001we good all right if we can all rise please welcome to the February meeting of limber Board of Education Mr peski will lead us in the pledge of the flaged states wow that was really bad we were totally not in sync on that roll call or all our present approval of meetings if there are no changes I don't believe there are may have a motion to accept the minutes of the January 8th regular meeting uh Mr Lun and I will abstain m p second Mr argona all in favor I have a motion to accept the minute to the January 22nd meeting M Miss Kelly accepted Mr C AR gallery please the burn ciderman Gallery is proud to present map of the heart an exhibition showcasing the artwork of 38 newly inducted members of the National
002Art Honor Society chapter 2686 this exhibition celebrates the creativity dedication and talent of our student artists for this year's theme map of the heart students were challenged to create a drawing or a painting on top top of a map using it as a foundation to express something they hold close to the heart the resulting artwork is rich in personal meaning featuring depictions of cherished people places objects and memories each piece tells a unique story allowing the viewer a glimpse into the artist's world creating art that is personal is a powerful experience it allows artists to explore their identities express emotions and connect with others on a deeper level art has the ability to transcend words making the personal Universal and giving a voice to the feelings that might otherwise remain unspoken through map of the
003heart these young artists have transformed Maps into visual representations of their passions histories and inner Landscapes we invite you to experience this heartfelt collection and celebrate the voices of this year's talented limber High School National Art Honor Society artists thank you thank you Mr CS Dr Lynch presentations thank you very much Mr Belmont first of all tonight we are unveiling a new lindbrook t-shirt so there's the hashtag our proud so there we go so these will be the first two recipients of the new of the new t-shirt so as I think we indicated at the at the meeting uh it was breaking news last month uh uh we are thrilled to announce that uh Eric Riley has been named a semi-finalist in the 2025 regeneron science Talent search the nation's oldest and most PR prestigious
004science and math competition uh Eric is among 300 Scholars who will be awarded $2,000 each as well as $2,000 for their schools and um so I'm going to try to get through the title of Eric's project and you know I knew he was plagiarizing from me I know it's just not right I think I was the first one to think of the visible light induced by photocatalytic idation of aromatic alcohols to carbonal and peroxides using green chemistry principles I think he deserves a t-shirt [Applause] all right then we have another followup so uh we honored the student once before when uh she was a semi-finalist but now we're going to acknowledge her as a finalist so Sharice querto has been named one of the 15,000 finalists of the certificates of of Merit uh for the
005National Merit program which is an extremely extremely prestigious honor uh so she's one of only 15,000 students across the country so let's I think shes is here [Applause] going to go a little off topic here because I think um it hit me as the kids were coming up that those were very prestigious academic honors but both of them were standout performers at Cabaret night uh a week and a half ago so uh Talent abounds so that is incredible incredible stuff so congratulations to them okay and at this time I would like to introduce Mr herb friend if he could come to up to the microphone so Mr Mr friend is here on behalf of the never forget uh committee at the at the uh temple in Rockville Center uh and they have made a very
006generous donation of books class sets of books which you can see in the back for Holocaust remembrance uh we also have present Rabbi slesinger who uh is our from the uh ulet East Rockaway I always put East Rockaway first forgive me but uh you know why the ulit East Rockaway Jewish center and I think uh Mr friend if you would provide some context for us we'd appreciate that yeah um well I'm a first generation Holocaust Survivor uh my mom survived ALS schwitz uh six concentration camps and was liberated by the Russian army uh from terasen stad the night before she was scheduled to be killed uh by a young Russian tank commander who ended up becoming my father so the history is quite remarkable and um we found that uh Holocaust Education can make a
007profound effect uh on teenagers uh significantly reducing the tendency to Harbor hate uh bigotry anti-Semitism um and so we formed a never again committee to help provide uh Holocaust books uh for the local uh school systems and I want to thank the lindbrook school administration for their incredible cooperation and uh helping uh organize the project and making this all possible but if you open up the cover of the of the books that we gave you there is a memorial label and each book has a label in loving memory of a child that was killed during during the Holocaust it has their name where they were born how old they were and where they were killed so we wanted to make each book not just the book but something special that a student could connect to
008another teenager or child um that unfortunately never got to go to school so on behalf of Temple Ben schom Beth David and our committee I just want to thank uh the lindbrook Administration and all of you for making this possible great so [Applause] we actually need a resolution to the donation so resolution 2502 G2 beat resolved that the Board of Education of the limr Union Free School District gratefully acknowledges and accepts the donation of books valued at approximately $2,500 from the never again committee at Temple B Shalom Beth David to support Holocaust Education in the middle and high schools can have a motion Please Mr Luna second Mrs Dino all in favor pass thank you okay so I'm going to turn it back to you for y so I'm I'm thinking of the line from
009Shakespeare right now because this coming on top of that if you have tears prepare to shed them now so uh you know I see some people are already have tears in their eyes and we're going to go right from this into saying goodbye to some of the finest Educators that we have known me off mine is I do Anthony I got it no no I just want to make sure well mine will be last so before we get into retirements we do as unfortunately we say goodbye we also say hello is Anthony Mia here welcome is a new music teacher at West End welcome and now you'll see what happens after you stay for 30 years uh Mr Looney you want to begin you want to go this um retirement resolution for Kathleen Schuler teachers
010a at Marian Street please stand up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] so whereas Mrs Kathleen Schuler a teachers Aid in the lindbrook Union Free School District has announced her intention to retire effective June 27 2025 at the close of business after 18 years of dedicated service to the principles staff students and parents of Marian Street Elementary School and whereas throughout her distinguished career she has been a beacon of support guidance and encouragement for countless students assisting them in navigating both the library and technological Landscapes with ease and confidence and whereas Kathleen Schuler has been instrumental in organizing the stacks in the Marian Street Library working closely with three Librarians to maintain and update the extensive collection of titles her efforts ensured that the library remained a vibrant and current resource for students and staff alike leaving an
