001We are now on camera. Can we please rise for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Hopefully you all enjoyed the curriculum fair. Good evening. Welcome to the George Jackson Elementary School for our third March meeting. For anyone interested, this school's name has nothing to do with the subject of the 1971 Bob Dylan tribute song about George Jackson, the author and Black Panther. Rather, it is named in honor of a prominent Jericho resident who was a founder of the Jericho Fire Department and a treasurer of the Jericho school district. Hopefully, Dr. Rivera, I have that right. George Anel Jackson was born in March
0021882. So, for purposes of this meeting, we're going to assume it was March 26th, 1882, and we're going to wish Mr. Jackson a happy birthday. Um, second of all, today is make up your own holiday, which encourages people to come up with creative, quirky, and offbeat and significant things to celebrate. The jokes from that are endless, but I will let you make up your own jokes as you celebrate this in your own way. Few quick items before we jump into the agenda, which we're all excited to get to. This Tuesday, the 31st, is SEPTA movie night in honor of all abilities month. The movie Tyson's Run will be at the high school auditorium at 6:00. Please check your parent square to register for this free event. High school and middle school marking period ends this
003Wednesday, April 1st. Registration for middle school sports teams closes tomorrow, I believe, Mr. Cornloom. So, please hurry up and register. Build our athletics department. Um, elementary parents, fifth grades, there is a you should have received something in parent square about maturation videos. Please, if you're interested, review those videos that were sent to you. And any concerns, please reach out to your building administration. Finally, school will be closed beginning next Thursday, April 2nd through Friday, April 10th. If any of my colleagues don't have anything to add. Yes, sir. Thank you very much. Also very exciting for everyone who loves coming to our meetings well not exciting then June 11th two and a half months away that meeting will be cancelled but for all of you who are retiring all the teachers you will be honored at
004our June 18th meeting. So retirees will be honored our June 18th meeting June 11th you can make alternative dinner plans with that. Unless any of my fellow board members have something to say I'd love to turn it over to Dr. Alex Rivera, principal of the George Jackson Elementary School to tell us about the exciting things happening here. Thank you, board of education. To our Jackson community, I want to say thank you for joining us this evening for our annual Jackson curriculum fair and for being here with us at the board of education meeting. Your presence and support means so much to our school and it was truly wonderful to see our community come together to celebrate teaching and learning. This year's theme, we are makers came to life in such meaningful ways throughout the building.
005Our teachers, staff, and students did an outstanding job creating an engaging and memorable experience for all. From thoughtfully prepared displays to the sharing of authentic student work, it was clear how much care, creativity, and pride went into showcasing the incredible learning happening every day in our classrooms. And for that, I say thank you everyone. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to our central administration, board of education, district administrators for their continued support of our school. Your partnership and commitment help make opportunities like this possible and allow our students and staff to be their very best. An added thank you goes to all of our students for their participation, not just for tonight, but for every day in their classroom for working hard. and for the group of students who I'm about to
006call on stage shortly for what they're going to share with all of you. Your voices, boys and girls, and contributions is what helps make Jackson such a special place. I want to thank everyone once again for being here tonight. And at this time, I do want to invite up to the stage my colleagues, Mrs. Rash, Mrs. Iicarino, and Miss Leser along with our students who will be presenting this evening. Please give them a round of applause. And while they're coming up, I do want to take an opportunity to the community and share something with you. To each of you, as you enter our school, as you meet with our teachers and you learn about our experiences, we do hope that you take the time to really look carefully at all the wonderful things that are
007going on in our classrooms and all of our learning spaces. I just want to take a moment, families, if you will, to many of you to your right or it's behind you. If you look over in that corner where I'm pointing to the left, that is a good number of our Jackson teachers and staff. And I wish you would turn around right now and please give them a large round of applause. And we have colleagues that are scattered throughout the rest of the auditorium. That applause was for you as well. Uh and then just also before we turn it over, I just really do want to say I know I said central administration, board of edness and district administration. Uh every year I'd be remiss if I didn't say thank you personally to my colleagues.
008Many of them are sitting over to my right over here. Uh from our Kland associates to our directors uh for all the work that you guys do and support not only the teachers but in helping to make sure our school has all the resources necessary as well. So thank you to all of you. And without further ado, I'd like to turn it over to my three colleagues. Good evening everyone and welcome to the George A. Jackson Elementary School. We're so glad you're here to celebrate our learning. My name is Kathy Raj. My name is Samantha Leser. And my name is Maria Akarino. And we're fifth grade teachers here at Jackson. This year our theme is we are makers. And we're excited to share all the hands-on, creative, and meaningful learning happening across our school. Tonight,
009you'll hear from a small group of students who will share some of their amazing classroom experiences. But before we do, we want to take a moment to say thank you to the board of education and central administration for their support, to our families, and for believing in the work we do. to our teachers and staff for your always giving us going beyond your call of duty and most importantly to our students for working hard every day to do their very best. Across Jackson, learning is alive in so many ways. Our fourth and fifth grade math olympiads tackle problems, build models, and make discoveries. In the art studio, students guide families to create bold cubis style collages inspired by Ceil Tuchon. In music, fifth graders and band and orchestra refine techniques together while fourth graders transform
010Weller Man into original rhythm patterns and a coordinated pup routine, showing creative collaboration and problem solving. Our ENL students are building confidence in English with interactive tools, hands-on activities, while in science, students become geologists and structural engineers, building and testing their designs. In physical education, teamwork and communication shine as students recreate hidden cup structures and free builds, practicing collaboration, resilience, and creativity. Across STEM, students investigate storms, design solutions, and explore early civilizations while our youngest learners strengthen reading and phonics through hands-on work building. Tonight, you've seen how our students create, explore, and problem solve with purpose. The theme we are makers is alive in every corner of our school and we couldn't be prouder of the hard work and curiosity and creativity our students showed every day. Thank you for joining us and supporting our
011Jackson learners. We are excited to turn it over to our students so they can share their experiences and show you what it means to be makers. Hi, my name is Alicia Matthew K and my name is Zo Zoo. In kindergarten, we are engineers. We work together to build a bridge. We use recycled things to help our birds stay strong. Our toy bear is hungry. The bear needs to cross the river to find food. Our bridge must hold the bear safely. We think about the seasons and how things change. We try ideas, fix problems, and help each other. We learn by building, thinking, and having fun. Hello families. My name is Everly Louie. and my name is Juy. In first grade, we learned about her our heritage and countries around the world. But we just didn't
012learn facts. We made things. We designed a heritage song and made travel guides. We use our hands and our ideas to show what we learned. We learned about cultures, traditions, and special places. We learned to be proud, kind, and curious. We also learned about cultures and Spanish with Senor Hernandez from Flesh. We made something that matters to us. Welcome families. My name is Ala and my name is Anderson Z. In second grade, we are island designers. We use our creativity and problem solving skills to build an island. Our island is in the Atlantic Ocean. We designed mountains, plains, rivers, and go and oceans to go with it. We make maps to show what we know. Then we build our island using steam tools and ideas. In second grade, we imagine, we plan, and we create.
013Good evening. Good evening everyone. My name is Isabelle Yu and my name is Jacob Kerry. In third grade, we are engineers. We design and build houses that can stand up to wind, rain, and changing temperatures. We use simple materials to plan our designs. We test them, measure them, and make them better. We learn how forces and materials work. We observe closely and think creatively through hands-on challenges. We solve problems and try new ideas just like real scientists and engineers. Welcome families and thank you for being here tonight. My name is Karine Nasha and my name is Jade Wimberly. In fourth grade, we design many things. We are system engineers building our own arcade games. We design, test, and improve our games using everyday materials. We figure out how energy moves and changes to make your
014games work. We play, problem solve, and try new ideas through testing and be design. We see the real the real engineers in action. Thank you everyone for being here tonight. My name is Diana Lynn and my name is A from Tangent. In fifth grade, we go on many adventures. We're exploring the Inca, Aztecs, and Maya. We learn about their land and geography. We discovered their beliefs, daily lives, and amazing achievements. We also explore how they traded and used resources. We are learning history by asking questions, exploring ideas, and sharing what we find. As historians, we learn about the incredible world of many ancient civilizations. Give them one more loud round of applause. So, we're not We're not done yet. We just need about three more minutes of your time. I'm going to ask all the
015students but one to make their way back to their seats in a few seconds and then we have a special video to close out our presentation. So, if all of you but Isabelle please make your way down back to your seats and Isabelle, if you'll stay up here. One of the things that we're most proud of as a school is finding ways to say yes to the questions that our students ask. Finding ways to say yes to the questions that our families ask and trying to make dreams happen for all the students. And so right now I'd like to turn it over to Isabelle who's in third grade. And Isabelle would like to play something for you. So, Isabelle, share with them what you'd like to play that you've been working on. Um, I have
016been working on this Chinese folk song. It's about like a very energetic thing and happy and it fits perfectly with me. Make sure you see what you got. Round of applause. So much family. Just just Isabelle's one example of of the voice that children have in our school. So much of what we have in our classrooms are based on what your children ask for. And so when you think about when they're coming here to school, why they're so drawn to this particular school in this district is because if they can think it in many, many ways we can give it. And so Isabelle, thank you for for for speaking up. Thank you for sharing that beautiful talent with us. and families, if you noticed um or if you didn't notice, we have a piano in
017the lobby and we we are leaving it there because it is a place that a lot of our kids like to go to and just play around. So, whenever they have a free moment in their schedule, might be their lunch, their recess, they're all welcome to go into the lobby and play. So, just another little way of we can give back to our students. And lastly, I'd like to share one final thing with you. So, I'm just going to turn on the projector and I'm going to pull our screen down. And this last video is a short one, but I think it encapsulates perfectly the education that your children are receiving at Jackson and in the Jericho school district. Just like oh If you're somebody you Heat. Heat. Heat. No heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah.
018Heat. Heat. As we close out tonight, I just want to say one final thing. I want to give a thank you uh to board of education, to our central administration. Take a moment and just breathe it in and look around. It is that new auditorium smell. Look how beautiful of a space this is and and and your children get to use this space and benefit from it, benefit from it. So, just thank you to our board of education. Thank you guys. Thank you to our central administration for the vision behind this. Uh and to everyone in the community for saying yes to the budget each and every year. So, on that note, I want to thank all of you. That concludes our presentation. And to my Jackson friends and families and staff, thank you. Thank
019you colleagues so so much for everything. Hope you enjoyed it. Good job. Good night everybody. I know. Sorry. It looks like a picture. Thank you to everyone who stayed. Jumping right into business, we'd love to welcome up Miss Julia Chen to give the six I'm sorry, the middle school student report. Sixth grader, Miss Julia Chen. It's an expensive pudding. There you go, guys. Good evening. My name is Julia Chin. I'm a sixth grade student council representative. It's a pleasure to be here this evening. The social emotional literacy theme for the month of March is perseverance. Let's continue to persevere as we look to the end of the third marking period. On March 18th, the JMS mock trial team competed at Seph Community College against middle schools from all over Long Island. Our Jericho students were
020wellprepared and were victorious in eight out of 10 trials. Congratulations to all. A special thank you to Mr. Lurba and Miss Sukopart. Job well done. Other exciting news, our middle school students had had an exceptional showing at Long Island History Day. A total of 10 projects has advanced to New York State History Day competition representing strong work across multiple categories. Group kids event two, individual documentary two, individual exhibit two, individual performance one, individual website two, and group documentary one. These projects reflect the work of 17 students who engage in extensive historical research and is a wide range of sources and develop thoughtful wellsupported interpretations of complex historical topics. This level of success highlights not only student dedication, but also the support of guidance of our seventh and eighth grade social study teacher and our middle
021school librarian who works closely throughout the research and project development process. On March 7th, the science competition club students competed in the regional science olympia competition. It was an all day event at Kellenberg High School. The club had three separate teams with a total of 40 student and they took home a total of 14 medals. Congratulations to the contestants. Now many many many years ago think the 1990s people couldn't send emails because the internet didn't exist. Instead people sent letters through the mail. And in 1997 to be exact, Caitlyn Ali Frana from Pennsylvania and Martin Gonda from Zimbabwe began a pen pal exchange which changed their lives forever. They documented their experience in their book I will always write back which they co-authored with Liz Welch for years. JMS sixth graders have read this book.
