Jan 03, 2024 January 3, 2024 - Business Meeting

[00:00:06]

OH, YEAH. I'LL BE TAKING NOTES TONIGHT.

OKAY, I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE BUSINESS MEETING OF THE PELHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION OF JANUARY 3RD, 2024.

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

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

WE ENTERED EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE, AS WELL AS TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION, SALE OR LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY, BUT ONLY AS IT RELATED TO WHEN PUBLICITY WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECT THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY.

UM. AND I'LL WELCOME EVERYBODY.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

UM, NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY BACK.

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GOOD WINTER BREAK.

UM, OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS I'LL DO AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

[3. Approval of Minutes]

UM, ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 18TH AND 13TH.

SO MOVED.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? NO. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING. AND AS WELL.

WELCOME EVERYONE BACK.

[4.1 Superintendent's Report]

UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THIS SECOND PORTION OF THE YEAR.

UM, SO JUST A FEW THINGS QUICKLY.

UM, NEXT, OUR NEXT MEETING, I'LL BE PRESENTING MY MID-YEAR REPORT.

THE BOARD'S ALREADY SEEN KIND OF A PREVIEW OF THAT AT OUR RETREAT BACK IN DECEMBER.

SO BE EXCITED TO BRING THAT FORWARD OUR NEXT TIME.

AND THEN OUR THIRD OUR THIRD MEETING OF THE MONTH SINCE IT IS SUCH A LONG MONTH WITH WEDNESDAYS.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS.

UH, DOCTOR ALAN DALEY WILL BE WITH US TO PRESENT THOSE.

UH, DOCTOR GARCIA, WHO'S NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US TONIGHT? I WAS ABLE TO GET A PREVIEW OF THAT WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS WHO HELPED TO DESIGN THAT.

UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM COMING.

HE'LL BE COMING, UH, DOING TWO SESSIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS PRIOR.

ONE WILL BE A REMOTE PRESENTATION TO GO OVER THE RESULTS WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.

AND THEN THE DAY THAT HE'S IN DISTRICT, HE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE GROUP AS WELL, SO WE CAN START TO DIG IN AND COME UP WITH SOME ACTION ITEMS AS A RESULT, WITH THE HOPES OF IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS ALREADY THIS SPRING.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

UM, STRATEGIC PLANNING.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING UP AND RUNNING THIS MONTH.

UM, JIM'S OFFICE IS FINALIZING THE CONTRACTS FOR THAT.

SO WE'LL BE RECONNECTING WITH HAZARD, YOUNG AND ATTEA, AND WE'LL BE GETTING MOST LIKELY THE SURVEYS WILL BE THE FIRST THING THAT FOLKS WILL BE SEEING.

SO WE'LL BE GETTING SURVEYS UP AND RUNNING.

WE ANTICIPATE FOCUS GROUPS AS WELL.

SO BE MORE TO COME ON THAT.

AND I'LL CERTAINLY BE MORE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO STRUCTURE THE PROCESS.

SO THE MORE CONVERSATION TO COME ON THAT.

UM, I KNOW A BIG, UH, BIG GROCERY STORE TOPIC HAS BEEN THE CALENDAR FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, FROM WHAT I HEAR.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT INTERNALLY.

UM, AND I HOPE TO BE GIVING THE BOARD A DRAFT OF THAT THIS FRIDAY WHEN I SEND MY WEEKLY UPDATE HOME.

UM, THERE ARE SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CALENDAR TO COME.

THE WAY THE CALENDAR FALLS, THERE ARE A LOT OF REGULATIONS AROUND IT.

STATES AND SETS REGENTS RATING DAY, WHICH IS THE LAST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THEN WE BACK INTO THE CALENDAR FROM THERE, GIVEN FEDERAL HOLIDAYS, UH, STATE EDUCATION HOLIDAYS, TRADITIONAL VACATION BREAKS THAT SCHOOLS TAKE.

UM, SO WE ARE THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THE PIECES IS THERE'S IN SOME YEARS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO START WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCE DAYS BEFORE LABOR DAY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH OUR TEACHERS UNION.

SO THAT PROCESS IS ONGOING AS WE SPEAK.

UM, AND SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER ON A DIRECTION FOR THAT BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

SO I'LL BE FORWARDING THAT TO THE BOARD ON FRIDAY.

