001All right, good evening everyone. We'll call to order another meeting of the Manhasset Board of Education. Um we just had a very nice student recognition for many of our art and music students extraordinary students doing extraordinary things. So you can read all their names in the agenda online, but we had a nice ceremony over in the secondary school. So just want to congratulate all those students again for everything they're doing and to our um amazing faculty and staff supporting them through all of this. So congrats to all of that. So so again, we'll call our public meeting to order now and we'll stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty
002and justice for all. All right, so we're going uh back-to-back meetings here uh and we'll approve the minutes from last week's meeting. Can I have a motion to approve? Maria, thank you. Second, Allison. All in favor? All right, that's 5-0 on the approval of the minutes and we'll get right into our superintendent report. Dr. Pelletteri. Thank you very much. Good evening, all. Munsey Park and Shelter Rock sixth grade hackathon themes competed Monday in the KidOYO hackathon at Long Island Asset. Shelter Rock Digital Defenders came in first place and returned to a hero's welcome at their school. Munsey Park Cookie Coders came in third. Best team logo at second place, Munsey Park, and second place best team banner was Shelter Rock. Pretty amazing what the kids have done. They are going to be taking part in
003another hackathon. Other students will have a hackathon opportunity up at the high school in the coming months. So congratulations to them. Congratulations to eighth grader Michelle Rodriguez. She won first prize New York State Association for Bilingual Education Student Art and Essay Contest for her grade level and a shout-out to Valerie Shusler, her Spanish teacher, as well. It's Shelter Rock Spirit Week. They kicked off with pajama day and today's third back throwback Thursday. So folks dressed in their 70s attire when I was there today for their symbols show, which was actually absolutely amazing. I showed you I sent a video to the board of entire second grade. I think they were second grade. The entire second grade memorized all these songs about the states. I couldn't even memorize all those songs about the states. Uh they
004they they did an amazing job. Very sweet to see. World language department hosted 30 Long Island AP language teachers right in this room. Really proud of our folks to bringing that together, that collegial circle and that we're leading that I think is really important and speaks volumes to what it is that we're doing here. Uh special thanks to our presenters, AP Italian teacher Maria Malace and AP Spanish teacher Adriana Velasquez. Malace. Say it again? Malace. Is that Italian? That's how I knew you knew how to say it. Okay, even though I should too. I apologize. And AP Spanish teacher Adriana Velasquez, as well as our coordinator for world languages and ENL Christina Lang. Our fourth and final AI learning lounge finished this week. We've done a lot with AI in this uh community this past
005year and with the board and parents, teachers, kids, staff, administrators doing amazing job there. Thank you so much to all involved. Tonight is the third annual Manhasset Film Festival and we placed second in the micro film category. Congratulations to those students. That's that's that's hot off the presses. At the Locust Valley Film Festival, I apologize. Uh in grades 3 through 8, math, science it is 3 through 8 ELA, math, and science season. New York State ELA New here we are. We're at March 26th. We we are going over the the informal budget hearing. Then April 16th, we will adopt the budget. Um May 7th is the formal budget hearing and then May May 19th is the budget vote. These are priority areas for the 2026-2027 school year. Inspire growth in every student. We want to
006make sure that all of our learners are supported academically. Support growth for every educator. Provide staff provide staff with um professional development. Connect through strong relationships. We want to make sure that we are maintaining our relationships across the school community and upgrade our security and facilities. Very important to make sure that we have safe, modern schools for for all of our students and staff. So I did it, I think. I hope. I did it. I finalized the budget. So it was it it was a rocky road, but new information came in and this is the budget. So the budget the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year is $118,948,591. That comes at a budget increase of $3.9 million over this year's budget, which remains within our tax levy limit, 3.44%. We were supposed to bring
007a we were supposed to put together new pictures, but we like this picture, so we we kept it. Yeah. What's new in 2026-2027? I'm about to turn it over to Dr. Pelletteri. Thank you, Gerard. As you recall earlier this year right in this room, we had a presentation from folks in our schools who had suggested bringing forward new courses and course enhancements. So some of those things ran, some not due to unfortunately low enrollment. The introduction to computer programming for grades 9 through 12 is running. There is a section of that. Web design grades 9 through 12 unfortunately is not running due to low enrollment. Personal finance literacy grades 9 through 12 is running. There are going to be three sections there. The Project Lead the Way principles of biomedical science human body systems grades
