him alone that noticed there was an issue and I was so thankful for him letting me know. Thank you.
065John De Vivio, after Mr. De Vivio is Seth Patton. My name is John De Vivio. I I coached my son to get wrestling at 8 years old. So, I have now known him for close to 20 years. And I look in this room and I see the faces of young men who coached, mentored, and guided >> [clears throat] >> into responsible, successful young men who have taken time away tonight from their own young families to show their support. These young men who learned from coach, guided, and mentored my own son into a successful young adult. In addition, I have volunteered in the wrestling program and worked beside coach to keep our program successful and thriving. Working many tournaments side by side, he was always the first one there and the last one to leave. And
066it speaks to his commitment and his dedication to children in our community. >> [cough] >> I'm [clears throat] not a person who speaks generally in public or attends meetings like this. So, I hope you can see the urgency of my feeling to help be here to to support this gentleman. In this country, you are innocent until proven guilty and I hope and urge you to refrain from making any decision until this process has played out in the places that it should play out. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Mr. De Vivio. Thank you. Seth Patton, after Mr. Patton is Kelly Martinson. Good evening. Uh my name is Seth Patton. Um thank you all for everything that you do. Your volunteer time, your effort, just hearing the budget prepared for the presentation, it's very impressive
067to me here for um focusing on quality and your focus on our children. Um I've I've known coach since I was 12 years old. Um to know coach at 12 years old was really something. Um and then when I was 18 years old, I I took a job as a ocean lifeguard and coach [clears throat] was just above me. He was my senior guard. My senior guard was his older brother, who was a boxer. So, I had some issues I worked on. Um when you're working lifeguard, there's a lot to learn, a lot to know. And coach taught taught me something that I I would never have known had it not been for >> [clears throat] >> And what that was was about having total intention when you have to be and do something physical.
068Physical things that is pulling people out of the ocean. He was not a great swimmer, um but he was so strong. And what he taught me beyond that intention was how to be physically aggressive. And as a a man watching young men grow up in my community, I want to make sure that there's somebody teaching physical intention and physical presence to children. Um especially around the water cuz you have to move, you have to do those things. In my life of 54 years, I've only met a couple of people that can teach that effectively and and continually and and reliably. He's one of those people. Um I I would say clearly I have a handful of heroes in my life and he's squarely one of them. Um so, with all of that, I can say,
069you know, 54 years old now, I've had a wonderful life and I've taken these lessons. Today, I work as a nurse and I train doctors, paramedics, and nurses on physical interventions that are life saving today. And when I think about coach, I think about that role. I I have no idea what went on what you are tasked with um dealing with, but I know that we need people just like coach to do what coaches do. And and I would also say, as respectfully and carefully as I can, I would urge the school board to look at how we can support our coaches and people who work with kids closely in these physical environments to make sure that everybody is safe. I want to see that. So, you know, I would say anything other than this,
070discretion is the better part of valor. Um we need to look after everybody and make sure that the talented people are working with our kids. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Patton. Thank you. Kelly Martinson, after Kelly Martinson is Kevin Martinson. Can you hear me? Yeah, we can hear you. All right. Um So, first I'm just going to say a lot of you guys are my friends, my personal friends, people who I really care about. So, I don't envy you and I'm not going to also repeat what every single person here and I promise you, even the people that aren't here already know. They know it profoundly with all their heart that this man, coach, is a profound value to this district and for a myriad of reasons. You spent the larger part of
071this meeting discussing the budget. You shared with us the value of that Bloomberg Center and I want to say thank you. That is an ex- like I was excited. I know I But I was excited. That was an amazing thing to see that we're bringing. That has value. But what I want to say and what I really want to point out, what has more value than even that to our district is a person like coach. He he his behaviors, the way [clears throat] he mentored our my own children, I could cry because you can't put a price on that. Here we are talking budget. You cannot put a price on that man's integrity, on what that man has done for people here, for people who aren't here. My son wrestled [clears throat] in high school
072and in middle school. And there was a period of time, there was that actually one match he lost. It was in middle school and he lost to a a person he shouldn't have lost to. And the person who looked the saddest, and I was really surprised, was coach. And he went into the locker room when nobody could talk to my son and he said, "Don't worry about it. You make a mistake, it doesn't mean you live with that mistake. It just means you learn from that mistake." So, I'm saying I hear here I heard here today and I don't know what happened, but I heard here today that perhaps this wasn't handled initially the way it should have been. I'm here to say that if there was a mistake in the way this is handled,
073you still have time to really look into it, to really make the right decisions for our district. And actually, and in my letter that I sent to all of you, I'm not only thinking about one person, I'm thinking of everybody in this situation and in this district. I think there's still time to really look at this with maybe stronger eyes and, you know, just think about coach. He's really outstanding person. I don't really have anything to say and way more valuable than probably anything you guys put up there or you offered to the district. Thank you. Thank you. Now here goes Kevin. Seth. Well said. Thank you. It's a great bunch of people here today coming out to support coach. Great bunch here. I mean, the the people in this room have amazing character. And
074that just shows you what they think about coach. That you get you get amazing people of character here supporting him. And I know I know coach's family is here tonight and I just I just want to tell you that we know we know him. Okay? Everybody knows him here. But I you know, I really never thought that that he got wrestling equal to high school. You know, it's very very shocking to me, but here we are and um I think that what Kelly mentioned is we do have time. There has to be systems put in place to protect everybody. And especially our coaching staff who's been here for years and mentoring children for years um and have been doing good things for years and there's something like this to happen uh after years and years
