6-26-25 Watchung Borough BOE Meeting

001What? Hey, call to order a meeting of the Wong Burough School District Board of Education. This is our board retreat. It is June 26, 2025 at 7 p.m. Can we please all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We all may. Welcome to a meeting of the board of education of the burrow of Wang. Please be advised that this and all meetings of the board are open to the public and media consistent with the open public meetings act chapter 231 laws of 1975 and that the advanced notice required therein has been provided. This is a regular meeting of the board of education of the bureau of

002watch at which formal action may be taken. Meeting is being livereamed on the district website where a recording of the meeting will also be posted. The public will have an opportunity to be heard as shown on the agenda at points in the meeting provided for the public to address the board. Recording or photographing other than for private personal use requires the consent of parents, guardians who ch of parents or guardians whose children may be included in the image. We had a roll call, please. [Music] Uh, Mrs. Amado, yes. Mr. Gonzalez, here. Mrs. Harvey, here. Mrs. Duet here, Mr. Craft here, Mrs. Maddox here, Mrs. Santos here, and Mrs. Aglier here, and Mr. Frasier is absent. Okay, so our first order of business is the board of education selfassessment, which will the discussion will be led

003by Miss Patricia Reese from the New Jersey School Boards Association. How's it place in the There we go. Thank you. Is it on? Thank you um for having me again. I It feels like I've never left. We were here just not too long ago. Tonight we're doing something kind of fun by my standards maybe. Um we're going to talk about goal setting and it's it's an something that boards do every year. Um there's and we'll go into it. um the different levels of goals, but it really is setting your students up for success. Um so, do I just tell him every time I need to? Yes. Aaron, appreciate. So, I know as we're going through this, right, you for um for goal setting, you want to look at what have you as a board accomplished

004this year. Is there anything that needs additional focus and and what are your priorities? These are just global questions. So the next slide we I put this slide is in here because we talk the the stairstep model of responsibility. So your first level of goals is um the strategic planning goals which you just finished and you should have those action plans I think in August to go through them. But from the strategic plan goals, you will come the district goals which will be based on that. And then the board goals should also be based on that. all the way down to once you to to all the different levels of goals in your district should be based um on the strategic planning goals um and hopefully down into the students where you'll see um student

005goals leading towards uh success student success. The next slide please. So there are two kinds of goals. There's the strategic planning goals which were um collaboratively set in a great process that you involved your community with. Next level are the district goals which is owned by everybody in the district and it's set by um the uh your superintendent and as well as the board. Uh and then again they should be based on um based on what what came out in your strategic plan. Uh and then once the district goals are det or decide excuse me decided and approved by the board then the superintendent like the strategic planning goals goes to do the action plans the how how are we going to accomplish what you said we're going to accomplish whereas the board goals are

006owned by the board alone and it it it it's about processes and tasks that are owned by the board things that they do how to help their governance structure things that they want to accomplish. To the next slide, please. This slide in instead of going through every step, it really is that goal setting is a continuous process. Generally, boards set goals um district and board goals over the summer. Um they by um action plans are set maybe by uh August, early September. Then you measure those and then you periodically update your community, the board and the community about your progress towards those goals um and make any adjustments as they're needed. But again, it's an ongoing process. We do the next slide, please. And we know that effective school boards define clear goals that um

007on the expectation and the belief that all of your students can learn. And that's really um why we have the graphic. Dream big, set goals, take action. You want all your students to achieve to the best of whatever their ability is. Next slide. So, as we're going through this, you want to look at um what should you focus on this year? Is there anything that that rose to rose to the top? Are there uh any uh did you want to address any emerging mental health issues for your students and your staff? aligning your financial resources at this point to um support student achievement but also to support the strategic plan as you um move through that. Um we do the next slide and as we go through the when we get to the setting the

008board goals you also look at your strategic planning goals. these goals. This is this will be um pseudo the first year really. Next year will be the first year because you don't have the action plans yet on how on on exactly how to accomplish what that is. But you should look at those to see where they fit in um where the district goals might uh be aligned to that and then where your board goals might be aligned to that. Um next slide. And I just put in just globally what the the goal statements were. that was collaboratively set with your community. And again, you had such a wonderful turnout between uh community members, staff, board members, um even elected officials. It's really um is a is a tribute to your community. I I've not seen

009that much turnout, that much involvement on all those different levels in in many communities. So I think that really speaks well to um to not only watch Burough schools but also to these these um strategic planning goals there are four how uh broad they are uh and how um everybody has really agreed to that. Go to the next slide. So when we look at the the district goals, you you look at if from last year, if there's any progress that you were made towards those district goals, do they need to be um uh carried over another year? Do they need to be tweaked? Do they need to be just have have they been accomplished? Um do you need to choose something else? Uh it's those district goals then that become the basis of your superintendent's

010evaluation. And that's why the district goals are collaboratively set by the board and the superintendent because that is how you will the that is the one of the primary ways you will be evaluating your superintendent is on progress towards those district goals. Um and next slide. Okay. As I said they can sometimes be carried over. We we recommend about three to five districts every year. any more than five and it becomes um ownorous for the sup for the administrative team. They're spending all their time um trying to achieve those goals and they have they have another job. They have their primary job is the education of all your students. So three to five uh really is is the minimum and the max maximum um that the board and superintendent should focus on throughout the year.

011Um, and then, you know, determine on when you want those updates. We recommend quarterly updates at a board meeting on progress towards those goals. Just just so everybody's up to up to speed on it and as well as uh keeping a pulse on it that you may need to tweak them. Something something may have happened like when when all the schools shut down for the pandemic, right? If you had a district goal during that time frame and that was that was March through like the end of the year um whatever your district goal was that might be achieved in those last few months the world shut down you couldn't do it. So you have to be flexible um as a board and you know to what any changes that you make that you might want

012to um that that might happen any any from there. So just I was going to say for this year we were we had the two goals, we had the budget, we had the strategic plan. So all of our work, right? All of the budget goals, all of the strategic plan goals already came together. So those updates for this year, it made I have to say it made my life easy because we had the um state of the district bless you state of the district in January. We had the three bless you the three um public meetings, right? We had January well February but the very beginning of March, the end of March, right? And then we had another budget meeting, not just for the district, we had the burrow meeting. So an unusual year, I

013would say this year you had five opportunities for update. So I just when we're setting the goals and talking about the updates going forward, please also set that expectation, right? Like this year it was preset so it was very straightforward and easy. But if there's something else, we should we should declare it. If you if you go to the next slide, that actually has your um district goals. There you go. That that from from last year. Your district goals. Develop a sustainable budget as Dr. Glazer said that supports identify curricular changes and implement program initiatives and professional development to support both and to develop a strategic plan which you you know certainly you've accomplished that you you've had that that whole process and you have the strategic plan. Um and um so as as you

014get through um to to deciding what this what your district goals will be with your superintendent, you know, you look at what you what you accomplish and what's what's coming up and we go to the next slide and just go to the next one. Thank you. So once you've determined and Dr. Dr. Glazer, my understanding is you wanted to do the district goals in August or did you want to No, no, we're planning to do the district and board goals tonight. Right, everybody? All right. So, can you go back to the next back one slide, please? There we go. So, that's what this is this slide was up here was about. Um, do you any direction you want to give the board on? um wasn't prepared for that. But I will say that we know

015we have some significant initiatives just not just growing out of the strategic plan. I would say under that um strategic plan umbrella from last year um with the budget and I would say under the umbrella Ella um we have the new textbook and resource adoptions in math and language arts. Those are a big lift, right? Our staff needs to get to know um the text. We are realigning the scope and sequence and curriculum right to incorporate that text. We always um have as part of our curriculum the differentiated instruction meaning um the interventions the um above level gifted and talented if you will I don't like to use that exceptional the multi- um language learners or special ed learners that's all built into that curriculum so we need to be able to um not only

016introduce the staff and the students to the resources that are going to support that. But our families, right, during the course of the year, it's a new book. It's a new um in language arts, the science of reading and writing, while it's still that whole language and still has that um focus on balanced literacy, it does look different. So, we we have that um we have all of that to look forward to. My gosh, we have all of that to look forward to. And I would say that that either couched in a um bigger goal or under student achievement or curriculum might be the the frame or the basis of a goal because that's going to be a lot of work I think for collectively for everyone. So, that would be one thought. And of

