001Go ahead. >> Prove them now. >> Okay. >> Where do you stay? >> Grace, do you know if Max is at school already? >> Yeah, Max's already at BC. So, >> so exciting. >> Yeah. >> I always go there for I don't like >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Sorry. [Music] I'm all by my loans over here and I have a lot of real estate. >> So much room Okay. >> Uh, good evening everyone. I'd like to call to order the August 26 regular public board meeting. Mr. Jones, please call the role. >> Miss Barb, >> here. >> Miss Bower, Mr. Benedict, >> here. >> Mrs. Boroff, Miss Brody, Dr. Kolcowski, >> here. >> Mr. Yiani, Miss Williams, >> present. >> Mr. Murray, >> here. >> Qu is present. Would you please stand for the pledge of
002allegiance? >> Flag is over there. >> Ready? Begin. I pledge algiance 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. >> So, we will move into recognition and instructional updates. Dr. McGary, >> that was quick. Yeah, I feel like that's usually after, but I guess it's not. So, you're up. >> So, if I could encourage the audience to sort of swivel to look at the back screen. So, good evening board members and community members. Tonight, I'm presenting part one of our 2024 2025 state assessment report focusing on the New Jersey graduation proficiency assessment results for the class of 2026. including our our own Grace right here and our access for L's assessment outcomes. This comprehensive data
003provides insights into our students academic progress and readiness for graduation. Oops. And I'm not being able to forward this. There we go. The New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment serves as our primary graduation requirement pathway. This assessment, which is administered by the New Jersey Department of Education, measures our students proficiency in essential academic standards required for high school graduation. Let me provide some context about this assessment. The NJGPA was first administered as a field test to 11th grade students in March 2022. And according to the news, it was last administered in March of 2025 because we're moving to a new assessment in March of 2026. It evaluates students on algebra 1, geometry, and 10th grade English language arts standards. This assessment represents one pathway for the class of 2026 to make meet graduation requirements. Students received
004scale scores that place them in one of two categories. They're either considered graduation ready or not graduation ready. Our English language arts results demonstrate exceptional performance. Scotch plane spamwood achieved 94% graduation readiness, significantly outperforming the state average of 81%. This 13% point advantage represents outstanding achievement by our students and reflects the strength of our ELA instruction by our teachers as well as our curriculum. Looking at our demographic breakdown reveals both strengths and areas for continued focus. Asian students achieved 100% graduation readiness with students identifying as two or more races also achieving 100%. White students achieved 94.4% readiness while Hispanic and Latino students achieved 85.1% and black or African-American students achieved 82.4%. Notably, students with disabilities achieved 70.1% graduation readiness. When examining year-over-year changes, we see positive growth in several groups, including an 8.2 uh point
005increase for Hispanic or Latino students and a 9.4 increase for Asian students. This chart shows our students performance across different ELA skill areas. Our students excel particularly in writing expressions and writing conventions. Those two on the right hand side with 89% performing above expectations in both areas. So, so if you actually look at these, the blue is the at or near and the green being above expectations. Reading literacy and reading information both show 81% of students performing above expectations, while vocabulary shows 74% above expectations. Something that we've been noticing since since the pandemic and that we're working to address not just through ELA classes, but across the curriculum because it's really testing academic vocabulary. So, the kind of vocabulary that you might hear in science class or a mathematics class or social studies classes. Our
006math results show strong performance with 85% of our students achieving graduation readiness, significantly exceeding the state average of 58%. This 27% point advantage demonstrates the effectiveness of our mathematics instruction, though we recognize opportunities for continued improvement. The mathematics demographic data reveals important patterns and encouraging trends. Students identifying as two or more races achieved 94.7%. While Asian students achieved 96.6, white students achieved 82.9% readiness and Hispanic or Latino students achieved 80% readiness. However, we continue to see a significant gap with black or African-American students achieving 51.4% 4% readiness and students with disabilities achieving 43.9%. Notably, we see positive improvements from 2024, including an 8.4 point increase for Hispanic or Latino students, a sixpoint increase for Asian students, and a 5.3 point increase for students identifying as two or more races. Additionally, both economically disadvantaged students and
