001Good morning again everyone. We're back after our organizational meeting for our regular our regular board meeting for the Manhasset Board of Education. Um so we'll call this meeting to order and thank you for everyone uh watching at home. So the first is uh approval of the minutes from our prior meeting. All in favor? That's approved. Uh into our regular agenda, a gift to the district. Every year we receive uh from the Plome Women's Club a gift and uh we're we're authorizing the acceptance of that gift of $1,500 to provide food and resources to students in the middle school bridge program. Uh so we'd like to uh do that and very much thank um the women the Plano women's club for their support. All in favor? Approved. So now we'll go over to policy review. We
002have a number of uh important policies that we're going to be reviewing. And I'd say the one we we will probably spend the the most time on is uh the new mandate from the state regarding personal electronic devices. Um so Mariana, can I can I turn it over to you to uh walk us through this? >> So as you pointed out Ted, that is correct. So, as of August 1st, um we are required to have a policy in place um so that when students begin the academic year in September, there is full awareness. And just as a reminder for everyone, there was a town hall in the spring. Um there was also a shared decision-making committee that reviewed this as well as building um personnel and staff that were involved in thinking through the various
003facets of what the implications of this um new policy would entail. Keep in mind that the intent is well intentioned to maintain focus on students during the academic uh school day um to avoid distractions. So, as you'll see in the policy as it begins, it kind of points that out in so far as which devices it's primarily internet enabled devices. Um, other personal electronic devices include devices which are not capable of connecting to the internet and accessing content is actually not in the restriction of the governor's um mandate. However, it is encouraged as you see here in the policy to also provide guidance on those electronic devices that are not internet enabled. Um, so there is a note to the board and to the public that you can see that while these are a distraction,
004they are permissible. The two categories of devices that are excluded are one those which are not capable of connecting to the internet or enabling the use to access content on the internet are excluded from this definition. So for example voice and texton cell phones so for example the old flip phones or a blackberry so yes I'm dating myself and those which are supplied by the district boies used for educational purposes. So I'll walk through a couple of the commentary with the red lines and then we can open up for discussion for the board for the board. Um communication with parents and persons and parental relation. And one thing we did uh mention in prior uh discussions was in order for parents to be able to contact students to be able to use their emails. Um,
005it's also recommended that this policy be posted prominently on the district website because it does have far-reaching implications and we'd like to make this more overt so that no one sort of presents to school on first day saying I wasn't aware. Um, so that is added in there um to be overt. Um, the one piece we do want confirmation from our IT department is to ensure that email addresses that parents and students can communicate through the Manhasset email. Um, device access and storage. At the current time, the recommendation is that phones would be stored in lockers. That primarily impacts the secondary school. So we are actually pointing out in the elementary school because we recognize not all classrooms in the elementary level have um lockers nor are there lockers in the building at the elementary
006level. So what is permissible is that the phones will be turned off and they will be stored in their cubbies. Um and so you'll see that that's noted in there in terms of differentiation from the elementary level. Going to the second page. Um I think the biggest piece to point out to the board to be cognizant of of is enforcement and consequences. Um the enforcement of this policy is the responsibility of the building administrative staff. However, all designated employees are expected to assist in this enforcement. Um my recommendation would be to be a bit more specific in terms of the designated employees. So if we do want to say um teachers, staff, um otherwise it gets a little too kind of who's on first, right? Who's sort of coordinating and tracking. Students will be reminded
