001uh, increases and is employee benefits and then you'll have different salaries that will increase it make it the largest increase areas. Now, what your drivers are, your reductions, there was a bond project that we had many years ago and the debt service is being reduced on that because we're coming closer to the end. Also, different investments that we've had are now paying off because those one-shot deals have been completed. And then our staff development has switched where we do not have to pay as much for people to be trained. They're what you call turnkey. Turnkey means that they have received the training, our own staff, and they're able to provide it to the the remainder of our staff in different areas as it relates to curriculum. And the equipment cost, equipment is usually a one-shot
002deal and that's lower now because we have purchased the equipment that we've needed in many of our areas. The increases that will go on is our health insurance rates. Those are rates we do not control and they have been going up by an average of a little over 8% if you do a 10-year average on health insurance rates. Other insurances that we have are insurances where we cover all of our buildings. One of the areas that you will see that hopefully will come down is the insurance rates go on a course of what your damage is for the past 3 years. We had we had the I don't know if they officially called it a tornado, but 3 year around 3 years ago we ended up having damage in which we had to have our
003entire gym floor replaced. And there were a number of other areas that had needed to be replaced which cost over a million dollars. Our insurance cost was $10,000. So, we're very lucky that a million dollar project only cost us $10,000. So, hopefully that will level off and our increases will not be significant. Transportation, that is always an increase, but that has gone up by CPI, Consumer Price Index. That's something that we're extremely happy with because Sunrise Bus is our transportation service and their increases have been significantly lower than what other school districts have had to deal with uh that were further up in Suffolk County and Nassau County. Supply costs, again, they're up just like many things right now, and contractual obligations that we have for our different units. The future piece that you see
004here is state aid funding and the formulas that are used in determining it. We receive approximately $1.8 million in what's called foundation aid, but our enrollment, we're also known as a safe harmless school, meaning that if they went strictly by enrollment numbers, we would have a significant reduction in that foundation aid. Thankfully, the state has not done that and there are more safe harmless school districts than regular school districts where they use the formula. Just to give you an idea, if they ever did go by the formula based on enrollment, that would be a $1.2 million reduction for us. So, we're hoping that they stay safe harmless. Planning for the future, what we were able to do and as it relates to all fiscal responsibilities, we're able to keep all of the programs that have
005been recommended by the administration and the Board of Education in place. You'll see this. I'm not going to read them one by one because that will also lend to my time cuz they're making sure they time me to make sure I go a little bit quicker. Um but the one you'll see is technology infrastructure upgrades. We're actually able to do some of those upgrades this year. And again, technology is one where you're always replacing everything on a 3 to 5-year cycle. When you look at revenues and reserves and the way it competes, you will see that the difference, the total on the bottom, is a 3.1% 3.19% increase from budget to budget. And your property tax increase is a 2.63 increase. To show you the way this looks at, I ended up doing a slide
006showing you the tax cap history. And you'll notice that the allowable tax cap has been higher. The reason why it's decreasing is cuz of what we call debt service, and it's now going down to a level pace of right around there. Um, right around that 2 and 1/2 to 2.75%. Just so that you know, and I know cuz you some of you missed the other exciting presentations that we put on in the past, if there's any other questions about budget or that, please go to the school district webpage under the business office, and you will see all of the longer presentations where I was far more boring than this one tonight. And you'll be able to look at all the numbers in great detail. This just shows you just the two highlighted parts that we
007looked at. And the other part that we always have to tell you about is if the budget ended up That was my timer. No, the the what it does is if a budget fails, that it does not go up and it we there's different options you could do. You could put the same budget up again, you could put a revised budget up, or you could go straight to what's called contingency. So, one of the requirements that you have to do in a budget hearing is to show you I'm trying. I'm trying to go really fast, but the the contingency budget would be a reduction of our proposed budget by $1.1 million. And And that comes out of your each of your three components, administrative, program, and capital. In which capital and program are your two
008largest areas that would decrease. And that comes out of equipment, supplies, and contractual obligations. The last part that you'll see The budget vote is next Tuesday, so we hope that you come out to vote. There are three candidates, three positions up in the board, two three-year positions, and the third position, which will be the lowest number of votes, will receive a one-year position on the board. And we have three people that are running for those three spots. Any questions that you have? All righty. >> Thank you, Charlie. >> On to the good stuff. >> Okay, like Charlie said, there are three vacancies on the Board of Education. Two terms will commence commence on July 1st, 2026, and expire on June 30th, 2029. One term will commence on May 19th, 2026, and expire on June 30th,
