001Good evening. Welcome to the Tuesday, November 25th, 7 p.m. meeting of the North Hunter and Bores Board of Education. Our vision statement, every student empowered for tomorrow. Mission statement. The North Hunter and Bores Regional High School school district empowers all students through innovative and personalized learning to achieve their full potential, embrace lifelong learning, and contribute responsibly to a challenging world. I'd like to call to order the meeting. The North Hunter and Bor's Regional High School District Board of Education meeting Tuesday, November 25th, 2025 is now called to order. In accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meeting Act, NJSA 104-6, adequate notice giving the time, date, location, and to the extent known for the agenda of this meeting was published by the Hunton County Democrat and the STAR ledger on January 9th, 2025. In
002addition, notice of this meeting has been posted at North Hunan High School and Boris High School, provided to the municipal clerks of Bethlehem Township, Califon Burough, Town of Clinton, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Glengardner Burrow, Hampton Burrow, Hybridgeboro, Lebanon Burrow, Lebanon Township, Tudesbury Township, and Union Township, as well as other interested parties, and posted on the district website. Fire exits are located in the directions indicated. If alerted to fire, please move in a calm and orderly fashion to the nearest smokefree exit. Restrooms are located through the doors behind me and to the right as indicated. At this time, please silence all cell phones. Can we please have a roll call vote? >> Yes, Mr. Good evening everybody. >> The role now is Mrs. Stan indicated. Mr. Chat here, >> Dr. D Miss Galla >> here. >>
003Miss S >> here. >> Miss Cord >> here. >> Mr. Lordy >> here. >> Mr. Mass here. >> Miss Ray >> here. >> Mr. Span absent this evening. Um Miss Stein >> here. >> Miss Fog >> here. >> And Miss Lind >> here. >> Thank you. Please rise for the flag 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. >> Can I have a motion and a second to approve agenda items 4.1 through 4.2? It's minutes from October 28th, 2025 regular board meeting and 4.2 minutes from the November 11th special board meeting. >> So moved. >> Second, >> Beth Kotran and Nicole Galla. >> Thank you. >> Any comments? Seeing no comments, all in favor? I
004>> I >> Any abstensions? >> Thank you. >> You're very welcome. At this time, we'd like to move on to the recognition of our student achievements. Can we please have U Mr. Peterson step forward on behalf of Vores High School? Good evening everybody. Uh so with me tonight I have sophomore Sarah Serell Celli, uh junior Sophia Munoz and senior Samantha Fin. Um all three of them are officers with our key club. They do fantastic work each and every year and um this year is just the same. But I wanted to tell you a little bit about what they have done in the past little over a month. Um, the Key Club has sponsored a food drive that has brought over 1,500 lbs of food during the non-p perishable food drive during our spirit week. Um,
005we are in the midst of the perishable food drive. This food will go directly to local families in need during the week of November 24th and families will be given a Thanksgiving dinner for the entire family and bags of other groceries to get them through the holiday season. Uh so each and every year you know um they raise a lot of food um you know for the families in need and I just thought they should be recognized for that to tell you a little about a bit about each and every one of them. I can't believe how involved they are. Uh so just bear with me here. Sarah the is a sophomore. She is in our environmental science academy. She's an officer for the FFA chapter as the reporter. She's been a member for two
006years and a member of the academyy's byianual advisory meetings. She is the editor of the Key Club and a member for two years. She's also on the Borhees fencing team. She's part of the mansion fencing academy, the river friendly school committee where she's been a member for one year and trying to get our school river friendly certified. Uh she's also a lector at her church and does readings during mass. Sophia is a junior. Um Sophia is in is the Spanish club co-president. She's also involved in the needles and hooks as the co-president club. So that's the crochet club. um key club vice president, technology student association treasurer, student council fundraising chair involved with our student high school integration program, girls track, girls winner track, girls cross country track, uh junior bikes, national honor society, national
007English honor society, world language honor society, history honor society, and her favorite part of Borhees High School is the extracurricular opportunities. And if she could, she would be in all of them. And Sam Banks um is the captain of the football and cheer competition uh cheerleading teams and has been a part of the program for four years. She is also a junior coach for the Hunter County Huskys uh the 3 to 5year-old team and she's been doing that for four years. She currently serves as a secretary for the National Honor Society and the secretary for the student council and the executive officer of the Key Club. She's also the fundraising co-chair for the student council, vice president for the relay for life, and webmaster for the key club uh during her junior year. In addition,
008she participates in various clubs, including the unified club, ski club, French club, four national honor societies and volunteers with the women's forbridge as the Easter Bunny and elf. Uh, and plans to major in biochemistry and pursue a degree in food science to enhance global and nutri uh, global food and nutrition or yeah, nutrition production. So, thank you to the three of them. Mr. Swash is going to take a photo of you. Dr. Pat, if you could step forward recognition of our numbers. Can I ask you to kind of circulate that around so our board members can see it? So, >> why don't you just maybe walk it in front of that board for everybody? Okay. So, uh on November 14th was one of my favorite days at North Hunter High School. We do it every
009year and it's an event called Friendship Day. Friendship day is an event that is focused on inclusion uh where we have team building and and our teams are are comprised of students of varied ability levels. It's also a bit of a fundraiser, which I'm going to talk about here in a second, and just a day to build community and friendship. So, we do a variety of activities that day, and I'm going to put these ladies on the spot and have them each tell us your their favorite activity of the day. So, you want to start your favorite activity of friendship day. >> Um, I like it when everyone sits in a circle in a chair and they all have to lean on each other and have a competition on who can stay up for the
010longest. >> Okay. Well, my favorite, too. So, >> well, Tess, you have to tell us something different. Um my favorite this year was at the end we all kind of they have a dance battle between two teams and then the ultimate winner is like the one that won the dance battle and this year we all joined in at the end and it was just really wholesome our whole school together dancing. So these uh three ladies who I should have introduced at the start here is fe Phoebe Lingerfield, uh Emma PTI and Tess uh Person and they are the three um the three officers of our interact club and they were really instrumental in organizing the day's events along with our adviser Miss Marin who's in the back there. Marin wave. There she is. Okay. So
011these uh three ladies in particular long before the day begins they take on an impressive list of responsibilities from organizing the participant applications, creating the teams, organizing the teacher leaders, creating the banners, distributing uh the team event t-shirts, training the junior leaders who shadow them throughout the year and prepare for uh in order to prepare prepare for the next year. So last year there were the shadows. So this year's friendship day held a bit of an extra meaning for us. We raised $2,500 for the Sophia Detroit Shining Light Foundation and more than $1,000 for the Kisses for Kyle, which supports uh families fighting childhood cancer. So again, an awesome event made possible by the work of these three young ladies. So let me tell you a little bit more about them. Uh again, Phoebe Lingerfield
012at the end there. She was recently, just as of Friday, I believe, accepted to Penn State and plans to major in speech pathology. She spent four years as as a dedicated member of our softball team and will and will proudly serve as a captain this season. She is also a student ambassador. She is a member of our of the Interact leaders. She is a member of our special Olympics team. She has uh she's also a lunch buddy. Rounding out her impressive list of accomplishments, she's also a member of our national honor society social studies and and the social studies honor society. Excuse me. She has a lot to read through as all these girls do here. Uh, also then we have Emma Prtie. Emma is eagerly awaiting decisions from colleges she hopes to attend. She
013plans to pursue a degree in early childhood education. For the past four years, Emma has been a dedicated member of both our basketball and lacrosse teams and is excited to finish out her final season alongside her teammates. Beyond athletics, Emma stays busy as an interact leader and a student ambassador. She has spent the last two years assisting with unified soccer. She is also a member of our National Honor Society and has been taking the college prep classes at RVCC. And then finally, we have Tess uh Person who has been equally involved in both on and off the field at our school. Tess is a four-year lacrosse player and plans to pursue biology or a predental medicine in college. She also attends her she also spends her time assisting with Special Olympics, being a peer leader,
014and supporting the unified bowling team. Tess is a member of the National Honor Society, an Interact leader, and a lunch buddy, as well as a student ambassador. So again, thank you ladies for your hard work, Emma. We're going to grab your photo over there. Thank you. such achievements and accolades. The students never cease to amaze us. So, a round of applause for our students. Uh, moving on. Um, I need a motion and a second to approve resolution 1125253 um to reaffirm Taylor Law Group LLC as general counsel with Philip Stern as the board general counsel. Need a motion and a second. Some moved. >> Second. >> That was Beth Kotran and Cynthia Reyes. Thank you. >> Any comments? >> Uh, I have a couple of comments. Um just um a little concerned that when we
015had this conversation last month that I think there was an effort to have a broader discussion um including consideration of motions to amend or table. I realized in that moment maybe that might not have changed the vote um but I think that could have been handled a little bit differently. Um I think it did prevent us from having a more thorough discussion. um con subsequential outreach to school boards um revealed they were a little surprised that we were moving ahead without an RFP process and a true vetting and applesto apples comparison of firms. Um and I'm not suggesting we re-engage that process right now but uh my recommendation would be that when there is a newly seated board that an RFP a true RFP be undertaken at that time. Um so at this time I
016am uncomfortable moving forward with this vote. Uh that's personal statement and Phil nothing personal. >> Any other comments? Okay. At this time we'll have a uh voice vote. All in favor? I >> I Thank you. >> Oh, you want Anyone who is all in favor, please. >> Oh, again, I'm sorry. >> I mean, we can turn this to a roll call vote if it's much easier. Any nose or extensions? Nose. How >> about nose first? Any nose? Any abstensions? >> Did you get the notes? Can I can I recommend doing a roll call vote, please? >> Okay, we can do this. >> A roll call vote, please. Mr. Chap. >> No. >> Miss Galla, >> yes. >> Miss Sins, >> no. >> Miss Kotran, >> yes. >> Mr. Lordy, >> yes. >> Mr. McCass, >>
017no. >> Miss Ry, >> yes. Miss Style, >> no. >> Miss Hodo, >> no. >> Miss Selena, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Um, at this time, uh, we would like to recognize our, uh, board student reps at the table, Maxwell and Samantha. Um, Maxwell, would you like to report on North Hunter? >> Sure. All right. We had a lot going on this month. North Hunter had its first blood drive of the school year today. I don't have exact numbers, but there was an estimated 325 donors today, saving over 900 lives. Um, the Lions Walkway down to a football field also has finished its res renov renovation. It's looking amazing. The senior class is hosting its third annual thrift store on Wednesday, December 10th. That is a half day, so from
0187:30 to 12:00 p.m. Um, and all students will have the ability to come down to the gym and uh, look through the clothes and buy some. We are collecting soft clothes until then. So that's like your shirts, pants, shoes, purses included. And those boxes are by our Route 31 entrance in our courtyard entrance. Um there may be an opportunity for um also like community members and family members to shop as well. That's still being decided and clothes not sold will be donated to local um um places. Northland High School North and board had a leadership summit on November 21st which was very successful and leaders from both schools um attended to strengthen both leadership skills and teamwork skills. As we've already heard today to reiterate, we had our friendship day November 14th. We had over
019250 participants this year. Um, thanks to everyone's generosity, like we've said before, we raised over $2,500 for Sophia Shining Light Foundation and more than 2,000 gifts and donations for Kisses for Kyle. Um, so Sophia's donations will directly support her foundation's mission of giving back to the community. Their contributions have already made a meaningful impact, including donations to our local food pantry and support for our unified sports teams. Kisses for Kyle will also use the donations to help brighten the holidays for children and families spending their time in the hospital. There's not a lot of sports to talk about today as we're in the transition period um between seasons, but our girls field hockey team was crowned sectional champions. Road Cap um history honor society held its first annual Rose Giving where students were able to
020have yummy food, make hand turkeys, and each other's company. However, in order to attend this event, each Roappa member had to bring at least one can of food for our food drive. And on that note, we had a very successful similar to Waruse food drive. We collected 2548.8 pounds of food to donate. The senior class collected the most and therefore will be receiving an ice cream party at some point. So, I personally am very excited for that. We also had a pie teacher fundraiser where um any proceeds put in the jar of a teacher would go to the people of the community and the teacher that received the most money would be pied in the face. Mrs. Fortuno and a junior and senior English teacher won with over $100 in her jar. I did include
021that. Um it will be pied next week. In total, $314 was raised and that was already used to buy fresh produce and distributed last night to local families. Rogue Kappa and the Patriotic Youth Club also hosted our veteran warm sock and hat drive where we collected two huge bags full of socks um which will be donated soon to local veterans. And finally, our winter concerts are coming up in December. December 4th and December 11th will be those concerts. That's all I have. >> That's all. >> Thank you very much. >> Did uh I don't know, Max, did you or Samantha participate in the leadership? >> I wasn't able to. I have a field trip. >> Okay. >> No, I'm not participating in sports. >> All right. I didn't know if you had any sense of
022sort of the the topics or the the activities that they may have. >> I don't, but I can find out. >> Awesome. Yeah, because I think is this the first or second year of the leadership summit? >> Second year. Super Henry report might give you a few more details. >> Oh, okay. Awesome. Well, I think it's great. >> I think Dr. Culture said it was the third year. >> Third year. >> All right. So, for we also had a very successful month. Um, so I'm I kind of broke things down into sections like sports, arts, clubs, and activities. So, hopefully that makes it a little bit easier to follow. But so we in terms of sports, like Max said, we are in that transition period between fall sports to winter sports. But I would like
023to say that of our fall season, this was one of the more successful seasons we've had with every team making it to the playoffs this year, which was incredible for Vorhees. We were very excited to celebrate that. And I'd like to shout out our girls cross country team for being state champions. So that was really awesome. And our winter season begins following Thanksgiving break. In terms of arts, Vorhees Drama Club had their production of Curtains on November 13th to 16th, and we sold over a thousand tickets, which was incredible for our fall musical. Um, and then our unified production of Bana Jr. is on December 13th and 14th. So, we're very excited about that. That's where our unified students partner with our drama club students and they work together to put on a show. And
024we're very excited about Moana. So, it should be a lot of fun. Our winter coral winter coral concert and winter instrumental concerts are happening mid December, but I'll have more on that the next meeting. And the music association ran a very successful winter craft fair last Saturday with over 100 vendors. It was a lot of fun. We have our music students perform and it's just a really great environment shopping for the holidays. Also, in terms of arts, we had six students selected to perform in the TCJ Honors Festival on November 23rd. And those students were Ava Freley, Jake Zelasny, Jess Rodri, Clara Lenser, Dylan Merkel, and Gabe Payton. And that was a very successful event for them, and they had a lot of fun. In terms of clubs, activities, and accomplishments, we did have our
025unified turkey splash where we raised over $13,000 for Special Olympics and placed first again for the third year in a row. And Mr. Peterson did have to dress up as Ursula. I strongly recommend you check out the pictures on the Facebook and the Instagram. Very fantastic job. It It was very much >> I think it was his best concert. >> Makeup. His makeup was fantastic. It was >> really good. >> Did the drama club help you with that? >> I had a glam squad. >> Of course you did. And you needed one. >> Yeah, it was great. Um, in terms of our Powerpuff game, which is where the girls play flag football, and the boys are the cheerleaders, the sophomores won, and we raised over $600. That was very exciting. We have Craft of Palooa
026in the library this month, hosted by the National English Honor Society, and it's going to be on December 1st, and it allows students some time to focus on their wellness and enjoy crafting and snacks. And my final thing to talk about is AP Scholar Awards. So, if you don't know what that is, awards are handed out to students who have scored a certain score on a certain number of AP exams. So, we had 32 students who were considered AP scholars. So, they had a score of three or higher on three or more exams. We had 13 students who are AP Scholars with honors, which is a score of 3.25 or higher on four or more exams. We had 30 students who were AP scholars with distinction, which was a score of 3.5 or higher on
027all exams taken and a score of three or higher on five or more exams. And then we had one student who received the AP Seminar and research certificate, which was a a score of three or higher on both AP research and AP Seminar. And we had one student who received the AP Capstone diploma, which is an incredible achievement. And that's a score of three or higher on both AP seminar and AP research and scores of three or higher on four other exams. So we had a lot of academic accomplishments and that includes students who also graduated last year. But it's just incredible to see how well our students are doing and it was really nice. They got a certificate and a pen. So very nice to celebrate their achievements and it was a very successful
028month. So thank you. >> Thank you. Nice job. >> Do we have that at North then as well? >> They do. I don't think >> I had to request the data so it >> right. Exactly. Right. Yeah. >> Well, Max, you could bring that to December. >> We're going to find it and it was a little late to ask. >> It'll come soon. >> Thank you very much. Phenomenal. Just phenomenal. Um when we moving on to our audit presentation, um Mr. Andrew, is it Kasinski? >> You nailed it. That was very good. Um, Representative uh, Nisibosia out of Mount Arlington, New Jersey will review the financial highlights and summary of the annual comprehensive final financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. Welcome. >> Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Um, thank you for
029the very nice introduction. Um, again, my name is Andrew Kazinski. from the district's auditors, Navachia LLP out of Mount Arlington. Um, Mr. Brennan was nice enough to hand out little four-page handout for everyone prior to the meeting. It looks like this. Um, so I'm just going to take a few minutes here to go over the results of the financial audit for 2025. And um, I'm pretty good at this, so if you feel the need to interrupt to ask any questions, we're all good at any time. Um, so if we start at the top of the first page of the handout, what you're going to see there is basically the district's operations and how the fund balance ended up for the year. What you're going to see in the left column is the 2024 numbers. In
