001to order. Roll call, please. Mr. Karate. Mr. Okamando, present. Miss Bali. Mr. Aello, present. Wow. Misseloo, present. Mr. Lentino, present. Miss Roloff here. Miss Torbick, present. Mr. Traverso here. Misselli here. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Adequate notice of this meeting has been sent to all members of the board of education and the Bergen record in accordance with the provisions of the open public meetings act chapter 231 1975. You want to start with the student reports first? Okay. So, we're going to start with our student representative reports. Okay. Can you guys hear me? I think it's on. Yeah, that's good. Okay. Starting with
002Washington School. Just today they're hosting their desserts with dad in honor of Father's Day this weekend. And similarly, last month they had muffins with mom event and they wanted to thank their PTO for all the hard work to make all the events so special for this past school year. Also, Washington wants to send a special thank you to Jay Kempka from the high school for raising donations of bubbles for the students at Washington School. Last month, some of the students took a trip to Van Swan Zoo and Park. And this month, the rest of the students will go. And lastly, they're looking forward to the pre-K graduation on the 17th of this month and the annual petting zoo trip on the 19th. Is this thing on? All right, good. Definitely. Good. Franklin School has had
003another incredibly active and engaging month as they wrap up the school year. They recently hosted a successful kindergarten parent orientation night, warmly welcoming their incoming kindergarten families to the Franklin to Franklin school. and grades four through six enthusiastically participated in field day at the middle school high school where students enjoyed their time with the other schools. As we look ahead, their kindergarteners are busy preparing for their celebration ceremony on June 20th and their sixth graders are excitedly anticipating their moving up ceremony on June 19th. They extend their deepest gratitude to all Franklin school staff for their exceptional hard work and unwavering dedication throughout this wonderful school year, making all these events and daily learning possible for their students. Thank you to our amazing PTO and the school community and the PTO for all that they
004have done this year and to support their students. Now for Smith school, they had a very busy few weeks as the school year comes to a close. Their two field days were a very big success and the student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The upper grade students particularly enjoyed the new competitive format and even offered valuable insights for minor adjustments to enhance next year's event. The staff also expressed overwhelmingly positive sentiments about the new field day experience. Beyond the fields, they held engaging parent events in third grade, where students impressively shared their extensive knowledge of the solar system, a topic covered in their Amplify curriculum this year. Their spring concert was a huge hit, showcasing the growth and talent within the music and band programs. The Smith School art show also proved to be a
005major success with hallways bustling with students and parents actively participating in a scavenger hunt, locating their own artwork, engaging in in new art creations led by sixth grade helpers and viewing a fascinating time capsule from the year 1999. And finally, as Smith works to wrap up this academic year, they recently welcomed incoming kindergarten students for their screenings and visited a few at Washington School. The building is truly buzzed with energy as they prepare for their upcoming ceremonies and various endofear events. This past month at Long School, it's been filled with activity and excitement. Their incredible PTO kicked things off with a wildly successful color run, an event that was not only a blast for everyone involved, but also raised funds to benefit their students. Seeing the sheer joy on all the students faces that Saturday
006morning was truly heartwarming. The fun continued last week with their highly anticipated field days. Their fourth, fifth, and sixth graders embraced the thrill of a friendly competition, taking on their peers from the other elementary schools. A major highlight for them was getting to play on the high school field and in the stadium, an experience that clearly sparked excitement. Meanwhile, their kindergarten through third graders had a fantastic day filled with engaging events and fun competition with their classmates at Long School. As June unfolds, they have two special milestones planned. their sixth grade promotion on June 19th and their kindergarten celebration on June 20th. What a truly fantastic 2024 2025 school year it has been. They extend their wishes to the entire Saddle community for a wonderful summer summer ahead filled with quality time with friends and
007family, relaxation, and countless summer memories. Okay, now for the middle school. The middle school students finished their NGSLA testing recently. All the students came prepared and gave it their all. and the middle school staff is very proud of them. The students showcased their talents in the middle school concert and it was a great success. Thank you again to all the hard work from Mr. Ortega and Mr. Cuden for making it a huge success each and every year. May 19th, the middle school had their sixth grade parent night. The incoming parents were able to meet some of the middle school staff and hear what middle school is all about. They look forward to having them in the building next year. Mr. Villa Rial and some of the middle schoolers held a STEM fair on May 21st.
008The students were engaged, created educational projects, and showed off their science skills. Parents were also in attendance. Thank you to everyone who participated. On June 4th, the eighth graders went to the Rocking Horse Ranch. The weather was beautiful, and the students had a fantastic time. Thank you to Miss Sharp, Miss Summers, and all the faculty and staff for putting together an amazing day for the students. for the high school. As the school year comes to a close, June has been filled with the important milestones at Saddak High School. All the standardized and final exams are complete. Seniors have seniors have finished their finals and underassmen are now entering half days and wrapping up their coursework. Senior prom was a memorable and wellorganized event offering students a final opportunity to celebrate together before graduation. Their e
009academic awards ceremony recognized students for excellence and growth across all grade levels, highlighting academic achievement throughout the year. Students enjoyed a successful field day filled with games and school spirit and energizing break from academics. Graduating seniors are to be honored at the upcoming scholarship banquet which will celebrate their accomplishments and acknowledge their the support of local sponsors and preparations for graduation are underway. The class of 2025 is excited to celebrate their final days at Saddleber High School. They would like to thank the board as well as the community for their continued support as they close out another successful school year and look ahead to a well-earned summer break. Okay. Finally, for information regarding sports at the high school, the Solder Brook High School athletic department would like to congratulate all of the le all league
010honors, sorry. Softball first team, Victoria Rosado, Hela Helena Stam, Grace Ween, and Athena Fairley. Second team was Isabella LaGuardia, Ava Haberman, Emily Escobar, Sarah Brett, and Kayla Chiino. And an honorable mention is Ava Leto. For girls lacrosse, the first team was Diana Joe, Lyanna, and Lyanna Rodriguez. Second team was Claudia Petraik and Rachel Rosales, and an honorable mention to Abigail Beam. Track and field, first team, Jaden Taylor and Olivia Paplowski. Second team Nicole Brown and an honorable mention was Nelson Arm, Dylan Rios, Dylan Tui, Devin Thomas, Rehea Thomas, Zia Law, Alexis Reier, and Juliana Guinkes. I'm sorry. Baseball, first team, Mark Franson, Colin Taylor, and Noah Audia. Second team, Chris Vermilier, Elvis Martinez, and Anthony Wei. And an honorable mention to Logan O'Brien. For the boys lacrosse, the first team was Lucas Lamonte, Chris Lamboy,
011Mike Madzinski, Nicholas Vidiello, and John Schnapper. Second team was Dylan Sarasel, Jaden Gatis, Martin Tupensky, and Jake Regaloski. And an honorable mention to Aiden Keenan, and an all county honorable mention to Chris Lamboy. And finally, the athletic department would like to thank the Sold Brook Township and Recreation Department for the use of Vets Field and for the Lac for the lacrosse team, practices, and games. and they wish everyone a happy, safe, and enjoyable summer. Thank you. Thank you very much, guys. Uh the business administrator report, Mr. Crowy. Yeah, just quick like to update on the referendum uh projects at Koolage School, which will be the future home of the board offices. Uh we had a little delay with the power being hooked up, but now it's um done. And over the next few weeks, uh,
012we'll be getting the flooring done, furniture, and other items. So, we should be able to move in sometime in July. The athletic field, we were able to get that completed, and they got the last few games of the year, uh, to be able to play on the field. We're finishing up some fencing around the field. And this summer, we'll be doing a upgrade, a renovation to the front of that and also the front of the middle school, high school. Uh, also in the referendum were window replacements at Washington School, a ceiling and lighting replacements also at Washington School, replacing a lot of um, uh, doors, interior and exterior around the district, and uh, floor tile as well. So everything's going well and we hope to wind up uh finishing up most of the projects this
013uh summer and we're also starting you know getting all the other projects that were in the 2526 budget uh you know lined up. Summer's a pretty busy time for facilities and also the uh board offices. We're still here 12 months a year. That concludes my report. Thank you Mr. Kate. Um superintendent report. Thank you. I'm going to give provide some updates and then we are going to move on to the presentation portion of our meeting. So I want to start with our Saddle Brook High School Athletic Hall of Fame website. Um it is posted it's linked to our school district website spbpsnj.org and nominations have started to come in for our athletic hall of fame. So it is live. Please go on to that page so that way you can nominate a team or a
014previous a former athlete. I also want to acknowledge Saddlebrook Rec Team K to8 that many of our students have qualified for the New Jersey Association Junior Olympic Championships. I know it was held last weekend. I didn't do not have the results, but I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge those students. We often acknowledge our high school sports. I wanted to make sure we acknowledge our younger ones as well. I did have the privilege of attending the Smith Art Show. The art teacher over there, Mrs. Wolf, she um transformed their gymnasium into a museum. It was absolutely beautiful and I want to appreciate I want to express my appreciation to the staff who all showed up and supported the art show as well as the time capsule that was set up in the media center.