AND THEN WE CAN, UM, AT THE MEETING ON THE 17TH, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT, THE DETAILS OF THAT CALENDAR.

AND I HOPE TO BE MAKING AN INITIAL RECOMMENDATION ON A CALENDAR FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR TO THE BOARD FOR, UH, FOR APPROVAL ON THE MEETING ON THE 17TH.

UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO BE KEEPING YOUR EYES OUT FOR.

WE GOT A SPELLING BEE COMING UP ON JANUARY 9TH.

ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME, I BELIEVE, DOCTOR BOWMAN.

THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY.

SO THAT'S FUN, RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL.

SO I THINK WE USUALLY HAVE A LOT OF OUR ELEMENTARY KIDS ARE OFTEN PRETTY BIG COMPETITORS IN THAT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING.

SO UH, BOARDS CERTAINLY WELCOME TO JOIN US FOR THAT.

AND THEN, UM, SORRY IF I'M JUMPING THE GUN ON THIS FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT, UH, NATALIE, WHO MIGHT SAY SOMETHING.

[00:05:02]

WE WERE AT HUTCHINSON IN THE EVENING LAST TIME, WHICH WAS A REALLY NICE CHANGE OF PACE.

UM, WE ARE, UM, SINCE SAFETY HAS BEEN A TOPIC ON PEOPLE'S MINDS, WE'VE ASKED MISTER RICKY AND TOM DRAKE, OUR [INAUDIBLE] CONSULTANT, TO JOIN US FOR COFFEE.

I'M TREATING, UM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT THE COFFEE WITH US ON THE 11TH.

SO FOLKS WANT TO COME AND HAVE, UH, SECURITY SAFETY QUESTIONS ON THEIR MIND.

WE WILL HAVE THE EXPERTS HERE WITH US THAT DAY.

THAT'S IT FOR TODAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

UM, NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD OF EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[4.2 Board of Education Committee Reports]

UH, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED, AND CERTAINLY I THINK ONE OF THE LARGER ONES WILL BE THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM, STORMWATER MITIGATION DISCUSSION.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, SOME OF THE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT, UH, UPDATED LEAD WATER TESTING ON PREVIOUS TESTING THAT HAD BEEN DONE AND SOME MITIGATION THAT WE UNDERTOOK WITH ADDING FILTERS TO CERTAIN DRINKING FOUNTAINS.

AND WE HAVE CLEARANCES ON THOSE ON THOSE OUTLETS OF WATER THAT PREVIOUSLY OVER TESTED OVER THE LIMITS.

UH, WE WORKED WE DISCUSSED THE, UH, OUR THE ANNUAL WORK OF THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE AND BENCHMARKING AND OUR VISITS TO OTHER SCHOOLS.

WE'RE TRYING TO WORK UP, UH, TWO MORE VISITS, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH.

SO I THINK OUR TARGET IS PROBABLY SCARSDALE AND BRONXVILLE SCHOOLS.

SO WE WANT TO GET A LOOK AND SEE.

UH, AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE HAD A GOOD BREADTH OF OF LOOKING AT DIFFERENT STRUCTURES.

AND WE WANT TO LOOK AT THIS ONE AS WELL.

UH, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FACILITY USE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE FEE SCHEDULES.

THERE'S AN AMENDMENT ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA TO INCLUDE THE PELHAM CHILDREN'S THEATER, WHICH HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING ORGANIZATION IN DISTRICT SINCE THE 1960S AND WAS JUST LEFT OFF OF OUR LIST.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN, UH, AS A NO COST ORGANIZATION, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN IF THEY DRIVE COSTS, THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY.

UH, SO IF THEY HAVE AN EVENT AND REQUIRE, SAY, CUSTODIAL OR OTHER LABOR SUPPORTS, UH, THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSING THE DISTRICT FOR THOSE EXPENSES.

UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE DID TALK ABOUT THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM STORMWATER MITIGATION DISCUSSION, WHICH AGAIN REVOLVES AROUND JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND PARK. AND SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS AGAIN TALKED ABOUT, UH, USE OF THE SITE.

UM, THE, UH, THE TITLE SEARCH, WHICH WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED ON THAT PROPERTY.

UH, CONFIRMING THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS THE PROPERTY, THAT THERE AREN'T ANY, UM, PROHIBITIONS ON THAT PROPERTY.

