001[Music] Sorry. Welcome everybody. named president of the board of education. Would everyone please stand for the >> flag of America standy and justice for all >> just a quick fire to your right there. We're going to jump a little bit out of order on our ISO private presentations. We'd like to recognize assembly Jared Galo. Um he was given the district over a few years grants money to help enter the school and we're very appreciative of that. Assembly would like to come up. [Applause] Um folks, I I just want to take a moment to recognize Assemblyman Jared. Um just that his support for the school district and his his overall support for education has secured for our school district almost $50,000 in grants over the last several years. more importantly when uh you know we have
002legislation that's related to school districts or students we're in contact always asking us for our opinions on things and what you can do to help our school and we just support them when we have support our school district and we take a small moment to recognize them and tonight for not only his monetary support but for support and the partnership that he provides and uh the support he provides to the students and the community. So Jared, thank you very much. Thank you Dr. O'Hara and everyone. I just want to say a quick thank you to Dr. O'Hara, his entire administration here at the the board of education. Every so often in Albany, we get access to some grant funding. That's kind of a little bonus on top of the state aid that comes in. Um
003and it's never really that tough a decision when you have to figure out who to give it to. is always on my list because they the administration here and the board stretches what little money we can get so far. They do such a great job uh making use of the extra state funds. So, keep up the great work. You you're doing great academically. You had a great year so far athletically. Um so, keep it up. You have a great uh school district to be proud of you. So, thank you very much. John, again, thank you very much, Den. I'll turn it back over to you. >> Great. Thank you, Dr. Har. Okay, we're going to start with Isel Middle School. Our students story voices that welcome connect and learn. >> M Good evening and welcome
004board of education, administrators, teachers, families of teachers, community, and most importantly the reason why we're all here together are students. So, we are so excited uh to have you here to host you this evening. My name is Megan Stern and I'm the proud, very proud principal of Iceland Middle School. Um, I'd like to talk to you just for a few moments about uh the purpose of our presentation here, which is to exemplify student voice. Something that our dean of students, Mr. Bodner, our assistant principal, Mr. Yogurt has, our students themselves, our teachers, and all of our faculty and staff have been working towards this year is trying to find ways that we can encourage students and empower them to use their voice, to share their opinions, their thoughts, their passions, and even more importantly to
005encourage them to come to us with some of their own ideas. And that's what we're going to be sharing with you this evening. Many of these things um that we're going to be talking about are a result of students coming to us saying, "Hey, we really like to do this." And we're so excited and it's only December. We have so much more to do for this school year, but for the time being, I'd like to introduce my colleague, Mr. Younger, his um who's going to take it away um and explain a little bit more about what we're doing here. Uh before I pass it over, I just want to say again a huge thank you to the parents who are here this evening to support your children, uh to the board of education, to our
006central office staff for all of your support for these programs uh that we can make them happen, and also to our um who care so so much about students um who support all their opportunities as well. >> Thank you, Miss Stern. Ladies, would you like to think uh what we talk about all the time is you put some good people together um that care and good things happen and I middle school is an example of that. That's a spectacular place to work. But before we get started, I would like to recognize Murphy Wallace. She is not with us this evening, but is a major um member of our team in announcements and uh what we do within the school and uh she just hope she gets better. I'd get in a lot of trouble if
007I didn't mention her. She's a she's a tough cookie, but she's she's very sweet and she is a major member of the team. But now it is my pleasure to introduce these powerful very powerful young women. We're in good shape. If this is the leadership of tomorrow, we are in very good shape. By the way, um go ahead and give him an applause. I call them our four five spectacular. They exemplify IMS's student voice is what we're talking about this evening. Empowerment, kindness, intellect, and humility. Most of all, they've embraced our morning announcements. They've really taken us to another level. Um, we have we share our quote of the day. We have a joke of the day which I used to try to take credit for but it became funny so it's no longer uh
008mine. Fun facts and uh also informing the building of what's going on what's going on. And uh by the way we have a isome jingle hitting her [Music] office every morning with my mom [Music] together. I can now introduce Parker Schneider. Go. >> This is the first year that students are doing announcements in the morning every day. This is a great opportunity for student voice to be involved in a new way and to be leaders in the school. After we started doing morning announcements, Mr. D suggested thinking of a way to promote activities and events to our students and to our community. We started doing IMS updates to our school Instagram which created an easier way to share information with parents about what is happening at IMS. We also added interesting facts and jokes, sometimes
009not so funny jokes to put our mark on the morning announcements. >> I have a question. How many ISA board of education members are here? >> I don't know, like six or seven. Here's an example of our IMS update. Do not forget to follow us on Instagram. >> Hello BS. Hope you're having a great day. My name is Mars. My name is Marciello. My name's Parker Snder. And I'll be remember to come support our Bucks football team for their big homecoming game on Saturday, October 4th at 2 p.m. They're playing wine, so let's take home the win. Come support and join your ice pride at the parade before hand on tree at 12:00. Hope you can make it. >> Go. [Applause] In August, our sixth graders were invited to come into the middle school, learn
010about the first few days of school, and explore the building. Eighth grade students volunteered to help with this day, answering questions from our newest middle school students. We shared information about what the first day of school looked like for us. Many of us explained that we were nervous but made new friends and had a great experience with our teachers. It was a great experience to be able to mentor the other students. The eighth graders talking about their experiences here at IMS help so much to learn more. >> Our school has a new attendance system called the booth. We'd like to show you and introduce how the students have been introduced and how it's going there. [Music] So this is a beginning roll out of our new attendance system called the purpose is to increase safety