011incredible mark on the library and transforming it into a hub of learning and exploration she is well known for her enthusiasm in ensuring that every student leaves the classroom with the book in hand and whereas Mrs Schuler has positively impacted the school Community through her dedication to technology and student support she has mastered countless computer programs to support students as they learn to use various applications from ESS from Easy Tech and power schools to the green screen she maintained a fully operational computer lab for many years and played a crucial role in the successful imp implementation of the onetoone technology initiative manager over 450 laptops her responsibilities included basic device maintenance and Technology troubleshooting ensuring that students had reliable access to essential techn technological tools and whereas the Board of Education extends its heartfelt gratitude
012to Kathleen Schuler for her unwavering dedication and commitment to the students of the lindbrook schools we wish her a happy and filling retirement knowing that she will cherish time spent with her husband Chuck children Amanda char Char and Tara her adorable granddaughter Juliana as well as her parents and family in Maryland now there be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby accepts the resignation of Kathleen Schuler for purposes of retirement effective June 27 2025 with profound appreciation for her years of service thank you at the end uh when we're done with our last one we'll ask the retirees to come up for a photograph but if Mary prendas could please stand up [Applause] whereas Mrs Mary Prendergast a teacher assistant at West End Elementary School has announced her intention to retire effective June 30th
0132025 and whereas Mrs Prendergast joined the Lim Brook School District after a successful career at dfus Financial Services first serving as a student teacher then as a teacher assistant and Faithfully dedicating 17 years to the Lim Brook Union Free School District significantly enhancing the educational experience of countless students and whereas Mrs Prendergast has worked closely with teachers and students offering invaluable support in the classroom fostering a nurturing environment for Learning and always striving to ensure that every child feels seen supported and empowered and whereas Mrs Prendergast has profoundly impacted students academic growth through small group instruction in reading and Math building their confidence and helping them reach their full potential and whereas Mrs Prendergast demonstrated remarkable leadership as the head of the assistance and AIDS Union tirelessly advocating for her colleagues while continuing to serve
014the School Community with steadfast dedication and whereas Mrs pendergast's light-hearted sense of humor legendary pranks and quick wit brightened every day at West End providing endless laughter and reminding us all of the importance of joy in our work and whereas Mrs pendergast's unparalleled generosity and kind heart were evident in her willingness to help anyone in need her Readiness to share advice or lend a hand and her remarkable ability to turn challenges into opportunities through her creative problem solving and whereas Mrs pendergast's talents extend beyond the classroom whether meticulously arranging bulletin boards to Perfection crafting beautiful furniture from old pieces or offering ex expert book recommendations as an ADV reader of historical fiction with her everpresent Kindle and whereas Mrs pendergast's way with words not only enriched her students learning but also guided her colleagues in
015meaningful ways from helping to compose college essays to crafting heartfelt messages that beautifully captured the essence of any moment and whereas Mrs Prendergast passion for photography has preserved countless Cherished Memories for the West End Community leaving a legacy of stunning images and Unforgettable experiences and whereas Mrs pendergast's love of life and Boundless Energy inspired inspired all who worked with her as she never seemed to sit still and was always seeking ways to contribute to problem solv and to bring a smile to those around her whereas Mrs Prendergast looks forward to enjoying her retirement with her husband Michael and her three sons Connor Ryan and Aiden as they embark on new adventures together traveling capturing photos and creating beautiful memories this new chapter will also provide more time to pursue her creative talents and indulge her
016love of reading and writing and whereas the Board of Education and the Westend Elementary School Community deeply appreciate Mrs pendergast's 17 years of exemplary service her unwavering dedication to her students and colleagues and her countless contributions to the success and culture of the school now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education accepts the resignation of Mary prog Gast for the purposes of retirement effective June 30th 2025 [Applause] Katherine freehill please stand [Applause] up where is Mrs Kathleen freehill began her distinguished career in the limr Union Free School District in January as a supplement teacher for a halfday kindergarten and in September 1998 was appointed as a full-time kindergarten teacher at the limber Kindergarten Center and whereas Mrs frea has dedicated 28 years to educating Young Learners and shaping countless students with her passion
017for teaching creativity and nurturing spirit we will always remember Mrs fre Hill's special saying kiss your brain as she said this to her students daily during her time at the Kindergarten Center Mrs fill not only served as a dedicated educator but also as the Director of summer program for 10 years planning activities hiring and directing staff and reporting to Central Administration and the Board of Education whereas Mrs free Hill's leadership extended beyond the classroom as she supervised and managed the scoreboard and clock for the district's athletic programs for 28 years demonstrating her unwavering commitment to supporting all facets of student life Mrs Frio was also an active and engaged member of the compact building utilization and health committees playing a vital role in shaping policies and programs to benefit the entire School Community Mrs free
018Hill contributed to her expertise by participating in curriculum writing and serving as a teacher representative for csse and cpsc meetings both during the school year and in the summer Mrs freehill served as an LTA representative for the Kindergarten Center and was a voice for her colleagues and whereas Beyond her professional accomplishments Mrs freehill is known for her personal interests including her Love of Cooking with her husband Ry and hosing Gatherings with her friends and creating gourma meals that have brought joy and connection to many Mrs fill and her husband Ray are excited to embark on new adventures including traveling United States to explore national parks and overseas to experience the beauty and culture of Europe and whereas Mrs frel is looking forward to spending more quality time with her four grown children Colleen Kevin Brian