022On March 19th, we were fortunate enough to have Liz and Caitlyn visit our school and talk about how the power of friendship and kindness can not only change lives, but also impact families and communities as well. Liz Welch also co-authored a book with Malala entitled We Were Displaced. Malala was a young girl living in Pakistan when she was shot for the Taliban for speaking out in support of educating girls. Since eighth graders read I in Malala, Liz also addressed the power of upstander behavior and global awareness. After the presentation, Liz and Caitlyn participated in a PTSA book talk featuring I will always write back. Special thanks to Mr. Salsman, Miss Conklin, our PTSA, and Miss Snder, a personal friend of Liz Welches, for making this special author visit happen. The community service club and the
023student council are planning a bake sale in April and all proceeds will benefit a fundraiser in memory of Melissa Zanakus and her children Hank and Nate. And on a final note, the peer leadership groups have been busy preparing for our annual Cupcake War. This year's theme is Cupcake Chronicles, a baking competition inspired by books. The proceeds will be donated to the YOLO Foundation, You Only Live Once. We will be purchasing backpacks and school supplies for children with cancer. Please support our cause on April 15th. Well, that's all for now. Have a great evening. Thank you. Thank you very much, Miss Chen. Next for the high school report pinch hitter. Tonight, we have board student board member Miss Cynthia S. unmute. There's a mute button. Test test test. Starting off strong, I guess. Okay. Good evening
024everyone. My name is Cynthia Tien and I'm here to tonight on behalf of the student council because unfortunately Deb and Emma couldn't be present to share what's been going on around Jericho this month. Hello. Starting with the arts. Last night, 88 students were collectively inducted into our tri art and thespian honor societies. Congrats to all new inductees and thank you for your creative service to our community. The Art Supervisor Association all county artwork is also now on display in the high school auditorium lobby with 24 selected pieces exhibited in celebration of Young Art Month. We hope you'll stop by and check them out. And looking ahead on March 31st, the jazz band under the direction of Mr. development will travel to Albany to perform at the state plaza for music in our schools month. From
025the world languages art from the world languages department, the Chinese, French, Spanish, and Italian language societies together with the United Club hosted the 2026 International May event earlier this month. The event was well attended by families across the entire district. You know what the state? Go on the podium. Go on the podium. You're good. Just mute them. I think you muted the other. The event was well attended by families across the entire district. Children and parents enjoy delicious food and culture activities such as John Jonesy, henna, and Italian. A huge thank you to everyone who came out that evening. From the social studies department, Jericho students also had an outstanding performance at Long Island History Days. Seven projects have advanced the New York State History Day competition across multiple categories including including group and individual
026documentaries, exhibits, and papers. We are also proud of Miss Dendrian's successful first year mentoring high school history research students in coordinating this program. Now turning to our science research and technology department. It has been another incredible stretch. By the way, that takes up half this page. Um where they participated in the annual HOSA conference workshops and competitions. Our medical minds club finished first in health in healthy living, second in biomedical debate, medical reading and family medicine, and third in sports medicine, qualifying them for the international event. Our film students attended the 19th annual Locust Valley Film Festival yesterday. We also wanted to celebrate sophomores Jay, Rain, Ryan, and Richard who are Toshiba Explore Vision Regional Championships for their nanotechnology based responsive concrete project. We hope to see them represent Jericho in the national competition in
027Washington later this spring. An additional 14 teams and 54 students were recognized by Toshiba with awards for their respective work. We are proud of the 30 project that our Jericho kids entered. Yesterday morning, Principal Cummings and Dr. Herbert David Herbert attended the ITA national conference to receive Jericho's high school STEM school of excellence award. And at LIF last week, Encho Agraal, Ryan Tay, and Vodon Balani won first place in the respective categories, earning an invitation to the international science and engineering fair in Phoenix. Ariana Adur also placed second in biomedical sciences. Jennifer Pio, Connor Chu, Kevin Leu, Lee, and Henry Zang placed third in our categories. Walter Lee, Jason Wong, Monosby received honorable mentions. Eight of 12 of this year's New York State National Sim Festival finalists were from Jericho and of this prestigious group,
028Ariana Adjo was selected as a national finalist invited to Washington DC in June to participate in the STEM week. We also want to recognize a research teacher in Spanish who served on the regional panel sponsored by the South Asian American Women's Alliance to share how to innovate and leverage AI in science research. Her region continues to look forward to her advice, her advice, support, and inspiration. I also wanted to add that a couple days ago, our science Olympia team placed fifth in the state. Sophomores Ming, Duthi, Lorie, Sarah, and Ben won first place at the 2026 medical marvelous competition earlier this month. And another group of sophomores from our research program won the hydro wind AI project at the Columbia University Modulus Symposium. From athletics, our spring sports season are just getting started, and we
029look forward to announcing the many accomplishments at our next meeting. It's been a busy and successful month across the board and we are so proud of everything happening across the Jhawk community. Thank you for your time. Have a wonderful evening. Thank you very much. And now we have the PTSA joint council president, Miss Ailen Gingold. Testament. Good evening, Dr. Kravitz, members of the board of education, central administration, faculty, staff, and community members. My name is Ailen Gingold and I am the president of the joint PTA council and it's my pleasure to be here this evening. This month the joint PTA council had the privilege of hosting Dr. Danielle Smith, high school psychologist who shared valuable insights on the importance of truly listening to our children. She emphasized the need to not only hear them but
030to actively ask what they need from us as parents and to validate their feelings. While these conversations may seem simple, they are often more complex in practice, and we are grateful for the thoughtful guidance and expertise you provided. All of our units were busy this month. Kantiac started the month with Halie's Heart kickoff assembly on March 5th. They continued to prepare for their spring fling they had on the 24th and their second book fair of the year. Jeffrey Ratner of Robert Seaman PTA is excited to have sponsored an author visit from Souza Ver, author of the dot they had on March 24th. She spoke with students and led a workshop for teachers. In addition, Ratner Seaman is preparing for a park week and their book fair, both taking place the last week of March. The
031PTA also had a busy month planning and organizing the upcoming bingo night and reflections party scheduled for March 26th. The Jackson PTA also brought author Dan Abago on March 9th. On March 12th, the PTA had a pizza kit pickup fundraiser. And then on the 13th held a Chuck-e-Cheese fundraiser. On March 27th, please come down tomorrow night to witness the Jackson uh multicultural night, an event that gets better and better each year. The middle school PTSA recently hosted a successful snack sale and boutique. On March 19th, they held a family book talk featuring I will always write back as part of their PTSA meeting. The authors had the opportunity to meet with parents and speak to students during special assemblies, making it a very meaningful experience for the entire community. The high school PTSA in partnership
032with the middle school PTSA hosted an outstanding teacher, staff, and faculty appreciation lunchon on March 11th. Thank you to both groups for their hard work and dedication in creating such a memorable event for everyone. The high school PTSA is also helping to sponsor the first ever junior banquet for 11th grade students on May 15th. In addition, the senior committee continues to work tirelessly to plan the senior party, a free event for all students taking place on Wednesday, June 3rd at 6 p.m. in the Sam Springer gym. SEPTA has been busy planning for their all abilities month kickoff on March 31st with the movie Tyson's Run. Come out and enjoy a fun night with raffles and sweet treats. All proceeds this month will be going to Anga. On April 28th, motivational speaker Jordan Toma will be
033presenting to middle school students thanks to SEPTA and a night there will be a robotics event. Please look out for more details and all of the color themes throughout the month. Thank you and have a good night. And now with our final report of the evening, I turn it over to our superintendent, Dr. Robins. Good evening everyone. Thank you for attending on day 267. I just want to announce the enrollment. Uh last year at this time we had 3,320 students. This year we have 3,174 students. I would like to say thank everyone who has participated in our strate strategic planning events. Uh those websites are still available. If you go to our website and look at the strategic planning tab, you can still add any thoughts and comment on anyone. It was a great experience
034and again we we appreciate the teachers participating, the community events, the administrators. We had approximately 150 teachers, uh over a 100 parents and 33 of our administrative staff. So, thank you for all of those who participated and our next presentation will be with the board of education and from there we will craft our goals for the upcoming school year. So, thank you again. Thank you very much to all our speakers. Um, next opportunity for the public to be heard. If you'd like to make a comment or ask a question, please approach the microphone, tell us your name, and if you are representing a specific group, your affiliation. If you'd like your statement to be included in our board minutes, you must hand a written copy of your remarks to our district clerk, Mr. Victor Emanuel
035before leaving tonight. As always, public discussion on matters related to staff and students during which their reputation, privacy, or right to due process for those of others could in some way be violated is prohibited. Always overwhelming. Nothing tonight, Dr. Hartnet. Maybe next time, please. We'd love to hear. We will now move on. We are now closing the opportunity of publicly heard by if you've got something to say, shout it out. Anyway, let's start with be resolved. The board of education make any necessary corrections and move the approval of the minutes of the regular meetings dated March 3rd, 2026 and March 12th, 2026. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Martin. A second. Thank you, Mr. Jin. Any discussion? All in favor of approving the minutes. We're back. We're back. What? Try it again. Try
036it again. Try it again. Yeah, it's not. It's got a lot of batteries. I just looked. Um, unfinished business. Recommended resotion be resolved that the board of education approves tableing the second reading of the following policy. Series 1,000, series 2000, series 4,000. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Veroff second. Thank you Dr. Balachander. Any discussion? As we've talked about, we had the first read. As we redo our policy manual, we're doing first readings of sections. We've already completed the first readings of 1, 2, and 4. The 1,000, 2,000, 4,000. We are going to complete second readings of the whole manual all at once sometime later this school year. Um, all in favor? 5. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. If you make changes or suggestions on those policies, are we going to see them before
037they're brought up for second reading? Like we're not going to be able We expect and Mr. Good. We expect We expect to distribute exactly that the comments that were taken Mr. that has incorporated. Those are being incorporated. The 1, two, and four. They will be when completed distributed. We will have probably 30 days from the time that the final section is completed to the time when we get to a second read. So, if there are changes we want to make at the time of the second read or even an intermittent meeting, we will have plenty of time to do that. We do not expect to see the final copies the morning of that. That's why we're trying to move this along. That's why the final first read is scheduled for what is it the end
038of April I think so that we'll have the month of May to make sure everything gets adopted or maybe is no May 11th is the file is and I apologize this thing keeps just going in and out. Um did I don't remember if we voted before Mrs. Citron said that we voted. We are good. Next, um, going on to new business, we have several resolutions this evening tied to the 2627 budget approval and board member election process. Development the district's budget is a complex and extended process and recommending a budget to our community is one of the board's most important roles. There are many people who contribute to this process and you've heard from some of them during our public presentations. Again, as we move into the final approval tonight for final recommendation and vote
039from the board, I want to thank again Mr. Emanuel, Miss Stokel, Miss Lee, and everyone in the business department. I also want to thank the building leaders, curriculum associates, and other directors, particularly Mr. Han, and Miss Clemente for their participation and input. I especially also want to thank Mr. Jin, whose work in this area during his first year on the board has been invaluable, bringing a fresh set of eyes and skills and a determination to drill down and always question decisions. Budget development presentation is a constantly evolving process. I believe we as a board become more skilled at it each year and I expect that the process and presentations will look meaningfully different and better going forward next year. The first motion we have here is uh related to the state environmental quality review act
040given it is a half a page. I will follow Miss Cen and say I'm going to punt on it and basically if we could get Mr. Emanuel or Mr. Goodet just to briefly actually take back can I have a motion to approve the qual state environment quality review that the board's looking to approve. Motion to approve. Thank you Dr. Alan. Second. Thank you Mr. Citron. Now, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Good, could you give us 30 seconds on what this or explain this to the public what it is the board? All right. Can you hear me now? Okay. This the secret is a required um resolution that is required by the state. It determines who is responsible for the construction and any environmental issues associated with it based on the types of projects that we're doing. It
041would be considered a type two which would fall under the district's opaces um to be lead under the secret uh regulation. Perfect. So now therefore it be resolved board of education hereby declares itself lead agency in connection with the requirements of the state and environmental quality be further resolved there review of the proposed projects declares that the projects are type two which requires no further review and the board of the year hereby shall forward an official copy of the resolution to the New York State Department of Education. All in favor 50. Thank you very much. Moving on on the upcoming budget vote in May, we are going to have three propositions. Um, in no particular order, we're going to do proposition number two first. Be it resolved the board of education hereby authorizes the following
042proposition to be included on its ballot at its annual meeting on May 19th as follows. Shall the board of education be authorized to expend of total not to exceed $4,721,71 from the capital reserve fund established on May 17, 2022 for the purpose of completing capital improvements as follows. Um, district windows, district ceilings, districtwide lighting upgrades, districtwide plumbing and bathroom renovation, boiler insulation, elevator replacement at Kantiak Elementary School and the middle school, districtwide asphalt and paving, sidewalk, stairs, ramps, drainage, district security upgrades, locker rooms at the high school and middle school, districtwide exterior interior doors and masonry updated and all the above included. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Hartnov. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Of course. Go ahead. Any discussion. Um, I just want to make it clear
043everyone knows that this is just a prop of allowing us to use the fund for the project, but that doesn't mean that we're going to approve it next year. So how it works is we allocate the fund for the capital investment I mean capital reserve and the money is put on site and then we will look at the project in detail where what the size um the condition of the bathroom and etc. and then we'll decide whether we will send to the bid and um you know accept it at the end. So there's another vote next year to going through the detail of the project whether we will approve or not. So right now we're only approval allowing us to set this money aside to spend it. So we're not approving for the project just
044to be clear. Anyone else have anything to add? Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Jim, for that. All in favor? 50. Thank you very much. Proposition number three. Following on what Mr. Jim was saying, this is about establishing a new capital reserve. This would be capital reserve six. Do I have a motion on proposition proposition number three? I'm not going to read this whole one, but I'll just give it summarized on the board of education be authorized to establish capital reserve fund is the facilities improvement program six Jericho public schools for the purpose of districtwide replacements, renovations, upgrades, reconstructions, additions, and redimmations of a variety of everything in the district. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Citron. Second. Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Um, discussion something say here. Yeah, same thing. So same thing this money
045uh the fund is raised for um every year we have extra money we might have extra money left. So for example, if we have we budget the money for the entire year, I'm just making up number um 147 for next year and that is taking in consideration like the healthc carees and the insurance uh the pensions and retirements and accident lawsuit. If any of the money that we have extra left, we can only allow to have the maximum of 4% of our total budget. If any money exceeding that, that means that we're going to uh we're breaking the law. We need to use that money for something else. So, with that being said, um we need to have the money to put it aside for capital investment. And that's why we're raising the proposal three.
046Um so, any extra money that we have, we can allocate a fund into that reserve fund. Again, that doesn't mean we will put the money in there. it still needs to be approved every year. Um, so that doesn't mean we're going to be having a 10 million or $20 million right away. So, this is going to take at least 5 to 10 years. Every year is going to be gradually increased. Perfect. Thank you so much. Um, all in favor 50. Thank you very much. Moving on. Be it resolved the board of education adopt the attached notice of annual meeting and election of board members for the Jericho UFSD board of education and for the Jericho public library trustees. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Martinov. Second. Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Any discussion? Mr.
047Emanuel, as district clerk, could you just give us two seconds on the timet, please? Sure. So, uh, Hello. Hello. Can you hear me now? Is there another looks great here though? Dr. Right behind you. Thank you. We're going to upgrade the mic microphones in the next budget. Um, so back to the notice of annual meeting. Notice annual meeting just details the propositions that we're going to put forward. The P Jericho Public Library is included in the notice annual meeting and their ballot, their budget is on our ballot as well. They approve their own budget has nothing to do with the school district, but it's at the same time, the same date uh that it gets voted upon. So, that's one piece. Another piece is any um uh petitions to run for the board is due
048on Monday, April 20th. Uh it is due by 5:00 p.m. on that date. Um if we have uh petitions that are valid at that point, they will uh appear on the ballot for the May 20th vote. Do we have any at this point? We do not. I'm sorry, May 19th vote. May 19th vote petitions. No, we'd have no no petitions in at this point. Um, also details it details the public hearing which is the Tuesday before which would be uh at 7:30 in the little theater on May 12th. And I think that's pretty much it. The public hearing of the budget. Thank you very much. All in favor? 50. Thank you. Um going back to what or following up on what Mr. said that's important. Oh, it keeps coming. Be resolved that the board of
049education adopt a proposed budget of 147,944,295 for the 2627 school year and be further resolved that the voting machines appropriately reflect that amount. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Bartnoff. Second. Thank you, Mrs. Citron. Any discussion? All in favor? 5. We look forward to seeing your voting on that day. I want to thank the board for their continued support. I appreciate it. Thank you. We thank many times. Thank you again, Mr. Emanuel and Miss Lee and Miss Stokel and everyone in the business office. Be it resolved that the board of education authorize the 2627 Jer 2026 2027 Jericho public library proposed budget in the amount of 6,11,282 and the amounts to be raised by taxes for 2627 to be 5,7 5,712,181 as approved by the board of trustees on March board of trustees
050with a library I believe that should say on March 11, 2026 and further resolve that the voting machines appropriately reflect these amounts. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Vnoff. Second. Thank you, Mr. Jen. All in favor? Thank you. Um the next four I can move together. Right, Mr. Goodstead? These are all intermunicipal agreements um with Franklin Square, Heritage, Port Washington, Sioset. Be resolved. Board of Education acknowledge the federal sorry be resolved. Board of Education approved the attached 2026 27 intermediary school agreements to offer maintenance and service in the Jericho. This is different than what was there. These used to be health services. No in the old these are the intermunicipal. Perfect. No, I'm good. I'm good. I don't know what arrangement. Um be resolved the board approves the tax 2027 municipal agreements for
051the offer and maintenance services in the Jericho transportation spill for Franklin Square Union Free District Franklin Union Franklin Square Union Free School District Heric Union Free School District Port Washington Union Free School District and the Siokic Central School District. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mrs. Citroron. Second. Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Any discussion? our hugely profitable money-making transportation sector. Thank you, Mr. Stone and your team for doing this. Ah, there he is back there. I didn't see him. Thank you, sir. All in favor? Beautiful. Moving on. Um, be resolved the board of ed be resolved the board of education acknowledge receipt of the federal single audit report of the school district's external auditor Cullen and Dinowski LLP for the year ending June 30th, 2025. Do I have a ended what? The year that ended
052for the year ending June 23rd, 2025. Um, do I have a motion? Thank you, Mr. Citron. Second. Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Mr. Man, you want to give us 5 seconds? Yes. Now I had um school districts are required to get audited for any uh grants that total over I believe half a million dollars. So all of ours total more than that. Um the audit is done every year different from the regular financial a which is more geared towards the general fund. These are all the federal and instead of being due in August they're due uh March 31st and that's why the time table is different. Great. And we received an unmodified opinion stating compliance in all material specs with issues that could have a material effect on our major federal programs which I believe according
053to this there were two programs that were the that were the focus of this thing. I thought that's what it said. Two programs with a cut off of 750 were the focus of this. It's all of the if if your district has a total of more than 750 it's all of the uh grants. So it's the IDA the title grants uh the school lunch because that's fally funded as well. Perfect. Thank you. All in favor? 5. Appreciate it. Um, now our favorite part, accepting donations. We're going to do two together. Be resolved to the board of education accept a donation from the Jericho Athletic Association of three AEDs for each of the Jericho elementary schools and those something automatic defibrillator. I don't know what the E stands for. Dr. Bachander. External auto something external defibrillator.
054Thank you, Dr. Bachander. And then be resolved the board of education accept a donation from Jericho Septa for a guest speaker Jordan Toma to present on April 28th, 2026 with the middle school student body. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Mr. Jin. Second. Thank you, Mrs. Vartnoff. Any discussion? I just say thank you. I just want to clarify one thing. It's three total, one for each of the three elementary schools. It says three in each of the three elementary schools. Got it. Three. Three. Three total. Got it. Three IEDs. We still thank the J. All in favor? Thank you very much, J. Thank you, SEPTA. Now, what you've all been waiting for. We are going to quickly move into board policies. As we said, we are discussing the 3000 series this evening. And I've
055lost my gun. I have not. We got so good at this last time, we're going to be really good at it again. We're going to start off with policy number. What the heck am I looking at? Sorry. 3000. Starting off with policy 3,110 media municipal. Wait, I have to have we should start off with Mr. G just a motion to review this and then we can do each. We don't have to pass a motion for each one. Correct. Perfect. Um motion to evaluate and edit policies 3110 through 3520. Do I have a motion? Say it again. We're going to we're just we're doing a motion to review all the policies between 3110 and 3520. Once we have the motion, then we're going to discuss all them and at the end we're just going to have
056a vote. So it says that the motion is acceptance. No, that I'm sorry that's yes. The acceptance of the first reading of policies 3,110 through 3,520. Do I have a motion to accept that? Are we good, Mr. Citron? Right. You got it. Thank you, Mrs. Varnoff. Second, Dr. Balachandra. I saw a finger. We are now open for discussion. We're going to section policy 3110. And I encourage the audience, I know it's going to be scintillating, please, whatever you have to say, come up and say it. Yes, of course. Of course. 3110. Um, media municipal government, senior citizens. Please, anyone comments, comments? We have Mr. Goodstad here. Um, two things. one. In the second paragraph, it talks about our periodic newsletter. It talks about a monthly calendar. Our periodic newsletter does not include a monthly calendar.