00810 through 12 will be running a section. Constitutional law was proposed by Margaret, you'll recall, but we did not get students looking to take that. So, that piece is not running there. Italian one reintroducing Italians grades one grade 8 through 12 we will have a section there. And Spanish X, which is a support class, will have a section. And Chinese two grade nine will have two sections. Dina, am I missing anything? Yes. Yeah, continues to grow. >> [snorts] >> I'm going to turn this over to Dr. Chow. >> Yeah, I'm going to introduce Dr. Chowsky for a moment, but uh Dr. Chowsky came to me with an idea for We've had a math coach in the district. This was designed to help support students who just needed that little extra. I think Dr. Chowsky will
009probably put it better than I will having lived through some of this, but wanted to make sure that we supported our students who maybe were looking for a double acceleration path, just came up short, and we wanted to provide them support. And any other student who might require support particularly in that area. Dr. Chowsky came to me with an option in these past few weeks along with uh Ms. Talarini to see if we couldn't redistribute some of what we do and add another math coach without adding an FTE. This is what we ask our people to do, right? Take a look at what we're doing, see how we can enhance it, see how we can do it with greater fidelity, and use some of our human capital, if you will, to help all of our
010students. And so, Rebecca, I'm going to ask you to fill us in on this. So, right now we're very lucky. We're one of the few districts that have math specialists at both elementary schools. And so, we In addition, we have one math coach. If you remember last year, we redistributed the two coaching positions, one literacy and one math. We heard the public and the board very clearly, and we've been working this year. I really want to give a shout out to Debbie Papadopoulos, who is our math coach, and also Mrs. Talarini. They've done tremendous work not only on enhancing our enrichment for for our elementary school upper elementary at this point cuz we're doing it systematically, but also they've been doing a lot of work with professional development specifically with new teachers and also with
011our special ed staff to make sure that people within the classroom are strong math teachers. So, the redistribution would allow us to have a coach in each building. We wouldn't have to travel back and forth, and we would have people that everyone know and trust and are excellent math leaders who will be able to support that. So, again, we thank you know, I really want to thank Lauren Talarini and her staff for thinking outside the box, and I really appreciate you know, everyone listening to this piece and understanding that this is a priority within the district. All right, we'll take questions at at the end. Jared. Thank you. Okay. So, now this slide was very interesting trying to figure out, but I think I got it. This is how we do our kindergarten or this
012is how we project our kindergarten enrollment. You'll see at Munsey Park, so as of yesterday, as of May March 25th, uh Munsey Park 42 registered, Shelter Rock 43 registered kindergarten enrollments, pack um packets outstanding 28 at Munsey Park, 10 at Shelter Shelter Rock, and packets requested three at Munsey, six at Shelter. Those three add up to the 73 total registered outstanding requested packets, 73 at Munsey, 59 at Shelter Rock. Based on uh historical trends, based on information that we know, we expect that in addition to the 73, we will get 12 more at Munsey Park, five more at Shelter Rock, so that would give a trending enrollment as of 325 of 85 at Munsey Park. We based on So, our live birth rates, which we based the budget on, 86. So, it's one short of
013what we based the budget on in Munsey Park. Um using those numbers, the trending enrollment would would be five sections, which is the same as what's in the budget, five sections at Munsey Park. No. Yes. I I apologize, Jared. It's four at Shelter Rock, five at Munsey. You said that correctly. I didn't. I'm sorry. Keep going. Okay. Um Then okay, so then based on you know, information, five more at Shelter, that would give us 64. Live births that we have in in the budget, 67, which is three less than what's the trending enrollment. Sections will be four and the budget's based on four, so you'll see 86 for Munsey Park, kindergarten 86. 60 67 for Shelter Rock. Shelter Rock 67. Four sections. So, this is takes a lot of work to put together, but that's
014what we do. A question? No. No. You can hop back to Munsey for a second just to show the projected enrollments, and you'll see the numbers as we always try to do here in Manhasset schools to make sure we're below those class size guidelines. And we are well below them in each area. And you can jump over to yes, Shelter as well. Just because this is new, just want to make sure that everybody understands the the proposition that we're doing that we are going to put on the ballot for the community to um uh to vote on. The district has a capital reserve, $7 million in the capital reserve. We will there will be a proposition to spend $1.7 million from the capital reserve at no additional cost to the taxpayers. That will be for
