001Okay, >> I will wait till Miss Pipetone's done making copier copies because I know that'll be loud. The way the air conditioning is suit, >> Miss Pipetone, would you like me to wait a second? >> Would you like me to wait a second before we start? >> It's not letting me make the copy. I can make it somewhere else. >> No, it's okay. I'm asking you. I that copy machine makes weird noises out of nowhere anyway. So, >> he's only taking the first few pages. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. We're going to call to order um this regular meeting of the Sori School Board, September 9th, 2025. Everybody would rise for the pledge of allegiance. Flag is behind us over here. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to
002the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [Music] >> Okay. Emergency exits rear of the room out of the room. Um Miss Carney, would you do roll call, please? >> Sure. Christine Bellarosa >> here. >> Katie Emerson Hos >> here. Delglia >> here. >> Robert Tolman. >> Dina Erizeri >> here. >> Carl Kelder >> here. >> Michael Meyer >> here. >> Jeffrey Azi >> here. >> Timothy Wells >> here. >> And Adriana Ara. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Mission and vision statements. Dr. >> Good evening everybody. Our mission here at Sority is to provide equitable, engaging, inspiring and holistic experiences that support success and empowerment for students, families, and the community in a diverse and changing world. And our vision has become a beacon of educational excellence
003where every individual is inspired and able to achieve their fullest potential. All right. Now, we have the oath of office to our new student representative, Adriana Argueta. Miss Carney, please do the honors. You >> could stand, please. Raise your right hand and read. I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully faithfully discharge the duties of the off of the office of Board of Education Ed Student Rep. >> Okay, you could just sign there and put your address there. >> Congratulations. >> Yes. [Applause] Welcome to the frame. >> Thank you. Congratulations. Fantastic. >> Thank you so much. Okay. Um, real quick, we have approval of minutes from our August 12th and August 26th meeting. Motion to
004approve >> by Christine. Second, >> secondary. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Public recognition. Um, anybody wishes to address the board, now is the time. Jeff, I just got a text from somebody at home saying the video is not working, only the sound. >> Okay. >> I don't know if we care. I'm just letting you know. >> Okay. >> You want to ask her? Yeah. >> Video is >> that the video is not working. Only the sound on the stream. >> Neither. >> The video. Audio. Yes. >> Audio. Yes. Okay. So, the audio is the important one, but we'll see. >> Signed on. >> Good evening. My name is Bill Stutz. Uh I am here representing Speckled Frog. I'm the director of Speckled Frog Playare. I want to address some bus
005issues. Um last board meeting there was comment made that kids aren't riding the bus. Why aren't people riding the bus? It's it's an ongoing thing. It's not just soies. you know, countrywide probably. Um, so I wanted to address some issues and I will keep it as brief as possible. I wrote it so that I can just read it and um I'll try to stay within your three minute mark. >> Yeah. The only the only thing I would ask is please if do not mention any students by name. >> No, never. >> Okay. Thank you. Just want to make sure. Um so as you know um buses in so were a hot mess the opening day especially um there were notices to parents that it was going to be a hot mess. that term wasn't used.
006But um in talking with all of our parents, bus with of the bus kids, they said that they had had conversations with um faculty that it was going to be a mess. Um my grandmother told me that don't ever go to the table with a problem if you're not, you know, going to offer a solution. So I don't know what I can offer other than I I would sit with anybody to help. Um, I've been in education 25 years myself and I know the woes and I get it, but there's a problem. Um, so I'm going to first explain the main problem and then I just want to read a couple of emails that I've received from our parents regarding the bus leading to loss of care. They left daycare because of the busing situation
007inevitably. Um, so we understand the issues with buses and and lining it all up. What we cannot understand is um how a child can be dropped off at age five, four houses from his house without an adult present. I've run it through my head a million times. I I cannot understand how that could ever happen. We had a child that was dropped off four houses down. Um the father was waiting with me at daycare to get the child off the bus where he was told and the mother was told the day before that that's where his drop off was. He ended up on the wrong bus to his own street dropped off four houses away. So the dad's frantic. He's standing there with me and he gets a notification from his um ring cam. It's
008his son at his front door. And I'm trying to find what exactly he said. As we stood waiting for confirmation on the whereabouts of his son at the bus, dad got a buzz on his cell phone from his Ring camera on his house. Ring Cam saw his 5-year-old child alone walking up to the house. The driver dropped this student off who happens to have an IEP already in place without an adult four houses from the four four houses away from his house. Um, he was dropped off. He found his home and he can be seen on the Ring camera calling for his parents. Mom, Dad, oh no, no one's home. No one has keys. I'm alone. He walked back to the road and pulled on a car door handle, shaking it. He stopped a passer,
009a passing stranger, and asked for help and eventually ended up on the road alone in the road. And I can tell you because I saw the video myself. Thankfully, a neighbor came to this child's aid after eight minutes. By the way, when his mom asked him why he was pulling on the car door handle, he said, "Mommy, I wanted to set the car alarm off so someone would find me." He's five. Dan was contacted by Speckled Frog. We received no response. The principal at Ricardi took a meeting with the parents and told them via the transportation department that the driver is off the route and is receiving more extensive training. He then added to the family that we didn't send them to Speckled Frog because we thought the district wasn't working with Speckled Frog. So
010now my question is, was there a memo that went out regarding my last time here? Was this a conversation that that was had behind closed doors among uh administration? Like what's going on? We've worked with with sovereignities for the bus since the inception of the daycare. That has nothing to do with the reason we were here last meeting. >> So the fact that that was a statement is pretty alarming. Um, I would like to add that any person that drops off a 5-year-old alone on a bus doesn't need training. They they really don't belong there. That's it's it's not even that's an embarrassing statement to train somebody. They obviously need to do something else. This person needs to find a different job. Um, the fact that the district has not returned a phone call is
011unprofessional for me and I think it's it's despicable that the parents haven't received contact. I just talked to mom 30 minutes ago and she said no one from the district has contacted them since their initial meeting because it's under investigation. I don't know what has to be investigated other than who dropped the kid off, how do you end up on the wrong bus, and um how does this happen? We called the mandated reporter hotline, and people are going to be very interesting uh uh interested to know this. You can't call the mandated hotline on a school district. You can file a police report and you can file a complaint, but because the child had not been injured, you can't file a report on a district. That's a problem with our system. Um, the parents contacted
012the district ahead of time to make sure the bus route was all set. Mom confirmed this evening that she had spoken to someone the day before and that they were good to go. Dad was standing with me at Speckled Frog waiting. This perhaps is why there's so many allegations that have gone unanswered in this district. I can only assume that when people have made the call, nothing was done. Phone calls weren't answered. I don't know where else to go with this because the fact that we call a mandated reporter as I call as a mandated reporter and they say, "Well, you can't call on a district." That's that's um we need to uncover some truths in that. >> I'm going to ask you >> bus issue is >> Can I interrupt you for one second?