007of the regular policy on a on a uh consistent and regular basis, especially at the start of the school year and when returning from an extended break. The other um piece that's important to note and bring to the board's attention for students out of compliance, it's on multiple occasions. So if you could imagine who's tracking that, right? It are we formatively doing that or is it loosely um tracked? And the next page describes some of the possibilities of consequences. So I just want to point that out in terms of how it's actually being tracked formatively versus loosely because if we are enforcing this policy, I think it's important to be consistent across students, particularly how often they are repeat offenders, if you will. The district may not impose suspension from the school if the sole
008grounds for the suspension is the student accessing an internet enabled device as prohibited by this policy. However, the district may utilize consequences under the district code of conduct including detention in school suspension and exclusion from extracurricular activities for insubordination related to the enforcement of this policy. The district may also impose assignments about the detrimental impact of social media on mental health, smartphones in school, or other relevant topics. So, those are the enforcement, if you will, for what I'm calling not in the policy, but repeat offenders, which admittedly it's not prescribed or delineated in here how and who's going to track a repeat offender. Um, so I just want to raise that to the board's attention because this is a a new policy which I do think will have um quite a bit of behavioral adaption
009at the start of the school year. So I'll pause to open it up to the board. This is the recommendation. I know we we would like to do this as a first and final to get something into um into practice, if you will, before August 1st date, but as you could see, there are a couple of outstanding questions that I did want to bring to the board's attention, questions, comments. Yes, my question would be um currently Manhasset serves as a open campus. How are we gonna decide since it's bell to bell with the cell phones being in the lockers, juniors and seniors leaving the campus and going to lunch? Are they allowed? My understanding is if it's on school grounds, it's up to the school to make that determination. So it would be not not
010yet. There may there may have been we do that is a outstanding question because students between classes are allowed to go to their lockers so they would be able to access their their phones between classes. It it was my understanding that it was bell to bell that they're not allowed to use the cell phones during passing time. Correct. >> Correct. That's correct. But if someone has a free period and as Maria was asking, they're going out of the the school, they would need to go to their locker, get their personal items, and leave the building, >> right? And their expectation is probably going to be, I need my phone to pay for my lunch. I need my phone to to that one we'll have to think about. >> Yeah. The only thing I could say
011is you know in our code of conduct there is um you know that would be it's referring which is why I mentioned earlier you know once this policy is in place looking within the code of conduct because is that is that technically a offender right if they're going to the locker to get their personal items because they're leaving campus because this is really enforceable when you're on campus and so if students students are permitted to be off campus, they will need just like they'll need their car keys. Perhaps they'll have to go to their locker, get their personal items, and then when they come back, they would go back in the locker. Um, so it is will be at the building level. Um, and that is something we will need to confirm with the building
012staff. >> Can this also be a question for our legal council? um what the language of the law coming down from the state specifies. Could we go back to the lawyers and ask you know in this given scenario what would they advise given the framework of the law? >> Yeah. So there was a Q&A um and within the Q&A it was it was not too explicit. there seem to be a little, if you will, like gray area where they're really leaving it up to the building and the building staff to to make those aspects. They they did emphasize that it's important to take it obviously, you know, seriously to have things in place. Um, similar to non-inabled devices, they're encouraging those to also be, you know, excluded. So, um, a couple things I was I
013was writing down that in terms of the policy, there was the intention of publishing the policy already on the website and also in the school calendar where it has the code of conduct already. So that is um moving towards it. Um the other piece is uh that when we were talking about Rich was concerned and has expressed publicly so this is not a a a closed statement um expressed publicly that asking for people to enforce the cell phone policy in the building is not reasonable. That's impossible. So I think that's where that was. So maybe more articulation on that um piece the open campus that that's a good point regarding if somebody's in travel right traveling from through the halls that's something that we could parse out uh further as well. that answer so far.
