001Welcome to the March 18th board meeting. We'll stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and we'd we'd like to ask her Patasky to lead us in 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 and justice for all. Our national anthem will be sung by Emma Lopez, member of the Symphonic Choir, and a 2026 All-Star vocalist, and Julie Grant, member of the Oceanside High School Symphonic Choir. Oh, say [singing] can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's [singing] last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright [singing] stars through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets' red glare, THE BOMBS
002BURSTING IN AIR, GAVE proof through the night that our flag was still there. [singing] Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE? >> [applause] >> PLEASE REMAIN PLEASE REMAIN STANDING uh for a moment silence uh for our natural county police officers, our um doctors, our um nurses, and also for John Miro, who was a natural county police uh crossing guard in Merrick that tragically lost his life uh helping children. And our troops overseas. Okay, everyone, please see Please be seated. I only had uh Emma Lopez. Who the second person? >> That's Julie Grant. Julie Grant, we got it? Okay, great. All right, thank you. Thanks, Julie. At this particular time, um we have Brian uh Ruluzzo, who's our um student board rep, who's
003also a member of this uh Board of Trustees on the government side. So, Brian, if you'd like to take over the meeting. Yeah, thank you. Uh I would like to invite up uh Nako Powell, Jeremiah McDowell, and Macy Bronner. All right. So, uh to start first, we had our senior fashion show that was recently held in the gym. It was very well attended by students, staff, and families. It provided a meaningful opportunity to celebrate our seniors as they approach graduation while showcasing their creativity, confidence, and individuality. Overall, it was a fun and uplifting event that highlighted strong school spirit and brought the community together. Something that would not have been possible without the efforts from the 2026 fashion show committee, Snider's Formal Wear, and the Board of Education. Me, Macy, Matt, and Mr. Reisner had
004the opportunity to attend the Long Island Regional Student Forum, where students from public high schools across the island came together to discuss important issues impacting their schools and communities. We participated in conversations focused on topics such as mental health, school environment, career and future planning, and overall student experiences. The forum also gave us the chance to collaborate with students and administrators from other districts, allowing us to share how our school operates while learning how others approach similar challenges. Overall, it was an eye-opening and meaningful experience that we are excited to bring back to our school community. Senior trip ticket sales are currently underway for the class of 2026 trip to Six Flags Great Adventure on June 3rd, 2026. Tickets are priced at $130 and can be purchased online through MySchoolBucks from March 2nd through March
00524th or in person on March 19th and March 24th in the main lobby from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Permission slips are available in the main office and must be submitted to attend. Please note that all students uh must be in good standing eligibility to attend. Sport Night was successfully held with strong student participation across all competitions, performances, and activities. Students demonstrated teamwork and school pride throughout the event, and the coordination between participants, advisors, and staff contributed to the well-run event. It was a positive reflection of student involvement in the school community with the blue team earning the victory. Human Relations Day will take place on March 25th and will provide students with meaningful opportunities to engage in discussions and activities focused on inclusivity, respect, and understanding within our school community. Throughout the day, students will
006participate in workshops and conversations designed to promote empathy, highlight diverse perspectives, This event continues to be an important part of fostering a positive and supportive school climate across the district. The district-wide Arts Festival will be held on March 31st at 7:00 and will show showcase the talents of students from across the district. The event will feature a wide range of student work, including visual art displays and other creative presentations. It serves as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate student achievement in the arts while bringing together families, staff, and community members in support of our students' creativity and expression. Spring break will begin on April 2nd with all students returning to school on April 13th. This break provides students and staff with a well-deserved opportunity to rest and recharge after a busy stretch of the school
007year. It also allows time for students to prepare for the final months of the academic year, including upcoming assessments, events, and end-of-year activities. The final amend The final mandatory prom meeting will take place on April 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Any student who did not attend the previous meeting and plans to attend prom is required to be present. Important information regarding expectations, logistics, and event details will be re- reviewed, and any necessary materials will be distributed. Attendance is essential to ensure that all students are fully prepared for the event. Thanks for having us. >> [applause] >> Thank you, and uh at this time, I would like to invite up the School Number Five Student Government. Good evening, Oceanside community. My name is Joseph Perez, and I'm the student School Five Student Council President.
008I'm joined today by my fellow officers, Ava Biondo, Vice President, Grace Fanning, Treasurer, Marco Bedini, Secretary. Our historian, Savannah Hennessey, couldn't be here tonight, but she's a big part of the officer team as well. We are excited to be here this evening to share updates about our School Five School Five and the meaningful accomplishments of our student council this year. Our students, while actively engaging with their community, we believe that every student and family member of School Five deserves to feel welcomed, valued, and connected within our school community. One of our most exciting tasks this year was helping update the school lunch menu. We had the opportunity to work with Ms. Jennifer Kelly, our cafeteria operations manager, to do so. We surveyed the students across the building to identify their their favorite food and preference
009preferences. Together, we introduced a variety of new menu options, such as raviolis, empanadas, and hot dogs. We hope that our school's excited as we try these new tasty lunch options. This year, the Student Council also hosted our fourth annual Winter Ball for our fifth and sixth graders. We are also looking forward to planning our first our fourth annual Spring Fling Special Persons Dance for our first through fourth graders. These dances are true highlights of the school year, and we take great pride in planning and volunteering to make them memorable for every student. Student Council also served as a student as student ambassadors at our Family Fun and Fitness Night, helping families navigate between stations and enjoy a wide variety of athletic events activities from mind and body games and obstacle courses to dance, soccer, and
010Gaga Ball. Seeing our School Five community come together for an ev- evening of wellness and fun is always incredibly rewarding. In just a few weeks, we will be holding a Hoops for Hunger March Madness event, where we have the goal to collect over 1,000 food items to donate to the Oceanside Food Pantry. We love giving back to our community and helping those that are in need. Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate our local heroes during Nurses Week and Police Week. The Student Council will deliver handmade cards, hot pretzels, and treats for the to the nurses at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, and will visit the precinct to deliver pizzas and donuts. We truly appreciate our local heroes, and we love celebrating them during these special weeks. To further foster a positive and welcoming school
011environment, our Student Council has also established a safety patrol. Our dedicated student volunteers are arrive early in each morning wearing bright yellow safety vests to greet students as they enter the building. Through friendly conversations and enthusiastic high fives, our safety patrol members help ensure that every student arrives at class safely while feeling valued and welcomed from the moment they step through the door our doors. All Lastly, one of our favorite parts of student council is that we get to hold our monthly Starbucks Cafe in the mornings, which is always a hit. The Starbucks Cafe was created by Michaela Mason, a past student council member who is now at Oceanside Middle School. This event invites all school five students to come in before school and grab a breakfast, snacks, taco milk while cozying up with a
012good book and friends. Plus, it's a great chance to shop at the school store. Everyone looks forward to Starbucks Cafe each month as it's a wonderful way to connect students from different classes and grades. We want to say a big thank you to the administration team and the Board of Education for letting us share what we've been up to this year. We've had an amazing time highlighting all the cool things we've accomplished at School Five. And we want to wait to do even more next year. Thanks for supporting student leadership and our community. Have a fantastic night. >> [applause] >> I hold on one second. So, I want to know more about that Starbucks. Are you guys all getting shots of espresso in there, are you? No. Starbucks? Oh, Starbucks. Yeah. Okay. Just want to
013make sure we're not getting shots. And the other thing, can you just go back to the South Nassau You went over that quickly and I just just slow it down a little bit. What are you doing exactly with South Nassau because I think that's important and So, so go ahead. Uh we're giving them pretzels and treats to the nurses. That's very commendable. Excellent. You ran right over that and that's something that should be out there. So, round of applause for these kids giving pretzels. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Thank you, guys. And of course, your principal. At this particular time, we're at C, presentation of fall of famed uh certificate established by the Oceanside Union Free School District, April 19th, 1973. Dr. Hamilton. Yes, thank you, Mr. D. So, uh in my quest to um
014clean as I go through these uh bouts every now and then, I came across an official letter from the State Education Department that I thought was worthy of presenting to our our board president and the Board of Education so because it's something I think you just want to hold on to and and and and um memorialize. So, Mr. Blau, correct me if I'm wrong, but that the district uh 11 was established in 1899. Is that correct? The No. >> [laughter] >> No, the the District number 11, Town of Hempstead, was actually established in the early 1800s. It turned into a common um free school district in the mid-1900s and in 1899 became Union Free School District number 11. >> That is absolutely correct. So, it was known as that uh District 11 uh all the
015way until 1973 and I was actually surprised that that was you know current time as far as I was concerned. So, in 1973, April 19th, 1973 this Board of Education uh received the certificate that says that it pursuant to the Ed Law 315, it hereby certifies that the legal name of the school district formally known as Union Free School District 11 of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, has been changed officially to the Oceanside Union Free School District effective April 19th, 1973. Um so, it it was a out further ado, I present it to you, Mr. D'Ambrosio, and I'd love to be able to say we're going to hang it in our board in our board room. It has a place of history. This is excellent and the fact that we got set a little
016bit uh stumbled a little bit was worth more than anything else, but this is is very nice and we'll put it in our uh in our board room and anybody would like to come up and take a look at it. We'll take a picture of it and put it on our website. Oh, that's a great idea. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Dr. Hamilton. I'd like to move on to D now, Middle School Recognition Month, uh SED Civic Readiness. Dr. Hamilton and Mr. Provida. So, May uh May, excuse me, March is Middle School um uh Recognition Month and you know all of that we have an amazing middle school that we are so very proud of and we can never uh end to to highlight the special things going on at our middle school. So, we
017have two different things uh very brief that we thought we could share with you that we are incredibly proud of. First is a self-made video by members of the middle middle school staff. Um it was a little bit longer because so many people wanted to share their feelings. We truncated it for the purpose of time, but it was it it is it is with great pride that I offer the middle school uh video of a source of pride about our Oceanside Middle School. 3 minutes, 16 seconds. I don't think there's [music] a more important job than that of a middle school educator. These kids [music] need us um now more than ever. When they come in seventh grade, they're nervous and they don't know what to expect [music] and after the two years being here,
018they leave confident and ready for high school. Teaching middle school is like having access to the fountain of youth. Every day you get to relive what it was like to be 13, [music] 14, all the craziness and um it just keeps you grounded. As a counselor, I get to be [music] the person that helps guide them through this process and find out who they really are and it's a real magical part of my life. You get to see firsthand on how your encouragement impacts how they view themselves and how they view their futures. We get to interact and hear things and learn things >> [music] >> and pretty much have the best time of my life all with my students. Middle schoolers, they are just lovingly chaotic in the best ways possible. 28 years later,
019I'm still here because the kids just make my day. [music] What I love the most about teaching middle school is how eager the kids are to try something new um and also how excited they are to come to [music] school in the morning. Kids' personalities are always entertaining. They're funny, they're energetic, and they're creative. I think the absolute best [music] part is I feel lucky, you get to make stories with them and if you're really lucky, you get to be part of their stories. This is the time when they're really going to find out who they are, what they believe in, and how they view [music] the world. And getting to be a part of that and helping guide them through the process of thinking critically and asking questions and discovering things about themselves and
020getting that confidence that they'll need to go about the rest of their lives is just something I really love being a part of. There's nothing better than receiving a note at the end of the year or an email or even years later from a student in high school saying, "Thank you so much for believing in me. I get to be myself. [music] I get to say dad jokes, act silly. There are so many opportunities to make mistakes and fail, but the best part about it is learning from our failures, making those improvements, and really just seeing all your hard work come to fruition. Middle school can be really hard and I know it definitely was for me and it is for some of our kids here as well. So, the fact that we're able to
021provide [music] that support and often times that comfort to help them become who they are is the most gratifying and rewarding feeling. What I love most about teaching middle school is the people. Uh the adults and the kids get two years together [music] to be a part of something together and I think that's really valuable and incredible. It makes me feel alive. Easy, it's the students. They're always so [music] much fun and every day is exciting. How lucky am I that I get to do this every day? Each day is different and exciting. I love everything. >> [music] >> There's not one thing that I don't love about a middle school student. Getting to know all the kids and not [music] just academically, but all the different interests that they have and getting that two-year
022relationship with them that you probably don't get in a lot of other schools. [music] I love being in Oceanside Middle School. There's so much change going on in their lives. It's amazing to see the growth and the independence [music] that they gain in middle school and it's exciting to be a part of that. Gracias. >> [applause] >> So, obviously, we are incredibly proud of our amazing middle school under the leadership of Dr. Glickman Rogers and her team of people and the teachers that really do make it happen. So, we wanted to be able to share that with you. But, you know, that's that's the way we can look at it locally, but it and that's very special, but it is incredibly special when we are recognized at a level beyond uh the local local area
023and I'm so very proud that um the State Education Department put out requests for examples of the way their work and direction in civic readiness was being implemented across the state, the entire state of New York, and how proud were we when one of our own students at OMS was selected to have her work highlighted directly on the State Education Department website um to share her project in civic readiness. And we just wanted to show you specifically, as you can see directly on the State Education Department website, um they're talking about Civic Learning Week and it's Oceanside Middle School student Ava Restivo, her teacher Sam Herman, and her title Silence in the Labs Give Animals a Voice. And now this is on, as you can see, the official State Education Department recognized uh and it's
024there so that other school districts can use it as a model and to um learn from the best. So, again, kudos to her teacher, Sam, to Miss Mr. Bickman, of course, OMS, of course, to Ava. We thank her for allowing Oceanside to shine in such a very special way. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> You know, you know, just looking at that video, it just shows you that, you know, we do have teachers, but the quality of teachers that we have, not only in middle school, but everything else. And I'm proud to say that we have Gavin uh, right in our audience, who's president of the OFT. And with our staff and our teachers, and you could just see just by that simple video of those teachers, what they have, and what they give to our students.
