001The Welcome everybody. I'm Philip Denine, president of the board of education. Would everyone please stand for the pledge of [Music] allegiance? To the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation under God indivisibley and justice for all. Welcome everyone. We have a large audience going on. But first I just want to announce the car announcement in the event of emergency. Please be aware of your rear exits and your exits to your left and to your right. Uh with that said, we turn right back to my surprise presentation. It's a sort of bittersweet evening where we get to recognize our retirees. And with that, we'll turn it over to Dr. O'Hara and maybe some other recognitions. Uh good evening everyone. Thank you for being with us. This is um a bittersweet
002moment. We're here tonight to recognize the years of dedication and service of eight of uh eight of our beloved and valued teachers and staff. Um, seven seven of them will be with us tonight. We'll get the recognition and and uh we will honor them. Before I turn over to Mr. Brower, I just want to thank them for um for your compassion, for the love you gave in your classrooms and uh all the service you gave wherever you may have been in the school district. and the people that we're honoring tonight uh represent a combined 200 years of service to the students and the community. I'll say one more time, congratulations to each of you and I will turn it over to Mrs. Brower. [Applause] Good evening everyone. It's an honor to be here today and
003recognize and celebrate the remarkable careers of several of our esteemed colleagues. These individuals have dedicated many years of service to the ISIL community and have significantly contributed to share the success leaving an indelible mark on our school district. On behalf of the ISIL school district, please accept our heartfelt gratitude. We wish you much happiness and success and a lot of relaxation in your retirement. It's certainly welld deserved. This evening, we're going to have um the principles as well as our director of facilities speak on behalf of our colleagues that will be retiring. some of which who have already retired. Um, so without further ado, at this point, I'd like to bring up Mr. Andrew Shimika, our director of facilities to speak on behalf of some of our buildings and grounds [Applause] crew by one. Good
004evening. Good start. Okay. Good evening everyone. My name is Andrew. I have the pleasure of supervising high school maintenance mechanic Billy Weeback, high school head custodian Steve Sedler, and groundsman Billy Capiello for the final four years of their careers. Every employee in my department, myself included, is by definition a civil servant. We serve the public through the performance of our duties. Now, Theodore Roosevelt is attributed to saying, "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." Between these three individuals, they have a combined 98 years of commitment to this school district. Nearly a century of work worth doing. Lifelong employees who've seen their share of blizzards, hurricanes, grueling summers, bitter winters, and everything in between. They also saw us through and got the
005district back on its feet after Hurricane Sandy. It's an honor to serve these men who have given so much of themselves for so long to this community. You know, over those four years, I've gotten to know each retiree very well and have very fond memories of each of them, but I've been asked to make this brief as we've had a lot of retirees to discuss this. Uh first up, Mr. Kelly Vback. Hired July 96, retired December 2024. Mr. to be back was in a perpetual good mood. I've never seen him upset or angry in the workplace. Might be because he's learned to balance life stresses with long walks through the extra parking lot. Now, he is a man who was thoroughly committed to his craft. Once Billy's work day began at 5:00 a.m., he hit
006the ground running and wouldn't stop. He'd get so engrossed in his work that his supervisor had a hard time finding on a regular basis. Billy used to work so hard that he would forget to turn off his radio when he left for the day. Whenever I'd come back from high school at night, I'd hear WBA coming from the maintenance office. I turned up and imagine a frantic Billy working himself to the phone up until the last minute of the shift before going home to take care of his son. Steve said they're hired October 88, retired October 2024. Side note, I was 9 months old when you were hired. Steve was the man behind the setups uh sorry behind the scenes for the setups for graduations, postp prom, junior proms, plays, concerts, and all the desk
007setups for all the testing for students. While he had the floor plan for each event and file cabinet in his office, he also had them all memorized down in each piece of furniture, which was a good thing because that file cabinet was mostly filled with recipes. Steve is a man who loves to cook and sharing his food with uh others is one of his passions. Every holiday was an excuse to make something from scratch and bring it to share with his crew. He's also a man who understood the importance of morale. He would turn long snow removal days into popups where each person would bring in something to share. They feast while warming up from the cold. He was also a very detailed oriented supervisor and gave every task due time and attention. Like the
008time he took six weeks to meticulously paint one stairwell. Steve is a resourceful and frugal man. He loves saving parts for machines and furniture in the hopes of repurposing them one day. Now, I can't give you an exact figure, but his resourcefulness is guaranteed to save us thousands of dollars over the decades. Thank you. Billy Capiella, hired August 91, retired at August 2024. Now, Billy is a one of a kind man, constantly optimistic. Never seen him unable to find a positive in any situation. He's always the first to tell a joke or recall a fun story of how different the district was in the '90s. And Billy used to say that he knew every blade of grass in this district and he meant it. He spent countless hours riding the ball for those 33 years.