007students with 504 plans showed substantial gains of 13.3 and 11.6 points, respectively. Our mathematics strand analysis shows strong performance in major content and supporting content. However, mathematical reasoning presents our greatest challenge with only 43% above expectations and 25% in the not yet category. This indicates that students can perform calculations but struggle with problem solving strategies and explaining their mathematical reasoning. Mathematical reasoning is clearly one of our top instructional priorities moving forward. So some key insights and next steps from um the NJGPA as again I said our students the class of 2027 will be taking a very different assessment in March. Um it's a it's it's considered an adaptive assessment similar to what we've been using um in the elementary schools in the um the MAP assessments which sort of responds to the way students answer
008questions. So some key insights here is that the data reveals three um insights. First, our English language arts program is performing exceptionally exceptionally well with 94% graduation readiness significantly exceeding state averages and with improvement across most demographic groups showing our inclusive approach is working. Second, while 85% um while our 85% graduation readiness in math far exceeds the state's 58%, mathematical reasoning requires immediate focus. With only 43% of students performing above expectations in this area, we need to shift toward developing students problem solving abilities and mathematical thinking skills. And third, we must continue addressing performance gaps, particularly for students with disabilities who achieved 71 70.1% graduation readiness in ELA and 43.9% in mathematics. Next, I'll turn to the access for L's. Um so um this assessment which is provided by WEDA which is a consortium of
009schools across the country measures the English language proficiency of our multilingual learners and is administered each spring to monitor their progress towards English language proficiency. I will have add a caveat here that um in monitoring progress monitoring our students we noticed that there were several students who seemed capable of um exiting our program midyear and the state allowed us to actually um assess them in the middle of the year and 10% or 10 of those students actually exited in the middle of the year this year. This gives you a sense of um our multilingual learner population and how it represents pretty incredible diversity. Um Spanish speakers make up the largest percentage, 62.8% followed by Ukrainian speakers at 10.3% and we also serve students who speak Portuguese, Georgian, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Arabic, French, Hungarian, and Italian
010among others. This linguistic diversity enriches our school community and requires targeted support strategies. So the access assessment, as I said, is administered annually to students in kindergarten through grade 12 who have been identified as multilingual learners. This assessment monitors their progress in learning academic English and meets federal requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act. This assessment evaluates students on four different language domains. they are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Um um this year we administered the access to 92 English language learners. Um the the assessment is scored on levels from one to six within each one of those different four strands. And students need a minimum score of four in each domain and an overall composite score of at least 4.4 to exit ESL services. As I mentioned, um, 10 students were tested midyear, um,
011and received a qualifying score of 4.5 or higher, qualifying them to exit the ESL program. Um, at the spring assessment, 15 students received the score at qualifying them to exit. And overall, it's a 9% increase over 2024's um, assessment. This chart illustrates um our students average performance across the four language domains. As we can see, listening comprehension is our students strongest area at 4.7 followed by reading at 3.8, speaking at 3.5, and writing at 3.4. The overall composite score um averages is 3.6. And the pattern that you see in terms of proficiencies in the four different domains really reflects the typical developmental progression for English language learners. So, what the data tells us um is that um listening is a strength in in um in what we're doing. That our multilingual learners demonstrate strong receptive
012language skills with listening comprehension averaging 4.7 indicating they can access academic content when delivered orally and are building the foundation necessary for language development. The natural progression pattern, the performance hierarchy, as I said, going from um listening through to writing reflects the expected developmental sequence for English language learners, showing that our students are progressing appropriately through recognized stages of second language acquisition. And um while 25 students successfully exited the program this year, this uh 9% increase over 2024 indicates that um we need to have a continued emphasis on academic vocabulary development and structured speaking opportunities to best support students natural progression toward productive language proficiency. So, thank you for letting me share these important assessment results. These data points um guide our instructional decisions and help us ensure every student receives the support that they