075of service, and that's what he he was, is a man of service. He's a man of Marines. Dean of students he was. He's a father, a loyal a loyal husband, and a father of two great kids. And he's a man of God. I know because I see him in church all the time. And uh I always I always shake his hand afterwards. He was I search him out. I and for a lot of the things cuz I I've seen from afar the when you're at wrestling matches, you see everything that's going on. And you'll see somebody close on the other side of the mats and stuff. And you know, you'll be like, "Oh, I I could be a situation right there." And I see many times where where coaches taking those situations calmly without anybody
076knowing it. And and and fix those situations. So, I'm here to to say I I guys I really wish the superintendent was here today cuz this is such an important meeting. Because I think that I don't I don't know if she knows the sport of wrestling. But it's a very uncomfortable sport, am I right? It's probably the most one of the one of the most uncomfortable sports in the world. And everybody's been put in an uncomfortable position in wrestling. I've had my son leave the want to a wrestling room crying because of those kids beating him up all the time. >> [laughter] >> But um it's a very uncomfortable sport. And feelings and emotions are real. However, that doesn't mean the feelings and emotions [clears throat] are are are something that is bad. It's somebody
077else, I guess. I don't know how to say it, but um it Thank you and appreciate your time. Is that it, Susan? Anyone else? Okay. Um let's move on to Wappingers Classroom Teachers Association. Hello, everybody. Karen I'll be speaking today. First, thank you, Mr. Vedo and Kelly and the rest of the staff. We actually were sitting here saying, "This is We've never seen one like this. This is so nice. We love this presentation." >> [laughter] >> So, thank you for the presentation and thank you for always putting students first. And I know we know that you put a lot of thought into this budget. We fully support this budget. We hope that the last few tweaks will work out the way that we would like them to. And thank you for all of your hard
078work with that. So, appreciate your time and we will be supporting you as you said. Thank you. Uh Administrators Advisory PPS group. He's first. Good evening, Keith Vedo, president of AF CPG. We want to thank uh Mr. Vedo, Ms. Cowan, and the entire business office for their diligent work in developing a responsible and fiscally sound school budget. Your commitment to maintain a high quality educational program reflects your dedication to all of our students [clears throat] and community taxpayers. Additionally, we would like to honor our warmest congratulations to Audrey Harris. Thank you for your many years of devoted service and the lasting impact you've made in the lives of our children and adult students. Thank you. Thank you. Is there any SCI secretary? No Nancy? Uh PTA? Hi. Nothing? You guys don't speak? Okay. Motion. Go.
079I'd like to make a motion to go I'd like I'd like to make a motion to go into executive session. Motion second. Discussion? Are we There going to be any matters taken after the executive session with the uh public meeting? No, they're welcome to wait. I'm going to talk about something that hasn't been discussed here tonight. So, there's nothing relevant to discuss here tonight. There's something we weren't able to discuss prior to. So, we're going to try to meet afterwards. You are all welcome to stay, but you don't have to. There will be nothing. I just want to I might say just one thing, and that is, you know, just want to make a clarification. No decisions have been made. And you know, as many of you alluded to, it is a very complicated and
080a very delicate matter. And we know patience is key, expressed by everybody, including board members up here. But no decision has been rendered. We're trying to be thoughtful and deliberate about it, and we're moving as quickly and as thoughtfully and as deliberately as we can. Because there's not a script for every issue that comes up before us. So, please rest assured that I'm speaking for myself, and I think the other board members, no decision has been made in this matter. We're moving towards closure through a thoughtful and deliberate manner. Thank you. >> I just wanted to add one thing, and I think somebody had gone up to the microphone and talked a little bit about social media. And we all know that it exists and it's out there. It doesn't mean it should be utilized
081in negative ways. So, I just wanted to say that for those of you who are paying attention to the social media, don't believe everything you're reading. And I think to what Doc is saying, this is a very difficult matter for everyone. And [clears throat] it is being handled as quickly and as with as much sensitivity as we possibly can. And as far as the Board of Education is concerned, we can't share any information more than, you know, so we appreciate you coming up, and we can't respond. Obviously, I hope you all know that. So, we're thankful that you're speaking. Um but, you know, since it was brought up, I think it is very important because yes, the community is watching, but our children are watching. My children are watching. Your children are watching. And it's
082really important that we set good examples for reducing these kind of social platforms. So, I think it just bears mentioning. I don't want to sound like I'm preaching, but I think it's really an important thing, especially when it comes to situations like this where the community at large is involved. I would also just like to add that um you know, after Doc kind of reminded you all about our rules, everybody was just so respectful, kind, and thoughtful. And I really want you to know we really appreciate that. And just like Ms. Pace said, we cannot respond, but we are listening to you all. All of your statements do mean something to us. So, thank you for taking the time to come on down and come up to the microphone, which isn't always easy, and let
083us know what you were thinking. And I will also add one more thing is that I know many of the people here and maybe people at home have written to us. Most of us do try to get back to every single person, but sometimes that is impossible or it gets missed. So, just know that every single email that comes across my desk is written, and I I can say that for myself. I can confidently say that [clears throat] the fellow board members are also reading all the letters that you're sending as well, even if they're not responding. I just wanted to make that clear as well. Okay, we're going to go into executive. Uh probably I think we voted for motion to go into Oh, oh, sorry. Did I vote? Sorry. No, we can we
084start the vote again? I'll say vote. Stand up real quick. Yes. Say it's good. >> [laughter] >> Did you all vote? Yeah, you want to do it again? Okay. Yes. No. Somebody left the jacket. Where are we going? She could have had that jacket. Not yet. Can I have a minute? Any minute. So, yeah. So, you know, yes. So,