030the middle column, the 2025 numbers, and on the right, you're going to see the increases and decreases year-over-year. So, I'm just going to really focus on the 2025 numbers. Um, for 2025, we ended with $24,756,000 in overall fund balance. That's a decrease of about $385,000 from the previous year. Uh, a lot of that is, of course, as we know, cost of everything is going up and state aid is going down a little bit. Uh, so nothing really unexpected or to be concerned at there. Uh, we still have very healthy fund balances overall. And I just want to go over what makes up that $24.7 million. So within the $24.7 million, you have almost $9.5 million in your capital reserve. You have about $1.7 million in your maintenance reserve. We have $5,250,000 of excess surplus that's
031used in your 26 budget, which you're currently operating in. That amount was generated in 2024 and has to carry forward to the next succeeding budget year. Uh so it's 1 plus 1. Uh for 2025, we generated the $5,250,000 again. Uh we'll talk a little bit more about the excess surplus and the use of fund balance in the budget in a moment. Um but I do just want to point something out here. Uh as I always make it a point to uh auditors love consistency. I love consistency when looking at the financial outlook of the district and using a consistent number and generating that in your excess surplus is a very healthy position and it shows that everything is being watched out for on a budgetary basis very well. Um, after that we have the unemployment
032compensation which was about $666,000. At the end of the year, we had incumbrances of $173,000. We had $235,000 that was used in your 2026 budget. and we had 2% of our uh allowable unassigned amount. Uh which for those of you that aren't that familiar, um that 2% represents 2% of your total expenditures for the year with certain adjustments. Uh the majority of the adjustment that you see there is any amounts that we received for our extraordinary aid, non-public transportation aid that was in excess of the amount we budgeted for in our budget. Uh I like to refer to this number as as healthy as the state of New Jersey will allow a school district to be. That's as high as you can get. Um, so your $1.9 million that's there is a good balance for
033you. As you can see, that's a little bit of an increase from last year, but as I said, cost of things are going up. So part of the factor there is that when the cost of things go up, that number goes up so that you can have a little bit more set aside. The next section in the middle there, what you're going to see is, as I said, this is your use of fund balance year-over-year. So in the left column, it's 27 uh 2026 and 27. I'm sorry I wrote that wrong and I got myself with it. Uh in the center column you'll see 202526. That's the current budget you're operating in. And to the right you're going to see 202425. So again if you're looking there at that number uh what you're going to
034see for 25 and 20 uh I'm sorry for 202526 and is that number stays consistent around $5.5 million. Again that's good. Uh, I like to see that consistency when you see the little dip in the 2026-27 year. The reality of that is that we haven't established our 2026 27 budget yet. So the 5,250,000 is staying consistent. However, we don't know what additional amount out of our fund balance we're going to have to designate when we do our 202627 budget. So it's more than likely that you're probably going to be looking at about the same number by the time we go through that process. At the bottom, you're going to see the activity for your capital and your maintenance reserves. So, for our capital reserve, we started the year with $8.4 million. We earned $56,000 in
035interest. Our year-end resolution that we do every year to be able to move any excess amounts over that 2% uh over into our reserves. We moved a little bit over $2 million into there. And we had unexpended money from projects that we had funded in our capital projects fund of $575,000. And then we withdrew by resolution throughout the year $1.6 million. So all of that activity gets us to an ending balance of $9.5 million. Um a note on your capital reserve. It's good to have a healthy amount in your capital reserve because it allows for you not to have to go back to the taxpayers to issue debt. And it also allows you the availability that if there are rod grants available on which the district only pays 60% of the overall cost, that allows
036you to get that funding because you show that you have the money available. So, it's a good balance. Um, bear in mind, we all know how much big projects in a school district can cost. They don't come cheap. Uh, so I think that that's a very good healthy balance uh with the two very large schools that you have uh in the district. On your maintenance reserve, we started with $1.7 million and we gained $16,000 of interest, leaving us with $1,750,000. So again, that's that's a healthy balance. that maintenance reserved is used for things around the schools that have to be uh fixed but not replaced. Um so again I think that that's a good healthy balance for you to have as well. Does anyone have any questions on the reserves? >> I just have a
037question. >> Sure. >> Uh capital reserve at the 9 million. >> Yeah. >> With this the school district size um you're saying that's above what would be the I guess minimum threshold you want to see if we fell below? I'll be honest with you when it comes to that. Not a big fan of minimums and it's not a matter of um having too much. It's not having enough to do what you have to do. So I look at it always with our capital reserve. You don't want an insanely large amount, right? But I don't think that you're even close to that. When you look at your long range facilities plan, there's a lot of stuff that's in there that you're looking to do to improve the district overall. Having that funding available, readily available that
038you can do a resolution at any given time and be able to accomplish something on a long-range facility plan. I think that's so important to districts. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> You also mentioned the ROD grant eligibility. Can you just say a little bit more about maintaining that amount and its benefit for that? >> Right. So, in the event that you have a rod grant, um that the district is eligible for um it's usually a large project, um well, it's always a larger project. Uh obviously, we're doing capital. Um but you have to show that you have the funding available to pay for the project. So, we know this. Redoing a parking lot, redoing a roof, redoing uh building a building, you know, um all of these things. is we have to be
039able to show that we're able to afford for it >> and and that's a big part of where some districts find themselves when we don't have a good healthy balance in there. Uh we can't do that. So what winds up happening is even though these are reserved amounts 100% of it really comes back from the tax dollars and the taxpayers are paying for it. Whereas when we have the rod grant we get that money back. >> So almost like a creditworthiness at some level >> in a way. Okay. >> In a way. Right. Right. So, how would you compare um what a healthy budget looks like versus what's the comparable >> overall budget >> for the entire district or just for for capital? >> capital. I I really think that with >> what makes it
040what classifies it as healthy >> basically enough to handle any any project at any given time that that becomes a necessity to the district. So when you look at this, if you were to have certain items, certain capital items that started to fail and had to be completely replaced, you don't have a worry where you're at right now. Well, God forbid, but you know, let's not. But but I think that that's that's the imperative thing. >> Does that make sense? Does that answer your question? >> Thank you. >> Okay. Yeah. No problem. >> I have one more question. Yeah. the 26 27 budget for the surplus that you were talking about that we haven't started that process yet. When does that typically start? >> Uh you'll be Yeah. >> sooner rather than later. >> What
041is the typical time that usually starts? >> You're going to start like Yeah. like you're I mean to be honest with you, I'm sure that that Mike and Katie have already have already really started to file through a lot of that stuff and that once you get into the new year is where you're really going to start pinning everything down and going through everything in more detail. Yeah, as Andrew said, we typically start now, as Rich said, and we we wrap up uh in March and then the uh final, you know, around March 20th. March 17th is usually typically when it's done. And then um the the presentation to the public for the final approval and the board follows a so we we really try to start now and get it done in advance of
042say St. Patrick's Day is really our our deadline to finalize the bud the budget. I can say their office has already sent out the request from the school to have them review what they had this year, what they're requesting for next year. All that information is being collected and then we're looking at things like like bargaining agreements and insurance increases and all those, you know, big ticket items to try to balance all those things out. >> And then so then if that's supposed to be done by March 17th, you said t typically to be presented to the public, then there would be a preliminary budget that would also be presented to the public, right? Like we kind of did this year. >> Correct. preliminary would be usually in March and then the final >> in
043April to the follow. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Y >> does anyone else have any questions on this section? Okay. So, we're going to move over to page two. And on the top of page two, what you're going to see is the results of your food service fund, your cafeteria. And again, it's not a lot like the first page. The one difference here is what you're going to see is that in the top section, it's all of your operating revenues, non-operating revenues, and expenses. And then just below that is your net position. So fund balance is called net position in the food service fund. It's very similar. Um, so again, you see 2024 there. 2025 is what I'm going to concentrate on and 20 and and the variances are off to the right.
044So for our operating revenue, that's all of our daily sales. Uh, we had $1,985,000. We had, if you see here, I had I listed that there's interest only. Um, so we had $2,700 of interest for the year and our expenses were $1,946,000 which led us to an increase of about 41,000 for the year. So overall, our net position was $712,000. What that's made up of is your capital assets within your food service fund. For purposes of food service, they get included within your net position. So that decrease of $28,000 is really just your depreciation for the year. Um your unrestricted position is $529,000. So that went up pretty high from last year by about 70,000. So overall, again, it's, you know, looking at your food service, the food service is supporting itself, which is positive.
045And you have money there that if there needs the cafeterias that you can take out of that unrestricted, go and purchase those sort of things. with the operating increase there is that salary, cost of food, all that kind of stuff, >> the operating expenses. >> Yeah. I mean, it's again, it's unfortunately you're you're you're going to see that that number is going to increase just like our general expenses, things go up. Uh we're we're insulated a little bit because we have contractual uh with the vendor, but it's it only insulates so much. You know, as costs go up, it's that number is going to increase. But luckily, we're increasing on our sales as well at this point. Uh, and we have a good, healthy, unrestricted balance that we don't have to necessarily revisit immediately. Um,
046unless the the board does deem to be necessary, of course, um, raising lunch prices. >> We know why our revenue went up. Um, was it due to an increase in lunch prices from one year to the next? >> I'll be totally honest with you. with $30,000 when it relates to like 1.9 million. It wasn't something that I I looked into, but it's well it's when when you're talking about that that level, >> right? >> It's it's it could be anything. Um it could be that, you know, more students were actually buying lunch instead of getting, >> you know, >> I look when I was in high school, I would go and I would get candy and chips and this and that instead of having actual lunch. So, >> I was just wondering maybe this is
047a question. Did we raise lunch prices uh year to year? >> We do every year. >> Every year. >> Yeah. There's a little bit >> usually annually >> we do. Okay. >> Right. And again, that I mean that feeds into like if the boards it to be necessary obviously you're maintaining a good balance which is good. >> Does anyone else have any other questions on food service? >> Okay. So, >> the last financial section that we're going to go to is the long-term liabilities of the district. Um, so first and foremost, we had serial bonds. Uh, we paid off $640,000 in serial bonds. So, we have a remaining balance of $5.1 million uh in serial bonds. Compensated absences, I don't know if you all recall, but last year there was a change in the accounting
048standard for uh how compensated absences get tracked within the financials. um a Gazsby was issued which said basically what we had to do was whereas historically this was tracked within your financials showing the amount that was likely individuals to retire they changed the standard and said even if it's a year one employee um they gave the business administrators this unfair task of becoming actuaries and making an assessment of if someone's a let's say the standard and I'll just put it the way that I said to all my clients, which is very likely the way that uh Katie is still doing it now. Um that if it's a year 0 to five employee, you say there's a 5% chance. If it's a 5 to10, you say it's a 15. Whatever percentage that you deem. But for
049example, a year one employee that has $100 worth of time, if you say it's 5%, that's $5 that goes into this number. You do that, you calculate it for all of your staff that has acred time and then you add that up and just uh shave it off by whatever the maximums are, if any, based on contracts that people would qualify for. So, now that I've gone through my whole story about this, we had about $4.5 million to begin the year. That decreased by about $286,000. What that represents is actual amounts that we paid out that were offset by the earned uh acred time for individuals, leaving us with a balance of $4,260,000. Uh what I always do like to say here is that don't look at that number and think that oh my gosh,
050next year are we going to have to pay $4.26 million? No, that's a that's a number that's always tracked um within the business office that they know round about the amount of retiring teachers within a year and it gets figured into your budget with all of your salaries as well. So, more than likely the number that you would be looking at in any given year would be closer to that $286,000 number. For your leases, we started off with $154,000 in leases, paid off $72,000, and had about $81,000 left in leases payable. Our finance purchases, we started with $3 million, paid off $836,000, and had an ending balance of $2,188,000. And then, everyone's favorite, the net pension liability for the public employees retirement system. Um, this is I know I've said this multiple times. Um, this
051technically is the state of New Jerseyy's liability. However, we're required to reflect it within our financial statements because part of the financial statements are done on a gap basis. Budgetarily, this has no effect on you whatsoever. Um, I know that when they first started doing this, there was a lot of conversation about, oh, are we ever going to have to pay it? And at that time, it was, I don't think so. Uh, probably not. But at this point, we're pretty firm that we don't think it's ever going to really happen. But they've been known to surprise us before, right? Um the district gets their pension bill every year. They pay their pension bill in full. So we have no liability ourselves for related to the public employees retirement system. We paid it. Um, so again,
052now that I've gone off on this, uh, we started with $ 8.9 million and that actually decreased by $622,000 this year, which is really just attributable to differences in, uh, the contributions that were made by the state. Um, and also certain differences in the actuarial variables that are assigned to it, leaving us with 8 almost $8.3 million. Uh, so overall, uh, we went down by about $2.45 45 million to an ending balance in our liabilities of $19.9 million. Does anyone have any specific questions on the liabilities? >> I just have a question on the the net pension liability. So, if I understand what you're saying, the state pays, but we have to pay our annual payment to the state, right? >> So, um does that money the money that we pay to the state does
053that come out of that line or no? >> It's separated. Really? >> It is separate. separate liability that we >> when you see it's I shouldn't say that it's separated it is part of the variable that goes into that >> you get you get your bill for your amount of the contribution which you pay um what had happened was back way back at some point they weren't funded so they were underfunded and then once they took into account all the actuarial variations that go into this this is what they perceive to be the liability overall >> okay >> within the fund >> so the decrease in that number comes from what exactly? There's money coming out of out of that, right? So, it's reducing our liability, >> right? So, what that basically is is that
054when the state fully funds uh which they've actually been doing recently. So, when they fully fund it and certain things change within the actuarial uh variables, that number will tend to increase fluctuate one way or another. Uh this year's trend is that everyone's decreased a little bit, which on a liability, we like to see that. Correct. Some years it acrus, it it increases. >> Okay. >> We get a we get a very large report that's issued by KPMG every year um that includes all of this information in it. >> Um it's somewhat informative, but it's it's it's a little bit confusing if you're not familiar with every component of the pension system. >> Okay. Thanks. >> You're welcome. Okay. So, we move on to the next page. What you're going to see here is I
055I put a couple little notes in red boxes. Um so what you're going to see is we have uh one, two, three, four, five management suggestions this year. The first two are completely advisory only. Um they have gone into every single audit report that we've issued this year. And what they're doing is they're letting you know about things that may change slightly in the future just so that you're aware of it. So, these two really um you're you're probably not even going to notice what the changes are in the two that are labeled advisory only. The reason being is that they're really going to only be audit presentation differences. So, some of the schedules within the report, some of the notes within the report are just going to be worded slightly different or look slightly
056different, maybe give a little bit further of a breakdown than they have in the past. Um nothing at all for you to be concerned about. It doesn't change the accounting of every anything within the report. Again, it's just going to be presentation purposes only. And really, when you look at the first one, it's giving all the different breakdowns of those four subcategories. Um, they're just really sections that are already within your report. Um, and it's just going to change probably, like I said, the wording a little bit, but nothing drastic. Um, the second one is is Gazsby statement number 104, disclosure of certain capital assets. that's talking about a little bit how they're going to change the way that subscription assets are handled within it. Um, we haven't even gotten like a a an outline
057of exactly what it's going to look like yet, so I can't really speak as to exactly what it's going to look like. I just know that something's going to change with it at this point. Okay. Um, now your last three, so federal grants receivable. Um, we had some uh grants receivable that hadn't been submitted for reimbursement prior to year end. whenever we have that, it wasn't a lot that it raised to the level that it was something that needed to be a finding with a recommendation. Um, so we just like to put in the management suggestion. Uh, that's already been handled at this point. Everything's been submitted for. So, nothing really for you to be uh worried about with that or concerned with. Um, your capital projects, uh, there's just certain older capital projects that
058were outstanding. That's already done. We actually removed a lot of them, uh, this year and and and even a little bit more right after the audit was completed. who I know has been moved already. Um, but again, we just when those old projects are sitting out for a while, we just like to note it this way. It kind of moves us along to get rid of them. Um, so again, nothing for you to be concerned at there. Um, and then the last one, uh, I know that Katie had spoken with a whole bunch of you, uh, about this already. Um, but when we were going through the audit, uh, we were having a little bit of a problem working out, uh, some of the activity. And what wound up happening was that when we went