057Can we kill that or would you like to take up space in there with monthly calendar? Second paragraph. Second paragraph. End of the second line. Please take out where it says a monthly calendar. Um district, right? What about it? No, I'm saying like if we approve this, that means that we're going to have allocated funds for the newsletter as well. It's already in the budget. This if the newsletter we've been doing, it comes out quarterly. So when we just got one like 3 weeks ago at this point, I I know I know we're doing that, but I'm just saying like if we pass that as a policy, that means that we're going to be every year we're going to have set set aside for that dedicated fund for that. But if that's not a policy,
058then we don't have to set the money aside for that particular purpose. Maybe may be prepared. Okay. But the budget one has to it's required. And that's the biggest one, the budget news for there's two different newsletters. There's the quarterly newsletter that comes from the superintendent and Mr. Manuel's talking about the budgetary newsletter. That's the big one that goes out to everyone in the community. No, I'm talking about the regular newsletter. Right. And I think what Dr. Dr. Kramer was saying yes. Thank you. Second, a periodic newsletter may be prepared. So we don't have that. So it's not required in future boards to to want to do it or if they want to do it, they do it. If not, it also says it can be just posted on the website. So it doesn't even
059have to be distributed. um municipal governments is this something like some of us we know we have a relationship with municipal governments but it's not like there's some formal this is not a required portion of policy you can do whatever you choose although I do think we have to change board of health because that's not real we make it department of health got it and finally we currently um don't have any senior citizen programs most of those are run through the library so I don't know if we want to change that to the board may consider as opposed I will consider. You still will consider. It doesn't mean you have to do anything. You're not obligated to do anything. It's just saying you're obligated to consider it. Okay, let's consider. Everyone good with 3110? We're
060moving on to 3120. District standards and guidelines for webpage publishing. Do we need to add stuff here for Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc. Or is this really just specific? Should this be specific to websites? Because well, I think some of the stuff or a bunch of the stuff in here, is it really getting posted on the website? It's more other stuff. It's a fair. This is a board policy and they can you guys can dictate how you wish uh what you want to be in it. If you want to include the social media, you can. And if you want to have a stand policy, you can. This in and of itself is not a legal policy per se. It's a board policy per se. Do most districts have separate policies for social media? Do they
061have any policy for social media or is it just part of operating procedure? It's part of operating procedure. I know of one in particular that does. Um I know that they've been trying to review, modify, potentially revise and remove that policy. Um just because it causes more more issues than it does than it does good. Is there anything with social media that we should be putting into policy to protect the district or Yes, there you know it depends on what depends on what goes up and how it goes up and you might want to make sure that the information that goes up in accordance with Furpa Educational 2D so on and so forth the issues you might run a foul on it when people post photographs of classrooms in which it's life skills classrooms and
062then you're potentially outing kids to wear life skills in those types of classes. So it's really procedure-based your polic you can change web web page publishing and or social media and you have cross references in here to furpa education law 2D and the like but again I defer then we can recommend it we'll just leave it generic and we'll keep moving on 3140 flag display anyone anyone two quick questions then what do we do when the president and the governor conflict Does that then fly to the superintendent? Not that that's ever happened recently. Yeah. Um yeah, that's uh that's kind of Yeah, it goes either way on that one. No problem. Um sec Oh, sorry. I thought that microphone was a hand. I apologize. Um what was it? Oh, the Can we We talked about
063this last year. It's just coming up now cuz it it's in the policy. I hadn't thought about it. The flag at the turf field. Are we going back to not having it up there when we have games? It was not up the other day. We had this issue last year where there are some parents who were irked that we didn't have the flag up during sports games at the flag pole. Does anyone know anything about this? Is Mr. Han here? Mr. Han is not here. We can certainly put it up. Yeah. Okay. That would be great. Thanks. This is the one by the turf. Yeah, by the, you know, behind the scoreboard that's troublesome. Anyone else on 3140? Mr. Cordwell, Dr. Kravitz is nominating you. Why the flag was not up during the lacrosse game
064earlier this week? I couldn't. Last week, I don't remember when the legal. I'm not sure. Okay, that was Dr. Krabbit's asking. No problem. Wrong. Moving on to 3150. Do we we don't do this with the school volunteers? Correct. And I would also advise putting an extra putting putting a line in there somewhere that says volunteers will not drive students anywhere. Okay. So, so anyone on the board have an issue with Mr. Goodstat suggestion? Please make that happen. And even though we don't have school volunteers, it's just saying if we have them, these are the rules that are if we change it in the future, we then have the policy. Correct. Are there no volunteer coaches? Volunteers? No. Everybody gets paid in Jericho. Fair enough. No volunteers. There's nothing in classrooms, right, Dr. Sherman? in terms
065of volunteers. So, should we get rid of the policy? That's a good set or keep it. Keep it in the event you decide you don't need it. It doesn't doesn't really affect you right now. And in the event that you do decide to do volunteers, you don't want to do two reads of a policy before you can appoint somebody. Got it. Perfect. Thank you. And you'll add that one sentence. Correct. No driving. Moving on to 3210. In the second line, why would we have visitors? When it says visitations to classrooms for any purpose require permission in advance, why would anyone be visiting a classroom? Yeah, reading partners, secret, right? But it says here that you have to allow the teacher the opportunity to provide it. If they're secret readers, the teacher is the one who's
066invited you. If it's a party or event, the teacher's already invited you. So, just I understand. Let's leave it. Good. Um uh I had a question if you were done saying this. Okay. Um prior to it says the new policy says prior to entry being permitted the EVMS will check visitors against known sexual offender databases. What was removed was against applicable databases. So I just wanted to double check that we don't want to be more encompassing like it's not just sexual offender databases that we're checking upon entry. Correct. Yes. It's whatever your Yeah. So, can we just change it back to applicable databases? Yeah. I didn't make you take it out. Yeah. No problem. You could say including applicable including or we could just change known to all available and that way you all Yeah.
067Because it could change in the future. Mhm. And that all available will cover all of your all your consents. And lastly here under parent, it says anytime parents or volunteers enter the building. We do have parents who are given district IDs. It doesn't open doors, but it it basically serves in place of a license. Is that something we need to carve out here or is it something we need to stop doing? TA when you're looking at munic but whether it's TA or board visiting the school, you still need to have a reason to visit the school if you think it's still up. No, not that. I'm in the last paragraph where it talks about prior to um here any when any visitor including parents and volunteers wishes to enter any school building during school hours,
068he or she must present a valid state or government issued photo ID. Can we just add in you want to should we add in there just or school issued ID or this is this is my question. I don't know. I just know that we don't abide by this. So, I just want to make sure we're abiding by our policy. However you want to change it, I mean, it's for you and Dr. It's up to you. I think I would prefer having everyone, including individual board members, who come to the building as individual board members, show their ID, a driver's license, as individual parents, not as individual board members. Well, individual board members not coming as a board is you're you're as an individual board member when you are just yourself, you are a member of
069the public. Yes. You are not different than anybody else who is a parent in the district. So even if you're there is no no individual board member that can actually go and board business individual. It is a group. So I would say that everybody that has to attend that everyone that would walk into the building individual board member not just coming as an individual should be showing their driver's license. Dr. Kravitz disagreed with you. Again I'm agnostic. I just want the policy to be what we want the policy to be. It's okay. I'll get it. I'll get it. So, I agree with what he has said about board members. They're individuals. They are not board members unless things on a public meeting. I do think that in districts you can have authent what do I
070so let's add let's add school issued ID and I just sexual offender navation shows up twice so you have to be touching two places on the second line as well I I just I just think the second line just says that you fail a check of sexual defend doesn't specify specific so I think the first one covers or fail the check of all databases. No, take out check take out sex offend. School ID, school issued ID. Correct. take away school. I'm just saying I don't think then we will take it away and what we should do is we should collect them at the end of each school year and we'll issue new ones at the beginning of each school year. That's the way it should be. Well, that's what we're going to do. That's that's
071what we're doing and whoever is responsible for that, that's what we're doing. So, oh, they left. I was going to ask Mrs. Gingold if that was Oh, you can fill in for senior PTA council management. Good with you. We're going to hand in Oh, I know some of them do. Okay. We'll figure it out, but that's what we want to do. We will do school ID. They get handed in at the end of every school year. Thank you, Mrs. Mart. And they will be given back in September. Is that good with you, Mrs. Citron? Perfect. And as always, thank you to our PTA for everything you do. Um, Sam, I'm not talking about collecting IDs. That doesn't belong here, right? No, we're just going That's going to be our procedure, unless they have it. Just
072want to make sure. Yes. No, no, no. Absolutely. I appreciate that. Um 322 use of assistance animals. I I mean, can we take out miniature horses? Like are we is there some law that requires us to have miniature for those of you who haven't read it says where unreasonable the board also allows the use of miniature horses on school grounds by individuals with disabilities? Little Sebastian was my favorite character in parks recreation. I'm glad I got fancy. But generally speaking technically also I this policy in particular I would check have Mr. manual check with nicer regarding their requirements on assistance animals and as well for insurance. But the dogs is the next policy. This is surface animals. Fair enough. I mean, no. I would not remove miniature horses as just in the event that somebody
073actually has a reason for Can I ask who cleans up after the pony? I couldn't tell you. that I wanted a funny tattoo and I'd never go and and that leads to a lot of the psychological issues you're currently suffering from. I understand. Got it. Um do do we need to establish any criteria for denying any request? Cuz it's just blanket terms like we're we're allowed to deny any request but there's no criteria set up like what type of request that we need to deny. Usually there's a distinction between therapy dogs, therapy animals and service animals. So the denial usually comes with therapy. Okay. Service is is a different regulation. Which is the one that everybody gets forged documents to take their dog on the plane. Okay. Service is much different and it's more through
074the more complicated. So it's not something where someone can just print up a form that they we're not going to you're not going to have miniature horses running around Jericho. Even dogs. I mean, it's there there's whatever therapy animals there are. But Mr. Man, could you just look at a principle if we could get rid of miniature horses, please? And I apologize to anyone who wanted a pony. She wanted a pony. Bonnie and dog. Therapy dogs. Um, do we pay for these therapy dogs when they come? Was that a no? I don't know. And we do get the insurance policy as we have in Little E under therapy dogs. We knew a company was bringing in a therapy dog. Yes. If it's an individual bringing one in, I'm not sure. An individual being bringing their
075own therapy dogs. Do we have individuals bring therapy dogs? Okay. Yeah. No, we don't. It's covered under, right? But it talks about therapy dogs and accompanying handler. So, I didn't realize people were bringing in their own therapy. I thought this was a therapy dog that was brought into the classroom with a handler. We have done that after but we're covered by insurance on this. We we would be covered. We're not going to get additional insurance in that particular case. Understood. Then we get to our favorite parts. 30. So we are good with 3220. Anybody? Anybody? 3230. Some of our good stuff. Public complaints. Wait, are we doing all of the public complaints or just Well, just in 3230 right now. I actually had a question. I I have a question just in general about this
076because I thought we were moving towards a like a chain of command, what's in the back of the calendar and just moving up the chain um in terms of complaints, but this is this is saying just going, you know, the superintendent can address anonymous complaints or um the complaint can be carried to the superintendent or their assistant. I thought shouldn't we be just saying reference this the chain of command in addressing complaints from the public? Yes. So this can be simplified just to say follow the chain of command as outlined in the calendar. Right. But I don't want to make the calendar the the overriding document. If we're going to do that, I would rather put it in here. Then I was just then why don't we add that as an addendum to this? I
077have no issue with that. Is there some reason why we would want to do that? just so happens I've gotten to be like some of the other people. I have the calendar with me. I I guess just the one thing I would say is just to the extent it's not a DASA complaint or a Title N complaint or any other complaints that have specific designated people that may not be in the calendar. You would have to specify that separately. But other than that, is that what it means where there's no referral sorts of policies? It doesn't talk about that stuff in this policy. So that's my but in the it's cross reference at the bottom with regards to non-discrimination and anti-harass still we still leave the cross reference of course but if we're going to
078just put the chain of command that's set forth in the calendar in the policy which is fine it doesn't I'm not sure if those things include what would happen in those situations which technically are complaints made by potentially by the public that covered here so would that be in the other stupid the 10 to 20 page policies about title nine and harassment stuff policy is stupid Mr. Um, but anyway, especially lengthy stupidly lengthy policies of 10 and 20 pages. Yes, but you would have to make it a little you would have to make it a little clearer if you're going to say that. That's fine. That's not a problem. No, I I think what we need to do is we want to be responsive to Dr. There's very good suggestion that we put in that
079we put that in here, but that maybe we have, you know, nine because I guess the only complaints going through this chain of communication is curriculum. This really refers to curriculum. Correct. And we can change title if you want to do that to make it even clearer. And it's just curriculum complaints. Mhm. So, we're taking out the policies that were complaints by employees by students. We're not taking anything. No, I think the Wouldn't that be elsewhere? The complaints by employees would be in the personnel section 6000s. The complaints by students would be in the 7,000s. Yeah. No, they're all separate and apart. This is because the three just for just for the board's clarification, the 3000s is the community section. Yes. So, we're talking about community complaints, not student complaints, employee complaints, so on so
080forth. Yes. Do they this is the one good thing about when they in this rewrite they have actually moved policies to where they belong. Perfect. So wait, so shouldn't this be curriculum complaint? Curriculum. Should these be the curriculum complaints or do do we need a section for community members to be able to complain about stuff other than curriculum? report. Yeah. I How about public complaints regarding matters relating to the school district because curriculum falls as well as all the other stuff and it kind of clumps out the title NASA so on so forth for matters relating to the school district which are indicated in the calendar. Title 9 is so we but we should I don't want I don't want people referencing the calendar. I want the thing in the policy manual. The count the
081thing that's in the calendar is going to be the change put in here. That's my that's my understanding. Right. So the calendar becomes technically irrelevant. We just have to make sure that if you update the calendar for the chain of command, you got to make sure the policy follows with it. Yes, sir. So what do we what was your great suggestion to change the title to public complaints regarding matters related to the school district. Perfect. Is everyone comfortable now? No, thank you. And the only question I had about this, which I guess is coming, it says unresolved complaints at the super level must at the superintendent level must be reported to the board by the superintendent. But how's the superintendent supposed to know if it's not resolved until that person complains to the board? Well,
082technically if someone wants something and the superintendent disagrees with what they want, technically it can be considered as unresolved. Not that I agree with that, but that's technically what Oh, no. Technically, I get it. It just seems sort of Well, I think we're going to remove it by portion of putting the calendar in there. Good. Then that's how I make sure this everything's coming out here except stuff that's in the calendar. Excellent. Um 3271 solicitation of charitable donations. I had another question about this. Um it doesn't explicitly say in this policy what organizations or groups um and for what purposes we are permitting or prohibiting um as a board in this. I don't know if that needs to be included. It just simply says it's okay before or after on school grounds. But does that
083need to be included here? What would be permitted and what is prohibited? I don't I don't think you want to go down that rabbit hole. So no, any organization can do this regardless of philosophy or it says that the board will ultimately decide which organizations groups can solicit charitable donations and for what purposes. I mean the rules the the laws that are cited are pretty restrictive in it in and of itself. Um I mean obviously clubs do raise money for themselves whether it be through various fundraisers at restaurants so on so forth. Um I'm not sure this is just school organizations. It says public organizations. So even from the community organizations. Yeah. Again it's going to be ultimately dep dependent on you. I'd rather it not be impolic. It's I think it's I might be
084a procedure. So, cut it back. Dr. B. This whole thing is I think it's a little broad too, but I really didn't have any great suggestions. How do we how we qualify who can? Well, in in the past, look, the board's never it says here the board's going to decide. The board has never been asked about any any organization. But I guess the other point is have you actually had any charitable donations solicited through the school day prep for other than events that are tied to school district if you have Relay for Life or Hoops for Heart or any of those types of organizations or any type of those groups. Those are normally run through clubs. Well, there have like I believe there's been emails gone out for organizations that aren't school organizations and whether
085or not we're going to say those are charitable organizations or not, but I believe in the past and I'm just trying to think of process. You turn it on the red button at the bottom like you showed me. Microphone. What are you talking about? I don't know. Process for what? Charitable. Charitable donations. Before it gets is do they have to is there an application process? And how do I I think it's just the wild west. I think it's And do we have any principles left? Any principles? Not a one. Um I I think that emails just go out whether it's from a club or from an organization that just says we're collecting XYZ. Even when we have our food drives, it's not necessarily a specific organization doing it's like the Jericho school district is running
086a food drive to support Jericho Cares or supports Big Mama's House or something like that. So, so you may want to make a distinction between what is school-based or school related. So if a club is soliciting donations that might be under the jurisdiction of the adviserss, the principal and of the school district chain of command to the superintendent. If it's an outside organization that's unaffiliated with any school related organization, then you may want to need that to be an application directly to the to the board of education. I found a principal back there. But generally speaking, there with regards to fundraising by students, which is the clubs are actually in the policy, which we'll get to at some point in the timeline. School organizations, it's outside community organizations like I I understand what you're saying
087and I guess you would have to make that determination in a viewpoint neutral and determination from there. But again, I don't know very diffult to differentiate. No, thank you. Because sometimes people have organizations that are 503 CBS 501 501 Yeah. 54321. Right. And and they are um they're organizations who want to either use our facilities or who who are asking us to to publicize things and it's it's a very tricky subject because clearly they're making a profit but just because they're registered differently it's an awkward situation. Yet we're we're letting them use our facilities. as per the facilities usage uh policy that says as long as you are not for profofit you can use our facilities. So I I do agree with you that it should be tightened a little bit and this goes along
088those same lines because it can be problematic. The issue is just how and I I legally I don't know how to tell you to make it tighter as opposed to it's not that it's illegal to do it. I just don't have a suggestion. All fundraising from anyone not affiliated with the school. Wouldn't that would that be a solution? Yeah. Right. If you're not associated with the school or school entity, you cannot What does that even mean exactly? I understand what the first part is, but the second part is that that's what you get what's associated with sport. Well, PTA would be part of that, right? and then clubs and the schools themselves and that's it. So for example, what about the toy drives? Like the toy drive for Pharaoh's charity, that's an outside charity, right?