017course, we do have the when um um sorry, Patty comes back in August with the published plan, it'll also have not just the first year strategic plan, action goal. It'll have our first year um district goal, action plan, and hopefully the board's action plan for the year. So you you have that opportunity to to use the the broader I guess strategic plan goal as well. Those would be the first two thoughts. So under the student achievement stat strategic plan goal curriculum textbook have a district goal for implementing the new curricular changes in textbooks along with professional development communication with the families something like that as a I would have that as a separate and the action plan. So the communication around the curriculum and that yes would be that goal but we had those three

018other goals as well. So that's that's all I was saying. You have the you have some of those topics twice. Can we see the um the slide with all the strategic plan goals? So slide with the so we can see them all up four. Sorry. So the language the three other Yes. So there the four. There's the student achievement. Another one. Back one more. Aaron, go back. Another one. Another one. More. It's got the four. One more. And there you go. So student achievement, professional learning and capacity building, um, communication and community engagement, school culture and climate. So those first three strategic plan goals, that's what I was saying. You could couch couch the um curriculum piece, the different the student achievement piece with the resources, the professional learning and capacity building for the staff

019and students and the community engagement and communication um with the communicating the changes and I do think that that'll impact school culture and climate. I just don't it's not a accessible goal to me. You come up with something. Does it does it make so it makes sense for you to spread them out as three different goals as opposed to one goal? Oh, no. One goal just so remember strategic plan is the umbrella, right? And then everything comes under that. So if there's a district um um there'd be one goal about textbook adoption and it would touch three lines up to all three. There you go. Great. There you go. Better way to say it. So do we want to talk about I mean I think that goal makes sense. Is it is it in terms

020of what you want to achieve with that goal? Are you looking at um an academic right? Do we want an academic metric on that goal or well it you won't see that in the first year? Okay. Like do you mean if you're to use the May test scores based on is that what you're saying is necessarily it could be a two-year two-year goal. It could be a well right that makes to me that makes some sense. I just want to be careful. um not managing the expectations but you are not gonna see you know an 80% no proficient strategic plan goals are a fiveyear goal so every year you may have a different action plan so at the end of five years these are uh the area the rural goal areas you want to accomplish

021so every year might have something different right I understand so my my guess my question was for a goal around um this new textbook resource adoption. What is how do we know if we are successful? Right. Yep. And so when we build out the so and maybe we don't have to do it again this way, but as we've built out the goals, they've been um fairly generous in this frame. And then as we build the action plan, it becomes that that um smart for lack of a different term, smart goal, specific measurable, right? So come up with some of the measurable time bound if you'd like, but I I end up building that into the language in the action plan. That's all. It's just easier. I know you're like Tim Walt. So, so are there

022no uh metrics put against these district level goals? No, of course. Okay, that's the measurable part. I think she means like the overarching goal. I watched the webinar last year. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't watch it again this year. So, unless anything is maybe something has changed, but like the the district goal itself isn't smart. the action plan is smart. So the measurable stuff goes in the action plan. Got it? That that's what I get. And that's where you measure whether or not the broader goal has been achieved, but the measurable stuff goes in the action plan. So there's a broad goal and then you detail out in the action plan how you're going to carry it out and how you're going to measure it whether it was successful. And for district goals that's set by

023the by Dr. Glazer the act. So, if you looked at the district goal this year's, right, um the budget one, just as an example, um which of course I don't have up, hold on. Um develop a sustainable budget that supports identified curricular changes and implement program initiatives and professional development to support both. Right? That's your your brain. But when you um go back and look at the the action steps, the smart, right, the specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timebound. See if I can pull that up real quick. Um maybe we're this is this is the workshop, right? We're diving into Oh, no. This is this is what you're you're doing it all. You're perfect. You're valid question. You go. I'm looking for the actual language of the from the action plan of the smart goal. But

024if you have another question, look just my thought on this is that the idea of like having a district goal of textbook resource adoption. Well, that that that and the curricular piece, right? But that seems that seems more like an action as opposed to a higher goal, right? That seems more like here's what we're going to do. We're going to implement this in order to achieve X. So, and so like the more broad bigger more broad like the the bigger goal would be, you know, um I don't know bring our students up to date on blah blah blah or some some some form of academic success related goal and that within that we are doing the textbook resource adoption, we are doing the basic skills, we are doing these other things. So yes, this this

025piece of writing the curriculum, aligning the skills, um doing the differentiated um components of the curriculum, bringing the staff up to speed on the the new resources as well as the students and the families is huge in and of itself. So that's that's where my hus not that I'm not I understand I think I'm trying to frame under the strategic plan goals um a a district goal that's achievable. Okay. That's kind of because it's going to be a big lift. I agree with you Danielle. I agree. I think those are all action items and there should be a broader goal. Big action item. every one of those things, teacher professional development, all of that, those are all action items within whatever the goal is going to be. Does a district goal have to be a

026a single year goal? No, I think no. Can we have a two-year goal that reflects some sort of academic change? You can carry a district goal as many years out as as you need. You could every year your action plan may be a bit different and the resources that you have available to address that broad goal may not be available all in one year or all in two years. So you'd have to take it. So you can have it go out a couple years and then after a couple years you may tweak it to something different or say it's been accomplished. So I I think my question is and I'm sorry I'm talking so much. Please everybody else jump in. Um, I guess my question is under the student learning and achievement strategic plan goal,

027what is the smaller goal that this major action item of all of this textbook adoption is going to direct to? What do we want to achieve with that? What maybe it could be more like program development. What do you mean? So if I don't know if we're just focusing mainly on just language arts or or we did we have um language arts we could then make the goal about those specific programs that we're developing to make sure that they're up to standards and aligning properly and those are all the action items that would go with it. how it would be phrased, I'm not sure, but that could be maybe the broader idea of it that we're working on or the superintendent's working on program development. So, if it's visual and performing arts, if it's, you

028know, athletics, if it's the STEM or STEAM or um the new math program that we're developing this year, it would be those are all things that those are all different programs. So, I would think I think what we need is to see more specifics. We we're just used to seeing things more specifically listed and these not that they're that broad. They are pretty broad. They are broad. Well, strategic planning goals are are intended to be broad and then so plans bring the specific you want to make sure you're reaching some of these goals. This is the important part. Yeah. And you judge that when you get into the um the district goals. Well, you get that first. You you kind of have the action plan that will this is what we're going to do to

029get here, right? So, so the goal last year, right? Develop a sustainable budget that supports right blah blah. And then you have the the smart goal, if you will, the specific measurable, right? So by April 2025, develop and implement a financially stable, self-sufficient budget that directly supports curricular priorities and changes, new program initiatives, and targeted professional development investment. This budget is aligned with at least 80% of the district's identified instructional and program needs funding each within the 2025 2026 fiscal year created through collaborative budget planning with stakeholder input ensuring transparency, equity, resource allocation. The budget supports the board of education and district goals, enhancing the quality of curriculum instruction and improved outcomes. So that is the smart goal for the that general develop a sustainable budget, right? And I think you could hear where it's

030specific. We're developing the budget, right? Um that's got to meet the district's financial obligations plus prioritizing what everybody said they wanted to do. Measurable. It has that um at least 80% of what we tried to do. we weren't able to fund everything that we said we wanted to do. Um, and we know if you meet that right, that measurable piece, um, because we included the key initiatives, as many as we could, um, in that final budget, you had the, you know, the new positions or the textbook adoptions, the curriculum writing this summer. That's that's all the measurables saying that we were doing that achievable right because you had to know how much money we have how right what we could actually do we couldn't again we couldn't recommend everything but um I think that the

031board did an amazing job trying to provide the best possible opportunities right for the staff and the students um it's relevant I think that it's obvious why it's relevant. You don't need me to go through that. Um and then achieved you could again you got to see the um tenative well you were in Florida but the tenative budget presentation the burough presentation the final presentation and then we used that right so last year's goals were part of the state of the district um we used that in strategic planning so that's part of how you'd know it was that time bound right that we we hit it. So, does that help make it Well, no. Does that um hit the specific I take it from the general goal to very um granular for you? Okay. What

032if we did something like implement new new program initiatives to enhance student achievement in ELA and math? Is that broader? So say get new program implement new program initiatives to enhance student achievement and then you could if you wanted it more specific you could say in ELA and math or you could leave it open if you wanted to put that I guess it would depend is it a one or more year goal right like I think math and ELA are absolutely going to be this year but we know as part of the strategic plan. We're um hoping to look at world language. We're hoping to look at right as um Dory said the steam and the soore. So if it's multi planning jobs like that's what we need to plan out this year. Well, so

