001Good evening everyone. Adequate notice of this game was provided by sending such notice to the press town website and posting of such notice as the August T minor administrative offices each elementary middle and secondary school in the district. Roll call. Mrs. Hamminiti here. Mr. Mitz Gerald here. Mrs. Minuise here. Mrs. Gilasi here. Mr. Saparasi here. Mr. T here. Mrs. Wright here. Mrs. Tobacco here. Mr. Kap here. And I need a motion for executive session to discuss personnel matters and settlement. So discussion. All in favor? I absent. See you in a little bit. Good evening everyone. Please stand for the pledge. 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. We're going to start
002this evening with a um I'm sorry, we do have a moment of silence here as well. With sadness, the district had learned of the passing of former employee Roger William Algore, Edward Bchel, and Susan Frame, and Deborah Nelson. Roger William Algore taught at the high school level for over 30 years before retiring in 1993. Edward Becttel worked as a high school teacher for 33 years before retiring in 2011. Susan F taught in the district for 25 years, beginning at Thompson Middle School and then High School South before retiring in 2006. Deborah Nelson worked in our facilities department for over 18 years before recently retiring in 2024. We extend our deepest condolences to Algor Beto F and Nelson families. Thank you. Now moving on to a committee report. We have curriculum and instruction. Mr. T. Thank
003you, Frank. Yes, we met uh last week on the 19th. Um just a few updates. Uh, one uh interesting development, uh, digital literacy, which is one of the elementary specials, is no longer going to be a standalone special for elementary, freeing up um, uh, uh, time and staff for other things. But the concepts and the standards that the digital literacy class addressed will be embedded throughout other content areas in the elementary level. this way. It's not its own standalone digital literacy class, which I think we all can recognize. Kids don't get their technology training in elementary classes anymore. Um, so it doesn't really have the same need as it did before, but those standards will still be addressed across other content areas. Um, morphology update, that's the programming for the upper elementary 3 to five
004literacy. Um there's been training going on uh recently with all the district with the effective teachers to make sure that those strategies those concepts are being reinforced through um all all areas and in particular um across different sixth grade content areas as well. Um so outside of just their ELA class in other areas they're reinforcing those vocabulary and and uh language development literacy skills. Um the K to5 math pilots are still are are on track and ready. the the the staff in the K to5 buildings that will be piloting those two programs this coming year have all received their training um and their materials to get ready for those pilots. Um and then the last update I actually want to turn over to Mr. Cullen who just had some exciting news about um a success
005successful uh grant application. Thank you Mr. T. So we uh applied for and were awarded uh grant money. It's called the focus grant. uh 25 approximately $25,000 will go through our early literacy screening. So um it's going to purchase our dibble screener. In addition to that, we're going to be running workshops for our teachers here in district. In addition to that, we're looking to purchase some professional development materials for those teachers. I mean, obviously, we understand the importance of of early literacy and we want to make sure that we're emphasizing it throughout the school year. Thank you. Thank you. And great job. That's good. like like most grants, there's very strict limitations on restrictions on what the money can be used for. So, um the department was able to facilitate that towards the early literacy,
006which I think is great. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Toe. Moving on to student services, Mrs. Wright. Yes. So, after the curriculum meeting, uh we did have the student services meeting. We only had a few things on our agenda. Um one of which is the restructuring of the ESS contract and all the important services that they provide to the district. And I know that a lot of work has gone into this uh with Dr. Alone and Mrs. Granger. And it was really great to hear that the contract for the 2526 year um is going to be able to keep in place the clinicians that we had at Norris. So two will be remaining here at High School North, one will be at High School South. Uh they are also going to be providing the
007summer clinicians for the extended school year ESY that's happening over the summer for no additional cost, which was really great to hear. as well as they will still cover our fit to returns because that is something uh that they have been doing I think very efficiently throughout the district and we did not want to uh sort of upend that because we also want to be able to get our students back to school as quickly as we possibly can. So that was really great to hear about the ESS contract. And then also we spoke about the implementation of the in-class consultation model for both social studies and science that was implemented this school year in the middle schools will now be coming into the high schools. So there will be an articulation articulation session for the
008teachers uh that will be happening or actually did happen now on Friday June 20th. Thank you. Right. program to co-curricular, Mr. Fitzgerald. Yep. So, we met on Friday, June 13th. Um, first we talked about clinics um that were uh ran by our district coaches. Um, we basically I I had a few questions that happened kind of in the last couple months about how we go about the process. Um, so we talked about uh the overall permits that required um the proof of insurance, the you know the reimbursement rate back to uh the sports activity programs and such. Um we also talked about uh coach hirings um and the uh specifically for 2526 school year in addition to head coaches where there was vacancies um the athletic administration Uh oh. So we we're hiring a athletic