0092027, to fill a vacancy. There are three candidates running for a seat on the Board of Education. They are Patricia Arslanian, an incumbent, which is me. Uh Lorraine Warren, which is an incumbent, and Suzanne Martinez. The qualifications of a voter are: You must be a citizen of the United States. You must be 18 years of age or older. You must be a resident of the district for at least 30 days prior to the voting date. And you must be registered to vote in the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District or with the Suffolk County Board of Elections for general election purposes. And now, if you have any questions, this is your opportunity. And if not, Okay. Now, I need a motion to close the budget hearing. >> So moved. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> And
010now, I need a motion to open the board meeting. >> Motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> Okay, call the board the meeting in order. Um I need a recommendation for the I mean a motion for the approval of the minutes of April 21st. >> I make a motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> I need a recommend a recommendation. I need a a a motion to approve the treasurer's report of February and March 2026 and the financial statements of May 2026. I need a second. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> I need discussion. Okay. Now, audience communication. Anything on the agenda? If anyone would like to speak to anything on the agenda, you may come up to the podium. Okay. Now, we're up to superintendent's report. >> Okay, it is that
011time of year where we're not only wrapping up the budget process, but we begin to celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishments of our students over the course of the year. Um so, I'm going to jump right in to do that. Um is we had a lot of things going on. Um first, I'd like to congratulate uh senior Charlie Carter. He's been recognized as one of the most positive athletes in New York State by the positive positive athlete organization. So, Charlie, along with 28 other athletes from New York State, were selected out of a cast of 15,000 to receive this award. Charlie's the perfect example of an individual that competes with pride, dignity, and compassion for others. He participates in soccer, lacrosse, basketball, track and field. So, he's a four-sport athlete. He represents our school and our
012community very well at all times, and he's quite the competitor. So, that recognition is definitely deservedly earned. Um I'd like to congratulate our wrestling coaches, Luke Bocchino, Ryan Greeby, and Antonio Jimenez. They were named league coaches of the year by the Suffolk County Wrestling Coaches Association. So, congratulations to them and their success. Congratulations to Hannah Gabbia, who took second place in Suffolk County um for this year's Congressional Art Competition. Her piece that was recognized was entitled Wings of Freedom, and it will be up at the State Senate Building for display. Um I don't think a board meeting goes by where we don't congratulate our NJROTC unit. Um but this is a big one. The cadets of Southold, Mattituck, and Greenport uh unit have been named the most outstanding unit in our area. So, that's Area
0132. That's the Northeastern United States um for this past school year. So, I really like to congratulate uh the leaders of the union uh as this was their goal at the beginning of the year. They mentioned that this is something they wanted to accomplish, and they got it done. So, congratulations to all of our students and instructors. Um we had numerous students uh participate in the NYSSMA solo and ensemble uh festivals this spring. Exactly 100 students in grades 4 through 11 performed in vocal, piano, and instrumental solos for judges and received scores based on their performance. Some Mattituck students earned exclusively outstanding, excellent, and A ratings. Um we are so very proud of them, their hard work, and their dedication. Uh it's been quite a year for our our music department. Um I want to
014thank the PTSA and congratulate them on their success with their senior fashion show. Um and took place last week. Uh the senior class put on a fabulous show. It's always a great event for our uh our students. It's a very nice event that it brings so many people in the community together and raises quite a bit of money um to help support our students and programs. Uh as part of the America 250th celebration, our freshman class participated in a special field trip focused on giving back to our local community. The students spent the afternoon at the Hallockville Museum and farm uh engaging in meaningful service projects that supported the preservation and upkeep of that historic site. More students or events are planned in connections with the 250th celebration at both Kutchogue East and here at
015the high school. Um the Mattituck marching band took the field recently at a Long Island Ducks game. Um so not not so bad for their first year of playing to be invited to a Ducks game. Uh the band played a pre-game performance of pop hits for the crowd before enjoying an 11-1 Ducks win over the Lexington Legends. Um I want to also thank the PTA and the PTSA uh um for their support in uh acknowledging principal, teachers, staff, and nurses appreciation days and putting out some lunches um for the faculty and staff uh this past week. So, thank you to them. Um and then I want to thank everyone for attending our our spring concert. Uh we had the high school concert last week. They did a tremendous job. And we have a bunch of
