001Okay. Roll calls. Miss Barbie >> here. >> Mr. Bend >> here. >> Moral >> here. >> Miss Brody >> here. >> Mr. Greenblot >> here. Dr. Okowski >> here. >> Miss Seriani >> here. >> Miss Williams >> here. Please rise for the pledge of 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. session. >> We just met in executive session where we discussed PIB and personnel. And tonight we have our recognition and instructional updates from PTA. So tonight, as we do every year, we're thankful to have the opportunity to recognize our amazing PTA. The partnership between the district and the PTA is invaluable. They put in countless volunteer hours throughout the school year to create
002fun, memorable events for our students, their families, and our teachers. We would like to recognize and thank our PTA for their dedication to our students and school community. As a token of the board's appreciation, we will give the PTA presidents councils a thank you gift. The Brunner PTA president Jennifer Quincia is finishing her second year as the Brunner PTA president. Incoming PTA president has yet to be announced. Cole's PTA president Stephanie Tishler is finishing her first year as the Cole's PTA president and will continue as the Cole's PTA president next year. Evergreen PTA President Audra Kopalitz is finishing her fourth year as the Evergreen PTA president. The incoming PTA president has yet to be announced. AGAIN PTA president Jeff Petrella is finishing his second year as an again PTA president. The incoming PTA president has
003yet to be announced. School One PTA co-president Angela Yas is finishing her second year and Whitney Mcllum is finishing her first year as school one PTA co-president. The incoming PTA president has yet to be announced. YES, Nettingham Middle School PTA president Laura Reed is Lauren Reid is finishing her first year as PTA president and will continue as the Nettingham PTA president next year. Dana Clearary Terrell Middle School. Dana Clearary and Jessica Bacon are finishing their second year as the Terrell Middle School PTA co-presidents. The incoming PTA president has yet to be announced. The Scotch Plains Scale High School PTA president Ratner Wright is finishing her fourth year as the SPFHS PTA president. The incoming PTA president has yet to be announced. PTA Council President Suzanne Warland is finishing her fifth year as the council president
004and will continue as the PTA council PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR. PTA COUNCIL Treasure Treasurer Karen Denin is finishing her second year and will continue as PTA council treasurer next year. PTA Council member Sonia Penuro is finishing her third year and will continue as a PTA council member next year. PTA Council Council member Sharon Dan is finishing her second year and will continue as a PTA council member next year. Thank you for everything that you do. We really appreciate it. >> Okay. So, at this point, we're going to start the interviewing process. So, we are all going to board members going to go down to to the seats and all the candidates for the board member vacancy can come up and take their assigned seats. Stay here. >> I kept How are you? Okay. Good. All right.
005Okay. Thanks everybody for coming. We have nine out of the 10 candidates here tonight, it looks like. Okay. Right. Okay. So, the way it's going to work, I for everybody here, um the questions tonight were all public. I've um emailed all the candidates beforehand. Uh the way we're going to do it is we're going to do a brief introduction uh for each candidate. uh 3 minutes max. Uh and then we have three questions for each candidate, two minutes max. Um and the way we're going to handle the questions, so for the introductions, what we'll do is we'll start on the left with Mr. phone and we'll go across um three minutes each and then the qu for the questions I did I did a random number generator and uh I have a different order for
006each for each question and I'll let you know um who's first and then so I'll announce first person second person third person we're going to answer the questions for everyone okay um so the other thing we're going to do to help you guys and I'll so I'll tell the person who's going to go first then I'll read the question for everybody uh and and we'll start the timer. Um timer on my phone. Um the other thing I'll do to help everybody out here is I created a nice handy dandy sign for everybody. So there's 30 seconds left. There you go. Yeah. Very nice. Thank you, Rob, for bringing this on. Okay. Um so make it easier for everyone. I'll say go and then you'll have time to start. Okay. Any questions from anybody before we
007get going? Okay. >> Okay. So, Mr. Felen, you're up next. Ready to go. >> Thank you. Good evening. >> My name is Eric Felen. Um, I grew up in New Jersey. I love my state. I've lived here in Scotch Plains for the past 21 years. I'm a proud father of two boys currently in high school, one of whom loves music and is going to be graduating this June. He will be attending the University of Delaware in the chemical engineering honors program. My other son is active in sports. Both have excellent, strong grades, and I contribute uh that to the amazing teaching staff and programs here in the school district. that I have observed over the last several years that they detect. I currently work at one of the largest banks in the country uh for
008the last 23 years in technology. Um I've covered various roles through my career from desktop support early on to managing innovation teams and uh other support roles. Currently my role is in primarily in knowledge management and learning. So this is where I provide and deliver training programs to 1,600 college interns every June. That's coming up next monthly. 1,400 new hires every August. And I also deliver strategies to educate our 200,000 employees on over a thousand applications and services throughout our global environment. My background also includes six years as a leader of the McInn Pack 277 Cub Scout, which my boys were both a part of. Um, and uh, I am proud to continue to assist the PAC 277 Cub Scouts each year, every winter, with the Pinewood Derby Clinic, which I initiated and created when
009I was a club master of the pack. I did this because I wanted every child to have um an equal opportunity to build a fast and winning car. I usually found was that parents were building the cars and the ones with the skills and the know how would build the fastest car and then I'd see the kids roll their car down the track and a lot of them would just stop dead in the middle because they didn't have those uh opportunities and access to the tools they needed. So, I delivered this program where we set up a shop at the uh Forest Road building there and um brought all our tools and parents and we helped every kid build their cars, polish their axles and uh the uh abilities for these kids to compete and
010cross the finish line u elevated. So, um I am running for the school board um not not really or primarily to enhance my own child's education because they are nearing their end of their term. But I'm also here to see that every student has an opportunity to grow and succeed here in the school and has all the tools they need. Thank you. Are we ready? Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Eric Fischer and I've lived in Scotch Plane since 2005 and both of my children are pro products of the SPF school system, class of 2018 and class of 2021. Strongly believe that a quality public school system is the backbone of any strong community such as ours. With that belief front of mind, I actively supported many of the programs here while my
011kids were students, including a term as co-president of the SPF Music Boosters. I'm now at a point in my life professionally and personally where I can continue to give back to the community, and I have the benefit of having lived through the entire K through 12 student journey as a parent in this district. Professionally, I've been a journalist for 32 years focusing on sports business and what I frequently write about has a fair amount of conceptual overlap with the core elements of what you do, including budgeting, facility management, and strategic planning. Thank you very much. My name is Brad. I am a proud, deeply involved father of four children, two girls and two boys, and a diverse family of six. and I have lived in Scotch Plains since August of 2017. I am a football