014>> Oh, just turn it on. Sorry. >> Thank you very much. Without a doubt, I think we'd want to make sure that uh we can't have just a handful of people enforcing uh the regulation. Oh, you didn't see me. He's, you know, you saw me, but you didn't. So, I can keep it, you know, that we we really can't have that happening. So, I think that all uh teachers certainly would be able to uh enforce that policy along with administration. And then uh in so far as the open campus, that is a real question that you raised. Even my daughter can't go anywhere without her phone because that's how she pays for everything because then my wife Venmo her the money to replace the money that came out of her Apple Pay or whatever. So
015I I get that old scenario there. Uh plus my child is leaving campus, I'm concerned about where they're going and I may want to just make sure I know where they are but and but I see the other piece as well. What does Bella Bell mean and does it need to be uh locked away? So those two pieces I I'm concerned about, but I also hear what Mariana is saying in terms of we really need to get something on the website. There's there are there's state aid allocated for this as well and it needs to be done by August 1. So we make what we have here as flexible as possible then can come up over the next week or so with something more definitive. We can always go back and revise a policy. >>
016Yeah, I agree. I I really do trust the building. they will know best how to manage our specific you know operating model right because I can imagine someone a senior going to their locker taking out their phone popping it open walking through the halls saying I'm I'm headed out I can look at you know that and we don't want we don't want that either but uh this is going to be a huge behavioral shift and it's going to be the plane will probably take off and have some bumps before it it smooths out. But I I do want to make sure the building is empowered to um modify and adjust as as needed is my sense. >> I just wanted to add one more thing and I'm piggybacking. I totally agree. I think we have
017to have something in place obviously and then we always tweak it. Um we also have to be mindful that there are a lot of students that do have medical needs and they have their phones and they will have it. Um, some people are very um, I don't want to say embarrassed, but not forthcoming with their medical concerns and their issues. And if someone was to call them out on it, that's another aspect that we have to think about. How are we or how is the building going to manage that as well? >> Go ahead, Rebecca, please. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Um, two things. one is um the medical needs luckily those are registered with 504s which is right and so teachers know this this is why I'm teaching on that to your point
018though I could see that that could be if people are not sensitive and that's a really good point the other thing that we haven't mentioned which is important about kids going off-campus for juniors and seniors and Rich has been very clear about this which is important if we go into a lockdown or lockout situation Kids have to have their phones because that's how they're not notified. So that's just another wrinkle that we have to think about. >> So what I would Oh, go ahead. Any other com? So what I would actually recommend and propose because I think communication is important the more that people are aware of this ahead of time. the comments that I have in here, we could actually table to like more of a at the building level like a regulation to
019the policy because there I think there would it would be helpful to see how you know what the thought is to have a regulation of actually applying this policy at the building levels because there will be variability at the elementary and at the secondary. I personally think the elementaryaries should have something in place because it builds good behavior behavior particularly for our you know prem school right so I think that was sort of maybe lacking or intentionally but I think we can if the board is comfortable approve the boilerplate language you know with the red lines the commentaries would go into more of a regulation so that that's something that um Rich is aware of that were kind of learn as we go which I think many districts in fact I think few of us
020did searches not many districts have things posted and June 1st is when Boseies had their boilerplate template so I think everyone is sort of it's a little bit of baptism by fire we'll get through it but what I would say for disclosure and communication and to enable parents let's get the main template out the main policy out there and then the commentary will move into a, you know, regulation and have Rich um and Chad and Miss Zimmerman at the building level work through a regulation so that everyone feels informed. How does the board feel about that? Okay, so a motion. That's a good idea, Mariana. And also the regulation would allow for consistency in terms of uh implementing consequences and just what's expected and for students to know this is what will happen so that