016remaining concerts coming up um on May 14th is our junior high concert. On the 19th is the fourth grade concert and the 20th is the fifth and sixth grade concert. And I want to remind everybody that school will be open on May 26th. Um that was originally a day off, but we used all of our snow days and more this winter. So, May 26th will be a day of school. We will be in session and we expect to to you all you guys there. All right. That's it. >> Okay, thank you. Okay, Miss Brennan. Tonight it gives me Tonight it gives me great pleasure to introduce our Ketchogue East Elementary Student Leadership. They will be sharing with you some of our recent happenings at Ketchogue East as well as some upcoming events. Additionally, they'll be
017sharing information about our Math Olympiads, which is a first-time club for Ketchogue East, as well as introducing those advisors and our very own Math Olympiads. At this time, I'd like to welcome our student leadership advisors Emily McKillop, Sophia Bristow, and our student leadership representatives Renny Opizzo, Vanessa Rosa, Charlie Trant, and Maddie Ferrone. >> The Little Mermaid Jr. Ketchogue East had two performances of The Little Mermaid Jr. on February 6th and 7th. A lot of the students got involved in the stage crew, set design, and tech crew, and the cast. We performed a small part of the play at the March Board of Ed meeting education meeting. Everyone worked so hard to put this show together. With the directors Miss Barkley and Miss Bristow, we also did a parade and assembly for CE in our costumes
018before our performance. Student Leadership also had a snack stand to raise money for our club. Everything was a dollar. The cast also got t-shirts from the Virtual Enterprise Club at at the high school. Thank you, Miss Nack. >> P.S. I Love You Week. P.S. I Love you week we all went down into the handprint hallway and wrote kind and supportive messages and drawings for people. So when you walk down the hall there was something to encourage you. We also had purple heart quilts and we also had spirit week. Monday was mellow Monday which was PJs, Tuesday was monochromatic day to wear one color. Wednesday was mix match day to express ourselves. Thursday was school spirit to wear CE colors and Friday was PS I love you day which was to wear purple. >> March parent
019teacher conferences. >> At March parent teacher conferences parents came to Kachok East to hear about how their children were doing at school. When they walked in student ambassadors were there to greet them and ask if they knew where they were going. If you did not know where you where to go a student ambassador would take you. There were many students around the whole school. Bilingual student ambassadors supported families. We were happy to help. >> Family math night. >> On March 25th, 2026 CE held a family math night. The theme was March Madness. Everyone was dressed up in their favorite NBA or sports gear. Student leadership held a snack stand to raise money for our club. Everything was a dollar. Some of the booths included a mystery picture crafts and a basketball hoop. Students got stickers
020for all the stations and attended a goody bag at the home fast. >> PTA assembly Mad Science. >> The mad scientist cosmic Chris pulled off some amazing science tricks and cool science experiments on March 27th. He was incredible and had very cool smoke and dry ice experiments, too. He interacted with the audience. There was two assemblies, one for the younger grades and one for the fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Thank you, PTA. >> PTA spring dance Hollywood. >> The PTA spring dance was on Friday, April 17th at Kachok East. The PTA gave students choices for the theme and the chosen one was Hollywood. At the dance, there were there was food, drinks, music, flashing lights, a DJ, and a photo booth. Kindergarten through third grade had their own time and fourth through sixth grade had
021the session after. It was so much fun. >> STEAM night STEAM night and science fair. On April 22nd, Cutchogue East held a STEAM night. Families brought their kids to do science activities and play games. Students also brought in and displayed their science projects for everybody to see. What's coming up? Tuck night, fifth and sixth grade spring concert, Memorial Day weekend, sixth grade moving up ceremony, and field day. >> On behalf of Miss McKillop and I, we would like to thank our Board of Education, our administration, um and Mrs. Brennan, Mrs. Mr. Petretti for allowing us to come to these Board of Ed meetings. The kids did a fantastic job this year and we're so proud of them. Um so we just wanted to say thank you so much. >> Introducing Math Olympiads. Since 1979, Math
022Olympiads for elementary and middle school students has been providing challenges and thought-provoking mathematical problems designed to strengthen students' mathematical skills. Participants in Math Olympiads are located in all 50 states, three US territories, and in 30 countries. And all this year, we have 4,179 teams and approximately 770,000 participants. >> Please welcome Math Olympiad advisors, Mrs. Chieffo and Mrs. Bruen. >> Uh good evening, everyone. Before we begin highlighting these amazing students here tonight, we would like to thank Mr. Patretti, Mrs. Brennan, and the Board of Education for supporting the club this year and hopefully in the years to come. Today we celebrate something truly special. Our elementary students in grades 4 through 6 taking their very first steps into the world of math Olympiads. For many of them, this is more than just a competition. It's a
023new challenge, a new way of thinking, and a chance to discover just how powerful their minds can be. Math Olympiads aren't about memorizing formulas or racing to the right answer. They're about curiosity, creativity, persistence. These students are learning to approach approach problems from different angles, to keep going even when something feels difficult, and to enjoy the process of figuring things out. What makes math Olympia What makes this moment so exciting is not just the math itself, but the confidence these students are building. By stepping outside of their comfort zones, they're learning that it's okay to struggle, to make mistakes, and to grow stronger because of it. The collaboration among these students in the different grade levels was truly inspiring, and having them teach us at times was always a highlight. To all of our young