033if the I guess if it's a multi-year goal, what I'm saying is this year if if the goal is over two years, right? Implement new program initiatives to enhance student achievement. Correct. done and then year one math and ELA and prepare for or maybe program review of some of the others. It ties back to the strategic plan action goal and gives you I guess um a multi-year perspective. I think that makes sense. Wouldn't you guide us on what after we let's say that's one of the goals, wouldn't you then guide us on what you think could be achieved in year one and year that would be that so that you you go back and figure that out and bring that back to us in August. Correct. Yes. Well, no, I would bring it back as

034fast as I could because in August the action plan gets published. So, we would probably talk about it in our July and August um curriculum or whoever. So, so wait, I just want to make sure we captured it. You You're writing it, too. So, I want to make sure we both get it. I'm just making Let me I got the right wording. Um uh imple GPT it up to make it really fancy. I know. Text me hearing everybody what they said, too. Uh implement new program initiatives to enhance student achievement. Is there something after that in ELA and math I think that's specific I think are we going to say um are we giving it a period of time because that's where I to Adam's question right so I would do annual right so I

035would say um in that case implement new program initiatives to enhance student achievement um over I want to be just leave it And then I was trying to tie it to a multi to give it the I just don't know if that if that is any more narrow than student learning and achievement five-year plan, you know, should it should we not program initiative? Well, that's why I was asking about if you said, you know, um over two over the next two years or between the 2025 Yeah. uh 26 and 26 27 school year. And then we focus as Adam said over and math. I'm going to say that's that specific ELA and math if if that's what we're doing. That would be year one. That's that's kind of what I'm asking. Well, but then we

036we would be looking at hopefully improvements in the other areas and or whatever else. No, no, in ELA and math, right? You're doing the implementation year one, but we want to see growth in year two. Yes. And then I think separately m you know we we have we're we're working on this basic skills we have 0.5 right now we hope to get to 0.1 that's a just a that's a position I I think that that's a budget commitment what I'm saying as far as program review is is going through a cycle of improve there's an actual um prescribed cycle of improvement for looking at programs We could do that if there's an issue with basic skills. I thought it was world language and soore, right? That's what the is in the strategic plan. Right. I

037what I was going to suggest and this was just an idea to throw out there was looking specifically at the the I don't know how I don't I don't know what the right term is to say is the underachievers. The ones who are struggling the ones that are struggling. Ones are at risk. C at risk can we build a goal around help around around them that includes the basic skills teacher and includes perhaps some other it wouldn't be this same goal that's what I'm saying oh yeah okay it would be a second goal become specific to Elan and we have specifically students at risk goal which is perfect just know that our um the students at risk are typically also language arts and math just so you're So it all hit it all hited uh

038maybe from global to specific but because again I think we're also going to be looking at soore I think you're going to be looking at um a continuum of achievement if you're going to do that kind of work. So, what what I think I'm going to piggyback off of what Adam's saying is that if you want to list all of the programs that are going to be developed in the goal and then in the action plan, you can break it down as to year one, you're you're specifically going to focus on these programs and year two on the other ones. but basic skills and whatnot can be put in as an action item as for for the superintendent to work on as opposed to specifically listing it out in the goal. Um, but I don't

039know what other programs you you want to develop. We only said ELA and math. That seems like one year. So, are we going to do steam? Are we going to do visual performing arts? Are we doing science? like what what what are like cuz then I would say list them all in the main goal and then let Julie break it down. Two layers in our conversation. We have the strategic plan which um includes that program review world language sore um uh I'll say interventions because it's multil- language learning right it's special ed so we have that umbrella right of student learning and achievement so I what I thought that I was hearing on over here that's the unfortunate part of a lot of conversations at the same time that if goal one is implement new

040program initiatives to enhance student achievement and the action plan is math and ELA resources curriculum alignment um year one and showing the academic or achievement progress whatever um language is year two but also So at the same time, right, we are still planning the program review of those other programs, not specific to this goal. So I think I heard a second goal even still student achievement and learning but a second goal um specific to again either I don't want to say differentiation but the spectrum of achievement um basic skills through um enhanced so that that we're looking at our basic skills skills learners, our multil- language learning um learners, special education learners, our exceptional learners. But that I I heard is a second goal, not glombmed into the first goal. Sounds like a lot. It

041is a lot. Like is that it's a lot a lot. Is that too much for two? But it's two year, right? Aren't you you're picturing it as um when you say two years, you say year one to implement and year two to measure a program? Well, that's for the first goal, right? Not not that you aren't measuring in the first year, right? The second year, we're actually looking for academic progress in that math and ELA. The second goal is is trickier with that because that cycle of improvement, that program review cycle, um could actually take the whole five years of the strategic plan. the the continuous improvement in year one. You're looking at the Can we dig into that for a second because there So there's different departments in each school department heads. Yeah. I've

042known Yeah. So, but we're hiring curriculum. We have a supervisor of instruction job description that we're developing lead teachers. That person um is working with the um curriculum writing, the implementation observations, working with um the grants, right? To tie in especially the basic skills and the um social emotional component. um that person again the part of our challenge with the job description is making it a job that's actually accomplished something we could accomplish because we do not that's part of and we didn't have a report this month because we haven't met but I understand we're meeting next month when the different initiative regionalization how can we access I was going to say so I guess a better question is who is who would be responsible for the program review and initiative creation and implementation if

043we're saying so all of these unfortunately or me but luckily so I have unfortunately got to bear but the fortunately we have our principles right who are working closely with the staff we'll have our supervisor of instruction and I want to be I have to say um I Because people keep saying a director or an administrator. We got that title from the county because it does not impact our administr who and how many people I think they think that um content head or supervisor. This is an overarching right instructional position. Um, so yes, that person to help special um, uh, services person. So you we it's not like there aren't other people that'll have different responsibilities. It'll have to be collaborative, but um think that it's still unless we get a really special um supervisor

044of instruction, it'll still fall here with help and and have the the district goals, right? You have you as a board have one employee and it's the superintendent and then they direct the rest of the staff. So that you know the the the the um district goal is sufficiently broad um you know in for you the first one implement new program initiatives. Well what those initiatives are and where the greatest need are is determined by your administration and that's what would be reflected in the action plans. So you hold the superintendent by way of achievement towards the progress towards the district goals accountable in the in their evaluation. they hold the rest of the staff accountable to them in in their evaluation process of the rest of the staff. So it sounds I think you

045and I are saying similar things and that it it wouldn't make sense to specify which subjects within the goal. I I I would think you would want your administration, your superintendent administration to determine where the greatest need is, right? And and so when it comes to a board goal or this is won't insp. Yeah. Since that goal touches the first three strategic plan goals, do we want one on school culture and climate? Yes. But can we I was going to say go back to Yeah. Before we So, I just have to say something. Um I feel like I'm so confused. Are we discussing something specific? Do we have something that we're going to refer to? Are we writing something down that we want to implement, add? Are we just talking right now? Well, I'm trying

046to create our our district goals. Okay. And Patty has uh captured I think I captured it. Okay. So, starting from scratch based on our strategic plan, what goals do we want to set for this year at the highest level, right? And we're talking right now about a potentially a two-year goal that perhaps is related to ELA and math, although we're not sure. I No, I think that it is. I think it has to be program initi. Yeah. What the language so far is implement new program initiatives to enhance student achievement. So for for sure for year one and two that includes our new math, right? our new math resources, our new language arts resources, the curriculum writing, right? The um communication and community engagement. So that that's I think so far the tangible. Does that

047feel good and clear to you, Julie? Yes. I mean it it it's also um there was a thought about um waiting to see what the action plans are uh for the strategic plan to come up with more specific goals. Some boards do some you know we're going to do it I think simultaneously. I mean the strategic plan drives right now that you have one um it drives all the goals below. you saw this the stair step. So, as you're going up the stairs um and and the each different goal area or goal that different populations have in your district, the board, the administrators, the the building goals, the student goals, the teacher um should all build now that you have a strategic plan should all build on that strategic plan. So, so some boards do

048them, you know, this the district goals before they get the strategic and some wait till then. I mean, the board goals can or can be sufficiently broad um to um also encompass the strategic plan. Um things like um provide the resources necessary to achieve the strategic goal, which every year could be something different. I think uh what I'm missing is that I'm I'm a visual person and because I'm not visually seeing something in front of me, it's just not quite steps aren't there and our conversation is just kind of go back to the slide maybe the slide that you're writing in so that she can see she's I don't think Patty's writing in this slide. Erin Aeron's controlling the slide. I can't Oh, you weren't typing into the slide. Okay. I thought you were I

049can show you that we're No, no, no. That's fine. That was so um Aaron the the slide that has the steps. Oh, okay. Maybe that'll help visualize it. It's one, two. It's It's about the third slide from the beginning. Second, the third after the look in the idle. Okay, that one. There we go. Is that what you're talking about? Yes. ended. Um, well, yes, but I think for for Jessica, the one was there. I can't remember if it's this year's or last year's. I'm sorry. I know I shared so much with you. The concentric circles. Is that in this one? Oh, yeah. I think it's the circles that make the most sense. And I'm just going to go to the art room and look for a white. This one? Yes. Go forward one slide, please.