009He was always there at crunch time from plowing snow to beautify beautifying the grounds for opening day or graduation. But for those of us who know Billy Cat, you know that his hard work and dedication to Iceland was not what set him apart. It was his resilience at work and in life. Billy has shown us the meaning of strength and continues to do so every day. I've not only lost three outstanding employees, but we've also lost their history, their skills, their experience, their work ethic, and their professionalism. Things not easily replaced. Please know that what you did here mattered and never underestimate the impact you have left on facilities department and this district. Please join me in thanking Shel for their decades of service. I [Applause] wish [Music] Feel like one more time. Congratulations. [Applause]
010Next, please join me in welcoming Principal Brianna Jean to speak of some of our incredible staff members from [Applause] show. Just testing it out. Today is a bittersweet moment for all of us as we gather to celebrate two women who each in their own way have been the heartbeat of our daily operations at Sherwood. Thank you all for being here today to celebrate these two truly remarkable people. When we prepare for this night, we're asked to be mindful of time. And no one, and I mean no one, is at risk of feeling more uncomfortable with too much attention than these two lovely ladies. But this is important. This is the night we laugh together, thinking about the good times. This is the night we cry a little, realizing it's the end of an era. This
011is the night we honor our very own Ann Marie Ferry, school nurse, and the lovely Laura Lucas, principal secretary. [Applause] Do you want to come down? They don't. I actually brought a stool from Sherwood's main office. And I thought maybe they could sit. Wait. Oh, I love you, but I only have one stool. It's one at a time. It's one at a time. It's Amory. Ary, come on into the stool. You can stand, but I I I would like a stool, so I brought it in case it made you uncomfortable. You're going to a few words about Annie. I can't look at her. Did you know she has spent the last 25 years as the school nurse of Sherwood? That's approximately 4,600 days. The best part, apparently when Anmarie started as our school nurse, she
012figured she'd stay for about 10 years while her Katie was a senior in high school. Now, Anarie, I know you're a nurse, not a math teacher, but it seems to me there's a pretty big difference between 10 years and 25. But let me tell you, we made out in that mathematical mathematical error of yours big teeth. For a quarter of a century, yep, a quarter of a century, Miss Ferry has been so much more than just our school nurse. She's been a caregiver, a comforter, a confidant, and an overall pillar of our community. Whether it was a scraped knee, a mystery fever, a nervous tummy, or just a child who needed a safe space and a warm smile, she was always there. Always calm, always kind, always knowing just what to do. She's the person
013our students seek out when they don't feel well and even sometimes when they do, just to get a moment of peace and reassurance. Any Ferry is known by all. She is the rock that so many families lean on through healthc care scares big emotions and everyday life. Well, Anmarie, now it's time for you to be with your family to live your everyday life. That husband of yours has been waiting for you. Thanks for letting us keep so long call. Colleen, Katie, and Patrick, mama's coming home. Colin, Darra, and Kieran, don't you worry. If grandma tries to pick you up from school, we'll still make her show her ID. Any legacy at Sherwood will live on in the stories the students tell, the stories our families tell, and the stories we, the faculty and staff tell,
014which we promise not to do tonight. You will always hold a place in our hearts. You will always be welcome at Sherwood. Thank you. Thank you for making Sherwood your happy place for 25 years. Thank you for 25 years of unwavering care, compassion, and dedication. We wish you endless joy, joy, good health, and all the relaxation you deserve in retirement. And as promised, if you want me to beg at this board event to rescend your request for retirement, you just say the word and I am on it. Annarie Ferry, this is your night. Please don't ever forget about us because we will never forget about you. Congratulations. [Applause] Thank you. Woo. [Applause] Okay, next. Oh, come on down. [Applause] You can stand. You can sit. We talked about a fist bump. Whatever you want. It's
015your stool. So, Come to me. Okay. Now, let's talk about the woman who somehow knows everything before we do, keeps us on track even when we're not, and has done it all with a smile. Our very own Laura Lucas. [Applause] For 25 years, Laura has served the ISIL community with grace, professionalism, and unwavering dedication. In July of 2000, she joined the Icelip clerical team in central office as a substitute. Then she spent time in Comarmac Road, went back to the administration office, moved to the high school, then to the PE office, then back to the high school. And for the last seven years, we've been lucky enough to have her at Sherwood. Oh, you heard that right. We won. We got Laura the longest. And what an honor it has been. Laura isn't just someone