013need to succeed. Part two of our state assessment report will be presented this fall providing additional insights into our students academic progress. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. McGary. Any questions for Dr. McGary? >> Good. All right, we'll move into reports. Executive session report. We talked about personnel, HIV, and legal status board president announcement. I just want to welcome everybody this evening. Looking forward to the opening of schools. I do want to thank all the staff who worked over the summer to get our buildings and grounds ready as well as the staff that participated in training to get themselves ready for the start of school. With that, I will now pass that on to reading my little statement before I go over to additions. So the New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to
014ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies in which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, the Scotsman's family board of education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having the date time and place thereof posted at the board of education offices at 313 South Avenue, Fwood, New Jersey. Such notice was also provided in written notice forwarded to the leader formerly Union County Hawk Star Ledger Township Clerk of Scotch Plains and the Burough Clerk of Fanwood and the annual notice of regular scheduled meetings is adopted April 24th. Additions to the agenda um was um G18 and we remove G16 and 19 superintendence report. Dr. Mast, >> thank you. Just to
015echo the welcome back to the the 2526 school year. Um we have had our new teacher orientation and that new teacher orientation is reflected in our our um impressive personnel report. It's it's it's rather thick. So hats off to our HR department for you know onboarding all all of our new staff. Um certainly in walking the campus it's it's joyful in the sense that we see our student athletes back as well as our our band on the field. So we can see that you know the the district is really coming alive for for the the work that we're here to do. Um thank you Dr. Begari for your um your analysis of that data. Certainly, it's it's one of our data points for um measuring our student progress that the state assessment and there are
016so many other ways to do it as well. Um things like Newsweek doesn't necessarily address it. I would like to just highlight for the community that when we look at our mathematics scores um as as they appear Newsweek they are um they are calculated based on students performance in algebra and in algebra most of our ninth grade students are in in geometry because our students the bulk of them take algebra in the eighth grade. And the reason why we have long been committed to that is we know that the study of algebra is a a gatekeeper in college level courses. Students who have algebra in high school um have have a real advantage if they're not taking it for the first time in college. So our state assessments don't reflect that. They often reflect our
017most skilled fragile students who are taking that assessment in nth grade. Um we do use and Dr. McGary um referenced this. We do use the state assessments. Teachers see those. They have access to the scores. So they really know how to target the support for the students and they also um know the students who need to be stretched and and need you know more more challenging work to do. So all of all of the data that we have we really take seriously to you know do our best to make sure that students are college and career ready. Um, so we really look forward to the September meeting as well, and that's when we really celebrate all of the things that have been accomplished over the summer. We have a PowerPoint that will give you pictures
018of the work that's being done, but just a little preview. Um, for a long time, our high school main office has been in kind of hidden back here at door 12, um, in the hallway that you walked out rather than being in the front of the school across from the auditorium. And um we have relocated the main office of the high school. So the high school principal is in the same location as as the assistant principles. And when people come to the high school, they're being greeted by the main office rather than having to walk through the entire school to to um to to find the principal, etc. So we're we're excited about that change and um more updates on the work that's been done. >> Thank you, Dr. Mass. Mr. Yeah, I don't echo
019the comments of the hard work of all the staff and I think the main office move was a significant amount of work because there was already staff there which at first in the spring we had to move staff out of that office and get the their new office correct and it really started with the special ed team moving to our office. So special ed team moved to our new location on South A. Then we moved the uh a team into that location after refurbing it and now we just did the main office. So, um, a lot of hard work, uh, buildings ground director Nick Krooppy and his staff and kudos to the custodians are working hard to get ready for the start of school. Um, and I also want, so two things I want to
020point out on the agenda, um, that I think worth highlighting right now. Um, the first one is construction management for our major projects. So, we'll be kicking off a lot of the work at uh, the Grand School shortly um, and going out to bid for that most likely October. Uh and in addition, uh all the work and planning for the HVAC and electrical and fire alarm upgrades. Uh we've spent most of the summer reviewing those plans and getting ready. So that'll be coming the the RFP for that for construction manager to help o oversee all that work which will represent u almost $50 million um in work. Um and the other one is the uh appraisal. So, you know, we are leasing right now sort of to be to to we're always looking to, you