UH, I THINK THE NEXT STEP IS TO MOVE FORWARD AND RECEIVE SOME SORT OF APPRAISALS FOR THAT PROPERTY.

SO WE'VE MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND ALSO THE CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE.

UH, AND ALSO WE'VE, WE'VE WAS THAT IF IF THIS PROJECT WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, I THINK AT THIS POINT, THE CONSENSUS IS THAT THE DISTRICT NOT BE IN A POSITION TO OWN THE PROPERTY, IF THAT RETENTION SYSTEM IS IN PLACE.

UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE LONG STANDING NATURE OF WHAT THE STRUCTURE WOULD BE.

UM, WATER, IF THERE WERE ANY, UM, ANY FURTHER LIABILITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THE COMMITTEE IS STILL WORKING ON THIS.

THEY'VE MET UM, WE MET WITH OBVIOUSLY WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE VILLAGE LEADERSHIP WHEN THEY FIRST, UH, PROPOSED THE PROJECT.

UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS MET AND DISCUSSED IT I THINK TWO TIMES NOW.

AND ONCE THAT, UH, THAT APPRAISAL COMES BACK, WE EXPECT THAT TO BE BACK BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

UH, AGAIN, WE'LL I ASSUME THAT WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

UH, SO THAT'S ALL I HAD FOR FACILITIES.

JIM, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, WOULD THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND A PUBLIC DISCUSSION AROUND IT? YOU KNOW, AND GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT OR WHAT, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN? I THINK, UM, I THINK THE COMMITTEE CERTAINLY IS MADE UP OF BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALREADY.

YEAH. UM, AND, AND I THINK THEY'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD, WHICH COULD VERY WELL INCLUDE THAT, UH, THAT PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

YEAH. UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION SUCH AS THAT.

YEAH. YEAH. BECAUSE I KNOW WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE VILLAGE, AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS.

UM. YEAH, I CONCUR.

I MEAN, MAYOR MULLINS SENT A REQUEST SPECIFICALLY, UM, BUT AND I WOULD WANT TO USE IT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ONGOING LIKE IF, IF THIS WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR ONGOING MAINTENANCE LIABILITY BUILD ABILITY

[00:10:02]

UM, UH, NOT TO MENTION IT'S JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND.

CORRECT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'D REALLY WANT TO HEAR HOW THEY WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF THESE ISSUES.

SO I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT OUT IN PUBLIC SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY RAPIDLY COME BACK TO THE VILLAGE WITH A RESPONSE.

AND JUST CONFIRMING THE INITIAL REQUEST WAS FOR POTENTIALLY AN EASEMENT.

RIGHT. AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT.

UM, BUT THE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDING THAT THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD NOT GO THAT ROUTE, THAT IF THE PROJECT WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM THERE POTENTIALLY BE A SALE OR OF THE PROPERTY OR.

YEAH. I THINK THE, I THINK THE ORIGINAL DISCUSSION WAS THE ABILITY TO PLACE THIS, UM, RETENTION SYSTEM UNDER THE PARK.

AND, UM, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL SAY CONSENSUS AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS THAT IF THIS WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND IT WERE TO BE IN THIS PARTICULAR SITE, JUST AS MR. ROSE STATED THAT IT'S A IT'S A FOREVER TYPE OF A, UH, SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE THERE MAINTENANCE, UM, THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT'S PROBABLY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF THAT SITE.

YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TO BUILD ON TOP OF THAT SITE.

RIGHT. AND LONG TERM MAINTENANCE AND POTENTIAL LIABILITIES THAT COULD ARISE FROM THAT, THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT IT AGAIN, THE CONSENSUS WOULD BE THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD PROBABLY NOT WANT OWNERSHIP OF THAT LAND AT THAT TIME.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT AT ANY POINT OF OF MAKING A DECISION ON THAT AT ALL.

BUT IF THAT WERE TO BE THE CASE, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE PROCEDURALLY, HOW HOW THAT HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

HOW SO? SO THIS HOW A DISTRICT, A SCHOOL DISTRICT, A SALE OF A PROPERTY OR SOMETHING.

SO A SALE OF A PROPERTY AS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT WOULD BE DONE THROUGH A PUBLIC VOTE.