015gymnasium renovations, replace padding and sound system, bathroom renovations of boys or girls, staff bathroom, classroom renovations, painting, replace ceilings and floors, unit ventilator replacements. There's some in the budget, but this will allow us to do additional unit ventilators. Common area conversion, security upgrades, license plate readers at Munsey Park and Shelter. We have them at the secondary school. We want to make sure that we have them district-wide. And again, at no additional cost to the taxpayers. What's the budget outlook for 2027-28? Transportation contract will be finalized. Uh retirement system expenses, they continue to increase, so that's something that we have to keep our mind on so that way we we plan we budget accordingly. The for the past three years, 9.6, 10.1, 9.8 for the teachers retirement system. You see 17.6, 16.5, 15.2 for the employees
016retirement system. What's projected for health insurance? 9% changes to grants and and federal funding, and we have to we will start to negotiate the master contract. So, that's what's on the horizon for 2027-28. Jared, thus far from what I've heard, we're getting good news around grants. Hopefully that that stays. I don't know if anyone else heard anything different, but I'm hearing positive things. So, that would be helpful obviously to make sure that we still continue to get those grants. Yes. Yes. So, come out to vote. Um is the Nicole threw me Let's see. Nicole added something in here for me. The League of Women Voters Meet the Candidates Forum on May 11th, so don't forget. May 11th, that is at the middle school, Manhasset middle middle school, and at the library. May 11th at 8:00
017p.m. And vote. May 19th, 9 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Manhasset High School gymnasium. >> Yeah, this is the only place to vote. We are not voting at the elementaries. Next is April 16th, adopt the budget. May 7th will be the formal budget hearing, and then May 19th is the annual budget vote. Thank you very much. With that, we'll take any questions at the I just have one question. When do you anticipate the packets for each Shelter Rock and Munsey Park to be received of who would be attending? Like when when When is it finalized? Kindergarten? Um yes. Over the summer is what I'm told. I'm told that that's when they they continue to come to come in. And then around August is when we finalize it. So, we we have the sections five and
018four, but it'll be finalized in August when we have all of our numbers. Um question on that. And thank you for and thank you to Ms. Talarini and the math math department. So, the the coach um they'll start next year dedicated to one of the And they they will only be doing coaching. They won't have any class sections or So, they we anticipate we have to finalize with those people, but they'll have the accelerated and they will coach. Just to clarify, the capital projects will be a separate line item on the ballot for the community to come out and support as well, correct? And how I'm used to it is the budget is proposition one. The capital proposition is um proposition number two, and then there's a library proposition. That should be prepped. Nope. No
019no library proposition. Okay. So the library is included with with ours here. Oh, it's included It's included in one. Okay, so then two propositions. Budget and the capital proposition. All right, any other questions? So George, thank you very much. Dr. Peliteri, Rebecca, Dina, Quinn, Laura. I mean, this is a big a Herculean task, and it's one of our biggest responsibilities as as a board. You read in the press districts are having to make cuts. Districts are piercing the cap. Um we we've taken up a difficult situation, and I think really have done a good job. So congratulations, and I know we'll we'll adopt it formally in in 2 weeks, but um it's it's really like one of the most important things we do to set a foundation such that we can deliver the educational platform
020in in a responsible way, and it's it's very we we have a lot of gratitude as a board for all the work. So thank you. All right, so we'll we'll keep moving here. I think universal pre-K is is next. So many people may have heard through the news the governor had proposed universal pre-K. She's going to actually mandate universal pre-K in the 2028 school year. Uh and they used to give $5,000 per student. Many districts didn't have space, could not afford to put a program in place for $5,000. There was always a concern that that's going to go away from 1 year to the next, and then what do you do with your your program? So there are districts throughout the state that don't have universal pre-K. We are actually one of them. We're Our