025And the needs that they supply to our students. And it's ain't back in the '70s or the '80s or even the '90s. And this is now where we got to treat each student the way it is. And kudos to our OFT for providing that service for our children. And that makes us different from all the rest of these school districts. And I still believe we do have the best teachers in Oceanside. So, a kudos to you, Gavin, and and your entire staff. At this particular time, speaking of students, introduction of our valedictorian and our salutatorian, Dr. Harrington. Dr. Harrington? Thank you, Mr. D. So, I can't believe we're here already, um, because it just really does feel like just yesterday when I had the pleasure and the honor of of this very special, um, event
026each year. Because each year we identify a salutatorian and a valedictorian. We have some some amazing, amazing students. And, um, to reach this pinnacle is really something very, very special. And we like to take it so special that we want to introduce those very special students to our our Board of Education, of course, and to our entire school community. So, I would like to begin by asking Joebelle Angelitude to join me at the podium. >> [applause] >> So, it is my pleasure to recognize Joebelle Angelitude who has been named the salutatorium of Oceanside High School class of 2026. Let me tell you a little bit about Joebelle. She is truly one of the most exceptional students in this graduating class. She has consistently challenged herself with the most rigorous academic program available, earning perfect scores
027in multiple advanced courses, and demonstrating outstanding intellectual curiosity and dedication. During her senior year alone, Joebelle is enrolled in four advanced placement courses, including AP Government and Economics with mentoring, which is an invitation-only class where seniors mentor freshmen and help support their academic and personal development. Joebelle is not only academically gifted, but also a natural leader. She serves as president of Mu Alpha Theta and president of Mathletes, where she has helped raise over $1,500 for charitable causes. She is also a dedicated musician, having performed as a cellist in the Oceanside High School orchestra for 4 years, and as a member of the Chamber Orchestra. Joebelle is deeply committed to service. As a volunteer at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, she has contributed over 100 hours in just 2 months, bringing positivity and compassion to patients,
028visitors, and staff. Joebelle also co-founded a nonprofit organization called Kindness Kits, which provides toiletry and comfort items for patients at Mount Sinai. Through this initiative, the organization has donated more than 500 kits to patients to help make their hospital stays a little more comfortable. In addition to her academic and volunteer commitments, Joebelle has balanced school with part-time employment. Beyond the classroom, she's been involved in badminton, Science Olympiad, Asian Culture Club, and the National Honor Society, further reflecting her wide range of range of interest and commitment to the school community. Teachers consistently describe Joebelle as brilliant, conscientious, and most importantly, kind, noting her ability to uplift those around her with her positive attitude and genuine care for others. She represents the very best of Oceanside High School, academic excellence, leadership, service, and character. So, on behalf
029of our entire school district, it is my my pleasure as the school superintendent to congratulate and introduce Joebelle Angelitude, salutatorium of the class of 2026. >> [applause] >> Oh, I forgot one very important thing. Miss Previto will be very upset with me if I didn't say this. Joebelle was a school FIVE STUDENTS. >> [laughter] >> YES, PLEASE. CAN YOU JUST WAIT THERE? OKAY, thank you, Joebelle. So, now, it is my pleasure to introduce and ask Max Greenberg to join me at the podium. >> [applause] >> Congratulations, Max. So, Max Greenberg is officially the 2026 valedictorian in Oceanside High School. Maxwell, yes, he deserves an applause. He is easily one of the most exceptional students in that graduating class. He has consistently challenged himself with the most rigorous academic program available, earning perfect scores in multiple
030advanced courses, and demonstrating outstanding intellectual curiosity and dedication. In his senior year, Max is enrolled in six advanced placement courses, also including AP Government and Economics with mentoring. Max is not only a phenomenal student, but a natural-born leader as well. He serves as the vice president of the World Interest Club, helping lead the club to numerous awards through their competitions at Princeton and Harvard. Maxwell also serves as president of the Science Olympiad Club, and is a student ambassador for Slate. Maxwell is a member of our school's National Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, Math Honor Society, English Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, Thespian Honor Society, Business Honor I didn't realize we had so many honor societies. Business Honor Society, and is a member of our school's Scholar
031Athletes and Service to Others Honor Society. Maxwell has climbed the ranks in his personal journey also through the Boy Scouts, earning the prestigious Eagle Scout honor. Maxwell founded Stay Fraud Free, which is an organization that presents to the community centers around Long Island, teaching senior citizens how to avoid online scams. For this initiative, Maxwell personally coded and developed a website to help with the mission of ensuring no seniors become victims of fraud. Maxwell has dedicated his time outside of school to mentoring and tutoring our middle school ENL students at the Oceanside Public Library. During this endeavor, Maxwell has helped countless students gain a library card. He is a three-sport varsity athlete, and an integral member of our high school's golf, swimming, and track and field teams. While maintaining stellar grades and incredible involvement throughout our
032school and community, Maxwell also managed to maintain an internship with the Town of Hempstead government this past summer. Max has been a 4-year member of our school's Bridges program, connecting with other local students in Uniondale to volunteer and discuss differing perspectives on race and growing up on Long Island. And that's what I'm going to ask you. That's what I'm going to ask you. Maxwell has committed to Harvard University for the fall of 2026, one of the first Harvard commits to come out of Oceanside for many years. He was also chosen as one of 100 students nationally to receive the Air Force full tuition ROTC scholarship. He is represents the very best of Oceanside High School, and it is my great, great pleasure to introduce Maxwell Greenwell Greenberg to the Oceanside school community. >> [applause] >>
033Joebelle is not committed yet. I'm sure she's got lots and lots and lots of of different choices. So, come stand up next to Max, please. Do you want to take a Do you want to take a picture? Okay, great. That's a good grab shot. No, no, we're going to do that later. So, so, what I want to share with the two of you, and and with our community, we it's very, very clear how hard you have worked and what you've done to deserve this very special distinction. But, we all know that you don't do it do it alone. And, um, there are important people that are behind these young people, their families. And one of the things I I believe and and have become fond of doing is is in in in turn giving to
034our salutatorian and valedictorian this year these beautiful plants because I want them to then in turn give them to their significant others, their parents because it is a sign of what they have done to plant the seeds to help these young people grow into the beautiful people they have become. And I'm hoping that your families will be able to watch these beautiful flowers continue to grow as we also watch you continue to grow in anything you put your mind to. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> Oh, and and sorry Miss Prevedello, Dobler is a school for students. >> [laughter] >> Max, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Maxwell is a school for students. We've got school four and school five in the house. Congratulations. At this particular time we're on F on a policy review update, our first reading
035and Mrs. Scholl, can you please take us through that? Yep. This as Mr. D'Ambrosio said excuse [clears throat] me, this is the first reading of several policies. Uh I'm what I'll do is I'll go down one at a time. Um the first one is 5500 and in that's on Nisba's policy which comes from their policy department and their attorneys. And it it coincides with Oceanside School District Policy 3116 on student records. Policy 3116 was reviewed and revised using Nisba's sample policy updates. Uh changes better reflect the district's responsibilities under Education Law 2D and its regulation part 121. Now at uh I did have one question that came from one of our board members. Do you want to uh ask the question, Mr. Kaplan? Thank you, Mrs. You're welcome. Thank you, Mrs. Scholl. Uh looking through
036the policy, just so we're clear, uh item six sub section E it um it talks about motorized items uh such as e-bikes and so forth. We're not on that policy. Oh, I'm sorry. 3116. I'm reading my own notes. Student records. I'm I'm in a different order here. Student access to records. My apologies. Student access to educational records. When does a parent lose access to their student's record? When they become when the student becomes 18? When the student becomes 18, they can make a decision to keep their parents out, you know, not being aware of what their records are, but they they have that choice at 18. But unless they do that, the parents, as long as they are students of ours, will have access to their student's records. >> So they have the student has
037to opt out basically by opting Opt the parents out. Yeah, [laughter] I guess so. Opt the parents out at that point. >> Yes, we we we really don't have that issue here, but that's a great question. We're talking about the rights of parents and students and their records. I just wanted it to be clear for us as we're going to pass a policy. >> of our students are not 18, you know, before they even graduate >> Graduate. Well, some are. I know a lot are. Okay. But they would have to sign a legal document. Uh they have to notify the school. You know, I don't know >> Notify the school. They have to sign something that that requires And then we have to share that with the parents and tell them that. Yeah. >> would
038share it with the parents, so it's not that the parent is left in the dark and notified that the the student has requested that. Okay. Any other board member got any questions on it? All right. I'm going to move along. Um the next policy is 5550 by Nisba under student privacy under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, the PPRA. Uh in our manual it's 5119.1 Parent Bill of Rights. Policy 5119.1 was reviewed and revised under Nisba's policy updates. Section 5119.2 was added to better align with the federal Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment regarding parent and guardian notification and to reflect the district's options for parents and guardians to opt in or opt out of any surveys that are done in the district, specifically the ones that are outlined in items one through eight of the
039policy if you uh want to take a closer look. And these policies are up on our website. Is there any questions from the board regarding 5550? Yes. Mr. Kaplan? On this particular policy under surveys, uh we don't uh the policy doesn't specifically define a survey. Um is it only surveys applying to these eight categories or does this apply to any survey distributed by the school or even a club um of the of the school district? This policy applies to surveys that gather any of those specific pieces of information in items one through eight. Great. Thank you. Okay. >> Okay. Item >> Any other board members? Okay. Mrs. Scholl? Yep. The next item is item number 8635 in Nisba which is information and data privacy, security breach and notification. Information and data privacy, security breach and