012and hockey dad as well. My connection to the Scotch Plains Fan School District is both personal and long-standing. My oldest child graduated from SPF High School in 2020, and my other three children currently attend SPF High School, Netti Middle School, and Evergreen Elementary School. It should be noted that my oldest child graduated SPF High School during the early days of CO and was the first class to have the noteworthy picture signs lining Westfield Road honoring high school graduates. For nearly two decades, beginning when my oldest was in kindergarten in New York City, I have served as a room parent every academic year. This year, I am the sole room parent for my youngest child's kindergarten class. and therefore I recently designed and hung the teacher appreciation poster for his teacher on my own. First year
013I ever did this as a creative mind. I also assist uh daily with the evergreen boarding drop off line. To me, being part of this community means showing up, volunteering, and doing my part to strengthen our schools. Besides being a room parent, my service to the district includes serving as PTA first vice president at Evergreen Elementary School from 2019 to 2021, co-chairing the Evergreen fourth grade committee from 2021 to 2022, and serving as the prek grade representative during the 2023 to 2024 school year. During the 2019 to 2020 academic year, I donated multiple copies of the book Magic School Bus Takes a Risk from the American Academy of Actuaries to the fourth grade classes as I am fully committed to introducing an appreciation of mathematics early in a child's education. Public education is deeply rooted
014in my family. My mother taught Spanish in New York City public middle schools for 30 years, and both my grandmother and aunt were public school teachers. I'm a proud product of the New York City's public schools myself. I believe strong public schools are essential to opportunity, equity, and long-term success. In particular, I believe robust math and science education is critical to helping all students compete, thrive, and close opportunity gaps. I want to bring my expertise in mathematics, science, and datadriven problem solving to support SPF's diverse student body. As a credential property and casualty actuary, I use mathematical statistics every day to evaluate risk and develop practical solutions to complex real world problems. I hold a PhD in biomedical science, a master's degree in financial engineering, and both bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering. Professionally,
015I lead the quantitative analysis group and a rating agency. With my educational background, professional experience, family legacy in teaching, I believe I can work constructively with Dr. Mass, Dr. McGary, and the board of education members to strengthen mathematics education, improve outcomes, and help reverse declining performance tracks. I seeking consideration, >> we're going to have to we're going to I'm going to be pretty tight because we have nine times three, six questions. It's going to be be a long night, but appreciate that. Cool. Good. Okay. >> Next. Good evening. My name is Jordan Kaplan. I'm 37 years old, a graduate of Lafayette College and Ruckers Law School, and I've been a practicing attorney in Marstown for the past 13 years. I've been a resident of Scotch Plains since 2016, and I'm a lifelong New Jersey resident,
016having grown up nearby in Livingston. As a parent, professional, and engaged member of this community, my experience and perspective position me to contribute meaningfully to the continued success and thoughtful evolution of our school district. One of the most important qualifications I bring to my direct and ongoing investment in our schools is through my children. My daughter Eleanor is currently a second grader over at Kohl's Elementary and my son Harrison will be starting kindergarten in the 2728 school year. With children at these formative stages, I'm deeply connected to the day-to-day realities of our schools and the resources available to our students. I'm not only concerned with the quality of education that our students receive today, but also with the long-term direction of the district as repair students for the next several decades. My professional experience as
017a lawyer has trained me to approach complex issues with objectivity and careful analysis. As an attorney, it's my job to evaluate competing interests, interpret policies, and advocate for my client's interests. I am accustomed to asking the right questions, weighing evidence, and ensuring that decisions are made with both transparency and accountability. Education is also personal to me in another way. Both my mother and my mother-in-law dedicated their careers to teaching. My mother was also a Spanish teacher. Additionally, both my father and my father-in-law served on boards of education. Through all of them, I've gained a deep respect for the profession and a genuine appreciation for the challenges and rewards that educators and board members experience every day. Their influence has shaped my belief that supporting our teachers is essential to student success. And that inspiration also
018push pushed me to serve as an adjunct professor of law at Ruters University Law School, where I taught negotiations. I recognize that a strong school system is built on maintaining and strengthening partnerships between educators, families, administrators, and the community. I'm committed to fostering open dialogue so that all voices are considered in shaping policies and priorities. Our district has a strong foundation, and I believe that with careful stewardship, we can continue to enhance the educational excellence we have while adapting to the challenging needs of our students. Serving on the board of education is not just an opportunity. It's a responsibility to help guide the future of our community. With my personal investment as a parent, my professional experiences, and my deep rooted respect for educators, I am prepared to approach this role with dedication, thoughtfulness, and
019a long-term perspective. Thank you. >> Good afternoon or evening. Um, so I'm Jenna Martinez. I have been a Scott resident for about eight years. I'm a mom of many and proud of boast a proud London family ranging from ages of four to 24 also including a high school sophomore who has the pleasure of um spending many years in school with grandson. Um and an incoming kindergartener uh so definitely have a rain settled there. Um I led a had a proud career in diversity, equity, inclusion for a number of years. um in that capacity I've did a lot of things you do in large corporations I've managed large budgets I've done data and analysis project management uh but of particular with my affinity with diversity and inclusion in particular uh that core sense of advocacy and
020fairness is always present um and is critical the elements of change management in a large corporation um certainly translate well to almost any environment um I had an interesting life change after the affforementioned soon to be kindergarten um and took a hiatus from my traditional corporate full-time job and had a very happy accident when I chose to substitute um about a year and a half ago and found what is now a second passion. So, I'm currently a graduate student to be a school psychologist. I'll have that degree this year before starting a doctoral program. Um and I'm happy to say that I've seen the inside of most of our schools. I think actually every district school in this district. Um I have been invited to teach classes for extended periods of time. Um I've leaned
021heavily into the special ed side of things. Um and I'm actually approved in multiple districts. So I've had the opportunity not only to see the inside of our school district but also to see the inside of several others which has afforded me very interesting observations as well. Um mental health is a tremendous priority for me. I'm not only a personal member of the neurodeiverse community, um, but I'm building a company focused on mental health called Spectrums are pretty. Last year, I actually had the opportunity to hold a boost at the Scotch Plains mental health fair considering that company. I unfortunately missed uh this year's opportunity uh for personal reasons, but hope to be present at the Pride event this again this year. I was also president of Pride last year. Um, I currently serve as
022the only graduated student on the American Psychology Association School Psychology Ethics Committee. This is a national three-year position. Um, and despite the background in corporate America, I also get to bring to the table a clear passion for the betterment of our children. Love what everyone has said about recognizing differences um, and the need to see that. Um, but also I mean I'm in a position today where I basically wake up with the sole purpose of learning how to make schools work better every single day. Hi, my name is Claire Mcdana. I've been a resident of Scotch Plains since 2016. I'm a licensed clinical social worker, educational leader, and parent in the district. My twin daughters are currently in first grade at Kohl's Elementary School. So I'm personally invested in continued success of Scotch Plains family
