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[2. Public Session - 7:30 p.m.]

[00:00:05]

OKAY. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE BUSINESS MEETING OF THE PELHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION OF DECEMBER 13TH, 2023.

PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ALLEGIANCE] AND I'LL ASK MRS. MARRERO FOR A REITERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS.

WE MET TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON.

OKAY. THANK YOU AND WE'RE SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ENJOYING A CONCERT PERFORMANCE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN US LATER BUT WE DO HAVE A PRETTY LIGHT AGENDA TONIGHT, WE CAN START.

I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 3.1 AND 3.2 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

[3. Approval of Minutes]

THIS IS THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 29TH AND NOVEMBER 8TH.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. OKAY AND THAT BRINGS US TO 4.1 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

[4.1 Superintendent's Report]

GREAT. THANK YOU AND I WILL ADD TO THE LATE NIGHT BY REMINDING THE BOARD, I THINK I PUT IN MY MEMO THE CABINET IN LIEU OF DOING MEMOS AND REPORTS THIS WEEK, HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THE QUARTERLY REPORT.

SO I THINK UNLESS THEY HAVE ANY ITEMS SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA, WE WERE ALSO GOING TO FOREGO THEIR REPORTS TONIGHT AS WELL.

THE ORAL REPORTS, BUT I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS ON THAT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING YOU THAT MEMO THIS FRIDAY.

SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT PRIOR TO OUR BOARD RETREAT ON MONDAY, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH BASE MID-YEAR ON OUR PROGRESS ON GOALS, SO IT'LL BE NICE TO HAVE THAT. HAVE OUR CONSULTANTS BACK.

DOCTOR BOWMAN WILL BE JOINING US AS WELL.

AS SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE ACADEMIC GOAL IN HER REALM.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RANDOM THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY BUSY TIME IN THE DISTRICT, AND ALSO, I SHOULD SAY THIS, I BELIEVE, IS OUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, THE BOARD IS AWARE WE ARE CANCELING OUR DECEMBER 20TH MEETING, SO WE'RE DOING OUR PRETTY MUCH MOST OF THE BUSINESS TONIGHT.

WE HAVE OUR RETREAT NEXT MONDAY.

THERE MAY BE A FEW BUSINESS ITEMS THAT WE MAY NEED DUE TO SOME POTENTIAL URGENT, PERSONNEL ISSUES BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO WISH FOLKS A HAPPY HOLIDAYS TOO, SINCE WE WILL NOT BE BACK HERE TO DO THAT ALL TOGETHER.

SO A COUPLE DIFFERENT ITEMS TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT, OUR FORENSICS TEAM IS UP AND RUNNING AND ALREADY OFF TO A GREAT START.

SO, BACK EARLIER IN THE MONTH, THE HIGH SCHOOL FORENSICS SPEECH TEAM COMPETED AT A TOURNAMENT SPONSORED BY BROOKLYN DEBATE LEAGUE.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ARE GIVEN TO JUNIOR CHRISTOPHER O'MEARA FOR PLACING SECOND IN CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE.

HE IS NOW QUALIFIED TO COMPETE AT THE NEW YORK STATE FORENSICS LEAGUE'S CHAMPIONSHIP, TO BE HELD THIS, SPRING AT HOFSTRA, WHICH IS EXCITING.

WE HAD OUR PTA COUNCIL MEETING LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OUR PARENT GROUP.

ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I WANTED THAT I REMINDED FOLKS OF, AND WE ALWAYS DO THIS TIME OF YEAR AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT TO PUBLICLY, IS A REMINDER ABOUT THE BOARD'S POLICY ON GIFT GIVING, WE ARE SUBJECT TO THE MUNICIPAL LIMITATIONS, SO THAT LIMITS ANY GIFTS TO SCHOOL STAFF AT, NO MORE THAN $75, I JUST WANT TO, REALLY, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW THEY LOVE THEIR TEACHERS.

THEY LOVE THE SCHOOL STAFF AND HOW THEY INVEST IN THEM.

SO WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT.

SO FOLKS ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT, COUPLE DIFFERENT, EVENTS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND RECENTLY.

