ROSELLE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

001Like I didn't say anything. >> Shall I explain? It's fine. We about to just She ain't here. >> Sure don't. >> Good evening everyone. I'm calling this regular meeting of the Rosa Board of Education to order. It is 6:01 p.m. Okay, this is thick. In accordance with the provisions of the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 231, laws of 1975, adequate notice of this meeting was originally provided through the annual public notice on January 6, 2026 by emailing to newspapers designated by the board the local source in the Star Ledger, by posting on the district website, the main bulletin board, in the administration office, and in each Rosa Burrow school, and by emailing to the clerk of the Rosa Burrow and posted on the Burrow of Rosel website. Please rise with me to say

002the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Where's the air conditioner? Dr. Simmons and over there. Where's the air? Yeah, I know. So, we all Okay, we going to have something to talk about. Okay. Can I please have a roll call? >> Thank you, Dr. Washington. Madam President, Dr. Atkins, >> present. >> Miss Bond, >> present. >> Mrs. Chavez, >> Mrs. Cortez >> present. >> Miss Santos >> Miss Turn >> present. >> Dr. Washington >> present. >> Mrs. Washington >> present. >> Miss Woody >> present. >> Daniel Mr. Daniel Ephair >> present. >> We have a quorum. >> Thank you. [clears throat] Now may I have

003a motion to enter into executive session to discuss issues that warrant confidentiality as consistent with NJSA 10 col4-12 for matters of attorney client privilege contracts legal litigation negotiations personnel and student matters. The minutes will be made available to the public upon request when the confidentiality of the subject is no longer warranted. May I have a motion and a second to enter into executive session? >> I make a motion that we enter into executive session. >> Second. >> Washington. >> All in favor? >> I. We should be in executive session for approximately an hour. If it goes over 7 past 7 p.m., we will have our board secretary come out and advise the public. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Thank you for being patient as we work through issues in the back. Uh now I will

004entertain a motion to reconvene from executive. >> I make the motion that we reconvene. >> Second. Oh, that was loud. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So, now uh presentations in the following order. We'll have the JR the junior ROC presentation of colors followed by the board president's report. We'll have some committee updates for the board commissioners that are here for their uh respective um committees. We have student representatives here, Mr. Daniel Ferry, Mr. uh Mr. Andrew Emmy for their updates and then the superintendent will give district updates. So can you all please rise with me for the presentation of colors. [clears throat] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

005>> Thank you. So, good evening everyone. It is so good to actually have Oh, I'm sorry. >> [clears throat] >> Nobody's >> So, good evening everyone once again. Thank you for joining us tonight. It is so good to actually have a a real good audience tonight with us. Um, I want to start off by saying welcome to our May board meeting. We are in the final uh stretch of our school year um where we get to celebrate our students in these upcoming weeks. Uh there's been a lot of things happening uh for our students. Um most importantly, I started my day off this morning at the annual recognition breakfast for outstanding scholars of Union County. And I want to send another congratulations to Leah Brown and Sheena Rome. Uh Leah will be going to Ruckers,

006New Brunswick. She's our validictorian and she'll be studying in neuroscience. And Sheena Romeas is our saludiatoran and she's going to Union College where she'll study business. So please give them a round of applause. [applause] And to all our uh students across Union County, um they're going to do some impressive things. I'm really excited for them. Uh right here on our stage we have uh Daniel Afairy who's committed to Writer University. Uh he'll be playing for Writer right here. And Andrew Emme did some really good cool stuff. I have Leslie Woody telling me about plays and you did your thing and oh I'm sorry. Daniel was in a play. Andrew did his thing on the track and you know it's really impressive when we talk about our students and when we talk about their accomplishments in

007class and on the field. So we should be cognizant of what we say and what we don't say when we're out in the community in regards to our students as a collective whole. I want to congratulate Miss Jessica Chavez. She's not here tonight because she's graduating Union College herself. [applause] and she's going to do amazing things when she gets her degree and when she moves forward. And I just want to thank my board members because it's been a long 10 months and the last three months were very heavy. And I want to say thank you for all your due diligence. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your attention that you give to this job in a volunteer capacity away from your homes and away from your families. So, I just want to say

008thank you for that. We have prom toast off coming. The prom is on May 27th. I don't have the time, but hopefully Miss Harry can come up and give me some support in it when she if she comes up to the microphone. So, I hope that you guys come and see our seniors as they go and celebrate the culmination of their senior year. Um, I'm looking forward to our scholarships awards night and I'm looking forward to graduation and all the end of the year activities with all of you. With that, I want to turn this over to our school board committees. Uh we we won't have an update for curriculum. Miss Santos is not here. Policy did not meet and we removed all of those policies. Uh special services could wait until the next month

009and Dr. Fischer will be giving us an update on our ad hoc committee. So those committees are covered. So with that, I'm going to turn it over to our finance committee. Thank you, Madam President. Finance Committee met on May 11th at 7 PM. In attendance was Dr. Fiser, Dr. Simmons, myself as chair, commissioner, Dr. Courtney Washington, Aisha Turnage, and Mr. TBO. Uh, first item on discussion for year-end fiscal closing procedures. Reviewed year end closing procedures to ensure and organize compliant fiscal year transition. We also discussed finance staff of utilizing comprehensive year-end checklist to monitor purchase orders, grants, payroll, approvals, and final reconciliation. We also discussed the need to finance budget figures with system 3000 prior to fiscal year rollover. The committee also discussed emphasis emphasis on financial systems for requisitions by the end of the

010week to support summer school purchasing and preparation for the upcoming school year. We also had discussions surrounding financial and operational updates. Dr. Simmons provided updates regarding operational improvements, enhanced fiscal oversight initiatives, and position control forms are being implemented to strengthen personnel request tracking and ensure budget compliance. We also discussed clarification of RFP RFPs um to apply primarily to professional services exceeding 53,000 and/or general valid for the next two years. Um item four was advertising bids process. Dr. Simmons update us on a new procedures involved um advertising and publications for um our bids. Although local newspaper publication is no longer required, the district must demonstrate reasonable efforts to ensure vendors awareness through red site proings. And that concludes my report, Madame President. Thank you. Uh the next committee will be personnel. Thank you, Madam President. The

011personnel committee met on Tuesday, May 12th. In attendance was myself, Miss France Cortez, Dr. Washington, Dr. Atkins, Dr. Fischer, and Miss Marshall Simmons. Uh, in the personnel committee, we reviewed the uh personnel portion of the agenda. There was some discussion about the resignations and uh information, exit interview information, you know, uh the board was inquiring why some of the staff was resigning or leaving, just looking at trends, discussing trends um within the district. Uh we also discussed the new hires and replacements for uh next year. um all the new hires that are on here to replace some of the resignations and non-renewals. [clears throat] There was also uh a lengthy discussion about the deactivation of positions. Um the committee was informed that these positions are deactivated unless there is a programmatic need. So they can

012be reactivated if there is a need. uh some concerns were raised because some of the positions were from special services but they've been vacant for multiple years um and so this was the reason why um and this was also discussed in our uh budget meeting so for budgetary reasons um we also discussed uh 2.88 88 which is the manager of human resources position. Um we asked again for clarity on the needs of this position and um and discussion was given based on uh Miss Marshall Simmons and the human resources office and the needs that she has uh for getting the work in human resources completed. And uh that concludes the personnel committee report. Thank you, Miss Turnage. Uh, Miss Woody, can you give the facilities report? >> Good evening, everyone. >> Good evening. >> Uh,

013our committee met on Tuesday, May 12th, 6:00. I'm just going to give you the highlights from different um categories. For safety and security, uh, the security staff is preparing for coverage of year-end events. Uh, Mr. Worlds is coordinating with the Rosel Police Department for coverage of the graduation at Armenial Field and moving up ceremony at UC Pack. Uh technology, Dr. Henry Dixon uh discussed that wiring for the First Light location and also the wiring for the ACS dance studio has been completed. Um I believe that adds another room to First Light and uh the girls have already started using the dance studio. uh facilities. Um Mr. Reese reported that the mulch at Washington School will be replaced over the summer. Uh basketball courts have been updated, but other fields will be addressed in order of

014priority. We do have to get ready for September. Uh the modular update was given by Mr. TBO. uh he presented a schedule for replacement of trailers at ACS Harrison LV Moore and Wool Day which will begin the end of June. Although this is a tremendous expense, it's being done without additional cost to the to the residents of Rosel. A video presentation was uh done by Dr. Melissa Simmons. Uh it was the Rosel Public Schools summer 2026 facilities maintenance and operations master plan. A strict schedule was outlined to ensure that all campuses will be ready for the September opening. In addition to interior interior painting, major auditorium seating updates and repairs uh in the ACS large gym, Harrison will receive a new digital media and broadcast studio. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Miss