015I also want to acknowledge that Mrs. Wolf has also taken the time to paint some little baby falcons at Washington School, our preschool building. Um, and they really it looks absolutely amazing. So, thank you. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge two of our board members who recently received some awards. Miss Sylvia Zadarelli received an award for 10 years of service and Miss Haley Traversa received an award for new board member boardsmanship certificate. So I want to congratulate both of you and thank our board members for their continued support. I also am going to send out our high school newsletter, the Spring Falcon flyer. There is a QR code here also that you're welcome to scan, but I will be sending it out with my district updates because our high school team does
016a fabulous job with that newsletter. I wanted to take a moment. One of our district goals is chronic absenteeism. And I just want to acknowledge the hard work our leadership team has been putting into ach um achieving this goal by decreasing our numbers. So in 2324 last school year, we had 200 students absent. Chronically absent. chronically absent is 18 or more absences during the school year. These numbers may not be exactly precise, but they're in the general area. I did a little quick look up today. 2324, we had 200 students that were labeled as chronically absent. And then with tardies, because five tardies is equivalent to one absence, we actually had 258 students last school year labeled as chronically absent. This year we have 96 across the entire district labeled as chronically absent with tardies
017156 but we're looking at if you look at just the total number of absences last year we're at 200 and this year we are under 100. We are at 96. So I just want to acknowledge and thank our leadership team for their hard work with reducing our number our rate of chronic absenteeism. I also want to remind or inform our families, our parents that our tech team will be checking student Chromebooks starting next week. They need to make sure that they're in working order for the summer. They're going to make sure that they have a case, a charger, a working charger, and check the actual Chromebook themselves itself. So, please make sure that your your child remembers to bring their charger and their case in the event that they did take it off um to
018school starting next week. Our Saddlebrook Police, they are hosting a junior police academy. It's the third year that they're hosting this. It's for upcoming eighth graders, so our current seventh graders. It is free of charge. They do a fabulous job. They do field trips to Liberty Science Center and the county jail. They have the forensic truck visit. They try to have the state helicopter visit. Um you don't have to go into law enforcement to participate. It's a great opportunity to connect with local police. And it the dates are August 7th, August 8th. That's Thursday and Friday. And then the entire following week, Monday through Friday. And then on that last Friday, August 15th, they will have a graduation ceremony for the students. Upcoming important dates. I just want to connect on. So, starting next week,
019it gets to be pretty busy. Monday, June 16th, we have Franklin School spring concert here at the middle school high school auditorium. It had to be rescheduled due to a previous commitment. So, that concert will be taking place here Monday. Tuesday, June 17th, we have preschool graduation. Then, Wednesday, June 18th, we start our early dismissal days. Thursday, June 19th, we have our sixth grade moving up ceremonies. Friday, June 20th, kindergarten celebrations. Monday, June 23rd, our eighth grade ceremony, and Tuesday, June 24th, our high school graduation. It is coming up. I want to take a moment to wish all the dads out there happy Father's Day weekend. And moving on to tonight, we are going to do several presentations. We are going to start with our exemplary Falcons, our retirees, our teacher of the year, and
020our BCSA counselor of the year award. a BCSCA. ASA is my my organization counselor of the year award. And then after that, what's not on the agenda, we're going to follow the order of this agenda in case you're wondering, but right after our counselor of the year award, what's omitted is the seal of biiteracy students. So, we are going to acknowledge our students who have successfully earned their seal of biiteracy. That seal is going to go on their high school diploma. We started this program. Mrs. Deonus, our director of curriculum. She's going to share more, but we started three years ago, we had 13 students participate. Last year, we had 14 students, and this year we had 30. So, we are going to add that to the agenda. At this time, I'm going to ask
021our board members if you want to take a seat so that way you can join in on the presentations. It's actually really nice hearing the sound of a baby. All right, we are going to start with our student representatives to the board of education. So, these two students, Savannah and Oh my gosh, I just drew a blank. I was going to say Derek, Devon, have have joined us all year. I'm so sorry, Devon and Nerves. and they've been absolutely a wonderful addition to our board of education meeting. So, I wanted to take a moment to thank them and we're going to honor them each as our exemplary falcons for our month of June. So, I'm just going to share a moment with some of our staff members said about these two students. Savannah Sranco is
022a standout senior at Saddle Brook High School. She embodies everything a model student should be. As an editor of the high school newspaper, she brings thoughtfulness, creativity, and leadership to every issue. Known for her strong work ethic both in and out of the classroom, Savannah balances academic excellence with a warm, generous spirit. She is not only admired for her accomplishments, but also for being one of the kindest, most genuine people you'll ever meet. Please support her by reading the latest issue of the Spring High School newspaper. That's the Falcon flyer I spoke about earlier. They did want me to put it up, but I didn't want to set up the whole projector, so I will just send it out to everybody. This newspaper highlights her contributions and showcases the vibrant student journalism at Cytobook High
023School that she has inspired. Savannah is an excellent, exceptional student. She is that person who has a strong sense of self and is willing to put the work in for whatever task she might have. She is a kind and caring student who is a friend to everyone. Savannah is also very humble. She is that student that probably knows the answer but that does not grab the spotlight. She has a quiet confidence and she is the first in a group to share credit as she is going into education. Yay. Her future students are lucky. We need more Savannah in the world right now. Savannah is a wonderful high school senior. She's been an absolute blessing in our kindergarten classroom. She's not only incredibly helpful, but her calm and cal her calm and caring demeanor truly inspires
024our young students who look up to her as if she were just another teacher. It's going to be tough to say goodbye when she heads off to college, but the impact she's had on her class has been immeasurable. We're so proud of all she's accomplished and eagerly anticipate the amazing things she'll do in the future. And on to Devon. Devon Thomas. Devon, sorry. Devon did not go to middle school in the district. As such, he was placed in CP English classes at the start. When I saw his work ethic, enthusiasm, and abilities in my 10th grade class, I requested he be bumped up to honors after only two weeks. At one point, I was trying to find clean rap music to play, and he remarked that his mother only lets him play clean music so
025he could build me an acceptable playlist. He was in charge of the music for the rest of the year after that. That's an accomplishment. He has remained an exceptionally strong student throughout all of his AP English classes. But more importantly than his own abilities is his kindness and enthusiasm which are contagious and bring up the caliber of any class he is in. Devon is a kind and caring student who makes others feel welcomed. He has worked hard over the last four years and grown tremendously as a student. Where to even begin? Devon was in my CP English class his freshman year at Saddlebrook. I could see his potential early on and I'm so honored that I've gotten to see him grow into the young adult he is today. Throughout every year of his high school
026journey, I have seen Devon take an additional challenge take on additional challenges in order to grow. Devon is an excellent student, but what makes him an exemplary Falcon is his kindness towards fellow students and his willingness to help whoever is in need. I cannot think of anyone more worthy of this award. Devon should be recognized with his excellent collaborative work with the elementary administration on the monthly reports at the board of education meetings. He showed great leadership and professionalism in getting the report shared efficiently and in his communication with the principles. So I have for you hold on for each of you for your service at their monthly board meetings as board of student board of education representatives. We have a certificate I'm going to present each of you with as well as for your
027exemplary falcon, your falcon of the week shirt. So, please come on up. [Applause] Okay. So, now we're going to move on to the retirees. I'm just got the first two listed are not were not able to attend tonight's meeting. Um I just want to comment though quickly. Mr. Raymond Butler, he has retired as our bus driver and custodian. Mr. Butler is probably the most consistent figure here in the district. He was always willing to drive the bus. He hardly ever said no. He would always just smile and wave at me. And I just wanted to acknowledge his professionalism, his work ethic, and thank him for his time here in Saddlebrook. The second one listed that was not able to attend tonight is Mrs. Joyce Terry. Mrs. Terry was a middle school, high school English special