013Who who told you that? >> The people on the other end of the phone. >> For the people from mandated reporting. >> So not not somebody from the district. >> No. >> Oh, okay. So >> no, and and that's a systemic problem. If that's true, I'm not I'm not coming at the district for that. If that's true, I think that's a problem >> because school district can call if your kid comes dirty, unbathed, okay, >> smelly, but but a but a person in the community can't call on a district for making >> um a mistake like that. >> Okay. And the principal at Ricardi met with the parent. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> The day of >> Okay. Okay. >> Um they did. >> Um but has not reached out since. They they are kind
014of just waiting for an answer. >> Okay. Um, so my question is who takes accountability that our students are not being provided transportation, safe transportation and reliable transportation? Who is accountable for now another student we lose um due to bus issues. Now I I have one from last year, one from this year because these are the emails that I um still had. I regret to inform you that blank will no longer be attending the afterchool program this year in Speckled Frog effective October 7, 2024. She loves the program, however, is struggling to have an enjoyable bus ride to Speckled Frog. I won't go into the details of that. Um, this one was from this year, August 31st. The change in blank has nothing to has nothing to do with any concern with Spike Frog. He
015has enjoyed his time there immensely and we have been happy with his with the care he's received. This change is motivated purely by the fact that he has a long bus ride and over the course of last year we've become more aware of the bus as a place where he's exposed to things without supervision chiefly cell phones and cell phone culture. I'm sure you can appreciate that that it is rapidly changing world with any where anything can be found at their fingertips in a cell phone. That email goes on to two pages explaining exactly what was on the cell phone. Um I'm not going to pretend that that we don't all know what's on the cell phone. Uh these young kids up to age five, six, seven are on the bus. I don't want to
016come at you without a solution or offering a solution. My only solution is we have to sit down and figure this out because these kids are losing their innocence on these buses. Parents aren't sending the kids on the bus. It's creating a traffic pattern problem. It's all it all adds up. But the issue is we obviously have a bus problem. I can be empathetic to a tragic, horrible mistake of a of an adult dropping a kid off, but I can't forgive that. If that child was abducted, killed, injured in that 8 minutes, this would be a whole different meeting. And my advocacy is for that child, for that family, and for my families as as the director. I don't want to come at you. I want um to offer a solution, but I don't know
017what else to offer than to sit with you at a table and and figure this out. Um I do hope that you contact the family and and give them what you have for your investigation from an incident that happened a week ago yesterday. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Flash Wednesday. >> All right. Yeah. All right. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Eve Rubber and I'm currently attend attending Sardis Junior High as an eighth grader. This past year, I wrestled on the modified boys wrestling team. Before my season started, I attended some of the clinics and practices the girls varsity team came to and hosted. I was a beginner last year, so as I went to these practices, I developed a bond with the older girls. They were good influences
018and I could look up to them. Recently, I learned about the unlawful acts that related to some of the girls on a wrestling team and their old coach. And I was disturbed. For me, knowing that adults in the building knew about these crimes and decided not to share them with authorities makes me feel unsafe, not only as a student athlete, but as a young woman. It's upsetting that many of the other girls were not involved are still being publicized, and most aren't even competing anymore, including me. I feel unprotected, off-put, and uncomfortable in my own school regarding inappropriate behaviors. During the wrestling season, I broke my finger and could not play in band. And my band teachers expect suspected that I had been faking it, even though I had a signed doctor's note. And instead
019of asking me or my parents if I was faking it, he asked two of my friends in the class if I was. I only found out because they told me and I was upset. It is disappointment to see inappropriate and unlawful acts going on in my school. I wish I could feel safer and I hope to see change in my junior and senior high school career. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. First, I want to thank our teachers and staff. You rise early, stay late, and show up every day for our children. For the eager ones, the struggling ones, and the hurting ones. Your work is seen, valued, and deeply appreciated. I speak tonight as a parent of two children in this district as a professional educator and a lifelong member of this community.
020I graduated from Saris High School in 1994 before earning a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education and spending over a decade teaching in some of the most competitive school districts in the country. I built that career not through connections but through preparation, hard work, and a deep commitment to the students. I returned home after 21 years to raise my children here in my hometown. And since then, I've served this district as a substitute teacher, longtime leave replacement, PTSA leader, scholastic bookf fair organizer, and a member of multiple school and town committees. My life has always been centered on education and community. That's why what is happening now in our district is so profoundly troubling. In just the past weeks, we've seen our district in the midst of a rape investigation. Another non-tenure teacher
021was escorted out of the building for inappropriate contact with a student. I was a parent with a child with that teacher. I was not told. And this week, our district attorney addressed the town directly, laying out years of coverups and inappropriate actions tied to this district's leadership. This is not rumor or exaggeration. It is our reality. And yet what I see is a disturbing effort to carry on as if nothing has changed. Administrators in their positions, decisions still made behind closed doors, the same culture of intimidation, nepotism, and silence continuing to be unchecked. I know what strong leadership looks like. I've seen it. I've worked under it. Strong leadership empowers teachers. It protects students. And it builds trust within families, between families. What we have right here, right now, is the opposite. A system where
022staff are silenced, concerns are ignored, discipline is inconsistent, and parents are left in the dark. As a parent, as a taxpayer, and as someone who has spent their career in education, I can tell you this plainly. There is no trust left in this district's leadership. None. And trust will not be restored with words, PR statements, or business as usual. It will only be restored with accountability, transparency, and action, including leadership changes where necessary. We cannot allow our children's education and safety to be compromised by a culture of fear and cover-ups. We cannot ask our teachers and staff to give their all every day while they themselves are disrespected, dismissed, or intimidated. And we cannot as a community look the other way while the same patterns continue. This district must do better. Our children deserve better.