059back and we started reviewing uh the bank reconciliations, there were certain items on there which we found had to be removed and certain things that had been recording recorded within the accounting software that had to be removed. They were they were one-sided transactions that increased the overall balances but shouldn't have. Okay. And then they were being carried the compensating control for the accounting system is the reconciliations. Well, they were showing as outstanding items on that. So when you have that happening, what happens is that it looks like everything is still balancing. But when I took a look at it, when I was doing analytical procedures on the financials, um that's where we went back and revisited it. And as soon as uh well, let me preface this with um this this is functionally accounting. There's
060there's no there was no money that was there that was ever missing. End of story. completely 100%. It was just that the way that it had been recorded, it looked like there was more there because there were certain things that needed to get pulled out of it. Um, as soon as we we picked it up, uh, Katie got right on it. Um, we were able to get everything corrected and we were able to get everything fixed within the financials. So you don't see here I don't include the just the general findings within this um but within your management report which is the the smaller of the the two books that we send and I know that that this year we have uh PDFs so the smaller of the two files it's not the one that's
061like 200 pages it's the one that's about 20. Um, what you're going to see in there is originally when we had done this, we started out with a finding with a recommendation to have the the the reconciliations done in a timely manner and reviewed for accuracy. By the time that we had gotten to the point of completing the audit, what had happened was that that was all corrected. So, it doesn't make sense to necessarily rise to the level of a recommendation when it's already been corrected. The corrective action plan would be what we've already done. Um, so I left the finding in the report. This way it's it's detailed of exactly what was found. However, we moved it back to a management suggestion rather than writing a recommendation out. We didn't think that it was
062appropriate at that time. Um, and I I went around the office and I asked all my other partners if they thought that that was appropriate and the consensus was 100% yes. >> But would it have also been appropriate to leave it the way it was? with the recommend with the the recommendation that was originally in the draft that we saw. >> If if if I had left in the recommendation, um it's by technicality, you could have presented it either way. >> Mhm. >> The leaving it as a recommendation, it's a dog with no teeth. It's it's already been taken care of. Had it had it not been able to be taken care of and it was something that I had to take corrective action with myself, then I would say I would not have removed
063it at all. I I wouldn't have even considered it >> because the the in the finding and the management response that was originally in the draft. Um I would view this as kind of an ongoing recommendation going so going into this fiscal year there everyone should be making sure that the information is being reviewed for accuracy and and so I don't understand why we wouldn't maintain that as something that needs to be a recommendation to the to the business to the administration office >> and and I I will tell you this is that once we got this completely resolved for the 25 year Um Katie had sent us the revised version of the reconciliation for July. >> Okay, >> we reviewed July and everything was correct on it. Everything worked. There were no one-sided items.
064There were no old outstanding items and it was actually she's completely reformatted the way that it was being done that it's really a more complete picture of everything >> which really lended to my my my my feeling that we could remove it at that point. It had been resolved. Now, I will tell you this is that in the event that it's even somewhat slightly off next year, I would not put a management suggestion. It's 100% it would be a recommendation at that point. >> Well, but why do you have to wait for it to happen again potentially to make the recommendation? because and the reason I'm asking is I'm also going to ask you about internal controls after this but because I read the 200page report. >> God bless you. >> Um but um but
065it would seem to me that there there is an issue with our internal controls if these errors can be made. So why wouldn't we include a recommendation so that the next board for example if they have questions could see it and understand what the issues were. I would imagine for history purposes, right? Just to have a reference. >> Yeah. >> I I think that from from my perspective on it, >> it was that it had been corrected and looking into the following year that it was continuing to be corrected. >> I I just didn't feel that it would be appropriate to leave it in as a recommendation for which the district would have to take corrective action that had been taken already. >> Yeah. I mean, the way I typically see these done is that
066you would because the corrective action was taken in the current fiscal year, you would make a notation indicating the fact that this is the recommendation. However, the corrective action was already taken. Um, and therefore, there's nothing further that needs to be done. That's the way I would typically see something like that in an audit report. >> Well, that's and but that's exactly what a finding without a recommendation entails. >> Okay. It's explaining that the finding of specifically what the situation was which was uncovered. >> But the recommendation would mean that there's still something to be done. >> I don't necessarily agree, but okay. >> I understand that. >> I No, I I understand it is it's it's a little bit confusing and to be honest with you, a lot of times when it's a situation
067like this, the management suggestion doesn't even get put in. It's just a finding without a recommendation. >> Okay. >> And I thought it was important to still leave it in there. >> Agreed. >> Because it it raises the attention to it. >> Um and and again, it's a management suggestion is more of a gentle push. >> It's not that it's >> you don't want to have a management suggestion. The advisory ones are fine. >> I know you don't want it, but it happens. >> Right. Right. But the the recommendation I just felt was a little bit heavy-handed >> at this time. >> Okay. >> I got a couple questions for you. Absolutely. This is my first time going through this. So, >> how long have you been doing the audit? >> Well, I was I
068was in charge prior to becoming a partner. Um overall I would say that I've probably been here for about oh let's see co time warrant um easily 10 years. >> Okay. So so in the 10 years have you ever seen this situation occur before? >> No this is the first time. >> Never had the issue before. >> Okay. Um and you uncovered it in the beginning of the audit process. >> Correct. >> We uncovered it during the audit process. >> To begin what? So, uh, off the top of my head, I I'm not exactly sure. We were here for about 2 weeks. Like, do you remember when Katie had gotten back from returning? Cuz I think she she came back like right at the tail end of us finishing up our field work. Um, but
069it was during that time. Um, it would have been I guess over the summer, right? >> Right. Like August maybe, something like that. Sounds about right. Yeah. Um, so there's obviously, as you put it, it's a 200page book. There's a lot that goes into this and there's even more that goes onto supporting it. So there's a lot of work that gets done through this. And for lack of a better term, um, a lot of it's data entry and analysis as you're going through it. So, as I had said, one of the internal controls, the safeguards for the financials is largely the reconciliations in the treasures report. With the way that some of these things were being picked up as reconciling items, at first blush, everything looked as if everything was completely in agreement, which it
070was. The problem being is that certain of those entries that were done should not have been done or should have had a compensated entry to them which then were showing up as reconciling items. Does that make sense? >> Mhm. >> Do we have a unique system here that that would somehow be different for somebody coming in? I mean, we know we had an interim yet. So it would this would our system be something somewhat foreign to somebody coming in to see it? >> I think one of the complications and I've discussed this with with Katie and again in the revised version of the reconciliation it really handles this uh you have what's called a sweep account. So what the sweep account affords the district is that you get interest on your overnight balances. So think
071about you get a big tax payment from one of your towns and then the following day you have to issue payroll. Well, that large payment that came in overnight, you're still getting more interest off of it. So, there's a benefit to it. The downside to a sweep account is they can be a little bit confusing in general anyway. >> Okay. >> Um, >> however, now with the the new version of the reconciliation, um, it looks like all of the activity that goes into there is properly broken out that you would see it. It is somewhat unique. >> Okay. Um, and to be honest with you, uh, it's one of the sweep accounts have a tendency to be a little bit difficult for a lot of people. >> And >> how is our sweep account reporting?
072>> I I just want to ask a followup question to that. So, uh, you represent them and you work for other school districts, I assume. >> What percentage of them have sweep accounts? >> Uh, it's not a lot. I I wouldn't know a definitive percentage, but it's not. >> So, tell me universal this. It's not a sweep account. It's not universal, but there's there's really nothing wrong with it. >> No, there isn't anything wrong with it. And I'm a banker and I recommend them all the time. Um, can you just >> probably the reason of that overnight >> for because we want to you want maximum benefit of of of interest earning against all of your funds at any given time. Um, can I ask you is it a daily interest sweep or does it
073report so the interest reports daily and was that the confusion in the reporting or was it um the movement of the sweep and he had a hard time reconciling with what comes in and what's goes what came in and what went out overnight? >> I think it was the movement. >> Okay. >> Um I don't I'm not sure if it's uh I'm sorry the term overnight interest. >> I'm not sure that that's that that's actually occurring. Like do you know are you aware >> it's it's monthly but as you mentioned activity moving in and out and when things settle meaning crossing over months >> right and there's ledger balances that don't forward over if something's pending clearing um with a sweep account that you wouldn't you don't normally see that in a traditional if you
074had a standalone money market and you move money in and out you wouldn't have those um you wouldn't see the movement of the ledger balances um for collected balances because that some of it stays in the account and should sweep because we're waiting for balances to clear while others have cleared and we move them to earn interest. Um but it is a very I can support that it is a difficult I work with clients all the time in their accounting software um to account for the the sweep movement and there is a training and if um I work with corporate clients all the time and if the finance team isn't familiar with how the sweep moves and how the sweep accounts for there is a reconciliation issue and I've been down this road before with
075clients so it is understandable that if somebody were to come in as an interim BA and not be familiar with how a sweep works that the reconciliation problem would occur. >> Exactly. >> It is justifiable. I mean it's it's not justifiable but it is it is understood and it has happened in my experience. >> And I think it's important as well to um understand that within your sweep account is not just your current also include your special revenue your capital project and service. So only to complicate matters more, which I'm sure that you can attest to as well, is that when you have each one of those funds is within the sweep account, they have a portion of that cash balance. >> So, and again, this does feed back into what actually happened that when
076you move that money within the sweep account, it doesn't really go anywhere. It's still in the same account. >> So, what was happening is that when that one side of the entry went in, it looked like that amount was more, >> which was then booked as an outstanding item. Now, as soon as we had again figured out what this was, um we basically got right on the phone with Katie. We started working on this. It did take a little bit of time to square everything away, get everything worked out. Um but again, in the end, we were able to get everything worked out, everything right back in to their own buckets. And I don't know Ernie Ernie Turner, Ernie Ernie helped uh get you guys set up. Sorry. um get you guys set up and
077and and and went back through all of this information. Um so he might have some information on this. I don't know if there's anything specific or am I covering it good? Are you >> um would you like me just make a brief statement? Would >> that be all right? >> Hi. Um my name is Ernie Turner. Um I have 42 years experience as a school business administrator. In my retirement, I started a consulting business with other retired VAS and we go around and help school districts that have needs. And uh so I was happy to help out in this particular instance because the work that needed to be done, your auditor couldn't do that. Somebody had to do that in order to prepare for the audit because the auditor can't audit their own work. All
078right? So we were like the go-between to excuse me to assist and to get the records ready for the end of the year. And as uh Andrew had mentioned, uh what we found was is that there were a lot of one-sided entries uh that were made during the course of the year that weren't reconciled. So we had to go back over the 12 months and reconcile those items in order to bring them into balance. >> 12 months. >> Yeah. So it so it goes well most of the year. So uh so we had to go back and correct all of that. We did 12 months worth of work to review because it requires that to make sure that that for the entire year is it had been accounted for appropriately. So we had to go
079back to the last audit report use that as our starting point to come forward. That makes sense. >> All right. That's just good accounting statements. Okay. That's what we did. >> All right. And so we were able to do that. We're happy to help in order to put this together. We actually did do the uh the July reports and make sure that they were in order. And as Andrew said, you're good to go for this year then. All right. But uh yeah, that's what we found during the course of the year. Uh we're happy to uh be able to assist in order to uh you know do these reconciliations as again you were mentioning about the sweep accounts and everything. I've worked in a number of districts with the sweep accounts. It is always a
080problem. There's no question about it. >> But they are in the most interest. >> Yeah. That's the thing. It's it's a lovehate relationship, you know, kind of thing. But you feel the obligation of of doing the best uh you know making sure that you're working in the best interest of the board and increasing the interest earnings as to the highest level that you can. >> But then from an accounting standpoint it's a lot of additional work that you have to pay attention to. All right. So you mentioned before if somebody came in and was not familiar with it >> uh they wouldn't know what to do because it took me a while to understand that. So you know I just wanted to mention that as well. Would that be something that would have been maybe
081mentioned when you have someone taking your um place in the interim in order to I mean would would that be common um I guess uh communication that should have been communicated that this is how this is being handled to avoid a situation like this to happen. Uh, I can only speak for myself and what I do when I go into districts because I've worked in over 70 school districts. >> Sure. >> Um, I look at the bank statement first to see if an account exists >> and if it does, then I'm prepared and I know that that that's already in place and to prepare for it accordingly. So, I take that upon myself, you know, when I go into a school district. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, you're saying that sweep accounts are
082one of the most complicated, correct? >> Yes. Okay. Uh, and not many schools do it. >> Not many. Okay. So, all right. I I think what uh what uh Cindy is saying is that it's probably a conversation I could have had on the front end to say, "Hey, you may not be familiar with this." >> We don't know that we we shouldn't assume Katie didn't have that conversation. And I really have a problem. >> Excuse me. Excuse me. Time out. Um great questions, great discussion. This is terrific. This can and will not in any way, shape or form be about individual employees of this district around this table at this time in this meeting. Um there are other forums in which to uh talk about uh individuals or whatever, but this is the district audit
083that we're discussing here. There was no intent on any of the presenters, nor is there about anybody around this table to to specify individuals, nor would it be appropriate to do so. >> I think we're just trying to get more information as to the work that was done. >> I'm not trying to limit I'm not trying to limit questions at all. I just want to make sure that we're doing it the way we should be doing it in honor of what our legal responsibilities are. I have a question in regards to your normal regular audit. What what what was the catalyst that pulled a third party in here? What couldn't be reconciled that a third party had to be pulled in to kind of figure out where the one-sided >> entries began or was that
084the only reason why the other third party was brought in? So as as Ernie had said, I I can't do it because if I if I do that kind of work which is affecting your financials, >> then I I sacrifice my independence. I'm no longer independent. I can't work on financials that I've essentially prepared. >> And that's where I have to I have to separate myself. And at that time what it became was that at a ma as a matter of trying to get things completed and done so that we made the deadline for the audit report um it was it was apparent that going back through 12 months in the extremely high level of detail that Bernie and his team did go back through um it wouldn't have been feasible for your staff to
085do their regular business and then on top of that have to go and do all the work that they had to do to review everything because unfortunately it sounds like you know you you look at it and you identify the transactions which um have to be changed and altered and corrected. Um, but you have to look at everything. And so you're you are looking at that entire 12-month picture starting with last year's audit, working all the way forward. And it was just again, it was more of a matter of of of the timing of getting everything done and that I literally can't my hand my hands are tied. >> Um, yes. >> I just have one last question on the internal control controls piece. So um in looking at what your firm does with respect
086to internal controls, there is a definition in there about the internal control over financial reporting. >> Okay. Wouldn't you consider there to have been a deficiency in the internal control here because the work actually had to be sent outside? Like the control didn't allow for um someone performing the um do the the financial reporting work to see if there was a misstep or anything like that. Is is is that something that that occurred here or are you saying like in other words I know you can't confirm the s sufficiency of the internal control but is there a problem with the internal control such that it would have allowed someone to have found the error themselves >> does that make sense >> kind of tell me if I tell that no it's okay I just want
087to make sure I'm answering the right question >> so as far as recognizing that the control wasn't operating correctly. That's your finding. >> Okay. >> Right. And that's the reason for your suggestion. >> Okay. >> As far as do I feel like there was a breakdown of internal control? No. >> Okay. >> To the point that we've been talking about with the sweep account complicated. >> And >> on the face of it again, it looks like everything's working. There's nothing to question. There's not It's not that you were getting your board secretary report and cash wasn't agreeing to your treasur. They were. >> Okay. But it's just the complication of it is what lent itself to that. >> Okay, good. That's I just wanted to make that does answer my question. Okay, good. Thank you.