016who handles phone calls, paperwork, and calendars. Though she does all of that with incredible skill. She's the warm good morning that started our days, the calm in the chaos, and perhaps most importantly, the one who always makes time for a kind word, a listening ear, or a perfectly placed h in response to a tricky situation. Let me tell you, Laura is smart. She knows a lot. A lot about Icelip, a lot about Sherwood, a lot about our children and our families, and a lot about us. All of us, folks, we all together, we really need to hope she does not decide to write a book. I'm telling you, she's amazing and she knows things. Well, Miss Laura Lucas, we know things, too. We know about your beautiful grandchildren, Beck, Nolan, and Blakeley. We know it
017will be nice for you and Dave, to be able to travel more. We know that you'll enjoy shopping at Marshalls during off peace hours, no less. And we know that while we love having you as a part of our family, it's time to let you have more time with your own family, part of whom is here tonight. Laura's presence has made a lasting impact on all of us. But on a personal note, I have to say, Laura, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to thank you enough for all you've been to me, and I certainly can't do it in this speech alone. I think of all the moments that have made up our time together, and each one I recall is better than the last. I know I have to let you go. But
018you mean the world to me. I'm so sad to see you go, but I'm so incredibly happy for you. I mean, okay, it's taken me a while to get there, but it's hard to say goodbye to the person you spend so many hours with each day. While your presence is a comfort in and of itself, one of the most comfort comforting things you said, you said in passing. You mentioned just popping by and coming into Sherwood and nothing. I mean, nothing would make me happier than knowing this is a see you soon and not a goodbye. Laura's retirement is a well-deserved chapter of rest, adventure, and time with family and friends. And no one has earned it more than she has. Laura, thank you. Thank you for the years of loyalty, the countless things you've
019done that went unnoticed but made all the difference. And for simply being who you are. You will be deeply missed, not just as a colleague, but as a friend. Laura Lucas, I'm gonna miss you by your walk. I'm going to miss you by your taco. I'm gonna miss you when you're gone. Congratulations. [Applause] Okay. [Applause] Okay, last but certainly not least, please welcome Jackie Bethish, principal of Comarmac Road Elementary I'm just not as funny as this game. So, I'm sorry. I will try my best. Okay. This evening, we will celebrate someone who has been a cornerstone of Homewood Elementary School for the past 21 years. Our beloved building secretary, Mary Spain. [Applause] I mean, since Miss James weren't stool, I will offer that. [Applause] If you've ever walked into the main office on a busy
020Monday morning, chances are you were greeted with Mary's smile, a quick joke, and maybe even a little laugh to brighten your day. Mary has always had a way of making people feel at ease. Whether it was a nervous student coming into call home, a parent with a question, or a teacher juggling a million things, she handled it all with a calm demeanor, a great sense of humor, and a commitment to helping others. Mary didn't just keep our office running smoothly. She kept our spirits up. Her laughter built the office, and her light-hearted nature reminded us not to take life too seriously. She knows that sometimes the best way to get through the day was with a laugh and a good a smile and a good laugh. And we were lucky to share so many of
021those with you. While it's been challenging not having you in the office, it's okay. We are so happy that you are now able to spell spend your well-earned retirement with your husband and your son. Hopefully filled with lots of laughter, relaxation, and maybe a few good jokes. Thank you for everything, Mary. We miss you dearly, but we'll never forget the joy and warmth you brought to our school each and every single day. Congratulations and happy [Applause] Congratulations. Um, our final honory for this evening, Mr. Brian Smith. [Music] I believe I have a few guests who will be joining me here. I'm not sitting in that chair. All right. So, I will start us off. It is my honor and privilege to stand here today to recognize and celebrate someone who has made an incredible impact
022on the ISIL school community for the past 25 years. Mr. Ryan, although I've only had the pleasure of working with you for a short time, it didn't take me long to realize to understand the depth of your dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our students. From the moment I arrived, it was clear Mr. Smith is not just a teacher. He is a mentor, a cheerleader, a role model, and a constant source of support for every child who walks through his school. Mr. Smith has spent the last 25 years pouring his heart into each and every student, treating them as if they were his own, because they are. They are his kids. He's guided them through challenges, celebrated their triumphs, and helped shape who they are today. Brian, your impact goes far beyond the curriculum. You've
023given generations of students of ISIL students the gift of confidence, encouragement, and the belief that they are capable of great things. Your legacy will live on, not just in this school, but in the lives of every child you've taught. As you moved into this well-earned next chapter, know that you leave behind a community that is grateful, inspired, and forever better because of you. Congratulations, Mr. Smith. You will be missed, but your impact will always be felt. Thank you for letting me speak tonight and everybody here. Um, Mr. Smith's dad used to say, "You should be a teacher." But Brian had other dreams of playing drums and becoming a rock star. When that didn't work out, he eventually followed his dad's advice because he enjoyed working with kids. And what a gift that has been to