023And the time for action is now. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lauren. I can talk real loud. I don't need a microphone. >> The people online can help you. >> What do I hit on you? >> Gotcha. Brandon Skoon Maker, longtime resident, graduated from Sardies in 2000 and local often troll. I just want to come here to say one thing really simple so I don't have to keep saying it online. I love you guys and I love this school. You all do a great job. However, what you say and what you don't say affects the optics of what's going on around us. Those things need to be considered when you guys are making decisions. That's actually all I ask. So now I can go home and eat my pie. Thank you very much. >> Thank
024you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Brandon. anyone else. Okay. Wow, she's ready. Start up. >> We got to give her a mic. >> Let's give her. Does that one sound good? Yep. All right. our student representative report. Okay. Okay. [Music] Elementary school welcomed over 400 students on September September 3rd for the start of the academic year with activities including teacher introductions, student reconnections, and classroom community building. First first PTA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 9th at 4:40m with details available on the Cahill PTA web web page. At Ricardi, students were welcomed with energetic energetic music provided by Coach Fo who served as a DJ with outdoor speakers to create an enthusiastic atmosphere. On arrival, all grade levels met with Mr. tryon in the cafeteria during the week to learn the school's theme song, which he
025composed specifically for Ricardi students to establish the academic year's tone. First PTA meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 10th at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria with open attendance for all community members. Morris School successfully commenced the academic school year, welcoming both returning and new students. The one book, one program, one school program is scheduled to begin on September 15th. First PTA meeting will be held on September 17th at 6 p.m. with community members encouraged to join for school engagement and connectivity. At the junior high, diagnostics days are scheduled for Tuesday, September 9th and Friday, September 12th, combining mindfulness and social emotional learning experiences with I Ready Diagnostic Administration. The third annual community night fair will be held during open house on September 25th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. featuringformational tables from various communities agencies in the
026junior high cafeteria. The senior high thanks thank you to you all for an excellent start to the school year. We appreciate the way students have stepped up to embrace using their yonder pouches and wearing the RD badges. By doing so, students are helping us to create a safer and more focused learning environment for everybody. Your cooperation and commitment are making a real difference in our school community. If you're interested in serving as a member of the high school building leadership team, then please contact Mrs. Molino. Our first meeting will take place on September 19th, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Please see the SHS week of at a glance newsletter that is shared weekly with parents, guardians, and students for upcoming dates and activities. >> Can I ask question of the student? >> You absolutely can ask
027a question. Go ahead. Thank you. That was a great report. Thank you. Especially >> report. Yeah. >> Thank you so much. Two questions for you. First of all, how do you pronounce your first name, Adriana or Adriana? >> Adriana. >> Okay, we got that. Secondly, can you tell us not off the paper, but what's what are you seeing different in the classroom with the yonder pouches, if anything? Like, does the classroom feel different without the yonder or with the yonder pouches? >> Um, it definitely feels different. There's more like socializing, which feels nice, you know, like eye contact. people are learning to actually talk to each other and not just like >> complaining pouches. >> There's free time. >> Um I find that everybody is a little like I I think the only like frustrating
028part is knowing what time it is like in the hallway. >> That's a good point. >> I feel a lot of people can't read normal clocks, right? >> So I don't know. And in the hallway >> skill to learn. >> Yeah, we should probably put that in there. I feel like um kids might make excuses up that they're late because there's still, you know, time. >> Mhm. >> But >> so I don't know. >> Yeah. >> I think that's the only thing. But otherwise, it's like great. People are playing games in the cafeteria and it's fun. >> Good. Great. >> Thank you. Good question. >> Great question. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Okay, Dr. nursing school year. >> We're going to put a few updates there. So, I'm shorten my >> turn off. >> That's
029a good sound. >> All right. Try that again. Uh, so you hit some of my updates, so I'm going to shorten mine now. Um, just wanted to first of all welcome our staff and students back uh for a great couple days so far. Um, as was said, the yonder pouch as I was out there for the first couple days, I mean, they put it in at, you know, the end of the day, students did seem to be very happy or kind of appreciated not having to worry about their phone all day. Um, so some of the kind of uh stories that I've got speaking to students, um, we do have some upcoming meetings. Next Wednesday, the 17th, is our DT meeting. Uh, elementary open house is the 18th. And then on Thursday, September 25th, we've
030got our district safety committee committee meeting as well as our secondary open house. Um, so if you are interested in participating, please reach out to me on those things. Um, and then I do want to publicly acknowledge uh Albert Snyder as well as Kathleen O'Brien. So Albert Snyder was a driver on the Boseies bus that was returning to school yesterday was uh struck by a car traveling south. Uh, and Kathy O'Brien was the aid on the bus. Um both of them in speaking with a transportation supervisor who spoke with um Carl sorry Lette uh said that they both remain super calm under the pressure. They checked on our kids to make sure everybody was okay. So a big thank you to them and always a big thank you to our first responders uh who do
031uh show up when when situations arise. So thank you very much. [Music] >> Okay. Board member remarks. Start over here today. >> All right. Lucky me. >> Switch it up. >> Appreciate that. >> All right. Is that working? You guys hear me? All right. Uh, first and foremost, um, thank you to all that spoke. Uh, I appreciate you guys coming up and speaking your mind, giving us some some input. >> I don't know if that's working. >> Is it working? >> I think you have to actually talk to Yeah. >> Is that good? >> There you go. >> Uh, as I said, thank you all who spoke. I appreciate you guys coming up and and giving us some input from a different view that maybe we don't have. So, it's good to hear those those
032things. Um, Eve, thank you very much for coming up. I know it takes a lot to come up here and speak in front of a bunch of, you know, crazy looking people up here that uh it's got to be a little unnerving. So, thank you for coming up and speaking your mind as well. Uh, as far as the bus issues, uh, my daughter is in in Ricardi as well, so I I felt that as as well. Um, I I actually believe maybe she was supposed to be on the bus that the the young child was supposed to be on and maybe he got on the wrong one. he or she got on the wrong one. Um, she had said that uh she had kind of given me some insight in regards to that. Uh, you
033know, she was supposed to be home at 3:10, got home at 4:10. So, I felt that pain as well. Um, but you know, she typically from what I've seen with the buses in my 11 years with having a student here is the first week is pretty rough, but obviously for that child is a lot rougher than than typical. So, I'm sorry to hear that that happened. Um, welcome back to the staff and students. Glad to see everybody back. Um, outside of the bus issues we've had over the past week. Um, it seems that the the yonder pouches are going fairly well. Thank you for the update. Uh, I was I I did have some concern with how that was going to roll out, but it seems like it's rolling out pretty well. Um, being accepted
034generally from the population and and the kids going there as well. Um, and that's kind of all I got. Thank you very much. >> Thanks, Tim. Michelle, >> thank you. Um, I have a few things that I want to say in no specific order, but um, when I was listening to your report, Adrian, I heard you say that there's a PTA meeting tonight at one of the schools. Um, I think that's what you said, that September 9th. Um, >> for whoever's scheduling PTA meetings, please don't schedule them on the same night as schoolboard meetings in case people feel like there might want to be a conf or, you know, be at the board meetings. Let's just be cognizant of that. Um, I want to thank Eve in particular for your comments. I took a lot
035of notes. I always do. You guys see me writing all the time. There were some things that you said that really concerned me and things that I want to take back to the district. Number one being that you are a young girl that was wrestling on the boys modified wrestling team. Um, I don't know enough about how those decisions are made and how teams are formed yet. Um, you know, we've got a lot of sports experience in our household, but not when there's co-mingled sports like that. So, that concerns me. Um, but your experience brought me to tears. I was trying to kind of hold that back. Um, I'm an emotional person. Doesn't matter for the purposes of this room, but you really, really touched me and you're very brave for getting up and saying
036that. So, you should feel very proud of that moment. Um, the past week or two, my communication has been absolutely blowing up with I heard the board blah blah blah. I heard the board did this, I heard the board made this decision, you have access to all of us. Okay, so the texts that go between I heard the board made this decision or I heard that this is happening. Send the emails to us. Our emails are public. I can't tell you that every single thing is going to be responded to. I know um Jeff and Dr. H's email in particular absolutely inundated. Um, but come to us. Give us the opportunity to set it straight before the rumors go through the rumor mill. And last but not least, the other thing that has frustrated me
037and and to Jeff's point at the meeting two weeks ago, I am asking the administration of this district and the leadership in the buildings to find a yes. Okay, that is a phrase that I use in my business all the time. Find a yes. Finding a no is not helpful to anyone. And the answer may not be immediately yes to the question that the people are asking you, but find a yes, please. There's got to be a solution. It can't all stop with you. Brainstorm, collaborate, but let's find a yes. The this whole no, there's nothing we can do about it. Jeff, you raised it. It has come directly to me with specific examples countless times since that meeting. It's a problem. So please, we need to find a yes. >> Miss Kelder. >> Yes.
038>> Found a yes. >> Yeah. >> I I just want to welcome everyone back. I want to welcome Adriana. Thank you for joining us. You did an amazing job and I look forward to working with you this year. >> Um I want to thank all of uh the people that are here tonight. I think again this is probably one of the most um attended board meetings that we've had at one time with the exception of last time. Um thank you for speaking. Thank you for speaking. That was very very I appreciate that and I think that that was awesome. Um I also want to say last week we had policy meeting and I had quite a few attendees to that meeting and the interaction conversations that we had during the meeting were excellent that is
039going to occur when you come to a meeting when you email a concern um to us directly we have a chance to discuss it um and the younger kids um I have all the confidence in the world I really do you you don't believe me but I did have confidence that it was going to be okay. I have teacher friends that are in a neighboring district and they're using those colleges. They used them all last year and they said the same thing. There was more eye contact you know beginning but for the most part they were so that you know that's what you reported to us. So, thank you. And I wish I wish I could >> Michael. >> Oh, I thought you were pointing to Jamie. It was her. Oh, >> take my turn.