011accuracy and to have positive recognition for students positive choices for >> I hope you're having an amazing day. We have a new attendance system called Move. This will enhance our attendance system. Make sure to bring your Renaissance ID cards to school every day and have them handy to scan into school every morning. We will begin with tapping into the building during arrival time as well as in the cafeteria. All students will be given a lanyard so that they can wear their IDs to school every day. >> Eventually, students will use their IDs to tap into classrooms and earn points towards Renaissance travel. So, we started by adding RFID stickers to the back of student IDs. We checked it out to make sure that they're consistent. There you are. That fast. >> Good job. >> And
012it's been going pretty well so far. >> Morning arrival is quicker than you would think. [Music] So you have to take it and then slide it slow. [Music] Middle School where our students come through the main entrance and they've started using the move device. As you can see, they've adapted seamlessly. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well they've done. Well, we started the move system and everyone seems to be joining on board. Almost everyone has been remembering their lanyards. The kids are having so much fun. They're enjoying tapping in and seeing their pictures when they tap in. >> So, security has the ability to search for a student when it's building wide. We'll be able to tell exactly where in real time all of our students are. The best part about it is that students can
013earn points by tapping in and redeem for extra rapid tickets in our Renaissance rallies. If students forget their main ID, they uh their ID, they go to the main office and receive a new one that lasts for 24 hours. The average receive 10,000 taps a day. That's 10,000 more times. We know exactly where everyone is if we need to get in touch with them. And with everything we started by rolling out with our students. Thank you. Next, we'd like to introduce our dean of students, Mr. Bonner, to talk about Buccaneer round table. So, student voice is an essential is essential to building a positive uh school culture. We all agree that when students have a say in our academics, class activities, and school decisions, they feel empowered and connected. By promoting kindness and speaking up
014for ourselves and our friends, student students help create a community where everyone feels supported and valued. This next video highlights why student voice matters so much at A student voice means to me that the students have an impact in the school. >> Student voice to me is being able to contribute to the culture of student voice is someone who can speak up for themselves and isn't afraid to speak up for others. >> To speak up for your friends. >> You have to stand up for your friends and others. Student voice means to me is to stand up for others with my voice. speaks up for themselves which makes the school a little better. >> Student voice means to speak up and plan class projects. A student voice that I so it is an absolute honor
015now to introduce our IMS Buccaneer round table which is a studentled leadership group of sixth, seventh and eighth graders dedicated to elevating student voice and strengthening our school community through conversations, collaborative problem solving and a focus on solutions. The round table promotes a culture of kindness and encourages students to lead by example. This group recently facilitated grade level assemblies centered on kindness and gratitude. This group has also shown an immense amount of dedication, resilience, and bravery. I am incredibly proud of what they have accomplished already and look forward to the work ahead. It's my pleasure to introduce Aaliyah Ortiz, Nyla Farrell, and Sam Massa to share their experiences at the Buccaneer Round Table. In the Buccaneer round table, we work on ways that we can make the school better. For example, the Buccaneer round table
016has recently hosted a plan assembly about kindness. Planning the assembly is hard, but we managed to do it. Being brave is something we're really hard to do. You have to You want to make a change, especially when you are in Denver like me. Making the changes at the school is great. In Buccaneer Table, we talk about ways to make the school a better place. Personally, I enjoy being in Buccaneer Table because I feel seen and like my opinion matters. We are trying to incorporate student voice more into our school which is why we plans an assembly about kindness and gratitude for the members of the round table who are the main presenters. This is my second year on the round table and it's even better than last year. Our round table meetings range from 20
017minutes to an hour. During this time round table discusses on how we can help students make positive change in school. Our members are sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. And we all share ideas between each other and make sure we listen. We all care for each other and we sure when we make sure we all know we we are being heard. As someone who's been a member since last year, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we've made a change. [Applause] >> Well done, guys. Awesome job. Our next video is going to be some highlights of our recent assemblies that they hosted. Stand up and remember Stand up if you have to. >> Stand up if you complimented someone in the past. >> Stand up if you have helped somebody. Stand
018up if we have seen any acts of kindness in the past week. [Music] [Applause] Thank you for organizing the town hall meetings. Another way students can express themselves and their interest at middle school is through joining clubs. In October, our student government and immersion clubs along with adviserss Missy, Miss Dana, and Miss D join together to create Halloween costumes for babies in costume. [Music] All right. Hi everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. For a fantastic cause, Iceland Middle School students help out others in many ways. This year, we have a new peer tutoring program for students who may need support in their classes. Next up is Miss Appel, one of our school counselors who has worked together with teachers, students, and both administration to create opportunities for support. If you know anyone
019who may need support in your class, contact the school counseling department. >> Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Kaitlyn Appel. I'm our eighth grade school counselor. I'm excited to share a new initiative we launched this year called Bucks Boosters, our middle school's peer tutoring program. This stemmed from a collaborative conversation and our students and standing committee meeting. This committee is where we meet to review students academics, work together with our school counselors, social workers, and assistant principal to proactively support student success. Although it still is fairly new, Bucks Boosters has already made a meaningful impact. After school, our eighth grade National Junior Honor Society students volunteer their time to tutor and mentor our sixth graders, offering academic support while also building their leadership and communication skills. We have