040notification is identical with our Policy 5119 was reviewed and revised using Nisba's policy updates. This policy covers the requirements of several state laws and regulations regarding data privacy and security applicable to school districts. Education Law 2D and part 121. State Technology Law 208 and Labor Law 203D. These laws are addressed separately within this policy. Is there any questions from any of the board members on 8635? Just a comment I would add, Mr. D, just to remind the community, the board is very well aware that we actually have a director of data and assessment and and data privacy which is Melissa O'Leary, so she monitors all of this very, very, very carefully because the private personal information for students is is very important to us. I mean, it's legally we're legally bound, but it is also
041something we take very seriously and we have someone specifically works just on that. Very good. Thank you, Dr. Harrington. Mrs. Scholl? Yes, the next Nisba policy was 8130, School Safety Plans and Teams. It corresponds with 6608 of the Oceanside School District School Safety Plan and Teams. The policy 6608 was reviewed and kept as is. Any board member have any questions regarding that? Dr. Coley, do you have anything you want to add on the district survey? No, sir. No, okay. Go ahead, Mrs. Scholl. Policy 8505 from Nisba charging meals and other food items corresponds with 6703 from the school district, selling prices, meal charging and prohibition against meal shaming policy. Policy 6703 was reviewed and kept as is. Any questions from the board regarding 8505? Mrs. Scholl? 8520 from Nisba which is free meal services corresponds
042with policy 6701, Federal Lunch Program. Policy 6701 was reviewed and kept as is. Any questions regarding 8520? Mrs. Scholl? Okay. Policy number 1205, Meetings of the Board of Education. There is no corresponding Nisba policy. Policy 1205 was reviewed and section 1205.7 was revised with regard to time and eligibility to speak on agenda and non-agenda items. Any questions from the board on 1205? Seeing none, Mrs. Scholl? Okay. The next is 3108, the Code of Conduct uh policy that again, Oceanside policy only. There was no Nisba policy. Policy 3108 was reviewed and revised to include uh prohibiting e-bikes from school district property and the change made in um section six prohibited student conduct letter E. Uh there was a question from a board member, again, Mr. Kaplan. He not a question, he a suggestion that we clarify
043or you have some clarifying wording uh about modifi- motorized medical devices being exempt from this particular policy. Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Mr. Kaplan, why don't you expand on it? What you'd like to say? >> Yeah, just looking through this policy, just so we're clear under uh on the second page here, the last uh bullet uh possess, store and and or operate e-bikes, scooters or battery powered transportation devices. I assume students or anybody needing a motorized medical device uh is uh not under any restriction. That that is correct. I mean, we don't have it clearly stated that way. If you want us to add that language, we can, but it is it obviously does not include that. >> just want to be clear, you know, whether we need to or not, I don't just like to
044be clear. Okay, any other questions from board members? So, do we want to in we want to include that, Dr. Harrington or Mr. Shaw, in that with medical motorized bike? >> committee has any issue with clarifying it that if if >> add that on. We can add we can we can find a way to add it on and it'll we'll make it clear at the Make it clear in the next in the next meeting. I have a suggestion for for ADA required. >> Okay, Mr. Shaw, we can move on. Yes. >> [sighs] >> Oceanside School District Policy 3122, Student Academic Standing, Weighting of Grades, and Student Transcripts. Policy was reviewed and revised removing unweighted averages upon request. We received a request from our our building principal and our guidance counselors. They felt that this would
045be a would be better uh a better thing to do for our students and Dr. Harrington or Mr. Kaplan, who had a question about it, would you want to ask the question and Dr. Harrington, could you clarify it? Mr. Kaplan, would you like to go first? Yeah, reading through this policy and noticing again that just the cumulative unweighted averages has been removed, whereas obviously we've been using on the transcripts of displaying on the transcripts both cumulative weighted and and cumulative unweighted. Um I was just curious what the rationale was and aren't either one or both at times possible to be used for college admissions under a um multiple uh measures guidelines that the schools may have also as well as course placement such as developmental education type courses, couldn't they be using one or the
046other as a possibility? Uh let me see if I can let me start with the fact that um what what has been reported to us is that um we were in an anomaly where our transcripts included both weighted and unweighted averages. Um most schools submit weighted averages only and um there's truth to the fact that some colleges then use a formula of some sort to try to equalize what that means, but that having the the unweighted average on our students' transcripts was a disadvantage to our students applying to very competitive schools. So, if that's the reason why um we feel it would to be sort of on an equal playing field with other schools that we just include the cumulative weighted. As far as I believe the rest of your question, I mean the transcript
047will very clearly define the the the the rigor and the you know, the title of the course and the rigor of the courses we mentioned with the two young people we just talked about. All of their AP courses are going to stick out very very loud and clearly on their transcript. So, that hasn't changed at all. It will be a very defined transcript and of course it will also continue to go along with our school profile, which we'll have an opportunity to explain some of that. But right now we made it too easy for for colleges where we've we've automatically put the weighted and unweighted and it is a disadvantage to our students. We have data to support that? That's the input we've gotten from the entire guidance department. It's something we've been looking at
048for quite some time and um I can only say yes that they came to us with that proposal based on um you know, they track students who get uh into colleges and and and and we also know what other schools are doing. Yeah, absolutely. Mrs. Bebito, would you like to add anything to it? No, beautifully said, Dr. Harrington. >> [laughter] >> Um I have a question. Oh, sorry. Mr. Blau. Dr. Harrington, why why is it a disadvantage to have both? Cuz Because because the schools then don't use the weighted. No, I'm sorry. Because the unweighted averages are typically lower, right? The So, we we we have a weighting system and we could debate that till you know, you know, the cows fly. That's a big conversation all the time, but it is the way that
049um that grades are generally done in in high schools across our country. So, um the unweighted without that extra value for the high courses obviously looks a lot lower than than the weighted does. So, it's just it's just the the the way it's presented and what what co- college admissions offices who are looking at hundreds and hundreds of these of these transcripts can easily go through. It's just a lot easier for them to discount. But don't schools also there's no like one uniform weightings weight system, right? So, schools can weight differently anyway. >> do. And they what they My understanding is if if I understand it correctly is that most of the admissions committees, when you say we make it too easy, we do especially when you leave the unweighted average on there, they tend
050to skip certain kids if they fall in a certain range, whereas if we leave it off, it forces the admissions committees to dig into the child's transcript and really look long and hard at the courses the kids took, the grades they received, the activities and so on. It it gives them a better shot of getting in. They may see something there that they wouldn't see if they were just looking at the weighted average. That was what was explained to me and that was my understanding that it puts our kids at a better advantage. At least we are forcing the admissions committees to take a deep dive into a child's transcripts before they just push it aside. Um and and that's one of the reasons why I think our guidance department had requested that we we
051not do that. Uh and the other issue too with the when I fooling any admissions committee uh the weighted averages are different in every single school district. So, generally the experience I had with both of my sons is both of their transcripts were were torn apart uh and looked at and regraded and recalibrated based on what that university decides is the grade for that particular course. Looking at the grade they received, they retranslated to their level and that's how most of the admissions committees work. So, that was my understanding that this puts our kids at a better advantage if we do it this way. Okay, hold on a second. So, uh Seth, are you Mr. Blau, are you okay with that answer? >> back when we were talking about what other school districts do, do
052we actually have we surveyed? Do we We we do. Our guidance department stays very well connected to the colleges and speaks to college representatives and we do look at different districts and how they um calculate and what they put on transcripts and at the end of the day it's that weighted that is becoming the norm. So, how how many of of the districts, let's say in Nassau County, do not use the um unweighted average anymore? Uh we don't have that exact number. We can certainly get it for you if it's if it's that important, but I I'm I'm just I guess I'm trying to also understand what the advantage would be to keep both the weighted and unweighted averages on the transcript. Well, I don't know what the advantage or disadvantage is, but the proposal
053is to change it and to move it and I know from what I'm hearing I I I'm trying to figure out what's anecdotal from what someone's impression is from talking to some, you know, any given uh counselor in um a college or university and and kind of what it actually is like. I I mean I I I honestly don't know. I don't know what the facts are. I don't know out of the 50-something school districts in Nassau County, how many got rid of them. >> It's it's schools across the country basically, if not international. All right, so that's Well, I understand I but I just asked about Nassau County, but if you have if you have the data on all school districts across the country >> No, I don't I I do not. What I'm
054trying to and and I have no problem um getting that data if that is important in make in helping make this decision. I'm just trying to have a better appreciation so I can provide you with the right information as to what you could see as an advantage of having both of those um grades on on the um on the transcript. I just don't understand what the advantage I I understand what you told me, but I didn't see any data to back it up. So, I'm just I'm just asking for some data to back up >> So, you want you want us to survey all 56 districts? >> No, I'm just I'm just want to make clear. >> you put forward that data supports this change and I was just asking for that data. That No
055no problem. We will go back to our guidance >> What that data is, I don't know. Whatever data that you looked at, whatever data that you considered or that or that the guidance counselors looked at. >> so as >> [music] >> as Mrs. Bebito said, the guidance counselor's prime one of their primary responsibilities is to help students get into colleges and especially colleges of their choice. The they talk to representatives from colleges all of the time and they also they this this is the kind of data that they've collected and they recognize that there is a dis- it's a disadvantage to our students to have both. But if that data is is crucial, we'll certainly get it. >> data is the basis for proposing this change. I think it's reasonable to ask for the data.