028education teacher here for many years. She's absolutely very skilled, talented, poured her heart into her job. She was always a mentor to our younger teachers. And I just want to take a moment to say thank you to Mrs. Tier for her service to our students and to our and to our school district. For the third one, we have Mrs. Kelly Fontana. I'm going to invite the principal of Law Memorial School, Mrs. Mansfield, Jacqueline Mansfield, to come up and say a few words about Mrs. Fontana. Where is Kelly? Let's see. Oh, right. I am proud to be the one to celebrate a truly remarkable woman, Mrs. Kelly Fontana. I'll wait for want to come. Oh, you'll see standing there is the reason why Miss Fontana is retiring. Right. I'll get through this. Um, Kelly Fontana, who
029for decades has truly been a cornerstone of the Long School community. For the past three years, I've had the honor of working alongside her. And I could tell you, she's so much more than a school nurse. As quoted by a fellow colleague, not only is Kelly a compassionate and dedicated nurse, but she is also an exceptional teacher. Together, we shared meaningful experiences as she created a safe, supportive environment where children can feel comfortable while learning and growing. Kelly is the person the entire staff seeks out, not just for medical guidance, but for the unwavering support and love she provides us all. She is often the secret keeper of pregnancies and exciting moments, the first we go to to share any news. She has also built special relationships with the families of long school. Relationships that
030extend far beyond the school day. It's not uncommon for Kelly to help kids who've fallen off their bikes on a weekend or or for families to stop by her house with a medical question. That's just who she is. Someone who genuinely cares and is always there for our community no matter the time of day. Another colleague shared that every member of the LMS faculty and staff feels if they have a special connection with Kelly. She is such a unique blend of medical knowledge, trustworthiness, and pure honesty. She is very easy to talk with, but mostly she has a heart of gold. From wanting to help a fallen student in the far corner of the schoolyard to signing teachers up to be epipen delegates, Kelly always looked to make make our school safer and healthier. She
031would distribute many tissues, band-aids, snacks, extra clothes, anything in her power to help students. I will always appreciate her dedication, compassion to the LMS community. It is very evident that Kelly means so much to so many. Her kindness, her expertise, her dedication, and her infectious laugh have touched countless lives in Long School. She will be greatly missed, but the legacy of care and compassion she leaves behind will continue to inspire inspire us all. Please join me in wishing Mrs. Kelly Fontana a truly wonderful retirement. [Applause] Next we have Mrs. Carol Ree, middle school high school school nurse. And I'm going to invite Carol down here along with Mr. Mish, our high school principal. All right. So, our retiree this year is our school nurse, Miss Carol Rae. Um, I don't know if there is a
032staff member where I've said more, "What are we going to do when you leave than I have to Carol?" Carol does it all and has done it very well for a long time. She's literally one of the most consistent people I've worked with and I don't think I've ever seen her get worked up until this morning when we decided to do a fire drill first thing and forgot to tell her. Took this long though. Uh the relationship between a high school principal this is on wheels and the nurse is is an interesting one. Typically when the nurse comes wants to see you it's not good. And likewise if I'm standing in her office she also knows it's probably not for good news. Um, Carol's a resource for both students and parents, uh, and staff. And
033I don't think people realize how often you think school nurse, oh, the kids go there, they're feeling sick, you know, then there's also just that blend of, you know, who's faking it, who just doesn't want to take their test, right? You know, it's all on Carol to figure that out. Um, but then the amount of staff that go to Carol, and I know for me personally in the last year, I had her check my blood pressure and heart rate once, and then one time I was like, "Do you think I have strep? I've also learned over the years never to ask her to take your temperature because no matter who you are, even if you're the teacher of the year for this middle school and high school, if you come in hot, you go home.
034That's me, too. So, I never go there if I'm feeling a little off. Over the years, Carol and I have had some fun experiences. One of my favorites when I was still in the middle school, a kid got hit in the face with a basketball. And, you know, I'm just kind of like, "All right, well, you know, what what happened? Is he okay? Did you call the parents?" And Carol's like filling me. And then she just says something to the effect of, "I don't think it was an accident." That was how she how she told me that she suspected foul play. We did one of the last 8th grade Washington DC trips together back in 2019. She's also a regular every year at the senior banquet in prom. In fact, this year at her last
035prom, she almost had to stick someone with an epipen. We tried to keep it memorable for her. last year with the record-breaking heat, she was on the field at graduation with the kids to make sure nobody dropped because I don't know if anyone remembers it was like 100 degrees out there at 6:30 at night. And ultimately, Carol does whatever we need her to do without complaining. She's been the ultimate pro. She rarely takes off and when she does, it's serious. And what I really appreciate appreciate about Carol is how much her role shifted over the years, particularly during that crazy year back after COVID when we came back and we we had a joke that year because that was the year we had to quarantine anybody who you know came within like a foot like
036six feet of someone and we made a joke that we spent every holiday together that year because we were on the phone every Thanksgiv at Thanksgiving and on Christmas quarantining people. Um, it's funny because those are the things that I'm going to really remember like of our fond memories. Carol is the person we call on the most in the school. She's the first call when something happens. Uh, and she juggles a lot of different roles. It's been sad this year. It's been bittersweet. I shouldn't say sad, but it's been bittersweet having all of her lasts for this school year. She's a pillar at the high school. Someone I've been so lucky to work with and call a friend for the last almost eight years. We're going to miss you, Carol. I don't know what we're
037going to do without you, but congratulations on an amazing career. Next, I'm going to invite Mrs. Laura Stern down to the podium. I feel like Price is right. Come on down along with our director of special services, Mrs. Jillian Collie, who's going to speak on her behalf. All right. So, I feel privileged that I get to take a few moments to honor a truly remarkable individual, a beloved colleague, and a dedicated professional who has touched countless lives, Miss Laura Stern. After 15 incredible years of service in the Saddlebrook School District as one of our school-based occupational therapists, um Laura is embarking on a well-deserved new chapter. And while we already miss her dearly, we are so excited for her journey ahead. Laura, your dedication to the students and staff here has been nothing short of
038extraordinary. You've been always been more than just an OT. You've been a guiding light, a passionate advocate, and a true partner in development. One colleague beautifully summed it up saying, "Lora Stern was a true gift, an incredible source of knowledge who helped me gain a deep understanding of sensory processing and whose warmth and collaborative spirit made working together over the years both meaningful and joyful." This sentiment resonates deeply with all of us. You didn't just provide therapy, you built relationships, fostered understanding, and empowered everyone you work with. When we think of Laura, energy is often the first word that comes to mind. You were always in motion, a whirlwind of positive enthusiasm. Whether you were setting up an elaborate obstacle course that had children grinning from ear to ear or quite literally getting down and
039dirty on the floor with students, meeting them exactly where they were, even if you had a boot on your foot after surgery or anything like that. You had an incredible knack for transforming therapy into engaging, playful experiences, always bringing new, innovative ideas to the table that pushed us to all think differently and creatively. And let's not forget your fabulous style. You always managed to bring a touch of chic to even the most energetic of therapy sessions. One colleague noted, "If there were a best dressed award for teachers in the district, it would undoubtedly go to Laura Stern." Another colleague shared, "I first had the pleasure of working with Laura when I was at Long Memorial. I remember her coming into the resource room and immediately bringing a vibrant energy. She had a unique way of
040engaging students, getting them up and moving with exercises that stimulated both sides of their brains, cross-lateral movements and breathing exercises that truly helped them respond in ways other teachers found challenging. She was so bright and cheery every single time I interacted with her and absolutely amazing with the students. Her expectation for what a student needed were always clear and direct yet delivered with such compassion. The true testament to your impact, Laura, could be seen on your last day. Um, the tears shed by students who simply couldn't bear to say goodbye speaks volumes about the deep connections you forged and the profound positive influence you had on their lives. You weren't just their therapist. You were someone who saw them, understood them, and helped them thrive. That kind of genuine care is rare and truly invaluable.