009administrative assistant, uh high school athletic trainer, uh high school south, uh fall athletic manager. Um so there was, you know, five different uh coach discussions that we had. Uh we also talked about co-curricular and activities. um we have a plethora of you know clubs and activities where a lot of the we weren't getting attendance in certain things. So we talked about things that we can do um related to that on whether or not we can do an audit and revision things like that. So um we also talked about our co-curricular handbook uh requirements and expectation maybe uh building in the central office oversight setting minimum thresholds for numbers of students participating in these particular programs the elevation program uh the co-curricular budget reporting process uh relates to collapsing of the existing clubs and uh new
010clubs and settings. Um we're relying basically on the teachers uh contract for 2027 on what we can take right over and what we can kind of add um during that process. So we're kind of restricted right now what we can kind of consolidate class and such. Um we also talked about the uh the morning after program. Um basically we just went over kind of an overall uh update um on the registration of championship program. The after school program is underway. Uh champion related information can currently be found on the district and elementary school websites. Uh two champion open houses occurred uh during the week of June 9th. Uh one event took place at Harmony while the other one uh took place at Nuton. And lastly, we talked about the uh yearbook siphons. Um discussions related
011to the yearbook siphons uh at the high school level and middle school took place. Yearbooks are currently created uh by the parents groups in the elementary program exploring the possibility of having elementary staff produce the yearbooks at the elementary school level. And so can I just um make make sure there's a clarification. Um the physicians that you mentioned that we were hiring, they're all insisting positions. They just needed to be filled. They were vacancies. Yeah. Don't anybody think that we're putting you position. Correct. Good. Thank you. All right. We're now going to open the microphone for public comment on gender items only. If you wish to make public comment, please step forward, state your name and address for the record. Hello, Kate Farley. ID Rose. Um, I wrote to you all already. I don't want
012to, you know, rehash everything that was in my email. I just wanted to um again state, you know, my concerns over one of the items on the personnel agenda. I know personnel is tricky. I want to talk a lot about personnel. There's confidentiality issues, etc. Um but as I urged in my email, I would hope that there would be a motion tonight to at least table um personnel item 11D uh until more information can be gathered as noted in my email. Um it seems that the person who's being uh put recommended for this position um is less experienced and more expensive than another teacher who also went out for the position was a nutswound teacher all year long. A very um impactful teacher. You can see a lot of her students are here tonight um
013in support of her. And I know how this works. I know that for the most part the board's responsibility is to, you know, consider the recommendation of administration. Administrators know their buildings. They know the needs. I get all of that. But I also know that it's your job to, especially when there are concerns raised, ask questions and ask for the justifications behind those recommendations. And if something's not adding up, I would just urge you to take a pause. We have time. We don't need to fill this position during this meeting. um and just do a little digging to see what's going on because especially in light of all of the um budgetary issues and I understand that you know $10,000 in a teacher salary you know one teacher over another isn't all that much in
014the grand scheme of things but if we're supposed to be being fiscally responsible um in light of our issues it's just puzzling to me that that would be the recommendation when that teacher is less experienced does not have the same sort of tried and and true capabilities and recommendations that the other teacher would be less expensive has. So I would urge you to table it so that you could take more time to discuss it. Um and thank you for your hand. Thank you Miss Farley. Would anyone else wish to make a public comment on agenda item? Good evening everybody. Mike Mapinto, 672 Buchanan Boulevard from the Red Bank section of Middletown. I am also talking about an agenda item in the personnel committee report which is section 10 of tonight's agenda letter P number six
015uh nine persons name down. It is a transfer of an individual. I'm not going to mention the name, but it is listed clearly on the agenda of a move from High School South to Ocean Avenue. That person happens to be one of two school nurses at High School South. And uh I've been living in this town for 25 years. There's always been two nurses at both High School South and at High School North. Um, I know from friends of mine that live in Ocean Avenue and that, um, uh, family members that live on the north side of town that there has been a placeholder position in this district for a school nurse who is out on long-term disability. That place was at North for several years and it really didn't work at North because many
016of you may not be aware when there's a shortage of school nurses at the elementary or the middle school level for sickness or for vacation and if they cannot get a sub nurse, one of the nurses from the high school rotates for the day to that school. Okay. So, this transfer is removing one of the permanent nurses from South to Ocean Avenue, which leaves up in the air where that placeholder position is going to go. So, there's nothing on tonight's agenda that addresses the fact that there is not a replacement going to High School South. So, I would assume that that means that that placeholder position for Ocean Avenue is going to go to High School South, and that is completely unacceptable for many, many reasons. Like I just stated, the nurses at both high
017schools are used as emergency replacements in other schools as needed. So, if this transfer goes through as is, at best, you're going to have a temporary sub nurse at South. I am assuming because again it doesn't specify that you're moving another certificated school nurse from another school to high school south. So that's going to be a problem. The other problem is is that um I don't understand why this has to be done at this board meeting. What is the rush? Does anybody want to comment on that question? Okay. I don't understand what the rush is. This can certainly be held in obeyance until it is completely fleshed out what you are going to do to address both that substitute placeholder issue and the hole that will exist tonight at South if you make this transfer