050there. There we go. That's that's what she's talking about. So, with the district goals and you look at the um as I said, they're owned by everybody, right? Um but they're collaboratively set um with the superintendent because you will be holding the superintendent accountable to those goals. So some of the the kinds of things that you see up there that can be a district goal about program and that first one you have is about program instruction staff professional development facilities and finance and what you had last year um was along those lines. You had something along the lines of um uh develop a sustainable b budget type that those kinds of of goals. So you have you have one about the new programming. Um what other is this making sense? It is. Um but you

051know like I said you know it's it's a visual thing for me. So I just want to know what is our base? What do we have right now? What are we trying to build from? Um I don't know. I mean I didn't look at what last year's was. So it's hard for me to visualize something that I the go the district goals last year were the budget one. Right. Right. And develop a strategic plan. So those district goals were very much sort of leading us to what we want to now right create. What what is kind of easier is if the superintendent is proposing certain goals that we receive them prior to this meeting so that we can read them and digest them ahead of time and then it's kind of more beneficial for us

052to come to the table and discuss them and offer suggestions and whatnot. So that's usually kind of helpful in this case, but we're kind of doing it like at this meeting. So I think that's where the visual aspect of it is missing because people don't see whatever it is in front of them and then you know even if certain action items are listed there that gives people a better idea as to what's happening. So I think that might be where some of the confusion is too maybe. So we have the for the for the moment the goal that seems pretty clear at this point is this uh program development goal that would be over two years and that would potentially break down you potentially see later as Dr. laser sort of pushes that out into

053a year one more development based, year two more more academic and metrics based and I'm still confused because I think there's a lot of different programs that could come under that and I think personally I think we should get more specific. Yeah. because there might be a different timeline for other programs, you know, like world language might be on a different timeline from ELA and math. So I I would like to be really clear about which programs developing right now and starting to implement. So I think it would help is like somebody mentioned having a whiteboard or one of those particular just to see if if we wrote those down then we can see okay this then I think that helps to jar you know your brain your and gives you an idea of okay

054this is the direction we want to head this is our header what are some of the things that we want underneath I think we could put the math and ELA under it and keep it as a multi-year goal as we imple as we develop other programs we move them into the implement mentation under under the implementation goal as time goes forward. ELA and math would obviously be this year. Yeah, those are the that could be specific in the action plan. We don't think we need to get rid of this goal next year. We just add to the action plan whatever specific program initiatives are ready to be implemented. Okay, does that make sense? Maybe. I don't know if we need a second full about developing the I don't think you have like a rolling goal

055that you know whatever program we start to develop or comes Patty this this is Patty Here we go Patty this is also the meeting where we set goal percentage goals like we put a number next to what we want to do right 20% increase in achievement or is this the time where we do that the the goals goals at this point um are more broad-based. Uh the action plans and and that's a a conversation that you have with your superintendent. You know, what is achievable? Um what's a stretch goal? Because certainly you don't want it to be too easily achievable. You do want to have some some stretch in there. Um but the the district goals and your are are um the goal statements are somewhat broad. And then you work together for the action

056plans where you can have more specificity. pull out these lunch tables as walls. You're right. Specific any of them yet. They're hearing the whispering. So, I'm just going to say this. So, Phyllis, you just said you want to make sure there's specifics, right? So, what we were just saying is that so these highle goals say here's where we want you to focus, right? You're going to develop this program in ELA and math. And then her action plan she now takes, she sets the specifics, the smart goals, and the metrics to that. Okay. So over the next few meetings, we're we're supposed to hear what she thinks those can be and we review that, etc. Okay. Because I think our main focus right now is math and reading, writing, yelling. Well, that's that's what you said.

057Yeah. So it has to be. And so my and the reason why I brought up the basic skills is you're part of that because we are hiring someone because that is starting and we haven't had one for a while like I you know I would like to see not just the one hire I would like to see multiple paths towards trying to improve that and how how we're looking at that overall not just the single does that make sense I missed what ex I heard And sorry, we I have something to share. But what was that in regards to? Well, I I'm jumping ahead a little bit because I think we're still talking about what is happening over there. I heard you say the smart art is for Julie to determine, right, I get that.

058Yeah, strategic goals are not first achievement. So this umbrella on that Right. So now the job is I'm doing the best I can ask right then what action plan so this general would become and it sounds like already the direction there not resource implementation communication with the expectation of progress, right? [Music] But they know that I understood I was there specific rights then you would We be more specific about what they are. I actually think specific. Yeah. So, sorry. Go ahead, Adam. I This helps me too. So I think and after doing a little chat GPTing um I think it would make sense to break out core ELA and math uh basic skills or underachievers and high achievers into three or at risk students and high achieving students separately otherwise we talked about that. So

059that so okay so let's let's keep going there. Well, well that's three separate, right? Core. So, we're we we all want to enhance student achievement, right? Academic. Yes. For student achievement, but which students, right? So, agreed. But if we say that, how do you imagine? I think I think you can limit that in your action plan to the broadest group. Right? We're not talking. If we do that though and now we come up with three to four more goals, that's when you're going to get overwhelmed, right? But if you're making three separate goals for core, at risk, and high achievers now, you can get more specific into each and we're not going to overwhelm you with what's ends up being really eight goals is what I'm thinking. Are you thinking of putting that under goal

060one or creating a whole separate goal because I think there's going to be a lot there's going to be different action items for each of those populations. I I somewhat agree. My my thought was similarly that rather than a single goal for the continuum that sounds like a whole lot um which is not measurable right but so my thought my thought was do we need a goal for assessing the continuum and maybe a more specific goal of looking at at risk because that's something we've actually started to work on and attendance engagement. That's part of the at risk. Yes. Sure. At risk students being but at risk is not so thank you. So at risk um I think there's always a perception that those kids um those students are are somehow lower right at risk

061doesn't you know necessarily mean that we have students that need intervention at every level which is why that would that fall under communication potentially better communication yes but but specific to these groups, right? Um, how are we sure? And it is it would communication would rain on that one too. But how are we sure right that we're I guess maybe a better I'm even changing my language that we are meeting the needs right across that continuum of our students that need intervention to um um perform at grade level. are students that need support because they are um English is not their first language or spoken at home that they perhaps have a learning difference um that we need to address or at the other end of the continuum that we have to meet their needs

062at or above grade level. So yes, communication. So what goal are you recommending? I I again would want to look at um finding a way to assess different than our formative or state assessments because we already know our subgroups are small. We aren't able to even share the data publicly, right? So we need as a team, as a leadership team, how are we identifying? Because I also think that that there are some um issues with the criteria for identification in that continuum, right? Goal number two, evaluate and assess enhance. I want to wait. I want to hear what you We got We got plenty of We got three more goals you can fill in. Throw down number two. You don't have to. I know. I know. I'm just saying there's more. There's room for more.

063Throw down number two. Continue. What did you So, this is just an evaluation, an assessment goal. Assess evaluate how we're assessing GPT. Dr. Leger, would you be able to um evaluate based on a percentage instead of having a particular number? an example of what you're saying. So when we're talking about the population, so when we're talking about a population of students and we're not we're not wanting to be specific about numbers, we can always can say a percentage of the students fall into this population then they fall into this whatever that may be. Yes. But I just want to as as a cautionary going into that if you have 20 students just for sake of argument and we are hoping that 80% of those students right whatever whatever the goal is when there are 20

064students think of think of what we're saying that's that's And that's an unrealistic expectation again depending on the continuum. Well, I mean and if it is 18 or 20 then you can say the percentage of 18 or 20 students whatever that may be. So that way it's a visual. What I'm saying is to move if you only test use the mic. We only test at We only test at third and fourth grade at Bayberry. So you you have um the consistent measure, right, for only two of the four grades we would be looking at. So we would need to be able to use multiple measures, number one. But number two, if you are not at grade level, this is educational jargon, but kind of the benchmark. If you're not at grade level, working at grade

065level, by grade three, the amount of time it takes to to bring you to that expectation grows, right? So we would actually be trying I I would expect to start very early the same way that we do early intervention the same way that you start right with prek kindergarten and we don't have this it would be a different measure that's what I'm saying and with that small number right we have 28 prek 50 kindergarten right? 60 you those percentages if you're if you're moving 10 kids right 10 of 50 it's a big big expectation I just want to make sure it's realistic all right so what do you got what are you thinking so so far we have assess are we meeting the needs of the continuum of our learners that's as far as we