041Laura, you have left an indelible mark on this district, on your colleagues, and most importantly on the hundreds of students whose lives you so beautifully shaped. Your legacy of compassion, expertise, and joyful dedication will continue to inspire us for years to come. On behalf of everyone here, thank you for your unwavering commitment, your incredible energy, and for being such an extraordinary part of our school community. [Applause] Okay. And now for the next one, we actually have a great segue from our retiree to our teacher of the year because she's a recipient of both. So I now invite Mrs. Teresa Martin or Terry Martin, come on down. And speaking on her behalf, is Mrs. Wonder, principal of Smith's School, along with Mrs. Collie, our director of special services. I get to start. All right. Our next
042honore is truly a remarkable person, a guiding star, and an irreplaceable force within the Saddleberg public schools. Teresa or Terry Martin. Um, after an incredible career, Terry is officially retiring. And while we're deeply miss her presence, we couldn't be more thrilled for her to embark on this well-deserved new chapter with her grandbabies. Terry began her career in Saddlebrook in September of 1987. For 38 years, uh, you have been a pillar of our special education department. You have taught a variety of classes from resource room and LLD to pull out reading support, adapting to every need and always putting students first. Your dedication has been profound and your impact immeasurable. One colleague perfectly captured your essence, saying, "Terry Martin was a calming force in my life, always ready with wise, thoughtful guidance and the kind of
043perspective that talked me down when emotions ran high, especially during some of my toughest moments in school. This speaks to the mentor you've been to so many of us, always offering a steady hand and clear advice. You had an extraordinary gift. You worked with our most difficult students and time and time again found a way to reach them. It wasn't just some students who wanted to work with you. It was all of them. You worked miracularly when it came to reading. In fact, if a student needed reading support, district staff wouldn't say they needed help with reading. They'd simply say they need Terry. That's the kind of reputation you built, a reputation for transformative work. Beyond the classroom, you were a fierce advocate. You spoke your mind, always with the best interests of both students
044and staff at heart. You were instrumental in bringing vital resources to the district and provided invaluable input on crucial decisions like purchasing of new curriculum for special education classes. You truly shaped how we approach learning for our most vulnerable students. Another colleague shared a deeply personal reflection that perfectly illustrates your impact. When I first met Terry, I was so intimidated because she towered over me and she knew everything and anything. Within a few months, I knew Terry would be the person I would rely on to help me navigate being back in the classroom after many years out of it. She would also push me to get involved in different committees and help me understand the ins and outs of working in Saddle Brook School District. She had a reputation as being the special education teacher
045to go to, and she lived up to that reputation. She was my go-to person when I had a student I could not reach or I was unsure of how to approach to make a positive impact and get the best results in my instruction. She was the person I would run to to bounce ideas off of. Terry could help any child feel like they could conquer anything thrown their way, and she would guide them along the way. She was the biggest advocate for her students and was never afraid to speak her mind if it meant getting the student the services they needed. Terry could take any corner of her room and turn it into a place where magic happened. Saddlebrook was blessed to have the likes of Terresa Martin in their corner as is evident with
046all the many lives she has touched. Terry, you have touched countless lives, students, colleagues, and families alike. Your legacy of unwavering commitment, compassionate advocacy, and the magic you brought to every corner of your work will continue to inspire us all. On behalf of everyone in the Saddleberg community, thank you, Terry, for everything. And now, as if celebrating her incredible career wasn't enough, we have another special recognition for Terry this evening as we honor her as this year's Helen Smith School Teacher of the Year. [Applause] I'm thrilled to have the honor to be speaking about our teacher of the year, Terresa Martin. I've had the good fortune to work with Terry for the past eight years. As you've already heard, she is about to begin a new chapter in her life after 38 years in Saddlebrook.