020also included our high school's National Honor Society members to come down to the middle school and tutor our seventh and eighth grade students. This collaboration has created a positive and supportive environment where students feel encouraged and connected. Even in its early stages, Bucks Boosters is helping students grow academically and personally. It reflects the strong sense of community we value here in Iceland. I want to take the opportunity to thank our eighth grade peer readers, Ricky Barios, Titley Doss, Justin Favor, Juliana Huber, Julian Kelly, Ava, Jaden Santa, Maria, Harper Snider, and Lauren Weiss. Thank you for your continued support as we build and strengthen this program moving forward. [Applause] [Music] The members of the National Junior Honor Society advised by Mr. Stephano proudly participated in the annual have a heart program which is ran by school
021social workers Miss Francis and Miss Vana. The community initiative dedicated to supporting local families in need during the holiday season. Our students spent actively thoughtfully shopping for gifts and essential items ensuring that each family receives a little extra joy and comfort this time of year. The enthusiasm, compassion, and leadership displayed our NJHS students reflect the commitment to service and the values at the heart of our school. We are incredibly proud of their efforts to make a meaningful difference in the National Society to helping support our community in whatever way we can. We're here shopping. Have a heart is very appropriate and we're so lucky to get to know them. >> Have a heart. >> Next, we'd like, our school's Italian teacher, and some of her students to share exciting things from her classroom and from
022the Italian club. Hi everyone, I'm Javana Stano, a Spanish and Italian teacher here at IMS. I would like to welcome and introduce Nichollet Powers, Nyla Fel, Nyla, and Ka Okambo. Some of you may have heard about Italian Fall Fest, a celebration of Italian language and culture in our schools. The fest took place in November, and we had over 200 people attend the event. Um, the people who attended were made up of families and students from the middle school and the high school. There was an accompanying Actually, I'm going to pass the mic over to >> This is the Italian Fest Italian Club and Miss Stono's world language classes prepared for the fest. Students made posters and signs to display during the event. student gave feedback after the event and discussed ideas for next year. World
023Language Honor Society students work stations during the fest. These are some photos at the at the tally club making the posters inside. So, if you guys could see in some of the pictures, we had raffles, we had different crafts and activities all related to Italian culture. There was a photo booth, temporary tattoos, and of course, Italian food kindly donated from the businesses in our community. So, it was a really great event where everybody was able to come together and really support our program here. There was also an accompanying um Italian poster contest for the event. 23 middle school and high school students submitted posters about Italy's influence on America. Each student interpreted their prompts in their own way. Students and families voted during the fall fest. On the right is the first place. In the
024middle is second place to the left is third place. And the other one is about a student who wrote about her family coming through Ellis Island. We have also been preparing a video on the benefits of learning Italian in addition to the benefits of being multilingual. >> Miss SO's Italian classes are preparing a video that highlights the benefits of learning Italian and being multilingual. Students help come up with ideas for the video. They have a role in the video if they would like sparks interest and informs about our Italian culture. >> While all of these happenings center upon Italian, these bring together students from different grades and backgrounds. Many of my Spanish students even take pride in participating in these events. I truly believe these are val valuable to our world language department as a
025whole. So, thank you for supporting us. Thank you, Miss Stole and members of the Italian club. Another club that helps students connect with each other is our ITV video and production clubs, which are studentled groups whose goal and purpose are to create live IMS news broadcasts from our TV studio that stream all middle school advising classes throughout the school year. Mr. Acriman and Mr. Peterson worked with our team of students who performed all aspects of her broadcast and strive to highlight the many amazing things that happen here at along with the few added spots like the kindest corner in the treasure chest trivia. Our students work on screen as news anchors, weather forecasters, special feature hosts, and also behind the scenes with audio visual mixtures and related equipment. Just like the pros on cable TV,
026students lead the way in each new broadcast by choosing and discussing story options, then write, creating graphics for the live broadcast with the help of club adviserss. When our preparations are complete, or pretty close, students begin practicing a few days before the live show. Although the process can be challenging, it's a great way for students to spotlight and grow their talents, gain confidence, stretch their imaginations, and achieve real world experiences in a fun and meaningful way. live from the middle school TV studios. This is News. >> Good morning and welcome to Iceland Middle School News. We are here live at the Iceland Middle School TV studio. I'm your news anchor Jazelle Gil. I'm a newer Leila Wilson. >> I'm your meteorologist Tristan Sparkle. >> Recently completed was the seventh installment of the middle school's popular
027event, Spooktacular. The event was attended by many of Isup's little ghosts and goblins. Miss Kessi and Miss Fitzpatrick did a fantastic job bringing smiles to the faces of ISIL's little ones with the help of little Halloween candy. That is a big thank you goes out to the student government and the National Junior Honor Society for your time and effort in creating this event for all to enjoy. Thank you to all who have donated throughout the building, especially to Mrs. Nun, Mr. Argentiano, and Mr. Miguel for going above and beyond this year. Great job, IMS, and thanks again to the IMS care club. Now, let's check in with Tristan Spring, who has this weekend's weather forecast for us. >> Good morning, middle school, and and thanks for joining us. I'm here for you all about this
028weekend's weather. Let's start a look at our current conditions. Recently, temperatures in the area have been right around normal for this time of year. Temperatures on Main Street are around 50 degrees with mostly cloudy skies this morning. Warming up will be 55 this afternoon. Skies will remain mostly clear overnight, but clouds are coming and bringing us a cool weekend. Good morning, IMS. I am Lauren and welcome to the kindness corner. This past week, people across the United States celebrated Veterans Day. This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in service during World War I, which ended on November 11th. Now, we celebrate to honor all American veterans for their patriotism, their love of our country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good of all.