066were writing before I needed the microphone. What else? Add in. Jump in. Where's Where's our friend chat? Chat must have something to add. Wrote down I have. Are we meeting the needs of the continuum of our learners? you had talked about different potentially different groupings, criteria like I I would be interested in having create the categories that make sense for us and assess what the needs are for each of those categories because then we can come up with smart goals for that. Right? for the criteria for identification is that instruction and need another word right chat another word achievement progress um what I'm looking at is are we meeting the needs of the continuum of our learners or the criteria for identification instruction and I'm I'm um maybe exiting programs although you don't exit necessarily

067if we could enhance that could include are we you know sending district are we sending off our eighth graders with the knowledge they need and is there any yes but that becomes even that is harder because now I'm looking K to 8 which is more than our five years, right? More than our fiveyear strategic plan goals. Oh, if I'm going to track that we're doing that, right? Kindergarten, those kindergarteners moving their transition, I need more I need more years for those kindergarters. I guess this is maybe a separate idea. I was just thinking that are we assessing with our eighth graders if there's a a group that isn't prepared for moving into high school. That's that's a constant that is that is under the role of the principles and the instructional staff. So the stairst

068steps of goals when we get under the district goal, the administrative goals, the the building goals, right? That's where that falls. Okay, I have to keep thinking. I'm I know exactly what I'm trying to say. And oh yes, chat's going to help us. Yay. Could have just read it. Uh this is basically what here I have identifi. Okay, so ensure systems are in place. Okay, I can't write it. Yes, that's perfect. Send it to me. I'm going to write chat right here so we know what it is. Ensure systems are in place to identify and assist students who face academic, behavioral, social, emotional challenges, fostering equity and access to learning for all. I'll send it to everyone, but ensure systems are in place to identify and assist students who face academic, behavioral, or social emotional

069challenges. No. Fostering equity and access to learning for all. So I was all with you and so we added social emotional and the other that um well the behaviors and social emotional can absolutely impact the achievement but that's not keep it separate. Yeah, understood. But otherwise, I'm all with you. All right. So, we have two. All right. So, that's a year-long goal to ensure systems are in place and that might affect potentially budgeting. How I was going to say and I think that that affects following years, right? um you know if a system wasn't in place and had to be developed or if um um I there's so many examples if we were disproportionate meaning we didn't have representation of all of our groups along that continuum that creates a new right a new goal

070or a new action we want we want the evaluation to be this goal and Not right that then you can solve correct other plans or or create new new goals right it's it's if you identify that we are not right meeting somebody's need then you have to create right a system or a goal to meet that need I think what insure means is that you're looking to make sure that there are systems and programs in place and if there are not then those systems need to be you know a system that works for that population needs to be explored and implemented. So that that's not you know the first year just making sure doing the assessment that the um programs that are necessary to assess are there and sufficient and if not then what what's

071what's the next step? What programs do we do you look at? Do we want a third or I I got ideas. I don't know if we want them, but I have them. I feel like we've touched the first three, but not the last one. Right. But I also just wanted to mention, right, because we have a world language person, new world language person now, and we have Well, that's a Spanish teacher, right? But but do we want to assess world language as a whole? And so so again that's comes under our three to five year strategic plan goals. Yes, we do. Can we do everything at once? No. But and that doesn't mean that that we would not be right with a new person. We have the opportunity now for a collaborative team. we have

072an opportunity for people to be working right um vertically on curriculum and scope and sequence which is what we want and that'll happen it's so you separate from this right you you think about that as maybe a year two or I think of that maybe as a a building we have between for the principles we have communication and culture and climate too so I strategic plan goals. Yeah, I'm thinking it's put under academic goals. So, well, I was going to say with the culture and climate um one of the things when I went back to read, you know, um we had talked about um looking at schedules. We had talked about um adding if you know you went to a different schedule at say the middle school, how could you add electives? What would that

073look like? And I think um and I haven't had to do this, thank goodness, but it's coming for a number of years. I um was uh one of the early um nationally board certified teachers and as part of that program um I was a middle childhood generalist. I am a middle childhood generalist which is fifth grade to 8th grade. And one of the things there's a there's a leadership group uh whatever a middle school I guess that's a middle school um learning and modeling group always started always started with a culture and climate survey students staff parents to to even figure out right what that model looked like. So I I think that that might be not just limited to the middle school. I know I mean it came to me thinking of it that

074way. I think a culture and climate survey again staff, students, families um districtwide and use that data right for would that be more of an action? I think that's an That's a very specific It it is. No, that is um Yes, that is an action to assess the culture and climate. I think that's a great idea. So, let So, but do we want a goal that is assess culture and climate or do we want areas improvement for areas for improvement? Yeah, I think we want an improvement goal that can include the assessment piece as an action item. So, I think you can't you can't say improve until you know if there's a problem. And that's part of surveying. I um I just had this conversation yesterday. I'm mentoring a a new um district leader and

075their entry planning process. And they're like, "Oh, when I interviewed the board said this is broken and I got to fix this and I have to go in." And I said, "I don't know that you can be successful if you go in thinking it's all broken and you have to fix it." There was there was something though that I experienced with the NJSBA where um they had a school come in and talk about all the different things they did for the to raise the climate and culture of the building. And they had such great initiatives such as like they would have the teachers do like they would start like a walking club and the teachers would do morning walks before their day began. They started yoga um for the teachers and with some of the

076gym teachers. Um, they did different things around the school with the kids as well where they would do different competitions and whoever won, one of them I thought was one of the coolest was that whichever class won got to tape the principal to the wall. I saw that one. That was they did like tons of stuff like that. So I mean like those things like you can still even if it's a good climate and culture in the building you can still have initiatives that still enhance that and make I agree it's the word fun is what we want instead of improve while we figure what needs to be enhanced I can't You don't want to get you don't want to get to the wall. One of them was they had to sleep on the roof

077or something. Yeah, it was it was interesting. It was interesting. All right, put the thing over there by school climate and culture assess and enhance. Yes, sir. Just enhance [Music] initiative. Dory, I hear you. And I just want to make sure I'm capturing Oh, thanks. See what a star you are. Um, enhance school culture and climate for students sta and staff. Yes. Yep. Yes. Should be both. No, I know. I'm trying to just capture your language. Enhancing for staff requires staff to, you know, put in extra time and effort. You need either you need the mic or I give you mine. I just want I just want to say that you know enhancing it for staff requires that staff put in agree to put in that time. So So I will say we do have

078the afterchool yoga. We are doing um we did do um some nutrition things this year. We had um Karen I know that you guys did that with um insurance the I can't remember all the different choices. a lot of choices and people did really value that. They did join right in. Just a different um wording. Yeah. Foster student engagement and positive school culture. Foster student engagement and positive school culture. I think that sounds better because the other ones out there though. I do too. I think I agree Dory. I think it has to be foster student and staff engagement. More specific than what the other one is because the other is for interpretation. So foster student and staff engagement and positive school culture. Yes. Yes. Now it's hailing, but it's okay. It stopped raining. Now

079it's hailing. Did you get it? Yep. What do you think, Julie? Is that one? Is that Well, we have more. I do think feel good about the number of goals and that they're achievable. I think that this is um a great start, right? I think just to recap um implement new initiatives to enhance student achievement which um comes under academic building capacity PD and communication. That the first one the second one um is an assessment systems program goal. um assess if we're meeting the needs of the continuum of learners um and I have written down chat GPT so I'm counting on you um and then if we're not meeting those right if we don't have that in place explore create implement what systems or programs are necessary and then the third um also an enhance

080um foster student and staff engagement and positive school culture culture. Good consensus. Yes. Yes. Yes. Phyllis, I want I'm asking you specifically not to call you out. I know how important the um that specific measurable part is. Do you think I I am confident that I can make smart goals, but I want to make sure that you're also with us. I'm with you. Perfect. Perfect. Thank you. Anybody else? Did we lose anybody else? Do we move on to the board goals then? Or you hope that that was to go into a little bit about the board self-evaluation and board goals if if you're up for that. Um and you did you send out the board board self-evaluation? Did let me let me just get him to then I'm gonna Is this mine? No, no, no.