024all of us. Brian was has now worked at Crest for 25 years. And from the very beginning, Brian has always pushed himself to be the best teacher he could be. He runs his classroom using the responsive classroom approach. Starting each year with training his kids, sorry, training his kids. And where did I go? Okay. um to be responsible learners, students who follow rules, resolve conflicts, and model excellent behavior. He's deeply passionate about literacy and has embraced teaching methods that align with his natural engaging style. More importantly, Brian dedicates countless hours both in and out of school to his students and his craft. We spent hundreds of hours when we were working together on the phone and after school discussing strategies, sharing ideas, and planning. We also did a lot of laughing. Brian's a pretty funny
025guy. After I retired, I would often drive past in the evening. There was only one car in the parking lot. Brian's. I often thought I'd go up to the window and knock and say, "Go home." Thankfully, his wife Jen understands and respects his deep commitment for and passion for teaching. Each week, Brian meticulously prepares his lessons and at the end of each day, his students write to him in their learners, and he reads every single one and responds to them every single day. Mr. Smith truly knows his students both academically and emotionally. Over the years, he has come in early to work with struggling students. Beyond the classroom, Mr. Smith has given generously to the ISUB school district as a board member of ISAP. He is also well known for teaching his students sign language,
026one of our most treasured flag day traditions, excuse me, is seeing his class both recite and sign the pledge of allegiance. Early in his career, Brian gave me a book called the three questions based on a Leo Tulski story. In it, a young boy asked the wise old turtle, "What is the most important time? What is the most important thing to do? And who is the most important one?" The turtle answered, "The most important time is now. The most important one is the one you are with. And the most important thing to do is good for the one standing by your side." Brian, this perfectly described your relationship with your students. Another author, Patricia Palco, once wrote about a teacher, Mr. Fauler, who changed her life in elementary school. Taking the inspiration from her, I'd
027like to steal her line and say on behalf of the entire Crest community, thank you, Mr. Smith. Each morning, we begin our day at Crest by saying yes at Crest. I don't know if we still do that. Yes, we do. Okay. But tonight, I'd like to say something a little different. on behalf of your students, your colleagues, your friends, and your community. We have truly been blessed at Crest with your presence. Have a great time. Hello. Good evening. To a person who plays the drums, life is about rhythm. The drummer sets the piece of the music and holds a steady beat for the rest of the band. Since September of 2019, Brian Smith has been our Ringo star, keeping the steady beat that has enabled the third grade team at Crest to come together. Just
028a few months after Brian made the move from second grade to third, the COVID crisis brought that beat to an uneasy halt. At times, each of us felt like nowhere man. It was in short a day in the life that we would rather not relive. But even in those early Zoom days, Brian kept us anchored. His calm, grounded presence along with the occasional well-placed grownup word was a huge help. He brought wisdom, humor, and just enough sarcasm to keep things real. In just a few short years, I've come to regard Brian as more than a colleague and a friend. To me, he's been an inspiration. He didn't just teach. During the long and winding road of his 25-y year career, Brian perfected his craft. Just as a great drummer develops a field for his drum
029kit, Brian developed a feel for how to reach his students. Always reflecting, always refining, he spent hours figuring out where the kids might trip up, then build safety nets for them with examples, visuals, and even a spreadsheet or two. In Brian's classroom, the vibe stayed positive, and the mission was always clear without ever raising his voice. He set consistent expectations and routines. His students knew what was expected. They felt safe and they learned. He reveled in giving his students opportunities to explore ideas, share their reactions, and develop their own unique voices. Iceland has been lucky to have Brian. While he may not be on stage before thousands of fans, he has been our Ringo, solid, steady, and so much fun to have in the band. Brian, thank you for the rhythm, the wisdom, and your
030perfectly timed, colorful commentary. We'll miss you more than we can say, but we know wherever you go next, a splendid time is guaranteed for all. So, um, I had this whole thing prepared. to say to you, but um with so many families and everybody loves kind words. I'm actually going to do something I I never do and I'm actually going to go off script. Those of you who have been to my meet the teacher nights know I just stare at you and read that script. Um so I was going to talk about how how unbelievable it is that time has gone by. I just remember 25 years ago being up here with Dr. Litman who's here tonight and um being entered into the Iceland school district and now it's like it's like 5 weeks later