089But I don't know who's doing it. Organization with through the permission of the district can be permitted just saying but then what are we what if he says yes to one charity and go to another? That's what Steve is saying. You can't. It's so that toy that toy drive you're talking about in terms of of a bill that was done through a high school organization that sent that information to us asking us to put bins out in our lobbies. So we verified it with the high school administration that this was actually an organization of yours. They said yes and then we ran it through in terms of the different schools. But we haven't ever had school. I think their concern is that that organization would then pick an organization to donate the toys to that
090they found less appealing or that that would be offensive to others like we're doing the food drive for said yes to any any type of fundraiser without knowing the organization the donations were going to I don't think they're saying that they're saying that that I'm trying to do it so that we're not picking everybody that that the end organization would be an organization that not 100% of the student body or 20% of the student body would say that's a good organization to do it for, but it's a student organization. And so, so I I think that for example, a toy drive. So, it was done without even the superintendent's office knowing about it. It was just done because an organization contacted other people to create that toy drive in that example. So, I think that's
091something to think about when we talk about how organizations have access to the schools because it's it there should be a process which doesn't Well, a process doesn't necessarily fall under regul in policy. Yeah. A club clubs, forgetting that point, just in general, a club may be fundraising. We wouldn't know exactly what they're fundraising for necessarily, you or me, but it goes to the club, the club advisor, the building, but a club fundraising is different than a club fundraising for another entity. Club fundraising for themselves is covered under 7450. And that's easy. You don't you don't know at the end of the day that the club is not going to donate to the cancer. Agree. But what they choose to do with their money is on that. That's fine. But we're talking about this in
092this instance is to drive. I I think the drug as an example. No, I think a better example is the cantal heart thing which is going to the American Heart Associate. That is a direct third party donation from the studio. I think that's a better example. Right. So once again, how do we choose who do we say yes to? Who do we say no to? And I think there should be some kind of a process like they shouldn't allow to they should the school shouldn't be allowed to have any fundraising on premises without some sort of I'm not sure it's going to be something that's going to be decided tonight. I think if you want we can I can look at I can take a look and we can bring this specific policy and we
093can bring it back if we want to do it another time. Yes, it sounds like you have some thoughts. Dr. Kravitz has some thoughts. Dr. Ba, Mrs. Martinov, so we'll gather those up. But I think it sounds like everybody's in favor of limiting who we're who we're using to who we're using the school to funnel things to. Okay. So, that one we need to do some work on. So, to your point, Mrs. Mrs. Citron, that'll look much different when we come back for a second read. Um, and maybe we need to discuss it if Miss Vega can maybe discuss it with us in April and we could, you know, pound it out on some of our extra sessions. We can do it on April 22nd. Yes. Perfect. 3272 advertising in schools. the the two things
094it says it says students will not be used in any manner for advertising. Oh, so yeah. How do we know if the students are being used for advertising? How how if they have a how what if they're a paid promote influencer person? They're sort of being paid to advertise a product through the school. What do you mean do that? Well, they're you're posting Jericho sports events and it's and it somehow it's tied in. I don't know how to start. This is that we won't let that happen. If that happens and it that's a different story. This is about that the school district facility staff and students will not be used or employed in any manner for advertising or otherwise promoting. This is our rule and regulation. This is not if a student is a YouTube
095influencer and is advertising and they just have that's a violation of our policy. No, but if they're using if they're using our facilities, another point you're going to get to in a second is the run, but like if they're using our facilities, if they're a student here and they're using our facilities and they're somehow filming something while they're here and maybe I maybe I may not understand how this works or what this I don't even understand what this policy is truly trying to technically we can't be a source for advertising. We can't you can't say okay that's what this policy is. It's about advertising sponsorship so on and so forth. Jericho the school. Yeah. Can So can students years years ago I'm sorry years ago um companies were donating scoreboards as long as you put
096Coca-Cola on the scoreboard. So I think it's more things like that like we're not going to authorize advertising on school property um or donating a a scoreboard and putting their company name on here mentioned students like for example students we're we're not going to have the Coca-Cola classroom and have students parading the Coca-Cola classroom and then put those pictures on Coca-Cola.com again if you if a kid is on YouTube and is SP is advertising for her own product for herself that's not what this policy is supposed to determine dictate we can't this is by Jericho's allowance so again we're not going to be allowing students to be part of a advertising campaign through Jericho what students choose to do on their own valition. We can't control that. And to everyone's eyes, we have no paid
097scoreboards at this point in the district. Okay. Anything else, Mrs. Barton off? Can we just talk a little bit about the political point? Can you just explain see your viewpoint on how this policy applies to district facilities, staff, students, and promoting interest of any political? How does that come into play? If someone was coming on school property for an event and you have all the students behind them, then that's like we're not going to allow that. Uh that we can't that's not going to we're not going to be What do you mean behind them? What is it? It's one of those types of is it is it an advertisement to wear a sweatshirt um a political sweatshirt of any kind? Again, if kids what it's that the school district won't be the impetus behind it.
098Again, if kids wear political sweatshirts, that's they're allowed to wear political is not but they're again by assuming it's not violation of dress code. So you're you're interpreting this as everyone can kind of do what they want but the school is not Yeah that's you know well because we had it and this was pre Dr. Scots, who doesn't care? Like a couple years ago when Laurian Sabino was running transportation, there was like a press conference held in the front circle by the safe bus school safety group or something like that. Is that political and and we can't have that? I I I'm asking I I don't care. Again, don't carry either way. I just want to know what we're allowing, what we're not allowing. Yeah. without the fact that I would say that's a little
099different because it wasn't like vote for me or vote for that person. It was for safety in the schools and uh getting the um I think it was the cameras uh passed to right for for the drivers that they're passing the school bus. So I I would say that's a little that's like soft money though because you have politicians here saying hey I'm here in favor of you know safe school buses or I'm here against regionalization when you know they wanted to have a regionalization pep talk in front of our school and they had to go to Locust Valley to do it. So I again I I hate the idea of using our facilities for for for promoting those types of things. Again we're ignoring the exceptions. So we're talk we're reading the first paragraph
100ignoring the exceptions. So I think the safe school bus the safe school bus would probably fall under D which is promoting it. It's promoting activities in the general public interest that are nonpartisan and non-controversial. I think safe school buses are pretty non-controversial in a general sense. So I I think we need to read the policy in its entirety when we're talking about the specifics of factual background of fact patterns. No, but as you know, historically, I'll speak for myself, that was one of the problems that we had because again, you're now self- selecting. Look, any policy that comes before a legislator, someone could say it's in the public interest. It's just a matter of who that legislator is and whether or not you agree with the policy. And I don't think putting that in the
101hands of one person is the right decision because um you might see only leftwing liberals. You might only see right-wing conservatives. You might only see a certain type of politician putting forward policy where you could say anything is is in the public interest and that's the fun policy. Are we um it's not look it's not technically a required policy. So, but if we don't put it in here then anybody can do anything on our grounds. No, there's still the constitution there's still eight sections use of school grounds. There's still other policies that I mean, but that's again, we can look at this one too if we want and bring it back to the past. So, we're not going to just leave it for now. We we expect we're not going to see a partisan decision
102by our superintendent in the next 6 months at least. Actually, 18 months until that second comes down. So, we're good. I just want to make sure that Okay. So, what are we doing? Are we tableabling this or we just Well, we're tableling all of it. We're going to accept the reading. No, we I'm happy. We're doing the first reading. Are we We're just going to accept the first reading. We'll bring back another version. It's still a first read. The policy isn't going into effect. You still have to go. So, just once again, so I'm clear on the interpretation of this policy. Do we need to carve out something for um the board of ed education elections? Like that's advertising, political. No, I don't know. Like, depends how it's being interpreted. No. If you have your
103tent set up on a lecture day, are you advertising? She's saying, are you advertising school facilities? If you have pins, is that advertising? If you have sweatshirts, students are talking. No, I'm talking about advertising policy. Yeah. I just want to make sure I understand it's first read and nothing is in effect right now, but what is the interpretation? I I don't think there's a way you can carve out the the tent in the in the gymnasium outside the gymnasium if that's okay. What are we saying? He can you cannot carve that out. And I don't think there's a way you can carve out outside. This policy prohibits that. Yeah, we do. But I I And again, if we're doing that, let's do that. But I I think Mrs. And again, this just trying to understand
104how to interpret this policy. I feel like we were a little bit all over the place. I will come back with this policy and we'll move on for the next I'm not worried about it now. Okay. I I don't There might not be any way for you guys. The Yeah, the law is the law. So, you have to the law doesn't change. You guys, this doesn't this is technically not a required policy. So, but I will look I will think and I will come back with any potential. Well, so you could carve it out the same way you did before. Only school related organizations if can advertise on school property and that doesn't carve out the tense. You're not a score the board members are not school related organizations. Individual goes it goes back to
105what I said before. individual board members or individual candidates because again not everyone's a board member has no inherent gravitas over anybody else in the community. Okay. So they're not a school-based organization technically but you can't carve it out. I mean you said you can't Mr. B you can't carve it out. You can but we'll we'll we'll get to that because I think as Dr. about fine, but I just want to mention if you look at D and you mentioned this in the general public interest when you're talking about a board election, it is the general public interest. Yeah. But then we have, you know, we advertise that we want people to show up to vote. We need people to vote for a budget. So, we are advertising and that's part of the the the
106candidates are technically getting the voters out to help pass our budget. So, It doesn't that is that is an argument. I'm not sure it's again but there is nonpartisan non-controver controversial and that promote the education of the best interest of the students. I it might not fall within the rest if anyone's paying attention. We're not adopting this till the end of June. So it's not going to affect this year. So we don't have to answer the question right now. It's business as usual for 2026. We are on to 3280. Didn't the board adopt revised policies on this just a couple of years ago? Which is better than what's there? Yes. So I mean I think that was 3280 3281. Those two policies. This policy is much much shorter. I didn't have an issue with it
107other than the first part was a little a little fuzzy. Well, it has a whole bunch of a lot of things were removed from this policy like who has priority to use the space, the hours beyond which people are allowed to use the facilities prohibited use. That was all in the original, right? I think we were we were putting that into procedure because we were trying to make we were trying to make our policy man I believe the idea behind both was to make the policy book shorter and that all those restrictions you're talking about would be in our operating manual that that wouldn't necessarily be board policy. Okay. As long as it's there. I didn't know if it was somewhere else. It's just um that was all relevant and like Steve had said we
108spent a lot of time working on that policy just two three years ago now. Um I just wanted to make sure it was elsewhere. And we did have a whole about um meetings sponsored by political organizations, right? Right. I think that's now in the policy before that we were just talking about where it can't be used for political activities. Well, I mean, that's why I said it's a little different. Yeah, you're losing all of this. I mean, maybe we want maybe it's fine to be to be streamlined and shorter, but we should look at all the stuff that we agreed to three years ago and is now being taken out. I I do think if you wish to slide everything from the other policy into procedure, it's fine. But you would have to drop a
109line in this policy that says that there is a procedure which sets forth the terms and conditions for which pol for which facilities can be used. Understood. Like I said when I compared this one it was at this point a month ago. I don't remember what was in there like what points do you think were missing or that would be very vital to happen to this policy that was in the old one? Um, for like I said, we elaborated upon who has priority to use the space and that it could only be after school hours, so not when students were in the building. Um, we've also Yeah. And we also um listed prohibited use. Um some of that some of that was addressed in 70 I think 7410 which is I think at the bottom
110of one of these but um that's no longer saying it's no longer saying political organizations are forbidden. Um and then lastly I think the policy originally had application requirements and which is missing from this and I think that's important too unless that's going to be in you know uh the other manual. What present along her line? What res what prevents us from allowing a religious organization to use in the new one or the old one? The old one. Okay. So again, I take a shot at streamlining. Having a procedure is fine. Having it as a procedure is fine, but you need to drop a line in the policy itself that says there's a procedure. And then where would the procedure show up? Will be would that be on the website? It would have to be
111on the website. But that that that's a board question as to whether you wish to have it in policy or procedure. It still be written. I'm not concerned about it being as long as we have a way to make it easily available to the public where it's just I mean I would defer to Dr. Kravitz as to where he would prefer if he would want it in policy or procedure. I'd rather Okay. Oh, go. I know. Okay. I I mean I I I would say it's probably beneficial for you to revert back. What? I can work on this with you. That's fine. I know Victor and I were discussing the other day as well. We can revert back if if we need to. Yeah. It's got to be shorter though. It can't be that long.
112I'll um I'll take it off my budget. my retire calendar here 3281 use of facilities by the scouting the scouting organizations with that change I don't think and that includes girl scouts correct they are scouting organization perfect are we able to combine this with the private policy so that we don't have another policy yes thank you and I think it was in the old one if I'm not mistaken I don't remember if it was combined or not. Yeah, I said I looked at those deletions a month ago. Um 3290 operation of Moto Vehicles. I didn't even understand what this was. I have a I can send the different policy on this one. Yeah, I have bikes. Seems like you can't drop the kid off. Yeah, I got but you got a different one. Drop a
113different one in there. Yep. It's It's short though, right? It's Paige still. Um, yeah, it's Paige. Perfect. 3310 public access to records. Who is our records access officer? Do we have one or do we need to name one? It's Victor. You designated at your uh reorg. Got it. Um, under fulfilling fall requests, does the district well the district does provide voting names and addresses? We do, but I don't know if it's Oh. Um, those are the only names and addresses that are made available that are be a foil. Yes, we have. Those are but those are the only ones we're not giving we not giving out student addresses or that. Okay. And not parent like Yeah. Unless they voted. We're not sure when it comes to No, I understood that would be a purple record.