040>> Yeah. Um, well, not to everybody, but I do want to welcome everyone back to the school. Hopefully, it'll be a a productive school year for everyone. And welcome to Adriana. Uh it's great to have another board and to get the the view of the students and again I would just like to thank everyone for uh their public comments tonight. It's really important to have that engagement at the at the policy meetings to uh to echo the show. Our emails are all on the website. So feel free to reach out if there's any concerns or rumors that you would like to have addressed. >> Thanks for those classes. when said everything. Um, so again, just I'm hopeful for a successful school year for all the teachers and students. Thank you, Eve, and all the others
041who got up to speak. Um, and letting us know from your point of view what's going on in the community because we don't always know. Um, and I really have great school year. Thank you. Thank you. >> It's also the district and I think that it's going to be an enriching and engaged year. Um, thank you. As everyone else has said, Adriana, um, as student representative to the board and um, I hope you'll continue to share any concerns or feedback. Um, and I appreciate the republic who came out to speak tonight. I appreciate hearing your experiences here, but I also appreciate it if uh we're informed by email the things that you're hearing, the things that you're seeing so that we can be actively working on on them >> at the time we hear them.
042Um so um I wanted to move on to the fact that protecting public health is really in the hands of the safes now localities and communities. On a state level I'm very grateful that our governor cleared the way for vaccinations to begin for anyone um ages three and up. um check with primary care um uh I took my family to village apothecary in Woodstock uh where they have a tightly compat answered all my questions and I look forward to returning with my family to flu shots uh in October. Um but what we can do is as a community um getting vaccinated, handashing, taking extra precautions and traveling uh and travel and I'm going to hold myself accountable here uh especially at the start of the cooler weather where we're all coming indoors. Um at the
043very least if you're not feeling well considering just to reduce uh airborne viral spread because there's other viruses other than um and it's a small way that we say uh that we care about our lives in a world that's increasingly devoid of compassion. Um how we say we care about our elderly our imun compromised community members. Um, and it's a small way we can enact some of the values of justice and love that we we want to see every day in our communities. Um, I'm looking forward to seeing what the district has in store for the upcoming Latin American Heritage Month that begins on September 15th, goes to October 15th. Um, it's also known as Hispanic Heritage Month, but I'll let anyone interested look into why those two terms, those two descriptors uh that are
044used interchangeably or not the same thing. Um and I hope that the school community will redouble its efforts lean into the uh concepts of welcoming and belonging for all students. Um, I'm hoping that we can make uh make our immigrant families feel more safe here at a time, targeted, profile, and in danger. Um, I want to reiterate the commitment this district needs to immigrant family members. Children will be safe while they're in school. Um, speaking of CS New School, I want to make something very clear to public administration, staff and students that uh, as a member of the policy committee, my goal is best practices in policies in the interest of all students, not what's most popular, not what you've always done, not good enough, not whatever the most popular policies are discussed on Facebook.
045Um our last meeting best attendance probably had the best attendance ever and there was a robust discussion regarding transportationization communications policies and I hope that that energy continues uh going forward because these are the places that community and teachers and students we can all you know can all make a difference. Um um we as a board are committed to rooting out some decades long that appear to survive the best intentions of multiple boards, administrations and community members, uh staff and community members >> and our job board is to understand what happened. Um the president and the vice president of this board have been doing their level best to keep the community informed to answer questions and share answers. And the point of having that investigation is to get a full picture of what we need
046to know what to do. I carrying no consequences without a full and accurate picture of what happened does not keep my kids safer or your kids are anyone's uh any more safer secure and carrying any consequences without a full accurate picture of what occurred is not what we set out to do here. Um could also legal trouble time I've heard it as a personal account from community members and former graduates to know that this isn't the first time that something like this occurred. Be part of this the board over time to ensure that it doesn't happen again. [Music] >> Dr. do me a favor. I got pain ever since Carol spoke. Um, there's been an echo. So, talk to the director. >> Yeah. See if that helps. So, >> how's that doing our audience members?
047>> Okay. I don't have much to say. Um, I want to thank everybody. I want to, um, thank everybody who spoke. Eve, I really want to thank you because I think it's very hard. It's not >> now I'm going to get tearary and part of trying to get to randomize emotions. Um and that's because I feel like acknowledging the fear that students have any students to walk around this building and fright and around them who granted perfect world but we need to be responsive and it's not the first time I've heard on comments from high school students like I don't think you're think you're faking it. That just makes me stop if they're faking and they're faking it for a reason and they need other things. So just not do it. Um um so I
048want to thank you Bill I really appreciate the one solution right and the transportation issue um and it is not just one that so has um there are different policies it's largely within the district's uh power though to sort of figure out how transportation happens. We are already uh looking at a transportation policy today and um we will be discussing that policy committee meeting um in October which I encourage you to come to. Um I've been looking for a long time for those of you who know me which many of you don't uh to get the policy committee to be sort of where it is and where we can have these kinds of conversations. So um I really also want to thank you for sitting here. I have no idea what it feels like as
049a high schooler. Um I think if I had had a chance I probably would have jumped at it. Um I encourage you to bring us questions that your student body because you're the representative of the student body may have um to us as a board even if we can't answer them right away. Um because it was a great report. Uh but you are sort of our link to the student body at least the secondary student body in a way that we don't really always have. Um so I I have done a lot. I know we are investing in some trauma-informed care training. Um that is not about becoming therapists. That is about being therapeutic with our interactions which means creating safety and acknowledging emotions and connecting them to uh behavior. That does not mean our
050job is to find out what everybody's trauma is because I'll tell you that's not the question you want to ask um to second graders like oh what makes you feel frightened right what you want to really provide kids with and staff with is what do I do with that emotion when I have it and what do I do with it in a way that keeps me connected to my community and keeps me safe. Um, so we talk a lot about in the work I do about creating a safe space and really recognizing that there's only so much I can do about that, right? But we really want to create brave spaces where young women who are sitting in the midst of a swirl of um, societal misogyny, much less whatever happened in this district, um,
051can stand up and speak and say what they need to say. Um, so I want this to be a brave space. I want it to be a brave space for the community and I want it to be a brave space for all of us as uh board members. So, thank you. >> Um, thank you Dr. Hos. Um, so I will continue my process of not repeating everything that the other eight board members have said and thanked and um so um I will just um highlight a couple things. I think the only I agree with um Mr. Grimolia in that the amount of communication that we've had over the past two months has been amazing. Um and the only the only thing I would the only thing I would change in what she said is um
052I have responded to everyone. Every single person who has reached out has either gotten an email back, a phone call, if they ask to speak with me in person, I've I've met with them in person. I've I I can't tell you how many people I've met. I don't know why. This must be a safe space. I've met with them at the big pavilion at Cantine. Um because they didn't want to meet on school grounds or somewhere else. Um and I have responded to everyone. Um, and like I said from the beginning, and I'll always say, you might not like my answer, >> but I'll give you an answer. Um, and we can talk about it. Um, and we can work on you can tell me why. Well, I don't like that answer, and here's why.