019and Kelly and their spouses Patrick Jenna and Jack as well as her seven grandchildren Maggie James Patrick mave Michael Owen and Quinn offering her love support and guidance as a proud grandmother and whereas the staff Administration the entire School community and the limber Board of Education extend their deepest gratitude to Mrs fre Hill for 28 years of exception service to her dedication to students families and staff and her tireless contributions to the broader School Community we congratulate Mrs Kathy fill on her well-earned retirement and wish her all the best in this exciting new chapter of her life her Legacy as a teacher leader and Mentor will continue to inspire all who've had the privilege of collaborating with her and now therefore be it resolved the Board of Education accepts the resignation of Kathleen fill for
020the purposes retirement effective June 30th [Applause] 2025 and Conway if you could stand up [Applause] an Conway teacher Maran Street Mrs Anne Conway from the LMR Union Free School District has announced her retirement effective June 27th 2025 at the close of business after after dedicating 30 years to the principal staff students and parents of Marian Street Elementary School and whereas Mrs Conway began her remarkable teaching journey in 1993 as a kinden Garten teacher in Queens spreading joy and knowledge to the youngest Learners limrick was fortunate to welcome her her at the start of the 1997 school year where she devoted 27 years to nurturing the minds and hearts of first and second grade students and whereas each year Mrs Conway creates a strong classroom community and affectionately refers to her students as chickes when walking
021past the classroom you can hear the melodic sounds of Mrs Conway singing with to her chiadis ensuring that they are comfortable and welcome each day and whereas Mrs Conway's classroom uh science is an interactive experience her students have spent time observing the growth of bean plant seedlings on the window cell feeding ladybugs and praying mantises and waiting for quail eggs to hatch they have observed hypothesized and recorded the growth of various life forms in the classroom Mrs Conway has consistently reminded us of the importance of connecting with our environment and our true selves Mrs Conway also played a key role in creating two beautiful gardens for our schools planting numerous trees and thous thousand of bulbs through her dedication to Outdoor Learning spaces Mrs Conway has cultivated a genuine appreciation for the natural world among
022her students and whereas additionally Mrs Conway has enhanced the Buddy program promoting positive relationships and community building activities she has prioritized the whole the child approach by regularly incorporating mindfulness and yoga into a class routines for which he has affectionately nicknamed Mother Earth and whereas Mr Mrs Conway has participated in the greater School Community as an adviser of the Marian Street student council Mrs Conway worked to teach students about Civic mind mindfulness and community service she initi initiated the school's Recycling and composting efforts Mrs Conway was a member of the Marian Street compact committee and explored similar topics to positively impact the school and whereas Mrs Conway has set a standard of Excellence of future Educators we are grateful to Mrs Conway for her genuine kindness talent and W and unwavering dedication to our students
023whereas the Board of Education thanks Mrs Conway and her commitment to limr schools and wishes her a happy and healthy retirement with her husband Paul and will continue her new Journey enjoying time spent with her children Dean Moira and Zoey May Mrs kway Delight in following the athletic Pursuits of her children cheering them on with pride and enthusiasm whether they are on the field or the ice and whereas Mrs Conway turns her attention to mentoring future Educators may she impart her passion for teaching guiding them to love the profession as deeply as she has we hope she finds peace and Tranquility in her continued practice of yoga and mindfulness embracing the calm within her soul now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby accepts the resignation of Mrs an Conway for purposes
024of retirement effective June 30th 2025 [Applause] Rita Callahan please stand up [Applause] whereas Miss Rita Callahan second grade teacher at westan elementary school is retiring after an extraordinary 31 years of service and education 27 of which have been devoted to the students and families of West End and whereas Miss Callahan began her teaching career at St Raymond School in East Rockaway where she taught for 4 years before joining the West End family in 1994 she has since taught fourth third and second grade making her way through the building and through five classrooms while leaving a legacy of excellence in every corner and whereas Miss Callahan has unique ability to connect with all students fostering a love for learning through her creativity passion and unwavering dedication whether guiding students through complex lessons or finding innovative ways
025to make learning fun her class room has was always a place where students thrived and laughed along the way and whereas Miss kahan's unique career ended in the only classroom in the district and likely the state with its own fireplace albeit one that is not functional much much to the disappointment of anyone hoping for a cozy reading Nook or a place to roast marshmallows and whereas Miss Callahan's warmth and kindness have touched the lives of countless students colleagues and families she has left an indelible mark on the school embodying the very best of what it means to be an educator and a role model and whereas Miss Callahan's Devotion to the West End Community extended beyond the classroom she was an original member of the fly with the owls board dedicating significant time and effort
026to making the event a success her leadership and enthusiasm for this initiative exemplify her commitment to Bringing people together and supporting the community and whereas Miss Callahan's love for running and Hot Yoga has been a source of inspiration to many she has completed several marathons showcasing her determination and perseverance in fact during one memorable New York Marathon Miss Callahan's energy and enthusiasm were unmatched as she insisted on relocating the setup area multiple times before the race only to leave her running partner behind halfway through the course and whereas Miss Callahan has also served as a union representative and volunteered her time on countless committees including compact math night and Multicultural night her enthusiasm extended to school events as she is notorious for wanting to play in the staff volleyball game but is always content being