015Woody. Now, we're going to move forward with our student representatives report. Who's speaking first? Angel Emmy. [clears throat] [cough and clears throat] Good evening everybody. For our today's report, we are currently in the final stages of state testing and NJSLA assessments. 11th grade science testing has been completed and all the makeup testing is currently taking place and should conclude this Thursday. As we prepare for graduation, senior audits have been completed. Students are currently making up seat time and participating in credit recovery. Opportunities are available before school, after school, and on Saturdays. and also credit recovery programs are being monitored to ensure students are completing all their own work and not relying entirely on AI. To promote safely during prom and graduation season, a car involved in an accident is currently placed on display on Chestnut

016Street as a reminder about safe driving. The Roosevelt Police Department will meet with seniors to discuss prom and graduation safety. Students will participate in impairment simulations using goggles and bicycles to demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving. Senior prom will also take place on Wednesday, May 27th. Students will participate in a showcase at the high school before departing. And prom will be held at Nenina's in the park in Belleville, New Jersey. And lastly, the orchestra and band will participate in an overnight trip to Hershey Park on May 29th and June 30th. Good evening. Um, our JOTC students will be attending a trip to New York City and they're going to visit the Intrepid Museum. So, this trip will support both the military and leadership focus of the program. The National Honor The National Honor Society dinner

017will be held on Thursday, May 28th, and that's at 6 p.m. in the large gym. The JOTC awards banquet will take place on Friday, which is May 29th, and we are encouraging everyone to come out to support the students. As the temperatures outside are getting higher, we have many concerns regarding the heat in the building, especially on the second floor. So, as per our principal, Miss Harry, any air conditioning would require major electrical upgrades. The current electrical air conditioned spaces that we have in the school are the large gym, the small gym here in the auditorium, the media center, and the cafeteria. Um, as for both Andrew and myself, we are currently in the process of electing new student board representatives. As we know, we will be stepping down for our position and soon graduating,

018which means candidate meetings are taking place right now. They're going to be doing their campaign posters and schedules are being prepared as we transition leadership positions. Um lastly, as student representatives, we would like to acknowledge the recent issue regarding the football team. Um because this situation directly affects many of our classmates and the overall student body, we were respectfully asking for insight and understanding on what's happening with the situation. That concludes our statement. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Thank you both. [applause] >> Um hopefully Dr. Fisher, do you want to address that before you move on to your updates or they want insight or do you want to wait till public? Okay, we can wait. >> So now the superintendent will provide updates and do you need us to go down there at any

019point? >> You can get a head start and I'll just do the report and once I conclude this, we'll drop the screen down for that. >> Okay, thank you. So >> if you want you want to make your way down. >> No, great. Great. >> So good evening everyone. Good evening. >> Let me just take this opportunity to uh give the superintendence uh update for the month of May 2026. Uh again, I just want to welcome everyone this evening. Uh again, I did have a special note for our student representatives. Certainly, I know that your your time serving with us is coming to a close. So, we want to thank you in advance just in case you decide not to come to our June meeting just before graduation week. So, I want to make sure

020I say that. Uh but let me take on a serious note. Tonight's uh report really captures a full month of full forward momentum across our schools, across the field stages and across the community and in our long long range planning for the future with just under 39 days of school remaining. Uh when we began in in May, we've seen uh no signs of slowing down across the district. Uh May continues to bring a host of great things such as our teacher appreciation that we celebrated last week along with our nurses uh celebration as well and we continue to strive in that regard. I just want to put a uh a tack right here and just to emphasize that before I get to the district highlights. First and foremost I want to emphasize that as a

021school district we adopted a $83.6 million budget for the 2627 school year. $26.5 million comes directly from the local tax levy. Uh this budget has been presented and approved while in empas emphasis here maintaining a 0% tax increase to the Rosel residents. Uh despite us battling a 21% health benefit hike and a 15% increase in special education funding, we were a able to sustain a 0% tax increase. Again, [applause] we we ste we we're steadfast in our firmness and our programming and our services across the district with this budget, especially when districts across the state have uh publicly announced layoffs and program reductions, elimination of sports and so forth. Uh we've been I want to commend this uh this business team and our board commissioners as we continue to prioritize our entire school community, not

022just one program, but the entire school community. So applause to you all. Yes. As we noted last month, we adopted the new portrait of a graduate. So I'm very excited that we're beginning to roll out initiatives that are focused on our prek to 12 u uh core competencies. And again, that that area of adaptability, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and financial literacy, and problem solving are all areas that we will utilize in the upcoming academic year. I'm going to skip over my section that is referred to the bond referendum because I'll be doing a presentation regarding that shortly after this superintendent's update. Our summer programs are in full swing. We have conducted registration for our summer programs to begin on July 1st through the 30th. uh programs were open to our families in the Genesis uh

023parent portal. Several students arising from preK through 12 grade across all academic areas, enrichment tracks, and so forth uh will have opportunities to have a yearround opportunity here in our schools. Parent notifications will be coming out begin beginning later the latter part of this week. We had a host of bully prevention programs. One to highlight was a later laser show over at Grace Wday where the students had an opportunity to uh to learn about the effects of bullying and the importance of standing up for others. Thank you to the guidance department there. The nurture heart initiative by the counseling department at Harrison Elementary School had an opportunity to do a series of activities focused on marbles and marshmallows. wonderful activity for that great appropriate but also encouraging positive choices, practicing self-control and deep emotional regulation

024and resilience. We had community partnership effort hosted at at LV Moore Middle School when we had our police chief visit the student council there having a continued meaningful conversation about leadership and ongoing opportunities of displaying student artwork uh which has been displayed at the police department. So we want to continue those opportunities highlighting our scholar scholars as you heard from Dr. Washington the Union County Superintendent Roundt. I'm always proud to bring our valadictorian and our saludiatoran to those events because again they get to see their peers across the county who are excelling in the academic areas. Again we are continuing with the NJSLA. This was the inaugural adaptive testing season. uh this season for for the very first time our students had adaptive testing in reading, writing and mathematics and now is the standard for

025students in grades three through the high school. So again we certainly see that we'll have continued adaptive assessments moving forward. We had some additional recognitions from uh the Leonard Vmore Moore Middle School marking period 3 where we had a host of students who had an opportunity to participate and receive academic achievement awards as well as perfect attendance. I'm giving big shout outs to the kindergarten success academy and Grace Wday Junior High School. Uh KSA is a national uh school of character, but they most recently received recognition for their 2026 promising practice uh award for books before bedtime program at Grace Will Day. They received kudos for their initiative entitled one school, one pride, one raw initiative. So again, great things are happening at our kindergarten location as well as our junior high school. a host

026of highlights from our early uh learners at the first light academy. Uh was so excited to see the wonderful activities that were experienced when students had an opportunity to do some bouncing, ball bouncing, little little red hint, and a host of memorable puppet puppet puppeting uh uh retell stories. So very excited to see those activities conducted. Again, we had at Dr. Charles C. Poke wonderful opportunity where students had a a spring dress down week and students had an opportunity to really engage in a host of wonderful activities surrounded around themes that were a Disney day and a tropical day. In addition to that, uh second graders at at uh Charles C. Poke had an opportunity to stay connected with a live NASA engineer uh through the National Geographic Explorer classroom program. So again, our students

027are having opportunities to connect on a national level. Our second graders from Washington Elementary School had an opportunity to participate in Steam Day over at the TD Bank uh where they watched the Somerset uh Patriots and I believe that's the same event where we had our high school uh chorus members have an opportunity to I believe sing the national anthem. So certainly a great opportunity for our students to connect beyond the walls of Roselle. Grace will held a wonderful u event called for celebrating the national poetry month. Uh they had a poetry cafe a well-received opportunity where students as well as staff participated in that event. So certainly excited to see that our students are embracing different genres of music. ACS class of 2026 celebrated their uh the decision day 2026. students uh share their

028variety of universities and colleges from everywhere from Ruckers University to the uh King University, the Army, and much much more. So certainly we're excited and we can't wait to put out the full entire list of all those students acceptance uh the various universities. And my report goes on and on to talk about all the programs from our title one program, all the wonderful uh afterchool programs through our family literacy and math nights. I just want to just pull a bullet point right there just to let you know that we are still looking for opportunities to connect with our families. Our ESL and multilingual lingual learners are participating in a host of programs. We are continuing with our evening program for our adult ESL program and they celebrated featuring food from participants home country and certificates

029of completion were honored to those participants. Our G&T scholars across the grades had an opportunity to take the annual Kogat testing just another opportunity to assess the gifted population and for future enrollment for the 2627 school year. And of course, we've been continuing to post in our rambling on newsletter on a weekly ba basis where we've been highlighting our track and field participants and their state sectionals and at Union County Championships. I won't get into all the accolades, but certainly we have a lot of scholars that are running the race. So, we want to congratulate those individuals for their participation. Our boys volleyball team, very excited. They had a tournament run this year. They uh had an opportunity led by coach uh Griffin and Estz. Coach Estz uh certainly had an opportunity for the first

030time in that program's history to continue to advance beyond the traditional season. Again, our Lady Rams Flag football team uh had their their senior night had an opportunity to celebrate those students. We had a couple of outstanding seniors, uh Jaden Johnson, Lauren White, Ernisha Pierre, and Leah Larissa. Uh congratulations to those young ladies for their participation. And again, the athletic accolades continue uh in the other uh spring sports uh both boys volleyball as well as ladies softball. And again, I just want to emphasize we we want to be give praise and thanks to the uh the community sponsors who sponsored our breakfast and our teacher appreciation week. We had a host of local uh businesses that supported us. So again, we sent personal notes to those individual companies thanking them and those organizations for supporting

031our teachers and acknowledging the hard work that they engage. Again, on the uh fiscal side, again, I'm I'm very excited about our our budget, ready to kick our uh 26 27 budget off as we continue to do great things with our new fiscal uh restraints. But certainly we have a lot of things that are queued up and I believe I've hit just about everything that I could hit on. But I do want to say that this work uh in the final weeks are really as we close out this this part of the school year uh we have a host of celebrations that are upcoming. We have a host of ceremonies and we're looking forward to the final days of school as we approach those celebrations and as we prepare for something big in September 2026.