029This is a nationwide expression of gratitude. All of us here in Iceland are thankful and appreciative for those who serve and protect our liberties. Thank you all American veterans. Have an amazing weekend everyone and back to you in the studio. >> Are you ready for treasure chest trivia? >> Here ye here school. I do live in the Mayflower on my way to Plymouth Colony. Follow me as I check out some of the side of the first traditional Thanksgiving. Here we are at Plum's Rock. This be the spot where pilgrims supposedly first slipped when they stepped wearily off the Mayflower after weeks of seasickness across the angry Atlantic Ocean. They actually probably didn't step on the thr. Let's move it on. of the first Thanksgiving shared between the pilgrims and their wonking on friends. Say what
030that thoughts on the table by Joy I trivia chest. Let's open it up and see what's inside. >> 1995. >> Which popular Thanksgiving vegetable was the first to be grown in space? >> The wing advisory is Mrs. Advisory >> time on IMS News where we bring you all your top stories. >> Have a great day. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] >> Nextly, next we'd like to share some of our some of our classes we're doing to welcome, connect, and learn. In Miss Ryder's library research class, students did a project called self student selfportrait. Students explored the art of selfportrait through a project called beyond. They studied historical self-portraits focusing on how focusing on how artists use color, shading, lines, and embellishments to express individuality. Using kino sprite editor, I have students combine artistic expression with computational thinking
031by creating animated interactive portraits. This project introduced them to the fundamental programming concept while posturing creation had creative freedom in their design making choices about artistic style, color palette, design and identity elements. They work thoughtfully and intentionally mirroring the approach of great artists. Students considered light shading and symmetry to capture facial features and motion. Their use of color and technique convey their personality and different skills. There is always something exciting going on in Miss Will's class. From visits to the high school, making our school a more beautiful place to learn to sharing some treats with fellow students. In addition to course subjects, students work on nutrition, education, cooking, learning, environmental awareness, office skills, and communication. These experiences help students build confidence and prepare them for success at home, in school, and [Music] in family and
032consumer science. Students from Miss Dennett's and Miss Hour's classroom combined their knowledge of baking, understanding, and ingredients and their science skills in the most delicious lab ever, the chocolate chip cookie lab. Students learned about the differences from ingredients that can change the texture and taste of their cookies. The separate path classes created their own pillows. They learned about different stitches and sewing techniques, chose their designs, cut the fabric, and their skills to the test. Congratulations to the fellow winning [Applause] [Music] Each of our grades focus on welcoming, connecting, and learning as well. If you're ever on the third floor, chance tomorrow, you'll see sixth graders in the halls working together and learning together. They use giant whiteboard posters to work together to solve math problems. Students also present and teach [Music] Hey, Miss Lucy. Sixth
033grade advisory participated in a fun middle school tradition. Going McDonald's advisory. They set a goal to collect 30 cans of food for the drive and end up collecting 42. In the second grade's first show of the year, students put science into action at East Siblings. They had a chance to connect with their classmates, cheer each other on, and celebrated strikes, spirits, and even a few. They practiced teamwork, patience, and good sportsmanship. Most importantly, the day was filled with laughter, friendly competition, and fun memories for all. Here we go. [Music] Our [Music] eighth grade Our eighth graders also connected with each other working together to see which group could build the tallest paper tower. Check out our winners who built a tower over 9 ft tall using just newspaper empty. >> This is the top where
034I gave you a little like a cylinder like triangle. I' keep the eyes on November 24th. The eighth grade embarked on a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Delat. They learned all the importance of the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of hope and freedom. They learned that we all come from different backgrounds and at different times in the history for all different reasons. But what unites us as people is our hope for a better tomorrow and a sense of belonging. We here at Middle School get to connect with each other each of each each other every day. And although we are each unique and different, we focus on what unites us together. Learning about our individuals past allows for conversations about diversity and connects us all together. >> Did you learn anything about
035your family? Learn about immigration this year. >> Croatia last name is Kigio. left from the same port as the Titanic did. I got to see my my last name. >> When I learned about immigration in my family, a majority of immigrants in my family were mostly Italian out of them, but some were also Russian. They mainly migrated or religious freedom. My favorite was and my last name was Our EXO students led by Miss Johnson have embarked on a journey to create a communitywide scavenger hunt aimed at fostering kindness, connection, and learning within our localized community through research, collaboration, and hands-on activities we are designing. We are designing, implementing, and refining has found experience using QR codes and our own website. A three-year project. Last year, we started developing our plans and building and infrastructure behind
036the scenes. This year, we are expanding to offer kindness quest events throughout ISA middle school, which we have been able to successfully implement thanks to the support of our help of Mr. Mr. Yogus and Mr. B. This kindest quilt marked your choice experience that we hosted and we are excited to see it hanging in the hallway of life middle school once complete. Miss Garren, one of our school counselors, has put together a video to document the kind of school process. By this spring, we will be running a student guided field trip, bringing sixth graders through the scavenger hunt we created in town, working with the local business owners we've established a partnership with to participate. Next year, we are going to be working toward opening the scavenger hunt to the broader ISIL community. This experience
037in Excel has been intriguing and has helped us learn real life skills such as creative thinking and problem solving, teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. The Excel class would like to invite the board of education to complete the final patch in our quilt. By completing a patch, you too are contributing to the quil that symbolizes our connection through kindness at school. Make sure you color with someone next to you and make sure you include every color that you get. >> In Excel, I express myself by sharing I love [Music] it. I learned about how technology and biomass in Exel I management skills and helped others when they were confused and didn't know what to do. Next up, I learned how to takeonsibility. I also learned horizon. Now we invite you >> our education >> to become
038part of our story by adding your piece >> to our kind. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] And finally, we'd like to introduce the group that embodies student voice members of the cast of our recent a special thanks to our director director Miss Montoy. [Applause] [Music] Good news at school. We show you [Music] together. Let's go. [Music] All right. >> What? >> No, there's four. All right, let's start. [Music] We're a team now. We're stronger. >> Don't have to face the whole world alone. We are going to shine forever. [Music] We are stronger. All of us together. Only makes us better. Only makes us better. We are stronger. All of us together only makes us better. Only makes us better. >> Because we're better together. stronger side by side. This is our moment. It's our time. We're different.