031where has the time gone? So I really I just wanted to say thank you to everybody. I Yeah, I must say out loud. Um, whatever I am, it's really only because of my [Applause] [Music] wife. So, thank you, Isa. Thank you, parents, thank you students. I'm proud of you. I love you all. And thank you all my administrators, everybody. Everybody really, thank you so much for coming and for being here with me. [Applause] Yeah. How about all the Want a kiss? Look at the middle. Heat. Heat. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] Once again, please join me in congratulating all of our entireies if they would mind standing. Thank you for being such an important part of the ISIL family throughout your many years. May your retirement be a reflective and restful journey that's filled with happiness
032and peace. Congratulations. [Applause] Thank you, Mrs. Brower. And again, congratulations uh to everybody that was here this evening and certainly to our retirees, the students of Iceland uh over the last 20 plus years are better for you. Thank you very much. We will take a brief recess to allow people to make their way home or take more photos and uh we'll get the rest of the board meeting set up. So again, congratulations. Oh, I read the I read the Okay, folks. We're going to get our camera's attention. We're going to get started right [Music] now. So, can you just get those back to us, please? Thank you. Greatly appreciated. Um but just to recap, as I was sitting there watching all the the retirement um speeches, it's just really wonderful to hear all the memories
033that was told about the teachers after retiring and how everyone's going to be missing groundskeepers and everyone. I'm here with the board of education. And I just want to wish everyone um new employment retirement and turn the time off. Like everyone said, you'll be missed. Okay, so that concludes our isop presentations. Uh we're going to move on to item number four, which is our questions on the agenda items that we'll be voting on. Um any questions from the board on any of the items this evening? Any questions from the public on any of the items this evening? Okay. Uh, no questions. Uh, with that then I'd like to get a motion to consent items 5A through 5 LL. Can we get a motion? Have a motion. That was Mr. Buer. Can I get a second?
034Second. I opposed abstain. And they will all carry. Um, Mr. Brow, would you go over the personnel schedule, please? Sure, M. Diffany. This evening on the A1 we have appointments for two long-term substitutes and on the A2 we have conclusions of um substitute teachers as well as permanent substitute teachers and um long-term substitute teachers as well as a resignation from one of our permanent substitute teachers and a resignation from one of our special educ education teachers at the high school. We also have on the A2, sorry. Um, in addition, we also have um conclusions for our registered uh substitute nurses and our part-time staff as well as um our long-term leaves. On the E3, we have a request for a leave of absence for the upcoming school year from our cosmetology teacher. On the 813,
035we have additional duties for graduation, for chaperoning, for summer testing for the ESY program, and summer enrichment. On the B1, we have appointments for an LPN for our ESY program and we have appointments for an office assistant at Comarmac Road as well as a senior office assistant at Sherwood. On the B2, we have a resignation from a school media aid and um also a teaching assistant and a teaching assistant for our ESY program. Happy to announce retirements for a school monitor, Miss Teresa Hannah, a special education aid, Miss Janet Algieri, and an office assistant at the high school, Miss Janine Deler. They will be honored at a subsequent board meeting. In addition, we have conclusions of our substitute security guards, a substitute school monitor, substitute special education aids, food service worker substitutes, custodial substitutes, and
036clerical substitutes. On the B3, we have a request for two leave of absences. And on the B13, we have a request for additional duties for a teaching assistant as well as the school teacher aid and additional graduation supervision. Thank you, Mr. Brown. Okay, now we we're going to move on to item six, which is our public questions. And I do have a couple of comment cards. Um, we have here Miss President. Um, I was just curious. I know that we have a couple of admin retirements here. Um, principal and um, Brook. I was just wondering where we are in the office. uh they haven't been posted yet and uh there'll be some movement soon. Thank you. Thank you, Mama Beverly Street. Um mine's not really a question. It's more of a public kind of thank
037you and recognition for I know I've been up here a couple times asking about looking at the scheduling for music and art at the middle school and proposed kind of a 9:30 day and have reached out to the board. So I did just want to thank Dr. O'Han Dr. right now um Dr. Caroline Dr. Jedo and Dr. O'Hara on continuing that conversation. So just for everybody's knowledge, we have met a couple times about the scheduling about electives. Um while the 9th period day is not an option for this upcoming year, which we understand, but um I appreciated some movement as far as possible electives for music and art in the meantime and the conversation I know will continue. So thank you for reaching out um over the summer as the years go on. So, I
