001I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Melissa, you can call the role, please. Mr. Andre >> here. >> Miss Crystal >> here. >> Miss Divani >> here. >> Miss Holland here. Miss Calderon >> here. >> Mr. Sher >> here. >> Mr. Sampon >> here. >> Mr. Tone >> here. >> Miss Wad >> here. >> Notice of the March 23rd, 2026 meeting of the board of education was emailed sorry to the clerks of the burrows of Essex, North Caldwell, and Roseland, and to the township of Fairfield and the editor of the progress on March 3rd, 2026. I just wanted to report out um on March 12th, Deb Calderon, Damian, and myself um
002had the honor of attending the Essex County Unsung Heroes Assembly. Um the awarded recognizes students whose leadership and contributions are not always in the spotlight, but make a meaningful difference in their school community. This year, our unsung hero was Ivon Hernandez. Um he's truly such a nice kid, such a great kid. Um He's a quiet leader and he consistently um supports our ELA students as they navigate the challenges of you know new high school and just being very welcoming and um just making them very confident. We also met um his parents. What a lovely family. Um they truly were like wonderful people. So um had a really nice evening with them. So we just are um incredibly proud of him and grateful for his positive impact on the school. That's really all I have tonight.
003Plus, I can't speak. I'm not sick of Okay, sure. These are pictures from the event we attended high school on Thursday, March 12th. Um just to add to to what um our board president mentioned um Ivonne did find he's the founding member of the English language learner club where he's taken a leadership role on organizing meetings, planning activities, and welcoming new new students. Through his efforts, he's ensured that students learning English feel supported, valued, and included. um his his contributions uh truly embody the spirit of the unsung hero award. So we had a great night. That's a picture of his family. They all came to support him. >> Um and just a really great program. And um we'll bring Ivon to the June board meeting where we celebrate at the end of the year student
004achievement. We'll bring him there and formally recognize him in front of the you know his family and and um members of the public and in front of the board. So it was a great night. Okay. Um, I'm going to go to the podium for this next Washington DC. officially forever. So, officially March 19th graders had an outstanding overnight Washington DC and provide our students with an unforgettable opportunity of our country. United States capital museum responsibility among our students as they near the was truly a team. Thank you to our administrators, our faculty, our staff, our parents, especially our schools. supports and staff also extremely apprencepters on top of everything. meaningful Finally, I want to represent our district with photos and creat Boys and girls. Yeah, there's the Great trip. Thank you for doing that. Thanks
005for bringing that back. That was a big deal. >> Yeah, I know. All right, you're up. >> Hi I am libraryize the alignment. technology. We're excited. Thompson liability. She has library specialist. One of her goals is really library. So, Mr. Aaron had the opport What's great about this theater and answering connection author perspect. at the middle school. Patricia Ford, but We were able to join us for question. Bonnie J. Middle school are in full. Students are actively engaged. exposure to different model specializ. students topics that carry over. talking. And as we go to the future, speaking to partnership and What we are exploring students moment. to meet our district in person. How do you best prepare our sixth graders? and our contin And then finally, we have 2015. And finally, Robert And beautiful letter to
006us. Deb know him. >> Did you know him? >> Yeah. Yeah, >> thank you. Okay. So, as of now, it's nothing that's too much. Um, robotics STEM club just asks for more funding uh towards updated parts, updated tools just to build effectively, build as best as they can and give students the best experience that they can get. Uh, the theater club also asks for more funding towards costume, set lighting, set design. uh their production, you know, to give the audience the best experience that they can and to perform the best plays that they can. Um just to represent our school and how it is. Uh I think providing funding will really make these clubs more popular than they already are and give students the best experience that they can for their futures if you know
007that's what they want to do. Uh but that's pretty much it right now. Um just funding for those two clubs, that's all. >> Thank you. the the spring musical Chicago was pre the DC trip and it was it was really an awesome show. Um I know many of us went um just you know the talent was unbelievable, the sets, the the music, the choreography, everything was really great from top to bottom. So, um, kudos to the, um, spring musical cast and everybody that was involved with that. Another another great production. >> Thanks. >> Hello. So the first thing is Everyone knows I will. I also First off, something Good morning. But they really seem How are you? Good evening. So the results of our assessments also announced esports team team and they are group over.