039Every shine one generation in front together [Music] forever. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] My We got to keep [Music] on [Music] the ride. We come together for a good time. We're going to break this down. >> We're going to lock this down. Everyone all [Music] whoever like us better together like this evenances [Music] and we're all started today marching on in a new land. One world's a better a better place [Music] for us. Harmony [Applause] together for a good time. We're going to break this down. We're going to rock this town. Everyone all down. [Music] Breaking it. Breaking it down. Breaking it. Breaking it. Breaking it down. Breaking it down. Break it. Break it. Break it down. Woo. [Music] It's time to break this thing down. Let's make it happen. Now I'm going to go further.
040Show my passion sounds my background. Think about changing my path down the high. We're going to break this down. We're going to lock this down. Everyone [Music] who like it together. I can break this down. >> This down [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] breaking it down. [Applause] Go. One, two, three. [Applause] That was absolutely fantastic. Fantastic. Thank you to the cast of the descendants, to the directors, and to Mr. Herskowitz for putting it together for us and giving us an encore of our presentation. I'd like to say a final thank you as well to our fantastic MC's for the evening. Thank you so much, Kathy, Carter, Addison, Roa. They truly exemplify the student power and student voice we're able to achieve here. Once again, thank you so much for joining us this evening and thank you
041so much to the amazing faculty and staff who are here this evening who provide such incredible opportunities for our students. We have so much more to come. Thank you very much. Just want to thank Stern and her staff. I thank you for that wonderful presentation. I've said this before. You really see all the good things that are going on here in Iceland. And we make it fun. Everybody wants to learn. Beautiful presentation. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I sure did. And thank you again. Thank you. We're now going to turn it over to There we go. This one. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Thank you and the team. That was wonderful. My name is Cynthia Fitzgerald. I'm the assistant superintendent of HR for the ISIP schools. And right now I'm proud to open our tenure
042recognition portion uh of our board of education meeting tonight. You know, tenure in the schools, I've said this many times, is not just a right of passage. Tenure is earned based on hard work, dedication, expertise. Uh it's a long road to get here and those we celebrate tonight truly deserve it. So uh without further ado, I pass this to uh Mr. Thank you so much. A huge congratulations and thank you to the hard work of all five of our tenurees. We're going to uh speak a little bit about each one of them. Um first up, I'd like to share that we are very very proud to celebrate Miss Sarah Kaminsky. A school counselor whose steady compassion and genuine care helped shape the heart of the middle school. Miss Kaminsky meets every student with empathy, creating
043a space where they feel supported and understood. In her role as co-advisor to student government, she nurtures young leaders, encouraging them to lead with the same kindness and integrity that she models every day. Her influence is felt throughout the community, helping to organize a spectacular event for our younger Buccaneers and contributing to many, many building activities and making some pretty great t-shirts. Always smiling, always supportive, she brings warmth and positivity to every interaction. We are so proud to recognize you this evening. I'd like to introduce Miss Garin, a member of our school counseling team, who will say a few words about Miss Kaminsky. Thank you, Meg. I'm Emily and I'm so honored to be speaking here tonight. I have the utmost privilege of speaking about a milestone and someone who embodies the very best of
044our school community. Among the incredible honores tonight, all whom are fabulous and I love, we celebrate Sarah Kamiski, an exceptional school counselor as she receives tenure. Sarah is a pillar in our middle school. Over the last few years, she has built the reputation of being someone that you can always count on, seemingly becoming the point person for every question, even those that don't fall under her role. However, more times than not, she has the answer, a smile, and a way to help that person out. That's probably because she serves on nearly every committee dedicated to improving our school. She co-leads our student government, helping to organize fun and engaging activities around the school for our Buccaneers and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure every student feels included, supported, and excited to be part of
045our community. Just the other day, I overheard her explaining the role of a school counselor to one of her sixth graders, starting off by saying, "I have the best job in the whole wide world." If you have the privilege of getting to work with Sarah, you feel just how true that is. She greets every student with compassion, listens without judgment, and sees potential where others may only see struggle. She is hardworking in a way that goes far beyond job descriptions. She shows up early, stays late, and never hesitates to go the extra mile, not only for students, but for her colleagues as well. As someone who only began their journey in Iceland just last year, selfishly, I don't know where I would be without her. She has guided me countless times, answering every silly question,
046listening to me when I needed to be heard, and being a safe place for me to land, regardless of what she had going on. Tenure is a recognition of commitment, excellence, and impact. And Sarah has certainly demonstrated all of these, not just through her actions, but through the countless lives she has touched with kindness, steady guidance, and a genuine belief in every student's ability to succeed. Iscelip is infinitely better because she's here. And I feel lucky to be her co-orker, her friend, and I mean, let's face it, her future employee because we're all going to work for her one day. Sarah, we love you. Congratulations. [Applause] You like to say a few words? >> One of the very special people in the world. [Applause] We share a wall Sarah and I. There's not a day
047that uh I walk in walk into her office. She is a game changer and I'm very grateful to have her in my life professionally and um just a very special school. Congratulations Lupa do this as a team. >> Go get them. So surround yourself with good people and good things happen, right? The list you see before you is um what it's all about. There's some special those are special people on that list and a lot of reason why special things happen every day here at Mil High School. But uh Joseph, I'm going to ask you to come stand with us. >> Okay. You're going to enjoy the spotlight with us. Okay, Miss Lo, a few words. Can we give Mr. a really big round of applause, please? We have the distinct pleasure to celebrate with