024participants, this is just the beginning. Whether you solve every problem or just one, you are already succeeding by trying, by thinking deeply, and by showing courage. Let's give them a big round of applause for taking on this challenge and for inspiring all of us with their determination and enthusiasm. >> The Math Olympiad organization recognizes the hard work and dedication of these students through certificates, patches, pins, and the top scorer award. The top two scorers were separated by one point. It was so exciting to see all of these students give their best each time we met. The students will be called up in no particular order except I did arrange it by grade to receive their awards. Pepper Petricka Logan Mulligan >> Come on up, Logan. >> Cody Eisenberg And you can clap. You don't have
025to hold it till the end. Preston Nodler Grady Mann And that is our fourth graders. The fifth graders Alexa Cardwell Gabby Pineda Heramin Heranimo Eliana Mercia Julian Walsh Vanessa Rosa Those are our fifth graders. So on to the sixth graders. Chase Quinn and Matthew Schmidt Lilibeth Dantes John Brush And the next two students are receiving special recognition from um for their performance from the Math Olympiad um organization. Kellen Nodler And our top scorer Aiden Riley >> Congratulations. This is well. Congratulations. Congratulations, you guys. You guys are awesome. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Okay, Mr. Burke, I think you're up. >> Good evening. If I may, I'd like to ask Jay Chen and Ryan Harned to please come forward. You may take pictures at this time. No. Ladies and gentlemen, before you are
026our top two academic performers for the graduating class of 2026. Our valedictorian, Jay Chen, and our salutatorian, Ryan Hardy. Round of applause, please. Both of these gentlemen, we'd like to congratulate. They're incredibly accomplished and well-rounded. Both of these students have demonstrated hard work, dedication, and leadership, which have set them apart from all the all the other students. We are extremely proud of both of these students. They are both well deserving of this honor and recognition. They have demonstrated not only a strong commitment to their academics and involvement in our school community, they exemplify the very best of our Tucker pride, as well as our district's mission statement, where in our school, where we foster learning, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and developing a wide range of perspectives and promoting personal integrity as they prepare to contribute
027to inspire positive changes in the local and global community. In addition to this achievement of the highest academic honors, both Jay and Ryan have made meaningful contributions to the school's life through their involvement in extracurricular activities and leadership roles. If I may, I'd like to talk a little bit about our valedictorian, Mr. Jay Chen. Jay has distinguished himself through exceptional academic and extracurricular achievements. He has served as the president of our national honor society, the vice president of communications for DECA, a member of our highly competitive and nationally length ranked robotics team 870, president and co-founder of the chess club. Jay is also the treasurer of the Leo's Club and has participated in cross country, basketball, and baseball. Jay is also the recipient of the prestigious Dell e-Dell e-Cave award. This is recognizing top Suffolk
028County high school seniors who excel in academics, athletics, as well as community service. Jay is appreciative of his teachers, his coaches, and mentors for guiding him along the way, and pushing him to grow both academically and personally. Jay plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Jay, the Mattituck School District and community community congratulate you on your exceptional accomplishments, and we wish you the best in your future endeavors. Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for Mr. Jay Chun. Ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Harned, salutatorian. Ryan has demonstrated remarkable leadership, dedication, and character throughout his high school career. Ryan has served as a cadet lieutenant in the NJROTC program, where he distinguished himself through his commitment, discipline, and leadership among his peers. He has also competed as a member of both
029the drill and air rifle teams, and is a member of their Blackjack Honor Society. Beyond NJROTC, Ryan is engaged in school and community life. He served as the president of the board gaming club. He's a member of the National Honor Society, and volunteers as a junior firefighter with the Cutchogue Fire Department. Additionally, J um Ryan has been recognized as one of the seniors class top community service volunteers. Ryan embodies the belief that true leadership is not about rank, but about the people you stand beside. A principle he consistently demonstrates in his actions. Ryan has committed to the US Coast Guard Academy, where he plans to study marine and environmental sciences. Ryan, the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District and community would like to congratulate you on your exceptional accomplishments, and we wish you well and continued success in
030your future endeavors. Ladies and gentlemen, the valedictorian, Ryan Harnett. >> One more. >> Oh, oh sorry, Ryan. Oh sorry. Oh, no. >> Okay. Congratulations, Ryan. >> Thank you. >> Do you want to do that now? >> Yes, Scott. >> Yeah. >> I don't know if the other young lady is here. >> No, I don't see her. >> It's okay. Okay. >> There are two additional students uh we would like to recognize this evening. Uh students that have excelled in a career-based competition. Um I know that I see Scott Edgett here. So, Scott, if you wouldn't mind coming forward. And Abigail I There you are. Great. Abigail uh McLone, can you come forward as well? No chairs for you guys. I'm sorry. Okay. So, if you're not familiar, SkillsUSA is like a competition um provided by