021community has several universal pre-K several pre-K programs, and but recently the governor has proposed again mandating pre-K, and she raised the number or the amount of money that will be offered to everyone from 5,000 to 10,000. So I asked the board really asked us to look into universal pre-K for for us here in the district, a pre-K program, and I asked Dr. Chausky to work with our partners, who are our community-based organizations. So Dr. Chausky, would you just give us a little bit of an update on what work you've done thus far? Thank you. Thank you so much. We had Earlier this year we had asked the pre-K providers, and we have started a collegial circle, which has been delightful with them. We asked if they would be interested in, you know, being a flow-through,
022receiving funding from this. We are meeting on April 22nd. We're going to discuss this more fully with them, and some people are somewhat interested, and some people are less interested. $10,000 is the average cost per child for pre-K in this area is 12 to 16,000 per year. So $10,000, the sticking point is with the state is if you accept state funding, you cannot charge families more money. So there's a discussion that's going to happen with with that group. But again, I think this is exciting. UPK is something close to my heart. I look forward to speaking more with the community. Any questions on pre-K? So looking at it, diving deeper into it, it's not going to be an option for us in this next school year, but going forward, it could be if and we
023will continue to flesh that out with our partners. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Questions here. Go ahead, Nadi. Yeah, thank you for looking into that, Dr. Chausky. I know that when we had looked into it in the past, and what had come across for our district and many other districts was that it would become a cost. So even though there was funding tied to it, it still was a cost to the district's budget. And it seems as though it still would be a cost for us. So that's something that we're we would be excited to explore, but then again, balancing our budget and and just the current students that we have is something that takes precedence before bringing in a new cohort of students. Even through a flow-through and at a different venue, it still eats
024away from the same budget and the same pool. Yeah. Thank you. Anything further? All right. You know, actually to be to be honest, and and I agree with you, Nadia. I just have to say Rebecca or Dr. Chausky, I apologize. I have full confidence that when you speak to them, I think there might be more of the kind of the benefits of building that community with the school district, and perhaps they could reach within or reconsider their budget per student, and maybe there's an opportunity discuss how they may balance their budget for the betterment of the longer kind of vision. So I'm fully confident, having seen you operate with some of the things we've done with AI and bringing in resources and programs and speakers, that perhaps there's those that are interested who come to
025the table, they can see the bigger picture. But let's see. I'm I'm highly encouraged. Thank you for putting in Obviously, you're putting in the time and the effort, and let's see what what's possible. All right, so we'll move on in the agenda to our policy review. We have three policies, looks like, up for final readings. Yes. So the first one we have is 6741, just directing your attention. There was no indication as to the ranking, so we just listed a qualifier with respect to the criteria of what we would be looking for the RFP process. So now it specifies that it's listed without ranking or preference, just indicating that, you know, while cost is number five, that's not necessarily indicating a hierarchical nature of that item. So I'll move right along then to 1500, public
026use of district facilities. This one actually I want to call your attention where we specified on the last page, because this is the third and final reading, to specify the events that are established by the board recognizing certain groups. We've actually added Tower and Booster in addition to SCA and Pace for those organizations that are our community organizations that we do provide allowing them to use our facilities. And then we did update, so I want to give the board a moment to take a look at the fee schedule. And so these would be the fee schedules across the board to all participants who utilize our space for 2026-2027. So I'll give you a moment to take a look at that as those fees have increased to kind of align with current standards. There was some
027due diligence that looked across other school districts, obviously taking into account inflation and all the things that come in with that. So those costs of the use of the space have increased, but certainly in comparison to obviously using other private space or whatnot, they are still what we believe are manageable, unless the board feels otherwise. These these are for new facility use requests. Correct. So if I currently use it, if I'm in a current program using the I still have the old schedule. Is that correct? Um >> Right? Is it Is it Is it No, no, no. Like going forward. Yeah, we essentially grandfathered in those programs that we have already, right? There was the discussion. That's the recommendation. Yes. So the recommendation >> Grandfather in the groups that we have already that are utilizing