081It's a lot of a lot of good work, a lot of interaction. Um, next steps is that uh Dr. Glazer will come up with the action plans for that and bring it back to the board. Um, if you go to the next slide is the board self-evaluation. And next slide. So yeah, go back one. Right. There we go. All right. Um I'm sorry to the next one. I Okay. So you did the board self-evaluation and um you know that it's really is a tool that boards can use to um improve their governance or at least to see if there are any cracks in their governments. Um it fortunately it's not mandatory but it is a best practice. Uh if you want to go to the next slide. This year we changed the board self- evaluation

082somewhat. Um there used to be nine standards that were assessed. This year we uh changed it to so that there are six standards similar to the superintendent's evaluation. Um and when we look at the um the results um you want to look at where the majority have rated in that um wi with the board standards and th those are the six board standards that that you assessed I think. Could you go to the next slide please? Uh and then there were overall ending reflective questions. what are our greatest strengths as a board and what are our greatest challenges as a board. Um and that you also were able to assess if there were board goals which you had some you were able to assess them. Um and that really we felt brings um gets you

083to a better understanding of where the board is. And if you looked at the um the board self-evaluation and the the compilation report um I highlighted some things on it. Um you you kind you want to look at the different goals um the different uh standards and see where the majority of the board you had seven of your nine members complete this where the majority of them felt um where they um where they felt the board was um in in me in in almost all of the yours you're in exemplar or proficient. There's some that need areas, some areas that are areas in need of growth that board members felt. Um, but overall look at where the majority felt the board was. Uh, we we generally believe that any rating uh average rating of um

084three three or above is shows a board that works well together. Um, almost all of yours are at three or above. a couple are just a shy uh below three. Um but it again as I said it looks like that shows a board working well together which is always a work in progress. Could you go to the next slide? The one thing that I wanted to point out um that um is this chart which is new this year and you see where everybody falls in that you really only have two areas that um and none of the areas where the majority feel that there's need need for growth um which I think is great but there's two areas that you may want to look at for for your board goals. Um, is there any in

085those that were able to read through the evaluation, were there any comments that stood out to you? I think I mean I picked out a few. Um, but um I thought that overall it was is well done. Um, no board's perfect, but um, if you look at a um a a a a glow comment and a grow comment. So, I kind of picked out from one in um the vision, mission, and goals. Our glow comment is our shared vision and mission for the district is what brings us together each month. I feel every member of this board truly cares about the district. Um, but as you went through that, where we go next is what you might want to look at for board goals. Um, did anybody have any questions or comments about the board

086self-evaluation? I don't want to read through all of it. Magna my cat. But I just want to say the the yellow under vision, mission, goals, and accountability I think reflects that we've been in building years um where we've, you know, haven't had a strategic plan and where we all are aware that that we're working towards something. So I think that that those yellows are not necessarily a sign of us doing poor work. It's it's where we are in this moment and I think it reflects appropriately where where it's time to move to next. That was my interpretation as well. When I was at the leadership summit on Monday, they talked about the governance core a little bit and how we can move to align all of our work to make sure that it lines up

087with the vision and the strategic goals. And so I would be I don't know about you guys interested in maybe talking about what we could do to help would improve standard number one but if you have suggestions as to I'm not totally familiar with this. Well, and I also think um in a moment that um by doing the strategic plan this year, you haven't had one. Um and so that strategic plan will bring everybody um to bring everybody together towards that um towards the the vision um you know the vision and mission of the district. But in the government's core, what you can, you know, do things like put on your agenda and post in every school the vision statement so it's there and it's visible for people to see. Uh some boards even recite

088that vision periodically at a board meeting. Put your um district goals and your board goals and the strategic plan goals, just the goal statements on your agenda and reflect everything back to that. every agenda item. So there's there a a way to word the goal where we where the goal is to make effort to I need chat GP GTP Adam to align the board's work board business with school's mission vision and strategic plan. I know action items would be like working on the agendas and making sure that the visions are there, the mission statements are there, but also even aligning agenda items, listing what agenda items are attached to which goals just to ensure that all of our work, everything that we're doing is moving in the same direction and it's not going off in

089various tangents. listing on the agenda on the board agendas what strategic plan goal or what district goal or board goal that all of those action items align with. Yes, some districts do that. I mean that sounds great. I like it. It's a lot of work you have to do. That sounds great. Not all does it. New York does it. But just some way of and we can work out the details the goals there. Yeah. Of I just looking right. I understand you want to break it down so that people understand we're doing this because we made this goal. Keep us on track and make sure that we're also reaching our objectives and that sounds great. I just don't know how to I don't know what anybody else thinks about that and I don't know how

090to word that. I like it. I think it makes a lot of sense in curriculum policy might be a little harder actually because actually I don't know let let me just um if you could go through to the next slide because I have your board goal in the next one. No the board goals are are sufficiently broad to broad to do um talk about prove your governance um continuous improvement um accountability. Next one, please. Again, three to five carryover from the prior year. Next one. Because these are this this is Yep. Next one with the mountain. There we go. Um, so what can you the board goals are what can you do as a board to improve your governance and be more effective in what you do? Here's some some ideas, right? What um support

091the strategic plan goals, right? at some point. And support means um not only just saying, "Yay, let's do it." It's making sure that the financial resources are available when you need them uh to address the different parts of the um the um strategic plan, whether that be um you need more, you know, whatever, you know, a new textbook or you need professional development. um when the administration comes to you, you support um whatever within reason, whatever you need to to um promote those this the strategic plan um professional development not only for your staff but for you, right? This year you achieved um you worked hard and you got board certification. Well, there's a a another level of board certification called master board certification, which is doing an additional 10 hours of professional development in

092the next two years. Very few um very few districts have achieved that. Um so, so what you're looking at is something that's more broad. um support well and some of the phrasing the phrasiology support administration to achieve the district goals and if there were any challenges that came out of your board self-evaluation. I saw several comments about um a committee committees and and board members not feeling uh that they've some board members not feeling that they they get all the information. um which can be a challenge because I looked at your committee structure. You have four committees. Um do you um provide before the committee meeting the agenda to all board members? Right. And and then the minutes after well that would hopefully help in that if somebody had a a concern or a question

093about something on the agenda, they could reach out to the board chair the I'm sorry, the committee chair to talk about that. Um or do you want to look at um going to from um a board of committees to a committee of the whole where there are no committees and everything is discussed by the full board all the time. Can you explain how that works? I mean that I mean how does that work? How does that it just means there's other than there there's just simply no committees. What you discuss in a committee has to be done publicly. So people tend to do um a working board meeting. Yeah. And then a business board like two board meetings instead of the individual committee. You work through everything publicly. Publicly. So it it does um impact

094what you like all your personnel would then um have to be done in executive session and you wouldn't be able to get into you may not be able to get into the specificity that you that you could in a committee meeting right when you don't have a quorum present. Once you have a quorum president in executive session, then any personnel discussion you have to write race the um the staff member. Um and some boards swear by that um that that you have no committee meetings. Everything is done at the board table. And so you have as Dr. has said one meeting a month where you're having the discussions, you know, in public and the second meeting would be where you're voting. I think no. And Patty, if you maybe you're you're best positioned to talk

095about this. So, we're a board of committees, right? And the committees have a different focus. So you would not talk about everything in every committee, right? That doesn't make sense. You'd have I mean everything that you talk about in say your your curriculum or your finance committee, you discuss that in every committee, that would be you know complicating an effort. Um and certainly but if if the agenda if the agenda is available and then the minutes after that should give that that can give board members the opportunity to reach out to the committee chair to to talk about an doesn't mean you can't ask those questions in public either. That just means you can get your questions answered ahead of time. But if you if you have every committee, if you're if you're going to

096present every piece of information in every committee, then you might as well do a committee of the whole because it's the same thing. Okay. I think uh I think we have the goal for you. Clearly communicate how board of education decisions and actions align with district goals, ensuring transparency, accountability, and strategic coherence. Thank you. We We're working over here. Just chat's working. I think Do you think that's a great goal? So, send it out. That was for what Jen said. I know that I think that's an awesome goal. Just do we want to write that down or I believe they're just going to email it. Responding to what Patty's talking about, I also think there is a communication issue. Um, I don't think the committee the whole is the answer to, but I think we

097need to do a better job of having committee chairs communicating what's going on in committee to the rest of the board perhaps. Um uh and there certainly are topics that I think Dr. Glazer, you know, ends up having to go round robin with all the committees to talk about and I'm not sure if that's the right way to do that. Like when it comes to these district goals perhaps and how is it going with the um let's say the goal of assessing the continuum, right? We all want to know that. Does that happen in curriculum and then the curriculum chair tells everybody else how that's going at the board meeting? No, I think that would be a public would be part of the public um it's usually part of our minutes too. Mhm. I mean,