031BOCES program uh and it measures the students uh their abilities and skills in an area that they're focused on. Um there are many opportunities and they're measured by people in the industry, in the field, um and it's it's not an easy thing. Um and they these students have represented Mattituck very well. Um I'd like to say that for Abigail, she placed uh in the Animals and Careers category uh at the recent competition. Um Abigail, I'm sorry I missed this question. What exactly was that? Cuz >> Um so it's I am mostly for animal science. >> Yes. >> So basically my career is um based on veterinary things. So I had to like restrain animals like Um I also had to um like identify equipment, grooming tools. Like they could ask me pretty much anything about
032it. >> Very good. You want to go into veterinary or animal >> Yeah, I want >> All right. I didn't have much information on it, so I put her on the spot. She did a wonderful job. Can you please put your hands together for Abigail? I'd like to present this. You can also keep it as well. >> Thank you. >> And you can come forward. >> Thank you. >> Well done. That's fine. Great job. >> Thank you, Abigail. >> Thank you. >> Yes. So uh last night um I had the privilege of being on uh W L I G uh 103.9, which is the spotlight of Long Island schools' radio station. And one of the guests was this gentleman here, Mr. Scott Edgett, uh who represented our school um basically talking about our CTE BOCES
033shared program for carpentry. Um and uh Mr. Scott, you did a great job. It's It's to be aired July 11th, so they have to go through and uh you know, edit and all these things, but uh there's no editing needed for what Scott had said. You really did a great job. You're welcome. So, Scott um was part of our program last year. There were five students, and then the this year, I believe there are eight, and we have slated for 13, maybe even 14 students for the following year. So, this carpentry program uh is really satisfying a need for the community and for the students as a hands-on. Um I'll read what this says, and I apologize I have more knowledge about Mr. Edgett here, cuz I'm down in that department, and I've seen him
034a lot, and uh his personal growth as a young man and what he's doing, uh I share great amount of joy and pride for that, cuz he is just really evolving, and I think a lot has to do with this program as well. Um so, uh Scott's a senior. Um Abigail also recently competed, as I said, um and they competed with top talents across Long Island. Um they had high-pressure challenges designed uh to test their technical expertise and their professional trade. Uh these competitions that I was saying are specific for each of the students um in the industry, and Scott uh actually placed first in the carpentry assistants uh at this year's SkillsUSA regional competition. So, um if we can give a round of applause to Scott Edgett. They received medals. I thought we were
035going to be wearing them. Later, I have to fix his collar. Hold on. Thank you. Okay, Miss Brennan. >> Yeah. >> Pat, do you have any plans in the future for expanding into different areas such as electrical, plumbing, etc.? Cuz I think I think these kind of programs are excellent. >> I I can say we're probably one of the only schools in my in this area that offer welding, that offer small engine. We have a carpentry class besides the shared opportunities that BOCES brings. So, I'm certainly sure I believe there was an opportunity for cooking. >> We're looking at potentially a culinary BOCES program here within the district. And then we did go Miss Finnegan and myself went and visited a program over at Hampton Bays where they're doing early child care as well. So,
036we see those as as the two next areas that we would like to target if we're going to expand our BOCES offerings. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Mrs. Brennan. >> And you, Kenny? >> Oh, yes. >> Yeah. I'm good. >> Yes. Yes. But I think we have other people doing job. Yeah. Yep. Okay. Paula's first. >> Yeah, let's hold on. This Paula Mora, would you mind coming forward? >> Are you going to have a seat? >> I mean Miss Brennan >> She's been standing and teaching all day. She'd like to sit. >> It gives me great pleasure to recommend Paula Mora for tenure as a Spanish teacher in the Mattituck Cutchogue School District. Paula joined our faculty in September 2022 after four successful years teaching Spanish in Hampton Bays. She has brought to our schools
037a rare combination of skill, passion, resilience, and heart. I still remember her demonstration lesson clearly. Paula's use of the immersion model was immediately evident and her energy, enthusiasm for learning, and deep appreciation for the for Spanish language and culture made a lasting impression. From the beginning, it was clear that Paula was not only an excellent teacher, but also an educator whose presence would enrich our school community. Paula's own journey as an educator is inspiring and demonstrates personal strength and perseverance, which we have seen demonstrated by Paula during her time in Mattituck. Originally a teacher in Columbia, she brought with her deep understanding of Spanish instruction rooted in culture, history, literature, and critical thinking. Her decision to continue her professional journey in the United States earning another another bachelor's degree and continuing to grow as an