088Good. >> I I got another question. So, in the draft report finding 20 2025-01. So it states here that during our review of the district's records, it was noted that the receipts and dispersements posted to the district's accounting records were not reconciled with the treasur treasurer's records, which resulted in illegitimate reconciling items found on the bank reconciliations. Is recommended that the district ensure bank reconciliations be reviewed more carefully for accuracy. Then underneath that there's a management response that says the district will ensure that bank reconciliations are reviewed carefully for accuracy and illegitimate reconciling items. So my question to that would be if this hadn't been corrected in the time frame that it was done, would you have been more inclined to keep this in the report as opposed to removing it from the file court
089if all of the steps in that report weren't taken that were immediately? 100%. 100% without doubt. I' I've had it before where it's if there's something that I feel that at the onset or during the course of doing my audit rises to the level of a recommendation, I discuss it with the staff within the district. I bring it to their attention and if it doesn't get resolved by the time that the audit report is being issued, it goes in. In this case, once the issue was identified, it was handled immediately. It was just immediately. I don't think I hung up the phone uh talking about it before another phone call was made to this gentleman. It was it was immediate action and it was complete resolution. If if th those steps weren't taken and I
090didn't feel if I looked at July and there were still issues in that reconciliation, I absolutely 100% would have said I have to do this. That's why it's an independent audit. >> So if the steps were in the process and it didn't get resolved at time, >> it would still be in the report. >> Okay. Which leads me to almost think that >> I just I just don't know why it's like I kind of agree with Beth. Like I I think I I would keep it in the report even with even a footnote but said hey this this is what the findings were and uh this is what would have been the corrective action steps but they were taken and this would be the best practice going forward to ensure it doesn't happen again. And
091I and I understand it's just that the way that the accounting standards on stuff work is and just let me know if I'm if I go off track or anything here, but it's the finding is this is what we found. Normally when you see the finding in that management report, what follows is what you're seeing on the draft that you had looked at where it says it's the finding, then immediately after that is the recommendation, then immediately after that is the management response. Y >> so when you look at the at the new version, what you're going to see is the finding without those other two pieces. If there's no recommendation, there's no manage >> response. But that's also why you have the management suggestion. >> It's it's as much attention in my report as
092I can bring to it without it being a recommendation. And again, the only reason it's not in there as a recommendation is because my feeling is that it was completely addressed. Does that answer your question last year? It does. Okay. >> Can I confirm like the only um discrepancy was the sweep account. Was there anything else? >> I did not have I did not have other issues um reconciling through the financial statements which and I'll be honest with you, it's it's you know sometimes I go in and and the records aren't great and it's trying to find the exact cause of it is like playing whack-a-ole. you know, you just keep on swinging until you hit. And in this case, it was I literally was able to go through everything. Everything else worked. The only
093thing that made no sense on your balance sheet to me was your cash balance and your fund balance. So, the only thing that that could be is the cash >> cuz you can't generate fund balance out of nowhere. You can't generate cash out of those are the only two things that work that way. And and these are typically reconciled buckly. Am I saying that correctly? Normally >> the the bank statements are always bumply. >> Okay. And that was that didn't occur. Correct. >> It was occurring. >> But it occurred incorrectly. >> With errors. >> So they reconciled but they were reconciled with errors. >> Yeah. There was items on there that would not >> that not a reconciliation if there's errors in there or >> so it still would reconcile when you look at you'll
094get your board secretary report and your treasures report your cash amounts would equal. The thing that brought it to our attention is that when you have these outstanding items for an extended period of time, that's something we pay a lot of attention to and that really is what drew the attention towards those items. And the the items that we had identified were largely the items that wound up being the the changes almost entirely. um you know the the audit worked in it in its own regard. It it did what it's supposed to do. You weren't wildly overstated on your fund balance and on your cash and then going into next year trying to work on a budget thinking I have X and you have X minus >> a whole lot. >> Yeah. >> Which is
095a terrible situation to be in. >> Yeah. Did did you did you say or I hear you say that you found that the BA has now implemented a a process that to avoid this in the future. There's detail now within the reconciliation on the sweep account itself. So it works its way out through that and it's what was a more simplistic approach to the reconciliation is now a much more expansive approach. So it includes a lot more information with a lot more activity and and it it shows everything in a greater level of detail. >> Wouldn't that be then part of your management response to say that? >> I I don't have a management response because I didn't have a finding. But do you mean in the management suggestion? >> Yes. It's I think that
096if if I were to if if I were to put into the management suggestion that more detail went into the reconciliations, I don't know that it would make sense. It's really that more care be taken, which now there obviously is when you have that expanded version now of your reconciliation. >> Okay. So if if there's a finding in the report outside of corrective and the corrective action was already taken. I guess my question is what would happen if there was a finding with no corrective action that has taken place yet. So you would have obviously the finding and recommendation report right as we discussed. Then what would have to happen is you would have to put together a corrective action plan. >> Yep. which you would then have to adopt and it's got a timeline
097on it as to when and that's another part of why having a recommendation doesn't make any sense if we say well when is this going to be enacted a month and a half ago you know or however long it's been now um but you would have that and then it would basically be that you would be holding um whomever was on that because it does identify the individual that would be responsible for carrying out the corrective action that individual would be um responsible for >> responsible for carrying out the plan. >> The correct value. Correct. >> Okay. Is there any other is there any like for lack of a better word u repercussions or any things to the district if there was a finding on the report that was not not resolved before the report
098was completed? >> I mean it's a matter of having the recommendation in the report. You don't want the recommendation in there. >> And why would that be? It just doesn't, you know, no one wants to have a recommendation because that means that something was found that wasn't done correctly, that wasn't corrected and wasn't able to be addressed. But I I think my question is is like we're separating them because something was done incorrectly, but that needed correct, >> right? So that's may I say something? >> You can again um maybe I can talk about it from the standpoint of a school business administrator. >> Sure. >> All right. But uh you have to file when you have a recommendation, you file a corrective action plan, but if it's a recurring recommendation, it actually has to
099be cited and then there's additional oversight by the state of New Jersey when there's a recurring um recommendation made. All right. So, it's heightened um scrutiny on the part of the Department of Education for any recurring recommendations. And I can say now, and Andrew, you can affirm this or not, but the July and August, you you looked at the July and August uh reconciliations, and there's no issue now. All right. So, anything that might have occurred during last year, the July and August reports appear by your review because I know I spoke with your your field auditor. Uh it looks as though that's all been corrected. So it looks like the steps have already been implemented. >> Ernie, when you say reoccurring, does that mean month to month or is this viewed as one to
100year to year? >> year to year. >> So yeah. So this would not be reoccurring. >> Not now. All indications say it's been corrected. Right. >> Okay. All right. Because that that's what they did in their fieldwork. They said, "We got to see if this been fixed." All right. And we did have conversations about this. and and there the result was is that for all intents and purposes the deficiencies that were identified last year have been corrected with the reports in July and August. >> Okay. So would it be safe to say that? So that's why there was kind of like a a mad scramble to get this corrected before the report was completed to avoid additional oversight by the >> Absolutely. >> But it but it just to clarify so that no one is
101assuming anything. It is common practice when an audit is going on that if there is a if there is something uncovered that corrective actions are taken immediately by a BA or or an assistant BA whoever's in there to correct those and to make sure that it's done right. We never want a finding that's not been act. We don't want you to uncover something as a district and us do nothing about it. Even if it is found during, you know, however it's located. We always want to we did the right thing. there was we didn't stop and stop working the district. We actually came in and brought the experts in to solve the reconciliation issue. Um, so I I just I want to make sure that that's exemplified because um there's a lot of talk about
102whether recommendations should have been made, but I also think it should be commended that Katie did that the hard work was done by the financial office when an issue was found and the work was done to resolve it correctly and put process in place so it doesn't repeat itself. And >> if I can make one other comment about the sweep account. All right. Um there's a lot of work involved with establishing and maintaining and accounting for the sweep account. That's why I've worked in 70 school districts. I've maybe seen sweep accounts in five. All right? Because of the additional work that's involved with this. But that that those five districts are generating a significant amount of more of interest to earnings for the school district. >> Right. >> But it's a lot of work. >>
103It is. All right. >> But but it we benefit from it. So >> Absolutely. So, I just wanted to make that one. >> How long did you and your team spend on this trying to clean it up or is it rectified? >> Quite a bit. >> Ballpark. >> Uh, you know, I don't want to guess. I had three people working on it. >> And including myself. All right. So, I you know, I I can get back to you on that. Would in your judgment would you say the reason your firm was engaged was because of the timing? Yes. It it wasn't that again in your in your judgment that Katie and her team didn't know what to do because they didn't have the hours and day. Again, we're talking about personnel. I'm not what what
104I'm the only thing I'm stepping in on here is not positive or negative or anything, but you know there's it it's all about the processes and it's not fair to be talking about the people >> the VA the VA office >> thank you >> didn't have the time to do it not that they lack the knowledge >> in your opinion >> uh oh it's not even my opinion it's fact we put in a lot of time I had myself 42 years experience I had CPAs working on it. I had two other retired BAS working on it. We put in a significant amount of time to get this done in time for the audit to be completed on time. Your audit is on time. This is due what in like 8 days or something? >> December
1052nd. >> Next Friday. It's due next Friday. You're in on time. All right. And that was the pressure that was on. Uh there's no way any one person could have done what we've done in the timelines that we did. It would have been impossible. and keeping the business this the operation moving forward. So that's why we had to do that. >> Absolutely. >> We went through a whole year and we're still and they're still doing the work that needs to be done. If they had to take away from that, it would have been detrimental to the current >> Yes. >> business at hand. >> Yeah. Absolutely. And it was this this is too important. >> This is too important. You can't put this off. You can't delay it. Yeah, you know, this stuff has to
106be done in the t the very strict timelines the state of New Jersey imposes on school districts. All right, this is very very difficult. That's that's why I'm a business to be honest with you because the demands of business administrators is enormous right now. It's incredible. I I consider myself more an EMT than than a retired business administrator. You know, I've talked a lot of people off roots, you know, because it's not it's not good right now, I can tell you. >> All right. So, >> thank you. >> Thank Thank you. and it was a pleasure working here. Just wanted to let you know that uh I wish you nothing but all the success in the future. Thank you. >> I just had one more question for you. Uh on the draft finding the the
107sentence says it is recommended that the district ensure bank reconciliations be reviewed more carefully for accuracy. On the final it says it is suggested that the district ensure bank reconciliations be viewed more carefully for accuracy. Is there any difference between recommended and suggested? I can't say recommended in the suggest in the management suggestion because that's it's just it's a it's just the accounting auditing wording. Anything that goes into the management suggestion, that's something that the district should do. When you look at the previous two, the capital projects and the federal uh federal grant receivables, you see the same thing. Anything that goes into management suggestion just starts off with it is suggested. Anything that goes into the rises to the level of recommendation, it's just common verbiage. It is recommended. >> Okay, >> that's the
108only difference. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Anyone else have any questions on this? Okay. Um and then the last page and uh it's the recommendation. We've talked a little bit about this. I I honestly was sitting here as Ernie was just talking saying, "Oh gosh, I have to do the recommendation page actually." Um, but obviously we've gone through why there are no recommendations. Um, and you didn't have any recommendations last year either, so there was nothing for me to report back on. Um, so if anyone has any other questions, I'm more than happy to answer them. >> Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you so much. Okay, thank you very much for that presentation. Um, at this time we would like a motion and second to approve the receipt and acceptance of the annual comprehensive
109final financial report and the auditor's management report for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025 as prepared by the district's appointed certified public accounting firm, New Deoteia LLP of Mount Arlington, New Jersey. So move second. >> That was Brian Chapman and Tara Hints. Roll call. >> Roll call vote. Yes. >> Mr. Chap. Yes. >> Miss Gallop. >> No. >> Miss H. >> Yes. >> Miss Coach. >> Um, I'm going to stay. Mr. >> I'm seeing >> Mr. McGiser. >> Yes, >> M. Rates. >> Abstain. Stein. >> Yes. >> Mod. >> Yes. >> Miss >> abstain. Motion passes. Um, at this time we'll move on to the chief school administrator's report. Dr. Bers. All right, let's talk some good news. Um, so first of all, I'd like to um bunch of congratulations. I might step on
110Max and Sam's toes a little bit because I can't remember everything that they recorded. Sometimes we have a little overlap. Uh, I would like to congratulate North Hunter seniors Giana Marina and Maxorn um who performed in the Atlantic in Atlantic City as part of the New Jersey Allstate Honors Choir. Uh, they were both selected through a highly competitive statewide process. Um, and they represented North Car with excellence and we're very proud of their accomplishments. So, congratulations to Max here. ALSO, UH, North Hunter, uh, High School also welcomed 102 middle school musicians in the Future Lions music event on November 17th and 18th, um, including 27 choir members, 55 concert band members, and 20 string orchestra members. Special thank you to our music faculty, um, Mr. Charlie Hopa, Mrs. Heid Peterson, Mr. Casey Carol and Miss
111Hannah FCO FCA uh for their support in making this event a success. And I also want to send a huge thank you out to all the sending districts that participated because there's a significant amount of work that goes into getting the students here and it shows their commitment uh the superintendents and the board of eds that were able to send somebody here. Shows their commitment to music education and we appreciate that because our music program is very important to us. We talked about friendship day. Um I do want to just thank you know Phoebe, Tess and Emma again. I think they left. >> Yeah. >> But um uh it was a great success. It's a great day. Um the students when you go over there, the the excitement in the building is um palpable. Um
112and you know, Miss Dina Marin um she pours her heart into this every year and does a great job with it and um you know, so thank her for her dedication to it as well. Uh I want to like would like to thank the North Hunter Education Foundation. Uh they funded a new AI enhanced CNC machine for the technology education department. Uh this addition provides students with hands-on experiences in advanced manufacturing, CAD CAM software and AI automation which greatly enriches the learning opportunities for our students. So thank you to them. Uh, the Boris High School marching band performed at the Hun Developmental Center Halloween Parade on October 31st, playing selections from their 2025 field show, The Upside Down, as well as additional select compositions. And I think that was very well received from all indications