023schools. I also have a long-standing tie in this community. I attended St. Bartholomew School in Scotch Plains for part of my education and have lived my entire life in New Jersey. Because of that, I have a strong appreciation for the community values and diversity that make this area special. Professionally, I currently serve as director of quality management at Cornerstone Day School, an out ofd district therapeutic school. In my role, I oversee policy development, quality improvement initiatives, regulatory compliance, staff training, and program evaluation. Prior to that, I spent many years as a clinical supervisor in school settings, in partial programs, and other hospital settings, supporting students, families, and staff while collaborating closely with school leadership on student support services and daily operations. Throughout my career, I've worked in educational and mental health settings supporting children and
024families with diverse needs. Those experiences have strengthened my skills in collaboration, communication, problem solving, and systems management. As our district continues to navigate enrollment growth and overcrowding challenges, I believe decisions should be thoughtful, transparent, fiscally responsible, and focused on equitable opportunities for all students across the district. I'm interested in serving because I want to contribute my professional experience, collaborate, collaborative approach and commitment to public education in a meaningful way. I would approach this role focused on listening, learning, and supporting students, families, and staff across the community. Thank you for your time and consideration. Good evening. Um, thank you to the board for this opportunity. My name is Jar Buddy. I'm currently a special education teacher within the New York City public schools. I'm also a professor at CUNI in a master's program for education. Throughout
025my 20 years of teaching in New York City, I've done middle school ELA self-contained. I've been the lead STEM teacher. I've led citywide computer science initiatives that teach teachers how to teach computer science. Um I'm also a forever learner. This weekend I'm graduating from the box center disability for human development partners and policym program through Ruckers University. Um it just has further strengthened my advocacy skills, my take on inclusive policies and community leadership. I recently started to volunteer and work with the Scotch Plains Fanwood um parks and recreation department to help advocate for more inclusive programming and more accessibility like for their playgrounds for students with uh disabilities. More importantly, I've always worked in high need school settings. A lot of my students are in either foster care shelters or have incarcerated parents. I've seen
026firsthand as an educator how policy impacts students, staff, families, and classrooms on a daily basis. On a very more personal note, I'm a very proud parent of a kindergartner who has multiple disabilities cognitively and physically. Navigating the Scotch Plain Special Ed system as a parent really made me realize how deeply important it is that there are thoughtful supports for families, open and honest communication, and inclusive opportunities. And that's what makes living in Scotch Plains and going to school here so great. Um, I'm just passionate. I'm passionate about education. I think that my lived experiences give me empathy and my professional experiences help me channel it constructively. Um, I would be honored to bring my lived experiences and perspectives to the board in a collaborative and thoughtful way. So, thank you. >> Good evening. Thank you
027for meeting with me today and all of us. U, my name is Ryan Salvador. My family has lived in Scotch Blain since 2021 and my wife and I are the parents of two young children. My our oldest, Haime, will start at McInn this fall and our younger daughter, Theodora, will turn one in just a couple of weeks. I'm interested in serving on the Scotch Plains Board of Education because I care about this community and I'm really excited to partner with the board and the schools to help make sure that students, teachers, staff, and families are thriving over the course of this appointment and beyond. Professionally, I've been an educator my entire life. Um, I started at the age of 18. I was a new student orientation adviser at the University of Maryland, helping connect students
028and parents to resources at the university and make them feel comfortable starting that new chapter of their lives. After that, I trained to be an ESL. I studied and trained to be an ESL instructor. And during that time, I taught students from the ages 11 to 60 in a million different contexts, in church basement, and skyscrapers in cities, in school cafeterias, and you know, classrooms on college campuses. Since then, I've spent the majority of my career in student support and independent school leadership. My current role combines direct work with students. I'm an academic adviser for about 200 high school students and their families as well as strategic and operational planning and execution with our student life teams and other leadership groups. Uh you know, our goal is just to make sure that we are creating,
029developing, and maintaining the structures, the systems, and the offerings that we need to have our students have the best experience they can have while they're at school. and then beyond. You know, I'd be honored to serve on the Scotch Plains board of ScotchBains family board of education and contribute my experience and perspective both as a seasoned educator and also as a parent who's fresh to this district who's curious and excited about the potential and possibilities for my children and my neighbors children and everyone's children over the next 12 and 16 years. Thank you. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Christina St. Heler. Um, and to the board, I want to thank you guys for this opportunity just to be here. I don't take it lightly um the task that you have to uh help
030so many students um and families in this district. Um but the chance to be able to contribute uh what I can offer um means a lot to me. I'm passionate about it and um I am eager to pursue it as well. Um, I come here tonight with a background rooted in lifelong learning as well as so many of us here. Um, community engagement and the kind of high stakes um, people- centered decisionmaking that my career has demanded of me. As a certified registered nurse and espatist or a CRN um, with a background in pediatric intensive care nursing, I uh, bring a unique lens to educational leadership. one that's grounded in critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and advocacy. Um, every day I work in high pressure environments where people rely on thoughtful decisions, accountability, and compassion. Um,
031and I believe those skills are valuable in educational leadership as well and translate directly to serving students and families here in um, Scott Placewood. My parents immigrated to this country with very little. Um, but they carried with them an unwavering belief in the power of education. They taught me that education creates opportunity, stability, um, confidence and success. And I don't shy away from hard work. Instead, I face it head on. I believe I can bring a fresh and active perspective to the board as a parent. Um, currently raising children through multiple stages of the district. Um I have a preschooler, an elementary age child, and a middle schooler. So experiencing um our schools and sports in real time um from many different angles. In addition to um running between like soccer games at the fire
032station, uh wrestling matches at Nettingham or FSBY swim meets. Um, I have direct experience with having a gifted learner who is a part of our district's Quest program as well as a neurode divergent learner who thrives with a supportive um, environment and also a little one who just mastered potty training. So, we're really excited about that in our household. Um so all those experiences have given me an appreciation um for how important it is that every child feels supported, challenged and seen for who they are individually. I believe in a community um I'm sorry I believe in community community engagement, hearing and honoring the desires of our community and uh supporting our Scotts and family students with strong schools, academics, athletics, and emotional community partnership. Okay, thank you everyone. Now I'll move to our questions.