AND, TWO OF THEM IN PARTICULAR, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MISTER BERKOWITZ WHICH WAS ALSO ABLE TO JOIN ME FOR, AND THAT ONE IS THE, ROTARY MEETINGS.

OUR ROTARY OF THE PELHAMS MEETS EVERY WEDNESDAY AT ROCKWELL'S.

AND MR. BERKOWITZ AND I ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.

THE ROTARY IS WONDERFUL IN THAT THEY, HONOR TWO STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL EVERY MONTH, WHO ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE HIGH ACHIEVING ACADEMICALLY AND REALLY ALL WELL ROUNDED CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SCHOOL.

SO THEY INVITE THE STUDENTS TO LUNCH, THEY GIVE THEM A CERTIFICATE, AND REALLY HAVE THEM THERE AS THEIR GUESTS.

SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE TO CELEBRATE OUR STUDENTS.

I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THEIR GENEROSITY TO EACH YEAR, THE ROTARY GIVES A $15,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO A PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT ROTARY, AND TO BE GREAT PARTNERS WITH THEM, ANOTHER EVENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND, JUST YESTERDAY,

[00:05:10]

MISTER BERKOWITZ AND I WERE ABLE TO ATTEND A SYMPOSIUM FOR WESTCHESTER SUPERINTENDENTS, ADDRESSING ANTI-SEMITISM AND OTHER FORMS OF HATE.

THERE WAS ALMOST 40 DISTRICTS REPRESENTED, THEIR SUPERINTENDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE REGION, ALONG WITH, BUILDING LEADERS, OTHER DISTRICT LEVEL LEADERS. IT WAS HOSTED BY THE WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL AT THE GREENBERG PUBLIC LIBRARY.

A REALLY WONDERFUL EVENT THEY DID.

THEY SHARED A LOT OF RESOURCES WITH US THAT ARE GREAT FOR PROACTIVE TRAINING, FOR CURRICULUM, FOR CRISIS RESPONSE.

THE THING I REALLY APPRECIATED ABOUT IT IS ALMOST ALL THE GROUPS REALLY CLARIFIED THEIR FOCUSES ON WORKING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.

SO SUPPORTING STUDENT, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, PEOPLE OF THE JEWISH FAITH, BUT ALSO HAD A UNIVERSAL APPROACH TO THEIR WORK AND THAT THEY ALSO STOOD BY HATE IN ALL OF ITS FORMS OF ANY KIND.

SO REALLY VERY BROAD REACH.

AND IT WAS GREAT TO BE BE THERE AND TO REALLY HEAR THAT SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER THING THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING, WHICH THE BOARD I KNOW IS AWARE FROM OUR REPORTS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, BUT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE PLANS TO HOLD LUNCHEONS WITH FACULTY.

SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR I HAD A JOINT MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL, FACULTY LUNCHEON, AND THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK, I WAS ABLE TO SPEND TIME AT HUTCHINSON FOR LUNCH.

IT WAS WONDERFUL. I THINK ALMOST THE ENTIRE FACULTY TURNED OUT, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

FOR THEM TO TAKE THE TIME AND COME TO TALK WAS WONDERFUL.

SO IT'S GIVING ME A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT WITH FOLKS, JUST HEAR WHAT'S ON THEIR MINDS, HEAR HOW MANY OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, HOW THOSE TRICKLE DOWN AND IMPLEMENT AND IMPACT THE CLASSROOM LEVEL.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET A COLONIAL LUNCHEON ON THE BOOKS BEFORE THE HOLIDAY BREAK.

IT'S GETTING A LITTLE TIGHT, SO IF WE DON'T DO THAT BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET THAT ON JANUARY.

AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE. I'M GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.

SO WE DID HUTCHINSON DOING COLONIAL NEXT, AND WE'LL MOVE TO [INAUDIBLE] FOLLOWING THAT PROSPECT HILL.

AND THEN WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND TO THE SECONDARY BUILDINGS IN THE SPRING.

AS THEY HAVE SUCH LARGER FACULTIES.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

SO APPRECIATE FOLKS TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT.