021know, maximize our budget, of course. So, we're leasing right now. So, we're consistently looking at properties within town uh to potentially um reduce our operating costs. So, by having the appraisal on here and ready to go if we need to look at a property and get the appraisal uh because there is a long process for us to purchase any uh property, we'll have this on here for us for the year as we continue to look at properties. And that's it. >> Thank you, Mr. Jones. We will go to our singular student board rep since Grace is not going to have a partner in crime yet. Um but hopefully soon. So thank you for joining us before your summer is over. >> Y of course. Okay. Um so I'll just give like kind of an overall
022basically. Uh sports are starting up again. So, everyone who's involved in fall sports is um including field hockey, um tennis, soccer is starting. So, everyone's kind of getting back into the swing of things um with matches and games and stuff like that. And school starts this Thursday. So, schedules came out today for most of the students here at the high school. So, everyone's kind of preparing stuff like that. And we also have freshman orientation this Thursday. So, and new students orientation. So, um it's kind of like getting back into the swing of things and it's looking like a good senior year for me and hopefully a good um year for everyone else um this September. So, yeah, that's it. >> Thank you. See, first first report done. >> Only 10 more. >> Um great. All
023right. So, we're going to move over to our first public comment section of the evening. In accordance with Scotch Plains Fan with public bylaws 0164 and 0165, the meeting will be open for 15 minutes for public comment, maximum three minutes for speaker. Speakers addressing superintendent items, business functions, and other board business will be heard first. If time remains, speakers may address other matters. Speakers, please state your full name and the town in which you reside. Please note boards use the public comment period as an opportunity to listen to citizen concerns but not to debate issues or enter into question and answer session or a cross-examination between the public and the individual members. Be aware that not all issues brought before the board will be resolved that evening. Boards may respond to public comment by seeking
024additional information or by delegating the authority to investigate the issue to the superintendent or his or her designate. With that, I'll open up the first public comment section. If you would like to make public comment, please step forward. Gary Morris, Fanwood, welcome back. Um, quick question about um the referendum tax increase. Are we seeing the full tax increase right now or is it just the part the first part or like the there was one for staffing? So, if you could just clarify when does the staffing part of the referendum kick in because I would imagine you didn't have to hire anybody yet. And I' I'd still like to um entertain the ideas that I had regarding uh the staffing. for instance, relocating a nurse from the high school to the new building rather than hiring
025a new nurse. And she could theoretically still do some of her paperwork and stuff for the high school while she's at that facility, but then you have coverage. Also, the fact that it's only uh it's less than a quarter of a mile from McInn, why not have the principal of McInn cover being the principal of nine classrooms? Um, and I'm also wondering if you're looking into relocating the the offices to the the new building. Um, another thing, um, what I I don't know, maybe I missed it, but, uh, what's the enrollment like? If if this was October 15th and you had to report it to the state, what would the number be right now? Um, just want to know because I think it's an important thing. I think it should be in every meeting. There
026should be there should be a clock there that says what the enrollment is so everybody's aware of it. If it starts upticking, we want to know about it. We want as a community, we'd like to help. If it's going down, we want to know about it, too. Um, so I I think that's important. Now, this one you're going to think is really outlandish, but it came to my attention that I'm sure you're aware of the the chippery nos. Um, few people realize that that's a modular building. They're planning to just flatten that thing. Okay, that could actually probably be purchased for next to nothing and converted into an extra classroom for a art or music at one of the elementary schools. Um, so just something to keep in mind. You might be able to get
027a huge bargain on that because the guy's planning to get no money out of it. You just offer him a few thousand dollars to take it off his hands, relocate that. It's got a bathroom. It's got space in there. Think about it. It's free. Or next, it could be just a few thousand. Just keep it in mind. Uh I think it's something worth investigating. Um I know I I talked to you about um I sent a note to Christopher about, you know, the uh the parking situation for some of the construction vehicles. Obviously, that's already taken uh it's pretty much done now, but were you able to contact the mayor about that? And what was the uh the reaction there? Anyway, that's it. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mr. Morris. >> Anyone else for public comment?