053And I'll say, okay, some of the stuff I which I'm going to get to another point, which Michelle asked me to do. Um, and we're not this is not we we're not the only ones who work together, but um is some things I simply I pass off to people within the district. Now, I don't know if this used to happen. It doesn't happen with me. I don't blindly pass it off. Which means if I pass it off to somebody, I'm going to follow up with that person in a few days and see if it was handled. and then I'll get back with the other person and the person within the district will get back to him. So, anybody who has reached out to me who hasn't gotten a response, let me know. Call me tomorrow
054or bring it up. But please, and the the things have been the the listing of things have been varied from transportation to my daughter was bullied last year and nothing happened, right? Everything. So, I mean, I'm talking about the the the the spectrum of of different things. Um, to I didn't get a I you know, I have beat my head against the wall um in the guidance counselor's office and I haven't gotten a response for some something. We ended up getting a response for that person and we got we got it taken care of um and we got it fixed. So, please continue the level of communication. All right, it's good. The other thing and the thing that that we were talking about that we talked about in the policy committee meeting, the one important
055thing is people send me an email or they call me and they wonder why I can't just reach in and fix something, right? I'd love to. Trust me, in my other job, and I've been yelled at for saying in my real world job, in my other job, because that this is very real world, is I'm I'm able to do that, right? I'm able to just reach in, fix something, and correct the problem. But the board, and I think people people are very not clear on on on the board, right? We have three responsibilities. I would love to have more. We only have three. That is to hire and review a superintendent. It is to pass and adjust policy. And it is to adopt and pass a budget. Those are the three things. Now within those
056three things I can tell you I expand I use creative accounting let's call to expand where I reach into and talk to somebody but those are the three things. So when people call me about I had this happen or I interviewed for this position and like can you help me? Oh we'll respond. I'll respond and I'll point them to the right people but I can't just go fix it. I wish I could but I can't. Nobody around this table can. Right. Um so please on the level of communication please continue. Remember those are the three things. The other thing the only other thing I will echo that everybody else here said was the input on the policy committee. The policy committee was amazing. And the reason it was amazing wasn't simply from the amount of
057people, right? Because we always have a full table, but it's always people from within the district and maybe one parent. This time we had people from our athletic department. We had coaches in the room. We had one, two, three, four, five, five different six different parents um plus administrators and teachers. And it was a robust discussion. It really was because we got for it was fantastic. I I can't remember I believe her name was Stacy. Um but she works for the for the uh for the state. Her insight on how certain policies work opened my eyes on a whole bunch of stuff because she was she was approaching it from a whole different area. So I encourage you at our facilities meeting gentleman's here tonight. We had we had somebody I think it's the first
058time in I I don't know since I've been going to the facility meeting that we had somebody a parent join the facility committee meeting. So thank you. He's here tonight. Um and he had really good questions about um you know about the Ricardi easement and things like that. Um so that so I just want to I just wanted to kind of clear those things up. Um we will I will talk to anybody. I will regardless of the topic. Um, the one other thing I'd like to one rumor I would like to clear up is I I I was pointed it out by my wife online um because I don't go on anymore on that people were complaining of why we're not using the Ricardi easement. It's not built yet. That's why we're not using it.
059It's It's not approved. It's We just We had to go through We got just got the property. No, we don't have property yet because we had to go through a 60-day comment period and this is all the town, right? Feedback period. Um, >> so we are what do we have to do to actually get the property? >> So, we've gone through the public comment period. We we are now in the process of of designing with our architects, engineers, and having a traffic study. So, once that's presented to the land owner in the town, then they would need it to >> we address that in our facility committee blue star. So, to the person who was wondering why we're not using the Ricardi access, there isn't one yet. We would love to expedite it, but the
060state does certain things and the town does certain things. So, okay. All right. Moving on. Um, Dr. Roarback, [Applause] curriculum, writing, and summer school. And please, everybody, make sure if you're not, make sure your microphones are off. >> Okay. Good evening. >> So, it's a little bit more than those two things. Typically, we review the summer programming. >> It's okay. Do you want me to tap it? >> You got to hit on the tab up top >> and then hit slideshow. No, not the X. >> I think I think we fixed it. I got somebody just ping me. I think turning off the mics helped. >> Yep. And that was on. >> That was the key. >> So, she had a >> Can't you minimize that window? >> We're working on the >> board over
061there. >> That's just what they need. Technology help from the peanut gallery. >> Oh, man. That is I long name for those technology suggestions. >> All right. So, one of the first things you'll notice, I'm just going to pause for a second. Um, so summer programming has been significantly reduced. We had four programs uh the summer. Typically the past four years we had six programs due to some ARP COVID funding that's now gone. So we have four programs. One of the things that I think is super important before we go on was this week with our staff, our teachers, our buildings and grounds look beautiful. The staff was topnotch in creating a welcoming, safe and joyful experience. So to all the teachers and administrators, I want to say thank you because opening school in the
062current state of healing and repair that's needed kind of feels like constantly holding this tension, right? And we're just about to snap here in so a 5-year-old doesn't know that. And a 5-year-old needs to feel safe. and I witnessed that on opening day and throughout the week and the quality of professionalism care that our staff gave was amazing. So, thank you so much for that. Okay, so our four programs that we had this summer was academic summer school grades 7 through 12. Uh Mrs. Pippetone will go into that. There's multiple programs within that program. We work with Olster Boseis for the ENL summer academy. These are for our English language learners which by the way on opening day I was in a classroom with a special education teacher where the students were some of them
063not all autistic nonverbal and were not native speakers of English. and the way they welcomed them in was amazing with sensory opportunities to play and build community. It was probably one of the most amazing things I've ever seen and I needed to see it. Um, our third thing was curriculum mapping and MTSS work and professional learning we always do for administrators. So, at this point, Mrs. Pippetone is going to come up and talk about the summer school. Good evening everybody. Um, so I was fortunate to do summer school again this year and we had a similar enrollment. Our enrollment was only a few less than it was the year before. um for seventh and eighth grade, 24 students, um 51 for the secondary, and I mean the 9th through 12, and then we had 16
064staff. This year, we were lucky enough to also have a social worker on staff, which we weren't able to hire last year. And so there was a lot of seal push in into the classrooms. And then she was obviously there to help support some of our students um with other needs, family needs and such. Um question >> let's see I think oh we offered um so we aren't able to offer all classes we get what we can hire for. Um so we had a seventh and eighth grade math STEM combination humanities 7th and 8th English 9th through 11 um US history we had global um apex which is where you know that's our credit recovery um algebra 1 we had life sciences and then we also had PE. So, out of our course credit, we
065have an acquisition rate um that I calculated and it looked as if the senior high based on their scores and their grades um we were at 81% earning credit and for the junior high it was at 89%. here are just some pictures of some of the things that were going on during the summer school programming. Um the computer lab there is where Apex happens. Um and then some of this is also from the ENL what they were doing the ENL group and then we have the PE down there. So here we have some um regent exam results. So for the August regents again we do not offer all of the classes and we contact families guidance counselors call families if students are taking a regent. We do encourage them and their families to send the
066students to summer school, even if it's just to audit the class to gain, you know, some just some practice prior to actually taking the exam or rather than being off for so many weeks. Um, so out of the number of students that took the region's exams, then we have a pass rate. But again, we didn't offer classes here at summer school for all of them. But I did put the number of students that did attend summer school um, in this column here. So we had the number of students that took the exam, the number that actually attended summer school for that, and then their pass rate. Some students do come to summer school that are just there because they didn't necessarily fail the regents. They are there just to get credit for the class. Um
067some students don't come to summer school and they just come to take regions. And we also have a small percentage of students who take a regent just to get a better grade. So sometimes we have students additional students just come to do that. So the number of students I'm sorry the number of students in that column those are the number of students at summer school. >> No no >> those are number of students overall who took the geometry. >> This was the number of students at summer school. >> Okay. And then this was just the number of students that came to take the scheduled regents in August. >> Okay. So 22 of them came to take the regents but did not go to summer school. Correct. Okay. So it's not 22 students took the geometry
068regions overall. >> Yes. Yes. In the summer in August. >> In the summer. >> Correct. Just but not overall. >> No, just for I understand that >> just for the August exam that is given >> is the life sciences biology. Is that the one that everybody had >> like >> Yes. But it's interesting to Yes. Thank you. >> So there's >> Okay, let's talk about science. >> Just this just this particular regents I know was a >> so you ready to go? I'm going to put you on the spot. Let's go. >> So life sciences this is our new replacing living environment uh regions. There is an overlap. Uh the interesting thing is in reviewing the data our accelerated eighth graders we had 42 of them take it 40 of them scored proficient. >> Okay.