021there isn't um just there aren't different consequences applied depending contingent on the situation or the environment. And we should also reconvene I guess in the beginning of October or end of September with um Dr. Chowski and the administration from each building just to gather feedback and to see uh what we should place in the in the regulation for each building. And I also liked your idea about the positive campaign that you had mentioned. Oh yes, I think we we are preparing uh Rich. We will get a um costume if let us know if you want a red cell phone costume or um he's going to be right front and center first day of school um T-Mobile or Sorry, I'm I'm sorry. Trying to bring a little a little levity to the topic. >> The costume
022too. New president costume. >> I'll come like with one of those like I'll be selling selling. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Bring a little levity. Listen, I think all of us, parent, no parent, um, you know, cell phones, electronic devices are a necessary evil, but I think the the fact of the matter is they are a very big distraction in the schools and I think this is definitely a positive direction to focus students and and to support staff. Right? There's a there's a lot of work that goes into teaching during the day and you know, you know what they say, you know, there's no good multitasking. You really can only task on one thing. Um, so I think that's it's just a good behavior. I would do we have a motion to approve first and final
023reading for the cell phone policy with the commentaries going into a regulation. Yeah. Re reconvening into a regulation document. >> Good. >> All those approved. All in favor? >> Right. Great. So, we have an approved. >> So, >> yeah, we >> Oh, a second. All right. So, good. So, we have a an adopted cell phone policy as per the state regulation. And then, you know, the other thing obviously is communicating with with parents. I think we spoke to Rich. I mean a letter I think is going to be in order. I don't know if that would come from you Chris uh or or Dr. Rotor, but I mean it's going to start at at home too. And and yeah, you know, we we do have to message this. It should not be a surprise. And
024I think we can say, you know, we're going to learn as we go here. Obviously, it's a it's a big behavioral shift. And I hope that the community supports it. And uh I think it really will be great. a couple of other policies. Hopefully these will go quickly, but I do want to um just bear with me as I go through a couple of the um order of the policy. So, as it relates to anaphilaxis treatment policy and anaphilaxis treatment policy regulation, before you look at those two, what you have printed um are the actual forms, the allergy action plan for the school year and the parent and prescriber authorization for administration of medication in in in the school. So what was omitted and to be able to track them to the policy is the
025policy number. So on the top right hand corner you'll see 5426. Um oop sorry about that. Sorry actually could we let's let's skip over 5426 for a moment. Uh I want to do the second readings for 54. Oh, actually, no. Sorry, I'm confusing you guys. Yes, stick stick with that 5426. That's what was it was missing the policy number on the actual form that gets completed um for the allergy action plan. So, that's 5426E. That is the only change to the document is an addition of the policy number to each of the respective forms. So, I apologize for that. It is rel related to the anaphilaxis treatment policy. Um and those now have specific numbers tied to forms that are completed by um the healthcare provider and the parents and then in the actual policy
026now. So I wanted to bring to your attention the forms. So these forms were never um attached as an appendix because they're a standalone form that need to be completed but they didn't have a policy number tied to them. So now they have that. those will now be reflected in the actual policy for 5426. Um, so I'll call your attention to third page where you'll see now under emergency action plan, it refers to form 5425E um allergy action plan. And then um similarly in the cross reference those um forms are cross reference and those are the only two edits and we will be notating the deletion um of the next forms that I will outline to you. So the only changes to the forms are not substantive in terms of how they are operationalizing the
027policy. It's tying the forms. And the next one that I wanted to bring your attention to is streamlining forms 5420E through ABC. So we are actually removing and consolidating the authorization for administration of medication and keeping one general form and not having a form at the building level for Muny Shelter Rock. So there will only be a form 5420E3 and the removal of ABC. Um it was actually duplicative to have one at each of the building levels and having just one form that would be used by each of the buildings. And you have those printed here um with a notation policy editorial notation 5420E3A 5420E3B 5420E3C will be removed and replaced by 5420E and that will be notated in the top right corner. Um so there's one for general administration of medications and then there's
028a specific one for administration of asthma medication um in the school for parent and physician authorization and those are um noted as 5420E only with the removal of 54 uh 5420E 4 A B and C. So, it's a consolidation. So, you're not having separate forms at each of the building levels. And the forms will now just say submitted completed form to the health office and not indicating a nurse at each building level because those do change um yeartoear and so it'll be one uh templated form directing it to the policy. So, any questions on that? the the lettering seems a little bit confusing and I'm hoping that the streamlining of just having one form for each of the building levels consolidated for the general medication and then for the medication for asthma. So I would