047Now, my challenge is how does one succinctly share all the reasons someone with that level of experience gets named as teacher of the year? So, I'm just going to take some of what her staff and colleagues, what the staff and colleagues were saying about her um and share that out. We get information from the community as well as from teachers about who should be our teacher of the year. So, several of these excerpts come from that survey. As a dedicated dyslexia specialist, Terry brings extraordinary passion, intelligence, and commitment to her work each and every day. Her impact on students, staff, and school community is nothing short of remarkable. She possesses a gift for teaching children to read through instruction and unwavering belief in her students potential. She changes frustration into confidence. She challenges students and
048celebrates their progress with joy and encouragement. Beyond the classroom, Terry is a trusted mentor and colleague. She offers invaluable advice, support, and insight to all. On a personal level, Terry is my go-to person. Whenever I need thinking through a tough situation or brainstorming new approaches for a student, I know I can count on her insight. Another colleague said, "She has always been the person I go to for any advice when it comes to helping my special education students. I've watched her take the students who struggle the most and build them up to find success in their academics and their personal growth." Terry never accepted that a student couldn't be successful. She always pushed her students to reach their fullest potential. Over the years, I have seen students who could not read turn around and become
049a reader and do a speech at the sixth grade moving up ceremony. Terry makes me want to do more and inspires me to continue to grow as an educator. Terry helps so many students and her dedication to learning is an example for all. Another said, "She goes above and beyond each day with a passion that is unmatched. She is willing to not only help the students who are in our class, but any student whom she comes into contact with. She often giving up time to help students in need. One example that comes to mind is a fifth grade student who was seeking out Mrs. Martin. This student was not part of Mrs. Martin's class, but had heard that Mrs. Martin was willing to help students with study habits. Mrs. Martin spent time showing the student
050how to create note cards to study and how to use pictures and other strategies to help the student remember the concepts. The student was greatly appreciative and left with a big smile on her face. Mrs. Martin told the student she'd be happy to help her anytime. Several days later, the student was seen knocking on Mrs. Martin's door again. This time, the student confided to Mrs. Martin that she was having having trouble focusing in class and asked if she could give her strategies on how to focus. Mrs. Martin patiently sat with the student, delivering suggestions, and they developed a relationship that has contributed to this student's personal growth and confidence. On a personal note, when I first met Terry, she explained that she worked one-on-one, and all I needed to do was just carve out a
051little space in the world building to work. She wasn't picky. It was rumored that she was known to work in hallways, corners of rooms, and every once in a while, even an elevator when things got tight. She has worked all over Smith School and always makes it work. This year, she actually landed with one of her closest colleagues and friends, and I'm glad that that was for her final year. Many of you may not know what her role fully entails. As a dyslexia and reading specialist, Mrs. Martin is an expert in helping students with dyslexia learn to read. She is skilled in reaching students who have shut down, who are frustrated, who may be angry or doubting themselves. She uses the proven multiensory methodology from Orton Gillingham. What you may not know is that every
052lesson that she teaches is tailored and made to individually reach each student with the skills they're working on. Based on every answer a student provides, her lesson has to adapt and can go in many different directions. She must work to plan for all of this to have the appropriate activities, words, phmic activities, etc. in place. Just one 45minute lesson can take hours to prepare. Now imagine doing that weekly for students across three to four buildings. Terry is a force. She will not sit back and watch a student struggling. She will advocate for staff members and she has impacted so many children and families over the years. What is truly remarkable is that Terry has become so significant that you will hear staff as already mentioned say, "Oh, he or she needs Terry." That comment is
053not made that they need extra reading support or multiensory reading. Her work has made such a mark on families and staff that they prescribe the person rather than the program. As an administrator, we often remind staff to not recommend someone based on the fact that they could move, change jobs, retire. But her proven track record and all of her intangibles have made her name synonymous with success in reading. She is the queen of phonics. As a school principal, I had a mentor once tell me that all staff are replaceable. Not that in a bad way, but the idea that when staff will come and go, but we will always find someone to fit the role. This time, our Smith Teacher of the Year and Retiree might just be the person that we can never replicate
054or replace, and that's going to be okay. Mrs. Ter Terresa Martin, you have made your mark on Saddlebrook with our students, with your colleagues, and the administration. Thank you for everything you have done and thank you for all of the work you have done for our students throughout your Saddlebrook career. Congratulations on your retirement and the muchdeserved honor of teacher of the year. Thank you [Applause] story. I said you pulled me old. Don't I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it. I'll go on one side. Okay, I just wanted to say I appreciate everyone's patience. We are more than halfway done with the presentations. We are going to move right along. Once the presentations are over, we will have a motion to take a short break so that way you could
055take some photos and exit if you wish to. Next, we have Mrs. Marissa Dunn from Franklin School. Please come on down. And I invite Mr. Robinson, principal of Franklin School, to come say a few words. [Applause] Hey, on behalf of the entire Franklin School community, I'm honored to present the teacher of the year award tonight to Miss Marissa Dunn. Miss Dunn is Franklin School's exceptional reading specialist and educator, but she also personifies what it means to dedicate yourself to the academic social well-being and growth of students and especially in the important area of literacy. She is the quiet force behind so many of our students biggest breakthroughs. In her sessions, all students feel safe, encouraged, challenged, supported, and valued. Marissa's positive reputation precedes her. There have been so many instances when parents have spoken to
056me about Miss Dunn. When her name comes up in conversation, it's always followed by glowing praise. It's clear how dramatically she impacts students lives. I wanted to share just a few statements that were submitted during our nomination process for teacher of the year. In the nomination she received from families at Franklin, parents commented about how much students look forward to their time with her and how she has helped their children improve their reading skills. They speak of her kindness, patience, and her ability to make learning fun. Another parent wrote, "My son loves going to see her so much that his brother said he wished he needed more help with reading so he could go see her, too. That's when you knew you're doing something right. Kids wishing for more reading intervention." Another nomination form said,
057"Miss Dunn is a constant professional and always takes time to communicate with parents." These comments perfectly capture the spirit of Marissa's impact. She doesn't just teach reading, she ignites a passion for it. Her patient, engaging approach transforms what could be a challenge into an exciting journey of discovery. Beyond her direct work with students, she's also a true collaborator, a key member of school committees and teams, always bringing a keen eye and invaluable feedback that strengthen our entire instructional approach. She assists all of our teachers in their data collection, works tirelessly with staff members at Franklin and across the district, and she plans engaging events for our students throughout the year, including our reading celebrations, March Madness for Books, Reading Buddies, and ReadAcross America Week, where Marissa regularly regularly recruits her dad to come to school
058to read. Marissa, your passion, your expertise, your dedication to empowering and guiding students to become confident and joyful readers, and your commitment to the Franklin School families, staff, students, and entire community are nothing short of remarkable and inspiring. We are incredibly fortunate to have you as part of the Franklin School family. Thank you for all that you do. Sorry. I now invite Mrs. Kathy Ripus to please come on down. No. Did I miss No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I messed up. I skipped. I'm sorry. I'm really not on my a game tonight. I now invite I now invite Mrs. Ricky Wolf to please come on down. And speaking on her behalf is Mrs. Brook Hannenburg, our supervisor of special services and principal of Washington School. Okay, I'm gonna keep this brief because I know you
059want me to. It is truly an honor to stand here today to recognize and celebrate a very special member of our school community. Someone who brightens our hallways with creativity, fills our classrooms with imagination, and designs incredible backdrops for all of our school events. and she does all of this while also teaching um at Smith School and creating a fabulous art museum for their students as well. This individual is cherished by students and staff alike and has even made history for Washington School by designing our iconic new baby falcon logo which is now a visible symbol of our school spirit, gracing our spiritware and proudly painted on our hallway walls. Miss Ricky, we will forever be grateful for your contributions and dedication to Washington School. Aside from your sheer artistic talent, you have a unique
060gift of calm, which is really saying something for preschool that you relay to our youngest students through your art classes. Your endless creative visions provide so much value to the impressionable minds of our preschoolers. You allow them well really encourage them to get messy, use their hands, and nurture their confidence by bringing out the creativity in all of them. Yes, you are a wonderful teacher of art techniques, but you are also constantly planning lessons that encourage problemolving, fostering fine motor skills, social interactions, language development, and spark a curiosity in them that only you can do. Miss Ricky is always one to think outside the box. And maybe this isn't too surprising for an artist, but the way she sees the world is truly impressive. She can turn anything into a masterpiece, literally. And although she
061has a desk this year, she's frequently found laying thing laying things out in the middle of the floor, planning something extraordinary for her students or our building. But she'll always tell you, "Oh, it's nothing." Miss Ricky guides her students with patience and celebrates every unique creation. Miss Ricky's work is a true testament to the power of early education through art. You bring out the best in every child, making learning a truly joyful adventure. On behalf of all of us at Washington School, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your incredible work and wish you a heartfelt congratulations on being named Washington School's teacher of the year. You truly deserve this recognition for all you do to inspire the imaginations of our youngest artists. Yes, you're welcome. [Applause] Okay. Now, at this time, I invite
062Mrs. Kathy Ripus, middle school, high school English teacher, to come on down. And Mr. Mish, our high school principal, is going to speak on her behalf. This this is where we told Kathy she was the teacher of the year at a fake junior class meeting that we planned for the I mean we filled it with stuff but we made up a meeting. We sent it out to the staff and students so she didn't sniff anything out because I feel like she would have otherwise. And this is where we told her in front of all the juniors where she's a class adviser. So, it's my honor to present Kathy Ripus as the middle and high school's teacher of the year. Uh, in my opinion, it's a an honor that's long overdue. Since we started our process
063of taking in nominations from parents, students, and faculty, Kathy has always received some of the most heartwarming year after year. I actually met Kathy before I started in Saddlebrook because she was on my interview committee for middle school vice principal and then three years later on my committee for principal and both times asked me the hardest questions like those double questions that are and they were the hardest and I I remember before I met her I was like what is what is she doing? It didn't take me long to realize that it is because that is how much she cares about everything that she does and especially the people that are in front of the students. Um, she set herself apart and showed that she's the real deal. She's super smart and cares about the
064content. When she was in the attested grade level in the middle school, she had the best scores in the district. But more than that, she loves her students. The knock on high school teachers is that they love the content over the kids. That is not Kathy. She loves the students as if they were her own kids. A few years back, we convinced her to go full-time in the high school, and that just all that did was magnify her impact. Some of our graduating seniors this year have had Kathy in 7th, 9th, 10th, and then again for public speaking. Even when Kathy's not teaching, she has students with her at all times. is her prep, her lunch, and her seventh period hall duty where she's always surrounded by kids. Whether she's just being a teacher, providing
065extra help or guidance on an in-class assignment. Other times, it's as a as an adviser where she runs two big clubs for us, Falcons, for change in DECA. And then she also is one of the co-advisers for the 11th grade class. And sometimes she's just being a trusted adult and mentor who's there for our students. I mentioned public speaking. If if something alone could have gotten her this honor, it would be that what she's done with that course is is nothing short of remarkable. She jumped at the opportunity when it came up. When students wanted to run that course, she was like, "Sign me up." She was still in the middle school at the time. And what they've done in there is simply amazing. They do the comedy club debates, guest speakers, how-to speeches. What
066she gets out of the kids in the class is absolutely amazing. and she is hands down the teacher who invites administration and other staff and other classes to their her class the most. In fact, actually I forgot to another district came to observe her because of how well she's been doing with that. So to close I'm going to so every teacher has a little fan club of students. So I went and found some of her fan club and just asked them you tell me a couple things that you like about Miss Ripus. self from her Falcons for Change co-presidents. Mrs. Ripus has had a profound impact on the lives of so many students, myself included. Her one wavering support, encouragement, and belief in our ideas have helped us grow into more confident and passionate individuals.