UH, AND THAT WOULD EITHER DEPENDING ON THE TIMING, IT COULD, IT WOULD BE COORDINATED WITH, UH, AN ANNUAL ELECTION OR A SEPARATE VOTE AT A, AT A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD.

SO IT COULD BE SEPARATE. IT COULD BE SEPARATE AT SEPARATE TIMES.

OKAY. WAS IN, IN THE IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING WAS THE NOTION OF A SOME KIND OF SWAP OF PROPERTY.

WAS THAT DISCUSSED? WELL, I THINK THERE WAS A THOUGHT THAT IF THERE WAS ANY INTEREST FOR THE DISTRICT, AS DOES THE VILLAGE, HOLD PROFIT, PROPERTY OR AN ASSET THAT COULD BE OF VALUE TO THE DISTRICT IF THE DISTRICT WERE TO CHANGE OWNERSHIP? AND, UH, JUST IN KIND OF THE ROUGH DISCUSSIONS, WHAT WHAT COULD THAT BE? WHAT, AGAIN, YOU THINK OF THE PROPERTY HOLDINGS OF THE OF THE VILLAGE, UH, VERSUS THE DISTRICT.

CERTAINLY. DISTRICT OWNS MORE SOME PRIMARY PROPERTY HOLDER AMONGST THE FOUR MUNICIPALITIES.

AND I'LL GO BACK TO MAYBE THE WORD THAT THAT MISTER ROWE USED THE BUILDABILITY.

I KNOW AS I LISTEN TO A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION LIABILITY AND BUILD ABILITY REALLY I THINK ARE WHAT TWO MAJOR CONCERNS.

UM, SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE PLANS TO BUILD ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE POTENTIAL THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOME OF THE CONVERSATION FROM THE COMMITTEE HAS REALLY CENTERED AROUND MAINTAINING BUILD ABILITY FOR FUTURE BOARDS.

SO TO SORT OF SUMMARIZE THE POTENTIAL AVENUES THAT THIS COULD GO DOWN IN.

NO, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, THERE'S THE EASEMENT OPTION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH OFF THE TABLE BASED ON AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A RIGHT RIGHT THERE.

THERE'S THERE COULD BE SALE AS ONE OPTION.

RIGHT. THERE COULD BE A SWAP AS ANOTHER OPTION.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BUILD ABILITY ISSUES COULD BE COULD MAKE THAT UNLIKELY.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE DEFINITIVE ON THAT.

AND THEN THE PRESUMABLY THE FINAL OPTION WOULD BE NOT TO PROCEED IN ANY FORM WITH THIS.

SO HAVE I MISSED ANY OF THE OPTIONS? I THINK THAT'S THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE AVENUES THAT THE BOARD HAS TO DECIDE BETWEEN.

AND THEIR PROPOSITION IS JUST TO REBUILD THE PLAYGROUND.

RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH.

I THINK WHEN WHEN THEY, UH, KIND OF GAVE US A BROAD STROKE OF THE PROJECT, IT WAS TO INSTALL OR CONSTRUCT THE WATER RETENTION SYSTEM AND THEN RESTORE THE PARK IN LIKE, OR BETTER CONDITION.

RIGHT. BUT YOU CANNOT BUILD A STRUCTURE ON TOP OF THOSE TANKS.

100%, I TOTALLY GET IT.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE THE POTENTIAL LIABILITY, BECAUSE IN THE LETTER WE RECEIVED FROM, UH, MAYOR MULLEN, IT SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T BE IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY UTILITY, UM, BEING ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY.

CAN YOU TALK LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LIABILITY CONCERNS FOR THE DISTRICT? I WANT TO BE CAREFUL, I DON'T KNOW, I WAS GOING TO SAY COUNCILS, UM, AREA.

[00:15:03]

YEAH. AND THEN THE FINAL, THE FINAL STOP MAY NOT BE THE DISTRICT, IT MAY BE THOSE PROVIDING THE INSURANCE, BUT CERTAINLY THE DISTRICT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE FIRST AS THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD NOT BE LEFT OUT.

I'M GONNA STOP THERE. RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.

YEAH, BUT WE DID. I MEAN, WE DISCUSSED AND I GUESS JUST TO BACK UP BECAUSE THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE REALLY WAS ENGAGED IN FACT FINDING VERY WELL AND SORT OF DUE DILIGENCE. AND WE INVITED MAYOR MULLEN AND DEPUTY MAYOR CARPENTER.