008Shout out to our student conferences. Some of our students are fac banking and financial system. They qualify for national is one of those students and that's why he is so well for students to do to help Chicago. It was it was a phenomenal show. the crew, the costume, everything. I do want to give a shout out to our director counting started with a panel discussion with students and st psychologist students through how do you manage your extracurricular job all of that Realist. Shout out to desserts for everyone. And now yard. represent history background awards. teachers members specialize for student athletes inspire students. Prior heart and soul program is academic achievement Our subject start Ready? >> Ready. Okay. Um, just an update. Tonight you will be voting on the preliminary budget submission to the county. I
009will give a more thorough and in-depth presentation at our April 27th meeting. Um I appreciate all the support that you all give during budget season and to Mr. Machochi and Mr. Dabberto too. Um this was no easy task I will say. Um but our overall taxpayer increase is 2.47%. Um the general fund levy is at 2.5%. our debt service is decreasing every year. Um so that had gone down about $1,300. Um through this budget, we were able to keep all of our jobs and extracurriculars, um intact, transportation, you know, we're we're dealing with a lot of rising health care costs, um insurance costs, everything. you know, this was just really like a a big deal. Um, but we're good. We're our budget is we're good and we also just so we know that um we
010are using utilizing 625,000 of capital reserve and with that that will put birectional antennas in both buildings for increased um radio coverage. We were we've had a little bit of an issue with our radio antennas um and radio coverage throughout the buildings as well as cell phone service which I know has been a concern amongst everybody. So um we will be doing that this summer that project and stay tuned for April where I give my big budget presentation. But thank you again. >> Um Melissa, real quick on the um antennas. >> Yeah. That's something also it helps with the police communication as well. Yep. It's not just >> it's not correct. >> Yep. So it's not just our cell phones or our district radios. This will work with the police radios. >> Um and they
011we we're moving over to the state system now too, which will help us as well. So, we're just trying to integrate everything to make it the best we can for, god forbid, any need. So, >> thank you. You're welcome. >> Um, okay. Do we have any comments from the board members? Board members. >> Uh, I attended the Chicago play with my children. Um, and my 10 and a half-year-old declared it the best show she's seen, which take it with a grain of salt. She says that about every show. Her one critique was that not enough of the prisoners were hanged. So, good luck in two years when she arrives at these doors. You little peak of what you're dealing with. >> And then I just have the safety committee. >> Sure. You want to give
012it? >> Uh, and then the safety committee, we met on March 16th in the morning. Uh, we just went over procedures and the plans for the DC trip, which obviously went off without a hitch. Um, and we also discussed the need for the birectional radios. um in the capital expenditure. >> Perfect. Thanks, Jonathan. Anyone else? >> Uh last Thursday I attended the guidance department's um the high school guidance departments um virtual virtual admissions counselor um event. Admissions counselors from Ramipo uh Bucknell Broadgar's Pit and Villanova were there. It was so extraordinarily helpful. is probably one of the most productive things students or parents can hear because you're hearing directly kids are hearing directly from the people who are going to be reading their files, you know, and making their decisions. And so um things were
013discussed like um how many letters of recommendation and what do they really want to see in the essays and what do they not want to see and waiting what's how are they really assessing things um right now because things have shifted over the years and so thought it was really really helpful and um so big shout out to the guidance department for putting that together. It was really useful information for an entire hour. I think it went over an hour and like five minutes and it was all really useful information. Great. Um, >> they have done it before, but I don't know if with this many I feel like every year it seems like they add another admissions council. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I mean, these are really high um from north from
014west schools. The fact that they for an hour got to hear from those admissions counselors who are going to read, these are the people that are going to read, you know, assigned to our district is is really big. So, that was good. And I think in the chat it looked like there was a mix of parents and students asking questions so I think um you know I think that was it was great >> thanks and Melissa big shout out to you because um you're like super humble about it over there just that like you that was a huge feat >> I think we all know it so thank you >> yes I think that should be mentioned that um the 2.47% a lot of the other school districts have kept their budgets at low. So,