067Falcons for Change would not be what it is today without her guidance and dedication. I'm truly honored to have her as a mentor. Then from Stella, who you scared by when I was looking for her earlier. It's usually not a good thing if the principal is looking for a kid, but this was a positive. Mrs. Ripus, who is without a doubt my favorite teacher, is truly one of a kind. She is kind, hard-working, deeply compassionate, extremely passionate for her job, and is truly someone I lean on and look up to as a person. She has helped me more than anyone could ever imagine, and her impact on my life goes far beyond the classroom. Being named teacher of the year is only a glimpse of the greatness she brings every day. I used to think
068teachers like that only existed in movies, but she's real, and I'm so lucky to have been her student. She's truly the best teacher I've ever had and I'm forever grateful for her. And last, of course, Nina. I first had Mrs. Ripus as my ninth grade honors English teacher. I was extremely intimidated as I was one of the only students that had not had been in her middle school class years prior. I am now graduating high school and I have not left her side since freshman year. She goes beyond constantly correcting my grammar, supporting me through every phase of my teen years and witnessing me grow into the person I am today. I am indebted to her for helping me become the best version of myself and opening my eyes to the length that a little
069bit of kindness can go. Although she jokes that she needs me more than I need her, I think that may be the only thing that she's ever been wrong about. Every year the teacher of the year voting has been close. This year it was an absolute landslide. From the nominations to the committee votes, Kathy was the clear favorite. She's a model teacher who puts 100% in everything she does. She's one of the greats. She might be the best all-around educator I've ever worked with in almost 20 years in the field. Congratulations at being named teacher of the year. Kathy. [Applause] Miss Ariana Diaquino from Law Memorial, come on down. [Applause] And to say a few words on Ariana, we have Mrs. Jackie Mansfield, principal of Long Memorial School. It is my pleasure to celebrate a
070truly exceptional educator, Long Schools Teacher of the Year, Miss Ariana Dino. While many of us have known her for the past 18 years in various grade levels, I've had the privilege of knowing her as the phenomenal kindergarten teacher, Miss D. Miss D is a teacher who is always growing professionally, always seeking new ways to engage her young learners, and always sharing her expertise with her fellow staff. She not only shares that expertise with fellow staff, but also welcomes um teachers from other districts to come witness her amplify strategies. And anytime I'll go into Mist's room and say, "There's a school that wants to come in," she's like, "Bring them in. I'm happy to share." And I'm always so proud to showcase Misty's classroom. She creates learning opportunities that are not only effective, but are also
071incredibly fun and creative. One of my absolute favorite memories is witnessing her students celebrate the end of the Amplify unit on Kings and Queens. I am honestly not sure who was more excited, Misty or the students. Misty proudly arrived dressed as a queen, and it only added to the magical environment she creates daily in her kindergarten classroom. That day perfectly showed the joy and dedication she brings to her teaching every single day. Visiting her classroom is a highlight of my day for sure. In between meetings, I just pop in and say, "I just need a little bit of kindergarten today." And seeing Miss D, there's always something fun, something exciting, and the kids are just so happy. And it really just shows the true love of education that Misty has. You might walk into her
072classroom or see her walking into a kindergarten orientation and wonder why you see a box of ice cube trays, clothes pins, puffy balls, or just walking around carrying pieces of lined paper. But for Miss D, these are one of her many buckets of tricks. Tools that she ingeniously uses to develop her students skills and in this case to grow their fine motor skills in a creative way. She is constantly trying new things, always benefiting our kindergarten students in extraordinary ways, and she truly goes above and beyond. Miss D gets so excited to grow professionally and share that she will find and seek out new ways to enhance kindergarten and say, "I found this professional development. Do you think I can get this approved?" And as effective as she already is, she always wants to grow
073and always wants to share that knowledge, which I always appreciate. In her nomination, I will quote a line that I agree with completely. Ariana, as a teacher, but especially as a kindergarten teacher, is the kindest, gentlest, most caring individual and gives all her students the best opportunity to learn and grow. She is a team player and will help and guide any staff member or student teacher or high school student to help the stu school and students succeed. Misty embodies the spirit of a lifelong learner and a passionate educator. She is a true asset to our school and we are incredibly fortunate to have her. Please join me in congratulating Miss Diao. [Applause] Now I invite Bergen County School Counselor Association Counselor of the Year, Mrs. Christina Cassan to come on down. And speaking on speaking
074on her behalf or for Mrs. Sassan, we have Mrs. Nicole Deonus, our director of curriculum and instruction. So thank you. Okay. So, Bergen County School Counselor Association is an organization that our school counselors belong to. Um, and they put out this survey and I got the results as I was sitting on my couch one night and I see this congla congratulatory email come through and I text Christina and I said check your email. She goes why? That's never a good thing, right? I said, "Just check your email. Check your email." I'm like, "Congratulations." And she checked it and she was so excited. I don't know if I was more excited than she was, but it was it was a great great moment. So I am honored to talk about Mrs. Cesson. So Mrs. Casson is
075far more than a counselor. She is understanding, a source of calm, and a tireless advocate for every student and staff member who walks through her door. Time and again, we've seen students enter her office feeling overwhelmed or distressed, only to emerge with a smile, their burdens lightened by her empathetic ear and insightful guidance. She has an unparalleled ability to help you see a situation from another's perspective. No matter the issue, big or small, Mrs. Esson always hears you out with an open heart. Her dedication goes far beyond the traditional scope of her role. Christina is renowned for her unwavering support. Whether it's navigating complex scheduling, offering guidance on personal struggles, or providing solace during family crisis, students know her door is always open, and they can turn to her for help at any time. A
076sentiment echoed by staff who also find her to be a reliable and positive presence. It's also helpful that she keeps the best stock of candy in the entire high school in her office. As one colleague shared, Christina is the guidance counselor I'll send my students to when they need to be seen. She not only sees the potential in everyone around her, but actively facilitates its fruition. This year, we witnessed a truly remarkable testament to Mrs. Sassone's profound compassion. When a senior student's mother was battling a terminal illness with the heartbreaking hope of seeing her son graduate, Christina sprang into action. She navigated a fluid, incredibly sensitive situation from a small school ceremony to a hospital bedside possibility. Ultimately, thanks to her relentless efforts, hundreds of firemen and police officers filled this auditorium for a moving
077graduation ceremony for one student, allowing his mother to witness his triumph. This is just one of the many stories illustrating how Mrs. uess on will jump hoops every day for every kid. That's not just doing her job. That's who she is. Many students credit Mrs. Cesson with helping them navigate their toughest high school years. And we all remember them. They're tough. She has been a constant source of support for those struggling with mental health, providing a safe haven and an opening an open listening ear. As one student eloquently put it, "I didn't think I would make it out of high school successfully and fulfilled, but with her help, I have never been proved so wrong. She brings out the absolute best in me." Mrs. Essan genuinely cares, going above and beyond to connect with and