028Okay, seeing none, I'll close the first portion of public comment. There's another one um towards the end of the meeting. So, Mr. President, if the one question I can answer, I know Mr. Morris brought up the issue of um having a a split time or shared principal across multiple facilities. I do want to just add that because that's a a legal issue I can answer right now, Mr. Morris. Um the state code actually requires every separate school facility to have the a dedicated full-time principal. That's state DOE code for us. So they're they're not all the district's not allowed if it's a separate school facility uh has to have its own principal. Um so that that one issue I can say that that's not really something the board can look at. I understand you had
029a number of things raised but I just wanted to address that one point because >> if I could add on to that point recognizing that it it will be a school of nine classrooms, nine prek classrooms. That principal could have other administrative responsibilities that that role would look different than the other elementary principles, >> right? It just can't be principle of multiple buildings. >> Okay. >> Chris, >> sure. Mr. Jones, >> uh just answer the the tax uh question. So for taxes, the way it works for us from a from a school district perspective is we uh raise taxes to a certain amount and then we ask the towns for those taxes and then they uh execute on that. So in terms of what we asked for, um the full tax impact of the staffing
030was in it was requested. I I can't speak to if it was in your first bill or or whenever that kicks in. Um but I can say that we did ask for the full amount and the state requires that based on the the question um that was on the ballot. Um then in terms of uh bonds, we did ask for uh the majority of the funding for the bonds uh in our budget as well. Um we issued so far we issued uh 20 million. Um we will most likely issue an additional uh 20 25 million um se in probably October November as we ramp up the as we about to bid and ramp up the projects and I guess enrollment as well. So enrollment is difficult to count right now because there are still you
031would be maybe you wouldn't be surprised how many families wait till the last week before school um to come in. So we have a significant amount sitting sort of in the queue and then on top of that some of our data is you know we're doing last minute placements but initial results when I just sort of look at excluding pre uh preschool um and out of district placements uh we're up uh 51 students um from the first look. So that's not final um but it is on top of the past two years 50 last year I was in the 40 40ome last year and a year before was like 150 or so. So, it's a steady uh climb of students uh and we did um add a kindergarten section this year. So, um at Kohl's.