ONE THING THAT I JUST MENTIONED IT NOW, BUT I THINK WHEN WE GET DOWN TO POTENTIALLY TO NEW BUSINESS, WE MIGHT CIRCLE BACK TO IT.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME AND SPEAK TO US AND EMAIL US, BUT VERY MUCH IS ON THE BOARD'S MIND, THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT GLOVER COMPLEX.

SO WE'VE BEEN, AS BOARD KNOWS, WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, OUR FOLK, OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE TOWN.

AND, I HAD SHARED WITH THE BOARD A DRAFT LETTER, THAT I KNOW SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WERE INTERESTED IN SIGNING ON AND A JOINT LETTER TO SOLICIT ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY. SO IF WE'VE GOT SOME TIME LATER, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND JUST SEE IF THERE'S ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.

AND, THANKS BY DEFAULT TO, MR. BURKE, WHOSE WIFE WAS, IS ON THE BOARD AND HELPED TO DRAFT THAT.

SO, HOPING TO HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION THERE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT.

IT'S A GOOD ANSWER, TO MOVE THOSE EFFORTS FORWARD.

AND I KNOW WILL HAS BEEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ALSO TO LOOK FOR SOME SOLUTIONS THERE.

AND JIM'S BEEN LOOKING UP SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE'RE IT'S STILL ON OUR MINDS.

WE'RE EXPLORING DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

IT'S NOT AN EASY PROBLEM.

BUT I DO THINK THE COUNTY COULD BE A GOOD, A OF ASSISTANCE IN TRYING TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS SO INTER JURISDICTIONAL.

TWO MORE ITEMS FOR TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA.

I SHARED THIS WITH THE BOARD, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LAST MINUTE ADDITION, BUT THINGS GOT A LITTLE BACKED UP IN OUR OFFICES TODAY.

THERE WERE TWO RFP, AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS ADDED TO THE AGENDA LATE TODAY, ONE IS FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTANT.

SO, THANKS TO MICHAEL, TO IAN AND TO JACKIE FOR JOINING THE CABINET AND MYSELF TO INTERVIEW FINALISTS, FOR THAT, RFP, AND I'M RECOMMENDING TONIGHT THAT WE AWARD THAT TO HAZARD, YOUNG AND [INAUDILE], WHO THEY KNOW OUR DISTRICT WELL THROUGH SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES, THE ONE WHO PLACED ME HERE AND THE MY PREDECESSOR, I BELIEVE, AS WELL AS THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE BOARD.

SO THEY DO HAVE A DIFFERENT ARM OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT HANDLES STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND THAT'S WHO WE INTERVIEWED, AND THEY SEEM VERY EXPERIENCED.

VERY. AND I THINK THEIR APPROACH SEEMS VERY MUCH TO FIT WITH CERTAINLY WITH THE BOARD HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR FROM AN APPROACH PERSPECTIVE.

SO, RECOMMENDING THEM TONIGHT FOR YOUR, FOR THE AWARD SO THAT WE CAN GET THE PROCESS UP AND RUNNING.

THEY HAVE A FOUR PHASE PROCESS.

AND FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM THE OTHER DAY, I, THEY SEEM TO BELIEVE IT WAS REASONABLE TO GET THROUGH THREE OF THE FOUR PHASES BY JUNE.

SO WE'LL BE HAVING FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THAT, AND THAT SHOULD TAKE US FROM START THROUGH, BROAD STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO A BOARD

[00:10:04]

APPROVED PLAN BY THE END OF JUNE WITH THE ACTUAL ITEM ACTION ITEMS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THEN CRAFTED, STARTING SUMMER AND INTO THE NEXT YEAR.

BUT THE BIG PICTURE STRATEGIC GOALS, WHICH WE SHOULD BE THERE BY THE END OF JUNE THE OTHER RFP IS ONE THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE BOARD ABOUT AS WELL, AND THROUGH MY MEMOS, AND THAT WAS TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPLEMENTAL SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL SKILLS SERVICES, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE DO WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT WE CAN DO.

AND ONE OF OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, PELHAM TOGETHER, HAS BEEN GROWING IN THEIR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SERVICES.