078care for her students, even those who aren't officially on her case load. She consistently makes students feel loved and accepted, always ready to lend a hand, even when she doesn't have to. It's no surprise that the student whose mother was battling cancer, Miss Sassan nominated and received Bergen County's unsung hero. It's fitting then that we now recognize the person who is always singing the praises of everyone else. Please join me in extending our sincerest congratulations to Mrs. Chris Christina Cassan, the Bergen County High School Counselor of the Year. Okay. So we provided ample time for our students to arrive to our meeting and at this time we are going to celebrate our students who have achieved their seal of by literacy for this school year. Speaking on this program, I invite Mrs. Nicole Deonus up
079to the podium again to say a few words. So, a lot of these students did get honored at the um academic awards night. So, I know I I said to them, "Come. It's so exciting. We want to we want to celebrate you one more time." So, we'll see who is here. Those are in alphabetical order, just so you know. So, the New Jersey State Seal by Literacy is an award given by the New Jersey Department of Ed education, also known as the NJDOE, in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in at least one language in addition to English by high school graduation. The NJDOE established the state seal of biiteracy program in 2016 to help students recognize the value and the tangible benefits of bilingualism. This designation on a student's high school
080diploma also provides employers and universities with a method of identifying bilingual candidates, students with 21st century skills and those who have prioritized the study of other languages and cultures. Moreover, the state seal of biiteracy emphasizes the importance of both bilingualism which facilitates improved communication and boosts the local economy and cultural understanding which promotes social acceptance. We are very proud to award the following students for this achievement. So as I call your name, please come up. I will say their name and then what language they um received the seal in obviously English and then the secondary language. I will stay and please stay up here for a picture. Okay. Ashley Asero in Spanish. Jasmine Ali in Spanish. Yamallet Alvarez Spanish. Natalie Anduhar, Spanish. Erica Angulo Barontes, Spanish. Victoria Balac, Polish. Susanna Bubenko, Polish. [Music] Sabrina Bouet,
081Spanish. Mia Caha, French. Allison Cajo, Spanish. Stephanie Carbalo, Spanish. Lorena Carmona Lopez, Spanish. Cassandra Czecha, Spanish. Briana Cologne, Spanish. Nicole DeFrank, Spanish. Manny Espanol, Spanish. Stephanie Gantis Nunez, Spanish. Katie Han, Spanish. Natalyia Jerki, Polish. Man beer car Punjabi. Karolina Copek Polish. Alexandra Lada Polish. Justin Martinez, Spanish. Caitlyn Menddees, Spanish. Betty Maretta, Spanish. Paulina Pacina, Polish. Lenabel Pñena, Spanish. Claudia Petrachek, Polish. Amina Pomerance, Russian. Melanie Rodriguez, Spanish. Sylvanas Safranco, Spanish. Nick Selenas, Spanish. Eduardo Tovar, Spanish. And last, but certainly not least, Matthew Vera, Spanish. We are so proud of all of you. [Applause] Congratulations to all of our awardees this evening. At this time, Mrs. Torbick, could we have a motion to take a three minute break? All right. Thank you very much. We will break for three to five minutes. Guys, we're gonna come back
082into session. Thank you. Can I have a motion to I didn't even say what I'm motioning. You guys are quick. We got to open to the public. Can I have a motion to open the public? Motion. Second. Thank you. All in favor? I opposed. Would anyone like to speak on agenda items only? Okay. Can I have a motion to close to the second? Thank you. All in favor? I opposed. Thank you. Okay. So, board action items. We have item B2425.46 through B2425.50. Does anybody have any questions? I reviewed these on Monday night with everybody, but if you have any questions, please ask. Okay. Uh, roll call, please. I think Mike. Yeah. Second. I think Mike did. Okay. Misselli. All yes to all except I'm going to abstain on 2425.46. 46 number four. I was not
083at that meeting. Mr. Aamando, yes. Mr. Archello, yes. Missel, yes to all, but I'm going to say from in B2425.46 meeting numbers four and five. I was not here. Mr. Florentino. Uh, yes to all, but also P2425.46 number four. Miss Roloff. Yes, M. Traverso. Yes. Miss Torbick. Yes. Education and curriculum. Miss, yes. Okay. At the recommendation of the superintendent, I make a motion to approve the following items. E24254 through E24257. Any questions? Second. Yes. Second. Thank you. Any questions? Okay. Roll call, please. Misselli, yes. Mr. Akamando, yes. Mr. Oello, yes. Miss Einelo, yes. Mr. Lorettino, yes. Miss Roloff, yes. Mr. Traverso, yes. Mr. Torbick, yes. Budget and finance. At the recommendation of the superintendent, I make a motion to approve the following items. BF2425.133 through BF2425.156 second any questions there's a lot here so okay
084roll call please yes commando uh yes to all but number um BF2 425.133 abstain from check number 67028 Mr. Archello. Yes. Miss Zelo. Yes to all but in BF2425.133. I'm going to abstain from check numbers and check 3416. And then in BF242536, I'm going to abstain from item number 164. Okay, Mr. Lorentino. Yes to all, but under BF2425.133, I'll abstain from checks 3144 and 3486. And under BF2425.136, I'll abstain from number 164. Miss Roloff, yes. Mr. Traverso, yes. Miss Torbick, yes. Facilities and operations. At the recommendation of the superintendent, I make a motion to approve the following items. F2425.11 through F2425.14. Second. Second. Thank you. Just as an side note, Saddle Brook Police Department did reach out and they wish to express their gratitude to the board of education if you do vote yes to4
085um to allow them to use the buses for their junior police academy. Roll call, please. Misselli, yes. Mr. Pakamando. Yes. Mr. Archello. Yes. Miss Zelo. Yes. Mr. Lorentino. Yes. Miss Robo. Yes. Mr. Traverso. Yes. Mr. Torbick. Yes. Okay. So, we have no policy. We have no negotiation. So, personnel. At the recommendation of superintendent, I make a motion to move the following items. P2425.86 through P2425.10. 103. Can I have a second? Second. Thank you. Any questions? Okay. So, for A6, we do have a teacher resignation and a power resignation. We have our leaves. And then following that, we have 88 hour appointments. So, I will just go through. There's a revision for an evening custodian that was already approved. Number two is a new hire as a middle school, high school English special education teacher. She
086actually completed her student teaching with us two years ago. Then we have our student helpers for summer clerical and summer custodial assistance. We have a long a school nurse for law memorial school, a school nurse for the middle school high school. Two elementary teachers both for Franklin school. We have number 13 completed her student teaching with us this current year just just this past May. Number 14 is an um IT level one support and then we added number 15. Number 15 has been contracted with us for the last few months for a leave a maternity leave for a district behaviorist and she signed today um accepting the offer for a full-time tenure track position. And then we have 089 in our stipens. Um, there was a slight revision to the ESY staff. The stipen for
087an evening custodian. The district head nurse number three is going to be Mrs. Colada. District transportation coordinator. Oh my goodness, I just did something. You're screwing us up there. I do. I do. Okay. District transportation coordinator is Mr. Tony Calderia. Then we have our assistant crosscount coach, assistant girls soccer coach. We have the um a bunch of assistant a few assistant football coaches and co-assistant football coach and the volunteer football coaches. We have Ricardo Carol who is in resides in Sbrook as our head boys basketball coach. Then we have our school counselor summer hours at the middle school high school. That was part of our accepted approved budget. Um number 19, we're resending the anti-bullying spe specialist stipen as he was not for the middle school high school. It was a different staff member. And
088number 20 and 21, that staff member left us mid year. And number 22 and 23 is for Mr. Harter, who took over for the music teacher midyear as a stipen for the concerts. He did work the recorder concert back in April. And he has a spring concert coming up next week. Then we have our exhibits that we went through on Monday. 101 authorizes me to make um to fill any appoint any remaining vacancies over the summer. We have a student teacher. She completed her observations in this past spring and will complete her student teaching experience in the fall at Smith School. And then 103 is a community member who requested to do three observation hours and that's actually for this current school year. So she will do it. Thank you. Does anybody have any questions?