113I heard. Uh we also had a couple NHS students uh Savannah Wrigley, Michael Kotran, and Maya Hig were honored at the TCJ Honors Choir Festival. Uh where Michael Kotran actually had a distinction of performing a solo during the concert. Uh so congratulations to all these students. Sounds like it was a great event. I'm sure that could tell us all. Uh for the Borhees, uh we had some additional VO students. I think you did mention this Sam, but I do want to mention um you know just my congratulations again to um Ava, Jake, Jessica um they performed in Blue Wind Ensemble um at Rowan and then there was um Clara Dylan and Gabe uh performed in gone wild gone gone wind gold wind ensemble. Sorry there. >> Uh also VHS students um that were nominated by
114Mr. G&L and Mr. Reynolds were selected to participate in the Rowan University Windfest Honors Band. Uh they will have the opportunity to rehearse with Rowan faculty and the composer John Mackey. And I believe that's happening next week as well. Uh Warriors High School Unified program, the Special Olympics. We talked about that. U Mr. Peterson um was a star there as far as costume, but it was really our students that made the impact. We had 50 members of our unified program running the 5K and or taking the polar plunge. Um team did raise 13,321 which earned them first place statewide in fundraising and the highest team participation award for the third consecutive year. Um top individual student fundraisers fundraisers were Annie Tramata, Sebastian Duckworth. Um and the top 5K finishers included Zeke Hanley, Dylan Vernick, and
115Sophia Painter. and Sophia was third among all the females that participated. So, congratulations to all of them. And then we talked about the um summit for the North Island um leadership summit. It's a great um program that has been enacted and it brings both students from both of our schools together. Um some of the activities they did there I know that came up was um a minute to win it taste test, a communication through conflict workshop, um a simulated survival in a wilderness activity and a scavenger hunt. And I was actually over in a building and saw a boring student I recognized and I said hi. And then I said in context I was like why you know and then realized they were there for a scavenger hunt. Um but as as students came in
116gold gym they were um assigned a table um to create random teams so that's so that everybody doesn't sort of sit all form their own teams and so um students get to meet a lot of other students um from each school and the opening and closing remarks were provided by our facilators Mr. John Simpson at Vorty's and Mr. Chris Mlanka at North um and then the NHV leadership summit will be held again in April at Bordes High School. So we do it twice a year, one each high school. I did want to give some strategic planning um updates. So the strategic planning advisory committee met on this past Tuesday, November 18th. Um Rich Bron briefed the entire committee on the future reading steering future ready steering committee. Uh we talked about uh for the current
117school year the focus is going to be to number one uh do the foundational work to create the future ready framework and number two um um discuss what kind of professional development and technology tool integration we're going to uh provide for the eventual pilot that will be this spring and then he talked about what he envisions to be the pilot this spring coming up um the pilot will be focused on integrating AI tools um into at least one unit of study per course u participation will be voluntary this year for teachers but open to anyone. Um teachers will determine how you tools are used in their classroom and then we'll take feedback from that pilot program to inform goals for the following school years. Um for the AI part, I did want to say that
118um they're trying to define AI powered instruction through the lens of maintaining instructional approaches such as print resources and tactile experiences. So we don't want this to turn into just using AI for everything or technology. We want to make sure we're maintaining those tactile um experiences and then how how can we enhance that and use AI and we talked about Gemini 3 just came out that was exciting news. So you know those are always improving. We also talked about um a wellness grant that we get. Um so I wanted this committee I felt like one of our um district goals is to um increase climate and um culture within our district. And each year the school health insurance fund, which we refer to as the shift, um provides us with a wellness grant. And this
119year it was $12,000. So we talked to the committee about what they would like to see us use this money for. Um a lot of times we're providing things at professional development activ um professional development days when teachers have the time to attend these. Some things that we've done in the past and what we're going to try to continue is um doing some biometric screenings for teachers, um nutritional counseling, and actually massage therapists. The massage therapists are very popular. Um, and then we talked about having a a hybrid of opportunities and the possibility of incentivizing staff to have them take advantage of these things. We thought that would be important as well. Um, and then we did talk about scheduling to make sure that we schedule these things when there's not mandatory PD going on
120for some staff that then they don't get to participate in some of these items. So, we're going to make sure we look at the schedule and make sure it's fair for everybody so everyone has an opportunity to participate. And then we had some just general discussions about, you know, workload and class sizes and communication and transparency and some of the things we're going to continue to try to do to improve those things. Um staff um felt like things have been improving, but we see um further room for growth. So that is my update on strategic planning and district activities. Uh my report on harassment, contamination, and bullying for this month is that we have one reported um HIV at Northland and it was found to be inconclusive. So we need the motion and second to
121determine the Hibs that were reported at the last month's meeting, which there was one that was inconclusive and one that was unfounded. But do you want >> Yes, >> that's fine. >> Rich, I just had two clarifying questions. Sure. Um and I think I forgot the second one already. Uh but maybe we'll come back. When you were talking about the the the future uh framework, um it sounds like the AI thinking is sort of phase one. I think I recalled in either the broad definition um potential future discussions about more authentic assessments and student agency. Are you envisioning something that sort of layers in different dimensions each year of the plan as as teachers are evolving sort of their thinking about instruction and assessment? >> Yeah, I think you know that that's a very broad
122goal that we have there for this year. Um and this is just one part of it that um starting the actually um >> the the surveys are going to be sending out to parents, students and faculty that is going to actually um frame what's going to happen with those. And then I remember the other question when you get feedback on things like um assignments, class size and things of that sort are those dimensions that are ever typically caught in the climate and culture survey or just sort of unique to this kind of outreach at this time? >> I mean not not to that specificity. I mean people might say that they you know how um >> you know what is your workload like and it's that if it's a scale of one to five and
123they say three, they might not say it's because of classics. But I think you know having that um you know that quantitative data and the qualitative data going together is where we get you know some true data that we can make some change. >> Got it. Okay. Thanks. >> Can we have a motion and second to affirm the determinations on the hip in incidents reported at the October 28, 2025 board meeting. >> Second. >> Oh Tara, Tara >> and and Beth. All in favor? I any nazs abstensions >> and then the monthly school reports are there um if there's any questions. >> Okay. Um moving on to school board president's report. Um the official school board election results from November 4th. Um we have uh Mr. Richard Morgan, Bethlehem Township, Hampton Burough, three-year term. Uh
124Nicole IRS um I believe I am I saying that correctly? Heirs, excuse me. >> Town of Clinton, Franklin Township, Glen Garner Burough, three-year term. Uh Steven Matthews, Clinton Township, Lebanon Burrow, three-year term. Andrew Hanley, Highbridge, Lebanon Township, three-year term. Congratulations and welcome to the board. Um we'll see you, the board will see you at Reorg. Thank you. Uh, moving on. Uh, regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th, 7 p.m. here in the district office and reorg will follow Tuesday, January 6th, 6:00 p.m. here in the district. Just note the time at 6:00 p.m. for the uh reorg meeting. Um and as I I like to conclude I in beginning reading the our vi our mission and vision statement I would like to um add and I reported this but I I think it's very important
125as a as a school district dedicated to fostering thoughtful engagement and mutual respect. We recognize the importance of helping students navigate complex events with care and understanding. Recent developments have had a profound impact on many in our communities, our state, and our nation. This is a time that calls for steady, compassionate leadership. It is essential that we model respectful communication, especially when perspectives differ. We must also be mindful of the emotional impact on students who may feel unheard or overlooked. Quiet responses do not mean these moments pass without significance. Remaining true to our shared values means standing against intimidation in any form. Encouraging constructive dialogue, promoting an environment free from bias. These principles are not just part of our educational mission. They are vital to creating a safe and welcoming space for all. Um at
126this time we have standing um uh attorney report. I don't know if we have anything. We we do not other than a um a repeat of a thank you >> Maxwell Sam. Thank you very much. >> Thanksgiving. >> Happy Thanksgiving. >> In the spirit of of this time, just another thanks to the board for providing me with the privilege of being able to work with you. Um I also just want to say I've been going to board meetings for 35 years. I don't think I have ever learned as much as I did tonight from the board audit as as I did tonight based upon the questions that were asked, the patience of the presenters. Um, I've never had so much sense of understanding. Um and I just tip my hat to the board for all
127of your questions and again to our auditor to the assistant etc. It was it was a unique experience for me in terms of uh just a new level of understanding of of aspects of the audit. So happy Thanksgiving everybody. >> Thank you. You too. At this time, we will have public comment. During this portion of the meeting, the public is invited to address the board of education with comments. You are requested to sign the register provided and to state your name, municipality of residence, group affiliation if applicable, and direct your comments to the school board president. While all comments will be considered by the board of education and a response may be forthcoming if and when appropriate, individual school be board members may not respond to the speakers at the time of their appearance. The
128public comment period will be a maximum of 30 minutes in length unless there are unusual circumstances. You will be allocated 3 minutes to speak and no one will be permitted to speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard. Please keep your comments respectful and non-defamy and maintain a level of decorum appropriate for a public meeting where students may be present and in the audience. >> Y public comments please. Hello Jennifer Cusack of Hybrbridge. Hi. Um, last month the proposal was brought up in a manner that frankly seemed like just a whim. It was not on the agenda and there was no opportunity for the public to comment on it, but you voted on it anyway. You simply decided without consulting a single
129member of the public, student or expert, to do away with parking fees for students. You acted as though parking was basically a free thing. The really shocking thing about acting like parking was free was that you did it after you had had just had a long discussion about the possibility that the cost of plowing for the new tech school might be more than expected. Let's be clear, parking is not free. Parking lots must be maintained. They must be resurfaced occasionally. They must have the snow plowed. Every foot of parking lot between the building and the water mane is a foot more of pipe. A foot more of asphalt that will have to be replaced if the pipe or anything else down there needs to be repaired. Yes, I understand the building needs parking anyway, but
130it would not need it to be as large or maintained to the same level if it was not being used almost daily by certain students. The parking fee offsets some of the costs of parking lot maintenance. We all know that cost will now have to be made up by taking it from somewhere else in the budget. Spreading out the cost by taking things away from the student body. When you voted on this subject last month, what would be cut to make up that shortfall was barely considered at all. Now, of course, not every student takes advantage of everything in the school that has a cost associated with it. But parking is something that can only be used by students from families who can afford to provide them with a reliable car. It only benefits families
131who won't struggle to buy gas to fill up the tank of that car. families who can afford to ensure a car that is for the exclusive use of a teenager. Free parking disproportionately benefits families who can afford to pay for driving lessons so their teenager can get learners permits earlier and start driving sooner. Doing away with parking fees for students is simply asking the taxpayers and other students to subsidize the wealthiest students at the school. Thank you. Any other public comments? Public comments. Any further? Okay. At this time, we'll close public comments. Before we move on to 13 um uh uh curriculum prop, excuse me, proposals, I do want to add something to my school board report. Um we um the board has is in receipt of a board resignation. Um I am in receipt
132of a a resignation from uh Mrs. Angela Deini serving the uh Califon Burough and Tukesbury Township. Um I'd like to call for a motion and a second to accept the resignation of board member Angela Deini this evening. >> So moved. Second. Any comments? >> All in favor that >> you said effective immediately. >> Yes. >> When were you when was the um when were you notified of the resignation? >> I was just sent that response to I spoke to her over Sunday. Yesterday and I forwarded to Dr. Bers and >> and you received it today. >> Mhm. So we are at this time. So, you received a letter today about the letter that she >> res I received the letter over the weekend >> and you only just forwarded it to the >> board superintendent
133today. >> I did. I was not home, not here and I did speak with the with the board member. >> But you didn't speak to the superintendent and advise them that a board member resigned on Sunday until today. >> Jessica, >> I just want clarification. >> I spoke with the board member. speak with the superintendent. >> I forwarded the resignation today after speaking with the board member and I I accommodated her wishes and that is all I can say. Any board member that chooses to resign does not need to explain why >> I didn't >> and can resignation >> and we are just accepting the resignation. We don't vote on it. >> We are accepting it but I just for transparency sake being very transparent. >> If you received a resignation letter on Sunday and
134the board superintendent didn't receive it until today, an hour before the meeting today, what happened between Sunday when you got the email and this afternoon at 6:00 that you couldn't send or let the board know before right now that a board member had resigned. Okay, Jessica, again, I will refrain and state I received the letter. I accommodated the board member's request and I forwarded to Dr. >> So, the letter just for just real quick, just for clarification, the letter you received did instructed you to hold the letter until today's date at 6:00 to forward it and then to announce to the board tonight that it would be >> I I can answer your questions. >> Perfect. afterwards. But that I am accommodating the board members request. >> But you're not answering. >> I that's all
135I can that's what I can say to that. >> So are we as a board accepting Mrs. Dean's resignation? >> President, I I have a question. I don't know if you could answer or not. In the in the um letter that you received, did did it have did it state an effective date? >> Not initially. I had to go back to the candidate to state, please explain your intention. >> Okay. >> And I say no more. >> We could have this maybe appropriate after the motion is discussed, but is there any what do we do now? >> So, we'll do the same process. Okay. The the the board we have to accept the resignation. >> Then it will be posted. Um, and I believe it was >> so so it' be to fulfill her threeyear
136term which is about 2 years because it a little while so >> yes in an unexpired term but but it's I think it's is it 30 days we have so many days to to fulfill that. Phil could you could you >> I'll let you know just >> but that would be >> the one thing that will happen is there will be a special um there will be a special not a special election but it will be on the ballot in November. um again for the remainder of the term. >> So the person will fill the term from now until November >> and I believe there's they're on the ballot to to for the rest of that term. >> It's an expiring term. >> It's kind of like enough in advance of that >> and it's
137all about timing, right? There was there was certain timing I think when um we had the last agency that it it it fell >> it couldn't be on a ballot. You know the ballot deadines usually July 25th or so I believe that's >> okay. Yes. And so moving forward to your point, Brian, in January, this will be post the the board office will post um and you'll have candidates and you'll do with the same process, have an interview process for the board seat. >> The only thing I' I'd add to that is I've been here for 10 months. This is now the fifth board member that has either decided not to run for reelection or resign midterm. Do with that as you may. >> Okay. Um, thank you. Moving forward. >> We should vote though.