FOLKS MAY BE AWARE OF THE LOW AND NO COST COUNSELING SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT HUGUENOT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF PELHAM TOGETHER AND THEIR COUNSELING CENTER THAT THEY HAVE SET UP, SO WE ISSUED AN RFP.

WE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT APPLICANTS.

I'M RECOMMENDING AWARDING THAT RFP TO PELHAM TOGETHER.

I MEAN, IT WOULD JUST STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP.

IT WOULD PROVIDE, LIKELY SOME ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORK SUPPORTS THAT WE WOULD PLUG IN TO SUPPORT SOME.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OR ESL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHERE WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE DEDICATED SOCIAL WORK SUPPORT LIKELY WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF GROUPS WITH STUDENTS, MAYBE SOME PARENT WORKSHOPS, A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS WHERE THEY CAN BUILD OUR CAPACITY TO MEET.

SOME MEET OUR NEEDS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

SO I'M RECOMMENDING THAT TONIGHT.

I KNOW IF SHE WAS HERE, ANNE MARIE WOULD MAKE, YOU KNOW, WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE, AS I KNOW YOU ARE, THAT SHE IS, SHE DOES WORK FOR PELHAM TOGETHER.

SO SHE WOULD NOT BE PART OF TONIGHT'S VOTE.

EVEN IF SHE WERE HERE. SHE WOULD HAVE TO ABSTAIN FROM THAT VOTE.

BUT I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THOSE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.

BUT WE'RE REALLY THRILLED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION WHO HAS THIS CAPACITY TO WORK WITH US, AND FINALLY, I KNOW WE'VE GOT A COMMITTEE REPORTS, BUT I THOUGHT I'D MENTION IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A BOARD COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S A DISTRICT COMMITTEE.

BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE MEETINGS OF THE CULTURAL COMPETENCE COMMITTEE HAVE OCCURRED THIS YEAR.

WE HAD MID I THINK IT WAS NOVEMBER 14TH AND THEN DECEMBER 5TH.

SO OUR FOCUS FOR THIS YEAR IS TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE STATE'S CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND SUSTAINING EDUCATION FRAMEWORK, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE FIRST TWO ELEMENTS OF THAT WHICH TALK ABOUT A WELCOMING AND AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENT, WHICH I THINK FITS VERY WELL WITH OUR BOARD GOAL ON COMMUNICATION AND CLIMATE, AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS IS THE SECOND AREA WHICH FITS WITH OUR ACADEMIC GOALS.

SO IT'S BEEN, WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROUP, WE'VE GOT OUR SCHOOL CULTURE COACHES.

PART OF THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM, ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATION FROM TEACHERS.

WE'VE GOT A HALF A DOZEN PARENTS,, ADMINISTRATORS AND OF COURSE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE BOARD.

AND THAT ENDS MY UPDATE FOR TONIGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

YES. OKAY.

[4.2 Board of Education Committee Reports]

COMMITTEE. ANY TRANSITION INTO COMMITTEES? YEAH. ANY. ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS.

WHAT'S THE PLAN ON THAT LETTER? SO I GUESS WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT NOW.

OR WE COULD DO IT DURING THE NEW BUSINESS SECTION.

MY THOUGHT HAD BEEN GET FEEDBACK, SEE IF THERE'S ANY EDITS TO SUGGEST BACK TO THEM YOU KNOW, AGREE ON A LETTER AND THEN IT COULD GO ONE OF TWO WAYS.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, MICHAEL COULD SIGN AS BOARD PRESIDENT.

I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO SIGN A SUPERINTENDENT OR IF THE WHOLE FULL BOARD WANTED NAMES, YOUR NAMES INCLUDED ON THAT, WE COULD GO EITHER WAY.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST THE PREFERENCE OF THE BOARD.

OKAY. YEAH.

ARE WE DISCUSSING IT NOW OR DO YOU WANT TO PUNT IT? SURE. YEAH. SHOULD WE JUST DO IT NOW? YEAH. LET'S DO IT NOW. SO THIS THE SPECIFIC ASK OF THE LETTER.

LET ME BRING IT UP IS FOR A STUDY.

IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH I THINK A TRAFFIC STUDY AND POTENTIALLY FUNDING ASSISTANCE WITH WHATEVER NEEDS TO COME OUT OF IT.

OKAY. YEAH, AND SO I DON'T I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

I'M TRYING TO FIND IT, AND I JUST HOPE IT.

I'M SURE IT'S EXCELLENTLY WRITTEN.

I'M SURE IT'S BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN, BUT I HOPE WE CAN JUST CONVEY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REAL TIME PROBLEM.

AND IF THE KIND OF STUDY COULD BE EXPEDITED AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE EXPEDITED, AND IT'S JUST NOT PLACED IN SOME BUREAUCRATIC BLACK HOLE, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THIS IS A REAL TIME PROBLEM.

YEAH. SO ALMOST LIKE A CALL TO ACTION.

YEAH. THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL.

THIS IS A RIGHT. YEAH.

SO MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT I SAID IT WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT UP BY A CONCERNED PARENT, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING CONCERN.

I KNOW THERE WAS ONE PARENT THAT CAME AND SPOKE.

NATALIE. OH, THERE WAS ONE PARENT THAT CAME AND SPOKE TO US.

BUT I THINK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND MAYBE YEARS, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS CONCERN WITH OUR KIDS GOING OVER.

SO MAYBE WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ONE PARENT.

[00:15:01]

SO THAT WAY THEY UNDERSTAND THE I DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK, WELL, ONE PARENT COMPLAINED.

IT'S LIKE THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL ISSUES.

I YEAH, I AGREE, I THINK THAT ONE PARENT JUST HAPPENED TO THAT ONE PARENT ARTICULATED.

RIGHT. THE FEELINGS OF MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HELD OVER MANY YEARS.

AND THIS INDIVIDUAL DID.

RIGHT. THERE'S BEEN THE PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE, RIGHT, THAT HAS BROUGHT THAT UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND YOU WERE THERE, THEY BROUGHT THAT ALSO THE KIDS WALKING OVER TO GLOVER AND JUST DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS IN TOWN THAT ARE VERY DANGEROUS.

BUT THAT ONE, THEY HAVE TO GO THERE.

YEAH. IT'S NOT LIKE WE COULD TELL OUR KIDS, WELL, JUST DON'T WALK, YOU KNOW, DOWN THAT STREET.

THEY HAVE TO GO THERE, RIGHT? THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION TOO, THAT THE THE TOWN HAD ASKED US IF THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE THEY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO BE COSIGNERS.

I'M WONDERING IF PTA AND PTA COUNCIL WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS.

MAYBE THEM OR THE PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE? I THINK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TOO, BECAUSE THAT, I THINK, WOULD HELP TO ILLUSTRATE THE SCOPE OF THE CONCERN.

AND I'M THINKING THE URGENCY KIND OF, AS YOU SAID, THE URGENCY OF THE SPRING SEASON COMING, I THINK WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A FORTUNATE LULL RIGHT NOW IN USE ON THAT PROPERTY.

BUT WITH THE SPRING SEASON COMING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ACTION OR MOVEMENT BY THEN, I THINK IS THAT WAS A FAIR ASK OF THE PARENT WHO WAS HERE.

SO. OKAY ALL RIGHT.

I WILL PASS THAT BACK.

AND WE'LL TRY TO GET A FINAL DRAFT ASAP.

WE'LL CIRCULATE AROUND, SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SIGN ON, AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE TOWN TO GET THAT.

I'M HAPPY TO BE A SIGNATORY.

OKAY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

DO YOU ALL WANT TO SIGN OR DO WE WANT TO SIGN ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD? I MEAN, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIGN, RIGHT? OKAY. YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO.

ALSO, IF IT EXPEDITES THINGS TO JUST HAVE YOU AND MICHAEL SIGN, THAT'S FINE WITH ME TOO.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

CAN I JUST SAY THANK YOU, TO MRS. BURKE FOR DRAFTING THIS? ABSOLUTELY. YES.

I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD WITH WORDS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY.

COMMITTEES, I KNOW THAT WE HAD FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THE FACILITIES COMMITTEES MET FOR BUILDING TOURS.