038educator here reflects her persever- perseverance and lifelong commitment to teaching. She has carried that rich perspective into her work with our students every day. Paula's connection to Mattituck runs deeper than her current service. During her student teaching experience at Mattituck High School, she found the work both challenging and enriching and she spoke with deep appreciation about the mentorship and support she received. Even after completing her student teaching here, she returned to the district years later and always felt like she was coming home. That sense of connection speaks volumes about both Paula and the culture of care she found here. Since joining the district, Paula has made meaningful contributions in both the elementary and high school settings, working with students in grades four, five, and six as well as older students at Mattituck High School. Her
039ability to adapt instruction to meet the needs of learners at such different developmental stages reflects her strong instructional skill and professional versatility. Paula creates a welcoming and engaging classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks, build confidence, and develop a genuine interest in language learning. She has high expectations for all in student all students and provides thoughtful targeted support to meet the needs of both native speakers and students new to Spanish language and culture. Paula's classroom is a place where students feel valued, respected, and encouraged to be themselves. She understands that language learning requires trust, encouragement, and active engagement, and she consistently fosters those qualities through her teaching. Her focus on both language and culture helps students develop a deeper understanding of the Hispanic world while building foundational and advanced language skills. >> My
040turn. We have the privilege of uh sharing and also getting to know Paula I do at least for the last 2 years, but um I wrote this, but I have so much to just say to you personally. Uh I'll save it for the end. But if I may, the high school perspective for what you've done for us uh has been amazing. She consistently demonstrates student first mindset in everything she does. She is someone that gives of herself willingly. Always approaches situations with an attitude of if you need me, I'm available and I'm happy to help. And we have needed you over the last 2 years and you've stepped up on both occasions with no reservation. Throughout this transitional period and some changes, her support, flexibility, and professionalism has been greatly appreciated and should be commended.
041I am grateful for her understanding and continued support of the LOTE program and for the quality of educational opportunities she provides for our students, including the ability for students to earn the dual credit through Stony Brook University. She has made a significant impact on our school community and we are very fortunate to have her as part of our district. And I can say, because my office is close to where Paola is, there's not a night or an afternoon that goes by that she'll walk by my office, stop, look in, and then she'll give an assessment of how I'm doing, and then she'll come in and say, "Okay, Mr. Burke, I'm going home now, but I can see this wasn't a good day, so this is what you're going to do." She's just always positive, always
042loving, and always giving her of herself, and we are very fortunate to have her. So, please, a huge round of applause for her being part of this district. A standing ovation, I love that. So, with that, we uh both strongly recommend uh that Paola Moore be uh received for tenure. Picture time, yes. No chair. >> Thank you to everybody. >> But wait, there's more. Uh Michelle Kotch, can you please come forward? >> If you want to sit up straight, then >> Okay. >> You're welcome. So, the formality of reading the things is we make sure we're not, you know, missing any points. Um but, this is another just a a quality spectacular person uh in my 2 years uh coming up to uh wow, that's all I'm going to say. But, I'm going to go
043through this, and then I'm going to expand a little bit. It is my absolute pleasure to recommend Ms. Koch for tenure. Ms. Koch took a path into education that was not necessarily traditional, but it has proven to be incredibly beneficial for Mattituck School District. We first had the opportunity to work with her as a substitute teacher, where she's supported a variety of classrooms and grade levels. And during that time, she developed her skills, identified where she would be most effective, and found where she could make a great impact as an educator. One of the things that stands out most about Ms. Koch is the perspective and the care that she brings to the profession every day. Her experiences prior to entering education have helped her shape the way she works with students and colleagues. She
044brings maturity, patients, and consistency to the classroom, and students respond to her very positively. Ms. Koch has become an important part of our school community. She works closely with our ICT teachers. She provides strong support for our ENL students. She is collaborative, reflective about her practice, and always looking for ways to improve instruction and better support students. When speaking with her co-teachers and colleagues, the feedback is consistent. She is dedicated, professional, caring, and someone who people enjoy working alongside. She puts students first and approaches her work with a positive attitude each and every day. Beyond the classroom, Ms. Kotch also contributes in many ways to our school community. She is a co-advisor of our Sunshine Club, helps create a positive environment for our staff, and she also coaches track, volleyball, and tennis. Those experiences allow