RIGHT. YES. BOTH CAME TO THE MEETING AND PRESENTED THE PROPOSAL.

WE HAVE TO FACILITIES COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS FOR, I THINK, A 3 MILLION, 3 MILLION GALLON WATER TANK UNDER THE TENNIS COURTS AND BASKETBALL COURT, WHICH WE ESTIMATED WAS ABOUT THE SIZE, I THINK, OF FIVE OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS, SIX OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS UNDERGROUND, PLUS THE ABOVE GROUND DIESEL PUMPS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT WAS 5 OR 6.

UM, I DID DO SOME RESEARCH MY ON MY OWN.

AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLASSIFIES DIESEL EXHAUST AS LIKELY TO CAUSE CANCER IN HUMANS, SO A LITTLE CONCERNING HAVING IT ON A PLAYGROUND.

UM, WE THE WE REVIEWED THE TITLE SEARCH BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF RUMORS THAT THE DISTRICT DIDN'T OWN THE PROPERTY AND OR THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD REVERT TO DIFFERENT.

BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE.

CORRECT. AND IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS PURCHASED, I THINK, OVER IN SEVERAL ACTIONS BY BOARDS, I THINK OVER 100 YEARS AGO, I THINK ABOUT 1925, 20S, MID 20S AROUND WHEN WE FOUND IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THE PROPERTY IN CASE IT WAS EVER NEEDED FOR EDUCATIONAL USE TO BUILD SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE. WE REVIEWED WITH THE ARCHITECT IF IT COULD BE USED TO BUILD, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME RUMORS THAT WE COULDN'T BUILD ON IT, AND THE ARCHITECT SAID IT COULD BE USED TO BUILD SOMETHING.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED WERE PRE-K CENTER OR OFFICES.

AND I THINK MAYBE SOMEONE EVEN SAID A REC CENTER THAT WAS THROWN OUT AS A, AS AN IDEA.

NOT THAT WE'RE PURSUING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.

SWIMMING POOL. SWIMMING POOL WAS MENTIONED ALSO.

UM, I HAD TO GET THAT IN.

WE REVIEWED WITH COUNCIL PROCESS.

YEAH. AND NOW WE'RE WAITING ON THE APPRAISAL.

YEAH. AND THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.

AND MICHAEL OR MAYBE YOU CAN COMMENT ON BECAUSE THIS WAS A QUESTION OF WHY IT WENT TO THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.

THE REQUEST WENT TO THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE VERSUS A, I GUESS A BOARD, A FULL BOARD DISCUSSION.

YEAH, I THINK IT YOU KNOW, WE ALL TAKE, UM, GOVERNANCE TRAINING THAT'S MANDATORY FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

SO WE KNOW ABOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES.

AND THAT'S PART OF GOOD GOVERNANCE THAT WE DID A PROCESS TO DO THE FACT FINDING AND DUE DILIGENCE.

ALL RIGHT. THREE BOARD MEMBERS SIT ON YOUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE.

YEAH, AND A LOCAL ARCHITECT.

AN ARCHITECT, A ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL, YEAH, AND A FACILITIES DIRECTOR.

PROFESSIONAL. ALL RIGHT.

SO I GUESS IT'S THE QUESTION IS HOW TO PROCEED.

I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, NOT TO REPEAT THE OBVIOUS, BUT YOU SAID WE'RE WAITING FOR THE APPRAISAL.

I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE PIECE AT THIS POINT.

AND ONCE THAT COMES IN, I THINK THAT WILL THEN BEG THAT QUESTION.

ARE PEOPLE WANTING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING NOW OR WAIT TILL OUR NEXT MEETING TO DISCUSS IT OR.

I MEAN, I THINK IS A PUBLIC HEARING OR A PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR IS IT OR THE WORK SESSION? A WORK SESSION. I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO ENGAGE IN.

SO, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ON BOARD WITH THAT.

YEAH. I THINK A GOOD IDEA.

I THINK MAYOR MULLEN AND ANY OTHER, UM, REPRESENTATIVE, AGAIN, CAN ADDRESS THESE ISSUES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, THE BUILDABILITY ONGOING MAINTENANCE, AND AGAIN, THE FACT THAT IT'S TRULY ANN'S PLAYGROUND.