027the best cheerleader on the sidelines and whereas Miss Callahan's strong faith and her unwavering support as a friends and colleague have made her a Cornerstone of the West End Community she is deeply cherished she is deeply cherished for her kindness generosity and ability to lift up everyone around her whereas she is also known for tutoring students and welcoming children from the after Care Program who visit her while she works well into the evening hours she remembers everyone often reconnecting with past students and families remarkably she has even taught the parent of one of her recent students and whereas Miss Callahan comes from a loving family including her siblings Peter Vincent Susan and Beth and is a devoted Aunt to her nieces and nephews her family and her relationships are a vital part of her life
028and she Treasures the time spent with them and whereas as the Board of Education and the entire Westend Elementary School Community deeply appreciate Miss Callahan's 31 years of service her unwavering commit her unwavering commitment to her students her humor and her Legacy of making learning exciting and memorable for every child who entered her classroom and recognizes and honors the extraordinary career of Miss rer Callahan expressing heartfelt gratitude for her dedication passion and joy and wishing her retirement filled with long runs cozy Moments by real fireplaces and opportunities for more traveling Adventures such as last year's trip to Paris with her sister and niece with many more to come now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education accepts the resignation of Rita Callahan for purposes of retirement effective June 30th 2025 [Applause] our next
029contestant Robin Fryman please stand up [Applause] whereas Robin Fryman an English teacher at South Middle School has announced her intention to retire effective close of business on September 24th 2025 after 30 years as an educator and whereas Robin Fryman dedicated over 30 years to the noble profession of Education shaping the minds and futures of countless students she has shared her passion for learning across multiple educational settings including time taught in New York City she has also gone above and beyond to prepare students for their Futures by teaching sat classes and school entrance exam classes to ensure students are ready for academic success and whereas Mrs Fryman has been an integral leader within the limr school district she has made a profound impact as an Ela teacher guiding students on the secondary level with a love
030for literature writing and critical thinking she has spent much of her time at South Middle School serving not just as a classroom teacher but as teacher in charge for several years in this capacity Mrs Fryman demonstrated unwavering dedication to not only South Middle School but the limr community she was responsible for creating lasting memories for limrick students such as organizing and leading student trips to Frost Valley she enriched our school community Through extracurricular contributions including running the the school store as well as supervising the Middle School's National Junior Honor Society and whereas Mrs Fryman is a proud alumnist of HRA University and an enthusiastic supporter of Texas A&M and Ohio State University carrying their school spirit wherever she goes and whereas after a remarkable career of service and dedication Mrs Fryman is embarking on a
031well-earned retirement and an exciting new chapter in Texas with her husband Justin and two children Noah and Sydney and whereas we extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs Fryman for her Decades of commitment passion and inspiration in the fields of Education we wish Mrs Fryman all the best in her retirement and hope that it is filled with joy relaxation and new adventures in Texas now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby accepts the resignation of Robin Fryman effective close of business on September 24th 2025 for the purpose of retiring Karen gulay please stand up [Applause] whereas Mrs Karen goule family and consumer science teacher at the lindbrook Union Free School District has announced her her intention to retire effective June 30th 2025 after an Innovative and impactful 16-year career at Lim Brook schools
032during which she demonstrated unwavering dedication creativity and a student first approach and whereas Mrs Gay's versatility which saw her career stretched from Taiwan to Lev toown before finally making a home in lindbrook was constantly on display and she taught the full array of family and consumer science offerings often evolving her courses to fit the needs of the students embracing new methodologies and thinking outside the box to ensure her curriculum remained relevant engaging and impactful and whereas Mr lentini noted in an observation quote it is evident that you have fostered an environment that is inviting which would become Mrs gul's trademark as she would continually be commended for her care and dedication to the students both inside and outside of the classroom always going the extra mile to support and uplift those around her and whereas
033Mrs gulay was not only an exceptional educator but also a passionate supporter of her students beyond the classroom attending numerous School functions athletic events and extracurricular activities to root for and encourage them reinforcing her role as a mother as a mentor and Advocate and whereas Mr Reus former High School principal once commented in an evaluation that quote as a teacher you exude warmth and enthusiasm and the report and mutual respect that you and your students have for each other is outstanding reflecting the Deep connection she forged with her students throughout her compassion energy and steadfast encouragement and whereas Mrs gulay was always willing to step up to step up whenever needed whether it was assisting colleagues leading initiatives or volunteering her time and expertise to support schoolwide efforts embodying the true Spirit of teamwork and
034dedication whereas the Board of Education would like to thank Mrs gulay for her love and dedication to the students and their well-being her Innovative approach to education and her invaluable contribution to the Lim Brook School community and whereas the Board of Education wishes wishes Mrs gulay a happy and healthy retirement creating Cherished Memories in both Long Beach and masto Pennsylvania with her husband Jean her sons Drew and Campbell and now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby accepts the resignation of Mrs Karen goule for purposes of retirement effective June 30th 20202 with deep appreciation for her years of service leadership and unwavering commitment to the students of the limrick schools thank you [Applause] Mary Jean lamara please stand [Applause] up whereas Mrs Mary Jee lamara mathematics teacher in the limrick Union Free
035School District has announced her intention to retire effective June 30th 20 25 after a loaded 25-year career at limr high school during which she consistently upheld the highest standards of excellence and professionalism and whereas Mrs lamara has inspired thousands of students by teaching nearly the full compliment of math courses offered in the building always at the Forefront of the everchanging educational landscape facing challenges as opportunities headon and with an unmatched level of detail and precision and whereas Mrs Lamar's impact on her students was perhaps best described when the parent of an LHS alumni wrote to Administration that quote Mrs Lamar's dedication to her students never wavers her dedication to her profession is something to behold and whereas her colleagues unanimously agreed including Mr Reus who once wrote that quote your dedication to the students is