018by itself. So, I think that's very problematic. As everybody on the board, I'm sure knows, there is a pretty serious special ed population at both of the high schools. The acuity of the kids at the high schools, from my experience of my kids going through high school south and graduating from High School South, it's pretty intense. So, I would think that we would want to have permanent certificated nurses at both high schools at all times. So, and the other thing is if you want to open it up as a transfer for other school nurses, we don't know if there are other current school nurses in the district that might want to go to South. Okay. There's nothing on Appy for an application for somebody to go to South. Furthermore, there was never anything on happy
019track for an open position at Ocean Avenue. So, I don't understand why we were at at the position that we are at right now. It makes absolutely no sense to me. And I would like the superintendent to please remove this item from tonight's agenda. And separate from that, if that is not going to be the case, I would implore all the board members to vote no on this issue tonight. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Would anyone else wish to make a public comment on agenda item? Your name and address on the record, please. Scott McFersonson, Middletown resident. Uh, you know, I've talked many times about uh transparency and I understand that the board interviewed a new uh property and casualty uh broker at last night's uh special meeting. Uh it would be helpful
020to members of the community if you let us know who you were interviewing beforehand so that we could have an opportunity to look to see who these people are and if it's someone that we know something about rather good or bad and we can then send the letter to the board and your superintendent let you know. So, it' be helpful to us if like with the um with the new board attorney, we knew ahead of time the three candidates that were picked from the RFP and we were able to um you know make the comment if we wanted to. So, in the future, if you could just let us know when you're doing those interviews who it is you're exactly interviewing so that we could have an opportunity to maybe weigh in on. I don't
021know. Something must have got slipped. You knew about the attorney, but you didn't know about the PNC or we had no clue who the PNC, but you knew about the attorney. So obviously maybe something must have happened that uh information that gets let out to or we we knew who the three attorneys were working on that were going to be interviewed on that Monday night. I'm saying maybe something obviously something was not. Did we send out the attorneys or I don't know how it was communicated to me. Well, that's why I'm confused. I thought maybe that we didn't send out the memo to you about the PNC, but obviously we didn't send out the attorneys either. So confused myself. So, I think it would be helpful if the community knew whether it's the attorneys, property
022casualty, or whoever it is they were doing interviews with. Let us know who it is. Right. We want transparency. We want to know what's going on within this district. Mr. That's why I was asking you, how do you know about the attorneys? You said you knew about the attorneys. I want to know someone told me. I don't remember. Okay. That's why I thought we sent out a meal. This is not my job to send out the memos to you. That's why I'm asking if that's something we can do. I would like to try and get your I appreciate that. So who can do that? You have the superintendent. So I have to find out first if it's legally allowed, how the how the past practices have been. So that's I can get to come back
023to let you know that. Well, if you submit you send out RFPs and then you select the and that, by the way, is public knowledge on the on the sites. So everybody's aware of this. Okay. So if you could let us know who the three are that you were you were interviewing like with the attorneys. I don't know how many did you interview last night? We have no clue. Uh it goes down to three. Okay. So and we didn't know who those who they were. So my point is if you could let us know in the future. If it's not if it's not legal, tell us. All right? But if it is legal, let us know because we want transparency. We want to know what's going on. Thank you. Thank you. Would anyone else wish
024to make a public comment? Seeing no further comments, we will end the public comment section and move on. Okay. We're going to go to Dr. Alone, Superintendent. Great. So, I just want to I just want to congratulate the school community on a successful school year. Um, particularly to our middle schools on their promotion ceremonies. Um, and to our high school graduates. Uh, it was a fantastic two days of celebrations and ceremonies. Um, fortunately the weather did hold out for our high schools. Thank goodness it's not this week. Um, but uh I appreciate the flexibility from the high school communities cuz we did have to adjust the time because we were definitely playing a little bit of beat the clock with the weather. So, I know Mr. Kurpatre is happy that that is over because we
025are on weather watch all day long leading up to graduation, but it all worked out. So, thank you. Um, and congratulations to our graduates. Um, we held our second strategic planning session with New Jersey school boards last week. um groups came up with focus areas for goal setting which will be conducted at the final session in August. There were about 55 people in attendance at the second session. Um once we conduct the final session in August, the steering committee which met tonight um will be working with the administrative team and the board of ed to craft action plans to address the goals. Um tonight at our steering committee meeting, we talked about some progress with the facilities utilization and boundary analysis study um examined enrollments and projections based on previously done enrollment studies just to