LIKE, HOW WOULD THAT BE ADDRESSED? I THINK HEARING THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING THAT WE COULD CREATE SOME TIME FOR.

[00:20:08]

SO JUST INVITE THEM TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

UH, YES, I THINK SO.

OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. AND IT CAN BE A WORK SESSION.

MEANING ENGAGE BACK AND FORTH DIALOG.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY. WE CAN, UH, DEFINITELY COMMUNICATE THAT THEN TO THEM.

OKAY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN JUST SPEAK DURING OPEN COMMENTS.

RIGHT LIKE THAT. YEAH.

I THINK WHEN WE DO THE MEETING NOTES NOTICE, WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT THERE WOULD BE A WORK SESSION OR A PRESENTATION BY THE VILLAGE ON THE, ON THE PROJECT.

SO WE WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME THAT.

AND I THINK AS WE USUALLY DO, WE WE PUT MULTIPLE COMMENT SESSIONS IN.

SO WE COULD CERTAINLY DESIGN A PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION ADJACENT TO THAT WORK SESSION PORTION.

OKAY, OKAY.

THANK YOU. DID WE HAVE OTHER COMMITTEES? SHOULD WE ASK THEM TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? WE COULD PAUSE AND DO PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU JUST COMMENT AT THE NEXT MEETING.

[5. Communications and Comments from the Public]

WE COULD DO BOTH.

YEAH. SO WE'RE MOVING.

WE'RE OFFICIALLY MOVING 5.1 UP.

SURE. YEAH. OKAY, GREAT.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

UM, I KNOW DOCTOR CHAMP AND A FEW OF YOU, BUT MY NAME IS MAUREEN BARCELLA, AND THAT'S MY HUSBAND, ANTHONY.

AND, UM, JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW SPECIAL JULIANNE'S PLAYGROUND IS TO THIS COMMUNITY.

UH, JULIANNE WAS OUR DAUGHTER, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE PARTICULARS OF THE PROJECT, BUT THE PLAYGROUND IS JUST SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GREEN SPACE IN THE TOWN, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO PUT THESE DIESEL POWERED GENERATORS.

NOW, HEARING THAT THEY COULD CAUSE CANCER.

AND I JUST URGE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE LET THE PUBLIC LIKE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALL DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.

GET MORE INVOLVED BEFORE ANY DECISION IS REALLY MADE.

IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S A VERY CHERISHED PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER. OKAY. THANK YOU.

OKAY. OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS.

UH, POLICY.

THANK YOU. UH, WE HAD A POLICY COMMITTEE.

I CAN UPDATE ON TWO OF THE ITEMS. UM, SURE.

SO FOR THE, UH, FOR EACH OF THESE ITEMS, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE DISCUSSED IT AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE.

BUT THE FIRST HAD TO DO RELATED TO DIGITAL DEVICES AND ACCESS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.

UH, CELL PHONES, SMARTPHONES, AIRPODS.

AND IT'S ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF JUST THE ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE FACING, UH, CERTAINLY IN K-12.

I MEAN, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME, THERE'S THERE'S JUST MORE AND MORE RECOGNITION OF THE IMPACT OF THE OF ACCESS TO DIGITAL DEVICES AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU KNOW, EVEN NEW YORK STATE, I THINK, IS SUING META RIGHT NOW FOR THE ALGORITHMS THAT ARE USED IN A LOT OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS THAT ARE LITERALLY INTENTIONALLY ADDICTIVE.

UM, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I JUST I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT THIS STUDY FROM 2015.

UM, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE USING OR GETTING SOME THEY'RE USING THEIR DIGITAL DEVICES FOR NON-CLASSROOM PURPOSES 11.7 TIMES PER CLASS, WHETHER THAT'S LIKE ALERTS FROM NEWS OR TEXT MESSAGES.

AND THIS LEVEL OF ADDICTION DOESN'T ORIGINATE IN COLLEGE.

A LOT OF THIS IS SORT OF LEARNED, UM, IN THE, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WE'VE JUST BEEN GRAPPLING WITH WHAT SHOULD WE AS A DISTRICT, UH, DO ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TIME.

UM, SO WE HAD WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT POLICY COMMITTEE BACK IN MAYBE NOVEMBER, AND THEN WE JUST, UH, IN DECEMBER, WE HAD A SECOND DISCUSSION.