114So voting list is not parent lists. Voter list is voter list. Under the election law, you are required to make those available. And how about voter role? They're not required to make voter role available. Only voters if yeah they're eligible voters who are registered to vote are right. So that was what different than what Mr. Man said. He just said people who voted. But you're actually saying he's saying it's we're saying the same thing. No, he's saying people who voted versus the voter role. People that are registered people are registered to vote. The poll list is also available under election law. Okay. That's what I'm making sure we're good with that, Mr. Manuel. Under election law. Yes. You mean it's I think I said we've never had a foil. We've had a foil for voter
115list. Just for the voter list who voted prior year, that's what I've been foiled before. But according to Steve, if I get foiled for the entire who's ever registered to vote, who's ever registered? Who's ever? I just That's what I heard you say. I just want to make sure Mr. He always sends out the voter list but obviously a bunch but again with regards to just if someone asked for a list of all the parents in the school district that's no if they're not parents who are registered to vote just forget parents parents people who are register I have a question the district will provide copies of records blah blah blah if the district can reasonably do so regardless of burden, volume or cost. So if it's a huge volume that there's no exception for
116that. Unfortunately, no. The the committee open government has said numerous times that just because something is long, it doesn't require it doesn't preclude the district from turning it over. However, if it does take 120 days, 150 days, 180 days, that's okay because of the time it takes to fulfill the request. The same timelines may not apply depending on the limitation of the request, but we can't. But if someone said, "I want all the emails that were ever sent in the Jericho Union Free School District." Well, that's too broad and they would have to they would have to they would have to shrink that and make specifications because there foil is not to be used for a fishing expedition. It's supposed to be actual pointed requests that are made. So like access consistent with rules and
117regulations are that correct on the second page where it talks about rights and procedures governing access to district records. I guess we have to develop those. What are you the last sentence regulation is under additional provisions. You said the next page when I print when I printed mine it was on the next page. The last thing additional provisions. Oh god it sorry. Sorry. It comes a quick when you print it out from the website, it comes on three pages. I apologize. Oh. Oh, that sucks. Um then yeah, mine's like 100 pages long. Yeah. I'm sorry. It's okay. Um no, the last thing it says will be developed. We don't have I assume we don't have those developed anywhere. I couldn't tell you. When it says will be developed. Oh, no. I know. I know what
118you're saying. I have no idea if there are procedures that developed. No, but are we supposed to put it in here or are we supposed to That's part of our procedures. I think the procedure is when Victor gets something, he calls Steve and says, "What do I do?" That's the procedure. A little more nuanced than that, but sure. Um, we we could talk about that. Um, 3311, just so you understand, I don't know how it's two pages long, but it is. This is a new law that was put into the 2025 budget in which when there is a disclo when someone makes a foil request for employee disciplinary records and that's disciplinary records not personnel file um the school district must notify the employee that they're that the disciplinary records are being foiled. It does
119not what and to do or just foiled in general foiled. Okay. Just foiled. Um, so and again there's a definition here as to what a disciplinary record includes. Um, and the school district is required. That doesn't mean the employee gets to say I don't want you turning it over. I'm going to block preclusion because again the school district still has to comply with foil request assuming it doesn't fall within one of the exemption one of the exceptions under law. But they just have to send a notification to the what disciplinary records would possibly be available to a person other than a 3028 final decision. Um technically in accordance with the law that includes complaints, allegations, and charges. Um the name of the employee and the charge. I'm sorry. So if someone a parent filed a
120complaint against a teacher, that's a public record. Technically on its face, yes. That doesn't mean it just because you have technically it falls on display record. does not mean it will be disclosed because again under 80 892B sub one of public officers law there is an evasion of privacy for unfounded complaints. There's also a case that above Jericho school district back in the 90s Loraca verse Jericho Union Free School District in which there were unsubstantiated or not founded complaint or not founded that was redacted and someone sued and well the the Jericho school district did prevail in the fact they did redact the unfounded or unsubstantiated complaint. So a complaint in of itself is a document that could be potentially pursuant to foil but probably if it was unfounded probably not. Should we combine this
121with the prior one about public access to records? You could please do that. Okay. Next 33. What are we up to? 3320. Confidential information. I got nothing. Vic, let's move on. 3410 code of conduct. Anyone want to go? Th this is something what is the timing Mr. Con Dr. Kravitz on updating the code of it was it was updated it was updated to look like the policy manual and um what what what do we have a plan? Everybody can't have that 50page code of conduct. Some have 60, some have 48, some have 49. It's not a short policy. There's a lot of things that have to go into that code of conduct. And then how do you get it so that people actually read it or go and reads it? It goes age appropriate. But
122I'm saying, do you ever create bullet points highlighting what the key points are? Yeah, the local district, the local local schools do. And now with the advent of AI, it's probably much easier than it was previously to uh to synthesize that code of comic down to both points. So we can add that to the summers. Yes. And there so some of them like George Jackson had the code of conduct on the website in a point version. But is it accurate as we we've got codes of conduct that that wasn't like the codes of conduct aren't the issue. The enforcement of the code of conduct is an issue. What's in the code of conduct? I mean we had an episode a couple years ago where there was an issue where someone was just reading the code
123of conduct and they got in trouble for reading the code of conduct. That's how well we had the the uh dress code issue where like someone just read the dress code and it became I don't want to use the wrong I don't know what it did become it became a a thing that someone had read the code of conduct. So these types of things so look each school to to Dr. Dr. Car's point, each school pro does have a code of conduct. Whether or not it is, and I'm not saying it's not accurate, whether or not it would be, what you would do generally speaking, is you have a global district code of conduct, which is really what that giant document, I'll just say giant, would be, and then you would synthesize the age appropriate
124portions for each school building. And each school building would have their own modified version of that code of time. But there's no way to get away from that super long doc. No. Okay. So, we want to add that to June's business after we've done a strategic plan and our policy. And I don't know, June or July, whatever. Okay. We'll get it done. And and again, we I I'll work we'll take the old draft with Dr. Kravitz and we'll go through and pull out some of the things that caused some eye of the board. Is this the one that has to be out there for 30 days before it gets So, really, for it to be ready for school, we have to have it done by the end of July, which means we really have to
125start in June. Yeah. Let's get but the 3410 policy itself says everything that needs to be in a code of conduct. That's why it's 9,245 pages long. Okay. Do we need to so this new policy and do we need to list all of the you know anything pertaining to provisions that were in the original policy have been removed from this one? all the things that we're that are we need to include like for example um just in the code of conduct it should be you know regarding conduct dress language blah blah blah all of that all of that's removed from this new policy do we need to spell that out in this technically no uh 2801 the education law sets forth what is required to be in a code of conduct which is all those
126things again to the point that's to the point that Mr. department had before about the purpose of policy. It was to try and streamline and potentially shorten the the district's still required to comply with law and 2801 lists all of those things in the in in law as to what's required. So if the board wishes to put those things back in, no problem. But again, you're still required to comply with law. You don't have to have those specific things in your code of conduct has to have those things. a lot of under the NISB numbering which I know that that this board does not follow there is no standalone provision for what a code of conduct should have it's just the code of conduct should we get rid of this policy um and under if
127you if you were following is numbering yes you would the fact the fact of the matter is until you have the code of conduct I would refrain from removing anything from perfect let's go 3411 prohibit prohibition of weapons on school grounds my only question on this You're telling me the board can actually allow someone to carry a weapon. Is this only for security personnel or we can issue that to anybody? Technically, you know, off duty police officers may have the ability. Again, we don't have to. Um, but Oops. Sorry. I'm sorry to all eight of you. Not sorry. There there's 200 people online. Um yeah, technically you have the there are other people under the penal law that are allowed to carry a such we can't just give it to a parent say you know
128you could like if you wanted to carry a gun here you were allowed to give your permission to carry a gun here. No you again there is requirement again offic issue with it as long as it's you're not you're not allowing you're notowing you're not allowing Johnny Smith who's had a concealed permit to just walk on property. Got it. And then in the um red line there's a sentence that was deleted. In addition, the making and/or production of any weapon, bomb, device, material, animate, animate or inanimate that is used for or read readily capable of causing death or bodily injury is prohibited. So I wonder why that was taken out. Sounds like it can't hurt to have one, especially with like 3D printer. Just tell me what language it is. I mean, I had a
129kid in another district recently create a 3D box cut. I have no problem putting that back. I don't know why it was taken. I don't have it with me, but I can I'll I'll find it. I'll put it back in. Let's If everyone is okay with that. I have no problem putting that back in. Don't care as long as it stays to one page. Next. 3412. Threats of violence in school. Um can we change this to threats and acts of violence? Because the first paragraph talks about acts of violence as opposed to just threats. And and how is this the whole nexus thing with threats not on school ground where the second sentence of the first paragraph threats of violence whether or not such threat occurs on school grounds. I thought we always have this
130nexus problem. The nexus problem when it occurs about threats is whether there's a nexus to school and to how the threats are being conveyed. Did it begin at school? Does it reference school? Um, you know, just because there is a threat of violence or violent acts that are that occurs at all school property on a Saturday night, if it doesn't actually make its way toward to school, it's possible that there may not be a nexus um the game Fortnite game off site of another district and there was an across but not a party on Saturday night at someone's house. Wait, no, that's what I'm trying to understand. So, you're saying a party on a Saturday night can't pick the next but a game is a school event. I thought that would be covered by this.
131But no, a game that occurs that doesn't involve Jericho like at those Bont and Roslin. But wherever even though it's happened on a school property, that that could potentially be a nexus to our school wherever the threat of violence happens though. And if if a kid says, "I'll see you on Monday and I'm going to kick your ass on Monday in school." That is a nexus. That's a nexus. That's a different fact. Yeah. No, I get that one because you were saying Saturday night party when it could be. Oh, no. But if the if the person just says your first part of that sentence, I would never use that without Monday at school. If you just say, "I'm going to take you outside and beat the pulp out of you." There's no nexus. So, it's
132really what what supposedly is said. That's it. It's very when it comes to nexus, it's very fact specific. It's not there's no real bright line. Um, so even though I said whether or not such threat occurs on school grounds, it there's got you still got to get some nexus, as you said, it's not the Saturday night party example, correct? Okay. Again, depends. But like Jennifer's example, then it would be I understand completely. Yeah. So it depend like let's say two guys slugging out on a Saturday night and by Monday they're best friends again, right? Go Nexus. Paragraph five, it talks about a school hotline. I am not familiar with any school hotline. So we monitor, we have an electronic system that monitors things, then we should probably should probably change the wording. They talked about
133responding or or reporting this to a school hotline. We don't have a school hotline to report this to. It says students should report all acts and threats to a hotline. So I don't know if we're required to have a hotline then just get rid of the hotline. So I'm just getting rid of the whole sentence. So am I getting rid of u No, I think students should report all threats and threats of violence to that. I mean I would actually put the superintendent's name in there and his cell phone number. But that's just the way I would write. That that happens on day that happens on day 294. Then I add two weeks. Um I just have one one second. Um the second paragraph where it says whether made orally in writing by email or
134by any other electronic format. Can it just say any other format? Yes. Making it shorter, Sam always appreciated. Everybody caught up? Y we are on to the Everlancing policies 3420 and 3421. Um despite my badgering of Mr. good stat over the past month. He's telling me that these policies are required. They are required at the extensive length that they are issued at. Though we will hope when we transfer them to our manual, the spacing will be better so that they will not run 10 and 20 pages respectively. I can assure you the spacing will definitely shrink the shorten the policy. Great. the the couple of questions on the this first one don anti-harassment and that is this only referring to protected classes. No, this is basically your DASA policy. DASA policy is with regards to
135bullying and or harassment and discrimination based on the protected classes. So just because someone if if someone keeps if someone is pervasively bullying someone, it doesn't have to be because of the protected class classes. is just straight up bullying. So why but this starts off with talking about all these protected just as an additional thing that that's for the harassment and discrimination. It's based discrimination is based on protected classes but harassment is not and bullying is not done. Okay. And then the list here for protected classes and we're going to have a longer conversation about 3430 when we get to it. But like the list here is different than the list in that policy which is different than the list in other is there some standard list of all these protected classes. Again as I
136said before this is the state this is DASA which is two. So this is the c this is the categories for this. The next policy we're going to talk about is title N. Those are different classes because that's federal law. So, it's different laws with different classes. And then the last thing, just so I understand. So, just it's talking about these protected classes, but how do you even know if someone's a member of a protected class? You may not know if they're married. You may not know if they're victim of domestic violence or what their family status is. So, generally speaking, when it comes to its the when the complaint comes in, they're going to complain that they're being discriminated against because of one of these protected classes. And with regards to, for example, marriage,
137that's the easiest one. The argument can be made will come out probably during the investigation. Well, you don't no one knows I'm married or I didn't know that they were married. And that would probably lead to the end of that analysis on that fact pattern. If they said, well, Johnny never said he was married, so how is he being discriminated against because he was married? And that's really the Yeah. Perfect. Going through that next increase members policy directed to the CRCO, which I believe is Dr. Sherman. Do we need to put in there that who is the, you know, not her name, but we're always going to have the assistant superintendent for curriculum is the person there or how do we deal with that? Can I just add on to what Sandra said? Do we
138should we have a second person just in case of conflict of interest? Does someone just did I mean just say they do? No. Yeah. Look, it's some districts have to, some don't. So I just put assistant superintendent for curriculum, assistant superintendent for relation. The issue with that is just you you would have you appoint these at your reor. So technically it's in the board. You're adopting it every year anyway. It's going to go on the website. If you put it in policy with specific titles, if the titles change, if you decide you don't want it to be those two people, if you have spe then you're changing your policy. Perfect. Understood. So but the board's still approving it. So it goes by it goes by resolution. Okay. And then this is the the last question
139I think probably I have on this. Well, actually no, I have two more questions. The first one, which we may have to call someone else on. What does it mean the district adopts the first full paragraph under status of victim of domestic abuse uh use its efforts to provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and discrimination? What what does prompt mean? So prompts prompts are great. That's great because then we also have reasonably prompt time frame. I understand this may not fall under human's expertise, but dude, we may need to call up I don't know, not Gersio, but some other person. Anyway, I know he's good stuff knows what that is. Prompt generally uh obviously every every investigation, every fact pattern is different. Um, you know, in a general sense, a standard DAS
140investigation regarding a an issue that occurs in school probably would take no longer than 30 days depending on the amount of witnesses um that the amount of time it might take to to complete the investigation and report to the extent there is one. Um, that's just a general rule of thumb. It's not in the law in and of itself. There is no actual requirement as to how long an investigation should take, but generally speaking, I would say prompt is it's a long time. It's not a simple process. So about 30 days for 30 days. A run-of-the-mill not 90 days. Run-of-the-mill simple investigation. Obviously, depending on the amount of the amount of witnesses, if you know the 20 could be more. Okay. And then last on this same um under visitors with third parties, it talks
141about accordingly conduct or incidents of discrimination and or harassment that create a foreseeably creative disruption within the district may be subject to this policy and circum circumstances. Where are you? This is under scope and application under letter G, visitors or other third parties. That next full paragraph that seems to once again just completely void any concern over nexus. I apologize. No, no, no. It's on the was on my second page of the What number? What number does it What number page? I can find it backwards. I'm on page two. Okay, there we got very far. Further discrimination in progress. Got like the last sentence there, it says if it's going to potentially disrupt it. Again, it just seems like Yeah. So, I don't like that language. Um, it really is a nexus that actually is.
142There was a case that came down in the second circuit just a few months ago which talked about nexus and what what actually was the school district in that case had had many assemblies and they had like a protest because of the conduct that was and the second circuit said well just because the school district created an ex created an ex doesn't mean there was one. So, you know, can disrupt is a little vague. I I there needs to be an exis. I mean, because anything can disrupt. So, should we leave this language or we don't want to leave this language? Because it basically gives us flexibility to do whatever the heck we want, but you're saying it's sort of not legal. It's more aspirational. Dr. K, do we want aspirational in this policy? No.
143I think can disrupt it. It can disrupt. They can disrupt and it becomes discretion of the person investigating. Yeah. So I think it's fine the way it speaks you know the way it's stated. Okay. Sure. Um anyone anyone I'm moving to the next page where you have definitions under school function. Then the last one can go back to 342. Oh sorry go ahead. Yeah. Um it says the district will respond to any anonymous complaint to the extent possible. Do we want to clarify the treasur for any anonymous complaint that trigger a following investigation? Where are you? I I saw anonymous complaints and public complaints. Um I didn't see it. I I took it out. I took it out. I No, I mean if there is if it's there, we need to talk about that because
144under just because a complaint's anonymous doesn't mean that it's not investigated. But I didn't see anonymous in this policy. I may be going crazy because this is not my copy so I don't see it here. I I found it at home. But no, there was a policy earlier that talked about anonymous complaints. That was in the public complaint policy. Okay. All right. I just have I have in my notes, but I can't find it in the red line that it used to say um in the the definition of classes body size, shape, miss shape. I don't know where that language was. I don't see it now. But I wrote body size shape and miss shape and I don't see in the deletion, but I have that in my notes. So that concept is missing from
145this new version, but I can't see where it is deleted. Does that sound familiar to you that that language used to be in our policy? I don't recall. Are you talking about like overweight people? Were you talking about body shape or short people or tall people? Are those protective classes? No, but people can they would fall into just they would just fall into general bullying. You're too skinny. You're too fat. You're too tall. No, that that's just that's just general bullying. They're not technically I I I understand what I know what you're saying. They're not for the anti-harassment part, I think, is what hopefully. No, I had those word. I didn't make I don't need the word mischief. So, I know I had those. No, no, no. I actually know the part where it talks
146about weight. I'm not arguing that, but it's like if we don't need it, just because it was in the old policy, I don't think we need it. Unless if if Mr. Gette say that we have to keep this thing, you get bullied for so many things. Yes. You get bullied for anything. Get bullied for having brown hair. Being ocularly challenged. You wear glasses. Just pulling around. Braces. Braces. Yes. Um or having a lift like Cindy Brady. Under definitions on the third page it has school function means a school sponsor school authorized extracurricular event. Can we add a school sponsored educational or extracurricular event just because it will clarify an issue where we all agree that competitions are extracurricular events but some people were trying to argue that they were educational events. That's fine because it
147would fall under the definition anyway. You understand what I'm talking about, Dr. Evans? You have any issue with that? We are on page my page three. It's under definitions for the purpose of this policy. Yeah, it's not too far into it. I found it. Oh, go ahead. Mr. Jim, I found anonymous. It didn't say anonymous. It was on the six page six, I think. Six or seven. Six. Six. The title, the grievance process of complaint. uh the grievous process of complaint and discrimination and uh harassment. It says all complaints or information about discrimination or or harassment will be in investigate but it didn't say about anomalies or anything. It says all complaints and that's fair. That's fine. Yeah. Okay. That because again you know generally speaking sometimes these types of complaints come in anonymously because
148the person doesn't want to or at some point they don't want to be revealed and And for the district, it's just because it's anonymous, they should be investigating that complaint in the event that something happens later, the district technically is on notice once become made up of a but but to what extent though like like you know just it might not go very the investigation might not be able to go very far because the information is limited but it doesn't mean that you can just say this has no name I want to throw it in the trash. Okay. um on the you know page after definitions we actually name the title of the person who's CRCO. So I assume we want to take that out. Yeah. And I want to point out that I understand
149this is the problem with New York State that New York State human rights law discrimination harassment does not need to be severe or persu or pervasive to be illegal. Do we have going on the next page under reporting allegations and discrimination? Do we have a It says here that we will have a written complaint form posted on the district's website. Do we have that now? I don't think so. Can we please make sure that we add it to the district website or remove it here? Not a problem. Thank you. Miss Maggie Rose is not with us. Obvious obviously the points that say customized to district will for second read remove those things that say customized to district. So we don't need well no it's just we're going to yeah I mean generally speaking when it's
150talking about time period it's reasonable is always 30 days the dignity act coordinator is that also Dr. Sherman, do we have that? I'm sorry. Not the So on further down, they have three people. They talk about the CRCO again, the dignity act coordinator, the DAC or the title N coord or title N quarter. If we don't have a dignity act coordinator, if we don't need to have one, please you need to have one. There there are definitely coordinators at each of the facilities. So principles and assistant principles to serve and then district level uh typically the administrators have been trained. So we know that there come to me directly. Yeah. So the dignity act coordinators generally are your principles IPS under DASA. There's technically no appeal there. There doesn't have to be an appeal process.