045her to build strong relationships with students outside the classroom, as well. And I spoke uh at length with different people that work with Ms. Kotch, and then I met with her individually uh on a few occasions. And there's this quote that um I have made like part of my educational DNA, and I can't think of a person that exemplifies this more. And it is uh Dr. Maya Angelou that said this, and I know that you should know what I'm about to say. Students are never going to remember what you taught them. They're only going to remember how you made them feel. I don't know a single person, a single student that would have anything but the kindest words to say about her as a person and as an educator. She has truly There's not a
046day where I see her, talk to her, with that she's not at this level positivity and happiness and students first. So, it is with no reservation, and uh I go before the board and say, "Please, I support and recommend, and please acknowledge with a round of applause, uh Michelle Kotch for tenure." >> So, Mary >> Hi. Hi, everybody. Um Joanne um is not able to be here tonight, but I just thought I'd share um my sentiments with you. So, it is my privilege to speak tonight in recognition of teaching assistant Joanne Dunn, and to recommend her for tenure in the Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District. Joanne joined our district 4 years ago, bringing with her more than 20 years of experience working at AHRC, where she supported adults and individuals with diverse abilities. From the
047moment she arrived, Joanne became an essential part of our special education team. Whether working in a variety of classroom settings, supporting students throughout multiple buildings across the district, or participating in our extended school year program, Joanne approaches every responsibility with professionalism, compassion, and unwavering dedication. Joanne's work extends far beyond daily support. She skillfully assists students in activities of daily living, academics, communication, and social-emotional development. She has developed a strong expertise in the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices, helping students find their voices and express their wants, needs, ideas, and personalities. She thoughtfully implements prompting strategies that encourage independence, while always meaning maintaining dignity and respect for each child. What makes Joanne especially remarkable is the joy she brings to her students every day. One student shared, "Mrs. Dunn is fabulous, silly, nice, and exciting."
048She especially loves singing and participating in music activities with Ms. Dunn. Another student said, "Ms. Dunn is beautiful and she is fun. She gives good hugs. We like to talk about what we're eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." And finally, another student said, she works with um another student she works with enjoys working on the iPad with her, playing sports with her, and taking walks together on the track. These words from students speak more powerfully than anything we could say tonight. They reflect the relationships Joanne has built and the lasting impact she has had on the students she serves every single day. Joanne's kindness, positivity, flexibility, and dedication have made a significant difference in our school community and it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I support her for Joanne Dunn for tenure. So,
049congratulations to Joanne. I hope that you're listening from home um and this recognition is really well deserved. She's amazing. >> So, our baseball team must be in extra innings. Cuz I see Mr. Tardif's not here. >> Watching the game change your live stream right now and we are in the bottom of the ninth extra innings four to four with two outs. So, it looks like we could possibly be going into the 10th in a second. >> Okay. Well, we'll ask Drew to stand up for him. I There you go. No, you got to come up, Drew. There's a champ. On his behalf. >> So, Joe Tardif Joe Tardif began his formal education in September of 2003 as a kindergarten student at Cotchaug East Elementary School and has been a proud Tucker ever since. Joe graduated
050Mattituck High School in 2016. I first met Joe when he was in sixth grade shortly after I began working here in 2009. Even in sixth grade at At he was already on the radar as a as a standout athlete whom coaches were eagerly anticipating. Upon entering junior high school, Joe quickly established himself as a highly skilled athlete, and by eighth grade, he was selectively classified in soccer, basketball, and baseball. Throughout his high school career, Joe earned numerous all-county, all-league, all-state honors across all three all three sports. In the fall 2014, he was a key member of the boys soccer team that captured the New York State Championship. That same school year, in the spring of 2015, his baseball team also won a New York State Championship, and winning became a defining part of Joe's athletic
051journey. Following graduation, Joe pursued a physical education and health degree while playing baseball at SUNY Cortland. During his time there, he established himself as one of the program's top performers, currently holding the fifth highest on-base percentage in Cortland State history at a 526. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the NCAA and placed spring season in uncertainty, Joe made the decision to forego his final year of eligibility and return home and join the Mattituck physical education and health department. Since then, he has taught um physical education and health at both Cutchogue East Elementary School and Mattituck High School, and currently serves as a full-time physical education teacher at Cutchogue East. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Joe has coached girls soccer, girls basketball, boys basketball, and baseball, giving back to the district that helped shape him. He