056That's That's all I'm asking for. I mean I'm assuming from what I'm hearing that the data's already been collected. We have it. It's already been looked at and examined and it's been used as >> Oh, okay. You know what? Actually, I'm sorry, Mr. Blau, I didn't mean to cut you off, but uh what Mrs. Leahy, but also Mr. Rubin is actually in the audience and I didn't realize that. So, perhaps we can just ask him to but perhaps he can clarify a little bit more. Okay? I I didn't realize you were in the audience. All right, so And but Mrs. Leahy had a point first to that. Well, hold on a second. So, wait a minute. So, Stu, you go next and then we'll get uh Mrs. Leahy. Go ahead. This way he's up there,
057so you're up there and you can maybe answer a few things if you like. Hold on. Put your mic on. Remember you run tenure, Jared. Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Go ahead. Mr. So, Mr. Kaplan, go first. You're good. Mr. Kaplan, go ahead. No pressure. All right, so okay, so we're going to defer to Mrs. Leahy. Yes, and and maybe Mr. Rubin could be the perfect person to answer. Did something change with the common app because I have two kids, one graduated college, one in college, and I know for the common app we had to put in the unweighted for this reason because schools all weight them differently. So, did something change now? No, so for the common app you can put in whatever the school gives you. So, for many different schools across Nassau County,
058at least from what I can speak to, if if the students are only given their weighted GPA, that's what they put into the common app. So, in our numerous talks and discussions with different college admissions reps, um local, not so local, they see both. Now, what we're told from many college admissions reps is they will either focus on the weighted, the higher one, but they can't unsee what they see when that weighted is put that unweighted is put on there. So, it is hurting our students um in in our opinion. What we believe is that by only adding the weighted GPA and just leaving that college many colleges across the country use their own weighting system anyway. We give them a school profile, which also lists what our weighting is for our AP college level
059classes, honors classes, Regents level classes. So, they can actually do the unweighting themselves, which many of them do on their own anyway, but to give them the unweighted, it's just something that they can't unsee, and it can hurt our students. Does that make sense, Mrs. Lucy? Good? Yep. So, we're going to go back to Mr. Kaplan. Don't you move, Justin. Okay. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, hi. Thank you. Um each each district, at least in Nassau County, I know can come up with their own weighting system multiplier. Assuming the college admissions people know how to divide by 1.1 or multiply by 1.1, I'm sure they can figure out weighted versus unweighted if they really wanted to break out a calculator. Um do you think, and I know that our highest multiplier is 1.1, I believe for
060AP and the college level dual enrollment type courses. Do you think that we should evaluate perhaps our multiplier? If we're talking about giving our students, actually I brought this up to your predecessor many years ago. Um but do you think we should evaluate if our students need should be as competitive give them every advantage that we can and they earn without a doubt. Should we evaluate the current weighting system because I believe there are some local Nassau County, I'll stick with the county, school districts that have a higher multiplier giving their students a greater advantage on that weighted GPA. Is that something we're looking at? Yes, it it is something I know we've spoken about it specifically this year alone. Um it is something we continue to evaluate and I don't think it hurts to
061continue those conversations for sure. Um you know, in the in the schools that we surveyed just in terms of the weighted and the unweighted situation, um many of them do have different weighting systems than what we have. Um but the one clear-cut thing that we were seeing is most schools are trending towards just having the weighted GPA on the transcript regardless of what the weighting is. It's just a weighted GPA. So, back to that conversation, yes, but I I absolutely agree it does warrant further discussion. >> I I did a little checking. I believe the common app, uh if both are provided, they want you to use the weighted. Mhm. Versus if both if both are provided >> Right. Right. So, when we just take that out altogether, students will only have the option to
062provide the weighted. And again, I I know how to multiply and divide by 1.1, which is our highest, so I can figure it out myself, but okay. But the bottom line is we're not fooling anybody. No. We're not fooling any admissions committee. I'm assuming again, I'm assuming >> change all the numbers you want. You're not changing the They're not stupid. >> No, they'll they'll get it. >> They get it. They know how to figure it out. >> least we'll be hopefully perhaps looking at our weighting system compared to comparable districts at least in Nassau County. Certainly. Okay. I believe you just said you had a 10-year interview right now. So, [laughter] I think we can just bypass the next 2 years and then that's it, so you're there. Fantastic. I Any other board members on
063this subject? No, we're good? So, I'm clear that I will gather that data. Um set What What I'm I'm fine doing it if that's I mean I I the sense is that I have is that we don't have data. So, I mean I'm not asking you to gather stuff if we don't already have it. Well, we don't have it, but if you liked it, I mean we can get it, but I'm not asking for extra work. Good. I can tell you we we surveyed from my directors of guidance group, I did survey the directors of guidance in Nassau County. I got a good amount of responses. I have that data. Mr. Rubin, isn't there an association of guidance counselors? >> of guidance Nassau County dogs. Yeah, they used to run a uh >> [laughter] >>
064What did you say? Nassau County dogs, the OG's, directors of guidance. >> [laughter] >> Well, I don't want to refer to you as dogs. Um You can call them dogs. But I remember going to Adelphi and to one of the universities at least twice a year for a conference that's run by by the association of guidance counselors and Yeah, we had a meeting at Adelphi last week. >> getting that data they probably have all that data. It's I will get I will get from Mr. Rubin what he has and I will submit it to in the board letter in the next week or so and then if if certainly if that doesn't meet your expectations, happy to do more than that. Okay? All right. So, seeing none, we're going to move on to 3202. 3202.8
065Yep. Which is our policy alone. 3202.8 is computer network and internet responsible use was reviewed and revised to update outdated language. Any board members got any questions? Seeing none, Mr. Shawl. 3601, mileage limits. 3601 was reviewed and kept as is. Perfect. Any questions, board members? No? Go ahead, Mr. Shawl. 6104, again an Oceanside uh policy on money management. 6104 was reviewed and revised. Uh the subsection was added to section 8, which gives the district additional fiscal investment protections with current banking providers to address market volatility. Any questions? Any questions from any board members? Mrs. Shawl, the final one. 6106.5, which is again an Oceanside policy. It's capitalization and inventory for fixed assets. Policy 6106.5 was reviewed and revised updated based on the federal government threshold for capitalizing assets at $10,000 or more per item. Any
066questions on it? Last one? Seeing none. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Shawl. I'm sure we'll get the second reading at the next board meeting. Uh we're up to G right now, budget session number three, staff enrollment revenue, Dr. Harrington, Dr. Copley, Dr. DeRosa, and Mrs. Senatore. So, it is my pleasure to turn what we hope will be the last official budget session before we actually do our budget hearing over to to Dr. Copley. Thank you, Dr. Thank you, Dr. Harrington. Tonight we present our budget workshop number three for the 2026-2027 school year. Topics covered tonight that you see on the screen will cover the following. Projected elementary sections, projected staffing needs, a detailed breakdown of our revenue sources, the state calculated tax levy formula, a review of year-to-year figures, a review of the proposed budget ballot
067propositions, and share some upcoming important dates. Projected enrollment in our elementary schools is based on anticipated sections for the upcoming school year. At this time I turn it over to Dr. DeRosa for further information. Thank you, Dr. Copley. Uh every year we look at this chart and it's actually even more improved up there. So, thank thank you, Dr. Copley. It looks great. >> [laughter] >> Big numbers up there. When we think of elementary sections, we do think across the district K through 12. So, in terms of enrollment, well, the total number of students in an element in all of our elementaries may not shift all that greatly, it does shift by the number of students in a particular grade in a particular school. So, what you can see here is that we'll be going up
068two elementary sections, and that will be district-wide. And as always, we will be putting two teachers or the funds for two teachers aside just in case that we need them. If you look at this chart as well, you'll see anything with an asterisk says that we'll be a close of going over. So, we will plan for the class size the way it exists now, but we will monitor closely, and if we need to add additional teacher there, we have funds set aside and the ability to do so at that time. Uh in terms of looking across the district outside of just elementary sections, it's not a long list of changes, but I will go through each of them so that you understand them fully. Uh the ones that have asterisks, hard word to say, especially
069with three asterisks, English and literacy, you'll see that they are there. What we've been able to do based on high school enrollment and the course selections of some high school students, is actually reduce our teachers by one at the high school level, but we are really pleased that based on this staff that we have and the amazing recruitment that we've done that we have a very talented individual. She is a high school teacher in our district currently, but comes to us with middle school experience and training as a certified literacy teacher as well. So, because we have started such great initiatives K through 6, so we're continued those that work and then started a lot of literacy with some great instruction 9 through 12. Seems as though bridging that gap between elementary and high school
070makes most sense and we are so thrilled that we have the right teacher already on staff. So, it'll be a K through 12 continuum. And that will also eliminate a special educa- special education teacher assistant who has been providing some of that literacy instruction at the middle school. In terms of Hebrew, this is an ad. We have a small group of students. We are so pleased that we offer Hebrew and pleased that we have continued to have student interest. As you can imagine, finding a Hebrew teacher is not an easy task. And each time we've had a change in staff, we we we scratch our heads and say, "We got to find a way to make this work." And we have fortunately um can't promise in the future, certainly, but we will continue to do
071this. So, currently, we have four levels of Hebrew that we are teaching in two classes and our teacher has agreed to add an additional class, so the students will be separated among three levels, which will enhance her ability to meet their individualized needs. Um in the area of art and technology, again, with those asterisks, uh you will see that they really are just a um a change in allocation of staff. We've always had two teachers at the middle school who have lived in multiple departments. They have multiple certifications. So, this year, uh we had a retirement at the middle school. We're moving some teachers who from one department into another, which allows us to uh have people more concentrated in a content area. So, no additional staffing um as a result of that change there,
072um but there are some enrollment trends that are causing us to add more sections there. Um elementary, uh we mentioned before. And then in terms of special education, we do have an increase in our special education teachers at the secondary and at the elementary level. And this is based upon the students' individualized needs as well as IEP recommendations. At the high school, also, we have taken uh a reduction of two teacher assistants that we use within our ICT model. And we have made a purposeful decision that replacing them with duly certified special education teachers um will maximize their impact in the teaching and learning process and ultimately help our students be most successful. So, um Ms. Muhammad has been interviewing and finding what we'll call unicorns. People uh who know multiple multiple different content as
073well as are specially trained to meet the needs of students um with all different uh learning styles. So, that is our staffing proposal for tonight. Thank you. Any questions from the board? Uh Stu? Dr. DeRosa, on the uh proposal uh proposed 26-27 staffing needs slide, um for the um classes that we're adding, the point uh point 40s and point 2s, what kind of enrollment I obviously this is as you indicated an increase in the request for either these required courses or perhaps elective courses, what kind of enrollment do you is the trigger to say, "Let's let's get another one in there?" >> Yeah. In in Hebrew, was it a numbers? It really is still a small number. I think we're at 10 or 12 total in the Hebrew enrollment. I'm not sure of my numbers
074exact. Um but it's really just about dividing and meeting level 1s with level 3s at the same time and it was an instructional decision. In art and technology, last year, we made a pretty significant decrease in our middle school allocations and the way that the class size is um our eighth graders going into ninth grade is slightly smaller than our sixth growing into seventh um as well as just some of the way that class sizes fell this year. We felt like we needed to increase again in all of those middle school fine and practical arts areas. So, we had a little piece of staffing that we were already able to use that existed in the middle school structure and we're able to supplement it with the art and technology there. So, it was not individual
075course selection. It was overall middle school enrollment. Thank you. Is there any other board members? Uh Ms. Shaw? Yes, Ms. DeRosa Dr. DeRosa, uh the teacher assistants staffing needs, the reductions Yes. >> of three at the secondary, two at the element- uh no, one and a half at the elementary, that's all based on what we know currently as far as who has aged out and also based on enrollment? It really balances a little bit on the other side. It doesn't balance dollar for dol- dollar, but close to it for people. So, the secondary special education teacher going down three, but obviously up two uh in teachers, that is part of that. And then the same with the literacy position at the middle school, which had been a teacher assistant. So, those three teacher assistants are