151So generally speaking, if someone disputed the findings of of a DASA investigation, it could would technically go to the commission. Do we appoint those in July also or DNA coordinators? I don't remember them before. I don't. Yeah. Okay. And yeah, the NA coordinator and the DAX are the same thing. And just to clarify, you're knowingly making false acquis accusations. Knowingly making false accusations is that I'm sorry. The difference between false and unproven. False means knowingly false. Perfect. Just just because someone makes an allegation and it's unfounded or unsubstantiated doesn't make it false. Thank you. Of course. Anybody else on 3420? Move on to the monster of 20 page 3421. If we can get through 10, we can get through 20. It's okay. My one question here. I'm sorry. It says in the bottom of the
152second paragraph, discriminate on the basis of sex and its education programs. Here we're talking about how are we defining sex? Are are we talking about like the biological physical attributes assigned at birth, which is the definition of sex, or is this now going into something else? I just want to know what the policy is supposed to say, what the law is. This is title 9. This is the federal the federal statute. So they would actually use assigned at birth under the federal statute. I I it is not entirely clear under the Trump under President Trump's 2020 Title 9 regulations, which is where we are, what the definition of sex entirely is. It is not I I know what OC the office of rights has said the definition is versus what the law says and it's
153not the same. Okay. So again to be decided so we leave it as it is. It's the it's still the basis of sex. That's that is true. what the definition of sex is, right, is not technically clear in the eyes of the definitions in title N as fun as that sounds. So you wouldn't change it this way. Yes. So I wouldn't change it because the terminology is the term is still a term that hasn't gone to the Supreme Court. That's still there. Okay. Hope this doesn't come up. Hope is not a game plan. That should be a That should be a bumper sticker. Probably is. I probably stole it from a coach. I don't know. Um, we won't even talk about the equal athletic opportunities. I'm good here because you're telling me this is law.
154Everything where it says title N coordinators and stuff, we're just going to say that we have one. We're not going to put in a title. We're not going to put in a name because we're going to do all that in July. And it's going to go on your website. The list of the the name of title, the list of the name, title, office address, all that. We do have to choose one of the standards of evidence. Yes. Um just just straw pull it and when you go for the second read we'll just put the final um customized law. Yeah. Where are we? I'm talking about customized. She was early on. She was like page five under definitions. So well ahead of schedule calendar days, business days, school days or other reason. Yeah, I I think
155school days is probably the easiest thing to do. School days. Okay. Because again, if something happens on the day before spring break and you do business days under the law, business days includes the days that you're closed. Well, no. Yes. But excludes any week. Yes. Days means business days, but excludes any weekday in which schools are closed. That's fine. And then page 11 again every time where it says prompt time frame prompt time frame 30 days 30 days I mean again we're going to have to add sentences to all those if practicable. Okay. Um just because again depending on if it's the investigation that involves 30 40 people, it's not going to take 30 days. But again under Title N you if if it is not going to be completed within the time frame, there's
156notification letters that just have to go out to signify this is being investigated. It's taken longer than usual, needs more time. And so we're not doing what level of evidence we're doing tonight. I mean, you can just have a discussion right now and we can just fix it for a second. Read Again, we're still on the first we're still on the first prompt. The first read. I thought if if we're handing out punishments, it should be clear and convincing, but I get that this is one of those And I should have told you to save this policy for Miss Vega when she comes because she is our Title N guru. But yes, we're not going to talk about it again. Yeah. Well, no, I'm going to get the changes done. We should because this one's
157so long and there are key issues. So, and we'll have two meetings to just go over that short 6,000. Perfect. So yeah, I have no preference which evidence standard of evidence you wish to use. That's really a board's decision. Miss Bartnoff, what do you got on this? Preponderance or clear and convincing. What about the level of evidence? Actually, before we get to that, I think there was three four different time prompts. Yeah, you're right. I meant to I saw that because they are steps throughout there steps throughout the process. I I would say for the notification of witnesses and the questions to go to witnesses it's really 5 days from school days. Yeah. What about the second one? Still five. Another five. It's always if practical, but it's always five. What? five days for those
158timelines answer the questions but if practicable and there was something in here while others were giving their opinion on the evidence that we have to turn over all the evidence 10 days before the report. So again, title So with regards to title N a lot of time and this is under the the 2020 regulations that we're currently in. If the if the person who's doing the Title N investigation determines from the onset that there's not that this is not a Title N complaint per se, they can do what's known as an automatic dismissal and then they would send the letter to the person who made the complaint saying it's an automatic dismissal and then they would continue the investigation outside of the Title N complaint process and it would go into the other complaint process
159that we just discussed. So if someone complains and says it's Title N complaint, but we're not talking about Title N per se. It's really just a DA complaint for whatever reason they're lumping Title N in it would it would fall out. The automatic dismissal letter would go and this investigation with this protocol and everything would not happen. This priority I understand I understand. I'm just saying n the amount of title n complaints that actually get submitted versus the amount of title n complaints that actually get investigated for actually potentially falling within the definition of title 9 are few and far between. When it comes to the turning over of all the evidence, that's really only when you get to the fully fully full investigation under a title N complaint. Most times in the event that
160it doesn't rise to the level of a title 9 violation even if proven or not proven the automatic dismissal gets submitted or the automatic dismissal letter automatically gets sent to the people who make the complaint and then the investigation is done under the old under 3420 the DASA policy in which that procedure is not the evidence does not have to be turned over. But yes, technically that's what the law requires. I'm just like wrestling in my head of the standard of evidence because if you get to that level then this favors the the perpetrator much more over the victim. So I'm just you know I don't know if there's something in between or something. It just it seems like it's much it's much harder to prove which I guess you know, something really hard. Yeah,
161that way someone's if you're getting this far into the situation, it's hard to prove that. Oh, Robert is Robert sitting next to you know and you I don't know if you've been involved in any Well, I guess you haven't been present long enough to We haven't had any title N situations here, but he's had other situations. He's good. No, I just I don't know like I'm just waiting. Is it better to favor the the victim or the perpetrator in terms of I'm not sure it's really favoring anyone versus anybody, but I understand it's a stronger film and a clear and convincing standard. Yeah. So, I'm not saying it through. Of course, the problem with preponderances when you if you have a a a she said, she said, or he said, he said, or he said,
162she said, it's basically if one person is marginally more credible. It's like that supposedly is supposed to say it's that person. And I don't think that marginal credibility when you come to something as severe as this is or that that slim margin of 50.1 versus 49.9 is something that you pursue with with some some punishment. That's my issue with it. No, I understand. I just wanted to think it through and you know see that usually I think more importantly a good title N is the process. U because in the beginning of that process you inform everybody what's going to happen and that's when there's sometimes a second thought. Um and usually there is very clear by the time you're done investigations it's very clear what happened and it happens it can happen especially with students
163so it's very but it's very clear because it becomes clear at the end very clear you know c said or done with student. Many times students were you know having issues many students with transgender students things like that very good. So I guess sounds like we're going with clear and convincing. We are in 3430. Steve, can you chime in on uh appeals? What's the reasonable prompt time frame? Um, it's really when it comes to an appeal time frame, we always like 30 calendar days, but again, we're going since we're going to be Yeah, we could do 30 calendar days. I like 30 calendar days. I'll put the time frames on. Not a problem, Dave. You and I will fix that. Yeah. All right. So, 34. We're good. 3420. 3430. Oh, 3430. Yeah. 3430. We're on
164to 3430. 3430. Question. I have one question. Um, Steve, and I don't want to make any assumptions. This is not legally required. Am I correct? Technically, the requirement for DEI policy is strongly recommended. It is not. Is it legally required? It is strongly recommended. Is it legally required? As I said, the the board of regents documentation says it is strongly recommended. So, it is not legally required. I understand. Okay. Thank you. So, I would like to make a suggestion to remove this entire policy. We do not need it. And we do not need it for multiple reasons. We covered We cover so much in the past two that we've just been discussing for the past 20 minutes. um without getting into every single detail, it is redundant and all the protections that are needed for
165all students are in the policies that we just discussed. Um and it is overly broad. It's aspirational and it just goes beyond districts legal and educational responsibilities in general. And once again, the federal and state laws are already covered in the previous policies. the protections are clear. The protections are enforcable and so having a separate polic separate policy does not strengthen those protections in any way. Um if anything it can muddy things even more. So I want to have this policy completely removed. Anyone have have anything to add you guys? I disagree and I feel strongly that we should keep the policy in and I'm happy to make go back to the changes that we did a couple of years ago that cut some of the stuff out but I feel very strongly that we
166need to keep this in especially because it is strongly recommended by the state. I'll just add that I also strongly agree it should stay even though it's not required. I think um it can't hurt to have this these protections in place um especially you know as it pertains to certain like marginalized groups um the people at home people who are dying to hear from you be careful blowing out I'll speak nice loudly I'll use my teacher voice I didn't mean to interrupt first what are you have No one else. I have something to say. I'm happy to listen. I don't mind. I mean, I'm not done, but go ahead. Oh, no. At this point, it's a literally looks like it's a conversation board and one person in the audience. No problem. All right. So, more
167than anything else, my biggest concern with me moving this is our general philosophy in the school is always to figure out how to meet a person where he or she is in those environment. So, we look where you are. We don't worry about where you're at. We're trying to find a way to best teach you from that approach. That's always been our philosophy and I don't see anything in other that seems to be the primary writing that I see in DEI and that idea that philosophy has been keystone to everything we've done. And that is as weirdly broad as since we started since I started here we always had an open enrollment policy for example in AP we look at all students and always that what can we do that may mean a student is
168very weak in an area that may mean a student is struggling in a particular area that may mean a student socially emotionally may be struggling that may mean the student may feel incredibly alienated in particular environments Those are the areas that we're most concerned about. I think, you know, reading through that policy, that's what I saw in there that's most valued. Um and that you know as an overarching approach that Jericho has I think is the most important thing we do especially as we move and shift um from one group to another as far as ethically we watch changes from place to place where we keep an open mind of how to address people from where they're at and pick them and try to elevate their process. So that's all I wanted to say for
169the moment. No, I saw you pick up the microphone. I want to say something. I was just going to say I think um Dr. Harnet, everything you said is great. I don't disagree with anything you said at all as far as what what we should be doing in this school in general. One, I think what you said is completely um it's it should be common sense that we should be doing it anyway. I don't think the policy to be doing it. So the fact that we have to have a policy to to act in a certain common sense way towards all students, I think that's it's a problem because if we don't have this policy, are you guys going even telling me that you're not going to do that? I I think that's wrong and
170then we have a bigger problem. So I think everything you're saying should be done. It's aspirational and it should be done and we don't need a policy for it. We should be protecting all students. We should be meeting them where they are. we should be caring about where they are. And so I don't think we need a policy in this that says that we need we should be doing that. So it just doesn't make any sense to me. But I agree with everything you said. We should be doing it. Um I don't think anything you just said makes sense that it's aspirational. By taking a policy like this out, you're sending a me strong message that you don't agree with that philosophy. And I think one of the most important things about Jericho and any
171school should have the same approach is that we want students to feel comfortable and safe and be themselves. And when they feel that way that that's the best way for them to learn, to have an environment that they're safe, they're welcome, they're accepted. And that's the best opportunity gives them the best opportunity to learn and grow and develop. And that's what that's our job as a school district. and send it leaving keeping this policy sends the message that we need to make sure all students feel that way. And by taking it out, we're sending a message that that's not important to us. Well, I think that should be um I think that should be included under discrimination, not the uh technically. Well, as I said, the the protections are already there. No, no. I'm saying
172what what Joe was saying like she's saying that you know um we need a policy to to honor these people or whatever whatever this discrimination technically already covered that. Well, that's what I'm saying. It's already covered in the previous policies that we just discussed. The discrimination, the harassment, the title N federal, state, that's already all being covered. Exactly. That's my point. So that's why I'm just we're talking about the same thing. We're just saying that this policy is redundant and unnecessary and nobody's arguing any of what you guys are saying that it should they should have protection. Well, kids should have protection. So, I'm just saying remove the policy. And I don't think by me being a board member sitting on this day and saying remove this policy, I'm advocating for anything other than all
173kids should have all protections against discrimination, against harassment, against bullying, against anything. So, I think we're just you guys are just, you know, mincing words at this point. I'm just saying this policy has to come out. I'm not saying the concepts behind it are wrong in any way. It's redundant. We're already covering it in the other policies. Stevens, is there any risk to removing the policy other than it's strongly recommend? I think your words are strongly recommended. And if you don't know, that's fine, too. I know that's a tough one. Yeah, I don't know. I would just say generally the board can potentially be perceived as opening themselves up to not being diverse, equity, and inclusivity. Even though you have the protections in the policies under 3420 and 3421, they could be perceived in a
174complaint can potentially be filed that the removal of this policy could be potentially discriminatory. Again, I don't Okay, that that that's fine. So, I don't for two seconds. So, I I think everybody seems to be in agreement on the concepts. I agree with Mrs. is smart enough that there's many parts of this policy that again what we've been trying to do or I've been trying to do in looking at this is what do we actually do and you know we have a a page here on a DEI committee and it's no affront to anyone on the DEI committee but there's been nothing done and the membership of the committee even changes each year and again that's not to denigrate anybody's efforts in this area. It's just we don't we shouldn't have a DEI committee. It's
175not something that we need and it's not something it's formed but it doesn't exist. And so pretending like it does doesn't help us. Second, there are parts of this policy and we did we talked about it and it was something where we did change it, but this was also adopted four or five years ago where quite frankly it was an environment that I think was much more um I'm not going to use the word hysterical but I guess politically charged where I think these concepts I I personally think that some of these concepts are are ridiculous. I think some of these concepts are very worthwhile. And what I think we could try to do if there's a concern that removing it entirely creates a problem, I I would think that we would change it to
176something. And look, there are districts. Some of our neighbors have long policies. Some of our neighbors have 10 line policies. So, it's not like we're the only ones out there who would have a very very or who would have a shorter policy. I haven't found anyone who has zero policy, but maybe Mr. Goodstead, you could point this to someone who has absolutely no policy related to this on Long Island. Off the top of my head, I don't know. We could check out, you know, people want to talk, see if they have no policy. That would be the logical place to look at. I don't have um actually may not have one. We'll see. Uh I'm fairly much a regular at these board meetings, right? I've been listening for, you know, to many of these discussions.