029um I would actually recommend for a motion to approve there would be a second and final reading for the essentially deletion of the duplicative forms for the comp composite form of 5420E3 and 5420E4. Know that was a bit of a >> mouthful. >> Makes sense. streamlined >> and admittedly I think some of these forms are already um you know in motion so I think there's it's not going to be disruptive by any means hopefully it just continues to streamline but I did want to have these forms in place if someone needed to up we want to up we want Nicole to upload the latest versions because some of the old versions are still posted uh on the website sense motion to approve um the consolidation of the forms. Um 5420 student health services that will
030actually come back. Um, so 5420 student health services which is actually the policy because the policy will now need to reflect all the changes of those forms that I actually recommend coming back to a third reading because there is one more form related to concussions and that will have to have a um policy number assigned to it and that will need to come back in the 5420 to be reflected in there. Does that make sense? So, we're not going to approve 5420. That will come back for a third and final reading. So, the board and the public has visibility to all these changes in terms of consolidation of form and tagging the policy numbers appropriately to the forms. >> Wait, do I say you want me to say one more? >> Yeah, we can. Uh,
031so motion to approve. Uh, and so final >> Oh, I didn't get to that one. They're going to come back. >> We can get to Yeah, we'll still do 5100. So, sir >> Oh, you want me to waste approval? Okay. So, next one. Sorry. 54100 student attendance. >> Um, how many papers just Okay. 50 5100 student attendance. This is a third and final reading. Uh we did discuss this a few board meetings ago as it relates to uh excused and unexcused absences. Um the recommendation is to notify the school office within 24 hours. Um and versus the I think before it was a 72. That is the only change. uh the 72 hours is the only change but also the exception those that can make exception will be approved by the attendance review team or
032the building principal that was the other addition um so it's either the attendance review team or at the building level could approve any exceptions but the 24 hours is the um change to the prior policy. So recommendation is to approve uh student attendance with the change of a 24-hour notification. >> So we're just tightening tightening that window to to bring focus to it. Three days later it's just too >> Yes. >> Yeah. And we've been operating under this already. >> So we Yes. or this is more >> this is just tightening up our paperwork. >> What was also shared with us recently uh with staff and Dr. Chowsky, please chime in if there's anything um in addition to this is that teachers were uh didn't know whether or not an absence was excused or unexcused
033and didn't know how to proceed in terms of administering tests and rescheduling things. And please chime in with anything else. This this is actually a really big help for the building. So, thank you very much. >> Okay. All right. So, we are okay on on 54 E3 C and E4A. That's what we're going to >> Yep. We're 5420. will come back for a third and final reading to have have the board and the community have visibility to all now the cor the the tag the tagged what I'm calling the tagged policy numbers to the respective forms and pointing them to each of those forms and then the updated forms will be available and again the only change to the forms is having the the tagged policy number and removing individ individual forms at the building
034level because you'll see Muny Park, Shelter Rock, SR, um, secondary school, you know, you had three individual forms which was unnecessary. So, the we're approving removing those into one consolidated form and those will be reflected in 5420 student health services which will come back in our August meeting for a third and final reading with that um, accurately reflected in the policy. >> All right, good. And then we're approving uh student attendance with the change of 24 hours. So that'll be a third and final reading. >> Okay. All right. So uh motion to approve uh 5100. Right. 50. Excellent. All right. So, >> yeah. >> All right. Thank you very much, Mariana, for all that work. >> All right. So, let's keep going. Board discussion and committee reports. It's the summer so we probably haven't had
035uh any new committee meetings to report on but we can take this opportunity to assign our uh liaison status to the different committees. So let's just go through this quickly so everybody knows. So the audit committee that's the one that we're mandated to do by SED. So that will be myself and Allison. Thank you Allison for taking that on. CAC finance will be the same as last year myself and Maria. I think this year um one of the topics we'll we will be addressing is uh transportation. So our transportation contract is coming up and we've been it's been well forecasted to us that prices are up. So we're going to have to make some decisions and that will be a big part of the budget debate uh as we move forward this year. MAC athletics.