033I can say first up is uh Miss Claire Mcdana. You're going to be first. Um so I'll I'll read the question a few seconds. All right, here we timer. First question is, and this will be for everybody and I'll stop after you're completed. I'll announce the next person I'm not going to read the question every single time. Okay. Um, so as we first question, as we face growth and enrollment challenges, the board must decide between various funding expansion strategies. What criteria would you use to evaluate if a referendum is necessary? and what other district resources or community partnerships should be leveraged first? >> I think any decision regarding a referendum should begin with a careful evaluation of both short-term and long-term enrollment projections, facility capacity, financial impact, and the educational experience of students. The key
034question should be whether current resources can realistically support projected growth while still maintaining the quality of instruction, safety, and student services that family expect from this district. I would also look closely at how overcrowding affects class sizes, access to programs, shared spaces, and the overall learning environment. It's important to balance fiscal responsibility with the long-term needs of the district rather than only focusing on immediate pressures. Before pursuing a referendum, I think it's important to fully evaluate all existing district resources and possible operational efficiencies. That could include reviewing space space utilization across schools, exploring scheduling or programming adjustments, pursuing grant opportunities and strengthening partnerships with local government and community stakeholders regarding future development planning. I also believe community engagement is critical. Residents need clear, transparent communication about the challenges, the available options, the financial implications, and
035the long-term impact of decisions so they can make informed choices and feel part of the process. Thank you. >> Next up is Miss Rudy. >> Is that how you say it? Can I say her? >> Rody. Okay. >> Um, so I think that you definitely have to see if you've exhausted all of your funding options as um grants, federal funding. If you're talking about building new space, did you repurpose underutilized rooms? Have you adjusted scheduling? Did you evaluate grade level distribution, which Scotch Planes has done? Have you met with experts like leveraging expertise within the district? Have you talked to teachers? Have you talked to students? Have you thought outside the box? Have you really listened to stakeholders and exhausted all of your options? Then going within the community, have you talked to local businesses?
036Have we looked at libraries? because we've made like partnerships with um universities, community colleges, nonprofits. I think that once you really exhaust all your options and you're very open and communive with the community and transparent and you have a lot of reason behind your potential solutions, you make the community more involved than the taxpayers and the district understands like where the challenges of the district is facing. Um, and ultimately the safety safety of students um, teaching in New York City, my class size, I have about I've had 34 fifth graders in a class by myself. And when I say that of teachers in New Jersey are like one. So, and that's just an everyday thing. I have about 28 kindergarteners at a time by myself. Um, so I understand the overcrowding and needing space. Um,
037but I think really exhausting all your options and listening to stakeholders and listening to your teachers and thinking outside the box before you ever have an referendum. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Kaplan. A referendum should never be viewed as the first option, but it shouldn't be avoided merely because it's politically difficult. The key responsibility of a board of education is to determine whether the long-term educational needs of students can be responsibly met with existing financial and physical constraints. If they cannot, then the board owes the community an honest data-driven conversation about additional investment. But in terms of criteria, board members need to analyze the totality of the circumstances to evaluate future needs because the absolute worst thing we could do would be to justify a decision by saying this is the way it's always been
038done. So with that in mind and to answer the question directly, I'd evaluate the following criteria when deciding between funding and expansion strategies. One, enrollment and demographic projections. Is the growth temporary, cyclical, or structural? Are we focusing on necessary long-term solutions? Have we obtained independent studies as opposed to assumptions and anecdotes? Two, what's the impact on the educational quality afforded to students? How will the students be affected? Will the failure to take immediate action undermine educational outcomes or will it otherwise affect the district's ability to focus on equity and opportunities? Three, financial conditions and capacity. Have we analyzed the current facilities and conducted an assessment? How are classrooms being utilized? Is there aging infrastructure? Are the buildings compliant from an accessibility perspective? Can the building support a modern learning environment? And four, one that I
039think is the most important, can the board justify it? Board members have an obligation not just under the law but to our fellow uh citizens to be transparent and forthright. Can the board clearly explain the educational necessity in the long-term fiscal rationale? But evaluating the existing resources and partnerships, we need to look at the environment uh as it uh is today where private interests are constantly investing in nontraditional areas. We should look to grant opportunities, state aid, shared services agreements with recreation departments, libraries, or other state and county organizations. to do it up in the last 5 seconds that I have. It's not just about considering these options. It's about being assured and notified that we have explored every option available. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next up, Mr. >> Mr. It should be
040the goal of the board of education to make funding via referendums a last resort, such as if the district is have been on the verge of becoming insolvent. We need to think about our taxpayers who are already struggling with prolonged inflation, high gas prices, high housing prices, high education costs, and high transportation costs. These same taxpayers have to be able to fund their kids' college education after they finish 12th grade. The district needs to leverage community partnerships first. The district has athletic fields. Some admittedly need work. If the district partnered with the recreation departments of both municipalities to better our fields, perhaps the district can collect fees for the fields, especially during the summer months. The district also should have representatives at local town hall meetings to advocate for the district's needs and to make
041its voice heard as to the consequences of further development on our schools. The district's representatives, whether board members or otherwise, should be negotiating with the town for some of the pilot money that the town receives for these big development projects. The other elephant in the room, of course, is the state funding formula, which has badly hurt our district and others like it. The state advertised that we received the max increase, which got more than eaten up by healthcare costs and loss of extra co funds. This leaves our district to scrimp and save. We need our district representatives to write to our state representatives and attend state meetings to make our state leaders understand the predicament that we are in. They want us to develop more, then they have to help fund our students more. We
042also need good grant writing. Perhaps we could leverage some of our best and brightest students in the honors and AP English classes to write grants. They can get service credit and perhaps we could achieve more funding from those sources. And finally, we need to invest in special needs resources so that we avoid the very expensive out of district placements. We have to hire appropriate personnel to properly address special needs students. Mr. Mr. Fischer, >> there are a number of key data points that would need careful study, including population projections both within the school system and the town's overall housing starts, real estate transfers, and what can be accommodated within the operating budget. Assuming that the initiative under question is beyond the scope of the operating budget, it's then a matter of assessing the need and
043opportunity at hand and whether a referendum would truly address that need and opportunity and yield significant results. Any new bonding traditionally requires a referendum as you well know and I believe the recent experience surrounding the South Avenue building is instructive. While that wasn't how you initially drew it up, the end result was a targeted focused proposal that I believe will yield a transformative difference and I believe gives a blueprint for future evaluations along this scope. Thank you. >> Next up, Mr. S. I agree with most of the people here on the board that on the the candidates that the the primary investigation of a referendum should begin with you know with data analysis looking at enrollment trends and projections of what might be 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. referendums take a long time to
044play out in terms, you know, in terms of building buildings and operating at a cost. And so what are the kind of benchmarks that will happen as a project is going and how will that impact the district in terms of current resources? You know, making sure that we are evaluating our current resources and spaces and offerings throughout and throughout the district. Making sure that we are, as people have said, utilizing them to their fullest potential. now and making sure that we are making incremental changes while projects are happening. I agree with um the other candidates saying that the most recent board referendum that combined a board uh bond referendum with state grant is a great way of making sure that we are pursuing multiple funding streams throughout these long-term projects. And you know, I'm always
045thinking that not only should we be looking at the objective data and the aggregate data of population trends and building utilization, we should also be seeking out stories from teachers and students about the impacts of that these will have both in the short term and both in in the long term. How how does a construction project happen? How does an ongoing construction project impact education as it is happening? and what what will be the options for kids when they get out and how are we communicating that to parents and the stakeholders at large. >> Um with such an exceptional um school system, it's understandable that we're drastically increasing in enrollment. Um, but with increased enrollment, not only do you need more space in schools for students, but you also need to have right infrastructure. Um,
046and all the additional materials and support systems in place to accommodate that growth. Um, which can be extremely challenging decisions. Um I appreciate how the board has already sort of taken um important and responsible steps in addressing the district's growing enrollment challenges particularly by um approaching the issue with data driven through a data driven lens um like the demographic study that was conducted I think in um 2024. uh studies like that they examine like population trends, birth rates, uh migration patterns, housing developments and so on. Um and they help to project um what enrollment might look like in the next 5 years and and beyond. And that kind of information is incredibly valuable. Um so when evaluate evaluating whether or not um a referendum is necessary, I believe that it should be considered following exhaustion
047of all other avenues such as maximizing existing spaces, reevaluating school zones or reallocating resources um all those things to to help address capacity concerns before moving towards larger expansion efforts. uh continuing to include um state and federal grants. Um even energy efficient um initiatives to reduce long-term costs and community partnerships might also help to offset expenses and um provide additional resources before the need of a referendum. Collaboration and community communication is essential and these conversations help to impact the entire community. >> Mr. Mr. Fel. >> So, um just to reiterate, I I strongly agree on some of the key points made uh such as addressing and and knowing the accurate enrollment projections, the uh how how it affects students and the uh teachers, the staffers, how does it affect them, and also the financial impact.