032Uh with that being said, madame president, this concludes this portion of the superintendence report for the month of May 2026. >> Thank you, Dr. Fischer. Did you want to adjust the agenda to give the hit? >> Sure. I'll give that I'll give that >> and then we'll meet you down. >> For the month of May 2026, the following uh information regarding our harassment, intimidation, and bullying incidents reported for the month of May. For the month of May, Harrison Elementary School had two incidents that were reported and two that were not hibs. Poke Elementary School had three incidents of incidents that were reported. One was confirmed as a HIB and one confirmed as not being a HI. LV Moore. Let me just correct something. I think let me just correct that report. Somehow my Okay. Uh

033please strike that information from the previous report. For some reason it kind of the roads got messed up. Uh Harrison Elementary School reported zero incidents for the month of May. Kindergarten Success Academy zero incidents reported for the month of May. Dr. Charles C. Poke reported one incident for the month of May, one confirmed as a HIB. Washington Elementary reported zero incidents of being HIS. Leonard V. Moore had a total of four incidents reported as a HIB. Two were confirmed as a HIB and two were confirmed as not being a HI. Grace Wday Junior High School had two incidents that were reported as a HI and two confirmed as not being a HI. for the month. Abraham Clark High School had zero incidents that were reported as a HIB. That brings us a total of seven

034incidents for the month of May reported and investigated. Three of those incidents were confirmed as being a HIB and four were confirmed as not being a HI. This concludes the harassment, intimidation, and bullying investigation report for the month of May 2026. >> Thank you, Dr. Fischer. Board members, can you join me down down at the seat to have Dr. the fishers referendum discussion. Thank you. That's not my computer. So, good evening everyone. I'm going to take this opportunity to um prepare us for a presentation. And I'll just kind of give you an update on what this presentation is about. Uh it's about the uh future bond referendum for a new school here in the Rosel School District. All right. Great. Great. Great. Great. Thank you. All right. That's as far as it go. Okay, great.

035Great. So, I'm going to walk you through a couple of slides. I believe it's close to a hundred slides. Uh, that's just the way I present. I like to make sure that I have a host of information to share out because it's important to share this important information. But this particular plan has been birthed from the uh the strategic plan that we developed back in 2021 where we talked about the strategic plan and one of the pillars in that plan was a sustained leadership. It was it was focused on student achievement, culture and climate facilities and community outreach. And when I talked about this plan, I just want to uh emphasize two things that are not on this initial plan. And it really started back in 2021 when we brought the preschool program back to

036district when we were initially uh contracting space over at the Agape Church. And the plan was how do we create space for our youngest learners across the district. So for every challenge that you receive, there must be an answer to call. So we answered the call by bringing the modular units back into the dis to the district to our three elementary schools and we were able to bring back our kinder uh preschool students back to the district. From that uh two things happened. We created a space at three elementary schools. In addition to that, we were able to um enhance the football field by uh up upping the equipment at the fieldhouse as well as bringing first in light to Roselle. Uh that's the reason why the lights were actually put at the the field.

037It was there were no lights until this plan initiated. And then as we progressed into this plan, we realized that we can continue to build bigger and better. And here's how the progress all began. Uh there's always been a need to improve our facilities across the district. Always a need. And then I had to go back and do some research because you can't move forward unless you know your history. So I went back and did some of my research and I found about that that very first school here in Roselle that cost $8,700 back in 1876. Uh but again, if you go back further back in 1856, there was a little school called the Wheatchef uh school. So again, we're talking about a community that has continued to grow. And what we did was uh

038kind of look at this progression and see the district move forward. Then we started to look in the shift in the district. When you had [clears throat] the Chestnut Street School, which original cost us $60,000, $60,000 back then was a lot of money, but certainly the community made the investment back then to ensure that the community moved forward. Then we talk about their very first high school back in 1914. And I decided to do was make sure that we saw visuals because a lot of times the context is off. You know, it's a different day, but the needs have increased. Back then the first building was 60,000. Then they progressed to Harrison Elementary School to 153,000 and then Washington Elementary School in 1927 to $173,000. Then you had the post-war 1950s. And if you're studying

039any history, you know, things were changing. There was some expansion happening. And the first building that was uh really starting to cost money was when the the Wday School was built for a million dollars back in 1953. Fast forward a couple years, 1.6 million for the expansion construction of the Leonard V. Moore school on better known as Lucas back in the day. So that's going way back. And then I wanted to just share this cross analysis so that the community could see and I'll be sharing a deeper dives on each of these slides and some other different occasions. But you see the progression of the district and you see what what impacted the change. So I talk about that because I like to know where we're coming from instead of where I know we need

040to go. I want to go back to find out where did our problems start to occur. So it didn't start today. These are historical challenges that we had in the community. So again, as we look at that that early that early money to the present, this really kind of is the catalyst of change. So it's the catalyst of the movement that we're currently on. And I just wanted to, you know, my mantra for the 2627 has already began to introduce itself by building and sustaining. We are going to the goal is to build and we're going to sustain the things that we already have. So we are pushing forward in a number of initiatives. That leads me to one of our big anchors right now because you just can't have solo projects. You got to

041have multiple hands in the pot to make these things work. So right now we have some modular expansion work that is happening. Uh if you've been in Rosel for a number of years, we have outdated modular units that are across a number of our locations. And I'll talk about those location and I have my facility team, Mr. about uh ABA and Mr. Reese who are kind of facilitating that process. I won't get into the details but they're charged with just making it happen. You know my goal is say hey listen we need to do this you tell me what we need to do and that's just you just make it happen. So have taken the charge and what they've already began to do because these again this is just it's the movement. It's not one

042thing. Most people just focus on one thing but we're focusing on multiple things simultaneously. We have six locations across the district. six locations that we're working on. Currently, as you can see, we have studentf facing projects where we're looking to replace outdated. Now, if you have attended uh Harrison Elementary School and you know their old brown modular uh I think is about 50 years old, so it's a very old piece of uh equipment. We're looking to change that. Grace Wilder, we're dropping two units over there. Uh one of them happens to be a student facing side and one of them happens to be an office facing side. So, we'll be doing that over at Will Day. The high school, the cafeteria here that the exterior cafeteria has is a dated unit. We're moving that thing

043out of there and we're bringing something new. And I'm emphasizing these points because it's about using what you have now. And and from the public side, my argument will always be we haven't asked for any additional monies for anything. We begin to use our resources to make it happen with what we got currently. And those are the things that should really drive the next phase of our project. So as we go through this process and this is not the full-fledged uh what I'll do for this piece but I want you to know these things are happening. We have already gone past the engineering stage. We are all uh queuing up for readiness and and out offboarding some of our other pieces of equipment uh at location. So I'm excited about that. We had the engineering

044and the fabrication process happening as we speak. Happening as we speak. So, these are some things that are happening and you'll see and you'll begin to see those things take shape shortly. Stuff takes time. We've been working on this modular project since about early uh late fall. We've been working on it since late fall and it's taken us about this long. But our plan is to deliver these modulars at all six of our locations by the start of the new school year. So, as you can see, we'll be demoing locations and we'll be bringing on new locations um very quickly. And again, I just wanted to share some of this behind thescenes work because there there is behind the scenes. We aren't just showing up doing the work. We're actually doing all the logistical changes.