038appreciate it being something that's being followed up on and and for your creativity and your willingness to listen. So, I felt like it needed to be publicly recognized since I've been up here complaining about it. Um, thank you for that. We are most interested in enhancing schedules and opportunities uh for students. I one thing I think it's really important that we be very clear about is the biggest hurdle for a 9 period day is the money. And uh I'm not sure that we can clear that hurdle in the foreseeable future, but um it's definitely something we will continue to talk about and think about and and include people like you who are interested in in helping us Thank you. figure that out. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your help. Thank you for
039your questions. Appreciate it. Okay. And the last comment card we have is Miss Evans. Okay. So, I am so sorry that on such a great like this is such a good and uplifting night to hear so many retirees say how much they love being in our community and what I'm going to say I'll be a Debbie Downer. So, I apologize for that, but um I know my name is Christy Evans. I live at 2649 Union Boulevard and I've been lucky to live in this community for 21 years. Um please bear with me. I know this isn't a forum to discuss specific issues with our children, but I want to touch on something personal that speaks to a larger issue in our community. Um so, it's going to take me about two minutes to read this.
040I'm raising three children here. I've advocated for your children here. I've sat beside you at PTA meetings, sports fields, school concerts, and community events. And just to be clear, I'm not speaking to necessarily the board, but the community because I know that's where we air our concerns. Um, so please don't think this is just coming just to the board. Um, when my child was diagnosed with a brain tumor, this community was there for us. They showed up. They gave. They lifted us up. And they still continue to support our family and its endeavors. And our family has tried in every way to give back whenever we can. And that's why I'm here tonight because I love this community. But loving this community also means challenging it to do better. And Icelip is so so much
041better than so many things that have been going on. On May 22nd, I sat at the Breakfast of Champions at the high school, holding back tears of pride as my 14-year-old son received an award. That moment opened with two students talking about integrity. They talked about what it means to live it. And it was beautiful how the students were able to express how we don't just say to have integrity, but how we actually show that in our actions. I sat there thinking, yes, that's what this is about. The school is doing across the board everything possible to teach our kids about integrity. The teachers are doing a great job. The administrators are doing a great job. What most people didn't know in that room was that my son was up all night. My sweet, kind,
042gentle son had been up all night because the day before someone had filmed him in class laughing in the background. They posted it online, but they said it was because he had nice speakers. Personally, I don't think so. But either way, you can't videot someone, right? But it wasn't the first time, and it wasn't even the second time. My son has a disability. Some of you may know him. He's the one that has a service dog that he comes to class with every day. He's never been in trouble, never one time. He's a joy to have in class, and he has a big heart. Yet, here we are. Earlier this year, his service dog trained to help keep him safe was targeted by another student. To be clear, a student targeted a service dog trying
043to kick him and step on him. That student continued to make my son feel unsafe in a space that's supposed to protect him. Let that sink in for a minute. A disabled child and a service animal targeted over many days, not just one. And still, my son tries out and shows up and he tries. administration was amazing. Teachers, I could not ask for better teachers. It's the only reason my son continues to go to school because he knows that the teachers and staff will keep him safe. I want to be very clear. I'm very grateful to the administrators, Mrs. Stern, Dr. Gonzalez, Dr. O' Callahan, Dr. O'Hara. They always and so many others. They've always responded with care. But it's not enough because this isn't just about policy. It's about culture and the culture of
044our community. That being said, it's about what we tolerate, what we turn a blind eye to, what we excuse as kids being kids. I've sat in group chats, many group chats across many PTAs or various organizations where a parent will try to talk about bullying with their child. And instead of support, they're silenced by others insisting that does not happen in our community. I watched respected adults in our town, coaches, leaders mocking children, spreading lies, gossiping online. Anyone with a Facebook account knows exactly what I'm talking about. I've heard rumors about my own child passed around like it's nothing. Jokes. People make jokes about children. It's disgusting. We've all witnessed adults bullying other adults on Facebook, on the sidelines, in group text, in parking lots. Grown men and women tearing each other down in front