076being replaced by full-time teachers. And then almost the same at the elementary level with a little bit of an increase in the staffing needs uh for teachers. Okay, thank you. Any other board members regarding the staffing issues for 26-27? See none. Thank you, Dr. DeRosa. Thank you, Ms. >> Thank you, Dr. DeRosa. As part of the budget development process, uh we begin building the budget uh in late October, early November. Uh in December, we conduct our first review of all proposed budgets and wish list items from district administrators, which at that time in December amounted to 197.9 million dollars. At that time, we knew that amount would have potentially exceeded our tax cap, which is never the district's intention. Subsequent follow-up meetings with administrators were held to justify their proposed budgets, which resulted in bringing
077the overall expenditure budget down to 194.1 million dollars in January. Also in January, the governor's preliminary state aid runs are released, which helps us begin developing our revenue budget while also still finalizing our expenditure budget. Uh this past summer, Ms. Sanacore and I conducted a 3-year expenditure review of all budget account codes, which helps us align um actual expenditures from prior years with the proposed budgetary amounts. The impact of inflation uh continues um to increase costs in several areas of our expenditure budget. Um coupled that with also updates to our staffing needs. And after a third and final review of all codes in February, uh we now have completed um and now have a final proposed expenditure budget of 192,419,398 dollars. A balanced budget must have expenses equal to revenues. Uh since budget workshop number
078one, we have highlighted key changes within proposed expenditures and conducted a line-by-line review of the three components of our budget. This year, budget development has been very tight to meet the needs of our students for the upcoming school year. Factors that have continuously increased out of our immediate control that are driving up our expenses are health insurance, employee benefits, transportation costs, and the rising cost of fuel. Also, long-range fiscal planning continues to remain difficult with fiscal uncertainty at the state and federal levels, which and while locally, we also continue to deal with the loss of revenue uh brewing from our LI PA glide path. However, uh under the fiscal guidance and oversight and collaboration with Dr. Harrington, we have made critical decisions to help offset and mitigate these expenditure increases through the following: Sound strategic
079financial investments, which increase local sources of revenue, collective bargaining agreements, savings from the implementation of our district-wide energy performance contract, which helps reduces utility costs, and utilizing BOCES services more, which in subsequent years yields additional state revenue back to the district. Again, we have now completed our review of the operating expenditure budget totaling 192.4 million dollars, which represents a 3.06% budget increase from the prior year. We will now transition into our revenue sources that will balance our budget. Hold on one second. Is there any before we get ahead of ourselves? >> Uh Is there any board members that got any uh questions regarding the expenditure budget or the budget formula? Okay. So, what do you have some to add? Um two more slides. Okay, two more slides. Okay, so Dr. Copley, revenue funding sources. >>
080Yes, sir. Oceanside has three major revenue sources to balance our budget. Other sources, which are important local sources of revenue that include DA pilots, um direct assessment, use of fund balance, use of reserve, among others. State aid, which is based on categorical aid and district expense driven aid, uh are provided by New York State, uh which support our students' educational needs, and the tax levy, which are property taxes levied on four different classifications of property in Oceanside that are subject to the tax cap set by the New York State calculated formula. We will go through each of these revenue streams in greater detail in the upcoming slides and take questions from our board members. The dollar amounts you will see on each revenue source represent conservative revenue forecasting measures again to meet and balance our
081district operating budget. Uh we will now begin uh, with local sources. Any questions with the revenue funding sources? Um, can I just ask >> Yeah, I just want to go back. I was a little slow to the step here on the budget formula. Just two things I just need some clarification. >> Sure. Uh, Dr. Coakley, when we discussed the LIPA glide glide path, we're in year five. >> That is correct. We are in >> So, that amounts to about, if I'm calculating correctly, we have absorbed and not passed on to the taxpayer uh, between 18 and 20 million dollars. That is correct. Uh, the LIPA glide path was instituted in the 21-22 school year, which impacted the 22-23 school year, um, compounding the loss of revenue again, which totals up to 46 and 1/2%. Since
082the 22-23 school year, we are approx- we have lost approximately over 18 million dollars, while at the same time preserving uh, all program and full-time staff the entire time. Yeah, so we haven't we haven't laid anyone off, we haven't lost any programs, but we've also found ways to uh, mitigate that LIPA glide path for the now we're in the fifth year of a seven-year glide path. That is correct. And to your point, we have uh, intentionally absorbed that LIPA glide path. If you recall, when we close our books with our auditors in October, um, we exceed what we call the unassigned fund balance, which the recommendation is 4%. Right. Um, we intentionally exceed that in every year. We try to get ahead of it and inform our community that the reason we exceed the 4%
083is to absorb that subsequent the subsequent years loss of the LIPA glide path. And the our auditors also highlight that when we do exceed the 4%, we always state that it's to help absorb the the the LIPA glide path. So, that's an additional reason why um, you know, we we are very careful when we do our budgeting and we have the the reserve Yes. fund balance. The other question that I have is uh, to to find a little bit clearer the fiscal uncertainty. That That's the different things that are going on in the market up and down constantly, the volatility of the market, which affects investment interest. Uh, not not as much at the local level. This one was more so about the state um, and federal level, not knowing how the foundation aid formula
084was going to impact us Right. and hearing rumblings at the federal government's level about uh, possibly, you know, what they were intending to do with the United States Department of Education with for us um, would amount to all of our uh, federal grants. Um, the uncertainty of not knowing definitively one way or another when we began um, budgeting made it very difficult for us. But hasn't there been an impact on our interest income? Um, That That is well, yeah. the volatility of the market? >> directly impacts our local sources of revenue um, where we have our interest income. Um, that also plans into our fiscal uncertainty for long-range fiscal planning as well, coupled with the LIPA glide path for sure. And there has been some discussion at again, our legislators are still discussing. I hope
085they're ready for April 1st, but I'm not optimistic uh, about the foundation formula. They are looking at They both have proposed two more adjust- two at least two adjustments to the uh, to the formula, which might help us as well, but we don't know yet. So, we have to go on the assumption they're not doing anything to the formula. Right now, we're going off of conservatively what was preliminarily released in January, which uh, positioned the district in good shape, but we are um, to your point hoping for uh, continued advocacy that can benefit Oceanside future. Okay. All right, thank you. Yep. I will tell you this, that I don't know if anybody knows has been following them, but there are a bunch of school districts that are PS in a cap and all doing in
086and kudos to our staff, our administration, Dr. Coakley, his staff and Dr. Harrington and and everybody here that, you know, Oceanside is in you know, pretty good shape and we are watching taxpayer dollars and that doesn't, you know, happen magically. That happens in real time all the time and really Dr. uh, kudos to Dr. Geraci for staying on top of this and uh, and and making this district this sound. Thank you. So, good. Okay, pick up on 26-27 local other sources. >> When other sources, um, so the direct assessment uh, amount that you see of 4.4 million again, represents the value of how much revenue in the year five LIPA glide path the district actually will be receiving. Um, again, this is a uh, negative trajectory of losing up to 46 and 1/2% um, over
087a seven-year period as a direct assessment. Uh, the value of what we are owed is not on our tax rolls and it's not a pilot either. Instead, we account for it as a local source of uh, revenue. Um, and again, as Ms. Shaw alluded to, we have lost approximately 18 million dollars since the inception of this LIPA glide path approximately five years ago. Uh, thanks to the district's overall healthy uh, fiscal position uh, along with our sustained top-tier credit rating um, we have yielded a better interest rates on our operating and investment accounts the last couple of years, um, which is a huge positive impact for the district. Um, the proposed interest income you see of 3 million serves as another solid source of local revenue. Um, although we are closely monitoring uh, what the
088Federal Reserve has kind of projected and has done um, over the last six to nine months, which is kind of negatively um, forecasted and projected where the market is uh, again, to Ms. Shaw's point earlier. Um, this amount is reduced uh, slightly from last year um, because of the negative trend that we are anticipating for the upcoming year. Uh, appropriated fund balance is uh, an amount a school district utilizes to serve as a local uh, revenue source, use of funds specific expenditures and also reduce the tax burden on the community from year to year. The 2.75 million dollars you see is consistent with past budgeting practices to try our best to keep taxes relatively low or modest. Uh, our PILOTs, payments in lieu of payments in lieu of taxes are payments made to local governments
089uh, for some or all of the lost property tax revenue due to tax exempt status or ownership of a property. Um, these agreements are made with Nassau County, not the school district. Um, however, um, owning these parcels of land, the school district is funded based upon these agreed upon uh, PILOT payment schedules. That amount of 2.6 million dollars represents um, what we are owed for the 26-27 school year. DACA revenue continues to support the many programs for Oceanside students and residents. Um, there is a slight increase in the uh, projection for DACA revenue based on adjusted program offerings. Um, also, the district will be providing security in DACA programs beginning next school year, which will also mean an increase for uh, in DACA prices for families um, as well next year. Um, and miscellaneous revenues
090encompass uh, excuse me, use of facilities, vendor reimbursements, Medicaid reimbursements, anonymous donations uh, among others. Um, in all uh, our local revenue amount that we are projecting for the 26-27 year is just a little over 16 million dollars. Um, are there any questions with our local sources of revenue? >> Okay, we have Mr. Kaplan. Dr. Coakley, the interest income, that's from when we changed our banking over. That is correct. >> N class, right? Uh, uh, Capital One? Capital One. >> Um, N class N class is our investment um, account. Got it. And the first year that we did that, we had an income of I remember 2 million dollars versus [laughter] we normally would have gotten 700,000 if I remember correctly. That year we we actually projected I'm good with numbers. We actually projected uh,
0919 million that we actually used as a budget as a revenue source and we actually took in approximately 2.5 million dollars that year. And this year we're expecting or next year I should say, uh, 3 million dollars. >> Which is conservative. Um, we we do anticipate receiving slightly higher than that. However, um, with how the market volatility is, we we are we we are comfortable with that number. >> good recommendation. [laughter] I'm going to give you my brokerage account and uh, is there anybody else on the board regarding this? I do have a question I have, Dr. Coakley, is the on the PILOTs. Yes. So, these PILOTs and I I pretty much know working for government, but when they come off the PILOTs >> Yep. then we get notified, of course, then they go back
092to full uh, responsibility of what they were paying. >> When a PILOT payment schedule um, kind of expires, it's usually a 15-year PILOT payment. Uh, when it expires, it automatically defaults back on the tax rolls, which just shares the proportionate um, contribution, if you will, of adding another taxpayer back to the tax rolls. Um, but typically, unless we hear from the county, that's the way it works. Do we So, that's money we count on at a certain time >> because it's coming in. Yeah, because the PILOT, they're paying for a percentage of that parcel of land ownership. When it defaults back to the tax rolls, they're paying the full free. Just off the top of your head and I'm not going to hold it to you. I know you're a numbers guy, but is there
093anything we're anticipating in the next couple of years that's going to increase a lot like any developments? So, we have the couple of new developments in the pipeline that we have I think we're in the first or second year of PILOT revenue. Um, we are anticipating and it's based in the schedule, once construction is completed in in those two developments, the PILOT revenue substantially increases cuz at that time, they will be occupied with um, residents and yeah. >> Okay, thank you, Mr. Coakley. Yep. Uh, state aid? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Hold on. Wait a minute. Uh, Ms. Shaw. Um, I have a question on the slide above where we're looking at the uh, revenue funding sources. >> Yes. The state aid, the pink one. Um, it's either combi- it's a combination of formula driven and
094expense driven. You have the 41 million Yep. and change, whatever. Uh, my question is the expense driven is you have to spend it to get it, So that's really just reimbursement of what we spent from the prior years. >> Correct. Uh and how much of again, I ask this question every year. The formula driven is based on the foundation formula. That's new money, unrestricted money, money that we have the freedom to spend where we think the necessities exist. Correct. How much of that is new money? Most of that comes from foundation aid and universal pre-K. Obviously, we don't account for universal pre-K in our state aid projection. Um our foundation aid, we were once again, um we fared very favorably. It was approximately $3.5 million of new money to your point, which is not accounted
095for as expense driven aid. That's new money. Right. So of the 41 million, even though that looks incredibly wonderful, it's there's only 3 million of new money. Correct. And and again, there continues to be the advocacy. Um Oceanside had a long-standing um kind of reputation of not being fully funded based on the state formula, which didn't help us for years. But now that we are off the for- now that we are now that we are on the formula, um the state is now recognizing us coupled with um the community demographics changing as well as a slight decrease in the reported wealth um collectively for Oceanside. So we got lucky this year that we are now been put on formula and we're no longer in the save harmless category like 75 other districts on Long Island.