069>> So the amount of um investment in terms of professional development and learning it's a totally different way of uh thinking about life sciences and biology. So, one way to think about it, I am very Gen X. When I went to Roosevelt, it was do the lab. It's like following the back of a Betty Crocker cake mix, right? That was the old way of doing it. That is not the way we are teaching science now. It is much more phenomenonbased. It's also transferring one concept to another concept. So, give me a good one like we were just talking about. Now I'm putting them on the spot. So instead of learning about the evolution of a specific species and memorizing what that looks like, they're learning about evolution in general as a concept and then having
070to answer questions about what species maybe they've never seen before and apply that concept. So talk about how real quick briefly since we're on the topic and we have a >> an audience talk about how the regions was using that transfer skill from particularly they were using some chemistry vocabulary on the life science regions. >> She really put me on the spot. Um it's a lot more looking at data. So students were given a complex data set for clusters of questions and they would have to analyze maybe a data table and a chart and a text and answer some questions rather than just the typical multiple choice. Is that what you were thinking? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So >> I think the one you're talking about >> one of the things we do as
071an admin team is we look at the data and then we start asking so what's going on and why? So one of the things we are doing is so Chelsea and I are looking at this and we realize oh our students really need better application and opportunity for transferring concepts. Mhm. >> So, one of the ways we do say yes is our teachers wanted to get together with other teachers from Kingston and Rondout and have professional development together because there's only so many life science teachers here in Soures. But when you put them in a room together, it's a much better professional learning opportunity. Okay. So, that was a big birdw walk, but I much it was totally worthy. That was a good bird walk. >> Okay, thank you. >> And then our ENL summer
072academy, um they visited the Sorrees public library and got library cards at the village diner. They ordered from the menu, added their bill tax and gratuitity. Um there was a map use lesson at Seaman's Park and they were doing letter boxing at the Oreium Theater. They were able to get a tour and talk about the sound system. And for Ohana Cafe, they the students were each asked to come up with 10 questions to ask the owner and then they got to go visit and talk and they learned about Hawaii first as well. So that was a really enriching activity for them as well. So thank you to all of our local businesses for participating in that for our students. with that summer program. It really is such a beautiful program of getting our English language
073learners out in the community. Um so thank you again to our community partners. They can practice building their language acquisition. Uh administrative professional learning. This is tradition here. Now we spend a lot of time uh building up the collective efficacy and uh knowledge of our admin team. We do engage with other administrators from not just New York State but the east coast. We participate in deeper learning through olsterosis and beyond. This year we had five people present and or provide podcasts from our team on the east coast. Um this year because of the rubber band metaphor and the work of our leaders, it's really important that we spend some time on traumainformed leadership instruction and care. This would have happened regardless because it is part of restorative practices and last year every single teacher and
074staff member had at least an introduction to restorative practices. But traumainformed instruction is like an arm or a branch of restorative practices. It is a commitment to psychological and emotional safety and it's a commitment to healing and repair and recognizing also what is within you and what and how so that you can understand uh a response from other people and then how to create an environment of trauma informed care. So we are just at the beginning point of that journey. This work right here are these are all hyperlinks. I'm going to go through every single one. I'm just kidding. I would love to. This work I am so proud of um because it is all teacher generated work. It is all teacher requested work. This is so a curriculum map provides the road map for
075teachers. It's the skills, the New York State standards, the assessments, and then in the column uh possibilities for differentiation if you have a neurode divergent student or an English language learner. So, our teachers did a remarkable job with curriculum mapping. Anna Zivian facilitated, Dr. Jen facilitated. Hope Craft had a strong hand with the MTSS programming uh work that we did. Uh Chelsea Deino facilitated Earth and Space Curriculum mapping. Uh and they have a new regions too by the way. Um and Chelsea also did the PBL Institute. The other uh request that we were able to attend to was the writing revolution. So last year I mentioned, you know, we put the writing revolution out there. It was not an edict, but K through 12, we were really amazed by um it was just the amount
076of early adopters. It's not a curriculum, it's a methodology of strategies. And so this year, uh teachers came together and they created a K through 12 dashboard. So, it's like one-stop shopping. So, they can go there, they can get the strategies. So, I'm very excited about that teacher generated work. So, well done Sawyers. That this work is very challenging and hard >> because at the end of the day, you sort of feel like your brain is mush because you've been sitting and concentrating. And for teachers who are very active and on their feet, it's a very different type of work. So where are we headed now? We still have our blueprint for excellence and our strategic plan. Uh we will continually you know just as Dr. Ersk continually quarterly does and reports out where we
077are. It's it's a huge plan with a lot of things to do. So we will continue to chip away at it. We still have much to do with the science of reading uh which includes geodess which I will talk about another time but I do want to point out that the geodess were a request for two years and I'm super excited that we were able to purchase them through title funds for grades K through two. Um they are the only science of reading decodable book and they are decodable 80%. So meaning some of the words the children will not be able to sound out. So you can uh boost up their reading uh skills and comprehension. We're going to continue with the engagement continuum. We know that our students here at Soerties uh from our
078learning walks that the team has done, we they participate. We want to encourage them to invest and drive their learning more. Uh the other exciting thing to mention is as one of the 23 districts that has been part of the plan pilot, uh we are going to expand that this year. Um so that will be exciting as well. So there's a lot to do with the blueprint. There's a lot to do that we have to do based on data >> of where our gaps are and then there's a lot we have to do with the current state emotional and psychological safety state of our district. So the work is endless. We have an incredible talented staff to do this who care about your children and we're ready for the challenge and we can do this.