SO MAYBE, JIM, IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO [INAUDIBLE] TO, JUMP IN QUICKLY.

SO AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL WORK PLAN FOR THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, THE BOARD AND THE COMMITTEE ARE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT AND VISIT, OTHER SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA AND LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS OF THOSE SCHOOLS.

SO SOME SCHOOLS HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

WE WANT TO KIND OF HAVE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WE WANT TO LOOK AT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE JOINT CAMPUSES, SUCH AS WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN PELHAM.

SOME SCHOOLS HAVE, CERTAIN SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS, WHICH I THINK ARE ATTRACTIVE AND THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.

SO OUR FIRST VISIT WAS TO THE, RYE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT CAMPUS, IT'S A STONE BUILDING, AND IT'S DISTRICT'S VERY SIMILAR TO PELHAM IN THAT THERE'S NO TRANSPORTATION.

STUDENT SIZE IS VERY SIMILAR, AND AGAIN, IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET A REAL LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CAMPUS.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALSO ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES THERE, AND THEY WERE VERY WILLING TO OPEN UP THEIR BUILDING AND ALLOW US TO SEE, REALLY THE ENTIRE SITE.

SO, I THINK THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE FOR THE COMMITTEE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS LIKE OPEN SPACES AND, THINGS LIKE SAFETY CAMERAS AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS AS THE COMMITTEE WOULD WANT TO SEE.

AND THEN, THE SECOND VISIT WAS FOR THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS.

ONE WAS LOOKING AT THE POST ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS A SCHOOL I WOULD I KIND OF CALL IT LIKE THE BIG BROTHER OF HUTCHINSON SCHOOL.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE SAME ARCHITECT.

IT WAS BUILT ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, AND IT PRESENTLY HAS GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING.

SO THAT WAS REALLY THE IDEA OF GOING TO THAT PARTICULAR SITE AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AND SEE HOW THAT'S WORKED AND HOW THEY'VE OPERATED THAT FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS AND THEN SECONDARILY, THE SECOND SITE WAS AT THE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS A STONE STRUCTURE, CURRENTLY MIDDLE SCHOOL STARTED OUT AS A HIGH SCHOOL CLOSE TO 100 YEARS AGO.

IT'S ABOUT SEVEN YEARS YOUNGER THAN PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THAT SCHOOL IS CURRENTLY BEING RETROFITTED FOR, FULL AIR CONDITIONING.

SO IT WAS AGAIN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES THERE AND SEE WHAT THAT PROJECT LOOKED LIKE.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SET IT UP FOR US OR WHATEVER, BUT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING WATCHING THEM DRILL THROUGH THOSE 18 INCH STONE WALLS, WHICH IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WE WOULD EXPECT HERE IF WE DID A SIMILAR PROJECT, BUT I THINK BOTH OF THEM WERE VERY INFORMATIVE AND IT WAS A NICE OPPORTUNITY.

[00:20:02]

AGAIN, WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE OTHER PLACES.

AND, YOU GET GOOD IDEAS.

AND IT'S ALSO A GOOD, GAUGE TO SEE WHERE WE STAND COMPARED TO OTHERS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER PLACES WITH SOME I THINK WE WANT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL SPACES THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN RENOVATED IN SOME LOCAL AREAS, SO THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE FOR THE YEAR.

AND THEN FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

WE MET THIS MORNING. WE TALKED ABOUT, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS ADJUSTED TO OUR BUDGET ALONG WITH THE DISTRICT'S LONG RANGE PLAN.

NOW THAT MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ALSO KIND OF A PRELIM OR EARLY LOOK ON WHAT OUR TAX CAP FORMULA WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR, I THINK I GOT IT ALL. YES.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, I GUESS WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO

[6. Financial Reports and Motions]

SECTION SIX.

YEAH AND.

I THINK WE COULD DO ITEM 6.1 THROUGH 6.3 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

DEFINITELY. ANYONE MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS. SO MOVED.