045We're also doing the engineering piece of it to do it directly. And again, as we did with the last modulars, we drove those things in and I know Dr. Washington, myself and a couple other board members at that time, we were watching the modulars as they were driving down St. George Avenue and being placed at the location. So, it was a very great site to see. And again, this is just more details about theation because on the engineering side of this work, this is very immense task. But again, we are moving along. So again, this plan, our comprehensive plan, and certainly we'll have staff available to probably share out in another venue, but to really talk about what this all means and all the logistics from plumbing to the data and uh technology hookup. So

046we're excited as this progresses. So when we take that next leap, the next chapter of this talks about the building sustain. It's the building and sustaining process. And this is all about our bond referendum initiative. See, one of the things my biggest uh challenge is some of the systems have are dated. Some of the process are dated. So, it's time to do something about it. You know, I am a systems guy. If the system is not working, it is time to do something different to move the system. Currently, we have approximately six transitions in the district. Six transitions that our our scholars participate in. They go to six different locations, but time by the time they start school and when they end school. Our goal here in the Rosel schools is drop those six transitions

047down to uh three. It is to drop it down to three, excuse me, correction, down to four transitions. So, if you look at the now column and you look at the future column, not only are we looking to build a new school, we are looking to create new grade bands that are totally different than what we traditionally have. You'll see that our new school is is is set to be a prek to two. Our elementary schools all becoming 3 to five. All of them. All three elementary. Our Leonard v. Moore and Grace Wildday schools becoming what we call intra district choice. Intra cho interd district choice which gives our scholars an opportunity to take whatever path they want in as they enter their junior high school years. whether they want to go to Grace Wday

048a school of the arts or they want to go to uh Leonard V. Moore as a school of steam. So that is the that is the ultimate goal and ultimately landing here at the high school. So I'm going to talk about the facility. I'm going to talk about the ripple effect. I'm going to talk about everything that we've done. But down at the bottom of that slide, you start to begin to see uh what those progressions are. Our students as they progress through the school. You see our precase location which is our Chandler site as our Chandler site as being our number one site which is on Chandler Avenue. You'll start to see our progression through our ecosystem that we've established that we have three elementary schools currently. Our goal is to have our students

049transition into one of the three elementary schools. And let me just park right there for a moment. At the top of that slide, it talks about reszoning. We realize as new developments are impacting our school district, the big task is we can't have lopsided enrollment. So the goal is to reszone the entire school district. Something that hasn't happened since the 70s and maybe even further back if if if the research tells us so. So we will be reszoning the district. And as I talked about students having options after they leave elementary school, you see two pathways. You either take the road to the top, the school of the arts, or you take the path to the school of the steam. So those are the two options that we'll be creating for students. So it's something

050a little different, but is is greatly needed to change the experience for our students across the entire district. And I'm just going to, you know, as again I showed you on previous slides back in 192 present, you know, we have this legacy stuff that we look at and that's most of the stuff we inherit in the school district. But as one of the student reps mentioned, we talk about air conditioning in some of these second floor classrooms in the building. That is something that is in our long range facility plan, an an area that we want to address. Simultaneously we've also because of electrical capacity the age computers this is an age of computers and when these buildings were built it there was no such thing as having all this technology and so our goal

051in 2026 forward is to find ways to bring additional electrical capacity in all our buildings. Is it costly? Certainly it is very costly to do those types of things but they are done incrementally. So that is what the goal of this entire plan is is to take us from the century of 1927 to our 2027. So we want to certainly be prepared as this work aligns to vision 2027. And I'm just know I'm not going to go in every slide, but I think it's important to know that as we work on our bond referendum and you start to hear the deep dive, this is the important work that I think that this board allows me to do is to execute the task of how do we get a new school here in the district. It

052takes a lot of commitment. It takes a lot of buyin because it's all about the future generations. All too often we focus on our outgoing students, but we have a lot of youngsters coming right behind them. So, it's our expectation and our our responsibility to do what's necessary for a better learning experience. And again, I'm just going to walk you through uh we our three four locations that we're we're talking about, actually five locations. Uh again, one of the things we'll talk about further in future presentations, which I'm hoping I get the same response from the public, is to come out and hear about what the drill down looks like about those locations because this is the planning work. It requires that we look at what are the needs. We even talked about the auditorium

053here at the high school. How do we make this a very theatrical space? How do we ensure that students have performance materials in this location that they can do great things? We even talked about building a mini uh production studio here in the high school so that we can also support the students in their musical endeavors. Again, I'm just these slides that talk about the various locations. And I'm not going to go into the maker spaces that we're looking at putting in all our schools across the district, but we are focused on creating innovative learning spaces at every school across the district. We want to create a continuum. One of the things that the younger kids always say when I come to their career day is that will we be able to do this at

054our next school and I always have to pause and I think about the different levels of resources that we have in and and look at the sometimes there's not continuity across our buildings between grade band. So my goal is to be able to identify by the time a kid if a kid has a certain experience in the uh the elementary school when he gets to the middle school and the junior high school they should have a continuum or build on those skills. And again within this plan you may see limits of safety and security. We're always looking for opportunities to enhance safety and security. So what you see in these plans are security vestibles that we are looking to put on buildings because we're a firm believer that our students need to be safe at

055all times. So we need to start developing internal strategies that actually create a greater fortress within our educational spaces. So that is one of the bigger goals that we're focusing on. And again these are and I didn't talk a lot about this particular slide but this is what we call the 710 transition center. And one of the things 710 happens to be the board office. That's that's where my office is located. And I tell the folks, I said, "Well, this building needs to be converted to a transition center." Uh very bold move because the personnel at the building says, "Well, where are we going to go?" And I said, "I'll figure that out later." But I certainly believe the priority is to make sure that we're servicing students. Our transition center is for our adult

05618 to 21 population who typically go out of district for resources and services. So my goal is, well, let's keep it in house. Let's transition our space to a space that'll teach that independent learning and offer those same students an opportunity to get those life skills that they so need. So I'm looking forward to doing that and that's something that I think it should be a priority across the district is is making sure that we tackle each and every student population group across the entire district so we can meet the needs. I won't go through the entire uh plan, but I just want to let you know that the goal is to be a to build upon this this centurylong effort. And I I like sharing this slide because when Dr. Washington, myself, we had

057to submit our plans to the state to uh identify what were the resources that will be available. It was so important that it we had it documented. We memorialize the process and it has been a very long drawn out process but certainly has coming into fruition. September 15th we we are looking to have a bond referendum vote for the community and I emphasize that it was back in 1966 the last bond referendum here in the Rosel community. 1967. The sad part about that is I wasn't even born then. So for not to have a bond referendum um you know in my lifetime in the district because the need has been there uh to me it's a priority and that is my drive to ensure that we move forward with this endeavor. And again, this just

058a summaries a summary of the slides a repar uh transformation matrix and kind of gives you an idea of what's going to be going where just for a visual and just kind of give you some looks. And I just I got that slide in here. This is just a slide for the the the dance studio and I know Miss Harry and the team are very excited. Uh I believe the mirrors the final phase of that is the mirror installation tomorrow. So, we're excited to be able to get that space up and running. And for our athletes, I didn't even I forgot to even mention commitment that we did on the fitness center. That was a part of the plan. Didn't I didn't put it on this slide because we service everybody. That's the goal. Everybody

059gets something. You get something. He gets something. He gets That's what it's about. It's not about one program. It's about every program. every population, whether it's our students with disabilities, whether it's our uh ESL students, every population gets something. One thing I will pride myself on, I am not selfish. My office is supposed to be bigger. I I prefer smaller because I rather make sure that I got students with the services, programs are in place. This budget that we had, this this just just approved, prioritize student programs. And I always take it personal when folks remind me of, I wish we had this. And I said, man, I gave you everything but the kitchen sink. So, we are making sure that we prioritize our resources. And this dance studio doesn't necessarily benefit me. I'm not

060going into dance, but I do have some very artistic, a very creative u dancers in the in in this building. So, certainly, they'll have that space. So, I know I'm satisfying my artistic arm of the school district. So, I just wanted to make sure I share this out publicly. Uh this is the secret. These are the receipts. Uh but I want to let you know that as we talk about we're going to continue to build. I'm taking out these old modulars. They got to go. We will spend the money where it's necessary. Um you know, and and I know I have some team uh players here tonight when I often tell folks about these budget lines that come through about equipment and so forth. I said, "Let's just make it happen." But there are times

061when I pause and say, "Well, maybe we should wait till next year to buy that." But then I often reflect on it. You know, if you look good, you play good. And hopefully if you you play good, you act good. So that's that's what I look for in return. And I think this really concludes, but I'll just take an opportunity to uh if any board member has any question related to the plan, I'm looking forward to really moving it forward. I do know that we're awaiting the final approval from the New Jersey Department of Education um to give us the final say on what the our funding looks like from the state. So, we'll have an idea of what the fiscal responsibility be for the community. But this kind of concludes theation on the on

062the this this side of the the presentation, but I welcome any question from my board members. question on the floor is have I shared this with the board I mean the the burrow. So we have shared this information with the planning board. We provide them with the signed blueprints of our plan. Uh we're looking for a date to present what they call a courtesy review. It's just courtesy. It's not mandatory. It is courtesy. I can say that it is courtesy. It is not mandatory. So we are going to do the courtesy review because with or without we are moving forward. It is courtesy. So that's what we do in order to build a strong foundation here in the Roosevelt public school district. Is there another question? >> The reasoning of the building itself. So the

063location I believe the location is already uh set for established for zoning of a school. So there may be some other uh you know technical pieces associated with that and that's why the the the the zoning board has the information the planning board has that information and just if I can just emphasize and that's a great point uh it has to be mutual because as new properties are being renovated and new buildings are being built. We can only react to information that we don't know about. So in this case we want to make sure that it's a mutual. So we'll do everything that in our possible uh powers to ensure that we share information. That's the only way we can do this. If you take the uh park apartments for example on that side of