096>> That is correct. Because they're right now only receiving a 1% increase. >> Yep. Um Now the question that I have for you is and I I guess it's it's something that everybody needs to be aware of. Even though um our state aid is up by I think you said two or three million dollars. Have we That doesn't It's not keeping up with inflation. Correct? >> That is correct. Um So we're still battling the difference in the I guess I'm looking at a diagonal chart in my mind of where we've been over the last 5 years. And inflation keeps going like this. And our state aid, even though it goes up, is still a gap between where we are and and where inflation is. And >> Yeah, that's that's one of the reasons why we
097really try to highlight those important variables that continue to increase where we really have no no control but to comply with, you know, the uptick and the significant increases that are outpacing the revenue we're getting from uh the state. Well, it goes to Mr. D'Ambrosio's point about how hard and and how smart we've been working and budgeting and handling our finances because this year, I don't know if you've kept up with and I'm sure you have, but the new our public has kept up with what goes on in the news, but I've never seen so many districts on Long Island that have overspent their current budgets. Yep. And that is against the law, but they had no choice because they ran out of of uh of money on on the lines. So um I think
098what we've done is we've worked real hard to keep us financially sound and um I thank you for that, but I it's uh Not easy. Not easy. >> [laughter] >> Thank you, Ms. Shaw. Got to keep people out of Roosevelt Field. Hold on one second. Uh Seth Uh yeah, Dr. Kopley, I just want to make sure I understood correctly earlier. Following up on on I think it was one of Ms. Shaw's questions. With the year five of the glide path, so we absorbed a loss of 18 million dollars in revenue for that time? Since the '22-'23 school year, yes. I mean, that's like that's quite remarkable for us as a school district. If you would have told me 5 years ago that we're going to lose 18 million dollars in revenue and not cut one
099program or have to lay off one teacher or one aid over that. >> Yep. I would have said you were crazy. And on top of that, I I I know I know we haven't gotten to it yet, but you'll get to the capital reserve proposition. So I mean, this capital reserve proposition, I mean we we we've had a series of these over the past 5 years. Most school districts are bonding these out. >> And and we have some huge projects that are going on that have had no additional costs that are not required Correct. the need to the bond all with absorbing this 18 million dollar loss in in revenue. Correct. Um I I I just think it it's it's really quite remarkable. I mean, you know, again, following up Mr. D'Ambrosio had mentioned it,
100putting putting these together and looking at it and and you know, we can see what's going on in some of our neighboring school districts that um are are in a much different place right now from where we are. And and this, you know, this doesn't happen overnight. And this this this takes the the careful planning with it, but it's it's quite remarkable for for us to have had that kind of a hit and not only not lost a beat, but really continued and continued on and and been able to do some quite remarkable projects um including what you're about to talk about. Thank you. We we have a I'm going to say a very uh tight process and um we do a lot of the grunt work and when we have our reviews, that is
101with Dr. Harrington uh with a process we like to call sharpening the pencils and she has the um mindset of again, the district first, but also the community a very very close second with any decision and/or recommendation that we're looking to either add, preserve, or possibly cut. Just to clarify, uh Mr. Blau was not calling you crazy. >> [laughter] >> That's just want to clarify that to go on the record in case someone out there is in the audience is doing that. Okay. Thank you, sir. And anyone else have any questions on the board? No. Mr. Moresco, you okay down there? Ms. Shaw, one more time? >> Yeah, I just want to I just wanted to understand that um Oh God, now I lost my thought. I'll go back to it. We'll come back to
102you. Got it. All right, so we're at the state aid. State aid is money provided to again to school districts based on the district's combined wealth um and and enrollment. Um state uses a categorical aid formula and factors that are locally controlled district expense driven aids from our financial annual report known as the ST-3. Um this year, again, as we discussed, was very difficult um not knowing what was going to happen with the foundation aid formula. Um just a year ago, a very extensive study was done on the foundation aid formula and a 314-page review was presented to SED as Ms. Shaw um alluded to before um recommending improvements that have not been fully implemented with that formula. Um and again, for Oceanside, we did benefit with new found money um based on a shift
103in the district's wealth measures, which includes lower reported combined household income and wealth, as well as a shift in the community census population, which shows a truer depiction of um what our community is now um uh comprised of. Um we are also keeping a close eye on what is happening legislatively in Albany to see what happens when the governor's budget is finalized and enacted at some time in April. Um overall, our preliminary state aid is $2.8 million more than prior year, totaling $41.6 million. Any other questions regarding state aid at this time? Any questions from the board? Sandy? Go ahead. Finally got my thoughts back. Um cuz my mind is racing with this. The The question I have is when I don't know I can't account for what goes on in other districts, but in
104this district when we do a budget, it's not just a one-year budget. We take a look at this budget that we created now for next year and we see how that lines up 3 years from now and 5 years from now, how that any any decisions we're making now impacts us 3 years down the line, 5 years down the line with regards to sustainability and making sure we're not making any decisions that are going to come back and bite us. Mhm. And I think that's an important thing for the public to realize that we just don't do one-year budgeting. Districts that do that end up getting in trouble. And it it has to be something where you look at the decisions you make and make sure they're not going to have a negative impact 2
105years from now, 3 years from now, and 5 years from now. Right. And that's one of the things we do that do very well. >> [clears throat] >> And that's what helps us uh to be able to sustain our programs and our staff without having to cut them and and major layoffs and so on. So I think that's another important thing that has to be noted. Thank you, Ms. Shaw. Okay. Um let's move on. We're at uh tax levy. We keep Yeah, we keep going this way or we're going to be all night. Go ahead. All of our revenue sources are are linked together to help balance our budget. Um on the screen, uh you will see the state's calculated tax levy formula and how it how all the variables and complex calculation that comes
106along with it. Um many of these variables you see on the screen are provided by local or state agencies. Uh the one line I'll draw your attention to in red is called the allowable levy growth factor, also known as the consumer price index, also known as the rate of inflation. That is the one variable regardless of where you are in New York state that is constant and consistent for all districts where you are permitted to use either 2% or CPI, whichever is lower. So, clearly you see that the 2% is there. And for the 26-27 school year, the state calculated allowable tax levy dollar amount is 134,797,264 dollars. Moving on to fund the 192.4 million dollar budget, again which was reviewed in great detail over the last 2 months, Oceanside will be proposing a 2.28
107tax levy increase. As others said in comparing what neighboring districts unfortunately are going through and have gone through this budget development cycle, Oceanside continues to be below the Nassau County average. At this time, are there any questions with the tax levy formula or or the proposed tax levy amount? Keep going, Dr. You're on you're on a roll. >> [laughter] >> Keep going. Here are our proposed year-to-year figures. Again, our expenditure budget will represent a 3.06% budget-to-budget increase, and the district will be proposing a 2.28 levy tax levy increase. We have worked very hard during this budget cycle and are confident that with your support, this budget will be sustainable to meet all student needs for the upcoming school year. All right. Anybody got any questions on that so far from the board? Seeing none, go
108ahead, Dr. Coakley. >> Moving on to the capital reserve proposition, this year with the community's support and hopefully approval, the district will be looking to undergo a capital reserve project at Oceanside High School. The scope of the work will include the following: High School track resurfacing, concrete and perimeter fence replacement, new bleacher pads, large student bathroom renovations both boys and girls first and second floor in the south wing of the high school, men's and women's bathroom renovations near the Hall of Fame entrance by the main gym. Air conditioning for the main gym to address testing accommodation mandates, as well as the New York State heat index mandate that was recently passed by the governor's office. The total amount of this project is just a little over 5.7 million dollars. As Mr. Blau indicated earlier, this
109comes at no additional financial implication for any anybody in the community as this money has already been secured. And once this project is closed out, the district has a 41% building aid ratio, which means that we can capture 41% of the dollar amount you see on there, which comes back to the district in subsequent years called building aid. Good job with the glass block windows. Oh, I'm sorry. And there's also the three back one slide down. The three glass block windows that are in three different staircases all over the high school, which are just a little unsightly to say the least. Thank you, Dr. Harrington. Mr. Tranzillo. If I can indulge us on the outdoor with the track resurfacing and the concrete, just want to add a few things over there that what we were
110looking at. I mean, I know everyone's excited about the baseball and the softball field. We did some pavement there. Can you just explain why we're doing the track resurfacing and the fencing down there and the bleachers, you know, where we're at on what we're doing there? Well, the track resurfacing is is is a matter of need where it it's the track resurface is uh at the end of its useful life. We need to resurface it before we get cited and not be able to use the track. The concrete and fence replacements are just logical to replace because the fencing is well over 40 years old, more close to 50 or 60 years old, and the gates are actually non-serviceable really going into the property. The concrete foundations prevent grass from growing up in between and
111keep the maintenance level down to zero. The girls boys bathrooms, if you've toured the high school and been to the boys room at the interconnecting corridor to the north and south wing, you'll understand why it needs to be replaced. The girls bathroom as well, they all need to be modernized and the plumbing needs to be modernized. The glass block windows are nice, but they're not energy efficient and they're very very very difficult to replace one glass block that break that has that breaks. The main gym is really a um There's really a need under the governor's and the state legislature's requirements to provide cooling places, especially in a high school. That's the only open area that we can house a multitude of kids in the event that we have to go into an air conditioning
112place for a large amount of children. Um Everybody I think has had a chance to see the high school baseball fields and softball field. The kids are on them. They're loving it. I think there's still some punch list items to be handled. We are planning shortly to start the renovation to the shop areas and transition the students into the new media center and classrooms. Although we are about a month away from from doing that. Mr. Tranzillo, with the gym air conditioning with the EPC contract over there, that's going to knock down a lot of that cost? The something? Well, the so Well, that's operationally. It will knock down the cost to operate the air conditioning, but the air conditioning, you know, stands by itself. One really doesn't relate to the other. Perfect. Okay. Any other
113questions from board members? Brian Mulcahy, you looking to You're going to be You're not going to be around here, Brian, when this all gets done. >> [laughter] >> You're going to be out of here. Exactly. Okay, Dr. Coakley, we're on the proposition. >> Resolution, yep. The following three propositions will be recommended for the Board of Education for adoption tonight. Number one is the 26-27 proposed expenditure budget, which maintains all instructional program and full-time staff for next year. Number two is the Oceanside Library's operating budget for the upcoming year. And number three would be the capital reserve project that we just covered. And just as a reminder, there will also be the Board of Education trustee elections in which Mrs. Leesi, Mrs. Shawl, and Mr. Maresca have already previously announced that they are running for re-election
114again. Tonight we have covered staffing, revenue, tax levy, and state aid. There is a regular board meeting scheduled for April 22nd, and if needed, potentially budget workshop four. If not, the budget hearing will be held on May 6th. Just a reminder for the community, the budget vote is May 19th, 2026, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. right here at the Merle Avenue gym at school six. And if there are any follow-up questions, anything budget related, please reach out to Ms. Santacore or myself. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Coakley. And April 22nd, the budget workshop four if we need to. We'll figure that out if we need to. Well, you if you approve if you approve the budget this evening, we will not need to have a budget conversation at the April meeting. >> Sounds good. Um
115Okay. Is there any questions from the board for Dr. Coakley or anyone up here regarding everything that was just presented on budget number three? Seeing none, let's go over to five 5A, Dr. Harrington. We're all right with that? Okay. So, right now we're at the public input. Any audience member wishing to make a comment on any item that's not on tonight's agenda could do so at this time. Anyone wishing to make a comment on any item not on tonight's agenda will have the opportunity to do so later on any agenda. While New York State law does not require us to hold a public comment period on agenda items, this Board of Education chose to do so because we believe it's important to get input from community members on the board's agenda items. Please note that
116the board is here to listen. While everyone is encouraged to share their comments, please keep in mind that this is not designed to be a question-answer session. Again, comments should be directed toward the chair of the meeting, which is myself. Anyone who wishes to speak should come up now to the microphone, clearly state your name and your child's school. Seeing none, um we're going to go to 6A, approval of minutes for the February 11th, 2026. I'll take a motion. Motion. Still. Second. Set. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. 6B, acceptance of financial reports, treasurer's reports, transfer of funds, and internal claims, orders review of warrants. I'll take a motion. Motion. Sandy. I second. Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion
117passes. 7A, business affairs, approval of use of facilities, Oceanside United Soccer Club, which is access every year. I'll take a motion. I'll move it. Okay. Second. Bob and Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Justin, how we doing, Justin? Good. With 7B, approval of use of facilities for the Pops Softball, they always come every year. Um I'll take a motion. Motion. Still. Second. Set. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. C, approval of use facilities, Long Island Lady Soccer League. I'll take a motion. I'll make a motion. >> Sandy. I second. >> Laura. Any questions or comments? >> I just have one question. >> Sure. >> I mean, it really applies to all of these use of facilities cuz I I looked
118at them all. They They're taking over a lot of time and dates on our on our calendar. If our I ask this all the time. They all understand that if we have a need for those fields for our kids for our teams that they get bumped. >> Yeah, so so Tom Lyman, who's our athletic director, is in constant thing and if we have any games that have to be rescheduled, any additional practices when we get to the playoffs, all of these permit T holders are It's understood that they can be taken off our fields at any and we get first preference. Right. Okay, thank you for clarifying. >> We don't have to give them a certain time notification. >> No. No. >> Okay. We call them up the night before. Um Now 1D, approval use
119of facilities for Try to get a vote. Oh, take a vote. So all in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities from the Oceanside Men's Soccer. I'll take a motion. I'll move it. Bob. >> Second. >> Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities from the Oceanside Youth Lacrosse. I'll take a motion. >> Motion. Stu. >> Second. >> Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Justin, how we doing? Good. Approval use of facilities, Oceanside Girls Softball. I'll move it. Good, Sandy. >> I second. >> Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities, Sharp Sharp Shooters Hitman Lacrosse. I'll move it.