WE HAD A FEW OF THE PRINCIPALS, AND I THOUGHT WE HAD A VERY FRUITFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ACTUALLY TAKING THE PRACTICE THAT'S CURRENTLY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MAKING THAT A POLICY K TO 12.

UM, AND THE IMPLICATION OF THAT IS THAT, UM, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRENTLY, BASICALLY DIGITAL DEVICES HAVE TO BE STORED, TURNED OFF EITHER IN YOUR BACKPACK OR IN YOUR LOCKER ALL DAY.

SO NOT JUST IN CLASS, BUT IN THE HALLWAYS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU AND FOR FEAR OF GOD IF YOU IF YOU USE IT.

AND SO THE QUEST BUT THERE IMPORTANTLY THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.

[00:25:04]

SO WE TALKED ABOUT SOME VERY IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS, BUT OTHERWISE THE RULE WOULD BE SO ANYWAY, SO WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

UM, AND SO MY SENSE IS THAT OUR NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL PROBABLY START TO ACTUALLY CRAFT DRAFT POLICY THAT WE COULD ALL TAKE A LOOK AT.

UM, AND THEN, NATALIE, I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING, UM, JUST AGAIN FOR THE LARGER PUBLIC, SOME KIND OF INFORMATION SESSION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHY WE'RE THINKING ALL THIS.

DOCTOR CHAMP AND I AND AND ALEX MET TODAY JUST TO SOLIDIFY THE AGENDA FOR THE ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE, UH, A SIMILAR WORLD CAFE AS WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE EXCELLENCE, UM, QUESTION ABOUT CELL PHONE USAGE, UM, IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, UM, AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.

YEAH. UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PROPOSALS TO THE ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A HOT TOPIC.

UM, I DO KNOW THE JUNIOR LEAGUE IS HOLDING THEIR JANUARY, UH, MEETING NEXT WEEK AT THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL, AND THEIR TOPIC IS, UM, DIGITAL DEVICES. SO IT IS A HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH CELL PHONES AS PARENTS AND, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD, WE KNOW THEY HAVE TO BE USED. UM, BUT THEN HOW DO WE WHAT IS THE RIGHT KIND OF USAGE VERSUS PUTTING IT AWAY VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHEN AND HOW? AND, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE NOT THEIR BRAINS ARE NOT DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO KIND OF MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

SOMETIMES. I'LL LET YOU SAY THAT.

BUT YES, YES, I'M WITH YOU.

I'M WITH YOU. SO AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO I KNOW THAT, UH, MR. BERKOWITZ IS DOING SOME, YOU KNOW, GATHERING INFORMATION, HAS SHARED, GATHERED SOME INFORMATION IS CONTINUING BECAUSE I THINK ALSO UNDERSTANDING STUDENT PERSPECTIVE IS GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR A DISTRICT THAT BELIEVES IN STUDENT VOICE.

UM, AND I THINK THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, UNDERSTANDING THE FACULTY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

AS YOU SAID, THERE'S I THINK THERE'S PROS AND CONS ALL AROUND.

THERE'S MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, BUT THERE'S ALSO GREAT INSTRUCTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I THINK GETTING ALL THOSE VOICES AND.

AS MADELEY SAID, GETTING, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK TO TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE THE LEARNING COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE IS ON THE ISSUE.

UM, CAN CERTAINLY HELP THE BOARD IN CRAFTING A POLICY.

NATALIE, A QUICK QUESTION.

I DON'T REMEMBER LAST YEAR THE WORLD CAFE, WAS IT JUST PARENTS THAT CAME TO THAT? IT WAS PARENTS. PARENTS.

OKAY. AND YOU MENTIONED IT.

I WAS JUST THINKING THAT, LIKE, WOULD WE INVOLVE STUDENTS IN THAT SESSION OR IS THAT I MEAN, BASICALLY, I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS AND WHATNOT.

SO, YEAH, I THINK LAST YEAR, IF WE WERE REPLICATING LAST YEAR, I THINK THE THOUGHT WAS A PARENT EVENT IN THE EVENING.

UM, JUST TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE.

UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED WITH MR. BERKOWITZ SOME I KNOW HE WAS GOING TO DO SOME SURVEYING OF STUDENTS, BUT WE CAN ALSO TALK WITH IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO DO MORE FOCUS GROUP WORK WITH STUDENTS OR, YOU KNOW, TAP INTO SOME OF THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, VARIETY OF WAYS.