032So, >> can you also speak to the office space? Why not? >> Um and speak to the office space. Um I think due to the the rising enrollment again that we've had um and that we expect to continue it's uh I think using the space on the third floor that potentially may need to house students um not say next year or the year after depending on the outcome of uh enrollment. Uh I think it'd be prudent to hold off to not use the space up. We have we're using space. We don't want to get into a situation where we were in Evergreen and then we moved out and if we move back into the building then we need the space and we move out again. So, uh holding off on now as uh as enrollment
033increases uh and once uh enrollment stabilizes um then we can make more firm decisions. >> Thank you, Mr. Jones. >> So, we'll move on to additional reports. Letter to the letters to the board. So 12 emails were received by the public from the public by the board and were sent to the appropriate administrator. I don't believe we have any committee reports this round. So we will move on to superintendent curriculum motions. Dr. Mast first out of district placements. Second, the HIPS from the June 18th meeting. Three, our field trip requests. Four, our statement of assurance. That's regarding our comprehensive equity plan. Five, our establishment elimination of a special education program. Um there was a program at McGin that was no longer needed and um we have a new program at Nettingham >> Evergreen. >> Um
034>> Evergreen, right? >> Oh, at Evergreen. Thank you. And six, our annual code of conduct. And seven, our extensive personnel report that we discussed in exec. Do we have a motion? >> So moved. >> Dr. Kolkowski, do we have a second? >> Second. Go. >> Which one of you wants it? >> Miss Barb, we have a Do we have any comments or questions? >> Mr. Jones, please call the role. >> Um, Dr. Colcowski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Murray? >> Yes. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Barbet? >> Yes. >> Mr. Benedict? >> Yes. Motion carries. Thank you, Dr. Mast. Over to the business functions, Mr. Jones. >> So, number one, staff training. Number two, related services, special education. Number three is uh law that passed that moves the bid threshold up has been increased
035in a long time. So, they moved up to 53,000. Number four is for uh different purchases we make through a vendor through state contract. Um so, that we can do it. Of course, all those purchases are reviewed with our finance committee and then also through the bill's purchase uh process. So, this is just u uh to use a state contract where we get the state contract allows us get us the lowest prices for uh these types of items. Uh five is for playground repairs we did over the summer. Six is waving a lunch fine. Seven is for a new part of the new phone system at Lrand. Eight is results of our used technology bid. pretty good results there actually. Uh nine we're we're negotiating three um uh three I unions right now. Um so
036we have we use a tail law firms that's just approving him for this year. Um 10 is a revised special education settlement we reviewed in exec. 11 is approving our federal funding. 12 is a water infrastructure grant we applied for through the state uh nonpublic participating schools. We are so for these schools we are basically we uh we manage the money the money um so we have to approve that these are the schools participating in this funding. Um 14 is gives guidance on the maximum cost for these types of services uh that are attached for special education. 15 is for obsolete and damaged books disposal. 16 is the RFP I discussed in my opening. 17 redeem recovery uh training. 18 is the appraisal I talked about my opening. 19 theater vendors. 20 is our drills
037that we do fire drills and such. 21 is our financial reports. 22 dispersements. And 23 is paying our bills. Do >> we have a motion? So >> move. Mr. >> Benedict, do we have a second? >> Second. >> Miss Williams, do we have any comments or questions for Mr. Jones on any of the items on the agenda that he went through today? No comments or questions. All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Board policies is next. We don't have any right now, but I have a feeling that there's going to be a bunch coming up. Um, which was Mrs. Winkler's Forte, but we have since passed that on. Uh minutes. Do we have a motion to approve the minutes from the June 17th and 18th? >> So moved. >> Second. Comments or questions?