098but there were a lot of comments about I I don't know what's going on. And probably the complaint I get the most is people wanting like budget is the perfect example. Everybody wants all the information that's given to the finance committee, but if we're gonna do that, Yeah. No, you're never gonna get all that information. I mean, it's hours and hours and hours of work because of Sunshine Laws. We can't only have, you know, four people at a time. So now it's being repeated three times. You're supposed to trust your fellow board members and it gets repeated whenever anybody has like a topic that's really important to them. So let's say like academic scores you know and but somebody's not on curriculum but they want the full picture beyond before the presentation or beyond the

099presentation. So it is it is a source of frustration for me because I I get a lot of calls and it just takes a lot of time and I know it takes Dr. Glazer a time too to repeat the conversations. So, if there was a way to set up the structure, I like checking the agendas ahead of time for sure and reading the minutes, making sure the minutes are um people doing a great job. I have to say I think that and calling calling the chair when you have I would just Yeah, just ask the chair if you see on the agenda, you would just ask the chair to add it. But if you don't see it on your committee's agenda, that's what I would say. I mean, in I don't know, the superintendent usually

100will just go around to each committee with hot topics. So, if it's the budget, Julie's been very good about that and making sure that, you know, she tries to keep everybody up to date in every committee as much as possible. I don't think you want to sit through like a six-hour budget meeting that has already happened in operations in a policy meeting, right? Which already has stuff on it. So she has to give a brief you know overview of if you have specific things then you should either contact the chair or talk to Julie but I mean the other component of it is the board president is in every single meeting. So they're the person who hears everything that's going on as opposed to the rest of the board who isn't in every meeting. So,

101a lot of the times they if the superintendent potentially misses something or whatever, they can always pick and say, "Oh, actually, we should discuss this as well because this is probably going to bleed over into this, you know, committee or, you know, it's important for this committee to understand what this other committee is doing because it could, you know, you might have to work together and whatnot." So, it's a combination of your board president and the superintendent, but to have all those topics, it's just it would be too much. That's why I say you have to trust the people who are in and assigned to that committee that they're doing their job and that their due diligence in making sure that whatever's presented to them is clear and concise and that they're providing the rest

102of the board with the minutes and information that they need. So if anybody feels lost, it's your job. It's not the chair of the committee's job because they can't read minds. And I've said this many times in the past, the superintendent and the board president cannot read your mind. You have to ask questions. So if you're not sure about something, you have to put the effort into doing that because they're not they're not going to know and we can't have eight hour committee meetings. That's I mean and we've come close sometimes to eight hour committee meetings. So it's it's kind of like but I also that's how the structure works. And I want to say too at the beginning of this board, Dory, you um had asked, right? So everything is available to everybody. You

103you can go into any committee folder, see the agendas, the minutes, the um supporting documents. I we we can see when you're in there. So um take advantage of that because it is there. But Dory had asked early on, could we take the agenda, the minutes, um anything that was going to be on the agenda, right, in from any of the committees and that is in the board packet and that has been um in the board packet before it's public. So, everybody has at least 48 hours. Sometimes we get calls. um you probably are at this point um getting more right that than we are and and sometimes as the chair of a committee I'll look at other committees agendas and if I see something on there that I think would be good for my

104committee that's when I just say I want this topic also discussed in the committee that I'm on. What do you guys So what do you guys think about establishing like a board norms document? I love it. Anybody understand what I mean? Because I didn't know until Monday, but I have an example. Professional learning committee. It could set up how we communicate. Yes. So there are there are boards out there that that Yeah. So it would be it would be I mean I don't know if we do an ad hoc or we just assign it to somebody, but you do it as another even retreat, right? But you pick like a governance principle like collaborate. Um, and then you would create your action items under it. Here's one that will resonate with us all. We stand

105behind, collaborate. We stand behind the majority vote of the board, no matter how each board member individually voted. We do not undermine a decision that is taken by the majority after a vote is finalized. Another one, be transparent and communicate effectively. We strive to understand different opinions expressed by our fellow board members, the superintendent, our staff, students, and members of the community. Be coherent. We commit to upholding and working within the board adopted governance principles, norms, protocols, and bylaws. We maintain confidentiality. Be student centered. We focus on what is best for students and strive to cultivate the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every learner. So, it's really just a whole process for developing norms and I' love to have you guys go through that. Does developing norms include actual like protocol? Meaning we will

106have, you know, the way we communicate agendas. Yeah. What are our norms? How are we going to function as a board? It's how you right like everybody, you know, everybody's voice is heard or whatever you value. There's a bunch. So, it enforces consistency, right? But you have to create your own. I mean, these are great, but you for your working group, you would go through the process to develop your own norms. Yeah. No surprises for you. No surprises. We communicate openly. We respect and support one another. We focus on the needs of the whole district. I mean, you could put anything in it. I love it just because then you're your own professional learning community and we grows your your other growth. You can put our communication. It's a good idea to it. It also

107helps when you have new board members, right? You give them the board norms and what the expectations of are of them. um it helps their um you know their orientation to being on the board because we all know that's so establish board norms. Is that simple enough? That could be a board goal. I mean we have we certainly have other districts who can send examples. Yeah. What's out there? Is that a goal in and of itself? Do people like that establishing board norms? We communicate. We were structured. We kind of killed it on the respect thing. I think we're doing an excellent job, but we could certainly put it in. Yeah. So, okay. So, you want to establish board norms. Establish board norms and then I do like the idea I don't know what you

108guys think of getting the master certification and that would be three goals first. Okay. So, so we have another one for you. Okay. Four. Establish and maintain clear norms, protocols and operating procedures to ensure effective, respectful and transparent governance aligned with the district's mission and values. So much so many words and jargon for Adam and I got this under control here. Thank you. Chat GBT. We can tell it to be market. I'm fine with expanding it. Adam, we'll we'll email it. Yeah. Um Adam will email it. Is anyone else interested in getting the master's certification? It's like another what five and a half hours of PD? I think two. We've got some four and a half. Oh, you went over. Yeah. So, it's not I think we could do I don't know anything. I I

109think is there PD on this? I mean, that would tie in with the other goal. I kind of like the idea of doing a a public um presentation on board roles because I feel like the public doesn't always get that. Candidates running don't always get that. I think it's like the number one complaint when people first join the board and they're like, "What do you mean I can't do this?" Right? So plus it's always a good reminder for us. So I would love to do a public do a presentation on that. That counts and that would count. We could do that could be you know our PD at a board meeting roles and responsibilities. It is as it's equally as helpful for your public because they don't quite I mean what what they don't quite

110understand what it is that you can and can't do and all the the structures that are in place. Um primarily I think the big one is that it takes a a majority of the board to do anything. Nobody can go into, you know, and and when I was on my township committee, I could go in and talk to the police chief and expect that they're going to have that conversation with me, but you can't as a board member. I it felt wrong when I did it. But like, no, you just can't. People don't understand that. I think it's like the number one miscommunication or misunderstanding that yeah, we run into, but you know what I mean. And that would probably between the board roles and maybe a little bit on governance. um aligning with the

111other two goals we just did. Maybe we'd be almost there. Trying to So, so, so I'm as I'm lining you up right now while you're here. Is that a one-year goal for master? We have two years. Well, I guess a year and a half now, right? Or do we have two years from today? A year and a half for since we got the first certification. When does the two years start? Um, well, I mean, you got the first So, you have No, it's not quite It's a little more than a year and a half. Okay. And I I think I I forgot to bring the number tonight, but I told you you were more than your four and a half hours, I thought. Oh, yes. It would have to be You want to try and

112get that in one year? January 2020. I think we can do it in one year if we've already got four. Are we going to school boards again? I'm not sure. I don't know. Yeah, but the that that doesn't that counts towards individual certifications. 10 hours extra each as a board. PLC. I'm very excited by it. Say that again. It's 5 and 1 half. We have 5 and a half hours left. The the that we each have to do or No, we have to do it collectively. It has to be the full board or at least a majority of the board. Majority of the board if we did the role that would and me publicly that would be the whole board and yes Julie I mean has to No, but I'm I love the idea. I

113really do. None of the none of the topics qualify as executive sessions. 18 months. It takes us 18 months but I sound like five and a half hour if we've already done four and a half commit just commit commitment that we have to make sure everyone is up because we already it doesn't necessarily have to be separate meetings. You could take an hour like roles and responsibilities at a board meeting. Um it could also be a Saturday or an offline retreat for a couple hours. Um it does have to be noticed as a public meeting simply because nothing qualif none of topics qualify for executive session but it doesn't mean it has to be this formal either. Do you notice that as a public meeting you go and I mean I think you do a

114great job with the way this is set up to be close to each other and not to be um you know far away and and to talk so that you seem like you know you're a team and and so um that is I think um the idea that Jen had come up with in regards to educating uh the public in the big scheme of things granted it may take extra time right now, but bigger picture long uh longevity would actually help us in minimizing questions, concerns and you know potential comments that the public does not understand. So I think shortterm time bigger results in in the in the end. So it behooves us to do it. I mean, ultimately to keep your board certification, you have to keep up. It's good for for four years.