045of their own children. What message does that send? How can we expect children to be kind to others when these are the adults that they're looking up to? There are many families with stories like ours and they're afraid to speak because they don't want to make it worse for themselves. knowing keyboard warriors will take to Facebook and their child will likely suffer too. And even as adults, we don't want to be at the other end of that. Recently, I made a comment that all kids win. And someone asked, "What do you mean? Which kids aren't winning? How dare I suggest that not every child in this community is winning?" And that question is the problem. Because the truth is not all kids here are winning. Some kids are just trying to survive. Actually, there are
046children in our schools who don't have food at home, raised by one parent, working many jobs. Children have autism. Children have other disabilities. Some children are overweight. Maybe they're just different. Maybe socially they're different, quirky, maybe they're not athletic. Whatever the reason is, they're just trying to exist safely in our world. But it seems to be almost impossible these days. These kids in our classrooms, on our buses, sitting quietly in the back of the cafeteria, hoping no one notices them for fear of being noticed the wrong way. And yet, I hear grown adults say things like, "They asked for it. Don't bring attention to this community. They must have done something first." No. Just know calling out harm is not an attack on Icelip to call into something better because we are better. I'm almost
047done. promise adults who have shown up to these very meetings making expectations of our ISLIP administrating staff very clear demanding answers yet these same adults who are leaders in our community as well where is their accountability where is the accountability for people talking about for what they say about our children at the awards breakfast my son's friends also award winners for integrity jokes. They're used to it. They get called all the time. They get called fat, but it's fine. It's normal. It doesn't even bother them anymore. What kind of normal is that? So tonight, I'm asking all of us, board members, ingoing and incoming board members and outgoing board members, teachers, parents, coaches, booster club leaders, everyone, PTA leaders to shut it down. Stop waiting for a Facebook moderator to turn off comments. Stop pretending
048you don't hear it. Don't allow lies to be spread on soccer and lacrosse fields. Stop laughing it off the ridiculous comments they're saying about our children, my child. Stop excusing bad behavior because someone's well-liked or maybe they're even feared because we don't want to be at the brunt of it. Nobody does. It's not okay. Let's have the courage to say to them, "It's not okay. We don't do that here." Be kind. You don't know what that family's going through because when we don't stand up, we're complicit. And all of our kids are watching. Again, I just want to reiterate. I'm here because I love this community. I still believe in this community. I still believe in the kids. And I believe that we can all do better. Not just the administrators who are and teachers
049who are called every day to task on their integrity, but the parents and volunteers as well. So, thank you for letting me say that. I appreciate it. I can just say no one can know it's bullying and um it's unfortunate it's happening uh in places. Thank you Miss Evans. I I appreciate your comments and I especially appreciate that um when there are issues you're you're always part of the solution and and a good partner. So, um, you know, we want to make every day a great experience for every one of our students. Um, you know, as you know, not only in our school district, but in society in general, we're not there yet, but at least here, we'll continue to strive for that. I appreciate your comments. Thank you. Okay, that um that concludes our
050public portion. Uh, we're now going to move on to the reports of correspondence. Mr. Green. Yes. So the uh first report that I'm going to give is the NISVA state budget analysis. Um at the beginning of May, the governor and the legislature adopted the state budget for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Uh the budget reflected a $1.43 billion increase in foundation aid, which is a total investment in education of 26.4 billion. Other topics addressed in the final budget included universal school meals, the extension of retirey earnings caps for uh through June 2027, waiverss to implement zero emission buses, the ban on smart devices in schools beginning next school year, and a number of other different topics as well. Um, attached to board docs is a budget analysis from the New York State School Boards Association,
051and I really do encourage uh the community to review these important pieces of legislation and the impact that they will have on our community. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Mr. Green. Okay. Um, so the next item I want to discuss at the last board meeting, we talked about the uh well, Mr. Austin did. I was not at the board meeting with and Chris the board the exeicio student member for the board. Um right now we have a anticipated opening for 2025 2026 and I'm just going to read this. It's the student member of the board of education. The ISIL Union Free School District of Education seeks an ISIL high school student who is responsible in good standing involved with school activities and familiar with members of the student body. decisive and has good mindset. Applicants