064town, that's our Washington elementary side of the town. Uh our increased enrollment at Washington is a result of that location. So had we had resoning prior to the construction of that space, we might have been able to better plan and make sure that we offset the increasing numbers of that location. So those are that's why it's so important to have these conversations in advance so we can kind of build a runway toward a a mutual understanding of what needs to happen. >> So the question on the floor is when is the anticipated uh groundbreaking would would be uh that's a that's a tough one. you know, after if it's in a September 15th uh bond election. Uh I I'm I'm not sure what the timeline is, but certainly there's a whole whole legal side of

065that. And we have bond folks who who kind of talk about that next phase, but I believe it's within that next six months, you know, because now you have to really start to go into more planning of the internal side of the the building itself. any board commissioners, any other questions you may have? Okay, so thank you again. I just want to make sure I shared this information out. This concludes the uh the plan where we're looking to build and sustain. And this is the plan forward. Thank you. It's a little bit >> What happened? >> They never know what's going on in this building. >> [clears throat] >> Is everybody there? >> Thank you, Dr. Fischer. No, again, thank you, community. May I have a motion in a second to accept and approve? Before

066I do that, do you want to respond to the our student lives? We have a question. He said he wants insight into what's going on with the coach for the football team. >> Okay. because it impacts >> classmates. >> Thank you. So, thank you for indulging in the presentation. Uh, very quickly, I know there was a a question on the table and traditionally I don't use this platform for those uh those conversations. But because my student board representatives uh posed a question here on the deis, I will just kind of respond uh generally. Um, I know there was some question regarding our football program. So certainly there's an administrator in charge of everything in in every program across the district and part of their responsibility is to evaluate their programs, ensure a program efficiency, uh

067a host of things that they're required to compliance and so forth. Uh I leave that responsibilities for our uh respective coaches uh excuse me respective administrators to deal with coaches directly. oftentimes the questions are posed at me uh as the superintendent uh you know am I engaged in that that process and I often say I'm not doing any coaching and I'm not doing any oversight of uh programs u that's not what I do but what I do expect is coaches uh to work with uh administrators and I expect administrators to work with coaches and it's always my expectation that uh that administrators are held accountable for program success or the lack of So again that is the responsibility of the appropriate administrator. So uh my answer may be vague but there are times as I

068told one uh person who asked me something about a program and I said well you know I I watch professional sports all the time and I see situations that happen with no explanation uh and sometimes it's sometimes it's bigger than the the the the fan level or the participant level. So again, the questions that you pose are not necessarily uh for myself, but I do hear your concerns. Um I I do hear those concerns, but however, I'm not in that position to give you any specific details regarding uh the the outcomes or the the processes related to it. So again, I will say things happen in every program. uh but when changes are necessary, it is typically driven by the direct report of the administration that supervised the program. So certainly in a in a

069high school uh I expect the high school administration to deal with anything that's high school related, not the superintendent's office. If it's something in the classroom, I expect the teacher to handle the situation in the classroom. So if those administrators are over those program, it is their expect my expectation handle that particular matter that is associated with the program. So, I don't say that as a disrespectful way, but I do say it as we all have to be accountable. When I make mistakes in this job, uh, I'm held accountable by the nine board commissioners here. And there are times that the the the the actions are not necessarily directed on something I did, but certainly when the accountability hits, I I often say, I'll just have to accept that and I'll have to move accordingly.

070So, I say that to say, u sometimes tough decisions are made along the way. uh not necessarily uh uh it could be timing, it could be a host of things, but I do support all the programs and certainly as we're expanding athletic programs and sustaining athletic programs, typically those fiscal matters come across my desk as to hey, where do we need to make cuts? Where do we need to support? And typically my office typically has a say in regards to let's make sure that we allocate uh appropriate resources. So, I just wanted to throw that out there. uh might not be satisfy your appetite in regards to my response, but I think it was worthy of some form of response this evening. >> Now, may I have a motion and a second to accept and

071approve governance items and presentations as presented? >> Second. Is there any discussion? Any discussion? Seeing as there's no discussion, can I take a roll call? >> They can. Public comment isn't open yet. We're about to open public comment. Yep. Taking roll call. Dr. Atkins. >> Yes. >> Miss Cortez. >> Yes. >> Miss Bond. >> Yes. >> Miss. Turn. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Washington. >> Yes. >> Miss Woody, >> yes. >> Dr. Washington, >> yes. >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. Now comes the section of the meeting for public comment as mandated by this board's policies. Members of the public who wish to address the board during the public comment portion of this meeting may do so for four minutes. [clears throat] Please come to the microphone. Provide your name and address for the record. When

072speaking, please address all comments to the board president. Public comment is not intended to be a question and answer period. It is the time of the meeting during which the public may speak on any topic associated with the business of this board of education. All public comments must conform to basic standards of civility. Disruptive, threatening, defamatory, and or profane comments as well as political commentary will not be allowed. is spoken during the meeting, the commenter will be stopped and may be removed from the meeting. Just for the young our students who are coming to the microphone, just give your name and you can say Abraham Clark High School. Do not give your home address. Thank you. [clears throat] Good evening board members, president, superintendent. Um Cynthia Johnson, 127 East 10th Avenue in the Berl Rosel.

073Um first of all um I was very happy to hear that there was no increase in the school board, no tax increase because what we were told um that and it was done publicly that there was a school tax increase. So what I'm suggesting is to have your BA come over to where we're at so maybe he can actually help us have a zero tax increase. So I want to commend you guys. I have to be honest. I have to um commend you guys on, you know, doing your budget and making sure that the residents are not affected with high taxes coming from the school board. So, thank you very much um for all the due diligence that you guys have done to make sure that our residents are not impacted with the school tax

074increase. So, thank you for that zero. [applause] Also, um I went away the week. I went away and I came back the weekend and I heard chatter about um you know, our young men in our football um team. I don't know what happened. I'm not here to you know to judge anyone. The only concern that I wanted to talk about is that um with a program, okay, and I've seen these young men who started out with Pop Warner who's proceeding to where they're at now. if this was going to be done or things in that aspect. Um you have seniors that are graduating. You have seniors that's going to receive um scholarships some that went to Coliban just to actually learn you know the really professionalism of it and Dr. Fisher as you stated you

075know things happen you know in the professional world of you know hey guess what it happens but my whole thing is you have to ask yourself why it happened. I understand you're the superintendent and you have those in place to make sure that things are the way they supposed to be, but to actually disenfranchise anyone with 39 days left in the school to say, "Hey, you know what? Um, your services may not be rendered or needed anymore." Okay. I kind of find that um, you know, to be like, you know, come on, let's finish out the school year. Let's finish out the program. Okay. You have young men that are standing here that looked up to this gentleman that said, "Hey, you know what? I'm a mentor to you. I'm going to make sure that

076you learn to do what has to get done." Even bringing others from a different um aspect to bring a mentor um Roselle to make sure that our program exceeds to where it's supposed to be exceeded at. We're not looking um for no one to say, "Hey, here we go. We got a 30 and zero record." That doesn't happen nowhere. But I always say just give everybody a chance and an opportunity. I don't know the logistics of it and I would not sit here and go through the through the logistics. But Saturday when I heard um that hey you know this um football coach is no longer going to be here and then down in Sylvester Landfield they're running around say oh we're going to have such and such to come and take his place. I

077just thought that was totally disrespectful to hear that in the street you know somebody else taking someone else's place. I look at things as protocol of how things should be done, you know, throughout, not just here, but throughout the whole barrel. Thank everyone for your time and your concerns. Have a blessed day. Thank you. >> Next, remember just state your name and just say Abraham Clark High School. Do not give your home address. Thank you. >> My name is Victor Loku and I'm from May Clark High School. I've been playing on this football team for four years now and um close has developed me more than a player. He's developed me into a man. Um gave us dinners before games. Um every Thursday would wear a shirt and tie. Basically taught us life outside of

078football. [applause] My name is Albert Rosario, Abraham Clark High School. Um when I transferred here my junior year from New York, um I saw coach Haron as a different coach. my old coaches. He not only made me into the player I am today, he made me a man, showed me how to, you know, take care of my life outside of football. He brought my grades up. Um, he basically showed me to work hard in the classroom, work on the football field, everything earned you. And, um, I think, uh, Coach Turner is the one of the best coaches I've ever had in my life. And um I think he should say because he has um he has a talent not only to develop a football team but develop players. He's a players coach and I thank

079him so much for developing me and helping me uh get that um full scholarship to William Patterson. Thank you. [applause] Hi, my name is Dion Nelson. I go to Abram Clark High School. Um, ever since I met Coach Tyrone that day in a small gym, I felt like he was the right coach for us that day and he was going to help us become the man we are today and become the leaders we are today and lead our football team. Um, Coach Arone, he taught me how to be a man, disciplined, and hardworking to never give up. When I was tired or whenever I wanted to quit, he never made me quit. He always pushed me hardest to my hardest I could be my full my fullest potential over the summer. He always worked us