SECOND. OKAY.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY 6.2 AND 6.3 ARE THE TWO RFP RESPONSES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, WITHIN, 6.1, I'LL JUST POINT OUT, FOR MYSELF, ONE OF THE BUDGET TRANSFERS YOU SEE HERE, I DID INCLUDE THIS AGAIN IN MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD, AS YOU REMEMBER, WE ORIGINALLY HAD BUDGETED FOR THE DEI COORDINATOR POSITION, NOT ABLE TO FILL IT, RESTRUCTURED IT TO SCHOOL CULTURE COACHES AT A MUCH LOWER STIPEND AMOUNT SO AND THEN WE SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED A, CONSULTANT TO DO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THAT WAS EARL HUNTER.

SO WHAT THE ONE OF THE TRANSFERS HERE, THE $15,000 TRANSFER HERE, IS TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THAT WERE NO LONGER NEEDED FROM THE PERSONNEL LINE FOR THE COORDINATOR MODEL, TRANSFERRING THEM TO CONTRACTUAL.

SO THOSE CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO IN EARL IS ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT THIS WEEK, STARTING HIS WORK GETTING TO KNOW THE BUILDINGS THAT HE ALREADY KNOWS THE ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS, BUT REALLY HAVING SOME DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS AND NOW GETTING TO KNOW THE SECONDARY BUILDING.

SO IT'S BEEN ALREADY VERY PRODUCTIVE WEEK.

AND HE'LL BE BACK IN JANUARY WITH SOME TO START SOME OF THE INITIAL SOME OF THE FOLLOW UP STEPS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THIS INCLUDES THE STRATEGIC PLAN CONSULTANT.

YES. AND PELHAM TOGETHER.

CORRECT. AND SO YOU SHOULD ABSTAIN.

RIGHT. SO I'LL ABSTAIN FROM THIS VOTE BECAUSE I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF PELHAM TOGETHER.[INAUDIBLE] YEAH.

SO ARE WE DOING? CAN I VOTE ON THE OTHER ONES? WELL, YOU CAN LEAVE IT AS A CONSENT AND SHE COULD ABSTAIN FOR THE WHOLE.

OR YOU COULD REDO THE VOTE EITHER.

IS THAT OKAY? IT'S FINE.

OKAY. AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE HYA PLAN AND THE OTHER AND BOTH STRONG CANDIDATES.

BUT THE HYA PROPOSAL, THEY HAD A VERY STRUCTURED, ORGANIZED, PRESENTATION AS WELL AS AFTER THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS OVER, THEY HAD A VERY INTERESTING, DATA DASHBOARD STRUCTURE THAT EXISTS AT THE NETWORK, THIS DISTRICT WIDE LEVEL, AS WELL AS EACH SCHOOL THAT WILL HAVE SIX MONTHS, COMPLIMENTARY.

AND THEN WE CAN DETERMINE IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE IT.

BUT IT SEEMED LIKE A PRETTY POWERFUL POST STRATEGIC PLAN TOOL.

AND I LOVE DASHBOARDS.

IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY TIPPED THEM OFF.

YES. THEY DID.

YEAH. OKAY.

MAKING ME THINK NOW.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY. ONE ABSTENTION.

OKAY. MOTION CARRIES.

THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

[7. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]

SO I THINK WE COULD CONSIDER 7.1 THROUGH 7.5 AS A CONSENT AGENDA IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO SO.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I THINK I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO TEACHERS WHO ARE PUT THE RESIGNATION FOR RETIREMENT, AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL CELEBRATE THEM IN

[00:25:07]

JUNE. I JUST WANT TO THANK DOCTOR [INAUDIBLE] FOR 22 YEARS IN THE DISTRICT, AND SHE WILL BE LEAVING US AT THE END OF JANUARY.

AND MR. MARK FINNEGAN, WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR 28 YEARS, I THINK, WHEN HE'S ALL SAID AND DONE PLUS.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR LONG CAREER AND WE WISH THEM ALL THE BEST.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. OKAY.

[8. Pupil Personnel Services]

AND I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 8.1, SCHEDULE D.

SO MOVED, SECOND.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. OKAY.

AND DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS TO DISCUSS OR.

WE'RE KIND OF DONE WITH THAT.

OKAY. SO I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND PERSONNEL MATTER.

SO MOVED, SECOND.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.