048Mr. Joseph Flores. Joe is a brand new dad. Congratulations, Joe. and the beautiful ride as well as the teacher you want your son or daughter to experience in and out of the classroom. When Joe isn't in the classroom supporting facilitating learning, he can be found on a multitude of field trips. We went to DC together and also advising students at inter murals after school. He's at all time solutionbased, generous with his time. Thank you, Joe. kind, bright, wise, and admired by his students and his peers. Like I shared earlier, he is the person you want your child to experience here at Middle School. So, please give him a round of applause. [Applause] Miss Lup first. Miss Lup first. >> Thank you. She won a clause. >> Toys. >> Good evening, everybody. It's a privilege to
049be here tonight to celebrate Joe's tenure there so welld deserved. As someone who served on his hiring committee, I remember what stuck out most was his passion, his professionalism, and genuine warmth he brought to the room. Even then, it was clear he would be an incredible addition to our ISO family. Since joining the special education department, Joe has worn different hats starting with special class and now being an English and social studies ICT class. His commitment to teaching excellence, his thoughtful preparation, and the engaging way he connects with students have made a profound impact. This is shown by many of the students reaching out after they leave seventh grade. They always come back asking for it. Joe doesn't just teach them, he motivates them, supports them, and helps them believe in themselves. One of the
050things I value most personally is the partnership we've built over the last three years. Sharing students with Joe has been an absolute joy. Our collaboration has been seamless, supportive, and rooted in the belief that our students deserve the best. We've learned from each other, backed each other up, and created a space where students feel comfortable, confident, and understand each other, and understood. Beyond being colleagues, we've also developed a special friendship. It's rare to find someone you could trust, laugh with, and rely on in this profession. And I have that laugh every day, which makes coming to work that much better. Today's tenure celebration recognizes not only his outstanding achievements, but the character, dedication, and heart he brings to our ISIL family, which reaffirms exactly why the IN committee was so confident in our choice four
051years ago. Joe, congratulations on this well-earned milestone. I am grateful for your partnership. Thank you for our friendship and I'm excited for all the years of collaboration still ahead. This works. Okay. Thank you, Tammy. So, Tammy and I did a rock paper scissor on who was going to get to speak tonight. So, we had a draw. So, we're both speaking. Um, good evening. Thank you for this opportunity to speak tonight about my co-teer and friend Joe Flores. When I plan my lessons, I have Joe to plan with me what we're going to say, how we're going to present the material to our students. I didn't plan with him for the speech. I had to fly solo. Joe, >> sorry. >> That's okay. So, please forgive me if I make any mistakes. It's been said that
052co-eing is like a marriage. It could take years to get to know each other and really be in sync, thus being the most effective. Joe and I started co-eing together three years ago. Literally, from day one, we clicked. The only word I can use to describe our class in teaching chemistry is magic. Ze, I need you. I lost my place. >> Great. >> He's great. Sorry. When you walk into our room on any given day, you won't see an English expert and a special education expert. You see two teachers working together, giving our students our best. Sometimes you see a couple comedians up there. You'll always hear laughter coming from our room. The idea of your roster and my roster just doesn't exist in room 100. All students in our room are just that, ours.
053Every day you'll see Joe working with every single student, even students who don't raise their hand. and he knows that they need extra attention and help. His dedication to our students goes beyond just English, social studies, and support classes. Joe often helps students with his knowledge and expertise, even if they aren't in any of his classes. He gives all students the confidence they need to be successful. They all love him. Just a few statements from students, past and present, about Mr. Flores. He's the best. He helped me through seventh grade. Mr. Mr. Flores really cares about us. He's really funny. That's true. Mr. Flores made class so much fun. He made me feel confident. When he was out for the birth of this beautiful Joanna, many students asked daily when he was coming back. Especially
054the students that raised their hand every day and let me know that they were waiting for him to help them. No thanks, Miss Nimon. I'm waiting for Mr. Flores. Okay. Our team is so lucky to have him. His enthusiasm, dedication, and care for our students is unmatched. I'm beyond grateful that I get to work with Joe every single day. His professionalism, support, and of course, sense of humor is what makes being in his presence a joy. He answered the call to be a teacher. on behalf of the of the over 500 students you have have had our team the IMS learning community and every single future student you will undoubtedly have a positive impact on. We thank you. We thank you for being you and congratulations on your tenure. I can't Thank you. >> Thank
055you, Joseph. Applause. Miss Corinero, are you uh Dr. Coiner, you in the in the house? Come on down. to give Miss Dr. Carbon a round of applause. Our school of psychology for about four or five decades. Um, our next person to celebrate with Miss Jennifer Francis. Come on down. Another person I'm very grateful to spend the day with and get to work with. Give Jace a round of applause. Jace, everybody should get one round of applause a day at least. It's a life lesson. Today we have the pleasure of being able to celebrate not only a phenomenal social worker, incredible mom and wonderful wife, but an amazing person, Jennifer Fran. Jennifer Francis What an amazing group to work with. I have to tell you, Jen, since her arrival has been incredibly impactful. She's truly a
056steady hand. She works tirelessly with students and staff for the betterment betterment of mental health. She is compassionate, kind, and a tireless advocate for children as well as the epitome of professionalism. She has a great sense of humor and knows just how to bring balance and reason to any situation. She's a blessing to all of us here at Middle School. Congratulations, Jenn. >> I welcome Dr. [Applause] Good evening everyone. It is an honor to celebrate our colleague Jennis on the tenure recognition. I met Jen the first day of school in September 2021. There was an instant connection and bond and I just knew in that moment how fortunate we all were. As Jen would say, you know, you just know. When I think about Jen, the first words that come to mind are patient, sensitive,