080to our hardest potential because he always knew he we had more than we put out on the field. We always had more in us, capable in us. Um he always fed us during games, fed us before after make sure we was good. Always had a ride home. Always had a ride to practice. We was always good and we never was late to practice. Um especially with the shirt and ties, he was always honest about that to make a discipline because you know future we had to wear shirt and ties. So we're get started early on the workforce. Uh but yeah, I feel like co he'll be a good fit for the next football team coming up in the next years and he's one of the names why I'm going to cause why I'm going to

081cause today. Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause] >> My name Corey Charles. A big part of who I am today is Coach Tyrone. Uh my junior year I got my spot took. I didn't believe myself no more. I lost all my confidence. But Coach Tyrone put me in a position to gain my spot back and to play college ball after this year. He made me the man I am today. He helped me train. He talked to me know helped me bring my confidence back. And yeah, he's a great coach, great guy, and outside of football, he's a great man. He knows how to talk to you, give you advice, help you with any problem you got. He'll help you out a lot. >> Good evening. My name is William Curry. >> Um, hello. My name

082is Rick Anderson. I'm from Abraham Clark, too. >> Today I want to talk about stuff. Um, all right. Let's bring it back. Two years ago, we didn't have a coach. Like, we were like, it was one day our coach just told us he was gone. Like, it was it was crazy to us. It was it was the same time like right now. It was May. We were scared. Like, it was late coming into June. We had 707 coming up and we looking for a new coach. Um, of course, we did interviews and then coach Tyrone came in the building. He's a cop officer. He's a great guy. We all thought we could trust him and yeah, we could tr and we trusted him. Um quickly he got us into great shape in away room field

083and we quickly start our season off right even though he came late. He's a great person. Um and then in the school year he introduced shirt and ties even though like some of us didn't want to do it. Like I'm serious. Some of us didn't want to do it, but it's teaching us how to be a man and being going to the future like we want like how we want to be. We don't want to be nobody we don't want to be. We want to be someone we like we're proud of ourselves. Um um we we we had this like we wanted the season we got we we finished the season up and Tyrone was a great aspect to us. He's a great he's a great man. Gives us great advice. He trusted all of

084us. He loved all of us dearly and and like when I I felt like Quinn, he was just there for me. Um put like faith back in my heart and that's when I started taking serious I started taking school more seriously like trying to get my grades and stuff in check in order and then taking football more seriously. Ever since he came he's been a real Like I said, father and I just want >> [clears throat] >> um good evening. Um Frank Hilton, um my son is now play for the football team. Two years ago in the same auditorium, coach um Turner was introduced to us. And before that, my son was failing in high school, doing real bad, wanted to drop out, do whatever he wanted to do. And plenty of time, not going

085to talk to I'd have to call the coach and the coach would reach out to him. When he was late for practice, I get a call from the coach. If he didn't show up to school, you know, I get a call and then his grades gradually picked up. You know, I go to a lot of practice. I'm around young men a lot of time a lot of them know me stuff like that I don't know what's going on but when you got young men that are crying over a coach I'm a grown black man I'm 55 years old and I've seen a lot of stuff that a lot of you guys probably haven't seen and I don't know what's going on between the school or the administration and the coach but when you got young

086men that has changed their life because I go to every game and sometime these guys be losing 35 to zero They don't quit. They don't give up. They out there fighting. And professional athlete don't do that. Do that. I watch. I'm a big sports fan and professional athlete. But these kids are doing it for free. They're getting their ass knocked off. They're losing 42 to7 and they have never quit. I've watched every game they have been to. And I don't know what's going to happen. But don't let these kids down. Hello, my name is Daniel. Go to Abraham Clark. Um, from the football standpoint. Um, when he first came, we all chose him for a reason as a coach. When he first came, he gave us a speech and we liked him automatically. And we

087all knew. We went to the group chat and we talked about it and we knew we wanted to coach everyone as our coach. And ever since we didn't regret it. We know he's a good coach and a great guy. And besides football, he's he's a good guy. Like I said, uh he taught us discipline and he's given us a future besides like outside of um football. He stayed on top of us on our academics so we could go somewhere besides football. Even if we don't go nowhere with football, we have a another plan. But he also got some of us to go play college football. So it's also our future that he he is helping us with. And I just want to say thank you. And we're all here for a reason because we don't

088want to a senior graduating, but I know how good of a coach he is, and that's >> My name is Rafael Augustine. >> My name is Zion Fairley. I go here. I just transfer from Hudson Catholic. Also transfer from Catholic. From the start when I first came here, I'm a sophomore, so it's my second year playing for Tyrone. He always told me, "Oh, keep going. Do wrestling, do track." And that made me very better at sports. Not only he also told us how to be a man, taught us discipline, always taught us to keep going, never quit. And again, we never quit. A lot of people who quit, Tyrone taught us never quit. >> See, I'm sorry. My name is Zan and Z parent. Um they transferred from Hudson Catholic. I couldn't sit back there

089and not say nothing. Um they had offers to go to different schools and I moved to Rosselle like back in November. And um when I talked to Tone, he said, "Bring them. Bring them." And I'm like, "They in Catholic school, but I'mma see. I'mma talk to them." I bring them for a visit here. And he talked him into coming here. He like, "Come on, y'all live over here. come over here. I said, "All right, give it a chance. They just come in here. I don't know what's going on either, but this is heartbreaking." So, if I mean, sorry to say it like that, but if anything was to happen and go in a different direction, if he's not going to be here, then I probably will have to remove my kids cuz football mean everything

090to them. And I got to take them where going where is going to take them to the next level. So, that's it. [applause] Like I said, my name is Fairley. I want to speak on behalf of Coach Tyrone. You know, like we just said, we came from a Catholic school. So, you know, the level difference from Catholic and public. We we saw coach Tyrone. We saw determination and we saw like he he really had a mission behind everything. So, yeah, we took the step down from Catholic to public, but it's like we we trusted him. We trusted coach Tyrone. We saw like honestly speaking at our old school, we've been dealing with uh different coaches every every year since my freshman year. My freshman year, my coach he quit on us. He he told us

091he was going to be there forever and he he quit. The second year my coach passed away. And then a year after that, our coach got fired, which is like the same predicament that coach Tyrone is in. And like we really have that much time to, you know, waste. It's like I I have so much trust into coach Tyrone. Soon as we got here, he got us to connections with D1, division one colleges, visits, uh getting on the colleg's radars, and it's like division one college as a football player, that is the goal. Like that is the standard that everyone is trying to make it to. It's like we're seniors. we can't really, you know, gamble our time with, you know, we got we trying to put our trust in the coach and I really

092think he's the best foot fit for this position. Like in my opinion, like yes, you want to win games and you know, in high school sports, but it's all it's also about development. If you could develop, you know, a better play, a better person for the outside world, not only just for football. Everything isn't about football. Like they were saying, I haven't really experienced the the shirt and tie, but like like they said in the real world, look like the the gentleman up here, you have to you got to wear a shirt and tie. Like if he's forcing that rule now, then like the same rule may apply in the future. Whatever, you know, workforce that they decide to join, it's going to be like secondhand nature. Like, oh yeah, coach Tyrone told me I

093always got to wear a shirt and tie it with such and such and such. So it's like going to come second hand. They're going to be ready. They won't have to argue about it because they've been doing it for the longest. And I feel like coach Tyrone, he has really shown us a different mindset that a coach haven't shown me in a while. [applause] >> I feel as though taking coach Tyrone away from us is not only taking a coach, it's taking a father figure. As you can see, changed everybody here lives and just making them better uh men or even women at life. That's not something you should take away from someone and that's not something you should treat lightly. So that's all. >> Hi, my name is Billy Jane G. I live at

094768venue. Now I have been I have grown up in this neighborhood. I have grown up in Rosel. I have been educated here. My sister was the class of 87. I am the class of 93. My daughter was the was the class of 2018. We have seen many coaches come and go. And for the last few years, that's all that has been happening. Every time you turn around, you hear about a new football coach here at Abraham Park High School. No more do we have the coach. Do we have the coach? that's stable that have been in our boys lives and have been taking them to that championship level. Okay. Now, I'm kind of like in a rock between a rock and a hard place because I've met Coach Tyrone. I've had numerous conversations with him.