038All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. Minutes are approved. Any new board business? Other board business, any leison on reports? >> The Garden State Coalition has their inerson meeting in September. I should have gotten an email about it if you guys want to sign up. >> Thank you. >> Nancy is not here, so I figured. >> I appreciate that. Any workshops or workshop reports? Okay, we have I believe it's three resolutions. Um, do we have a motion to approve um the three Latin and Hispanic Heritage Month resolution, the arts and education resolution, and suicide prevention month for September? >> So move. >> Thank you, Dr. Pukowski. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Williams. Any comments, questions? >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. We will
039now move on to our second and final public comment. In accordance with Scots Main Fanwood public school bylaw 0164 and 0165, the meeting will be open for 15 minutes for public comment. Maximum three minutes for speaker. Speakers addressing superintendent items, business functions, or other board business will be heard first. If time remains, speakers may address other matters. Speakers, please state your name in the in the town in which you reside. Please note boards use the public comment period. an opportunity to listen to citizen concerns, but not to debate issues or enter into a question and answer session or cross-examination between the public and individual board members. Be aware that not all issues brought before the board meeting will be resolved that evening. Boards may respond to public comment by seeking additional information or by delegating
040the authority to investigate the issue to the superintendent or her designate. So now I will open another session for 15 minutes. If you have a public comment, please come forward. State your name in the town in which you reside. >> Brad Herman, Scotch Plains. So I know this meeting opened up uh discussing test scores. So I figure I should end off that way. So uh test scores as we know are a metric that are used to judge our school's performance as well as assess effectiveness of curricula teaching methods and where we have to focus on. So, you know, going back to the NJSLA, while I appreciate the need not to freak out, quote unquote, our kids, I don't really understand why teachers do tell them that there's going to be no impact on their grades
041or placements. I think that's a little counterproductive. I mean, I know our wonderful teachers in this district mean well. They don't want to make our kids upset. They don't want to increase stress. But I'll also tell you that from the standpoint of a parent, uh, you know, as I try to do the right thing, make sure my kids get a good night's sleep, make sure, you know, they have a full fully charged iPad, they they eat well, they shout in my ear, "Dad, it doesn't matter." So, I I think, you know, all of you just need to keep that in mind. um that there has to be some kind of pressure otherwise our scores are really not going to be reflective of what we could do as a district. And um going back to the
042um the the first uh set of presentations about our math um I know I know as a district our math is overall I mean not talk about the at the gra you know the the GPA test but overall we're a little under the state average and our science is above our science isn't going to stay above if our mathematical reasoning continues to lag. So I mean I think uh Dr. McGary made a good point by pointing that statistic out that we really need to work on our mathematical reasoning and uh you know as someone who's been in the uh hard sciences as a career as well as now actuarial mathematics if you need any advice please feel free to reach out to me. >> Thank you Mr. Herman. >> Anyone else for public comment? Uh
043Gary Morris, Fenwood, I don't get the thing with the the second part of the referendum. If we're not if we didn't hire the teachers this year, why are we getting taxed for it this year? Shouldn't there be two uh tax periods where it doesn't hit at least? Uh again, I think from from the aspect of I think most people have gotten sticker shock when they got their tax bill this year. It probably would have been a better thing had that part of it been postponed. And where's that money going to go? Is that going I I know it's going to go to the kids eventually, but it creates a we'll say a slush fund, if you will, that's going to be used for something that it wasn't intended. Um and so again, I just I
044I I don't I don't get that. I've brought this up multiple times about that part of it. Um that we're not we're not paying those extra salaries right now. So why are we being taxed for it right now? Thanks. >> Yeah, I'll address that. I wanted to I forgot to bring this up when I mentioned Yeah, so we did hire some people. Um we're getting we're uh you know ground staff and such. Um but whatever funds we don't use this year go towards uh next year's budget. So it won't be um put aside so to speak towards next year's budget. Um we apply that every year in the audit. When the auditor comes in, she'll talk about it um with whatever leftover funds uh that we have. But we will ramp up hiring uh soon
045as we go get as we ramp up the planning the planning of the space. C can we also just address um the slush fund comment because the state's very particular around how that money is used and it's managed and the state validates what those funds are being used for and how they're being tracked as well as through the audit. Right. So yeah, >> it's not like we could take the funds and not use them for what they're intended for. That's being closely monitored because it was through a referendum. Is that correct? >> Yeah, that's right. Yeah, there's additional monitoring um with anything that's passed through a referendum. So they'll be as part of the audit process. We actually have to hire a consultant most likely on the next agenda. We'll be hiring a consultant to
046track. We have to actually pay a fee for a company to track the funds and how they're allocated. Um to the point where if we earn interest, like if rates change, we earn more interest on the funds that we're holding in our bank account that we haven't paid out to like the contractors, we actually have to pay that back uh to the community. So if we even if we earn too much money on in an interest we have to pay it back. Um so there's yeah there's a lot of safeguards around the money especially when it comes to voting. So um and it'll also be in our mid-year review that we do with the county. So yeah there's significant amount of oversight on anything that goes through a referendum. Yeah. >> Thank you Mr. Chair.