036exemplary and your dedication to the craft of teaching benefits them every day Mrs lamara has been a leader among her peers setting a standard of Excellence and serving as a mentor to new and Veteran teachers alike ensuring that the Integrity of instruction remained Paramount and whereas Mrs lamara has played a critical role in maintaining High academic standards continuously pushing herself and her students to achieve excellence and fostering an environment where learning and growth Thrive and whereas the Board of Education would like to thank Mrs Marka for her steadfast dedication to instruction and unwavering leadership serving as a teacher and mentor to limrick staff and students alike for over two decades and leaving an indelible mark on the school community and whereas her presence in the school has been one of inspiration strength and dedication ensuring
037that every student she taught was prepared not just for mathematics but for the challenges of the future and whereas the board of UC ation wish wishes Mrs lamarca a happy and healthy retirement filled with spending time at City Field Golds or traveling to Las Vegas with her family husband Bob children Matthew Moren and Megan and her growing number of grandchildren and now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby accepts the resignation of Mrs Mary jeene lamara for purposes of retirement effective June 30th 202 5 with deep appreciation for her years of exceptional service leadership and dedication to the LM Brook School Community congratulations if we can get those attendees retirees to uh come up please for a photograph e e e unfortunately Mr Brasher I need to continue my meeting you're not
038the problem you're not the issue I was I was waiting for you oh my God all right moving on to reports from trustees Mrs arag gonner Mr Murray um anything on the policy committee uh so tonight we're adopting after a second reading of about a dozen policies that we've talked about over the last few months so I I don't need to go into detail but mostly just to keep our policies in line with updates to State regulation or federal law um and we're having the first reading of a few policies that again need to be updated for changes in federal law or state regulations around school district records and school safety plans and safety teams and how about anything on the facilities committee Mr Murray yes there's a facilities committee has been meeting um we've
039done a few tours of all the buildings in the district and one of the um the main projects that we're proposing to be put into the budget for the next school year would be the renovation of three student bathrooms at West End to bring them into ADA compliance um and renovating some classroom spaces there to accommodate the expansion of our special education program at West End so it can fully and appropriately accommodate the full Continuum of services um and then the committee is talking about um potential uses of capital reserve funds which would be a potential proposition um in May that would be to uh renovate the high school roof which is coming to near that time and to also create a new science classroom at North Middle School which is necessary due to some
040major changes in state curriculum thank you Mr Murray Mr lunar um poy budget so um currently Bose's is in the process of finalizing and passing its budget for the 2025 26 school year um 30 seconds I won't bore everyone with the details but what is bosis bosis is the board of Cooperative Education Services it's a vehicle a Cooperative that allow school districts throughout the island to um achieve savings and collaborate to provide better services in a cost effective manner uh some of the benefits that we get are shared services training um certain Transportation options uh meeting the the needs of certain students who we can't meet in District they offer programs um topically we've heard a lot about uh you know regionalization and that was a big buzzword a month or two ago to some
041extent those benefits are already achieved through bosis for all the districts on the island voluntarily um bosies right now where we are in the timeline is we've had two uh fairly lengthy sessions uh each district has a representative who uh attends those sessions uh where we've gone over some numbers it's expected that on April 6th we'll have a informational meeting uh where Boose will present more information they're also going to have a meet the candidate ton night for uh individuals who are running to be on the the Bose board um and on April 23rd all the districts that are uh involved in bosis will vote whether to pass the Bose budget couple things I do want to highlight and again I don't want to walk through the numbers of Bose's budget everyone would glaze over
042within about 30 seconds but we hear about our own budget concerns in this district and the costs are going up and you know we Dr Lynch has given some pretty scary messaging and you know about what we're facing bosis who has far more negotiating power and bargaining power than we have is facing the exact same issues and concerns their budget's going up too you know we hear things like oh you know salaries and benefits are out of control both's salaries and budgets are go um and expenses are going up just as much so it's not a lindbrook wide thing um I I do want to highlight one element of their budget which uh caught my attention there's been a lot of talk about busing and what lindbrook should do in busing and additional busing Bose's
043budget for transportation in 2122 school year was $8.4 Million the next year it went to 8.3 and in 23 24 the budget went to $9.5 million for this upcoming school year the budget will be $16.9 million that's bosis that's not us that's over a 70% increase so when we talk about some of the increases that we're seeing on the cost of transportation bosis is seeing that as well so I just wanted to point that out I think obviously the Bose's budget passes every year it'll pass again this year but I thought it was important that the community hear some of the the um increases that they're facing as well PTA I'm on a roll I'll just keep going uh PTA I have two or three quick announcements um just want to say congratulations to the
04417 volunteers and staff members who were honored at this week's Founders Day ceremony it was great night um and pictures will be going up on the district's website shortly so check the website for pictures congratulations to all the recipients of the founders day Awards uh the next PTA event is the annual staff volleyball game that's going to be held on Friday April 25th um this Year we're excited to announce that there is going to be staff from the universal prek joining the teams as well so that's something that's new um finally the PTA legislative reps have been busy attending PTA conferences about Foundation Aid that's what we've all been talking about non-stop the past two or three months um the PTA has really taken a very active role in in being on top of that