048But what what would keep me up at night just to start is um there's a lot everybody who's aware of all the districts in New Jersey that have huge multi-million dollar shortfalls due to poor efficiencies or budgeting or um audits or whatever it may be just it's not there. So, we need to start before we can make an address, we need to start with a plan, a 5year plan, a 10-year plan. We need to know what we need, when we need it, and what are the prioritizations of what we need, and what can we cut if we can't fund it. But that being said, um some of the solutions if we need additional funding for uh means that outside we don't have um I think we should first make our voices to the town councils
049clear that um of all their pilot money that they receive on apartment complexes that they should do the honorable thing and provide a substantial amount of that to our schools. We need to partner with the community that elects the council and educate them on how pilot adversely raises their schooling portion of their property taxes and let's partner with the community to build stronger voice uh on this with us so we can build a better school. We also want to partner maybe we can partner with uh places such as family and scotch wings libraries if we need to to leverage some additional spacing or or needs. Um there's other resources in the town. And then and third um another opportunity we could look into I think is a corporate sponsorship for specialized classes or activities that
050not only help offset some of our costs but maybe can bring in active professionals and value aligned in focus areas that will teach uh that maybe they could teach in some of these classes or mentor students and help build their passion on that subject matter. Thank you >> Miss Martinez. Hi. Um, this is obviously a question of like absolute critical importance. Um, not only does every decision that has to do with finances just impact our children immediately, um, all of the issues that have been mentioned as far as our political climate are extremely valid. Um, I have to say in particular, I think all of the points around the referendums were spoton. I don't think there's a single point of difference or disagreement with anything. Uh but I do think it's important to look critically
051at every step in the process along the way before we even get to that point. So for me personally, I you know I've managed multi-million dollar budgets in a corporate environment. But I have to say I think the skills I would need to draw on far more in this environment was when I had to manage a several thousand dollar budget. Um because that's when and I I think with Zani and I loved your points in particular and the creativity of how you really analyze a budget to find those opportunities um because we can build better grants but until we make sure our existing line items are clean, they're creative and how they're used, they're efficient, we get the maximum out of everything we are already invested in, you know, those things have to be a
052part of the process as well. Um, one of the things I've had an opportunity to see, it's just a very specific example, by being inside of not just our district, but several others, is we're perhaps the only one out of five districts I've seen that doesn't have a smart screen, a smartboard in every single elementary school classroom. Um, and I've seen the difference and the benefit of that, but I also realize you can't just throw out and say we want it till we need it. It's difficult. We are in a changing environment. our community is growing and we have to plan ahead to make sure that we don't get offset by these things. Um the last point I see your timer that I just think it's important to mention in the spirit of transparency. Um
053that transparency has to include our community. Um and that's just to me a no-brainer. As a parent that's here, a parent that's here for the long haul, as of many others, um if that data you're collecting does not include the perspective of your community, you're really missing out on something very valuable. Thank you, M. Martinez. That concludes the first question. Um, Mr. Martinez, you know, you're first up with the next one. Um, so I'll announce the next question. Okay. So, the next question is, what is your vision for equity in the district? What do you believe the district needs to do to achieve greater equity for all students? Miss Martinez, you're ready. >> Um, yes. I could talk about equity all day long. Um, like I said, I've to some extent consider myself a professional
054advocate. Um, you know, working in diversity, equity, and inclusion, you're trained to look closely at things to find the outliers and to find the people who fall out of your process. Um, that way of thinking is something I have carried forward in everything that we do. Uh I actually recently had the privilege of having a conversation with a gentleman by the name of Damian Patino who works for the New Jersey State Department of Special Education. Uh and it gave me an interesting perspective on equity because unfortunately one thing I found out in that conversation is that New Jersey currently ranks 50 out of 50 for inclusion of people with um diverse needs and who receive special education in general ed education classrooms. So outside of your traditional um elements of diversity, right, and I do
055think there are certain demographics in our community that are not equitably supported, but outside of that, the need to put our those who are receiving special education in general education classrooms is huge. Um it's not a stop plan thing. It is solely New Jersey it can't be ignored. We as a state have a difficulty that I think it's important to recognize and reflect within our own community. Next up, uh Miss St. Hello. Um evidence shows that so sorry. Evidence shows us that uh meeting the needs of all children in the classroom may be challenging, but it's imperative um to ensure student success. We can't take um a one-sizefits-all approach, but instead aggressively work to build um an inclusive environment where our differences are not only identified, but celebrated. Um equity is not about treating every
056student identically. Um it's about ensuring that each student has access to what they specifically need to thrive. In healthcare, we call this patient centered care. Um, in education though, it means looking honestly at where gaps exist, whether it be in course access or availability, um, representation, in support structures, um, and trying to close these gaps with intention and accountability. Ensuring that all of our students have meaningful pathways to success includes culturally relevant curriculum um, that reflects the lives and the histories of all students. Um, it looks at I'm sorry, it looks like staff that mirrors our community's diversity as well so that every child can see themselves in the adults who teach them and lead them. It looks like honest and ongoing analysis of student outcome data. So, we're not guessing where the gaps are.