028the facilities, but for new requests, if we were to have any new programs come in, this would be the fee schedule for those new programs. Correct me if I'm wrong in discussions on this. Both custodial and security was already a fee that they were already paying. Correct? Okay. >> This is now a flat fee. Okay. Yes, there used to be a level of fee or upright, but depending on who I had as custodial, who might have as security. Now we have a flat fee for custodial and security, and that would be anyone that uses the facilities for custodial facility, existing or new. But these other pieces here, room charge, classroom, computer room, that up there is all for anyone new going forward. So actually we should I would actually recommend we should put fee schedule
029for new um for new users. Effective 26-27. Or is that Is that in perpetuity? So if someone came last year, they're going to enjoy that rate forever. Yes. At some point you have to make draw that line, so. So if I'm So it's it's >> It's a good deal. It's up for discussion. Yep. The the staff, custodial, security, that will be for everyone. The fee schedule on the top box for any new user. Correct. For any new users of those facilities. Who've not public discussion, right? So that's why we wanted to have it have it here. So To calibrate have at it, please. >> a sense of how many new organizations come in and want to use the space or how how how much is the space are these spaces being used in any given
030day, you know, by outside groups? Actually, we have there's a list, Nicole. We do have we do track that because they they need to get a permit. So we track them by permits that are approved um by Jenny. It goes through facilities. And so there is a due diligence in terms of of that, but maybe Nicole, do you have hand do you know the number? And I don't know the number. Bulk of it is out for organizations. So PAL yeah, PAL Girl Scouts. These are the organizations that we're grandfathering. Yes, those are who we're looking to protect. Those folks that have been here for We're not going to try to get the Girl Scouts to you know, pay more money or or PAL, things like that. We're going uh There are groups that we've had
031here long-standing that we want to make sure that we're not trying cuz my concern is that you're you're you're double taxing almost, right? With the the taxpayers in the community and then we're going to ask them to pay another fee on top of that to use their building essentially, the taxpayers building. So that's the thought process there. We don't Our buildings are so used all the time. We just left the library. Kids are in the in the in the in the movies watching movies in the auditorium. It's just So we don't get a great many opportunities to utilize this schedule or bring other people in. And I quite honestly we're concerned that we've denied some requests because they want, you know, six Saturdays in a row for something or the entire month of May. And
032our concern is that we want those those areas open for our kids because there may be a school program that we want to utilize or one of these other programs that we've had already with us may want to utilize that space and we can't do it because we've given it to a different organization. So we're really cautious with our our property and and in putting it out and like the programs that we have now here and so yes, we're saying that they're going to be get grandfathered in and if there is an opportunity on occasion for a new group to come in, this would be the fee schedule that they're presented with. Yes, and we are we are non-for-profit, right? I mean we're we're we're non-for-profit, but you know, buildings depreciate, they need to be
033maintained and you know, the usage over time. So it's that that's fine, but it's not like a a double like at some point, you know, we're going to pay. Yeah. So but uh okay. I mean It's not big money. It's not it's not going to make or >> not going to look to give Gerard more revenue by by giving the Boy Scouts, you know, a library or something like that. Right. Right. Okay. This is just to this is really just Yeah. be covering basic costs. >> Okay. So okay, we're moving on to the next. So those were the changes to 1500 district facilities. And Is that the the last one? Yes, actually that was the the last one because the third and final there were actually no no other changes to the regulation from the
034from the last meeting um on the same topic in terms of public use of district facilities. So do I have a motion in favor? Maria, second. Nadia, all in favor? Thank you. And just for the just for the board to know um because we will be moving continuing to budget and preparing for voting, we won't have as many policies review. We'll kind of pick up next cycle. Um so just for your well awareness. I'd like to thank Dr. Bruno and obviously Ms. Pescatore. Like that? So uh for their work and and Nicole obviously their work with the policy committee done an outstanding job. We met a lot and talked through a lot and worked through a lot this year. Real great work with this. So thank you. I agree. Okay, great. Thank you guys. All