045issue and I want to thank them I think on behalf of the whole board um they're continuing to attend meetings breakfasts meet with local reps on the impact of foundation Aid on the students and the community generally and uh just to close on March 19th is the next parent University that the PTA is offering so stay tuned um for more information that'll be forthcoming on that thank you Mr anything else from any other board members attendance at events and so forth okay so moving on to Old business um so Mr corell's AP class had come in previously and spoke to us about the criteria to be utilized is for a student member of the Board of Education they presented some option to us um we have to come up with just a finalization on direction
046for them as well as working on a policy um I guess Mr Murray and Mr argon could begin to just draft that but as far as getting some direction on that the last we left it with them they were going to create a criteria that they would get to us to approve of and then would come to us with a couple of students uh for us to choose after they've gone through their process so are generally speaking are we comfortable with that as a uh board yeah I I think that they did a really great job and we'll just you know tweak the process and the policy will just indicate that the board will make the final decision over who the reps are but we'll we'll take their feedback right so if you can uh
047I guess you could work on drafting up that and we'll move forward with it and then Dr Lynch Foundation Aid uh so we did have some good news out of Albany not the good the complete good news news that I wanted but I do have to give credit where credit's due uh if you've been following me along with uh what the big issues are up with Foundation Aid we know that in December the Rockefeller Institute issued a report that had several significant um suggestions for for the legislature to take uh the governor's proposal has taken one of the most important ones for our district so they are no longer going to use 25-year-old poverty data so they're going to use current poverty data and what that means for practically is a million dollar increase in
048uh Foundation Aid that's a 6.92% increase so that is that that is a healthy increase the thing about money you always want more right like there there's certainly other things that could be addressed but that I would say is the move in the right direction that being said I've been discussing things with with PTA and yes Mrs Davies who is the uh PTA rep will be doing a legislative breakfast uh with us on March the 7th uh through a refit organization I'm on the board of that uh Mr kber was also invited to that uh to they're going to be several legislators there so one thing and I don't know whether this is a this year thing I doubt it could be adopted that quickly because they'll follow what they can follow but I have
049to stay on these themes because it just gets me angry so the formula just like updating poverty data from 20125 from 25 years ago schools are not even close being in the same businesses as they were in the year 2000 so if those of you some of you people in the audience may have been in high school in the year 2000 what did Mental Health Services look like in a an American High School in uh 2000 barely non-existent now we have full staffs of you know we're very proud to say we have uh multiple psychologists in some of our schools uh and we have multiple social workers in in our schools and a full guidance guidance staff um that's just kind of needed um the the the the state of kids especially coming after covid
050uh these needs need to be addressed we there's the great anxiety Generation Um if we're not addressing that stuff then who is addressing that stuff and I have to say our staff they are catching things before they even emerge into things uh and I just think the state should be funding that appropriately so that we're going to be hitting on that point uh the other thing you heard me say this last time and I just want to uh make sure I underline something I said half last time that I want to make sure it's very clear we are bringing kids back to District first and foremost because it's the right thing to do but Mr you asked me a question it is also the the more cost-effective way of doing it tuitions outside it's actually
051better to have the kids present in the district so those are two good reasons um for for having special education students in our own schools But the irony is and this pointed out it's just true is that the the aid does not flow as freely for kids who stay in our in our own schools and I think that needs to be corrected uh and I meet with our other superintendent uh in this quadrant everyone's doing the same thing they're bringing kids home mostly because it's the right thing to do limber kids belong in limber schools that that's been this board's Mantra um so if the state doesn't catch up with that to say so so just to give you an idea of what that funding formula is unless they take basically three times the cost
052of a of our operating expenses and only after that do we start to get aided which means in this District we have to spend 70,000 before we even get $1 of Aid and that's just really Antiquated uh it's just not in line when you think of the let's go back to 2000 how many IND District programs were there they were mostly both these programs mostly private programs it needs to catch up and then the other one is just school security what did school security look like in 2000 be open doors come on in oh anyway I'll hold the door for you when you think of how far we've come as opposed to a full security force of retired uh police officers and Corrections Officers um that just is an expensive proposition uh and so the
053letter that we're going to put out uh with in cooperation with the PTA um I don't normally get political but I'll just get a little political um that to say you know I know God forbid there is a school shooting there's going to be all sorts of thoughts and prayers why can't we fund school security before there's thoughts and prayers it's just so it is is dollar for donuts the cheaper way to do it just nothing to do with lives and people's hearts being torn out but just a dollar's worth of prevention is worth only NOS so we have to that we really have to get their eye on that one so those are going to be our legislative Prof again I don't think I I don't think we're getting much movement this year on
054those but if we Hammer that home and again East Rockaway malver Rockell Center ulet who doesn't have these same exact issues it's something that we as a need to be concerned with so that's kind of my update on on the state side funding side thank you you can move right on to superintendent report sure okay so our board goals update as we know there are three board goals this year the first is the implementation of the profile of the owl I hear people are a little sick of me talking about the profile of the owl but we'll talk about what it actually is now uh this is where the rubber really hits the road it was once upon a time a philosophical concept and we had it up on a board year and I remember