177I've noticed you've gone through policy after policy for hours and hours and hours. Sometimes you've talked about condensing down some things, but the idea of just wiping this out seems draconian. It seems, you know, the message to me that it sends is your interest in this is so minimal or your disdain for this policy is so sharp that you're just throwing it away that indicates a hostility from the board. Now you could rewrite it, you could alter it, you could take it down, you know, you could work in such a way that if you're concerned about an EDI committee as examples, there could be condensing that goes on, but the major principles that are there and if you're, you know, I understand you talk a lot about redundancy, but we all know this whole policies
178across the board are fraught with redundancies. Why? because you're trying to take little gaps and fill in those gaps and make sense of everything and make sure that there's something you can refer to specifically about one concept or another when you really need it. And my concern is to get rid of this is sending not only a lot of messages but also just seems all of a sudden this is this is where we're cutting. This is where all of a sudden we're we're just wiping out numbers. Well, we've been trying to cut wherever we legally can. Unfortunately, the longest policies, the 10 20 pages, Mr. G said, legally required. Look, I I I you know, I I don't know if there's a a middle where where people can I I think the policy is too
179long. I think the policy is misnamed. I think I agree with everyone that the concepts behind the policy are what we want. I I believe and the only person I've had a brief conversation with this about has been Mr. Goodstat and it was a very brief conversation just to understand what other districts did. Um and after thinking about it I think there's a policy here that keeps basically most of the groups but it doesn't have three or four or five bullets underneath it. It basically is a policy that's not called diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's actually called opportunity for all because that's really what we're talking about when it talks about DE. What people who promote the concept of DEI talk about that is opportunity for all. And it does start off Say again. No,
180I I I agree. Let's rename it if that's okay. And so, let me let me just walk you through this and I I can give you and like I said, we can't have policy discussion before. So, I have something printed up and people can go to home and look at it, but it's basically opportunity for all and and it starts off similar to how this policy does just saying that regardless of all those various things that go on um whether it's sex, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, I basically put the whole laundry list in there that and it starts off all students must have equal access to educational opportunities regardless of and it puts the laundry list of all the the various limitations in there. Here, Mr. Can you just take one and
181just pass it to and then it basically says look the superintendent will designate someone to to you know to coordinate any ne necessary efforts in this area. It then just says the district will continue to advance inclusivity and culturally responsive teaching and learning. We'll continue to foster family and community engagement practices. We'll continue to create a workforce that is diverse and inclusive and recognize and values the differences among people. We'll continue to promote classrooms in which students have equal access and opportunities to learn and realize their full potential. That will continue to focus on the well-being of the quote whole child close quote. We'll provide staff training in these areas as appropriate and will share information about this policy via its website. It's basically taking many of the major concepts but taking out all that
182other detail which no one is looking at and it gets across the message in my opinion and you know author no I have no pride in authorship but it basically says this is what we're about. We've been doing this stuff. We're going to continue doing this stuff and all we are is about creating opportunity. It doesn't have some of the other things that are in there. And again, I fully appreciate why um eliminating this policy is not a bad idea. I also understand why keeping something here is not a bad idea and what you know I think it is a combination of what is it that we want to do and also a little bit of what the me and also what the message should be. Sam, I think this is I mean I just
183read this quickly. This is great. This is great. I don't disagree with anything on this piece of paper. You understand that none of this is enforceable. Only the stuff in the previous policies is enforceable. Absolutely. Okay. So, nothing in the current DEI policies enforceable. That's what I'm saying. So, we're talking about just creating language just so it looks pretty, it sounds pretty, it makes people sleep better at night. I'm sorry. I did not mean to talk. I was I'm what I'm just my point is that it's not enforcable. It's beautiful language. It's has well-meaning. It's not It just It once again does repeat a lot of what we just went over in the previous policies. You guys want to have a, you know, fluffy piece of paper in the policy book. Honestly, it won't bother
184me. But what's the point? It's not enforceable. How is this going to help anyone do their job better? the teachers are if we I'm just just play devil's advocate. If we remove this policy, are you saying that people would be, you know, people would not do what what's on this piece of paper, people would not follow it? Jen, so much of what we've gone over tonight is common sense, but it needs to be in writing and that's why we've gone through these efforts of doing all of this. Um, saying that we'll community engagement. It doesn't hurt in any way to have this. It can only help I understand, but at what point in this policy book are we gonna say, "Oh, it's it won't hurt. That's how we got to 50 pages for each policy."
185We need to be also mindful of that. I understand. And maybe we could like skim this down a bit. Um Sam, I'd like to just have a good look through this first before saying I wasn't expecting anyone to sign off on. Like I said, this is something that I just put together over the last couple of days as recognizing that this would be well, I shouldn't say I put it together the first time we're going to look at this, but then I sort of put it in a drawer. Look, I I Mrs. Vartonoff is right. I believe every other policy we've done has a to-do has has a distinct to-do list and in many cases a distinct repercussion or punishment or consequence. I could be wrong on that, but I believe most of our policies
186do that. Um, and certainly I believe the ones we've talked about tonight. So, I fully get what she's saying and on the concept of yes, this policy manual should be as short as possible and it should focus on issues that the board can take or need or the school district, not just the board, the school district needs to take action on. I agree 100% with her. The flip side is if someone as illustrious as Dr. Hartnet thinks that this is something that sends a good message, if Mr. Goodstat's going to say that, well, you probably don't want to have nothing. He's not going to say you should have nothing there. meaning, you know, a blank piece of paper. Um, this would not give us the shortest policy in this area that I've seen because just
187for just for clarity sake, for you know, one of our um we don't name them, one of our competing districts, I would call them, though they're really not. They have, you know, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 They have 10 lines in this policy. And then it says even le it says less than what I have here. So, please go ahead. Uh, sorry. Any other board member want to add before we go to Dr. So I I disagree with the words aspiration. One of the things Dr. Travis spoke about in the past was the concept of curriculum. If you read any AP comp exam, you will find DEI all over. You will find the passages that they give you are filled with DEI. You will find diversity, diversity, diversity. If you SAT, if you
188take an ACT, this is part of the curricular approach that is what what raises us up. All we're worried about is high SATs and high uh APs and high ACPs. This is rock solid in those curriculums. So, this is not aspirational. This is part of what we do. This is part of our mission. It's not aspirational for the last you know 20 years that I teach blackboard it's not aspirational that I teach journey to the west it's not aspirational that I teach proce about the Iranian revolution these are not aspirational it's not aspirational for years that I taught this is not aspirational this is part of our curriculum and to suddenly pretend it's not or to say or to dismiss it as being less important because it's has con concepts that may feel that way,
189that may feel fluffy. Please open the last five years of the AP comp exam and look at the essays and look at those parts and read through them and tell me you don't see that in Dr. Hornet, you're twisting my words. You're twisting my words. You're twisting my words. How? Because I I you I said the words are aspirational. I said the concepts are rock solid. I said that the the the words are aspirational, meaning they're not enforcable. If I put it in a policy, it's it's fluffy. It sounds great. It should be. It's common sense. I already said that. I never said that this is bogus or we shouldn't even be talking about this. So, I really, you know, don't twist my words, please, because I agree wholeheartedly with everything that's on this p
190what Sam just presented and even in a lot of the stuff that's in the original DI policy in our policy book. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be. I'm saying it's not an enforcable policy and it's redundant. And I'm not saying you shouldn't be teaching what you shouldn't be teaching. I'm saying that it's by the nature of what we do as teachers, specifically in the high school. It's it's a policy that has to be part of what we do. That's all I'm saying. If I misunderstood you, my apologies, but that's what I'm concerned about. I haven't read ahead in the I think it's the 8000 is curriculum is it? Believe so. If what you're saying is true, then it really doesn't belong here, then it's a curriculum policy and maybe we think that no no
191like it does belong because when I teach a Persian student and they open up procephilis, they have a connection with me and our interaction in the classroom changes. It belongs here because that happens the same way when I first start teaching Journey to the West and there's certain aspects that and start teaching Chinese poetry for the first time. These are connections of meeting students where they are to find a way of propelling them forward. Right? So there's curriculum that that's that's also the environment in the classroom and that's the I'm pointing out these two levels going on with the and again I get it there's a lot of extra words but and there might be a way of condensing it down dramatically. By the way, I haven't cut out any of the concepts that you
192When I heard the concept, I hearing it, I thought I agreed with the idea. I would like those words somewhere in there. I saw it in one of the bullets, but I'd like that to be a little bit more prominent. I understood what I knew what you said when you said the word diverse. I saw it with one of the bullets, but I think it should be more prominent as part of the tit. Uh but we'll talk again. I' I've spoken enough now. It's shut up. I you've earned after however many years talking as much as you'd like. Um, no. When we talked about diverse is is workforce, but we have no control over who our students are. Our students, whoever buys a piece of property or rents a piece of property in this neighborhood.
193The only diverse that we actually as a board or as a school district have any control over are the people who get hired here. So to say that we're going to encourage a diverse student body, we can't do that. That's that's outside of our power, outside of any control that we have. So to have something like that in this policy doesn't make any sense to say and you said you use the word diverse I did when I talked about the workforce. Again, we want inclusive and responsive teaching. We've got that and that was in the old policy that's in and I say when I say abbreviated all I did was take away the sub at all. Most of what I did was take away the sub bullets. None of the concepts and I don't necessarily
194think They're aspirational simply because we're doing them. We're saying we're doing them. We're going to continue to do them. And if someone like you thinks that we need that here to solidify that appearance or that image of Jericho, that's enough for me to say, "Yeah, we're going to put together we should I one voice as Mr. Goodstead keeps saying, one of a group." And as long as I'm with the four, we're like the Wonder Powers. Um to put together something that goes there, but to have something that's going to say you're going to do this, you're going to do this, you're going to do this, you're going to do this. First of all, is unrealistic because as I said, it's un like what's in here. We've had this policy for four years. It is literally
195the only policy that hasn't changed in four years. Meaning Boseis is going back and looking at all their policies, even the ones they just wrote, and they're all different than what they were four years ago, five years ago, or 10 years ago. This is only one. Nothing's changed. Why? because it was created in a time of um everybody thought they had to run out and go do this and then everybody's put it in a drawer and forgotten about it. And I think that's also the wrong approach to say, "Okay, we wrote this policy and we're going to ignore it the way we did with all of our policies up until we did this policy. Yes, it's checking a box." And that's unfortunately what a lot of this policy stuff is. Correct. So, I have no
196problem not checking this box also if we're going to check all the other boxes, but I don't think we need five pages. I'm not even sure we need two pages because a lot of districts have this as these are the concepts. And I would tell you, I would put this policy as drafted up against many of the ones that I've seen who haven't just point blank adopted this, who haven't given any thought because I think not giving it any thought is just as bad as cutting it back because there you go. You're not showing any commitment. As Mrs. Harve said, someone said, "Here, this is a requirement. This is suggested. We put it in there and we forget about it." Because quite frankly, that's what we've done with this policy over the last four years.
197We've done it. We've tried to keep this DEI committee going. We've tried to say this. We don't have the issue. We don't have the issue in Jericho. As you said, if a year from now or two years from now or 10 years from now, this type of issue about provide providing opportunity for everyone is an issue, then we should have some type of committee to address it. It's it's a it's a committee without a problem. But I've said enough. So, um, Mr. Jin, any comments on draft? Any comments on the movie entirely? Any preference? Any thoughts? I'm okay with your version. I'm okay with he's okay with the movie. He's okay with this version. So what do you have any suggest? Do you have any viewpoint Dr. Kravitz, Dr. Sherman, Mr. Con? And if not,
198not that's so policies of the responsibility of the board. My job is to to make sure that all students are treated well and all students get the best education. Um I I look at words I'm not a English teacher but I look at words about equity and inclusive and I think they're important words to use when we talk about education. And there's a reason why sometimes people put things in policy. There's a reason why Bosis puts this out. There's a reason why other people use this. I recognize the concerns with some of the words that are referenced, but there are a lot of policies that are verbose in this and everything, many of them, and they can be summarized. But we put policies together in a in a policy manual so that people can always
199refer to them and interpret them. So, you know, again, the decision of what you want to do is lies within the board. But the words diversity, equity, I don't think anybody on this board has a problem with it. I have a problem with equity. Absolutely. Yeah, I have a problem. I'm going to tell you here. Here's how the policy defines equity. Equity includes but is not limited to seeking the fair treatment. No problem. Access, no problem. Okay. Opportunity, no problem. That's by and advancement. I do I have an issue with the interpretation of equity as making sure that everybody advances at the same rate and that's the way equity has been solved over the last four or five years. It's not it's not implying everyone at the same rate Sam it's just saying advancing from
200where they are opportunity to improve giving them tools to you know have like a level playing field it's not saying everyone's going to be at the same level or advance at the same unfortunately that's not the way many interpreted. Okay. But it's just advancement. It's not implying in any way that it's it's like a one sizefits all. It but unfortunately and and the whole thing is I understand what you're saying that I not that is not the way it is interpreted in the real world. I understand what the word on the page is. I I get what the word on the page is. That's not the way it's been interpreted over the last four or five years. that equity means everybody gets to have equality. Equity has unfortunately been bastardized into meaning equality and that's
201the problem here and it's not what it's meant in a lot of it that is exactly how it is interpreted in a lot of these issues and policies that have come that that have been written and the way they get taken that's so what does equity mean equity but this is for us it's not somewhere else but someone's reading this you're taking you're standard language and the way people interpret that is everybody gets everybody's equal. That's what the equity part means. It it I can show you lots of we cannot allow words in our policy book that that are open to interpretation and if if there's something in any we shouldn't and and we we we risk shifting the district's focus away from our responsibilities as education academic and towards other things that we shouldn't
202be focusing on. I am not comfortable taking this out. What does equity mean? Tell me what equity means. You looking at me? No, I'm looking at looking at anyone who wants to answer the English teacher. Tell me what equity means. I honestly don't know what it means. Students, each student giving students what they need, what each student needs. So to be equal, how is that? How is But but howity each student needs to succeed. So someone else there's there's a picture I saw so each kid gets one box and someone's short and someone's tall. So the short kid with one box still can't over the fence. But if you the tall kid doesn't need any boxes and if the short kid gets two boxes according to that's equality means you're not giving them equity means
203fairness and outcomes. Yes. Fairness and outcomes. Fairness and outcomes. What does what does equity mean in DI? It's versing. It means fairness and outcomes. And and that's what I have a problem with. I I'll give an example, Sam, and because we use equity in conversations a lot instructionally in education. You can get a child that comes to school who doesn't speak the language that's being taught in the classroom, whatever that language is. You're having a conversation around a text. You don't want that student to be excluded from that conversation, from that learning. you will go potentially and take that text and make sure that text is translated for that child's native language so they too can be a part of the learning so that they're not missing out so they can advance with their classmates
204in what's happening in the classroom. You can have a child who cannot write because they physically are not able to. And so you make sure that you find the assisted technology that's available to them so they too can complete their work and move on in the learning with their peers. You find a student who physically is not able to participate in something. So you create something that makes them feel a part of the experience that's happening in the classroom. Those are the kind of things that we talk about in regards to equity with our students. We're not having the conversations that you guys are alluding to in the political aspect of it or however chat GBT defines it. We talk about as principal, I talk about my staff of making sure that every student that
205walks through the store, your children, that no one ever falls behind in their experiences. It's not about all of them being an A student or a 90 or 100, but making sure the experiences are provided for all students, no matter what way we have to do that. And I said before earlier this evening, one of the things that I've really appreciate about the board of education and central administration, everyone here, is that we leave no stone unturned to provide those resources. I call the technology department because I need an app that a student needs access to so they too can be a part of the learning. You guys find it for me. I need literature that's side by side, Mandarin on one side, English on the other side, so students can learn both languages simultaneously
206and read through a text. we provide that, you guys give the funding. So, I think just, you know, it can look at it from many different lenses, but from the lens of us in the room as the educators, we're talking about making sure that every student is able to be an active participant in the classroom and never feel like they fall behind the and I'm going to give you one piece of data. We have English language learners that come to us. These are the students who don't speak English coming from other countries. I've been in other districts where we have populations of non-English-speaking students. What Jericho does remarkably well when you talk about why don't we have full-time ENL teachers for example which I believe we should but a lot of our English language learners
207because the teachers are finding ways to advance the learning to give them equitable opportunities in the classroom. A lot of our English language learners they score proficient on what we call the NISL exam which is their English exam to determine their English proficiency. They do it in Jericho much faster than the majority of school districts anywhere in New York State, anywhere I know in the country. A lot of our students test out within two years. They score commanded. That's the highest level of proficiency. Discuss this. Why? Why do we do so? Dr. You just made my point for me because you just did exactly what I said. You use the word equitable opportunities. You turn the equity into an adjective and opportunity. But that word matters. We are all about opportunity. That that's why I
208named this. I didn't name the de I don't know if I'm right there. I named it opportunity for all because as you're saying anybody who comes here is going to get an equal opportunity. The definition No, no, you're not. Don't don't listen to me. No, no, but hold on. In terms of the learning is a bad example though because we are required by law to have a ESL for anyone who doesn't speak. Yeah, that's by law. That's covered. Yeah. But by law, but what's not by law? What's not by law is how quickly they test out and the resources we give. we recognize where students are. And again, the equity piece of that is making sure that no matter where you are, you're going to be a part of that learning experience. And so, I'm
209just trying to all simply say is that our educators, our teachers, they take that word very seriously and they make sure that every student, no matter where they're from, no matter their starting point, no matter their background, gets an opportunity to have that level playing field. Not that every student is ending at the same point, but that every student is a part of the game, right? And so you talk about I use sports analogy. Not everyone equity. That's why I still don't like to me equity is ownership. It's ownership. This whole equity as I said the first time I've heard about it used in education was four or five years ago when you started having DEI and the equity was as this is and that was the first definition I heard. Yeah. Skaped my mind
210at 10:45 like fairness and outcome and and and that's just not what I believe school is about. It's not about fairness and outcome to me. Equity smells of you know what doesn't matter what you do everybody gets a lollipop and a trophy at the end of the game. That's the way you're descri That's the way it's described describing his opportunity. Sam here I'll give you an example on AI as well. Equal equal is giving everyone a pair of shoes. Equity is giving everyone a pair of shoes that fit each person. So it's not about the outcome. Everyone can have a pair of shoes that fit, but you're not they're not going to run a they're not all not going to run a five-minute mile. Some might. Some are probably still going to run a 60-minute
211mile because of but they have the ability to be able to run a mile because they're wearing shoes that fit. So you opportunity that's considered equity, not equality. That's different. I I see to me and and it could be look I'm not educated but before I don't I don't get the word equity. Doesn't make any sense. And once again I'll just give you another example. Equality. Every employee gets the same training budget. Equity. Employees who have fewer opportunities or need more support get additional resources to succeed. But that could also be a handicapped child who doesn't have the ability by our special example. An IHP is an example of equity. It's not, you know, it's not, you know, I don't think we're talking about special education, but we are. But we are covered by law.