026see what was projected versus what actually happened. um and then uh started to work on some of the overarching themes that were identified at the second New Jersey school board section um with the intent of forming subcommittees uh moving forward within that steering committee. So um we are excited because the work the hard work is just beginning um as we phase out in August from the information gathering to the action planning and goal setting stages of the strategic planning process. Uh, I just want to take an opportunity to thank our student speakers who, you know, are obviously not here tonight. They're on their on their summer break, um, for dedicating their time this year. Um, Sophia Casone from High School South, Paige Payton from High School North. They put a lot of effort and energy
027into creating those reports and dedicating time to come and share all of the wonderful things that are happening in our high school communities. Um, and also a thank you to Ryan Miller from High School North and Megan McCann from High School South for ser serving as our student board of ed representatives. Um, you know, that is a great experience for them in um, you know, how a board functions and certainly um, engaging with the public. So, we want to just thank them um, because they are giving up their social time and carving out time within their busy schedules to come and participate. Um, finally, just thank you to our outstanding staff members for a wonderful school year. Um, as you know, as parents, it's a grind, right? Uh, you know, um, as we get towards
028the end of the year, um, everybody's, you know, aiming towards that summer break. So, um, the staff is no different and certainly it was a successful year. I do want to thank my administrative team for all their hard work and effort. So much goes on behind the scenes that um, no one person can do alone. So, I just want to extend my gratitude to them because, you know, things operate the way they do because of all their hard work as well. Um, and I just want to wish the community a wonderful summer break and we'll see everybody back in September. It'll be here before you know it. So, thank you. Thank you, Dr. Alone. All right. We have a resolution as Miss Dr. phone just spoke about honoring our 2425 student representatives whereas Megan McCain
029and Ryan Miller has served with distinction on the Middletown Township Board of Education and be it further resolved that the members of the Middletown Township Board of Education extend their best wishes to Megan McCain and Ryan Miller in all their future endeavors. Okay, I need now need a motion to approve I now need a motion to approve 8 A and B. So second Amy roll call. Can we have a little discussion? Discussion if you like. I just want to say on be what we're awarding to tonight. I will support the board and I will vote for but I'm very disappointed that we didn't listen to our administration today. So I just want it out there. Amy Ro, Mrs. Camdi, yes. Mr. Fitzgerald, yes. Mrs. Mrs. Minuise. Yes. Mrs. Scolasi. Yes. Mr. Sabarowski. Yes. On a
030no and B. Mr. Tull. Yes. Mrs. Wright. Yes. Mrs. Tobacco. Yes. Mr. Capone. Yes. And now moving to the business consent office consent agenda. In a motion to approve 9 A through R. discussion. I just want to talk about something on the bills list. Um the amount that we paid for the audio at the graduations I think is concerning. 17,980 for audio at the graduations. We could have owned the system for that. And I think that's irresponsible to be spending that kind of money um for that. So, as far and as far as I'm concerned, they didn't turn the microphone on for the girls singing at High School South. So, a portion of that bill should be deducted. The poor girls up there singing in the microphone, they're there for 1 hour and they couldn't
031even perform the service. So, I just I don't agree with that. Amy, is that with two graduations or five graduations? The seven five It was still excessive. We could have owned the system for that. house. Yes, they do. Yes. Pay for hotel rooms for the people and it's there there's audio companies locally that would have hired. [Music] Okay, we have a motion there. Any more discussion? All in favor? I oppose. I'm opposed on Mr. Fedulla's legal fees. Amy, I'm also I'm I'm opposed on paying that sound company. Anyone else? Abstensions? Okay. I need a motion to approve 10 A through P, which is a recommendation superintendent of schools consent agenda. We're going to do a roll call, Mr. one for the the HIV. Yes. Okay. I'm sorry. So, we'll do 10 B through P first.
032[Music] Did you say B through P? B through P. Boy through Peter. And then we'll come back to A for the We have a second. Okay. Discussion. Say again. We're doing 10B through P and we're going to come back to 10A. Okay. Okay. I had one question. I just I didn't know if um who might know the answer, but is there a difference between our contract with I Ready this year versus last year? Jess, you want to answer that? I don't know if you know if I No, not yet. It's the same program. Yeah. We're doing the same thing um and offsetting some of those costs professional development with title two funding because you can charge a portion of the PD that we're required to have through title two the PD for the I the
033right because there's ongoing professional development. Okay. Okay. Thanks. Okay. All in favor? I oppose. I'm in favor of all and opposed on 10. I oppose 10 P on the new hire. Is there any abstensions? I'm sorry. 10 P through B through P, I said. Yeah. Okay. Good. All right. Now, we're going to 10 A. I'm on 11. We didn't get to 11 yet. No, 10 P 11. [Music] 10. Oh, 10 P 11C. You say okay, got it. No, as well as 11 C. No on 11 C. And it's Mr. Capone. You are no on 10 P. Yep. And 11 C. Everyone else. Okay. 10 A. Motion. Yep. Second. Second. All in favor. Oh, we're going to do a roll call. Do roll. Okay. U Mrs. Camiti. I'm Davy. Mr. Fitzgerald. Yes. Mrs. Minuise. I am
034a no on the yes and a yes on the nose. Mrs. Scolanski. Um I recuse myself of voting on the Mr. Sakarowski. Yes. Mr. Tul, yes. Mrs. Wright, yes. Mrs. Tobacco, I'm going to know on uh 29181, 292878, and 292. 291 291 801, 292878, and 29247. Okay, Mr. Kapone, easy to say ditto on that. Yes, same. I'm not those numbers again. Got it. Okay, now heading to old business. Does anybody have any old business? Yes, I do. First of all, I would I would like to um congratulate all our graduates and say it was an honor to sit up here with Jake Dumbrossski and Ryan Miller as they both go on to West Point and Naval Academy. Yes, and Naval Academy. And I also would like to say how outstanding I felt the graduations were.