055Mr Murray saying those should be our guiding principles when we start to get down to what instruction looks like that's what's happening now so one of the things that came out of the profile of the owl loud and clear from well first the first finding from our community was the need to provide social emotional uh support for our students so that goes back to my the other point but the other one was communication skills especially writing um Dr Bas how many teachers are now currently signed up for writing Revolution about 75 so so we have a staff of about about 200 300 teachers 300 teachers and 75 of them are currently and it's not just you think that's just English teachers who teaching writing no it is a cross-curricular content and our hope is that's
056going to raise rigor across the board that is in response to to to the community's uh uh need so we're going to be closing out our staff development year on March the 3 uh under our new uh staff development structure and we'll be really starting to go let's take a look at the profile now let's you know I know what the Elementary people are doing let's look at the Curriculum maps where does it actually fit in so that's really kind of exciting uh it's the real work of the profile of the owl and it's going to it it'll be um it'll be great I think uh the mtss goal so that's the multi-tiered system of supports so uh what the state of New York and really just good practice would ask us to do is
057we for decades have been taking what's called RTI data response to intervention data we've been asking you know how are the kids reading how are they comput and we kind of track them on data and we we give supports so that kids are prepared to do their learning uh in the new model we put that all next to Readiness for learning emotional Readiness for Learning and that becomes our mtss plan so the first way that you'll see this I have to say our elementary schools have been doing this for a long time uh and they they have these and I see Mrs Ken in the back uh data meetings where they're where they're calling through this data and making instructional choices on that we're going to and they and our elementary students started to take
058the uh my Sabers uh during the during the uh this course of this year we're going to start to roll that out to middle school students next so that we can start to do a more comprehensive version of that at the middle school level so we're that's again a little wonky but that's really important work and finally uh our last goal is the communications committee so uh we're getting a new website so that uh we're going to be actually the committee has made a decision to recommend to the board that we use parent Square as our parent communication tool they have a companion uh site called uh smart sites so I think we're going to do a unified communication system through parent Square so we'll start to move that along uh and that'll be uh
059that'll complete those goals uh budget update so every time I talk to you it's getting a little bit better that's the happy news but um generally in all honesty where we normally are at this time of year so we know when we you know the board has to see the budget this Friday that's kind of what we do they they get to we get to ruin their February break so that they can kind of take it when you see this book of of of budget things so that they have time to go through it uh we're going to present them probably for the first time ever an unbalanced budget we're going to give them the expense side of the budget and mostly the revenue side of the budget um we need to to bridge those
060gaps there are some things we're working on uh we're still waiting for the results of this uh retirement incentive that we've offered to members of the lindbrook Teachers Association uh so when 10 uh uh teachers sign up for that incentive it'll be a go and uh that will go a long way to uh to to closing that budget Gap and we could be in potentially really good shape but it's just not there yet so that's kind of where we're at with that uh moving along uh so one exciting thing that we're going to be introducing next year is uh we've heard from parents that the the current way that we do early mornings needs to be improved uh so many districts surrounding us have developed early drop off programs uh so we will be issuing
061an RFP that's a a request for proposal for outside providers to provide a early drop off program uh for our elementaries and maybe our Middle School uh that will be uh from 7 in the morning until 8:30 so people who have to make the city uh can can pay for the service drop the kid off and then uh we'll be able to continue so that was something I know parents were very interested in right now just from looking at our neighboring districts the cost would be about $3,000 a year so that's just to give you a heads up that that that is in the works upk so if you look at the state funding uh run runs Dr ask you a quick question sure absolutely the early drop off that would be Revenue neutral for
062the district right it wouldn't be a cost Factor oh no it cannot be a cost factor for the district yes I yeah thank you Mr L yeah absolutely we would we put out a request for proposal where a separate company just like our after school programs right at school it would function the same way only in the morning thank you for that clarification uh so with upk uh we have been awarded uh 156 uh spots which is the same number that we had last year so we'll be uh basically we do it contingent upon the passing of the state's budget which should be on or about April 1st uh then uh Dr Burman will put out her information about registration and the lottery the last couple of years we had the lottery but it wasn't
063necessary for admission so uh we'll see but 156 spots that will be coming up uh and look for the website though those that will be announced shortly um and on that note I'm going to ask Dr Bas to address summer programs thank you Dr Lynch uh we are excited to announce several offerings that are going to be available throughout the district for the summer of 2025 pending the results of the annual budget vote and interest levels so the uh summer playground will be available for students entering kindergarten through 8th grade due to uh door replacement projects at West End and Maran Street the program will take place at South middle and North Middle School running from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday July 1st through August 8th in addition to the uh program
064as has has been in the past the district is hoping to offer families opportunities to extend beyond on the traditional summer playground program at South Middle School only because we do have uh some spatial constraints and enrollment requirements so all these new programs that I'm going to be describing as possibilities uh for folks to sign up for will only be at South the uh first opportunity is a right at school after CARE program this will be uh providing after care right after uh summer playground from 12: to 3: each day and the uh next couple programs they're all enrichment opportunities in the areas of uh stem literacy and Mathematics uh Camp invention is an exciting nationally recognized program that inspires curiosity and helps kids build stem skills students will explore Hands-On challenges and opened Adventures