212But IEPs are a perfect example of equity. It's not saying we're going to give you everything to be validictorian. It's saying I'm going to give you the same resources, some resources to be able to bring you to a level playing field, like to be able to to for you to reach your own person. I understand it's by law but it's an example of equity in education. If I can provide some practicality similar to what I think Alex there are every district throughout the country is required to provide supports to students with disabilities right as you said it's by law but some districts do it better and some districts do it exceptionally well which is above and beyond. And I would say that Jericho is very much one of those districts. And I think that so
213I'm hearing two two different arguments. One is and I think there's certainly a healthy debate as to what is equity and and that's fine if we want to dig into that, but I also heard whether or not we should have this policy. I think they're two totally different conversations. Just because something feels like the policy itself doesn't define itself as enforcable doesn't mean that it's not important to say this is what we stand for. And we have uh tons of policies that we could say it's a duh moment. It's a no-brainer. We already do this. But I think there have been some policies, in fact, we talked about some tonight where we wanted to find clarity because the clarity right now may not be the clarity of a board or community 10 years from now.
214So that's part of the reason why we have policies. So I think the first thing that I'm hearing is do we need to have a policy? Um, and I'm hearing a lot of views around that. And then if digging in deeper, we want to have a less verbose policy and one that cuts to what we find as essential and important, then that's fine. And within that is a debate around the word equity and either how it's used, how it's defined, or whether it's used or defined. Um, I think certainly just two things that one, I I don't think there's a lot of choices around the the first question about whether or not we're going to have the policy. it's either yes or no. So I I don't think there's many choices there. And I think
215the second thing is I if if equity is so clearly defined, define it differently. Define use words other than the word equity. Tell me again everybody say what what do you want to say that we're going to give more opportunity to everybody? We're going to give them more services. I I I'm fine. But get me to the point where we're you we're not using a word that to my ears says I don't know what that means and based on my understanding of the way it's been used in the last 5 years is not something I agree with. And like like I said, you know, one of our neighbors has, you know, all they write in their policy, they're highly respected district. All they write is all students must have equal access to educational opportunities regardless
216of their skin, their gender, blah blah blah blah blah. That that's their policy. That and no one's going to say that they're out there, you know, doing nefarious things. Well, maybe they are. I don't like it. But it's like that's what their that's what their policy is. and they look at this and say, "We are we are telling you regardless of who you are, where you come from, your background, and all those other things, we're going to treat you the same, and you're going to have the same opportunity as anybody else here." And to me, that's I think what you said earlier, Dr. Hart, that that that's what we're saying. Whatever you are, we're going to treat you the same. Whatever your needs are, Dr. Bear, we're going to give you whatever it is you
217need. Define that for me without using the word equity, which I've heard Mr. Good stat use one definition. I've heard Mrs. Hardnoff use another definition. I've heard Dr. Kravitz show me a drawing that basically epitomizes exactly what I don't think should happen because this isn't the matter of watching a baseball game. This is an education. And at the end of the day, you know, everybody doesn't walk out of here equally. We do give grades to kids. They they get grades. There are A+es or A minuses. There are C's. So it, you know, when you're talking about equity is everybody doesn't get look over the fence the same way because there's a kid who got an A+. He looks over the fence. The kid who B is barely peering over. The guy who's a D, he's
218not looking over the fence. And and I don't think it has anything to do with, you know, ESL. I don't think it has anything to do with handicaps. I don't think it has anything to do with that. It just has to do with the fact that everybody is going to get a fair shake and the opportunity and the resources they need to succeed. But after that, they're going to be on they're going to have to, you know, make the most of that. And again, I think we all agree in that concept. I come up with a way to get rid of the word equity because I don't believe that we've heard one definition, two definitions, three definitions. Why are we writing a policy where no one knows what we're writing? And by the way, it's
219just I care that I don't know what we're writing. Even disagrees with what? Which one is that though? Uh what does it say? Where am I reading for the equity? My view on DI policies are straightforward good school priorities universal excellence individual merit rigorous academics and treating Naz dedicated EI firm emphasize equity aiming for equal group outcomes through differentiated treatment. I I don't think that's what we're looking for. But says that was the definition. No, but but I'm saying like but what I'm saying is there are all these that this was the definition that Grock had. I don't know what AI she used at GBT. But if you can't agree on what the definition is, use a different word. But I think you can teach the community you can define the word. That's the beauty
220of it. It's your policy. We would have to come up with a definition. And that's what I said. Give me give me a definition. Just don't use the word. You you don't have to use a definition of it. use other words. I have no problem sitting and that's what I thought opportunity was. Spending another meeting coming up with a policy everyone's comfortable with that actually means something and we can define it and we could all wrap our heads around it and agree to it. Currently the way it's written needs to be out. You guys want to rewrite it, rename it, I'm fine with that. And I don't disagree with the concepts of anything. I just think that the way the way it is right now, it's it's already covered by many other things that we
221do, a lot of common sense stuff, but if it helps, if it it has like a certain morale boost to the school district and the teachers, to the students to write something, put something on paper that says that all kids will be treated fairly. I have no problem with that. But this is not what this policy says. April 22nd deal. So for April 22nd we have board ethics and civility which I've drafted something which we can work off of that. We can work off the nonsense we have there already. Um we can talk about this policy again. We have now two drafts and I welcome anyone else who has a different idea to draft something submit it and you know we can look at it under open meeting laws. Steve, are we allowed to draft
222something and send it around to the other board members? Without commenting on it? Without commenting. Right. So, someone could say, "I'm put I'm putting together my own draft and we can end up with five drafts and we can put those five drafts in front of us." Y Okay. Of course. Can we finish the last two policies because they're short. I wanted to name an opportunity for all, but I made that change just recently. Good night. Good night. Good night, Dr. Um and and that one. And then we just adopted another policy tonight that we have to deal not adopted. We all said another policy we're going to deal again with April. Yeah, the advertising and the Okay, so we got three policies. Let's move on to 35 10 emergency school closing clothing closings. Do we
223ever do it over radio? We do it through newspapers. Oh, can we auto dialing? We have phone calls. Oh, just in the second paragraph for schools closed. All related activities including athletic events and student activities will ordinarily be cancelled because again we had the flood. I still think we could have practices and stuff going on outside. Anybody else on 3510? Ordinarily be cancelled. I understand what you're saying, but I don't know what that word in ordinary course that then that will usually I don't know whatever word typically typically usually ordinarily will typically be cancelled. But what's that? Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the word because it says it it's saying here that they're going to be cancelled. I'm not saying why don't you just The issue is for when it's closed for inclement
224weather. That's really what the issue is. If you're closed for if you're closed for inclement weather, you can't open for you can't open for practice. No, but you can have as you remember and this may predate you, there was a huge fight where um the building was closed, but then there was a fight about going to robotics competition. So, um it doesn't necessarily mean activities are going to be closed. That was a skull. Yeah, there was a show. It wasn't because the building was robotics. Well, no. No, the buildings were closed that day. It was a Saturday. The buildings were closed. Activities are closed. But let's say that there's a say there's a snowstorm where we end up having a closure, but buildings open up at 5:00 or, you know, there's a game at 5:00
225and they say, "We're going to go play or there's a competition that night. People should be able to go." And also, what about people who are out of town? Well, we had that was the uh we had a trip coming back from Massachusetts where we had them come back early. The word is the word is it's just the word. It's not going it I just to give you flexibility. Exactly. I want the superintendent to have flexibility that if classes are canled and there's something that need that people want to do or he wants to do or she No, I just changed will and may perfect the word. understand where you want only be only reason I say because typically as everyone said they're always going to be cancelled except in the rare instance that runs
226through my head okay 3520 extraordinary circumstances again we have no answer on what happens when the federal government says CO will kill it will not kill you and the state government says it will correct no in that situation if the governor of New York shuts you down the governor in New York and shut you can close your school. Okay. The the if the federal government says no and the state government says yes, you follow state. If the federal government says close and the state government says no, you follow federal. So they can you can whoever says close, you follow their rule. Yes. Okay. Hopey hopefully they align. That was the teachers union. You got that in. Okay. Um, shockingly we are only three minutes behind schedule. Um, let's go to schedules. We do have to
227vote. Thank you, Mr. Citron. All in favor of approving the first read of policy section 3000 with the changes, omissions, edits, future consideration as we just talked about. All in favor? One, two, three, four. Yes. I'm not voting. Okay. Future considerations. Okay. But I'm not voting if it includes taking out. We're not. We said f all the omissions we discussed and the edits we discussed. Absolutely. We're not We're not saying take out today. We're just doing the first read. We We might take it out. We might not. We might rewrite it. Right now, it's all future considerations. The first technically by law, you don't actually have to accept the first read. Okay. So, this is it. But you don't have to vote if you're not comfortable. Don't vote for it. That's fine. I'm not It's
228like it's not binding. It's not We've changed from first readings all the time. Okay. All in favor? 50. Perfect. Yes. Do we have it written out as a as a thing though? I don't think I saw We're doing it right now. No, I believe there's three slots. Three slots, right? No, there's three slots. What? You don't know which person? I know all of them. Yeah, we know there's three I believe there's three open slots and I believe we received resumes and letters from three candidates. third one's not the the No, no. The the first lady running um she's been on the board for 18 years. The first gentleman running um Pascarel. No, no. Uh is it? No, not Pascarella. The new guy is the third guy. Pascarel is new. The second guy is Goldstein. Maybe
229Greenstein. Greenstein. Lawrence. He's been on the board for six years. Okay. So, the lady is currently president of Bosey's board. She's a former East Meadow board member. She's been on the Boseis board for 18 years. Greenstein is from Port Washington. He's been on the Boseies board for six years. Um, Pascarella is would be filling in what is currently an open seat. He's from Plane Edge. I to the best of my knowledge, no one else, and but no one else is running. I believe this is just for nominations. I don't believe this is the election, right? This is just nominating the three of them to be on the board. It's the only three people as far as I know that have been trying to get nominations and I believe nominations close tomorrow. So un I believe
230that's what it said in the letter, but I'm not. Does that sound right, Miss Stokel or No. Oh. Um, yeah, that was March 27th. I respectfully ask that your district consider submitting my name as nom. All nominations must be submitted by email or fact to our district clerk by Friday, March 27th. So unless someone else is going to show up and unless there's a whole bunch of emergency board meetings going on tonight and tomorrow morning, no one else is getting nominated. So we could change if there is hope for that. Absolutely. This is just nominating. So maybe we'll be good Nassau participants for once and and nominating. So M. You want to make a motion, Mr. Cra? Go ahead. Motion to vote for the three of them. Motion to nominate. Nominate. Do we have a
231second? Thank you, Dr. Balachander. Motion was made by Mrs. Citron, seconded by Dr. Balachander. Any discussion? That's fine. No problem for any of that or you don't know any of any of the three. Okay. Um, all in favor 40 Mr. Oh, all yes. Or abstaining. All abstaining. 401. Miss Stokal, this is the first time we've ever voted on Bose. He's approved some nominees. Okay. Unless one of my colleagues objects, I'd like to live schedule one treasures report through schedule KK non-instructional leave of absence in one motion. But as always, I'm happy to break it into specific break out any specific schedules. Anybody have any schedules they want to break out? No. Then do I have a motion to move schedule little I little I1 treasures report through schedule KK non-instructional leave of absence. Thank you
232Mrs. Voff second. I'll take that. Mrs. Citron any discussion. Um couple of things Mr. Manuel manual the Quantis advisors we're paying them $10,000 to provide an opinion on our ACA forms. Yes. An opinion on the ACA forms. Not it's not an opinion on the ACA forms. Um and this company took over the one that we've used the last since ACA came out. They do all of the 1095s for all the employees. How many do we have? Do we have a lot of people on ACA? Don't they all use our insurance? No, no, no. Part of the ACA is they have to provide the 1095, which is a federal form um that they're required to receive similar to a W2. Every single employee receives it and it gives them the dollar amount of the um that
233they contributed in health. Oh, okay. Got it. Um then, oh, this is where the health forms were. Now I see why wet mill companies. So this is them filling out the waiver that we need to get the two years on any new bus purchases. Yes. Yes. Right. And so now but now we get and when's the deadline to get the waiver form? It it's actually um we got clarification. It's not till next March, but we want to get it in by uh the end of this April. Right. But it won't lose us a year. Right. But the it still runs through the it'll be for the 27 28 and the 28 29 school years. Okay. And and just so the public whoever is listening knows that this is part of the state's mandate, I will
234not use the word ridiculous to get us in trouble that it's not achievable because there aren't sufficient buses to be delivered. And if they were delivered, we couldn't afford them. And if we could afford them, we couldn't charge them. And if we could charge them, we couldn't repair them. So, you know, this is the first of what I expect will be many waiverss that we're going to be getting on this step. To fully agree with that statement, but the biggest cost because the buses would be offset to be close to the same price as a regular buses. Now, the cost that is not is a lot of the capital work that would be required at the transportation depot. And we went through that through the umation. And actually, we're having them continue the study because
235my understanding is that the buses are slightly longer, which affects the size of our garage, and that will add even more cost on top of uh what we already put. So, so the size of the bus is going to matter if it's I think it's like 4 in longer. Yes, it does. So, the it'll be sticking out of the uh current whatever. Thank you very much for that clarification. Um, use of facilities. One quick thing that there was a charge for the wrestling dinner. So, it has on that there was no fee or charge for the wrestling under use of facilities schedule L618. There was a a a charge for the wrestling dinner. Yeah, that's for our wrestling team. I know. And there was charge. Yes. It says on It says on the schedule, was
236there a fee or charge? It says no on the schedule. Oh, no. You mean a charge to who though? We paid for it. The district paid for it. Are we talking about two different things? I I I don't know. If we're talking about the wrestling dinner that was held in the middle school cafeteria that I went to and and paid a fee for, then yes. If we're talking about something else, no. I thought that's not a fee. I don't know. It's not It's not a fee to the school. It's whether or not there was a fee or charge for the event. I believe I was under the impression that the district paid for it. So, I'd have to find out. You understand what I'm saying? The document says I understand what the document says. No.
237Was there a fee charged to the group? Are you making are you charging for like are you charging admission like for the for the Chinese New Year thing is do they they charge us an admission fee? There was there was I understand the question. My my understanding was that the district paid for it but you're telling me no. Correct. So the district may paid some of it but there was a follow up. No problem. Um where are we next? Can you please tell me what this the schedule that says use 387 children with special education needs? It's just a list. Is that an old schedule? No, it's you. It looks like this. It's just like it's typically been the last one. They're confusing me. Um, two more. I apologize. Schedule G, regular substitute leave replacement
238and then schedule D, regular substitute leave replacement, revised. Why are there two of them and why are there different people on them? And the same thing with non-instructional appointments and non those I know revised means that they previously shown up on a different schedule and now their time is either being shortened or extended. Perfect. That is my questions. Anybody else? All in favor of approving those schedules 50. Thank you. Does anyone have a motion to adjourn? Thank you, Mrs. Citron. Second, Mrs. Wardnoff. All in favor? Thank you. See you April 16th back in the middle school library.