047>> Yeah Mr. President I think one of the questions uh Mr. Morris brought up I think both times as to the why now. Part of that is a quirk of state law that the state and when you go out to referendum as a school district, the state does not allow you to delay when that kicks in. It has to be for the next budget year if you pass a referendum. So um part they they tried in uh the last leg legislative session to try to give you some leeway. I don't believe that that passed. Uh that is just the nature of how the school district referendum process works. Um, so in terms of the the timing, you know, technically the board could have done just the facilities piece without the personnel piece and then waited.
048The problem that most districts don't do that, uh, is because it doesn't make any sense if the vote goes down on the personnel. Now you have this fancy building that you've spent all this money to fix because you have to, but then there's no one to staff it because that So that's why you put both questions forward. You need both of them to pass. Um, but because you can't delay the funding under state law, you have to put, as Mr. Jones said, it gets put it gets put in account. you track it, all these things. But that's why it has to happen at the same time. You need to know that the the community is behind it and votes yes. State law does not allow you to delay when that kicks in. >> Yeah. In
049addition, that was um that was part of the feedback we got on the road show for the first referendum. A lot like every time we had um we had a lot of people contact us questions through the emails. We had that email set up was what are you going to do about the staffing? Like that was a one of the top questions we received that we should put the staffing in on the vote. So that's just my last comment on that. >> Thank you. Um upcoming meetings, we have Wednesday, September 17th is the first meeting when school is opened and good of the order. Dr. Kolkowski, >> I just want to thank everybody from the end of the year when we had our moving up ceremonies and the graduation and the extreme heat. our principles,
050our PTAs, parents, supervisors, and faculty all scrambled to make it work, to make it safe, um to bring it indoors. Uh and although we had that um the transformer failure and park had no electricity, then we had the fire department coming in with generators and emergency lighting to make it happen. And despite not having air conditioner with the the darkness of the auditorium, it was nice and cool and it went off without a hitch basically. And the same thing for Terrell. We were over at Terrell in their auditorium. We did have power that day and air conditioning and it was just simply lovely. And sorry it wasn't outside, but it was lovely inside. and the fact that we moved the graduation ceremony from the evening up to the morning to try to have that nice
051morning breeze and a cooler atmosphere with our cap and gowns. I thought that went off well too. You know, I wish we had a a control to have the heat comfortable for our ceremonies at the end of the year, but that's what June is all about. So I just in New Jersey and I just want to recognize everybody that helped to make those ceremonies successful and safe for all our participants, both the graduates, the moving up students and their guests at the ceremony. So just want to thank everybody for helping out with that. Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> Other >> um the marching band preview show is on Thursday at 6 PM. As a former Raider marching band alum, it really boosts confidence to see people out on the in the stands. So, if you
052have if you want to do something fun on a Thursday night, please come out to the football field. >> Thank you. >> School's opening. Don't you want to do your drop off? Uh >> oh, no. Yeah, I was >> Oh, that's last. Okay. >> And I'll add if you're if you're in town, uh we have some scrimmages going on on the football field. Football team has a scrimmage on Thursday if anybody's around town. uh between 10 and two. Uh this week they have I think their final scrimmage. So come out and and watch the teams play. Uh we do keep score, but doesn't matter. >> But please come watch the kids play. It's great. And we watch some of the other teams and what they're what we're up against. >> The first girls tennis match
053is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at the courts near McGidd. >> Oh, right. >> Anyone else for the good of the order? Um, I mean, pickup and drop off is starting next week, so please be careful out there. It gets crazy. And as a parent with a full-time student for the first time, good luck to all the parents. I I definitely have a little bit of anxiety, so you know, just I hope everyone has a great school year. >> Good. Thank you everybody. Do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> So move second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. >> We're adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.