052must have been continuously enrolled in the ISA high school for at least two years prior to July 1st, 2025. The desired qualifications, enthusiastic, respectful, caring personality, possesses a growth mindset, comfortable public speaking, knowledge of the high school, the student body, and the ability to articulate students points of view and perspectives, the ability to work collaboratively. process. Written personal statement expressing why you wish to serve as a board member of the board of education. Three letters of reference, two from teachers, coaches, or adviserss, one from a person in a supervisory role outside of the school. References must address the student's work ethic, reliability, integrity, and the ability to work well with others. a formal interview with the board of education will be conducted. So this is going to be the timeline. This is going to be
053for our sent to our 11th grade students via the um parent square and that would be that's going to go out within the next day. Dr. Har um the approximate uh would be a two week because we're under the gun right now. We have to get this person appointed by July 1st at our reor meeting. There'll be approximately a two-eek window and that's going to close on June 20th. Um Dr. O'Hara will hold anformational meeting um for those students that are interested sometime between the 9th starting with the 9th. Um all students in 11th grade that are interested in doing this need to apply by the 20th. Um the board of ed um will be interviewing uh the selected candidates on June 30th and that meeting is going to be at 5:00 pm and then
054it's going to be a quick turnaround time that one of the individuals are going to get a call and they'll be at our reorg meeting on July 1st and we'll appoint that board member. So Dr. I would like to um only that um this is an exciting opportunity for for the for me. I think the board of education uh is looking forward to having a student sit up here with them and um uh as Mr. Denine said I will use parent square. We'll send a message to every high school junior and to the home to the parents or the families of every high school junior inviting people to apply. So, if um if you have a child who's in that grade or if you know somebody who you think would be outstanding in this role,
055um I would encourage you to encourage that person to uh submit the materials and um uh somewhere between June 9th and June 20th, but uh closer to the 9th, I will try to host anformational meeting in the high school for students that are interested. So I can explain a little bit about what the board of education does, how many meetings there are, uh what the time commitment might be. Um and uh anybody who is in 11th grade would be welcome to come to that meeting as well. Like Dr. said, it's exciting times. It's going to be interesting to have a student up here with their perspective. We're looking forward to that. Um going forward though in the following year what we'll have um we're going to really trying to narrow it down to two students.
056So in the event that the one student um let's say after a couple of months he says this isn't for me or I cannot do it the the second person would be appointed to that position and we would adopt a resolution put that person in there. So that's how uh the process works so that we'll always have somebody up here at the board. So we're looking forward to it. Okay. Um, and I just got a note that um, Mr. Korean needs a go back. I feel like he was done, so that it's all yours. Thank you, Phil. Sorry about that. Um, on Wednesday, May 28th, I also attended the annual business meeting of the NASA SuffK Schoolboards Association at the Hamlet in Com. Uh, during the meeting, NISBA members adopted their budget for the 2025
0572026 school year and also elected their officers and executive committee members for the upcoming school year as well. Afterwards, the attendees listened to an engaging and really fascinating presentation on the integration of artificial intelligence in schools by Dr. Bill Daget. Um, attendees also discussed the implications of a bill regarding project labor agreements and their role on Long Island districts. Uh lastly, the evening concluded with an awards presentation to several board of education members for their dedicated service to their community. And among those honores and unfortunately she was not able to be there that evening was our very own Mrs. Flora. Um so she was awarded the school board service award for her nine years of service as the board of education trustee. And Mrs. Flora on behalf of the Nassau Suff School Boards Association like
058to present you with this certificate from their uh officer Thank you. And then uh overall it really was a wonderful evening just celebrating the accomplishments of the school year. Thank you. Now I'm done. Okay. Thank you. Mrs. War, would you like three minutes? Oh, no. Thank you. I'll pass for the first time in my life. Okay. No, thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. All right. Um, that concludes our updates on non-resolution topics and that's going to bring us to our dates. Remember, our next board of ed meeting will be on June 18th. Executive session starting at 5:30 p.m. with public starting at 7 p.m. here in the high school auditorium. And uh, look forward to seeing you there after next morning. A motion for journal. All those in favor? Thank you very much for attending. Stay
059safe and we'll see you at the next board meeting.