138>> Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes, we should vote. My apologies. >> Can we do a roll call vote? >> Yes. Mr. Chap. >> Yes. >> Miss Gallow. >> Yes. >> Miss Hints. >> Yes. >> Miss Coach. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lord. >> Yes. >> Mr. McGis. >> Yes. >> Miss Ray. >> Yes. >> Miss Stein. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> And Miss Lee. >> Yes. Thank you. Motion pass. >> Thank you. Um can we have a motion and second to adopt curriculum proposals agenda items 13.1 through 13.2 uh curriculum proposal for introduction to artificial intelligence advanced and curriculum proposal for Spanish heritage speakers advanced. Any need a motion a second? >> So move. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Wait a minute. >> No, the motion's on the table. I just normally we
139the curriculum person reports out. >> It's next. >> No, this is this is >> right. It's next on the >> It's next on the agenda. This this is just the curriculum proposals and then there'll be discussion. >> I'm sorry, Brian. >> I second it. >> So, if you look down to 14, you'll see the Okay. >> I'm sorry. Uh who is the motion? >> And second. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Um any comments? Okay. No. Go >> ahead. Yeah. >> Okay. Um so these are new new I'm going to address these vertex. >> Okay. Um these are new classes. These are new proposed >> proposals for new classes that would only happen if there's sufficient interest. Correct. Right. >> But they'd be on the in the list of potential classes. How do you decide?
140>> Is it just based on student interests that then you decide how to staff those objects or does this mean is it working into something that you have to propose for changes in the staff? So these are usually proposals come from the staff. They see the need with the student body for these. Um they propose them to building the principles and there's the director of curriculum. um they review them, talk about the, you know, why it's important for our student body, um what benefit it would have, um whether or not we have faculty that could teach these courses, um there's a lot of factors going into it. And then they bring it to you for your approval, uh to approve it as a course to go in the course catalog, which is what this is.
141That will then go in a course catalog that will go out in the next couple weeks. Um that the students will be able to choose these courses. If enough students choose these c any of these courses um then we will say we have enough student interest to run them then we will um actually um have teachers develop the curriculum for them over the summer to be able to have it in the 26 27th school year >> and sorry do we pay our uh teachers to de develop new curriculum over the summer? >> We do. Yes. >> So but you would only do that once we know there's sufficient interest in the course. this is to really get them on the books as a potential course and if there's enough student interest then we have the
142teachers develop the curriculum the you know Spanish heritage I believe we we already know that there's enough students for that >> um you know the AI one will be depending on that's a two and a half credit um semester course so it will really come down to how many students have interested >> how do you decide that which level to propose this these courses the advanced level >> yeah I And advanced level is our standard level. Um so it's you know um it's our it's our average level. Um something like a um artificial intelligence. I mean if we had an advanced class that then we had enough students that we say they were advanced enough to go to an honors level then they the um teachers might say hey in this course I think we
143have you know 40 kids that are taking this course over two sections. Um there's at least 20 that would be able to do an honors level. So I would propose an honors level course for it. usually grows with that. We start here and we add up. Thanks. >> Can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Yes. Mr. Chap. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Miss Cal? >> Yes. >> Miss H? >> Yes. >> Miss Coach? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lord? >> Yes. >> Mr. McGrath? >> Yes. Miss Ry, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. >> Miss Yoda, >> yes. >> And Miss, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Um, moving forward, curriculum, instruction, technology committee report. >> Okay. Um, so we met on November 19th. Um, I believe uh the only everyone was present except
144uh Dr. Um we reviewed the monthly data. Um we uh did note sort of some early improvement in attendance at Vorhees with the new policy compared to last year. Um but yeah, we are administration continues to look at phenomenons like senior skip days and things like that. I believe there was something around Halloween that impacted attendance. Um but as we continue to get monthly data sort of seeing over time what the impact of any of those um policy or practice changes were uh the second item was actually the discussion of the new courses. So there was the uh AI course. Uh it is a teched elective credit uh sort of emphasizing hands-on learning about the effective and ethical AI use with a projectbased focus and the potential for even students to help staff learn about
145and experiment in the classroom. Uh AI use in the classroom. uh which might dubtail very nicely with the other goal about uh teachers trying to implement units or projects that are impacted or affected by AI. Uh we might have some lead learners doing that kind of work. This is demonstrabably different than a computer science course that would be about coding in its use of AI but rather you know the lay learner who can um utilize and learn to do things with AI. uh and to begin with really larging largely using the embedded tools that we have uh Google Gemini, LM notebook and things of that sort. The uh heritage uh class for Spanish speakers is a class designed for native speakers who might still be developing their academic skills to as a bridge to some
146of the more advanced honors classes that require um some of the analysis skills um that would be typical in uh like an English class or or things of of that sort um while they're still acquiring the language. So in other words, they have they have language ability. they may not have the close reading and writing um uh skills where we're looking for the advanced Spanish speakers to be. Uh and as a result, it can also help our Spanish speaking students earn the seal of biiteracy. And as Dr. Bjac said, it's something where they'll continue to monitor the enrollment uh and student support needs particularly in something like the uh heritage class. Um, we reviewed the out of district placements, those payments and reimbursements and ultimately the committee recommended approval of those items and certainly encourages
147the sharing of best practice as those programs go forward. There was some talk about other schools um that run similar programs or might be exploring similar programs as well. The second item was a review of the technology education program uh which is a very hands-on program that serves um students with vocational or engineering interest uh interests. Um it is mo those courses are generally fall under a practical arts credit. Uh so there's everything from uh computer graphics, webpage design, robotics, architecture, drafting and design, engineering and CAD usage, uh mechanical and electrical engineering. uh all of which uh have potential capstone very unique capstone uh project potential out of those. Um the program often feeds into uh various competitions and events. Uh we're fortunate to have the staff that we have because it's become increasingly difficult
148to find educators certified in teched programs since many of those folks opt for um work in the in the professional field as opposed to the educational field. So that was a good overview of some of the things that we have there. And then the last discussion was a little bit about the committee of a whole. Um little bit of discussion, brief discussion and sharing of the resources um with the intention of I believe next month where we would be practicing some of that. And that is it in a nutshell. Any questions? >> Any comments? Brian, did you have anything else from the proposals? >> No, I Even sounds even better, I hope. >> Do you want to vote again? >> Well, we do have to vote again. >> Yes. Well, that's true. >> Can we
149have a a motion, a second to approve agenda items 14.1 through 14.2, home instruction and out of district placements, allocation of ID uh AB tuition fundings. >> So moved. Second >> of Kotran and Tara hints. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? I >> I any nazs any abstensions? >> You're welcome. Uh moving on to policy and school security committee report. >> Sure. So the policy and school uh security committee met on November 17th, all of our in attendance. Um we had a couple of items. Uh agenda item one was the attendance policy data. We reviewed the data for October. And while Nord's absence numbers were actually higher this year than last year, it was related to senior skip day which was not um made aware to the administration that happened on October 31st. In
150order to better track this data from month to month, it was decided to add a year-to-ate data point and to also add the amount of possible days in any given month so that the data presenting can be taken in context with how many days actually they attended and um what the absences were because every month the dates can the days they attend can change. Um conclusions was just to continue to review the attendance data. Um, one of the other items with was the policy that we discussed. Okay, wait, wait a minute. Okay. Yeah, sorry about that. Agenda item two, we discussed in modified language in policies to be accurate and the policy that we are I think it's time for first reading, correct? >> Yeah. Is uh policy 1111. um couldn't find the red line
151data thing but um it did print out it was just changing some of the language for the annual reports right >> there it said that the board would print an annual report for distribution >> if you had to use that >> yes that's on for first reading and then agenda item three uh was a little bit more discussion on committee as a whole uh we discussed and needs to revise the policy based on the move to committee as a whole. We reviewed policies from other districts that we confirmed to operate as a committee of a whole and could not find any language in their policies and structured the meeting in any way. Many of the policies still had language to allow individual policies but at but add the line like our current policy that would
152allow the board to operate as a committee as a whole as well. So the policy addresses both that we can go either way. Um, as a result, it was decided to keep our current policy language but start to develop a regulation that could further define how the meetings would be structured. Um, we also discussed the need for an additional meeting in December but decided to keep the meeting on December 16th as the pilot of a committee as a whole with a potential for action that night as well possibly. So committee meetings for December will be cancelled and we will discuss agenda items on December 16th and if appropriate take action on that same night. Um so the conclusion is for us is to keep our existing policy and start to develop a regulation to address
153the flow of the meeting and it and it es and flows like you know everybody can kind of put in what they want to put in. Something works it doesn't work everybody's allowed to. >> So our December 16th meeting is a committee meeting and a board meeting. >> It's basically a committee meeting to discuss the but if there if there's action that need to be taken we will be able to take it. It's it's a I'm sorry. >> It's okay. >> It's a a practice kind of because we have a meeting at We have a meeting on the agenda, >> a a publicly announced meeting where we were going to take action on that day. >> So, >> it's kind of a hybrid. It'll be a hybrid. >> Yeah. >> Which we don't intend to
154be the model to >> be using that model. Yes. But bring your furnace of coffee. >> Now December, >> but these are this is a good thing. I mean, I know it's not going to be a big agenda possibly, but I'm saying this way we can take notes of what worked, what didn't work, what would, you know, suggestions. >> Again, it's in three weeks from now, so there's the amount of action that we're going to have is going to be limited. >> Um, and um I think if anything, that would be a great opportunity for us to say goodbye board members. I I may have miserated Nicole, but did you say you're only taking action on the first readings? Uh, we're only doing one first reading policy 1120. >> No, I think it was the
1551111. That was the annual reports that Dr. B actually >> There's three policies under first reading of policy, not one. >> So, it's 111, which was taking off the language of the printed publication. It's um from 112n >> 1120 um and 1120 had a in the fourth paragraph it said comments and questions at the end of the regular or special meetings and they deal with any topic and we replace that line with during because we don't always do it at the end >> and 9325 >> yeah 9125 I didn't have that up here >> 9325 I'm sorry and that was the um quorum of the board which had 6.16 We asked our attorney about that and they said you can't have a point something of a body. So, our quorum is set for our board
156>> and I think I think we've established with the um boards that all members so we're this is a comment relation to the black seeing the red line which I was hoping to see >> but I think everyone all the board has access to the draft folder the public does not but the board has access to the draft folder and bread boards >> I think it it was getting used to doing that people right and you were looking for that red line and you saw the >> and that's why I thought these were three good policies to start with because they're very minimal changes. Um, and I could explain it easily right now. >> But in the future, yes, you can all log into board docs, see the red line version in the draft folder,
157>> but then the public would see what the language is that you're approving. >> Yeah. When it gets a little hairier, that's going to be helpful. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Do we anticipate there would be an instance of that in December? No. >> Okay. No, because we're not going to have polic Sorry, committee meetings, >> right? >> Discuss it. >> Yeah. >> I just didn't know if there would be a situation. Yeah. Where you would want to be reading that in advance of the the work session. If there is, I'll make sure everyone gets, but I don't anticipate. >> So, in December, we voting on the second reading of the policy and effective assuming. >> So, actually between now and then, actually, that's a great opportunity if you wanted to log into board docs. And
158if you can't get in, let us know and we can give you assistance. Then you'll be able to see that draft folder and sort of see how they structure it there. It takes a little getting used to, but >> as it is in the PDF we receive, that's the language that we should there shouldn't be any changes now from what I'm hearing except >> correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. That will be presented as the exact same. >> So there's no need to put anything back into first reading is what I'm hearing. Right. Because more time to review. If there was any input from the board to say I don't like the word you used so I want to change this then we would have then we could change that >> to put it back into
159first. >> Yeah. I'm just saying I don't I'm just kind of >> trying to get my I don't hear that we need to do that in this case first reading it sounded good the language and so that we should expect to approve it at the next >> board meeting. Right. Right. Okay. >> And these are the only three policies there won't if there's any new policies they would be first readings. >> Right. And to Dr. Bers's point they were we started when we were putting this together and um and FFT and um recommendation was a great recommendation put a spreadsheet together to go over start with um specific um policies and these were these were very simple very so it will be policy 1111 policy 1120 and policy um which would be a second reading
160in December. >> Thank you. Oh yes. >> Um just quick followup. A question was asked about the time period for the uh filling of the vacancy. Uh this is title 18A. These are all the laws governing everything that goes on in public education and private education for that matter in the state of New Jersey. Under 18A col 13-11 which is under regional school districts, vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled from the constituent districts represented by the former incumbents in the same manner as vacancies in the membership of boards of education of type two school uh districts having elected boards of education are filled. So that takes us to the type two districts members of boards of education 8 and that was 18A 13-11 under 18A col 12-15 which is the statute
161governing vacancies on elected boards of education in type two districts unlike this one um which were supposed to by law do the same thing filling vacancies um are ordinarily in this type of situation to be done by the board of education. Um and it is to be done by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board of education after the vacancy occurs. However, the county superintendent shall fill the vacancy if the vacancy is not filled within 65 days following its occurrence. So, if the board is unable to appoint someone to the vacancy um after 65 days, then the county superintendent of schools is by law authorized to do so. Thank you. Thank you. So there's no time frame on how long we have to advertise it before we cut off accepting uh resumes.
162Correct. Or there's no minimum. It could be 2 days or 15 days. I >> I think our standard practice has been 30. >> Okay. So we have a policy or regulation that says 30. Okay. >> Yeah. I I don't know if we have a policy regulation. It's just what we do. >> We can we can verify. I'm just saying and forward that to to the right. I just want to make sure that we're following the the rules. So Um, can I have a motion in a second to approve question? >> Oh, sorry. >> On the enrollment report or tenants report, is this the format that it's going to be in each month? Like, is this what it's going to look like? >> I don't know if there's a question. >> Oh, you mean the tabs?