095I've seen what he's done with our boys. The person who you are recommending that to replace him. I am not only his team mom, I'm also his team nurse for the for the pop 11. Okay. Now, my son has played at that pop one level with that program and he has played, this is his freshman year, and I'm telling you this right now, if coach Tyrone goes, these boys go, which means we do not have a football team. Rosel has had a championship history in football, in track and field, and basketball and baseball. And for you to do this now and fire this coach at the end of this school year, now you risk our boys and not having a football program at all. Okay. And for them for coach to have these three boys

096to come in here from a Catholic school and to be able to play at the public level. It's because of y'all being unstable and not keeping a coach while our talent is leaving and going to Bergen Catholic and going to Perez Catholic and going to St. Peters. Okay. If you expect Roselle to be back in that winning caliber and that championship caliber, you need to keep the coaches here. This man has done amazing things with these boys. He's he's making sure that these boys not only played a part, but they looked the part when they go to these other towns. We're not Elizabeth. We're not Rawway. We don't have the budget that they have. But guess what? He made sure that our boys got those tracksuits, got those sweatuit so that when they walk into

097these to these fields and they look like somebody and they representing this town, okay? Because the other coaches wasn't doing the district hasn't been doing it. He made sure that last summer when these boys went and did 707s, he bought those uniforms. HOW MANY coaches do you know WOULD DO THAT FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM? [applause] I'll tell you this right now. I bleed red and gray. I have lived in this community all my life and I never seen a coach do that. Okay. And then on top of it, when I walk when I walk into Simpson Field and I see our boys dressed in black and red, we are not Elizabeth. We are not. We are Roselle. Our boys should be represented by the red and gray. That is what this community is. That's

098what we bleed. We bleed red and gray. And if this and all these boys standing up here telling you that coach that they want that this coach has changed their lives, then you need to listen to that. And like I said, I you know, I represent my boys here, but I also represent the Pop Warner level because like I said, I am his I am one of his teams and I'm his team nerds. And when I'm sitting there telling you that if I'm willing to support this coach over him, then you need to listen to that. You need to listen to that because at the end of the day, if you don't keep this man, guess what? are going to be gone and we're not going to have a dog one football team. Hey yo,

099be lucky and you can get that football team back. [applause] Thank you. Thank you. >> Hi everybody. My name is Nicole Brown. I live at 70 770 East Second Avenue in I don't like speaking in front of people, but as I sat back in them seats, I said I had to get up and I had to say something. Dr. know me. I lived in Rosel for many years. I'm class of 2000. I am a sports mom. I'm a teen mom. My son is not here right now because he had a prior engagement. These boys that stand behind me, half of them call me auntie, half of them call me mom. Coach Tyrone is a fantastic coach. If what these boys have not said to you don't speak value as you say that these boys matter.

100If we don't have coach Tyrone then that means that these kids didn't matter to you. You didn't think about you didn't put in consideration of anything of what these boys said to you. My son played football many years ago and he didn't have the desire to play football again. He's straight basketball and that's his passion. He came to me this year and he said, "Mom, I want to play football again." And I said, "What?" He said, "I want to play football again. I need me some cleats." He was with one of his good friends. They went to the store. They bought them some cleats. Next thing you know, I'm at the field and I'm sitting in the stands. Now I'm a football mom again. He told me one Thursday, "Ma, I need to wear a

101button-up shirt and a tie." I said, "Huh?" That's what they said we have to wear. So, we have to present ourselves like men. When my son walked out the house and he had his tie on, he had his button up on, and he had his khaki pants on, that spoke volume to me. Coach Tyrone put a lot of effort with these boys on the outside and at that field giving them special offers from different colleges and I can speak that for myself because my son has plenty of opportunities to be elsewhere or to play elsewhere and that's with basketball and that's with football as well too. My son also had told me numerous times that he wanted to go somewhere else, but because I've grew up in Roselle, this is where we at. And this

102is where I said that he's going to stay. I just hope that you all just make a good decision of what each person stood up here and said to you and put it in consideration because the coach that we're talking about, Mr. Turner needs to be here in standing at ACS. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Celeste Darren Shenkins, 455 um Dermody Street. I have not been in this building since 2018, since I was head of the PTO at Grace Will Day when my twins graduated. I came tonight because why not? Um, I have no dog in this fight at all, but my heart is breaking for these young men. I mean, everybody's been calling them boys, and I know that's from love, but these young men at this age, at this time in their

103lives, whatever, I don't know this coach. I don't follow Roselle football. I have none of that. But what this coach has obviously poured into these young men and men before them is untangible, right? You cannot quantify whatever that it is that he's poured into them. It is beyond whatever is going on on the football field and it should be considered as part of it should be it's going to carry whatever it it is is going to carry them through the rest of their lives. And how dare this community take that away from them and whoever else is behind them. Clearly, this man has made an impression on them and their families and the school and whatever decision was made made to let him go should be reconsidered. That's all. Thank you, Miss Jenkins. >> Is

104there anyone additionally for comment? I mean, give these kids a round of applause, man. And if I get emotional, just support me through it. >> Take [snorts] your time. >> Cuz I am tough. I'm a tough coach. I'm tough one because the world don't get no easier. So you got to meet them halfway where they are developable. When I first arrived here, we had 23 kids in summer school. Then the following year, he had zero academically. When I first arrived here, the first question in my interview to Miss Harvey was, "How are you going to do discipline?" I straightened up discipline. I straighten up households. I straighten up young men to develop into what we need to commit to our future right now. So, as I stand here, yes, I coached college football for four

105years. I do have some extended background. I've been a head coach before. I worked for the New York Police Division. I see kids make the wrong mistakes every day, but I regret to let them make the wrong mistakes. I get up in the middle of the night if I have to to go check on them, their parents, how it is, where they at, what the problem is, and to be a counselor, but just to be that role model. I have it that way. I ain't growing no daddy. I had to make these decisions going to college, getting through there, passing classes on my own as well. But to hear what they had to say about me, it's like giving you your flowers today. >> [applause] >> The money that we pay here from the school

106district means absolutely nothing because once I get that money I already spent three times more than that. I don't even tell the parents, hey, let's fund raise. I said, "No, I got it. Hey, pizza, I got it. Hey, 707. Oh, we can't get this. My AD told me multiple times, oh, you can't have that. You can't get this. You can't get this right now to July 1st to July 1st. Don't worry about it. I know how to order it. I get it done, I pay for it myself because we was not gonna go out there and just look like some bums on the field with white shirts on, different color. Like she said, it's red and gray all day. It's the sweatuits. It's the shirt and tie. I didn't know how to tie tie when

107I went to college. It was the most embarrassing thing ever. I said that would never happen again. And if I coach a kid, they going to know how to tie tie. Not even tie tie, but they're going to know how to get dressed for success. And I know HBCU State University and I graduated and when I came to be like you want to go my own son don't want to go to D state cuz I talk about D state so much I was three times hard on him he probably I think he he tried to get away from me no let's have a conversation because as a man one thing that that was wrong in this process right here it wasn't a fair conversation it wasn't a fair it wasn't a sit down let's have

108a sit down That did not happen this time. I'm just asking to get through this season, especially with them kids that I promise I'm going to get to college. I'm going to get them to college. I got some connections in college. I know some college coaches. We already been on it. The parents been with me riding with them to college. We been to Ruckers, Lu, all up and down here on the weekends because I know you have to get there so they can see you. In my last 24 seconds, to the parents and to everybody, thank you for trusting me with your children. Thank you. I just hope that we have a a very emergency meeting or a decision change here before the night is over. Thank you. God bless. >> Just want to say

109thank you to everyone that came up. I am going to close. Thank you all for coming up and speaking. It is 91. Dr. >> Yes. [clears throat] Yes. >> Yes. May I have a motion in a second? >> I so move. >> Yes. >> Um I would like to move that table for further discussion. [clears throat] Can we discuss consideration? Can we table it for consideration? I heard everything and the athletic director whether we vote on this tonight I just wanted to so um there was like a consideration that we remove this from the agenda. I think that what we should ask is that there is some consideration and go back to the table and come up with a better system because we are not in the business of hurting kids. I know I'm not.

110[applause] So kicking this down the road does what? because they need strengthening and conditioning because we were told that when we allocated resources for the phys for the for the fitness room that it was going to prepare them. So now if I was have if I have what's before me and I table it or I say no tonight, I'm in an impossible situation because that affects them. But I'm willing to say no so that they can go back to the table and fix it because at the end of the day, we paid a lot of money for that fitness room and they to use it. >> We paid a lot of money. Let's be real. >> I I agree. >> But tableabling it does what? I'm not angry with you. >> I I passionate. >>

111I think they they um the gentlemen were also saying I think the coach said that to reconsider. So maybe we can do >> not on the agenda. That's what I'm >> No, I'm just saying reconsider everything. Not just to reconsider it. So, if we table it, we can reconsider. >> So, we can table it. >> We could table this. >> But I don't want to lose my team. >> Oh, no. I don't even I don't even I don't want us to >> I'm not going to lose my team. >> We [cheering] No, we we we don't want to lose our team, but I want to give the administration um the the ability to further discuss. I think what we should do, we can table it, but I want to strongly encourage that the athletic director

112meet with the superintendent and they figure this out. They find a healthy solution because I am not I mean, it's been I've been kicked in the teeth since February 6. And I refuse to continue to have my character misaligned because I got to do something here. I'm not I'm not doing that. I'm not in the business of doing that. that that's the reason why >> and we can table it from a professional >> if you table it you're voting on the same resolution once it comes back >> so >> that was my >> so okay I guess so I have a question um how how soon does their strength and conditioning training need to begin >> it's been it's been cancelled for the last two weeks they need an answer They need an answer and

113I encourage the administration to get to work on this tomorrow cuz we're late. Question. So I guess we can't talk about talk about personnel out here, but does it does that bring back us voting no on this? Does it bring back the latter? I think voting no and asking to strongly encourage them to work this is the loudest message that can be sent. They got to fix this. We can't fix it. >> Absolutely not. >> They got to fix the administration, the athletic director has to work with our superintendent on making the recommendation and fixing because I don't like this predicament that we're in. It's unfair. >> I agree. I agree. But I'm I'm trying to make it so that um there's a better resolve and >> the board attorney is there a better resolve?