035I thought they were really well organized. Um it was great to see how much our seniors and even our middle school students have achieved. But was really even more remarkable to me was how many of our students are going into the service to to defend our country. And it was amazing to see them stand up at graduation. I think it's more than I've ever seen in my whole entire 20 years. And um it was really proud to um do that. I also wanted to say that um I've gotten to attend the um honor societies and the national honor societies and huge numbers of kids in our district that are being inducted into these ceremonies. And I really hope that somehow we can start to advertise this, especially our scholarships, how much money our seniors got
036from each school. I know we've seen people send us things from other schools on how they advertise, but I think it would be a great publication for our website if we could do that for each high school um for the amount of scholarship money and maybe finding a way to even recoup more money. Um, by doing that, I think that a lot of our our good deeds in our school district go unnoticed and I think a lot of the achievements that our kids achieve go unnoticed and there's got to be a better way to um, present that, but I congratulate them all. I also attended the art shows in the high schools and incredible work. I mean, it's like going to an art museum. We have so much talent in the arts in this district
037and it's very impressive. So, I just want to congratulate all them and thank them for the invitations and um I always look forward to that the end of the year. Got it. Thank you. Anyone else? Old business. New business. I do. I would like to make a motion to go to committee of the whole until we can, you know, straighten things out a little bit because I feel a lot of us are left out on a lot of things and it could be our own fault but it could be lack of communication. So I would like to make the motion to go to committee of the whole second. So this is actually the way we do our committees right here. known. You should know from past presidency and and and next year if you'd like
038to change the committee structure, that's fine. But this is the way we've been doing it. Frank, I'm making a motion. I'm making a motion to go to committee as a whole because committees aren't meeting. People aren't talking. That's not good. We really have to get together. Committ are meeting. Committees are meeting. Yeah. But the conversations, right? So I I just want to make that motion and Mark second it, I guess. do call discussion. Is anybody in discussion? Any want to speak about this? I Yeah, I would I agree with John because I I was interested in having a facilities committee meeting and I reached out to the majority about it because I hadn't heard anything. I'm a member of that committee. I had some concerns that were brought forward to me by some people um
039and fortunately we were unable to get it scheduled before this meeting which I was hoping we could do before going into the summer. um given the fact that we just had a we just approved a big budget and I think it's important for us on the board to just have oversight. What are we doing? What are the projects we're working on? What are we this way when the community comes and asks us, hey, what's going on over the summer? Are we going to walk into the school with mold in in September? Maybe we have some answers. So, I agree with Joan because I was interested in trying to get something together even if it was on Zoom or Google Meets or anything. Um, and I I you know, I don't know if Mr. Dy had
040had business to conduct, but the end result was I was basically told we're not having a meeting. So, I agree. I think it's important. Well, to me, it would even address the personnel um issues that we, you know, are hearing about. Can someone take me through the procedure and what that would look like if we did committee? Okay. Just like this. Just like this. So, we can't even get a meeting together. It's very hard sometimes to schedule for a committee. Now we have time to open a meeting and I'm sorry but I have a really busy schedule and I'm not going to be able to handle seven more committee at the whole. No, normally when you do a committee of the whole it's not seven more meetings. You do a bunch of them at one
041time. It's a it's a workshop meeting. So So then you're going to But let me hold on Joan Joan I want to speak what we spoke about. Okay. because we used to do committees the whole way we first got here but it got too much for the board members cuz we were doing it one week the the workshop then next week was the voting meeting that's what I think Mr. tobacco speaking about it. That's a lot of dedication there to be there two weeks in a row. But we're a very big district with a very big budget and we should have more docs too. People don't on this board do not read their board docs. The fact that we were not part of this budget process is a huge issue and it goes to every
042committee. The budget is involved in every committee. I'm not a fan of committee of the whole has anything to do with committee of the whole. Yeah, it does. It's lack of information in for a meeting in exec to go over the budget. I was not lack of information. That's not a commission. Who was not a part of the whole meeting though? Joan, we were not part of the budget process. We were all part of the same exact process. No, we were not. Well, well, putting it together. We got presented the budget. We were not part of putting it together. Either way, I would still like to have my motion voted on to see if we can't go to committee on the board to be more. Is your motion for the same night or two nights?