089You did book oceans, right? I'm sorry. Roll call, please. Misselli? Yes. Mr. Akamando? Yes. Mr. Archello? Yes. Miss Einelo? Yes. All but in P2425.89. I'm going to abstain from item numbers 5 through 13. Yes. Everything else. I'm sorry. What number was that? 513. No. No. What was that? P2425. 89. Okay. Sorry, Mr. Laantino. Yes, but I'm going to abstain from T I'm sorry, P2425.89 under number one for number line 28. Then I'm going to abstain from P2425.91 on the exhibit number five and P2425.92 number 66. Okay. Miss Roloff. Yes. M Traverso. Yes. Miss Torb. Yes. Okay, I just wanted to remind everybody, the board members in our community that when we um negotiated the teacher contract, we did put money into the salary guide and we consolidated our steps. So we started out with 28
090steps and next not next school year 26 27 we will be down to 21 steps. So right now the number of step does not correlate to the number of years of teaching experience. For example, step three would be year one for next school year. So, I just want to make sure I point that out. And I also want to acknowledge that we have two of our new hieres in the audience. I see Miss Taylor Roth and I see Mr. Ricardo Carol. Um, so I just wanted to wish you both congratulations. [Applause] Thank you. Okay. Does anybody have any committee reports? None. Leaison on reports. Leaison. PTO. Okay. Who wants to go first? PTO. PTO. Yeah. I'll do quickly. All right. We're doing PTO. Yeah. Go ahead. I'll wait. For Long Memorial School. The previous events
091of their color run field days and Humdiggers fun and games with my number one lady were all a success. We thank all of our volunteers and chairpeople for your assistance in making these events possible for our wonderful school community. Upcoming events. The LMS PTO will be awarding $500 scholarships to three LMS alumni at the annual senior banquet which will be held on Tuesday, June 17th. End of year class parties will be held on June 23rd. The PTO will provide pizza and ice pops for all students and staff. Class parents will provide additional goodies and activities. And as always, ongoing sales for their spirit sale continues. Please visit website to place an order. As a friendly reminder to all LMS PTO members, you can join their Facebook pages and all LMS families and staff are encouraged
092to visit their website which is kept up to date with all upcoming events, fun, fundraisers, meetings, and etc. Their next meeting will be held in October of the next school year at the LMS cafeteria. Thank you. I have a Smith school. Um, they want to say a big thank you to all the Smiths families who have helped make this school year a great one. To everyone who participated in fundraisers, came out to events, and to the parents who have volunteered especially, thank you. Field day was a big success. Students enjoyed the new format and had a great time. Our spring book fair was buy one get one free and the kids enjoyed shopping. We had the opportunity to donate books to the school library. End of the year picnics are planned for next week with
093pizza from the PTO. Oh, nope. Go ahead. Uh we are also planning different treats and surprises for all students the last few days of school. and a heartfelt congratulations to all the teachers of the year and those who are retiring. You will be missed. Uh thank you to the board and have a great summer. Uh thank you to the PTO for uh Smith School for all you do. Appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Franklin School just wants to wish everybody a very safe, happy, and healthy summer. They'll see you in September. Be ready to work. high school. They want to wish everyone a fun, restful summer and look forward to seeing everyone at their inperson meetings in September. They're switching back to live meetings. Okay, that's it. Thank you. You have anything to say? No. Sana
094took all my Washington school updates and her. So, good job, but bad on me. Nothing else to add. Thank you, guys. Do we have any correspondence? Any old business? Motion. Motion. What? I don't I thought you said open. No. No. I said any old business. No. So before I open new business, I just want to um first I want to say congratulations to Sana and Devon um who will be graduating. Congratulations guys and best of luck on whatever is next on your agenda. Um, I wanted to also congratulate all of our teachers of the year and our counselor of the year for their um, accomplishment. That's amazing. And to wish all our retirees um, a very health Yeah, I was going to say very healthy and happy rest after a very long time. Um, and
095we appreciate everything that you've done for um, the Saddle Brook community and I want to wish everybody a happy Father's Day. Does anybody else have any new business? Uh Devin, thank you for making it feel like uh Barry White was here every meeting if it's comfortable. Uh congratulations on your uh graduation and uh good luck for the summer. Happy Father's Day. Savannah, good luck with everything. Anyone else? New business. Just a thank you to Devin. And so Savannah, it was great working with this with you this year. Congratulations uh on your graduation and whatever's next for you. Uh congrats again to all the retirees. Thanks for your dedication. Um and I wish you nothing but the best. Congrats to all the teachers of the year winners. Well done. Um congrats to to the new teachers
096that were that are here today. Wishing you the best in your new positions. And then just quickly, deepest condolences go out to the family of Michael Redo who tragically passed away this week was a a foreign falcon of us of ours. So, uh, deepest condolences to, uh, the family and and and all that and happy Father's Day. Thank you. Through the chair, I want to congratulate Sylvan and Devon. And I just want to say I sit in the seat and sat through a lot of reps, but you guys made this year very much fun. Enjoy. Have a safe summer and best of luck. And congratulations to everybody who retired and got new jobs. Okay. So, can I have a motion to open the meeting to the public? Motion. Second. Thank you. All in favor? I.
097Any opposed? Would anyone like to speak? Thank you. Can I have a motion to close? Motion. Second. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. So, we'll close the meeting. Thank you everybody. for everything. This is our last meeting, isn't it? We have to go to closed. Oh, we do? Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot we have to go to close. Sorry, we're going to close session. I forgot. We don't normally do that on Wednesday. Okay. So, whereas the board of education must discuss matters which are not appropriate for discussion in a public meeting. And whereas these subjects are within the exceptions to the open public meetings act and are permitted to be discussed in close session pursuant to NJSA 104-12B. And whereas the board of education intends to discuss matters as follows. We have hib cases and
098the superintendent's evaluation. Whereas the length of the closed session is estimated to be 30 minutes after which the public meeting of the board shall reconvene and action will not be taken. Now therefore be it resolved that the board of education will recess into closed session for only the afor subjects and be it further resolved that the board of education hereby declares that is its discussion of the aforesed subjects will be made public at a time when the public's interest in disclosure is greater than any privacy or governmental interest being protected from disclosure in accordance with the open public's meeting act. Can I motion go? Right. Can I have a motion to go to closed? Second. Thank you. All in favor?