120Take a motion, Bob. >> Second. Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities, the Zach Allen Fund. It's been going on in the school district for years and years. I'll take a motion. >> Motion. Second. >> Seth and Stu. Uh Stu and Seth. Any We're doing? Okay. Uh any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities, Oceanside Flag Football. I'll take a motion, Sandy. I second. Hold on. Yep. All right. And Laura. Sandy and Laura. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities by the Long Island Surge Volleyball. I'll take a motion. >> Second. Okay, that's Bob and Don. And any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any
121opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval use of facilities from the Oceanside Library on various days that they use school last year and other places. I'll take a motion. Stu Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. [clears throat] L, approval use of facilities from the Oceanside Library. Um >> I'll move it. Different program. I second. >> Second at Laura. Sandy and Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. How we doing, Justin? 8A, motion to approve the professional personnel recommendations as submitted. I'll take [clears throat] a motion. I'll move it. Second. >> Bob and Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? >> I abstain. Uh Who's abstaining, Laura? Laura's abstaining. Um Motion passes. Um A
122motion to approve the professional Motion to approve Civil Service personnel recommendation. I'll take a motion. Stu. Second. >> Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? [clears throat] Any abstentions? Motion passes. Hourly employee I'll take a motion to approve the hourly employee recommendations as submitted. >> I'll move it. Sandy. >> I second. >> Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. I'll take a motion to approve the doctor employee recommendations as submitted. Take a motion. >> it. Second. >> Bob and Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. 8E. 2526 co-curriculum new appointee changes. I'll take a motion. Stu Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Mike, I have a question. >> Back up. Go ahead. >>
123Um So just just clarifying, there's um a voucher on here for an activity um with a teacher who we just accepted that they left. This is just like a backtracking on it or do we just need to change the name? Dr. Harrington? These are people that were added after the fact. That's what that That's why um these are new additions. But one of the people on here is no longer Right. Does she because Oh, so it right. So it just making up for the retroactive. Okay, thank you. Okay. Any other questions? So all in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Uh 8F is a motion to rescind Dr. Jill DeRosa's employment contract that was approved at the December 17th, 2025 board meeting. I'll take a motion. I'll move it. Bob. >> Second. >>
124Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. >> Mr. D, if I can just Right, quick explanation. Um just explain that this was just a TRS regulation. So Dr. DeRosa as everyone knows will be uh officially retiring at the end of April. We appointed Michelle Villa who will begin basically May 1st. Dr. DeRosa will be uh working just select days in the month of May and June uh just to help transition uh Ms. Villa, but they're just in order to best follow TRS regulations, we had to rescind the appointment. It'll be back on the May agenda. Okay, thank you, Dr. Harrington. 9A, recommendation to approve a motion to approve the recommendation of the CSE CPSE chairpersons as submitted. I'll take a motion. >> Motion. Second. Okay. Any questions
125or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. >> [sighs] >> Uh How we doing, Justin? Good. A motion to approve election poll clerks recommendations as submitted. I'll take Take a motion, Sandy and Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. On 10B, motion to approve the nomination of members to the BOCES Board of Education which is going to be Deborah Coach and Lawrence Greenstein. I'll take a motion. I'll move it. Bob. >> Second. >> Don. Any questions or comments? >> Yeah, Mr. DeMuro, um Dr. Harrington, are there three spots on the BOCES board that's up? I don't I don't know how many on on the BOCES board, but I maybe there were three people who submitted for two slots, but I can confirm that.
126Okay. Okay, we got that? Okay. Uh all in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Uh we're going to go with uh C, a motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the board to advocate for legislation requiring all charter applications to be approved by the local voters of impacted communities prior to the submission to the relevant state chartering entities. I'll take a motion. I guess that's me. Okay, motion. And Seth. Second. >> Okay. Any questions or comments? Just one comment. I I vote twice for this if I could. >> [laughter] >> Okay. Uh if I can just by just to to to add just to clarification that we there are continued concerns about the number of charter schools that continue continue to grow, especially because of the way that they are able to be allowed
127to exist. One of the biggest concerns we have right now is that New York City has reached their maximum by law of the number of charter schools they are eligible to have. So there's great concern that they're going to start to encroach areas such as where right where we are, Southern Southern Western Nassau. So and and lower Westchester and and and so this is a big push to at least get some advocacy so that local taxpayers and school uh district residents can have a say in whether or not a charter school can open um in their in their area. Right now they have no public has no say whatsoever, but public monies is diverted directly to the charter schools. I have a question. >> And you also want to add to that that there's no
128transparency on the part of these charter schools and there there there's no None of the laws, none of the things that we are subjected to they do they have to obey. There's no There's just nothing. No accountability, nothing. And yet our taxpayer dollars are being taken away from public school systems and being put into these public charters which are for-profit also. So there's a It's your tax dollars that are doing this and it's hurting your kids if they're in the public school system. So you need to be aware of that. I also believe that the certification is not the same for teachers over there, too, right? >> And they don't and they don't always take all the kids, either. Exactly. Okay. And uh Mr. Kaplan? This particular resolution that we just uh approved or going
129to approve, I assume, Um, where does it go to? What's the next step with this document? >> that that's a great question. We will submit it to, um, well, also to Nisba so that they know that there's a a public board, um, that has supported that, and then we will just continue our advocacy. We'll send it to our legislators. That's where it goes to, directly. Yep. All right, so, um, we're going to take all in favor. I. >> I. Did we take a vote? Yeah. Yes, we took a vote. So, okay, all in favor? I. I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Point appointment of inspectors of election of, uh, of election to be held on, uh, May 19th, 2026. I'll take a motion. Um, move it. >> Sandy. I second. >> Laura. Any questions
130or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval for the summer playgrounds programs, 2026 >> it. registration fees. Bob and Don down there. And, uh, all in favor? I. >> I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Notice of budget hearings and annual election. I'll take a motion. Motion. Stu. >> Second. >> Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Uh, notice of, uh, notice to approve the notice of budget hearings and annual election. I just said that. >> Item G. I was doing good so far. >> [laughter] >> Motion to approve the inter-municipal agreement with Lynbrook schools for shared transportation needs. I believe that's for the Deca Deca >> for the Deca trip that goes up there, and we were picking up that You had
131actually already had bus and we've done it already. Good. I'll take a motion. >> I'll move it. I second. Uh, Sandy and Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Uh, H. To, uh, motion to approve a tuition service agreement with Long Beach City School District. >> I move it. Take a motion. Bob and Don. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Letter I. A motion to approve a 5-year extension with the Barry Tech Board JCC at the district's, um, CBO for UPK. I'll take a motion. Motion. Second. Stu and Seth. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Acceptance of the 2025-2026 internal audit report, purchase and full cycle, um, by our internal auditors,
132Moroski Smith LLP. I'll take a motion. Move it. >> Move it. So, we got that with Sandy and Laura. >> Yep. Laura. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. >> Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Approval for the uh, 2025-2026 corrective action for the internal audit person with which serves the district as the district's response. I'll take a motion. I move it. Second. And Don down there. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Uh, 11. Opportunity No, we're going L. Approve approval of No, approval of the 26-27 budget budget I got the little gallery up front here. Budget ballot propositions. I'll take a motion. Motion. Stu. Second. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes. Opportunity for the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Harrington.