043Uh, let me rephrase my motion. Maybe I need to double it. I would like to make a motion to do committee of the whole and add the motion to go to a workshop meeting every month except for the month of July. So, you want to add a week prior to the voting meeting. Correct. It could be the week before, could be the second week. That's what I'm saying. Two. So, you want two two more shop meeting and committees as a whole. And I think that will help our meeting is the committee. works on meeting as the committee of the whole. So it's two meetings a month. Two meetings. The same thing we had. Yeah. The same thing. And I think that that would help. And now you don't have your committees of four. You're still
044coming to more than one meeting a month. Leonor, I'm the person that can always make it here. I'm not speaking about that. No, no. I'm just saying you have a work schedule going. So I don't know if you can make it to everyone. Listen, I went to a meeting and I was told when I said that I felt that we were a little broken. I was told to fix it. This is my way of suggesting how we can fix this board being a board of the whole until things clear up. I just think it it's good. I think it's transparency. I think the public's asking for transparency. It's a good way for them to hear what's going on. I I I'm not doing it to be mean or vandictive. I need information. And two meetings
045a month with the board members is not a lot for a district our size. Committee meet the committee meetings will be the committee of the whole time. So it's two meetings. Aren't you the president when we started the year? We can make a motion. If you don't want to vote for it, then vote no. I vote no. But I think the public needs to hear that too. Mrs. Camiti. Yes. Mr. Fitzgerald. before I put my vote in just to be clear to everybody that's every committee meeting or every committee that night all the way through that night all of them minus that minus personel committee no it's personel you cannot speak in personel session correct person and you're also saying that there are some meetings that don't need to meet every month so you might
046not have 11 meetings you know whatever is there any way to cater this to certain committees rather than do a committee of a whole group. Like if I made another motion to have certain um committees I mean we have certain committees now you're saying in combine them or Yeah. I'm talking about individual three at a time or something like that. You can but you can only do four people at a time. Yeah. I'm a no. No. No for jokes. Mrs. Minuise. Yes. Mrs. Golanski. No, Mr. Sapparowski. Yes, Mr. Tull. No, Mrs. Wright. Yes, Mrs. Tobacco. No, Mr. Capone. No. Just wanted to say I gave it a shot. So, the person who told me to fix this, I hope you're listening. We're not going to open the microphone up for public comment. I want to
047bring up one more thing. I wanted to make a request that we go out for an RFP on our special education uh attorneys. You want to make an RFP for a special ed attorney? Yeah, I'll second that. We're not really here again. Doesn't matter. Amy Ro, special ed attorney RP. So, who? I didn't know. Mrs. Camdi. Yes. Mr. Fitzgerald, yes. Mrs. Minuise, yes. Mrs. Scholasi, no. Mr. Saparoski, yes. Mr. Tull, no. Mrs. Wright, yes. Mrs. Tobacco, no. Mr. Capone, I'm going to know because I believe we just did an RFP a couple months back, so I'm going to say no. I think it was about it was a year ago. I think it was less than a year ago. 10 months ago. I'd also like to make another motion to follow up with my last
048motion on doing this as a committee of the whole the interview. I second I discussion. No, I'm sorry. This is a a motion to have the carry special as a committee. All right. So, did that last motion carry? Yes. Yes. Sorry. Mrs. Camini. Yes. Mr. Fitzgerald. Yes. Mrs. Min. Yes. Mrs. No. Mr. Saraski. Yes. Mr. Toe. Yes. Mrs. Wright. Yes, Mrs. Tobacco. No, Mr. Capone. Yes. Yes. Motion carries. Any other RFPs in hand? I'm assuming Amy would handle the RFPs. You have any other RFPs? No, I think that's it. So, Mr. T, just so you're aware, what you what was the question you were asking before about a motion carrying? I just if Jones motioned to put out for RFP. Yes, that Harry. Yes, that's what I want to know. I made the answer right.
049Thank you. Yes. Got it. Okay. We're now going to open the microphone up for public comment on non-aggender items. I know Joan's motion didn't pass, but I'd like to make a motion to go back to having workshop meetings once a month. We just voted that down. She voted on committee as a whole also. No, that was voted down. Same thing. Same thing. Vote down. Now I'm opening up the microphone for public comment on non-aggender items. This is closed now guys. This is closely voted on. Okay. Public comment on non-aggender items. Please, if you'd like to step up and make a comment, please state your name and address for the record. [Music] Kristen Rooney, Middletown, New Jersey. Um, I wanted to just thank Joan, um, because you're always there for the kids and my daughter was
050recognized at the awards night as well as hundreds of other students in the district. And Joan was the only the only board member present at that award ceremony. Um, and I don't know if you know, but the kids notice. Um, and she said, "I took a picture with Joan and that was it." Um, so I really appreciate that because you do see the kids and you always recognize them and you seem to care a lot about why you're here and know the reason. So I just want you to know that we see that and our kids see it. Um, and our kids also notice who's not there and they know who's not there often. So I would just urge you to remember that you're all here for our kids and recognizing them at the end
051of the year is kind of important. Um, and I also just want to thank you, continue to thank you for what you're continuing to do with this process. Um, even though it seems like it might be difficult at times, we appreciate that you're continuing to go to bat for what we as a community and a school district are asking for. So, I appreciate that. While this might not be comfortable, you're trying. Um, so thank you. [Applause] Joe Campion just wanted to echo what you just said actually. So, Middletown, I'm sorry, Middletown, right? Uh, Middletown. Yes. Thank you everyone up here for your service and um it's a bit um overwhelming I think probably for everyone listening and everyone contributing. So, just thank you. Um, hey Joan, that was awesome. Thank you. Um, I appreciate that.