057compassionate, and professional. In a world that often asks us to move quickly and react instantly, Jen does the opposite. She listens, she thinks, she considers what is best for each student and each family. She never rushes to judgement. During wonderful and stressful moments, Jen is a calming presence. general today. Every person, students and adults alike, can't help but breathe a bit easier when Jed is near. This is her gift to us. She has made such a difference for countless students who needed exactly that. Someone steady, someone who believes in them, someone who sees their strengths even on their hardest days. And Jen doesn't just support students. She supports families through difficult transitions, sensitive conversations, and big decisions. She meets people where they are without judgment, with respect, and with genuine care. Her compassion is real,
058and it is powerful. Jen, you change lives, not just through grand gestures, but through your everyday presence. You bring your whole heart to your work, humor when we need it, and perspective when we lose sick. I am lucky to call Jennifer Francis a colleague and even luckier to call her a friend. Jen, on behalf of the students, staff of Iceland Middle School, the families and the entire community safe. [Applause] That's all we got. [Applause] Congratulations. I'm with you, John. I'm always happy when Jen picks up the phone. Next, we are proud to recognize a world language teacher whose passion, creativity, and commitment have enriched our school community. Miss Steno brings language and culture to life, inspiring her students to see the world through a broader lens. Her leadership as adviser to the Italian club and
059her incredible work in planning the Italian Fall Fest have created traditions that connect students, families, and the wider community. In the classroom, Miss Denko is innovative and engaging, always finding new ways to spark curiosity. She is a thoughtful colleague willing to share her ideas and knowledge with other educators. Don't think I forgot. Most importantly, her work reflects a genuine love for teaching and for helping students to discover their own passion for language and culture. As evident by the group here who came with her this evening, we are so proud to recognize you and we know that you have the support of your wonderful family with you. So, we want to say thank you to them for their support with the Italian Fest as well. We know where she gets her passion from. Next up, we'd
060like to introduce Miss Gelli, a world language teacher from the high school, who will say a few words about Misso. [Applause] Thank you. Good evening everyone. It is a true honor to stand here today as we celebrate an extraordinary milestone, one that represents dedication, perseverance, and a deep commitment to teaching the Spanish and Italian language and culture. Today we congratulate Javana Stano on her tenure. When I first met, there was an instant bond. Maybe because we both teach a foreign language. Maybe because both of our parents were from Italy. Not only from Italy, but very close in Italy. My family is from Sasano and her family is from Abelino, which is in the same province of Kana, same region in Campa. So, uh, or maybe it's because both of our families make tomato sauce every
061summer uh, in August. Um but there was an instant bond and over the years uh Javana has demonstrated an unwavering passion for the Italian culture. For the last two years, she has been promoting the beautiful language and culture by hosting the Italian fall festival where students and their families come to celebrate with Italian food, entertainment, games, and a poster contest, as well as a presentation of Italian-American contributions from ISIP's very own Sons of Italy, Sons of Daughters of Italy in America. In the classroom, Javana has done more than teach. She has mentored, guided, and encouraged students who are learning a new language for the first time. Many of those students will look back years from now and remember the lessons learned, the confidence gained, and the spark that helped shape our their futures. All because
062of the dedication of this outstanding educator. So on behalf of all of us, congratulations Javana. We are proud of your achievements, grateful for your contributions, and excited for everything you will continue to bring to Iceland. Congratulations Felicia and Danti Jim, [Applause] but I ordered a piece of wall art for your classroom that's coming tomorrow. So, I will bring it to you on Thursday. Thank you so much. [Applause] Miss Gali, did you take an extra page with you by any chance? A little heart attack right there. >> It is an absolute honor now to uh speak for uh Miss Karen Viano. >> Just keep going off script here. uh social worker who each and every day has shown unwavering kindness and genuine a genuine commitment to every student. Miss Vigano's dedication is evident in the countless
063moments she listens, guides, and advocates for all th those who need it most. Miss Vigano consistently extends that same level of care not only for her students um but also fosters a supportive and collaborative school community with our staff and families. This recognition is what a well-deserved celebration of someone who embodies the core values at Iceland Middle School and makes our building a better place each and every day. It's also a pleasure to introduce uh Miss Caitlyn Appel um member of our school counseling team uh and support staff to speak further for Miss Vana. >> Thank you, Mr. up here. All right. Excited. Okay. Tonight, I'm honored to recognize someone who has had a profound imp impact on our school community. Karen Vigiano, our exceptional school social worker. Karen joined ICE a year before I
064did coming to us after a successful career in Lindbrook and many more talents we discover every day. She's an onion every day peeling away. Um, even with her depth of experience, she shared that starting over in a new district was nerve-wracking, which it is for any of us. And then she recently shared how thankful she is to be part of such a wonderful school and has built a family here. That is exactly how I feel about Karen. From the moment she stepped into Iceland Middle School, she brought a gift that can't be taught, an energy that brightens every room. Her presence is grounding, comforting, and genuinely uplifting. students sense it immediately that she is someone who will listen without judgment, care without hesitation, and support them with her whole heart. As a school social worker,