035right, so next uh we'll do committee reports. I think we'll have an abbreviated committee report just be reports because we just had a meeting last week, but um audit we did not meet. Finance we did meet. Um you know, we basically talked about the same issues that were raised with with the budget and transportation sort of dominated. So it's great. The team has made a lot of progress negotiating and and you know, so everyone in the community should know the team worked very hard to get that in the best possible place we could. Um but the reality of inflation and consolidation with the bus companies you know, puts us at a a disadvantage, but I think we got to the the best spot we could. Right? Okay. Um MAC Um we met this week. Um
036basically we discussed like just like um policies and procedures in which they use the go accounts um which is where parents donate to the particular sport. So they put a cap on how much can stay in that account and what the account is going to be used for and they'll have a little bit more control of um the funds. And be beyond that it was pretty quiet. Okay. Any other meetings held? I don't think so. Okay. All right, we will pick that back up in in April. Uh personnel schedule, I think we've reviewed that. Anything Dina to note on our side it looked straightforward. Okay. All right, so can I if with without if there's any no discussion, can I have a motion to approve the personnel schedule, Maria? Nadia, second. All in favor? That's
0375-0. And then we'll move on to the consent agenda. Um we have our traditional business items, conference requests agreements for out of district health and welfare services. Um we have our yeah, health and welfare services, you know, that we liaise with all of our neighboring districts. We have an understanding with Hofstra University to expand their scope of their participation in student internship programs, which is excellent. Sure. Actually, Dina, quick question. I'm don't want to assume it's a given, so student observers, they go through the same safety and and background checks. So just anyone who's coming into the building, that that's kind of checks and balances there. I I know that is the standard, but just wanted to make sure because we have not done that, but that's a great way to you know, identify, you
038know, future prospects, right? Um So I'm going to speak Okay, for both for Rebecca and I are big components of student teachers coming in. This was a request from Hofstra. We're really trying to build our collaborations with our universities and colleges. So Hofstra came and said we need we need help to place the students. So for observer for observers and we talked about it and we thought it was great cuz this is our pool. This is those students we can start training and supporting. So we're really excited about this opportunity and the partnerships with Molloy and with Hofstra and with St. John's. Um so we're really working hard um Columbia Columbia um Queens College. So we're really putting I think everyone is putting a lot of effort to these partnerships. Yeah, that's great. I mean
039one of the things I'm serving in the corporate world is students are coming in for internships and work programs much earlier, you know, all on sort of all during their college career and it really does set them apart and gives them experience and gives you know, the the employer a a real added benefit and to your point a look at talent and uh way to build relationships. So Yeah, and I found the same way too is these student observers they actually bring in fresh ideas. So they also bring what they're learning from their classroom to our classroom. So it's almost a bit of a symbiotic relationship. So um good luck. Keep us posted. I don't think there's a partnership with Duke. Is there a partnership with >> Yeah, there should. Yeah. >> Not yet. Uh
040yeah. That'll get us a contact. There won't be if we lose to St. John's tomorrow night, I guarantee. Should have put that in the minutes. >> Cancel that. Yes. Um we will have to uh bet a lunch on that for sure. So all right, next is we have our appointment of chairperson election inspectors. You have obviously our elections coming up uh in in May, so we're preparing for that. Uh we have our BOCES um cross contract. We have uh and that looks like it actually. All right, and oh and we have a transportation for looks like a class trip. So that looks like a lot of fun. All right, okay. All right, cool. So uh All right, can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Maria doing it. Nadia, second. All in favor?
041All right, that's 5-0 and uh upcoming items of interest, we have our budget adoption which will be a great milestone and then you know, a few more board meetings and then wow, we're we are rolling right along. So you know, I know all the kids have a lot of exams and getting ready for break and so um I hope everyone can enjoy that time off, and you know, take a break and enjoy joy all your time with your your family. So, all right. So, we have public comment. Anyone? Uh All right. We have a a light crowd. I'm sure you're all watching at home. Uh And um All right. So, can I have a motion to adjourn? Maria. One. Maria Mariana two. And all in favor. All right. 5-0. Have a good night, everyone, and
042enjoy the break.