065designed to encourage new discoveries and to bring ideas to life that program will run from July 7th through July 18th from 11: to 3 and that would be available for students in grades uh K through six so those entering K through six participants that are enrolled in summer playground obviously based on the hours that I just shared they would need to leave the summer playground early and bring their lunch on those days other opportunities include the literacy Lounge during which students can dive into stories and engage in Reading activities such as book clubs readers theater and skill-based games uh math quests during which students will discover discover interactive games and excite engaging challenges that spark mathematical thinking and problem solving skills uh both of these programs are open to students entering kindergarten through 8th grade
066and each week's experience would be unique so there will be two weeks of each of those and you can sign up for two English two math or one of each or just one you can make those choices uh students would be uh able to take those classes between July 21st and 25th or uh and or I guess uh July 28th to August 1st and those would be offered right after again uh the summer playground so from 12: to 1:30 participants who were in summer playground again would have to bring lunch on those days because they would be there for a longer period of time uh we will be sending out interest surveys tomorrow regarding these programs and the community's response to these surveys is very important because this is going to help the district appropriately
067plan for these programs it is important to remember that while you may live live closer to one of the schools you may want to sign up for the site that offers the appropriate programming for your family as I said before you know all these additional programs will only be offered at South Middle School because of the spatial and uh enrollment requirements I cannot stress enough the importance of taking the survey since these additional programs will run if and only if minimum enrollment require requirements are met so please you know take that survey seriously uh shifting gears for a moment uh the traditional L High School summer offerings uh registration will start for summer school on June June 27th and classes begin on July 8th uh we will be running uh the classes until the New
068York state region exams uh the uh exams this year on August uh 19th and 20th and regions review classes will be offered the week prior from August 11th through the 18th we will uh be continuing our summer enl classes and uh they will adhere to the schedules determined by the buildings in which they're housed we will also be offering our intro to science research uh summer classes for our entering ninth graders there will be two sessions one from July 7th through 17th and the other from July 21st to the 31st uh finally uh we will be hosting inspir AI summer program again from August 4th through 15th these are the courses that are led by Stanford MIT and other top university teachers who specialize in Ai and are passionate about inspiring students this 30-hour project-based
069program will explore the foundations and applications of machine learning and as we had done in the past that would be open to other uh school districts as well thank you and just one more issue on the on the curriculum Port uh so when when Mr Luna was discussing bosis we actually had a visit from Bose superintendent uh lein last week he actually came to the district uh so he did a visit to uh the Kindergarten Center uh Maran Street and then South and what he was looking at was our our early literacy program so he was looking at our our speech to text approach um sounds right that you've all are well aware of and uh the word that he used was blown away uh and he's an old reading teacher so uh that was
070kind of a an impressive thing and then we also uh stopped in to see the special class at Maran Street which is just a great environment and then we thought it was really important uh we took him and all our schools have this but we were on the south end of town so we went to the uh to the uh the suite and South where there's the the Comming room and you have uh the the psychologist Office right there and you have the two guidance councils right there and we took them back to the social workers office just to see some of the program that we've built so I just thought it was worthwhile showing off and yes uh you know while there's a formal process called regionalization there's also just practical regionalization so uh
071and then I'm going to Mr press for capital projects thank you Dr Lynch uh just a quick update uh as actually as Dr BCA said uh he mentioned the door projects so we have those uh starting up right after break we'll be meeting with the vendor that's going to be doing uh our the wireless door locks that we're going to be installing in these doors so so that project is starting to become more real uh the other projects that we have uh submitted to the state uh or in the uh thirdparty review process third party review is um essentially necessary because it takes about six months for the State uh on its own to approve projects so they've reimplemented a program they started a few years ago where they Farm out the review to architectural
072firms so we took advantage of that service because that should expedite the review of the projects that we have uh scheduled hopefully uh if we get approval in time to start this summer that's uh restroom projects here and at uh over at Atlantic Avenue um and there's one more there's one more project let's see elevator ele it is that the elevator here no that is the elevator here okay that's what I was thinking uh just in renovating the elevator here at the high school and that's it Mr bont back to you thank you Dr Lynch this time we'll open up the microphone to anyone from the community who likes to address the board if you like to please come to the microphone identify yourself and indicate if you live in or out a district moving
073on with the meeting we have one sympathy resolution this evening for Richard or whereas the members of the Board of Education of the limr Union Free School District have learned with sorrow of the passing of Richard o former employee in lmbr school district and whereas Richard over served as a high school science teacher for 29 years from 1963 through 1992 whereas the board of education is mindful of the contributions made to our district by Richard during his years of service to our community the resolve that the Board of Education records its sorrow its sympathy and the esteem in which Miss o was held and be further resolved that a copy of this resolution should be sent to the family of Rich o with the hope that they find Solace and comfort in the rich Heritage
074of good works for which he's remembered and revered the board gratefully acknowledges and accepts the following donation $223 from the kindergarten Parents Club it was a fundraiser for Student Activities account moving on to consent agenda I'd like to ask for consent agenda on resolutions 252 C1 through 25 2c6 252 C8 through 252 c18 252 nc1 through 252 nc7 and 2502 G1 and 2502 G3 through 2502 g52 may have a motion please Mrs Kelly second Mrs Arona all in favor I have a motion to accept the consent agenda Mrs Deno second Mr Luna all in favor that conclud concludes the meeting we have a budget work session on Tuesday March 4th and our next regular meeting will be on March 12th everyone stay safe stay warm