065she embodies everything the role should be. She meets with every student, every challenge, and every situation with empathy, patience, and understanding. She's the person families trust, students confide in, and staff rely on me. I rely on. I'm afraid she's become so much more than just a colleague. She is my work best friend, someone I deeply admire, and someone I look up to. I'm truly grateful to have her in my life. Oh, wait. Sorry. Look that up. Um, truly grateful to have her in my life, both professionally and personally. Her guidance, her kindness, and her perspective have meant more to me than she probably realizes. She has been a steady positive force for force in my dayto-day and I am a better counselor, a better person because of working alongside her. If anyone knows how to
066be a team player, it's this girl right here. Tonight we celebrate her tenure, a milestone that reflects years of dedication, skill, and impact. But it also acknowledges the heart she brings to this district and the countless lives she has touched along the way. To Karen Giano, congratulations. Thank you for choosing Icelib and the joy and compassion you bring into this work and for being an incredible colleague, mentor and friend. We are all lucky to have you and I'm so proud of you. [Music] [Applause] Karen, can you stay? >> We have everybody I recommend. [Music] What? Is it good? [Applause] Hi, how are you? Okay, folks. >> I just want to say that was a wonderful surprise presentation and to all our team here. teachers that have represent you know there was there was a common
067thread you know when each one of them introduced they talked about it was always about what they're doing for the students how many they've helped in the past what I was thinking is how many more they're going to help in the future so it's just it's a wonderful accomplishment and I just wish them much success and again it's wonderful to see that so thank you to everyone >> and also to our m your presentation tonight presentation and to all the students. Thank you for all you do. Okay, we're going to move on now to our item number four, which will be our agenda items that we're going to be voting on this evening. Are there any uh questions from the board on any items we be voting on this evening? There are any questions from
068the public that you voting on this evening? >> Okay, with that then I'd like to get a motion to consent items 5A through 5. Can I get a motion? >> So move to That was Mr. Gil. The second was Mr. Leo. All is fair. I opposed abstain. And they will all carry. Also on there was the u our personnel schedules. I'd like to recognize Mr. Robia Hery on her tenure. Thank you. Your appointment is greatly appreciated. Thank you for the officials here in the [Applause] Okay. Now we're going to move on public questions. This card really fast. Uh that's going to bring us to our reports and correspondents. Again, I say this all the time. One of my favorites, the exit student, Mr. >> Hello. >> Good evening. First, we would like to remind all
069high school students about the community service requirement for graduation. With the holiday season upon us, this is a wonderful time to get involved and make a positive impact throughout our community. If any student is unsure where to volunteer or needs help finding an opportunity, they can reach out to their school counselor or call a counseling office for guidance and support. I can tell you personally that you do not want to wait till June to do your graduation volunteer hours. It's not a good idea. There are lots of great holiday events happening throughout the Icem School District. First, Karmac Road Elementary is hosting a pizza party at a mo tomorrow, December 10th, from 5 to 7:00 p.m. Portion of the proceeds will go right back to press and it's a fun night for students and families
070to see their teachers and friends while supporting the school and eating what is good pizza at. Next, the ISUP High School Interact Club is hosting a gingerbread house fundraiser on Friday, December 12th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. All proceeds will go towards helping ISUP families during the holiday season. The event will include raffles, prizes, and cookie decorating, and families can register by scanning the QR code posted on Parent Square. There will also be awards for the best costumes and the most creative gingerbread houses. I appreciate the opportunity to share these updates every meeting and I hope everyone continues to enjoy the exciting events happening across our schools this season. I wish all the students, families, and staff a wonderful holiday season and the very best as we head into the new year. Thank you. >>
071Uh thank you Mr. George for that report. Okay, next will be school board association executive committee meeting. >> Thank you Mr. On Thursday, November 20th, I attended the monthly meeting of the Nassau Suffach School Boards Association's Executive Committee at Western Suffach Boseies. Um during the meeting, there were discussions about the upcoming legislative season and the issues that will impact public schools moving forward. Um some of these topics included the Suffach County Board of Elections no longer providing voting machines for school districts and board education and trustee elections this coming May and how school districts are going to have to navigate that uh issue. There was also a discussion about the legislative progress of the proposed project labor agreement bill and the upcoming state budget negotiations that will begin in January. The superintendents that were in
072attendance also discussed their advocacy priorities for 2026. The NISBA area directors reviewed their feedback about the convention that took place in October and the upcoming legislative session capital conference that's taking place in February. And the PTA representatives also reported about their convention which which happened in early November. The next executive committee meeting will be held on Thursday, January 15th, and the association is hosting their joint conference with the Suffach County Superintendent Association and the Nassau County on Thursday, January 22nd. Thank you, Mr. K, for that report. That concludes everything on our reports of correspondence. Moving up to our dates to remember, school will be closed January 24th through um sorry, December 24th through January 2nd for winter recess. Our next board of ed meeting will be on January 13th, 6 p.m. executive session, 7:30 public,
073and that will be in the high school auditorium. Uh before we close this meeting, I just want to wish everyone that celebrates a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah and a happy Quanza and a happy and healthy new year. It's amazing how fast this year went and looking forward to exciting 2026 and uh you're traveling. Stay safe and enjoy the times with your family. Just want to message you. Um, with that, I'd like to get a motion before journal. >> Thank you everyone for attending again. Stay safe and we'll see you next year.