133>> Just a couple of things, Mr. D'Ambrosio. So, first, thank you. I want to publicly acknowledge our board for having, uh, passed the budget ballot propositions. I think as a number of board members already mentioned, we recognize that, um, you know, other school districts are just not, um, you know, uh, in in the same position we are, and, uh, we're really proud of that, and it does also come from the trust, uh, that the board has placed in myself and Dr. Coakley and our whole team, uh, when we come and we make these kinds of of recommendations to you. So, we're excited, we're proud, good to come, and, um, it's something that I hope our community recognizes, um, is something we do with great attention. I know that we have these budget meetings that, um,
134the board gets this material in advance. You take it very seriously, you review them, you you you ask questions sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes publicly, uh, but at the end of the day, you know that this being fiscally, um, responsible is a huge huge part of your of your responsibility. So, I acknowledge and I thank you for that. The only other thing I would like to say in that regard as well, I would be remiss, and I know they were already acknowledged and thanked by some of our board members, but I need to publicly acknowledge and thank my whole team, uh, including Dr. DeRosa, Ms. Previtera, and of course Sam Sanacore and Dr. Coakley, who help us make this look easy, uh, which is what I say to them all the time. We make it
135look so easy. Um, but at the end of the day, it's really not easy, but we do like to present, um, our information in in in in in a way that hopefully people can truly understand that we're trying to preserve programs, we're trying to keep our district on the map, which we are so incredibly proud of, and at the same time being fiscally responsible to our community. And then finally, um, I believe Mr. Tranzam already alluded to this, but we're super excited, uh, for our ribbon cutting on Thursday, March 26th, is our first, uh, official league game, uh, for our baseball team. So, we will be cutting that ribbon at 4:30 p.m., uh, on the baseball field, the brand new and improved. And similarly, on Friday the 27th, will be our first league softball game,
136uh, where we will also be, uh, cutting our ribbon. So, we're so so excited, long time in coming, and I know the kids are super excited, our coaches are so excited, and if you get a look back there now, if you look at our entire athletic complex, uh, it is quite quite amazing, and it's something to be incredibly proud of. So, thank you for that. That's really all I have at this point, Mr. D. Thank you so much, Dr. Harrington. Mr. Lyson, I'm sure you're excited about the our whole sports complex back there. Good stuff. Uh, at this particular time, uh, opportunity for the Board of Education. I'll actually have my board members. Who'd like to go first? Okay, Mr. Blum. I'd just like to, uh, mention, remind everyone that tomorrow night the Oceanside Chamber
137of Commerce is having its annual cocktail reception, and being honored is our own Laura Leacey, sitting over there tonight. Right? Um, as the chamber's citizen of the year, and anyone that's interested in going, you can still get tickets for it. It's always a fantastic evening. It's a lot of fun, and it's great to come out and, um, show support for Laura. On Sunday, Sunday morning is the Friends of the Libraries having its annual brunch, and they are honoring, uh, Jessica Keegan, also from our school district, >> [applause] >> as well as one of our students, Layla Brown, and, um, that's also, uh, a great morning. It's a lot of fun, and it's also a great opportunity just to spend some time at our fantastic library. So, if anyone's interested going to that, I I strongly,
138um, suggest. You can order those tickets online, or I don't know, you probably could pay at the door, I would imagine. I'm I'm not sure. But I I um, both of those events I'd highly recommend. Um, also, we're talking about our fields. One thing I'd want to mention, you know, I think about, um, Mr. D'Ambrosio had sort of made a comment to to, um, Mr. Rilusco earlier that he won't be around in in a certain time to see certain things. But like with our fields, when we have the ribbon cutting, to think back when we first started that whole process, unfortunately, the students that were here, that pushed for it, graduate, not unfortunately, they graduate. They do graduate, but unfortunately, they're not here to appreciate. I always think about it when we we did the,
139um, change, convert the little theater to what it is today, and all those students that pushed for it, and they came to a board meeting, and spoke to it, were probably all graduated by by by the time that opened. But Yeah. But it's, um, but it's still a great accomplishment. It's great to see the facilities and the fields. things that we were able to do at no additional expense. We didn't have to bond that out, and and things that we were able to cover the cost of. Um, and lastly, along the lines of, um, of our athletics. I guess this was a Section 8 decision. You're on a Section 8 board. Well, now, our football, we have one football game that goes outside our conference. So, week three this year, Oceanside will be playing against
140Carey. Yeah, and that will probably be our homecoming as well. Play who? Yeah. Carey. Carey. So, the the football committee, which is a very, um, influential group of of, um, coaches, >> [laughter] >> uh, have been fighting for this for a very long time. Uh, and it it supposedly is equaling some sort of playing field. I don't All I know is an added game, and, uh, you are absolutely correct. So, they did that recommend. Right. So, they they'll still allow schools to charge, um, admission to people going to see a game, right? Especially the visitors. Uh, they're they're not going to do anything about that, but at least they took care of this, and they're going to allow for us to play. I did bring that up. I will bring it up again, I promise.
141>> I I appreciate that. Thank you very much. Who? Carey? Yeah, that we would be Well, it we're going to be playing them. The schedule, Mr. Lehman shared the schedule with me, uh, over the weekend of the projected dates, and right now that would be our homecoming. It's It's tentative. Don't put it in your datebook yet, but that's what we're looking at. I Mr. Shaw, would you like to say something as well here? >> Yeah, there's only thing one thing I want to say. The 1st of February was brutal when it came to weather and I think that our uh buildings and grounds are under the leadership of Mark Montemurro and all the that whole crew did a yeoman's job for an entire month. Absolutely. >> a hell of a lot of snow that they
142had to push around and get our buildings ready and they did the best job possible clearing our lots and and making them as accessible as possible for our students and our families, our parents and our teachers. So I think they deserve a great deal of thanks. >> Thank you for You're absolutely right. Thank you for bringing that up and I will make sure absolutely. Thank you. Uh Ms. Leahy, anything to add there? No, I just want to echo um the sentiments of my fellow board members in thanking um Dr. Coakley and the whole team for the budget presentation and how transparent you were with everything. So thank you. Good. And we got Mr. Trasm. Um I'd like to echo the same sentiments regarding buildings and grounds that Ms. Shaw pointed out. They did a terrific
143job. Congratulations to Ms. Leahy for that wonderful honor you'll be getting tomorrow night. And I'd like to thank all the elementary schools who bonded together uh during the month of February for Super Bowl and other activities uh with food drive. We got a tremendous amount of food which we actually really needed and it's getting us through. We have a little bit in reserve but if you think of wanting to donate, the donation box is outside. You can just dump it or I'll come pick it up. Thanks and have a great uh rest of the night. Good. Uh Mr. Moresco, thank we we exceeded the limit on time so that's all right. >> very much. >> [laughter] >> Thank you very much, Mr. President. Guys I have a few things I'd I'd like to uh mention
144at this time. I First of all, I'd like to begin by congratulating our elementary schools for the successful musicals and a congratulations to the teachers, the parents and especially the students. The costumes, the scenery, the acting and the singing were very well done. Thanks to our executive producer Andrew Frygole and his two assistants, Jennifer Aiello and Victor Victoria Garrett for their coordinated efforts. I'd like to mention at school number two there was Disney Finding Nemo. Number four had The Wizard. Number three had Shrek the musical junior. Number 90 had SpongeBob musical and number eight had Disney's Aladdin Jr. I want to mention at school number eight there was a a guest, a very special guest who participated in the musical. He was the genie that appeared when the smoke when the curtains separated and the
145smoke started coming out and Dr. Z walked out as that genie and boy did he look like a genie. >> [laughter] >> And it was a and I he he was outstanding. I would like to recommend that maybe some of the other principals, if they're here, get involved next year. Take a part. Enjoy. Okay, also I attended the high school varsity and JV end of the year soccer uh season dinner and what a successful event. I also attended the Spotlight on the Stars starring the high school special ed and middle school special ed students and also high school drama students uh and middle school drama students. It was an outstanding performance from beginning to the end. Their singing, the dancing were terrific. Great job in putting this production together by their advisor and director Laura
146Gallo and Michelle Taplin and the parents who helped out and all the teachers who were involved did a wonderful job. Even Dr. Brendan Mitchell who did a great job as the MC. He was dressed in his tuxedo his shoes were shining. It looked like he just got off Broadway. It was incredible. Terrific show. Outstanding. Also a special thanks to the executive producer uh uh Andrew Frygole and again his two assistants, Jennifer Aiello and Victoria Garrett. And last but not least I know it was mentioned by Ms. Seeney as but there was an outstanding competition between the girls high school white team and the girls high school blue team. The evening was full of challenges and the girls did very well. At the end of at the end, the girls blue team were declared the winners
147and the girls white team won the sportsmanship award. Great job and I hope I pronounce these names correctly by Lisa Caminero who's director of student activities and who put this thing together and Josephine Prestigiacomo Goat. Pres- Ms. P. S- Say it. Presti. Presti. >> Alan, what is it? Presti. Jos- Josephine Presti. The announcer did a great job as an announcer and to all the teachers and the help they had in doing this special evening. There was a gentleman by the name of Alan B. Leeson who once again >> [clears throat] >> told me "Stay in your seat. We don't need your help. We don't want you to get hurt." I appreciate his his his thoughts and his his warnings. But he did he did a terrific terrific job in setting up all the different uh
148equipment. So congratulations to the high school. And the last thing I'd like to say is I unfortunately due to a conflict I was not able to attend the fashion show. But I understand it was quite outstanding. The number of students and parents involved did a wonderful job. So congratulations and here he was a star with his tuxedo walking down the aisle and doing [snorts] his thing. So congratulations uh to the PTA for a wonderful program. >> Yeah, and Mr. Moresco, you mentioned Mr. Frygole so so much this evening and thank you for that and I will tell you that next week he's going to be defending his dissertation so very soon we will have to call him Dr. Frygole. >> [laughter] >> So get ready for that. Okay. That's all I have to say right
149now. Mr. President. >> Thank you, Mr. Moresco. We'll be doing baby pictures later on with coffee cake with Don. Uh Mr. Kaplan, go ahead. I just want to reiterate the sentiments already expressed thanking Dr. Harrington, Dr. Coakley and everybody involved with the budget process. It's It's not an easy process. It's a long process. It's a detailed process. But more importantly, the the the time that's taken that you go through and walk this community and the board, of course through the entire line by line and the transparency in giving all the taxpayers an opportunity to ask questions and address those questions either immediately or through some other avenue, email or phone conversations is is a real asset to our to our community. I'm not quite sure every single school district is as transparent and as available
150and as uh uh open on all the line by line items as we are and I it's it's an item. It's a a skill set that is very much appreciated by everybody in the community. Thank you. I would just like to second that statement. I'm not going to repeat it, but I'd like to second it. They did an outstanding job. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Moresco. Okay. Uh next is public comment on non-agenda items. We're going to go quick. This is the opportunity for anyone who wants to make a comment on any item that is not on tonight's agenda. As I previously mentioned state law does not require us to hold a public comment period, but this Board of Education does so because we believe it's important to provide this forum to hear from
151the community members about concerns and issues. Having said that, please note that the board is here to listen. Comments should be directed toward the chair of the meeting which is myself. While everyone is encouraged to share their comments please remember that this is not designed to be a question and answer session. At this particular time, anybody like to come up we'll try to answer your questions quickly. Uh otherwise the appropriate person will follow up on any issue. Lastly, please remember that the board cannot will not discuss personal matters related to staff or students and public. Any parties wishing to come up to the microphone, clearly state your name and your child's school. Thank you for cooperation. Anybody would like to come up to the microphone. Once, twice, three. I want to get a motion to
152Oh, I'm sorry, Cindy. All right. Bring us home, Cindy. That's it. That's it. Hi. Um I just wanted to congratulate Joe Bell and Max on salutatorian and valedictorian. Um I also wanted to thank the board and the administration for an amazing budget considering other districts and what's going on with other districts this year. Um and I also want to wish everybody a happy Passover and Easter. Enjoy with your family, get some rest, enjoy, and see everybody back at the next Board of Ed meeting. Thank you, Cindy. Thank you. Thank you for your kind words all the time. And Gavin. Um I'd also like to echo the sentiments of everyone else here and and thank Dr. Coley and the rest of the team. Um just a tremendous job with the budget and in terms of staffing,
153um as a a union president can't ask for anything more. So, on behalf of over 500 members of the OFT, we just want to say thank you. Thank you very much. I'll take a motion. Al, you got anything to say back there, Al? You're okay? I'll take a motion to adjourn. Okay, we've got Sandy and Don. Oh, let's go home. I am so tired. I good, Al. How are you? I do have a key.