163Is that what you mean? >> No, the PDF. the PDF >> with the daily attendance and >> there was going to be changes to it >> for the attend for the yearly recommend. Are you talking for the attendance >> for the period? >> Oh, that's a monthly report. >> That's a monthly report. >> This is the format it's going to stay. >> Yes, >> that's a monthly report. But the attendance report is more of a a Google sheet of the comparing the the number of absences compared to the following year and following month. Okay. >> And then with a total, they're going to add a total like year to date. >> Right. Right. Okay. >> I'm sorry. Any other comments? >> Can I have a motion second to approve agenda items 15.1? >> Second. That
164was Brian Chapman and M. >> All in favor? I >> any naysay or abstensions? Okay. >> Moving on to finance, facilities, and transportation committee report. Mr. Chman, >> thank you. >> No, I'm speak uh standing in for Dan. He's off somewhere. I don't know. Uh we had our meeting uh on November 17th, started at 6:30. Uh all members were in attendance and it lasted for an hour and a half. Um we had uh two agenda items that we discussed. The first is um in uh in the in in pursuit pursuant to uh the um district goals of an improved budget communication. Um the BA brought in our uh district health benefits broker which is Brown and Brown representative from Brown and Brown. Jim Finn I thought gave us an excellent overview of the state uh
165that we're in with uh the health insurance marketplace. Uh we are in the shift uh schools health insurance fund. It's one of several that we could be in. And each year the broker helps us find the best deal uh for our needs. And the most important thing uh that that he the most important takeaway from this process was uh he described a pretty bleak outlook for costs of health care in the future. Uh, in fact, he said it's the likely this coming year is likely the worst that he he'll have seen in 25 years that he's been doing this. And so he he he's not in a position yet to uh provide estimates for for the the VA office, but he advises us that it's going to be in the ballpark of a 15 to
16630% increase in health >> industrywide as we're talking about a third. I mean in my personal experience with industry um is companies are anticipating as much as a 35% increase in their budget due to um increasing cost of healthcare. So we need to be really careful next year. Um and and it's going to be the biggest part of our I anticipate it will be the biggest part of your budget next year. >> Yeah. So, so that was uh it was kind of a a dark mood uh discussion, but um he will obviously work to try to find us the best deal we can, you know, best options for us to choose from. And that process will start to flesh out in December and and get quotes in January. And it'll be, you know, part of
167the the budget process that you heard today, you know, has a target of mid March um for preliminary budgets. Before you go on to the next agenda item and is that what you're doing? I I just got a question. Sure. >> Um so uh I the gentleman who presented I watched the video of the meeting, right? >> Um he represents a very significant portion like we would call it he would have dominant power almost over the healthcare negotiations for schools the school districts in the state. Um, it would there be any benefit to us potentially moving to another firm that would have more incentive to find us better deals >> or or is it are we getting better find better deals because he's got so many >> So my district my idea of the broker
168is they're they're really we hire them for a fee. >> Yeah. >> And their job is to get us the best deals out there. Um so um the the broker will present to us with multiple options and typically give us a recommendation based on and a lot of that is going to it has to do with utilization benefits. You know I've learned a lot about insurance over the course of these years that you know insurance companies don't lose money. >> Um you know if you use more than they you paid into it they just raise your rates. Um and that's what's happening I think across the board including >> right I mean and I don't know I don't know we're not allowed to do we thought to discuss the the um the collective barity agreement
169or >> well nothing that would implicate negotiations and the process of negotiations. So, I did notice I read the I was reading some of the the portions of the agreement. Um, we pay 100% of the premiums >> for the student for the >> No. So, a lot of that language in that negotiated bargaining agreement is um outdated and the language has not been removed. But people are in two programs. Chapter 78. >> Yeah, I saw >> um or chapter 44. That's that's what everybody in our district is in one of those two. >> Okay. And that's prescribed by law since I believe 2007. >> So the law will supersede what the contract does. >> Correct. >> Okay. Just want to make sure >> there's and there's been a long progression of uh school district employees
170being required to contribute towards helping. >> Okay. I just want cuz for us to be responsible for the entire nut is we just can't afford that at all going into >> that's what it was before chapter 78 when chapter 78 was enacted we were forced to adopt that y >> and then after I don't know how many years they they started chapter 44 which is what was other plans >> okay >> so it may just be worthwhile as we start to when you look at the I don't be here but the the next agreement we may want to try to clean that up a little bit if possible. That's so >> that's just that's pure housekeeping. >> Yeah, I know. That's what I'm saying. Just some housekeeping on it. Um because I also noticed like
171other than the cover page, the dates are all from the prior four years. So there's just >> get the lawyer and me is saying the housekeeping on the contract needs to be better. Sorry. >> So that people don't think like what I thought which was that we were paying 100%. >> Yeah. Because that the the agreement is on the website, right? It's for everybody to see. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. >> Sure. Uh any other questions about that? >> Um good news. Okay. The second item actually um we was was the the audit uh and in particular the the topic of the much of the discussion around the audit which was the discrepancies. And so I think I think that's been probably better articulated and fleshed out during the conversation for an hour earlier today than
172than I could recommend. But um in we talked about that for quite a while though over an hour and as a result we did not get to the seven items that you actually see on the FMT agenda. So let me talk you a little bit through those a little bit. Um 16.1 is uh we we we all know that Bloomsbury we've got a send receive relationship with them right now and they're and we're going down the path of having them become a a bonafide member of the district. Um and so 16.1 is a resolution that allows us to go the next step in that process which would be to eventually get to approval to do a referendum. The referendum if I understand correctly from Dr. Verjax is both one from Bloomsberry. they they need to
173do a referendum at a at the next election um you know ballot and then all of our sending districts will have it on their their ballot as well and then so we have we as as as our existing district will need a majority to approve that. It's not that each sending district has to be a majority but the majority of the the district as it exists has to accept whom are becoming a member of our district. So this is this is really just a res a resolution 16.1 to allow that the next step in that process. >> Um >> sure if I could pause there. We do have um representatives from Bloomsberry here. So if there were any questions particularly on that resolution or process we could ask them now or we could wait until
174the end of the report. It's up to you. >> I did just have one question. So what just so I understand if if we agree and we move to referendum, would there be information in the referendum about taxes that would be like a percentage that we allocated to Bloomsbury and what the representation would be on our board? Like I just want to understand how that would look. I'm going to defer that to the attorneys in the back for Bloomsberry or our attorney or do we have an answer as to whether or not that would be presented in a question as far as the tax impact or >> because I think it would be very relevant. I mean you to me as an >> Sorry. Do you want to come up and introduce yourself? >> To
175me as a resident I would find it to be quite advantageous if our tax rate goes down, you know, because we're adding Bloomsbury Maria and that kind of thing. >> So good evening. Um, my name is Veto Gagny from law firm reports of Robert Newman. We have been serving as special counsel to the Bloomberry Board of Education. We handled the case that ended their law send receive with uh Philisburg and that led to the send received relationship we have with you. Um, we did a or rather our experts did a feasibility study and when we uh, assuming that you were to pass this tonight, we would be presenting your resolution, the blue fair resolution and that feasibility study to the commissioner of education who um, either someone in Trenton or the county office will do
176an analysis of whether this is something that should be submitted to the voters. Um the relationship that Bloomberry would have to each of you is the same relationship that you have with each other which you know can fluctuate a little bit given the size of Bloomsberry. The expectation is that the net tax impact on your district. I forget the exact figure but something like $67,000 that will fluctuate in every community and could fluctuate every 10 years. So the financial benefit I think to the regional district isn't so much a as to the annual tax levy. It's that if you were to provide for any capital improvements. Bloomsberry as a city receiving district would not be responsible for the capital payments. The interest would factor into the formula. If they were constituent like you, then they
177would participate in the uh cost of and the ownership of the assets. So typically if the question is presented to the voters, there's an explanatory statement which says probably much more concisely than I just did the same thing that I did. But the the short answer to the question is the net impact is minimal. The impact of each of you individually could be a slight increase or slight decrease, but then that can change because the population is relatively quite small. I think you're aware of the fact that the uh graduating eighth grade class in Bloomsberry in recent years has been somewhere in the range of six to eight students. So um it's it's and and the feasibility study has a demographics forecast that maintains that is not going to be changing. >> Wow. >> So
178would they have if everything were to go through would they have representation on the board? they wouldn't have it and it's with the same sort of torture formula. >> So you take it on to somebody. >> That's correct. That's right. >> Well said. >> Yeah. >> That's helpful. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> Thank you very much. >> So then but how does that work in if you have an election? So for instance, I don't know how soon this could happen that we would accept them. If they're not going to get their own member, then somebody already existing on the board is gets responsibility for them and then in the next election Bloomsberry then has is included that you know the ballot opens up to them for Okay. >> Yes. The the just again just as
179is the case for you where the county office looks at the populations and does that calculation the county office would do the same thing. So we would we would be relying on the county office for Bloomsber's variation from time to time just as is the case for you. But typically speaking when you put a question like that on the ballot it would state the effective date and then in advance of the effective date the county office would have to do that math so that you would know how Bloomsberry's election would impact the voting rights of people. >> And Mr. Gagliardi can can you um I guess weigh it. We're a weighted board. >> Yes. So our votes range from 08 to 1.4. So if it were to Bloomsberry were to be a portion to another
180board member. I'm assuming it can't go over a certain weight or is that and that will be determined by the the county. >> The county office will do that. That's right. But again, given the given the population size, it is someone is going to be affected very minimally. Well, I'm assuming I'm assuming it would probably go to the Bethlehem Township Hampton um residence. That would be Mr. Morgan. Um coming in in January. Um it's my backyard. They're my neighbors. That's my that's my church. My I attend there. >> Geographically, what you've said makes sense, but we have not had any communication with the county office. So, I I share your speculation, but it is only speculation. we get an answer to that but again given the relative population I I >> and that would follow
181after I guess after that decision >> correct so so again having done a number of these throughout the state the the timing is such that the county office will uh help us you know ideally the election would be um sometime next year right and then the county office would say well it will take effect on this date and then sometime prior to that date you'd have to give the representatives a chance to be elected. So, all the timing is going to be controlled through the county office, but um the current intention and we were um in communication with your special counsel on Nick Celo of the Bush Law Group over the past few days. So, we would collaborate in our application, the department of education and the county office and um make sure that you
182have answers to that question. Quite frankly, the voters have answers to that question before the question is submitted to the public. So would that be a special election or would that take place if this were if the timeline were to hold the upcoming November of next year? So we have not had that discussion with the county office. It could be either of those things. So uh you know you want to do it at a time when you're going to have a you want to make sure you give yourself a chance to inform the public, right? Right. So, we've not had any discussion about what we would ask the Department of Education in terms of timing. >> All right. Because I was just thinking if if it goes to November of 26, then you're the real
183change is going to probably not come until 2027 at some point. >> So, as as I suspect, you know, there are you could do it in November, but then there are dates for special elections. the >> the fourth Tuesday in January, the second Tuesday in March, the fourth Tuesday in September, the second Tuesday in December. >> So, you know, is is is March too soon? September, why do we have to wait to September? We just haven't had those discussions. >> Makes sense. >> And do all the elections have to happen at the same time or can um one go first for instance, Missouri go first? >> I again, having done a number of these across multiple districts, I've never known one wouldn't occur on the same table. Thank you. Thank you. You >> okay? Moving
184on. 16.2 is accepting two donations, both to at North Hunter High School board games in the media center from the 1966 alumni group or at least one person. um and wrestling wall graphics uh donated by the wrestlers club, right? 16.3 uh monthly training and travel expenditures that you know this is typical. You've seen them before. Uh it's about $1,300 total this year, this uh month. Uh 16.4 is disposal of some old gymnastics equipment in poor condition. And by disposal, I mean I think the BA office will try to sell it, but you know, probably find a home somewhere else. Um 16.5 is the monthly bills list for November. We see this item every month as well. Um and 16.6 Six is certification of the financial reports that catch us up for July, August, and September
185as provided in 16.7. Those financial reports for July, August, and September. Again, we heard reference to those reports uh during the audit discussion, but that catches us back up to where we normally would be at this time, which is those those if you look back at previous years, those end up coming like it's normal for September to be discussed in November. >> I just have a qu Dr. Bj, you could probably answer this. Is this is it just a misprint on the So the donations for the district it just it says 350 for purchase of board games for the media center but a total donation of 850 had been received >> I think that was >> and then there was an approval on January 28th of 25 >> yes so I think they gave you
186the aggregate there of what was the total donation but this is >> okay just just cur okay just wanted to confirm Okay. >> So, I had a question on uh 16.3 um for the travel request approval. These dollar amabouts, does this reflect the cost of the workshop or professional development or just a travel related expense? >> Uh both. >> Okay. Can we separate that out? because it reads as if that's like what the travel cost alone is. Like can it be itemized to kind of get a better more accurate representation of what this actually is? Because if anyone's reading this, it just reads that this is what the cost of travel is. At least that that would be my interpretation of >> the title on the page says travel request approval worksheet. >> Correct. And
187and again, the the accountability regulations that require this um the conference registration fee is considered a travel request. Um and so that's why it's lumped. But yeah, I can look at separating it. See what the registration fee would be versus mileage versus or by >> or even add a column in that just says travel expense or travel expense and conference fee or conference fee or you know just so that there was a column that identified I think what it was. It's helpful >> because the way I first read this, this would this reads as that these amounts are re that's what was being reimbursed back to the staff but that's not actually the case. Correct. >> Well, in some cases it is because some because the staff may have paid for registration fee and then
188be is that normal to have that happen? >> Uh no, not typically. We try to whenever we can have a purchase order for that request so it goes directly to the vendor that's providing the training. But there are some vendors that don't accept purchase orders and that makes it difficult. It's something and they have to pay that staff we have in the room is nodding his head. >> There's no issue with adding like another column like that. >> Travel rigs are very regulated and so I'll look into what we can and can't do. Um but they it's the state tells us what we have to do with this present to you. >> Okay. >> I have a quick adjustment on the agenda items for FFT. I was not in that board meeting. >> I mean
189in that meeting, committee meeting. It's on the >> Oh, what do you >> No, no, no. Take that back. >> Have the policy w open cuz we're >> keeping you on your keeping us on our toes. Any other comments for um finance, facilities, and transportation? Okay. Can I have a motion in a second to approve items 16.1 through 16.7? >> So moved. >> Oh, second. >> Tara and Jessica. Okay. >> And all in favor? I. >> Any naysay? or abstensions. >> I'm going to abstain from 165, 166, and 167. >> Me, too, >> Nicole. >> Yes. >> Same. 165, 166, and 167. >> Yes. >> And I am abstaining from 16.6 and 16.7. >> Okay. So, >> I'm abstaining from 16.5 and 16. six and 16.7. >> Thank you, Mr. >> Thank you. >> Okay.