052I think everyone really wants transparency and I think that um that motion was is awesome. Recognize it and um I really would hope that we have more transparency and um you know I think that's just a really healthy good thing. So thanks for everyone and uh that's it. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] I just want to say one quick thing. Bridget Warhower, Middletown, New Jersey. Um, I know you guys are all volunteering your time and we do appreciate all your effort that you put in. Um, I understand that certain things might be less palatable when we ask more time with you. Um, this since March, I have come to almost every single meeting and strategic planning meeting that I can. I've got three kids. Uh, I've had to leave my six-year-old at home with my 11
053and 12year-old to watch her because I want to be a comedian. So, I understand that you don't want to give her time. However, when it comes to working together and having good communication with each other, you guys aren't there yet. So it is okay to take extra time and work on that. Now if you don't want to, you are always welcome to resign. We are not going to keep you here as a prisoner. So never feel like you have to stay. But if you want to stay and you want to work together, let's do that. Thank you so much. [Applause] Eric Dow, Maxon Avenue. Um, returning to the concept of committees, uh, committee work on boards is generally important on a board like this one. In a district like this one, it is critical. Uh,
054we heard three committees report out tonight and they were great reports. It shows what can be done in committee. But by implication, that means that other committees did not meet. Um, and these were not minor committees. We did not hear a report from finance. We did not hear a report from facilities even though as was mentioned we just passed a massive budget and as we all know at this point there are big issues to resolve in this district. Um we also again did not hear a report from shared services um which at this point is if if there actually is shared services meetings are not happening. The question is why the members of the shared services committee should be beating down uh the mayor's door demanding that the township pay the class three officer that
055was initially promised years ago and the fact that it has not been brought back up there there's no understandable reason why the fact that finance and that facilities has not met we're all busy but we also have all we have technology we have Google We have Eric, we I don't mean to cut you off. We tried meeting, but due to graduations, we couldn't get on the agenda this month and pe people have a schedule obviously that couldn't make it. I am flexible. We have this scheduled for next month already on the agenda and on the count and that's great to hear. Um and then finally again shared services. Uh I think we've heard it. So shared component shared services go through Mrs. authority and the business administrator of the town. Has Tony or anybody reached
056out to Amy or we have anything that we need to put on the agenda right now or? No, we actually get notifications from the mayor secretary. Okay. But but you all should be asking for a meeting about the class three officers and perhaps other matters also on shared services. We've heard previously that every committee has four members. That makes sense. That's the maximum amount you can have on a committee to avoid sunshine. Shared services used to have four members. Currently, it has two. Two additional members should be added back to shared services immediately. That that goes towards transparency. So the ask let you know why that is two and two. Obviously the township has five members. They allow two people there and we bring two people there as well. Yeah. There used to be four
057people from this board at shared services. The town that's not up to us either. the town has two people that attend because they can't have more than two people there as well. And again, I'm just answering your question, but also it's not as if the township is strangers. We we know who talks to them. So our our asks, one, committees meet regularly, especially the ones that are doing very important work. Two, this was something that came out of steering. Community members should be appointed to committees. There is a community member representative on shared services. We all know who it is. There should be community members on each of the board committees. That helps with transparency. That helps with the community engaging back and forth with you all. And three, again, two additional board of ed
058members should be added back onto shared services um just like was the case before I believe January. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Hi. Uh, my name is Ana Baller. I'm getting emotional again. Um, I'm from New Jersey and I just want to second the um what you said earlier about having members who if you don't want to be here, you're welcome to resign. Miss Back, I heard you say when Miss Veneu was trying to get more committee meetings, you I heard you say some of us have lives. I just want to remind you we this is our lives that you are dealing with is our children's lives, our children. It's mine, too. It's mine, too. And I volunteer a lot of time and you have no idea how much a board vice president has to
059do during the week as well. And I'm sorry that you object, but I give all of my time and I have for 5 years to this. This is the time for public comment. Be quiet and listen. You're an elected official directly. You're not supposed to be speaking right now. Oh, it's her turn directly, but thank you. She's in the middle of speaking session. As I said, we appreciate you all being there. I would also appreciate you give us the respect and not make comments under your breath. This again, this is our kids lives. This is our kids education. We appreciate the work that you do. We're here. We're fighting for transparency. We're all We're supposed to all be on the same team and we just appreciate your work. And so, thank you. Thank you. [Applause]
060Scott McFersonson from Middletown. I echo the sentiments of every statement that was made up here. We're here to work with all of you. We don't want to be a roadblock. We want to be we want transparency because we want to know what's going on, but we also want to advocate for our kids and for our district. There doesn't need to be this this sentiment that's going on with a couple of the board members where it seems like they don't really love the comments made by the public. We're here to work with all of you, all nine board members with Dr. Alone. We're coming to these steering committee meetings. We're coming to these board meetings because we care about our children. We care about their education. And I know that all nine of you and Dr.