036Uh so that's going to be uh Maria and Mariana. All right. Excellent. Uh SCA will be myself and Maria. Tower Foundation. Nadia and Maria. No, >> Mariana, I'm sorry. So Tower is Nadia, Mariana. H special education will be Nadia and Mariana. Kasa, Alison. >> Oh, Maria, sorry. >> Yeah, my bad. Um, Kasa, Allison, and Nadia. >> And EOCC, Nadia, and Allison. All right, great. So, those are all uh very important. And to all those listening at home, we welcome uh all of your involvement and participation. And it's a big deal in terms of of making sure uh our community is participating in the committees and I think we'll uh rewrite our our efforts there to try and get folks to to sign up. You can go on the website, you can fill out an application
037and the board can approve uh you know those those uh community they are community action committees. So we we do need the community to to participate. Um, one of the committees that we had eliminated uh two years ago or last year was the IT committee and technology committee that was formed after um you know some issues we had in the district. My sense is that's something we want to reinstate. So maybe we'll take that up at our at our next meeting. what the form of how that committee uh looks but but with AI um with all the focus on uh our cell phones um that may be something that will be helpful. So um I don't know if you have anything to add on that Rebecca. No. Okay. Okay. You were I felt like you
038were going to say something uh profound there. So okay. All right. But but that's something we can talk about. All right. So, um, anything else on the committee stuff? No. Okay. Uh, personnel personnel schedule. So, um, this is a a big part of what we do this time of year. Any Dina, anything, uh, of note on on the personnel uh, schedule for us? >> Schedule B's and C's on here. >> Okay. >> And in August, we'll do all of our sports. So, we should be good for start. >> Okay. And we did have potentially if if you do need us to meet and approve subsequent personnel, you'll you'll let us know. Okay. >> Seventh I going to need. >> You're going to need Okay. Okay. I will >> Okay. I am not available in that
039date, but no. >> Yes. August 7th. Okay. Good. So, we'll have a quorum for that. Chris, Dr. P is happy about that. Okay. All right. Great. So, motion to approve the uh personnel schedule. All right, Nicole, that's 50 and approved. So, excellent. Um resolution to approve mass appointments. Uh let's just read this here. Be resolved. All members of the Manhassid Education Association, MEA, uh, as well as MESPA and MASSA are hereby appointed to provide the functions listed in the chart below on an as needed basis during the 202526 school year. The chart indicates the specific function, bargaining unit members authorized to perform the function, and the corresponding NIA contractual compensation for each function. Okay, so this is this is standard. Luckily, we've gotten through a lot of our contract negotiations, which we're all excited about.
040But, uh, any questions on this? All right. Motion to approve 50. And now we move to the consent agenda. So, just, you know, take a look here. We have all of our cse, CPSSE, uh, section 504 minutes. our special education contracts, um receipt of federal part B flowthrough allocations to other uh special education providers, stipulation agreement, ratification of conference requests, approval of high school chorus and art trip to Disney World, which is always >> my only comment there. I think the date is incorrect. >> I'm sorry. >> Um, the date of the trip I think is January 29th through February 2nd. >> Right. That would have been a long trip to Disney World. um one month trip and I also missed approval of interim superintendent to attend conferences. So Chris, you know, please avail yourself
041of of that. Approval of new trustee members to attend mandatory training seminars. Allison, she's she's well on her way and is is ahead of schedule there. um approval to participate in the data security and privacy practices for school districts andor boseies known as the Rick one risk operations center or ROC. Um, so you can read that. I must admit I'm not terribly familiar with with this program. >> Mary, are you >> you ever heard of this? >> It so data security which is important. So it looks like we this organization partners with New York State Education Access for Learning Student Data Privacy Consortium. So um this is something we want to do approval for uh afterchool experience disposal of the 2024 budget uh and election ballots. Excising Resolution to excess athletic equipment annual breakfast survey.
042We will not be um required or asked to to provide breakfast based on our survey results. Bosey's cross contract with covert security consultants. >> All right. Any any questions or anything? >> Just on number 14. What's um WGU education? So before we allow student teachers in the district, we have a hold harmless with the uh institution, not just the individual. So this is why it's on the board. Okay. So this all looks to be in in order. Uh so motion to approve our consent agenda. All right, that is approved. So, upcoming items of interest. So, we have our August 7th date um which we just spoke about. We have August 21st. We'll have to go through the elementary sections. Yes, sure. Sure. August 21. I am taking my youngest off to college and uh did
043did not know about that date. So I apologize. I don't I mean obviously you could still have the meeting without me and have others here work with you on it or if we could uh Okay. So we could keep the uh date if you're comfortable with that or move it to the following week if it gives us more time actually to see numbers. Do you have that, Nicole? I can do that. Um, Thursday, not saying you might want to do it closer to the first day of school. [Music] That would be just forecasting that would be Monday, August 25th. Tuesday, August 26th, something like that. Okay. All right. So, we can we can figure that out. All right. So, we may end up changing that August board date. Okay. All right. We now uh have
044public comment period. Um there are no >> impressive of the audience. that's here today. >> There are no public uh attendees. So, I think we can um move past that. And uh do I have a motion to adjurnn. All right. Second. And we are uh we are done. So, thank you very much everyone and look forward to a great year in 2526. >> Good job.