015>> and while keeping everything in place, >> keeping everything in place and >> yeah, >> um I was sorry to miss the play Chicago this year. I've gone to like every other one, but I was not home so I'm sorry to miss it. That's what I've heard. Yeah. >> Yeah. performances. Yeah, sorry to miss it. Um, anyone else with any comments? >> Um, how about committee reports? >> Okay, sure. >> Excuse me. Um um so uh the referend the ad hoc referendum committee has been meeting on a regular basis in order to just keep the continuum of everything and because this is all new to so many of us, we just want to make sure we're on top of it. We had um Damian had put out a March 9th they had a PD and
016um the morning was spent explaining to the staff and administration exactly what was going to be entailed within the referendum and then he piggybacked it with a um survey to get some information from staff and what they found. Um so they it was a lot of um interesting because even though we all have our own perspective of what we think is best for a referendum and to keep you know the financials and everything else they're the ones who were working here in the buildings and you know there some of them a lot of them live in the in the sending districts. So they give a different perspective and we want everyone to come to the table, all of the community with anything that they feel that we should know because we do take this all
017into account and bring it back to the public relations um and to the architect in when we're developing everything going forward. Um we have our slides what that are going to be are updated regularly will be on the website. Um our architect will be here at the next meeting with the renderings presentation. Um we will be having an email blast coming out shortly. Um just to update everyone going forward. Um we will also be preparing Damian and a few people will be preparing um a uh video which will be also on the website and available to parents. And then we'll also start we're going to start it calming down in June. We'll take the off and then in September go full force with back to school night presentations and uh we're going to develop a
018committee from community members that will go out a survey. Um so all of this is a constant our next meeting will be Tuesday March 31st to go off for all the renderings from the architect. >> Thank you for that update. Okay, anyone else with any other comments? Um, at this time I'll open up the floor for public comments on agenda items. Do we have any public comments on agenda items? >> Okay, there being none, we'll move on to finance. John, do you want to take finance, please? >> And I move >> second. Are there any questions or comments? Mr. Andre, >> yes. >> Miss Chrisall, >> yes. >> Miss Giovani, >> yes. >> Miss Hollandat, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> yes. >> Mr. Sher, >> yes. >> Mr. Sampone, >> yes. >> Mr. Toe,
019>> yes. >> Miss Wadwitz, >> yes. >> Ruth, will you take um buildings and grounds, please? >> Yep. The following building and grounds motions are made at the recommendation of the superintendent of schools. Anything placed on this agenda item one will be voted upon in one motion. And I so move. Second. Any questions, comments? >> Mr. Andre, >> yes. >> Miss Crystal, >> yes. >> Miss Javani, >> yes. >> Miss Hans, yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> yes. >> Mr. Sher, >> yes. >> Mr. Samone, yes. >> Mr. Toad, >> yes. >> Miss Vod, >> yes. Um, Deb Calderon, do you want to take personnel, please? >> Following personal motions at the recommendation of the superintendent schools, anything. Second >> questions or comments? >> Mr. Andre, >> yes. >> Miss Crystal, >> yes. >> Miss Giovani,
020>> yes. >> Miss Hollins, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> yes. >> Mr. Sher, >> yes. >> Mr. Sampone, >> yes. >> Mr. Toe, >> yes. >> Miss Wadwitz, >> yes. Laya, do you want to take curriculum, please? >> Yes, ma'am. The following curriculum special education motions are made at the recommendation of the superintendent of schools. Anything placed on this agenda, items one and two will be voted upon in one motion and I so move. >> Second, >> any questions, comments, please. >> Mr. Andre, >> yes. >> Miss Crystal, >> yes. >> Miss Gioani, >> yes. >> Miss Hollstat, >> yes. >> Miss Calderon, >> yes. >> Mr. Sher, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Stampone. >> Yes. >> Mr. Toes. >> Yes. >> Miss Wadwitz. >> Yes. >> Jonathan, do you want to take miscellaneous,
021please? >> Sure. Following miscellaneous motions are made at the recommendation of the superintendent of schools. Anything placed on this agenda. Item one will be voted upon in one motion and I >> second any questions. >> Mr. Andre. >> Yes. >> Miss Crystal. >> Yes. >> Miss E. Giovani. >> Yes. >> Miss Hollstat. >> Yes. >> Miss Calderon. >> Yes. Mr. Stampone. >> Yes. >> Oops. I missed Mr. Chair. Sorry, Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Mr. Toad, >> yes. >> Miss Waditz, >> yes. >> Okay. At this time, we'll open up the floor for um public comment on non-aggenda items. >> Anyone? Nope. Okay. >> Uh Ray, do you want to read us out, please? >> There be no further business before this board of education. Be it resolved that this public meeting be adjourned at
0228:25 p.m. Do I have a motion? Hi,