079There's nothing we can't figure out and do for the children of Socrates. So, I'm happy to take any of your questions now. >> I'm glad to see they're doing handwriting in third grade. >> Yes, we have. >> Do you mean cursive? >> Learning cursive. >> Great to see that was a gap. >> Yeah. >> Any questions? I I asked mine. Mine was on the regions. Okay, moving on. Thank you, Dr. Roarback, uh, Mr. Defino, Miss Pipetone. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Um, >> personnel, instructional and non-instructional. Um, we have um resignations um which are listed A through E. >> Um, not on. Sorry, >> the mic is not on. >> Oh, sorry. Thank you. >> I had to ask my delegate to raise that issue because I didn't want to get in trouble
080again. >> So, moving on to personnel uh instructional and non-instructional. Um we have resignations um A through E, which is number one. Um, we have a leave of absence. Um, a single leave of absence. And then we have a series of appointments. Um, I'm going to break this up. So, let's do um can I have a motion for um resignations I one and two. >> So moved. >> Dr. Hos. Second. Mr. Meyer. Any questions? All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. All right, that's those two. So, appointments, uh, we have a bunch of those. Um, I 3A through N, which is everything from we have some TAS. Um, >> yeah, the one Dr. One thing to explain because she's been on the agenda a few times or maybe TW just twice. uh pay home
081just what I cuz she's back on the agenda just to clear it up for everybody in case they see anything. >> Uh so that future employee is currently employed in another district. Uh so by contract in New York state law they have a district can hold them for 30 days. >> Okay. >> Um so that's why we have we have a change of start date until September 29th. >> Got it. All right. Thank you. That's good. Um and then we have um special education teacher Miss Craft. um our extracurricular activity advisors, bunch of those um substitutes, math regents, um transition coordinator, um prek coordinator, and then mentors for explain what that is that person just so in case people because there's a lot of them just people know what those Uh so every new teacher
082to the district is offered a mentor if they are brand new to teaching. So they just received their degree and certification. They're required by New York State to have a mentor for at least one year. Um but we have very senior uh experienced staff come with us and we do offer a mentor. Sometimes for those staffs it's a part-time because it's more about getting to know the building versus having questions about instruction, discipline and so forth. Um so that's where there is. Uh if I can also just point out to um on the substitutes there is an emergency appointment. Um you'll see it bolded next to that employee that is due to a staff member uh being out for a little bit. Um so we are appointing us that individual to come in to make
083sure there's no gap in instruction. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. So can I have a motion um for I 3A through N? I'll make the motion. >> Okay. >> So, is is this where I can ask? >> No. When I say when I ask if there's any questions. >> Second by Miss Belosa. >> Carol ask a question. >> Any questions? >> I have a question. >> Okay. >> Um, >> Miss Keller, floor is yours. >> Can Can we just pull Is this working? No, now it is. Is it working? >> Yeah, there you go. >> Can we just I don't know if it's pull or table or whatever the word you want to use. Um it would be 3M into executive session just for a brief discussion on that. >> Yes, we can. Okay.
084So, we're going to amend. I'm going to ask for a new motion for I3A. >> I will amend my motion >> through K and N. Oh, no. >> No. Through L >> through LN. >> I'll amend my motion. >> Seconded by Miss Belar Roa. Any other questions? All those in favor? >> I we're tableabling M for exact session. Okay. >> Okay. And I don't believe Miss Bulich is here tonight, but we have an appointment to tenure. >> Okay. >> Yes. Uh Miss Alexis Bulich, a professionally provisionally certified social uh school social worker, be appointed to tenure in the special subject area of school social worker effective October 15, 2025. All right. Um motion moved >> by Miss Keller, seconded by Miss Bellar Roa. Any questions? All those in favor? >> Dr. Ersie, you sound like
085you want to say something. >> Yeah, if I could just point out, I believe I see two uh people that were just approved on the agenda. So, Cassie Almond Bailey, she'll be the secretary in that central. >> Oh, thank you. >> Believe Dion is in the back. Oh, welcome Dion. Welcome. Thank you. Um, okay. All right. Business office uh recommendations. Um, I have three 1 through seven. Uh, we got some surplus pianos in there. That's plural. Surplus pianos. All right. Uh, can I have a motion for J1 through 7? by Miss Bellarosa. Second. >> Second >> by Miss Keller. Any questions on any of those? No. All those in favor? >> I. Okay. >> Okay. Board action items. um cse 5014 recommendations, the Cardinal Hayes School contract, two new teacher aid positions and explains there
086what they are for. Um and then we have our policies. We have a second reading on um parent and family engagement type one. Um [Applause] and CESA special care differentiate differentiated toileting and the first reading policy of our uh transportation students. [Applause] Okay. Board action items K 1 through 8. Motion Miss Bellarosa. Second. >> Second. >> Miss Keller, any questions? Michelle, >> just a comment. Um, it was confusing to me when I joined the board and I'm still kind of learning, but can you just explain what it means when we say second reading versus first reading? >> Dr. Hos, >> our policy. >> This is not a microphone. >> You would have got some complaints on that one. >> It wouldn't have echoed. Uh, yeah. So the first reading, if you notice there, it says
087first reading of the policy for 55720 transportation of students, but the policy 8260 is second reading in the resolution. And so the second reading is usually where we accept it and it goes into our policy manual. Again, that is not be all and end all. We could say, "Okay, great. It's a second read. We actually don't accept it even, right?" um it doesn't hurt usually unless it's something really wacky to accept it and then if we need to revise it we can revise it. >> So first reading is a chance for the public to comment back and then second reading it's enacted >> and you'll see that it says resolution it's a resolution >> for everyone to understand. >> Yeah. No, it's a good question. >> Yep. No. Great question. >> Okay. >> All those
088in favor? I >> correct. >> Miss Bellarosa, anything exciting in the audit committee? >> What is not exciting? >> I mean, it's going to be the next up and cominging committee. >> Um, we I've been working with Mike about getting a date um for the next audit committee. Um, we're hoping for the week of October uh to meet with our external auditor, internal auditor. Um the external audit is due October 14th um or 15th and so we're trying to meet before the next board meeting to review the results of the external audit. So it's going to be TBD but uh probably the first week of October. >> Okay. Who would like to give an update on facilities? >> You want me to do it, >> Michelle? Yes, I would love you. >> Thanks. Um I
089will not make this long. I just couple things I just want to point out. So, we talked about um a variety of different things and I think that there's some educational opportunity here for the district um because this ties into budget stuff and I'm learning a lot as I go here and the different ways in which we look at projects, when we're allowed to do things, how quickly or how slowly we get reimbured for projects that we do. Um I was shocked to find out that certain projects if they're under $100,000 um can get reimbursed the following school fiscal year, but others anything over $100,000 you could get it back over 15 years. Kind of crazy. >> You think about expending it all at one time. Um there are a number of ongoing projects. We're
090facing some challenges with getting contractors. Um, we are actually interviewing the construction managers on Thursday for the upcoming capital project. So, a number of us are attending those. We have three that responded to the RFP for right now. Um, so stay tuned on that. um of the things that are probably most interesting to some of you, the discussion about the um Ricardi easement, there are some nuances there that need to be understood. Um there's a lot of engineering and uh traffic study, wetlands review, storm water runoff. All of that needs to be examined and it will be um we have until June 30th of 2026 to complete that work and accept it. Otherwise, we'd lose access to that easement. Is that correct? >> Yes. By the agreement, we had 18 months from the date it
091was signed. So that puts us right towards the end of June. >> Okay. And again, I would like to thank my neighborh coming to the meeting and articulating um you know, concerns of the of the neighborhood, but certainly there was questions. Uh one thing to keep in mind, one of the things that was highlighted is that the creation of that easement will actually reduce the number of students that are eligible for busing. Um it's because it drops it down to a half a mile that are within a half a mile. Can you just explain that? Yeah. Sorry. So the way that uh the transportation zones or the non-b busing zones work is that it's a half mile for elementary from the edge of the property. So right now the edge of the property is not
092at that easement. Right. So once it once we own it then the edge of the property will be that easement so that it can be that area if that makes sense. >> Okay. The other thing that I just want to make sure that everyone knows is that the in as far as I'm concerned I've been involved with capital projects for a long time. One of the things that I'm happy to see is happening with the uh engineers and um third party folks that were involving in a lot of these things is they are doing a lot of punch listing and signing off on completion and to the extent that warranty work or work under warranty needs to get addressed. It is being done from what I've seen in the last two and a half months.