052continues to grow professionally and is currently pursuing further education through the Stony Brook School School District Administrator's Program. Joe understands what it means to be a Tucker. He embodies the values of this community and is a tremendous asset to our district. I'm honored to have him as part of our team and wholeheartedly recommend him for his tenure. Thank you. >> On behalf of the board, congratulations to all of you. We're very, very proud. Okay, we're up to the ex-officio student report. Sorry it took so long. It's hard to sit there and wait your turn, I know. >> Good evening to members of the board, administration, and community. I'm proud to share some exciting student accomplishments from the past few weeks. At SkillsUSA, our students competed against some of the best in the state and brought
053home several medals. Another congratulations to Scott Edgett and Abigail McGlone. Our students are also finishing AP exams, showcasing the hard work they've all put in all year. The high school theater program recently put on Lost Girl, highlighting the talent and dedication of our performers and crew. Our cadets represented us at the Ben Cardozo Queens Field Day competition, receiving several awards. Our juniors took part in a job shadow experience, learning different career paths for future jobs. Along with that, Team Rice finished fourth out of our 60 teams with an impressive 6-2 record. That's our robotics team. Um lastly, seven of our seniors attended the Youth Summit conference at the Javits Center, where they proudly represented Mattituck at the Virtual Enterprise Trade Show. As we celebrate these achievements, we are also looking forward to prom coming up
054soon. An exciting milestone for our students as they create many lasting memories and celebrate the end of the school year together. These accomplishments show how talented, hardworking, and driven our students truly are. Thank you. >> Okay. Board of Education Committee reports, Mr. Cooper. >> Uh thank you, Pat. We met and went over a number of items. Let's start with we'll be doing a tick spray. We have a in-house staff member that is licensed and will be spraying with this organic cedar oil applications. We went over maintenance projects. Basements in the junior high and the high school have been painted floors and walls. Also in the boiler room. We had a wall start to fail in the hallway over here a couple of months ago and that has been fixed. It goes back to I believe
055to the original building. >> 34, yeah. >> 34. And it was letting go from the cement blocks. And that was done in-house. Well, painting the high school kitchen is in progress. All of storage containers have been painted. Our our truck shed and we had a roof put on the truck shed. We have gone over our safety data sheets for our chemicals and a clean sweep and we've gotten rid of the ones we don't need, don't use. All the chemicals are cataloged cataloged and updated with the science department. And the art department chemicals will be cataloged and updated prior to the end of the school year. We had an application or request uh to put a design on our lower ball field. Um >> The basketball court. >> At the the basketball court. >> Mhm. >>
056We're looking at that. Um we're we're seeking more information. That's up in the air at the moment. We have 20 AEDs in the district and we're putting new pads on them. Uh an update into the 5-year facilities plan was conducted and included in a meeting with our architect. We are in good shape and are aware of any We are not aware of any concerns. One area being the boilers. Our boilers go back to the original school building and at some point will need to be replaced, but they're they're doing well. They're very good. Probably better than anything you can buy today. Um Patrick, our principal, would like to to redo our our our um guidance suite and we're going to be looking at that. We We don't know what the cost would be, but uh
057that that may be something we'll be doing. And that's basically it, Pat. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, I'm next. Um I was going to do it at the end like you told me. You want to do it now? We're going to make a a motion to go back to the treasurer's report for February and March and the financial statements of May 2026. I need a motion. >> I'll make a motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> All in favor. >> Yep. Thank you. Okay, Charlie. >> All good. >> Okay. Okay, personnel and negotiations. Um as you've saw, we had our tenure appointments this evening. You'll see appointments for summer CSEs and extended school year appointments. And we're almost finished with the contract for the assistant to the superintendent and the district clerk.
058Now, we're on to new business. Okay, I need a motion to accept donations. >> So moved. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> I'd like to read them. Accept a donation in the amount of a thousand dollars from Sacred Heart Parish to support the wellness room at Ketchum East Elementary School. Accept a donation in the amount of 2500 from Cold Mechanical Corporation to support the 2027 Music in the Parks trip. To accept a mini grant in the amount of 500 from the Mattituck-Cutchogue PTSA to support the Bushwick Collective tour and Graph Lab studio art trip for the 2025-2026 school year. Any discussion? >> Thank you. All in favor? >> Yep. >> Okay, I need a motion to approve the resignations, terminations, leave of absences, and reductions. >> Make a motion. >> I need a
059second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> Yep. >> I need a motion to approve the personnel items C through C1 through C62 as presented in the attached list. >> I make motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> Yep. >> You have a question? >> No. >> Okay. Resolutions. I need a motion to approve resolutions A through L. >> Make a motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Okay. Audience communication. Anyone in the audience have anything they want to say? You sure Michelle you have nothing to say? How about Greg? You have nothing? >> Thank you for the kind words. >> Aw, thank you. Okay, um I need a motion to adjourn. >>
060Make the motion. >> I need a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Yes. Goodnight, everybody. >> Goodnight. >> Congratulations.