057Uh, this analysis extends beyond reviewing student achievement data, but also includes um attendance data, student discipline data, school culture, and climate. um engaging in an ongoing laser focus on meeting the individual needs of every student um is important. Uh sorry, excuse me. Equity also means engaging families who have historically felt least connected to school decision-m developing student voice and advocacy and support supporting social emotional learning. and um the belief that every child who walks through the doors of SPF um is heard is should be the standard. >> Thank you, >> Miss Ruddy. >> Um I believe that my vision for equity is very personal as a parent with a child of very special needs and as an educator. Um it is deeply rooted in belonging. Um, I think that staff should have compassion yet hold
058students to extremely high expectations and see the best in them. Students should feel supported not just academically but emotionally valued and truly included. I think that when you have a school community where students feel connected and valuable, they then practice what you preach. So students will then value each other, hold space for each other, value other experiences even though it is looks very different from their own. Um, you do this with data, not just looking at race, income, and test scores, but you listen to student voice, family voice, staff experiences. Um, you look at attendance, disciplinary data, and you find correlations to find where your like root cause of the inequities are. You remove barriers. You give support um, opportunities. You have continue with um PBIS that Scotch Planes does very well. The nurtured heart
059approach that they're teaching or um giving the professional development. Um continue to listen to parent voices. The CPAG is a wonderful group. Um parent workshops. There's constant open lines of communication. And I think that listening to your teachers and your staff um let them see other classrooms, learn from each other, have a mentor. Um, I think valuing them. The EF grant is a wonderful program. Teachers have autonomy in this district. I think that Scott does a lot of things great and they can continue to do that. >> Next up, um, Miss McDonald. My vision for equity um is ensuring that all students across the district have consistent access to high quality education opportunities, support systems, um school experiences regardless of school they attend. As our district continues to grow and evolve, I think it's important
060to regularly evaluate whether resources, programming, curriculum, class sizes, student supports, and extra extracurricular opportunities are being distributed fairly and meeting the needs of all of our learners. Given my background in mental health and therapeutic education, I also believe equity includes ensuring students learn executive functioning skills and continue to have access to appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral supports so they can be successful both academically and personally. I saw it with my own two daughters where they were asking me tonight if I was nervous and excited and I said, "Yeah, I guess so." And they said, "That's a double feeling." And I said, "Right." And so I saw that social emotional learning come out and it was really nice to see. So students should learn best when they feel safe, supported and connected within their school environment.
061So we should be looking at attendance and disciplinary rates um and analyze the gaps for equity. I think achieving greater equity also requires strong communication and community engagement. So families should feel heard, informed, and included in discussions about district decisions and future planning. Um, next, Mr. Cal. Equity is not equality. Equality is giving every student the exact same thing. Equity is giving students what they need individually to succeed. So, students home situations, income levels, language, backgrounds, disabilities, or community resources in invariably create uneven starting points. And it's our job as a board of education to close those gaps. Equity is not about students achieving the same results. It's about providing students with the opportunity to achieve the same results. So with all of that background in mind, here's my answer. My vision statement for equity
062in the district is that every student has a bonafide opportunity to succeed while maintaining high expectations for everyone. I'm a firm believer that the first thing that any district needs to do is to emphasize urgent intervention on a direct level. I observed an example of this in Kohl's elementary school through one particularly excellent teacher. This teacher obtained advanced training to identify and support children who are struggling with reading in their first years of school. She's extraordinarily popular and effective teacher such that every single parent whose child struggled with reading wanted her wanted their child in her classroom. Now we don't need to have a mad dash where parents try to advocate for their child to get into that particular classroom to address their educational needs. Equity is achieved if every student is placed in a
063classroom with a teacher who has the training towards identifying issues so that the teacher can address the students issues immediately without the need for extra red tape. As a board, it's important to invest in teacher development, improve retention, mentor new teachers, and ensure that strong educators are distributed across all schools and all grade levels. But looking towards the future, we need to address the elephant in the room, AI. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that our schools and our students have access to responsible AI technology to close the equity gap with other school districts. Even in the past few years, the importance of certain professions has been diminished because AI has taken over basic functions that people used to handle. In this light, equity demands that our students not only be provided with
064access to AI technology, but they understand how to use it moving forward to avoid being left behind. Thank you. Mr. H. >> To me, very little can provide better equity for students than a strong foundation in science and mathematics. Our teachers are excellent. Our schools have the resources, but our math and science scores are lagging a bit behind. As much as I understand that tests are far from everything, unfortunately, colleges, future employers, and people from the outside valuing at our district see tests. Also, struggling with material and studying for tests is a good way for students to be forced to actively learn and internalize tough concepts. It helps prepare students for challenges outside school. To ensure equity for all students, the district needs to improve on peer tutoring and mentorship. We need to establish even
065stronger than existing peer tutoring programs in our schools where we determine ideal pairings of tutors and students. We need intramural and extramural math and science competitions. Friendly math competitions within the school can be a lively way to engage our students in bettering themselves in mathematics and science and be a lively way to engage all of our students um in uh supporting future competitions in school pride and school spirit. We also need to introduce math oriented books at a young age to SPF kids such as magic school bus takes a risk, do you want a bet, probability for kids, and the great graph contest. Science education early on should focus on the scientific method and making the process of discovery and observations fun and engaging. For example, we can demonstrate the impact of pressure gradients and
066fluid mechanics to elementary school students by constructing soda bottle paper rocket launchers as demonstrated in Cub Scouts meetings earlier this year. In the middle of high school, it is time to introduce math as a language to describe science. When I lived in East Harlem as a graduate student, I volunteered as a local mentor to high school students. I worked with students of multiple backgrounds, some disadvantaged and some with learning disabilities like my own children. I learned how to tutor in a way that meets their needs, such as breaking up large topics into very small pieces. >> Next is Mr. Fischer. >> One of the great things about public education is its core promise to the entire community and the inclusiveness that's central to that mission. Both of my children received special services in the early
067grades and the outreach from that department formed a critical foundation towards their labor success. They were met where they were and seen as whole people. What I'd like to see from the district is a continued commitment to meeting each student where they are. And on a practical level, that also manifests itself in things like having access to a wide range of materials in the media center and hiring teachers and staff from diverse backgrounds. I think you've done a good job in this area, but it's certainly something that requires continued attention. Thank you, >> Mr. Salon. >> Equity for me comes down to pursuing a very simple idea and that is genuine engagement for all students and that's what gets a little complicated. Uh one of my good friends works for a nonprofit educational design lab
068and they have a wonderful framework for engagement that measures it across three axes. A student's sense of belonging, a student's sense of agency, the students growth mindset. Equity then in a school is operating with the understanding that because of their lived experiences and identities, students have different obstacles along each one of these axes, but also unique opportunities to thrive in this field. So to be equitable educators and administrators and board members, we need to be seeking out information from our students that this involves aggregate data like attendance and student performance. But again, I always come back to this is the human stories behind that. The human stories that are behind the data that build on the data and that are hidden by the data. We need to be asking questions like what are curricular opportunities?