115So, if you're doing um 10 10 hours or so, um that'll get you two more years. But to to to keep it active, you you have to continue the board professional development. If we got the master thing, what would we need to do to maintain it? I'm sorry. What would we need to do to maintain the master certification? It would just continue your professional development. 10 10 hours and 10 hours uh for over two years. Two years. Well, because if you had it for two years, two year you you've done your four years. Two years. Um but every other month. Yeah. Yeah. You can do it. We can do it. Any other and we'll make it do it. Okay. So that's that's three. Is there we have a majority. Okay. So we have three we

116have you have three master certification the board norms and then the wonderful chat GPT that aligns us with what was the first one you said Jen aligning the board's work to the vision mission and goals. Okay. Oh, you're going to send whatever came out of chat your own PLC with norm and go for our master's board certification. We don't need to say go for it. Go for it. That's complete. Go for it. That's three. But but who has the chat GTP? Um you need to be able to copy Patty too. Does anybody have anything else that they wanted to add? goals. That's good. Do we feel satisfied with those? I think you did great. All right. Do we One of the things you mentioned earlier, Dr. Glazer, was that we need I'm kidding. Formal think

117about it. Um uh is that we should be thinking about uh meeting scheduling in terms of updates and things like that today. Like do we do we need to add Do we need to make space for you said like the the the milestone updates? So, we would do so over the summer. That's one of the things that we committed to with the strategic plan. Um will um the building principles are organizing all of those building event, every concert, back to school night, all of that. um they are going to work with the PTO and WE to try and layer that in. Um we've also had suggestions to please put in the I Ready windows, the report cards, home um the dates that are the um homework free, assessment free. It's going to be a pretty

118robust calendar. But the other thing we committed to I I not that I don't um enjoy having um the people that are with us and thank you for being consistent but we feel like I think all of us feel it's time for people to come back. You used to have people coming to the board meetings. I know that that changed and um so one of the things during the strategic plan we talked about was scheduling um student presentations, staff presentations um in addition to like what we have, you know, I hate to say what we have to do, but what we have to do um so that it it's an incentive for people to come, right? Whether that's so far we've reached out to staff to talk about um AI. I know that we had

119um a group of students who were working on a science not science fair but a science competition um it was a national parks something um that we were hoping for them to be able to present in May. They couldn't. So those type you know every meeting to have that focus on students on staff in addition to those so we'll schedule them right and that brings the mission to your meet right to life at your meeting those presentations like I know October is the performance report like we know that we know that January with the after the reorg is usually the is usually state of the district that covers the goals. You had said earlier today, you said if if we need to schedule different ways to report on how these goals are Yeah. moving along,

120we should do that. Do we need to do that tonight? No, that's what I'm saying. I think yes, we do, but in conjunction with like if we're going to highlight um I think there was a Soar competition, right? Steam. So the night that we are having those students or we're highlighting that would be a great night to talk about program review or that continuum. Okay, that's what I'm saying. I see we want to pick um how often we report out on the board goals. You want to do a quarterly quarterly report? I mean generally quarterly is is is a reasonable amount. I mean, okay report. You've you've just covered two hours of your five and a half tonight at least. So, I mean, you're almost there. Good. Almost there. Everybody good? Almost there. All right.

121No, but that's awesome. Billy, it it it's a great message to your board, to your to you, or all your hard work, your staff, and your community. Yeah. Okay. Can I just say I think it's really exciting and energizing. Not only are all nine people here and excited also. It looks like you're engaged and excited. I love you. Do that. It like makes my night. Oh, you are. You're tired from work, but you're excited. Look at him. He's like, "Yes, I'm so excited." Patty, do you help us with the evaluation method of the superintendent or are you done? I'm sorry. That evaluate choosing the evaluation. So, now we have the next item on the agenda is to choose the method that we're going to use. next year to evaluate the superintendent whether or not we're

122going to use the school board's tool that we use this year or narrative we'll go to a narrative which we did the you can use any tool as long as you and the superintendent agre the board and the superintendent agree to it um we do provide a tool NJSBA um that I think you use this year um that gives you the compilation report um and is a line it was the the superintendent's evaluation process. Um we did in conjunction with the uh New Jersey ASA, the Association of School Administrators, so that um we worked together so that it it better reflects the duties and the job of the superintendent. But you don't have to use the tool. You can use anything as long as the board and the superintendent agree. Anybody have any thoughts on

123the two systems? Does the does the narrative system include all of the both goals and indicating indicators the standards? It's up to you. Same is it the same sort of assessment at the end. If you um well if if you use NJSBA's tool that all comes part of it but if you use another tool then it would be board members who would have to compile that right you would if it's a narrative you do it you guys write it it's not it's not a tool was there any complaints with the NJSBA tool did anybody dislike Yeah, besides I think Oh, I did have some significant technical issues. I was not not completing it technical. But I was wondering if you could just provide the narrative to us and then we can use the tool for

124voting and assessment like does that does that change? So yes, because then you lose your you lose your um so the the reflections on the goals, right? Tied to those standards like I took if it was budget through the lens of the standards. So I guess my question would be and I'm fine either way. It's a lot more. I will say it'll be a lot more work for you because you have to compile it as opposed to the tool compiling it. No, I want the tool to compile it. I just I wanted our work to be in the tool. I was wondering if your work had to be in the tool. Yeah, because you won't be able to see it. And it's fine. I do think that they figured out what it it it was

125a um a Google Chrome syncing issue between servers every time. Like if I went from home to work or work from home, it it did not sync. Karen, do we have to be voting on any of these? Not tonight. Can you do we have to vote on the evaluation method? We just come to a consensus. Consensus. Everyone happy? Everybody happy with the tool? Yeah. So, we'll figure Okay, fine. And our it is aware of those glutches because most districts use Google where we use Microsoft. Um so that is a summer project. Most districts use Google for Google Chrome everything for this. Got it. Okay. So they are aware and they it is a summer project to kind of I mean it wasn't only Dr. Glazer was I heard I was actually felt glad to know

126that it wasn't just me. Oh I know. Thank you very much, Patty, for helping us through self assessment and the goal setting for the district and board goals. I think we came up with some good goals. I do, too. I think it's, like I said, I'm excited. I hope you guys are excited. It's hard to No, I think you had good discussion and you came up with um good goals. I'm just laughing at that's the picture she took. My little umbrella for you, Jessica. Oh, moving on to comments from the public. level on agenda items. We welcome input from the public. There are two times during the meeting when the public is invited to speak. The first opportunity to comment on agenda items only is now. The sec this is going. Oh no, there is

127two. Okay. Second opportunity for public comment is towards the end of the meeting. All comments are limited to 5 minutes. The total time allotted for public comment is 30 minutes. Before you make your comment, please state your name and municipality of residents. In the event it appears the public comment portion of the meeting may exceed 30 minutes. The presiding officer may limit each statement made by a participant to three minutes duration. Our public forums are not structured as a question and answer session but rather are offered as opportunities to share input with the board in instances where the board feels a response is needed. The presiding officer or superintendent will address the comment. New Jersey statutes do not permit the board to discuss personnel or hiring in public session. Names of students should not be

128used. Members of the public should consider their comments in light of legal rights of those affected and identified in their comments and be aware that they are personally legally responsible with potential liability for comments that they make to the board. The board shall not be held liable for comments made by members of the public. Any comments? Okay. Can I get a motion to go into Thank you. executive session. Whereas the open public's meeting act NJSA104-11 permits the board of education to meet in close session to discuss certain matters. Now therefore be it resolved the board of education adjourns to close session to discuss a specific prospective or current employees unless all who could be adversely affected request an open session further resolve. the minutes of this closed session be made public when the need for

129confidentiality no longer exists and action may be taken. So moved. Have a second. Any discussion? No. All in favor say I. I. Going into executive session. [Applause] I back out of executive session. Moving on to board business. Does anyone have any board business? EC works really well in here. It does. A referendum. Any comments from the public? We here. Can I get a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Meeting adjourned. So I just want you to all