114What direction should we go in? >> Attorney I mean I can't answer the direction you want to go in. I can just tell you that if you table it um the same resolution comes back up for a vote. The other option is you can vote no >> or you can vote yes. >> Gotcha. and and if it's a no vote, then um the superintendent has to bring back um another resolution for the board to consider. >> I'm just asking that we strongly encourage >> But does it bring back the former coach? It does not bring back the former coach, does it? >> Well, I I don't know what happened. Um I don't know what happened with the former coach. I don't know if there was any kind of resignation or termination. >> I I don't

115know in order to um >> and and because is a personal matter that is something that has to be discussed in executive session. However, I am saying I know for me what I'm going to do. >> Okay. I think we all I think we are >> I think as a as a whole we are >> clear that they go back and figure this out. They are the adults and they are These kids are looking up to us >> and and and we can't I know we're >> okay. So with that in mind, I I know what we you know I I can imagine what all of us are feeling as well. Um the re that's the reason why I said what I said. But it is a personnel matter that needs to take place that

116we need to make a decision like expeditiously. Um because just because say no, it doesn't stop the other part on the back end from rolling forward. That's that's what I want people to understand. It doesn't stop what has occurred already to come back, you know, and that's something that they have to do. They have to talk and reconsider this. So, I I I understand, but it doesn't stop that back end. >> The attorney said we can vote in this section and then back to session before we Mrs. Washington 2.5 on 2.9 Miss Woody Um yes to everything except no to 2.88 2.9 2.1 James Roach only and 2.83 >> yes abstaining from 2.4 I'm N. >> Miss Bond, >> hold on. And with the correction to add the person's last name. 2.71 correct that name.

117>> Okay, that's it. >> She gave it in executive session. >> Yes. No to.9 to 2.10 football. Yes. Everything else. This is Cortex. So, I'm going to say um yes to everything except 2.9 210 and uh 283 and 2.88. >> Just to be clear, those are no. >> Yes. numbers you mentioned. Yes to everything except 2.9 are not 2.910 Yeah, I just want to clarify that name, too. I don't want to say no to all the coaches, just to that one particular name. And I'm abstaining from another name. I have a standing extension. Yes. So, so the motion passes except for 2.9 and 2.10 for James Roach. Those two items fail. >> Thank you. Moving forward to our Moving forward to the business section. May I have a motion and a second to actually prior

118to moving forward to the business section, there was something that came out that we need to table item 3.7. >> Yes. >> So, we're going to table item 3.7 for further discussion. So now as we to ask for the motion, may I have a motion and a second to accept and approve business items 3.1 through 3.24 on the regular agenda and 3.25 to 3.26 on the agenda >> and table 37 is part of that motion as amended. >> I so move >> second. Is there any discussion? Seeing as there's no further discussion, please take a roll call. >> Miss Woody, >> yes. >> Mortez, Dr. Atkins. >> Yes. Uh with the correction of 3.7 with the tableing of 3.7 and um extension from 3.11. I'm stating from 3.3 and yes everything else and Dr. Washington.

119>> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. Our policy committee did not meet. So there are no policies this month to vote on. Uh the next section is our curriculum and instruction items. Uh I need a motion to accept and approve curriculum and instruction items 5.1 through 5.26. >> Motion second. >> I move second. Is there any discussion? See if there's no discussion. >> Miss Woody. >> Yes. >> M. Cortez. >> Dr. Atkins. >> Yes. >> Miss Bond. >> Yes. >> Miss Turn. Um, yes. I'll take my question. >> Mrs. Washington. >> Yes. >> Dr. Washington. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. We have to add uh may I have a motion in a second to add an executive session to executive session for personnel discussion. [snorts] >> I make that motion. >>

120Washington. >> I make the motion. >> You said yes. >> Yes. >> Second. All in favor? >> I going to convene to discuss uh some of the concerns the football players brought up and uh when we come back we're going to come back and adjourn the meeting. we are going to discuss this situation so that there's something coming out of it and some direction. >> So can can I make a comment as it pertains to um the RFPs just to put on record that we're going to have a special meeting coming up in the month of June >> I just wanted to put it on record that this is something that we >> under new business. So can you put that under new business that we're going to have a special meeting in June for

121the RFPs? Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. We're live. I want to talk. >> Can I have a motion to return from executive session? >> I made a motion that we return from executive session. >> Second. >> Okay. There is an item before we move forward. Um, I need to have a motion to reconsider item 2.83. I make the motion that we could reconsider >> 283. >> Second. >> No. Roll call. >> Roll call. >> Dr. Atkins. >> Yes. >> This is the vote to reconsider. This is the vote to reconsider. >> Mrs. Cortez. >> Yes. Miss Bond. >> Yes. >> Miss Turnage. >> Yes. >> M. Washington. >> Yes. >> Miss. Woody. >> Yes. >> Dr. Washington. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Now, may I have a motion and a second

122on to approve item 2.83? >> Washington. I make the motion >> to approve it or >> motion to approve item 2.83. >> Washington. >> Motion to approve 2. >> Second >> 83. >> Second. Uh discussion. Is there any discussion on item 283? >> No. >> Seeing that there is no discussion, may I have a roll call, please. >> Dr. Atkins, >> no. >> Mrs. Washington, >> no. >> Miss Bond, >> no. >> Mrs. Cortez, >> no. Miss Turn. >> Miss Woody, >> no. >> And Dr. Washington, >> no. >> That motion did not pass. >> Motion. >> So, the motion failed, right? >> Now, may I have a motion and a second? >> When should I say it? 28. Nobody said anything. >> No, no, no. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Um, before we adjourn,

123um, we went in the back and we had a discussion based on all of the public comment that we heard about the coach. Um, I know that some of you want to have a discussion about that. So, can I have a motion in a second for that discussion? >> I so move. >> Second >> discussion. say what you >> Well, we don't have to have a a motion to have the discussion because it's not a resolution, but since it's part of um board business, you can discuss it as a board. Um in terms of responding to public comment and giving your thoughts to the superintendent, >> is there any discussion? >> Yes. I would just like to say since we voted down 2.9 um and we don't have a spring conditioning coach in place that

124if the if we're able to find someone to fill that place um we can vote retroactively to pay that person. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> Yes. I am I I hope that we can also with uh Miss Woody um that we can find someone who will volunteer until a conversation um is had with Dr. Fiser and um the director of athletics. I um I'm hoping that there will be a discussion and that that this will move very quickly >> in the sake of our students. >> Any other discussion? Um my Washington my thoughts were >> it might have to be a little louder because of that noise. >> Okay. My thoughts are that maybe the position uh for coaching could be split that Dr. uh that coach Turner could just do football and conditioning

125and uh Roach maybe the wrestling or whatever position else that was open. >> Any other discussion? >> Yes. Um, I just want to go on the record to say that my position on this is about processes and not people. And I want that to be very clear that um in the personnel department we have to um we have to follow processes um and appropriate processes. That is all >> I just want to go on record as to saying um I agree about process protocol. It's not about people. However, I am also going on record saying that I heard those students and it broke my heart to hear them and to know that our program could be impacted for decisions that have been made. So, I'm encouraging the superintendent, meet with the athletic director who should

126call a meeting with these students uh with these student athletes and their families and discuss the next steps or what's going to happen. give don't let them stay ghosted or idle too long and also they need you know meet and reconvene and find a way that we bring coach Turner back and when we bring him back just figure this out just figure out the best situation possible to move forward that's what the encouragement is but I'm also encouraging them to hear the student voices thank Thank you. >> Okay, with that being said, also before we adjourn, there's some new business items on the agenda. Dr. Atkins, can you repeat the things that you would like to discuss in the next meeting? >> So, for the next meeting, um we should have a special meeting for

127the for our RFPs that is coming up in the month of June. So based on our discussion, it should occur at the beginning of June, early June. Um, >> or maybe can it occur after Memorial Day? I mean, it's a special meeting, so it needs 48 hours to um we need only 48 hours to advertise. So, we're going into Memorial Day this week and I think going day weekend this week, but it's another long weekend that >> Yeah, that's another long weekend. But I believe that um um Dr. Um, Simmons was saying that we have to make sure our RFPs are sent out >> um and given ample opportunity to um for people to respond. And um I think June 12th was the date she mentioned for uh for for our meeting, June 12th. So

128that would be our special meeting. So, I'll reach out to the business uh business administrator uh to work on that and follow up with everyone. >> Now, may I have a motion and a second to >> move? >> Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. This meeting is ended.