069What are staffing supports and what are our activities that can give students a greater sense of belonging? What are policies and practices in classrooms that can give neurody divergent kids a better sense of agency over their work and their decisions? And what can we do with framing assessment and framing recognitions in ways that cultivate a growth mindset for our kids from prek to grade 20 and beyond? Um, equity requires an authentic understanding of the wholeness of each child and the wholeness of what these children add up to in a district. I believe that the 2022 to 2025 strategic plan had great initiatives in it. Uh in a future plan, I would just continue to advocate for a human- centered design process that centers our students that centers equity in the ideation in the formation and
070pursuit of these initiatives and tying every initiative to personalize and personal both personalized and group impacts on students well-being and engagement throughout their times in the district. Thank you. and Mr. Fel, >> equity for all students. So, this is an area that I I feel strongly about and everybody up here um very valid um points and suggestions that I think were excellent and and I agree with. Um but one of my biggest concerns um for society over the last 25 years has been our growing divide amongst the halves and halves not. Not just financially but physically and mentally. Uh and children generally born into the halves often receive a stronger education and success story than those born into the have not. While my son happens to be fortunate enough to afford things like summer camp,
071for us to afford things like summer camp, SAT preparation, um club sports programs, um there are friends of his that may not. And while this gives him and and an advantage, I feel strongly for the children that do not have these opportunities and is part of the reason why I'm here tonight. I would love I would love love love to deliver solutions where we can fund those in need um with and with disabilities with the tools that build strong minds and successful uh future leaders. We need to be able to provide instruments to those wanting to learn music, opportunities for kids to thrive in sports, laptops for kids that can't afford them, access to professionals in their career interest to help them to help mentor them and more. We need to encourage students to develop
072strong diverse friend groups uh through how we partner students in classrooms. In addition, we need to build strong curriculum that allows all students to feel welcome, respected, and appreciated by all. And we need to also support the parents and hear their voices and help them with their challenges. What we see of a student in class is not necessarily what we see of their home life. Thank you. Okay, move on to the next final question. Uh, Mr. Official will be first, but I'll read the I'll read the question now. Um, so our board consists of several committees, finance, facilities, curriculum, policy, community relations, wellness and equity, and student activities and athletics. Of these committees, which are you most interested in or do you feel you can contribute to the most, and why? Mr. Fcher, whatever you
073write. My professional background certainly lends itself to things like student activities, athletics, facilities, policy, um, you know, particularly well-versed in everything surrounding sports at all levels. Uh, but I'm a quick study and I'm up for wherever there's a particular need. And, um, you know, again, I have certain aptitudes, but I am not particularly picky on this subject. And uh you know my my attitude is more to sort of go where there's a particular need. >> Thank you. >> Next up is Mr. Herman. Uh whenever you're ready. >> So yeah, I would be happy to serve in any of the committees where there's a need and you deem fit based on my skill set. Having said that, given my strong academic background in science and mathematics, my background in financial math modeling and actuarial science and
074my commitment to physical fitness and athletics, I would say that I think I can contribute most to curriculum, finance, and student activities and athletics respectively. I know what it takes to learn and succeed in academics. While the bulk of my academic background is in the sciences and mathematics, even within those fields, the subject areas are very diverse. These subject areas require different modes of thinking and preparing our students to succeed in diverse academic subjects requires taking a critical view of our curricula and offering ways to supplement the curricula and adapt it to different learning styles. As an actuary, helping on the finance committee is somewhere I feel I can provide value. I understand nuanced financial reporting all the way from IFRS 17 GAP statutory and uh in my actuarial work and in understanding solveny risk
075and can therefore leverage that to help the district plan its budget. Look for areas where it can improve its financial outlook and try to optimize its funding sources. For me, athletics and student activities is deeply personal as it as it and is reflective of something that I value that a healthy body helps produce a healthy mind. I have the background and experience of someone who was both captain of the science Olympiad team and captain of the physical fitness team at the same time when I was in high school and I competed in physical fitness when I was in college. I am now a football and ice hockey parent. To my 16-year-old and my six-year-old sons. My 16-year-old plays both football and ice hockey. Sports are a great way to teach the students teamwork, how to
076work hard to obtain achievements, and of course, as some of you know from this last year, how to handle serious setbacks. I have a wide variety of experiences, and I can bring that to the table, and I have a vested interest in helping with athletics and student activities. Thank you, >> Mr. Filman. Are you ready? Well, I would love the opportunity to be on any one of these committees. Um, however, if I if I had to narrow it down, uh, my top choices would be I have community relations, student activities, wellness and equity, and finance. For consumer relations, um, community trust is our biggest challenge outside the school system. We need to provide more awareness, transparency, and communication if we want to build trust. And with trust, we will have more parents become involved in
077the school programs and activities. For student activities and athletics, I'm a huge advocate of extracurricular activities such as music, sports, and all interest clubs. It not only develops strong social skills while removing students from their phone devices. Um, it also builds self-confidence, stronger academic performance, and greater mental health. um wellness and equity. Uh as I discussed in the last question, um I am a strong advocate for providing equal opportunities for everyone, whether it be disabilities or financial. I want to help in any capacity I can. And then finance, um balancing the budgets, making sure all the uh numbers are in order and we're doing the right thing with our taxpayers. um working in the tech and financial the tech tech as tech in the financial industry for the last 27 years um I have a
078keen sense of what uh we need for budgeting forecasting and keeping on track. I've been involved in several projects throughout my years and have been very successful at it. So um whatever the role is I am passionate. I always look at the world through a lens not just the subject. Um, so I don't just look at what's right in front of you. We need to know everything that's around us and um, I would love to participate in that. Thank you. >> Mr. for Salvador whenever you're >> like everyone says you know I would like to participate in any or all of these but you know my true passion is in student experience and obviously the committees of curriculum wellness and equity student activities and policy are the big just drivers on that for students in
079the day-to-day you know I work at a my career's been at a school that ex where traditional academic excellence is expected but it is only part of a broad it's part but it's pursued as part of a larger success. We want our students to cultivate wellness in their lives um across emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, um and other dimensions of wellness. I'm also a wellness instructor at the school. And we also want them to be prepared for the future. You know, critical thinkers, lifelong learners, engaged actors. You know, I've worked with and listened to so many instructors as they grapple with dealing with trans transformative technologies like generator guy and how it's going to impact their student work in the classroom and outside of the classroom, but also impact how it can be used as