190Moving on. Uh, community relations and student affairs. Um, Tara, >> um, we met on November 20th virtually at 6. Um, we the committee was present um, except for Jessica Viodto and Kim Selino. Um we discussed um the concept of real-time athletic team evaluations. Historically now we do it pretty much at the end of the season. Um so it came up that um we would look into the possibility of um developing um kind of pulse reports to understand the teamwork um what's going right instead of and we all know we see at the end of the season we get the complaints. So we want to make sure that there's anything going on that we're fully aware. So, we want to um implement it um uh with the athletic handbook um having the coaches, they currently sign
191off on the handbook at the beginning of the year, but um Dr. Burch just proposed having the survey run throughout the entire season uh with the possibility of having athletes sign off on the handbook as well. Um, Brendan had supported the idea of surveying athletes and noting that mid-season team meetings could help. Um, but it might be difficult for students to be open and honest in that open team meeting. So, that's where we wanted to look at u providing surveys. So, there would be an anonymity. So, if there's something going on, they could put put it out there without it feeling like they're being signaled out or calling attention to it. So, we'd like to um uh bring it up and flush this out further and get approval from the board to implement this type
192of um procedure going forward. Um so, it'll be a process of developing the right model, um coming up with the right tools, you know, the different forms, there's um survey monkey, there's other things. So, we don't know exactly how we want to be able to present this, but we're hoping that we can do this for all sports, but we also want to also do a kind of a checkup, a health checkup on um our extracurricular activities as well. So, we want to get the students inputs. We want to know through the season um what they're working on, if they're having good experiences, not so good experiences, so we can address them in a real-time um manner as opposed to waiting till the end of whatever the event is or you know um either the school
193year or the sports season. So um that was you know what we had discussed. Um our conclusion was that we agreed that an ongoing poll survey grounded in the athletic handbook could strengthen communications. It could monitor students experiences in real time and potentially be expanded to um beyond sports and clubs. Um so our action items would be we would need to create and implement a seasonl long athletic poll survey um with five handbook based questions um having the athletes and coaches sign off on it and then holding those mid time midseason as opposed to just the end um of the the season for the sports. Um, so we're hoping that this will be something that can be developed between the athletic directors, Dr. Burgess, and then the coaches. So, um, we're we don't have an
194action item to vote on tonight, but that's what we're, um, proposing that we look into as a a district. Um, and then we'll once it get put in place, we vote on that. We want to do this going forward. And we kind of thought about the same thing with the pulse tying it into our strategic planning and the dashboard that we could keep. This would be maybe one of the KPIs metrics that we can monitor so we know you know our sur the culture is you know in a positive way. >> I learned something new which was that term survey. >> Cal survey. Exactly. Right. Right. So, um, so that was we don't have an an action item to vote on that tonight, but that was brought up. Can >> I ask a question? >>
195I have a question. Do >> you do you think this has is this something you can just do we have to have a policy or something? >> No, I don't think it needs a policy behind it. Um, but yes, it's it's something that when we develop a system, I'll present it to you just so you are aware of it. I don't think it require board action. >> Okay. All right. So, yeah. >> But maybe something we'll make sure we communicate through all that. >> Sure. Here's what we're looking at. >> Yeah. So, I guess that's why I meant we didn't have an action item, but we wanted to. >> And I think the whole purpose of this is to just have constant communication, right? And to make sure we have a way for athletes, parents,
196and coaches to communicate in a positive way so that we can make sure programs are functioning. >> I I I have a question. Um you said that you looking at infrastructure you know um I guess do you have a model in in mind is there I mean Brendan you you me I see that was mentioned that you had mentioned the pulse and five questions that would come based off our hand our student handbook is there something what does central do >> uh now I had just shared the example that we began a series of pulse surveys with the student body this year as a way of getting information along the way versus the end of the year annual climate culture. I think it was through the conversation uh Dr. Verjac talks about how uh all
197the athletes sign the code of conduct the athletic code of conduct. So in all likelihood those values or principles are probably um signaled in there and that if the questions in some way um align with that um it might naturally follow that um the values, the practices and things of that sort um all sync up as opposed to being independently conceived. But again, I think the coaches and athletic directors are the ones who are like, "These are the signals we possibly want to be asking about, getting feedback on because they resonate back to the practices that we want to make sure are being okay." Employed. >> Thank you. >> I have a question about the full survey. Is the full survey anonymous? >> They can be. >> Yeah, it can be either way. >> Can
198the student have a choice if they want to go anonymous or select their name? Is there a possibility to do that? I guess depends on the platform that we decide to use. I don't know what we would use. >> I was preliminary discussion about trying to find something that we can um implement. I want to talk to the ads and coaches to find out um what would be helpful to them and what would give us good data. So >> just >> and helpful to the students. >> It seemed like you'd want to be anonymous. >> Otherwise, >> You'd want to be anonymous. Otherwise, if you have a negative feedback >> Exactly. >> Hey coach, I think you're doing crummy. Yeah. >> Oh, and why did you set me on the bench? >> I also don't
199think you'll get the right amount of feedback if it's not anonymous. Um because there's always that silent fear of retaliation or retribution that might happen from it >> if you do give negative or constructive feedback in a survey. >> And even where there is instances where there is anonymity, the use of like scales usually can sort of indicate, oh, things are trending this way or trending that way as well. uh it can often then be in an open question. >> Yeah, should have been helpful this year since that came to the board table. >> I think it's a positive. I think it's a great idea. >> The other um the other uh agenda item we discussed or um action items that we're going to be voting on tonight was the two student club proposals, the
200Jewish Cultural Club and the Muslim Student Association. Um in our discussion, Dr. Burgjas discussed the change of the name of the Muslim Student Association to the Muslim Student Club. Um he also spoke about both the Jewish Cultural Club and the Muslim Student Club briefly. Uh Dan Fanton asked if the approval requests for the clubs were submitted at the same time and Dr. Burgess confirmed that they had been. Um I had brought up the the I the understanding that I know that Bores has the Hebrew. So I just wanted to but these are this is club at North. Our has the Hebrew um uh club u language club um cultural club up it is already in place. So um we they so there the proposal that we're working on now is the clubs we came in
201with that name on it but it's proposed it's going to be um added as a club as opposed to association. Um so we'll be taking a vote on that tonight. Um uh everything was followed with our policy for student um activities and clubs is all of the information was uh submitted as any other club. So everything was done in accordance with what we do when we consider clubs. Um >> it's all student driven. >> All student driven and um you know they put their outlines as you've read there when they proposed to me what they proposed that they're going the activities they're going to be doing. So, um, as a a a committee, we, you know, we have this on the agenda and we would be, um, welcoming to vote as we would vote any
202of our other, um, student driven club recommendations. Um, and another topic that came up in our discussion was uh, Brendan uh, brought um, about student engagement when we were talking about clubs um, and suggesting ways that our rising ninth graders get interested in activities. um we've been doing with the middle schools, but Dr. Burgess had talked about um the various ways that we can get the students involved before they even get to the high school engaged and interested in joining the club. So, and I know that had come up in discussion a couple years ago um where we had a focus because a lot of kids felt like they didn't have enough information on clubs and joining up and coming into the school season with everything new. So, um, we're we're reiterating our focus for
203community relations and student activities to to help, um, uh, engage our rising ninth graders before they even get into high school to get participate. And as we've heard tonight, um, we have a lot of students that participate in a lot of clubs and um, it's a wonderful opportunity for them. So, um, that was part of our discussion. So Tara, I just wanted to ask, do we still I know in the eighth grades, do we still send our guidance department down to to the schools to speak to um when they're I guess courses and then sports and activities? Can we could they >> they come to us? >> They come students come fresh. >> Okay. >> Is there any way I'm just thinking out loud the students are the ones that know about these activities, these
204clubs? Is there ways to >> We do that at an activity fair. Um which >> they do outreach >> out. Yeah. >> Oh, they do the outreach also. >> The ship the ship students and the uh >> Oh, the ship students and the student leaders or the >> they go to the the descending districts. >> And do they just talk about academics or they really give a feel of sports and everything? Soup to nuts. >> Okay, that's great. And then the other um uh Brendan had brought up is maybe creating we've thought that newsletters um is creating maybe a staff newsletter with staff achievements. Um so that was one of the things that um we discussed that would be e excellent and also good to take these newsletters and we distribute them to our local
205um councils so that they know what's going on in our school district. So, we just thought this would be a great open communication to get all of our town councils where we're um representing to be aware also what's going on in the school district via the newsletter. Tara, can I ask are we still doing and I don't know if this falls under you or not. Um are we still doing the president vice president uh sending district joint meetings? You know, we used to have them quarterly or semianually where we got the school board presidents and vice presidents together with the sending districts. We don't do that anymore. >> We did not do that this year. We did not get to that with this year. And that's something that your your board coming in reorg should
206be >> yeah that because we were able to share if that had been continued throughout the year they're probably not might not be a need for the newsletter >> because um with that when we meet with the board president and vice presidents and it's a collective round table where that's when we really got to sharing ideas. It's a shame it didn't continue this year but it was a good practice and I think it would really encourage that communication again. It might be something to look forward to in the new upcoming year when there's a new presidency. >> Yeah. And the other thing I would like to add is like the newsletter is helpful because it also gets the town councils involved whereas the meeting just with the vice presidents would just only be with the
207schools senate jurisdiction, not the town councils. So that's actually very helpful for the newsletter. I think that's a better idea. >> So I don't know if if this happens in all the other senate districts, but union the local schools are already doing this. So you may be able to give whatever information wants to be filtered out to the local communities to the local schools and they could just include it in their own newsletter that they're already sending it out to the to the parent, >> right? >> Just a suggestion. >> Yeah. No, that's that's a great suggestion. >> So um so that's our um uh agenda and then we do have the action items to vote on. One of them is the overnight field trips which is on 17.1 which is um we we have
208to just approve but this is a normal process. So these are the ones that are coming up. Um and then we have 172 and 173 the two club proposals and then um 17.4 were our student activity contracts um that we need to vote on. Um and that was the upcoming one is the Northund and the the semiformal. So, we just need to approve that so they can move forward with their event in March. >> Okay. >> Does anybody have any other comments? >> Can I need a motion second to approve agenda items 17.1 through 17.4? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Brian Chapman and Beth Cochen. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? I >> any nays or abstensions? >> Uh Tara, do you have anything to report? >> Yeah, I do. It actually I
209don't know if you guys uh logged on, but it was quite interesting. We had delegates this past Saturday um at Mercer County um community college at the convention center. Um we had three resolutions that the delegates were going to vote on. Um it was quite interesting and uh if you go watch the video resolution number one um when it came up to be presented the school district that was proposed putting the proposal out came up and said they want to resend it. So it was interesting because it went to points of order. Um there was uh different motions and it was quite interesting to see even that school boards had a hard time on following a motion. A second if we move forward to discussion and bring things >> which district was that? >> Um
210the first one was I think it was Bridgewater. >> Oh it was Bridgewater. >> Yeah. So that resolution eventually got voted on and was removed. Resolution two was presented and passed and then resolution three the same thing happened. and they came up and said we want to resend it. So all this work had went on it and the same thing people wanted to discuss it because they were prepared to discuss it but that was removed um tabled indefinitely. Um the other two areas of um business was there was a new president um Michael Jacobs and uh we have a new VP of legislation resolutions Bernardet Dendro. There were no other to vote on so it was just unanimous we didn't have to vote on that. Um and so the next delegate association will be um
211meeting will be next May and at that time if we want to put any resolutions in we can to be considered and we also have the option on the floor to hold you learned that >> yeah it was quite how to do it. >> What's the time frame? um >> previous to that there is a >> by March by March they'll they'll be asking for so it'll come out and there'll be a call for them and I'll we'll let the board know but um and um and they were interesting resolutions um but they decided they one discuss uh STEM and introduction of STEM and enforcing STEM curriculum or >> yeah that was the one that was that was phenomenal >> and it was pulled >> it was pulled exactly and people wanted to discuss it
212so that's what made it interesting because there was a lot of people that were passionate about >> it was for students. It was education achievement. >> So once it's pulled, they can't have a discussion about it. >> No. Well, well, that's where the points of order were going because there wasn't a second to speak to it. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, so that was that. So, um and um but if you know if we decide to ever present a resolution, you know, the process would be usually by March they do a call for the resolution and it it goes through the thing. There was one resolution that had been proposed but was pulled before it went to print. So there was would have been four. One was removed beforehand and then two during the session. So
213>> it makes up for the whole year when there was nothing and then everything. >> So but anyway, but um I highly recommend in the future um you know um I'm the voting delegate and we'll sign that when we reorder, but um just to attend. It's it's it's fun and it's um it's great to be the of the 5870 districts or the districts in the state um we had we had close to 95% were represented. So that was really good to see. Yeah. So anyway that was the delegates. >> Thank you Taran. Okay, moving on to the personnel committee report uh on >> Before I just realized delegates Hunter County School Boards Oh, go ahead. >> Association. So, um and this one is very very timely. Um so, we have it next uh Monday um
214the 1st of December and I just want to it's going to be an outstanding agenda. We are um it's going to be had at JP uh Chase um K School in Flemington, but it is a roundt discussion. We have five BAS. Katie Blue is one of our um panelists and it's going to be moderated by the um BA um in-house from school boards. Um so this is an excellent time because we it's K through 12 and they talk about the whole process of preparing for the budget and step by step. So this is the time for everyone to go and out you know there'll be excellent questions we can ask ask questions and understand the budget process and I know this comes up a lot and unfortunately with how schoolboard structure finance is in year
215two so I would recommend everybody to come join us and participate in the discussion and um we have Katie Blue as one of our panelists so we have Tukbury Township um I think it's Milford Kingwood um Franklin Township and um I think Lebanon. So we have some of our own sending districts that are to be panelists. So >> excellent. Uh moving on to personnel committee report. Um the personnel committee met November 19th 6:30. Um everyone was present except for um Mrs. Deany. uh we discussed uh personal agenda. We did move on to the um portion of job descriptions what we in discussions we decided to speak to committee as a whole as every committee was doing. Um so the job descriptions have been held off um possibly December or when you re new board in
216January. Um, and the committee as a whole, I know Miss Gallow is taking any information you have and she's putting it putting it together in the spreadsheet so you'll have it for January. >> Thank you. >> Okay. At this time, I I need a motion, a second. Um, we're going to call for a motion and second to adopt resolution 112525-2 for an executive session. Can you please stop that? >> Oh, doing what? >> The the pen. >> Oh, I didn't even hear it. I don't even know. >> Sorry. Let me re restate that. Please call for a motion second to adopt resolution 112525-2 for an executive session to discuss matters reflected in the attached resolution. The board expects to be in exact session for approximately 1 hour and upon return to public session, action will
217be taken. So move. I need my motion and second. So move second one. >> What are Okay. >> All in favor? >> Any nays or abstensions? to reconvene public session. Second, >> sorry, it was Beth and >> and Jessica. >> Sure. >> Sorry. Was it? >> We all >> just I didn't know if you did it or not. All in favor? >> Any naysay or abstensions? Uh I need a um motion and second to approve agenda items 22.1 through 22.3 uh to include any hand carries provided. Um it's personal agenda November 25th, 2025. Exact session minutes October 28th, 2025 and executive session minutes November 11th, 2025. Any comments? Nothing. Roll call vote, please. Do we have to do do we have to make a motion or Yeah, >> I did, didn't I? I'm losing my
218marbles. >> You made a motion. >> Yeah, move. >> We need a motion in a second. >> Second. >> There we go. >> It's late. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. And a roll call vote. >> Yes. >> Uh, Mr. Chap. >> Yes. >> Miss Gall, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. Miss Co. >> Yes. >> Mr. Yes. Mr. McGis, >> yes. >> Miss Ray, >> yes. >> Miss Stein, >> yes. >> Miss, >> yes. >> And Miss, >> yes. >> Thank you. All motion passes. >> Thank you. >> Any old and new business? >> Okay. I need a motion, a second to adjurnn. >> Was that >> I'll second it. gall. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> Any knees or abstensions? >> Excellent. Thank you. Have a good evening. Happy Thanksgiving.