093I mean obviously that can change but that's good and it reduces risk to to the district. Um and we are sort of on the cusp of working with um the insurance carrier to do a full insurance loss mitigation report. Um the last thing that I would just say and we we did discuss this at the facilities meeting is if there is anyone in the district that has any concerns about the condition of any of the property or plant at the district, put it in play, please. >> You may see it more than we do. You may think that everybody sees it. We don't necessarily. you're the the parent picking the kid up, you're the the person walking the kid to school. Um we need your eyes and ears. Uh so and I and I of
094course welcome anybody to attend those facilities meetings. Policy is first Tuesday of the month at 5:30. Facilities is first Wednesday of the month at 5:30. Um and uh I thank everyone for particip October. We're going to have audit too. >> Yeah. So we're gonna have audit. We have s at the end of this month. Um so lots of meetings you can participate in. >> I think we'd be remiss. I I agree with you um Michelle on the punch list um and I have seen an amazing like just to to highlight Richie Prince um and what he does on cash list. He doesn't take no for an answer. We've seen him talk to the engineers and the other people and the vendors and it's just he if he doesn't like an answer it it doesn't stop.
095So which is great to have him on our team. So thank you Richie. Um Dr. house policy. Um I think just kind of what's coming up maybe the next one >> the yeah uh October 7th. So we talked about uh the student staff fraternization policy. I spent a lot of time today sort of going over and making sure that all of the comments and sort of the wishes and desires as well as the concerns about the policy are in there. So there's a draft right now that I've sent to our lawyers to say how do we get this in the right kind of language? Um, I will say that most of the schools in New York State have uh a frandomization policy that looks just like ours. Um, and that we're um, but you can
096see that there are efforts being made about whether or not you know, you know, social media and how to manage things like Snapchat and video games and you know, how students um, and staff interact and what to do if a student reaches out to staff and about giving out phone numbers, etc. So anyway, I encourage you to come. We had a lot of good discussion about it. Um I love having discussions about policy. So come on October 7th at 5:30 and that will have to move to a bigger venue. Um and then we'll be talking also about the transportation policy. And so I've tried to sort of bone up on what is the law, right? So the law is just we have to provide for kids K through eight two miles away and we provide
097it for half a mile. >> K through six is a half mile, 7 through 12 is a mile and a half, >> right? And so the law says that it's only actually they're three miles away. So we're already providing beyond and the district has a lot of um at least beyond what's required by law, right? So the district has a lot of leeway in some of that part of the policy though there are restrictions in terms of um like is it the busing routes that have to have a voter approval? >> What part of the policy? There's something about the transportation distance. >> Is it the distance? >> Yeah. So if we change those distances, um that needs voter approval. But um >> anyway, so I encourage you to come and if you have any,
098you know, you as a as a provider of uh child care in the community is a great voice to have because there are a lot of kids there. So anyway, I encourage everybody to come and that's what we got going on. >> All right. Thank you. Okay. Um we are up to our second public recognition if anybody wanted to speak that didn't speak the first time again. Okay. So last time I was up um a couple meetings ago I was speaking about substitutes. uh as a formerly tenure teacher, I'm aware of what uh the contract for the teachers union expects and and the guidance of that and the protections it offers. I think that this district is missing something. At the policy meeting, I copy I made a comment in the little chat thing that
099was ignored. Um, the comment was, "I have a child who on social media was asked to be followed by a substitute. Substitutes are not staff technically. Substitutes have no contracts. This is a two-way thing. We've had substitutes just last year alone in the junior high cursing at students, physically harming a student, soliciting minors, facetiming during class while the entire class is there, inappropriate dialogue, broken HIPPA laws. I was covering a 1211 special ed class. I had a sub in for the um other teacher in the room who went on and on and on with the child that she was related to him and about his medical history and yada yada yada. The district is leaving not only itself open but my children, my child and the children of this community with all these weirdos coming
100in. Now I'm going to tap myself on the back because when I was subbing I was aware of the things that you can and cannot do with children. I was aware of safety issues. I was aware of health issues. I have been through trainings, various things. Um I had to leave a classroom once because the children was getting physical. I left the room with a TA, a certified TA and an aid in the room and was told I was not supposed to leave. However, it was the very beginning of the year and no phone numbers were posted to the room. So, there was no way for me to get some help. Okay. I ran out because they it it sounded like the aid who was in the hallway with the child was getting hurt because
101there was kicking and banging and kicking and slamming. So I asked for our children's protection one more time that there be something for substitutes, permanent subs and PDM subs. There's no difference other than guaranteed work every day. It is measly pay. I did it to be honest with you to be close to my children and to be mindful of what's happening around them cuz I don't trust what's happening. And what I saw was frightening. I went to my administrators at various occasions with my concerns and they were ignored. So, if it's okay with you having subs in the building doing these things, then I guess that's on, you know, how it is. But these are serious things and just because they're not staff, it doesn't mean they're not real and it doesn't mean they're not
102happening and it doesn't mean that our children are not being put in dangerous situations. Okay? I've been involved in the district since I came home. I was a professional and I became a mom and yes, I crawled into that dark cave and I cleaned toilets and I cooked dinner every night and I became that person that I really wanted to be and I kind of lost myself and now I'm back and what I see and what I hear and what I'm experiencing is horrific and change needs to happen. Thank you. >> Thank you. An old man is asking a 12-year-old to be friends is disturbing. Nothing is signed as a sub that you do. That's supposed to be on Instagram. Okay. Anybody else? Nobody else? Okay. Um a motion to recess in executive session um
103to discuss a contract no negotiation and employee issue. Um, >> make it. >> Molia, Miss Del Rosa, any questions? All right. All those in favor? >> I [Applause] should wait. >> Yes. [Applause] >> Is that Is that a restroom? >> Yes. Way in the corner. >> Thank you. If you go all the way in. >> Great. Great job. First night. Awesome. Thank you. >> Have a good night. >> That one. >> Just voting on >> letter M. Right. >> I think it has to be postmarked by tomorrow. That's all. >> Okay. >> So, they were looking at chicken. >> Do you know have any idea what one you want to use? Yeah. Okay. >> Or I could take the >> one. >> I'll be here for a little bit and then >> whatever you can
104find. >> Okay. Like I don't know. [Music] >> It looks like a garage. >> I can text. >> I think they just need to register. I don't think they actually have to find [Music] you. breathing. >> I could not cuz you are an >> exch like hi buddy >> telling me I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Sorry. >> Not trying to stay for four and a half hours tonight. You still have not. Are you sure? >> Well, not trying to stay for four hours. >> Do I have to pull a fire alarm? Some people get pretty Sounds like robots like again. >> Yep. >> Sure. We can open. A motion to accept I3 Okay. Um motion to This is just a motion to put it on the motion motion to amend the agenda
105for resolution. I'm going to ask for resolution. Motion to vote on that resolution. Nice. emotions question.