080a tool for these students and as a district as a tool to, you know, help them thrive. Um, in terms of student activities and athletics, part of my job right now is to manage the student life office at my school. And again, and you know, these are all intersectional. You know, student activities and athletic go hand inhand with wellness and equity in terms of finding ways for students to belong, to thrive, to grow, and find other people and have a sense of community. And then that leads into, you know, curricular outcomes as well. So, I'm interested in all of these Next up is Mr. Kaplan. >> So I think like everyone else, I think I'd be willing and happy to serve on whichever committee with enough education and direction. I'm confident that I can meaningfully
081contribute to any board committee, but I'm sure you're more interested in which particular committees I'm interested in. Uh the first one would be community relations. First, as a lawyer and more particularly as a litigator, I'm a professional communicator. In fact, today one of my colleagues told me I could speak to a brick wall and the brick wall would talk back to me. Uh I have no issue speaking directly to people and discussing issues without needlessly escalating tensions, an issue that very often comes up. Uh I would also be interested in working on the policy committee. Uh this naturally also speaks to my abilities as an attorney. I just simply thrive when analyzing policies and applying them to fact specific circumstances. Um it's just something that I happen to be good at. Uh and finally, uh
082student activities and athletics. Uh I grew up in a household that was very focused on fostering a well-rounded environment. Uh as a child, I was invested in music programs, playing in jazz bands, concert bands, even a horn section in my high school's rock band. Uh today, I still play music. Uh I played trumpet with the Westfield Community Band. Uh and my ongoing love for music is only made possible by what was available to me as a student. And it's important that each student be given every opportunity to find the passion that that makes them a well-rounded person. So, I would be particularly interested in participating in the student activities and athletics uh committee to make sure that every student has the same opportunities that I had. >> Okay. Next is Miss Mcdum. I believe I
083could contribute most strongly to the policy committee and the wellness and equity committee based on my professional background and experience. I'm very comfortable analyzing systems, identifying areas for improvement and helping ensure policies are both practical and student centered. I'm creative thinker and very organized. I have experience with strategic plans and finding creative solutions. I'm also I also feel strongly connected to the wellness and equity committee because much of my career has focused on supporting students social, emotional, and mental health needs. I've worked closely with students, families, and educators and multiddisciplinary teams in school settings for many years, and I understand how student wellness directly impacts learning, school climate, and overall student success. Given the district's current enrollment and overcrowding concerns, I'd also be interested in contributing to facilities discussion from a student- centered and operational
084perspective. That said, I would be happy to contribute wherever the board feels my skills and experience would be most helpful. I'm eager to learn all aspects. >> Miss Ruddy, I believe I'm most interested in community relations. I care deeply about inclusive and supportive environments and in order to do that we have to strengthen communication partnership with schools, families and the community is really important. I also pride myself on not just listening to people but actually making them feel heard. Um I work from an asset model and I recognize and build on people's strengths, their talents, their experience and the potential that each person brings to any situation. I'm not an expert in many things, but I know where to go to ask. I'm not ashamed of what I don't know. Um, I lead into discomfort,
085and I think that having having open dialogue and communication is really important. So, I really would love community relations. And as an educator and a professor, I love curriculum. Um, I have a appreciation for curriculum and student learning. I actually was trained on most of the curriculum that Scotch Plants uses, FOS, reading recovery, Everyday Math, and Lucy Caukins. Um, as a teacher, I've written curriculum. I've piloted curriculum. I've had to adapt curriculum um in order to change the pacing, change differentiated to meet students with IEPs. And as a professor, I've had to like have teachers buy into curriculum and to show them where they can make it their own and make it exciting. And I just I am adored for curriculum. Yeah. Thank you, >> Miss Martinez. >> Hello. Um, I mean, I think it's
086obvious that I would choose mental health and equity first. It's not only a passion. Not only am I a future school psychologist, I'm also someone who's actively trying to build a company that focus on mental health acceptance. Um, you know, and it's not just a passion, it's personally relevant. I myself am a diverse learner. I am a parent of diverse learners. Uh, in my blended family, I have been struggling with, you know, SLDs and IEPs for well over a decade at this point. Um, so these things are really important, but I think in particular under the realm of equity, you know, there's a lot of creativity to that that I think is underappreciated and being open-minded and non-judgmental with the children you come across. I mean, some of my most special moments I've had in
087these schools has happened when I made somebody giggle um and how that re-engages them in their curriculum. So, when we think about I think someone else mentioned culture earlier, we talked about equity too. um the things that are important in mental health and equity. Again, it kind of you have to leverage the arm of creativity. There's so much more we can do without funding and referendums. Um which gives me a clean transition to what would easily be my second preference which is policy. Um not only have I worked at a you know enterprise level and very large companies for a vast majority of my career. Um, I've seen how a well-written policy that includes the perspective of all stakeholders, that's our communities, that's our students, that's our teachers, who hands down have one of the
088hardest jobs I have ever seen, especially kindergarten and fifth grade. Um, right. All of that perspective has to come into play because it's a hard job and it's a complicated environment. That said, obviously I'm about as devoted to the betterment of our schools as you can be pursuing education in that field at this point in my life. Um, so even where I don't have a, you know, as much to offer in a committee, I have so much to learn under every single one. Um, and I think that's really important to recognize as well. >> And finally, Miss St. I'm most drawn to um the wellness and equity, student activities and athletics and um community relations committees. Um I believe that is where my background positions me to um make the most meaningful contribution. The board's
089commitment to the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally um resonates with me deeply. Um, I've spent my career at the intersection of like physical health, stress response, and human resilience. I would bring an advocacy oriented perspective to identifying potential um disparities, evaluating programs, and recommending resources um that meet students where they are. I understand how um I understand how a student's physical and emotional well-being affects their capability to learn, connect, and succeed. These are not soft priorities. Um with that said, I also see strong connections to the community relations committee um particularly around the board's goal of creating um communication channels that reach all community members. The goal of ensuring that all stakeholders receive information that's timely, consistent, and accessible is one that um I support and would hope to help build. I believe strong
090community relationships are the foundation of um everything that we would hope to accomplish and um I would welcome the opportunity to to help build and sustain them. But ultimately um I'm prepared to um help serve and work wherever is needed most. Um and my commitment would also be to uh the district and to the students and families. Thank you. >> Okay, this concludes our interviews. Thank you to all the candidates. Um so what's going to happen now? We'll go uh we'll take a recess will go back into executive session and deliberate um and then we'll come out and um vote on the successful candidate. Um so we're hoping 45 minutes or less but um yeah so we'll do our best. Um so yeah so um everybody you guys can come down take your take seats
091our team will come up and switch over the tables for our normal board meeting um and we'll start uh after the vote. Thank you. I'm glad to Um yeah. >> Um so here I go. Thank you, dude. >> All right, take care. Have a good night. >> Yeah, I know. >> Get Maybe in our