061Raone and everyone else sitting over here does the same because why would you run for a position like this? So Mrs. Tobacco, Mr. Capone, Mrs. Minuis, Mrs. Camoniti, Mr. Sarasi, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Scalasi, Mr. Fton, all board members, Dr. Alone, we're here to work with you. We want to work with you. We want to support our children. We want to support their education. Thank you. Thank you, Scott. Anyone else wish to make a public comment? Before we close, can I say something? Great. Um, in the spirit of transparency here and we, you know, we're talking about the committee as a whole. It's a lot of committees all at once, right? And it's not that we're going to be bogged down and we don't have the the hours to do it. If it was
062set in a different way and they said that we were going to do a workshop, which I'm all for, that's a different story and I would be all for that because then we can actually go through it in a process that we normally do that. Why would that was denied? So, whether do we open that motion back up? No, the motion was already a second. So, so my point of that is it's if that motion was the workshop, I would have approved it and I am all for public comment and you know and transparency and if we actually opened up these committees to the public, I would also be for that as well. But that's not what was said and that's why I voted away. I just want everybody to know that. Clarify that. That's
063what the workshop means. Clarify that. If we said workshop said you said workshop she did you said okay now make a motion to adjourn the meeting there's more public comment I'm sorry I closed the public comment you did not close the public comment I adjourned the public comment does anyone else have something to say and then there was some discussion board members you did not you did not close the public board members I'll take control over here you can speak sir Deon and then we're going to close it after your speak. Thank you. I appreciate that. Uh Deon Rafferty, Leonardo, New Jersey, Middletown, New Jersey. Um I just wanted to point out we have been saying now that the motion was denied. The motion that did not pass was should you have committee as a
064whole and a workshop? Correct. That is a combination that is should we have A and B. What was not voted on was should we have committee as a whole A. The motion that was denied voted down was should we have A and B. There is nothing in the English language that would prevent you from having another motion to say should we do a and I believe not Mr. Kadulla would echo me that that is exactly the way legal documents are framed. What was voted on was A and B. That motion was denied. There is absolutely nothing to stop you from going should we do A? If that is denied, then you could also have a motion, should we do B, then you could augment the language yet again to have C. But I wanted to
065point that out because the motion that I believe Mark was trying to make was not denied. [Applause] Should I wait for [Music] Test one, two. Hi, Katie Little Page, Maxon Avenue in Middletown. Could you let us know why members of the public were outside at 7:30 when the agenda said the public meeting would start yet the public meet the public was not allowed into the room for the meeting to start for another 45 minutes at 8:15. So we have an executive session that starts at 7:00 based upon what has to take place during that executive session. That's why we put on there on about approximately 7:30. Most of the time we will have this meeting open by 7:30. Unfortunately, tonight we had special meeting that was conducted with hips and we had to go a
066little bit lengthier. Okay. I just want to make that clear that we were all standing outside. Some seniors here from Shadow Lake standing waiting 45 minutes. So, I just like you to be more courteous of our time. So, like I'm telling you, for the most part, we've been sitting here most of the time after exact session. After 15 20 minutes, we'd wait for 354 minutes to let you in because we we put it out for 8 PM. So now we put out for 7:30 p.m. when we're done next session, we can start that meeting. Okay. Open vote. The second thing I would like to say is members of the board, would you please right now, this is being recorded, I think. So would you please right now raise your hand if you have attended any
067steering committees? One, two, three. Would you raise your hand if you've attended any steering committees? So, all members of the board have attended a steering committee except for Mr. Capone and Miss Tobacco. I just don't feel like raising my hand. I've had a steering command. When first one the first one, can you please Now also, that was my second point. Could you also raise your hand if you've been to one of the strategic planning committees? So, everyone except for Ms. Tobacco and Mr. Capone have attended at least one strategic planning committee. I just want to highlight this because as all the other members of the community who have gotten up here to speak, we're asking to collaborate. We're asking to work together. We have the same north star. We want what is best for our
068children. And when we hear flippant remarks from Miss Tobacco, I'm sitting right here in front of you. say, "I have a life. I've got things to do that." And then I recognize that you're the one of only two members of the nine member board who hasn't bothered to come to one of the strategic planning committees and only one steering committee meeting. It's concerning. I'm not I'm not sure that you don't you understand either. Frank and I as board leadership have been privy with Dr. Alone for the entire year of conversations about what was going to happen. We are not not in the know on this and I do not have to sit here and be told when I have to attend things that are not mandatory for a board member. I'm not tell I'm not
069I'm not sitting here telling you anything. I'm just highlighting your lack of attendance and your lack of care. You guys attack us is really not a strategic attack. I'm just highlighting that you have not shown up to any of these meetings. It's not an attack. It's just a fact. Four children and two fulltime jobs. All of us have children. That's why we're here. Well, I'm sorry. You do not decide what I do with my time. I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just You actually are I am very well aware of what goes on in the steering committees and the strategic planning. I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just highlighting for the public that you an elected official are not taking the time to collaborate with the public. True. It's not true.
070I have a role as a board member and I do. It is true. You were not there. That's a fact. So I just want to highlight Mr. Capone, Miss Tobacco are the only board members who have not attended a strategic planning committee. While the rest of the while the other seven board members Why do you keep saying it's not true? You haven't been there. It is true. It is a fact. Facts matter. So the other seven board members have been at the strategic plan because they are interested in collaborating with us as the public. I want to make that clear. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Motion to adjourn the meeting. All in favor? I extensions. Have a great night everyone.