BUT I THINK IT'S IT IS IMPORTANT.

YEAH. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, NATALIE RAISES A GOOD POINT.

YOU KNOW, THEY ARE YOUNG ADOLESCENTS.

THEY'RE GROWING AND DEVELOPING.

UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A PERSPECTIVE THAT MAY NOT, UM, MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND ALL THE IMPLICATIONS OF IT.

UM, BUT I DO THINK OUR STUDENTS GENERALLY BRING SOME REALLY GREAT PERSPECTIVE.

YEAH. YEAH, THEY ALWAYS DO.

SO LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD THE WORLD CAFE, THEN WE HAD THE STUDENTS COME AND PRESENT AT A BOARD MEETING.

UM, THEY TALKED ABOUT EXCELLENCE WITH SOME OF THE TEACHERS.

THAT'S TRUE AS PART OF THE WORK SESSION.

YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY. OKAY. SO WE'LL THIS WILL BE A I THINK IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, I THINK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY TO GET AS MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER UM, TO HELP DIRECT THE POLICY COMMITTEE ON THIS.

IT'S DEFINITELY NOT AN EASY ISSUE.

NO. AND AS IAN HAD STATED, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT JUST IN THIS DISTRICT.

THERE ARE SEVERAL DISTRICTS WHO HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF JUST BANNING CELL PHONES ALTOGETHER.

THERE'S A LOT OF DISTRICTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.

SO WE'RE REALLY ARE JUST GAUGING THE INTEREST OF HOW WE AS A DISTRICT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, REACT TO.

YEAH. OR PROACTIVELY.

RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE ACTION ON THIS.

YEAH. MR. BERKOWITZ WAS ALSO GATHERING REGIONAL INFORMATION ON EXACTLY THAT.

WHAT ARE OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES DOING? YEAH. AND I KNOW WE OFTEN USE CELL PHONES, BUT WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THE DISCUSSION OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE, EVEN AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SMARTPHONES BEING AN ISSUE.

UM, YOU SEE THAT? YES, SMARTWATCHES BEING AN ISSUE.

UM, SO IT'S IT'S REALLY EVEN MORE BROAD THAN JUST CELL PHONES.

[00:30:01]

UM, THE SECOND ISSUE THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE, ALSO AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME, WAS JUST IN RESPONSE TO IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, NEW YORK STATE, UH, ISSUED REVISED GUIDELINES FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER EXPANSIVE STUDENTS.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE GUIDELINES.

UM, AND THE GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO THE, I GUESS, PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.

UM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THESE GUIDELINES? UM, YOU KNOW, ARE ARE IN PLACE IN PELHAM AND AMONG THE THINGS THAT THE GUIDELINES AT LEAST APPEAR TO CREATE THE FLEXIBILITY FOR IS THE DISTRICT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY, YOU KNOW, SENSITIVE TOPIC.

BUT AS IT RELATES TO GENDER TRANSITION PLANS FOR MINORS.

UM, YOU KNOW, GIVING THE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE DISTRICT TO UNILATERALLY IMPLEMENT A GENDER TRANSITION PLANS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, CALLING KIDS BY A DIFFERENT NAME OR PRONOUN THAN THEY ARE CALLED AT HOME.

AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IS THAT'S A THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A PRETTY BIG, UM, UH, DISCUSSION THAT WE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE PUBLIC DIALOG ON IT.

ONE THING I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT WAS FOR US AS A POLICY COMMITTEE TO GET SORT OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSEL ON WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IF THE DISTRICT WERE TO, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENT, UM, A GENDER TRANSITION PLAN.

SO, YOU KNOW, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE ACTUALLY, I THINK ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, VERY PROMINENT, UH, PSYCHOANALYSTS, UH, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, ERICA KOMISAR, UM, YOU KNOW, TO GET HER COUNSEL ON, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A BENIGN ACT? AND SHE WAS, IN MY VIEW, VERY HELPFUL, UH, AROUND HOW WE SHOULD INTERACT WITH KIDS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING AN INTEREST IN SOME KIND OF SOCIAL TRANSITION THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE SUPPORTIVE OF THESE KIDS AND REALLY ASSESS IF THERE'S ANY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ABUSIVE OR SELF-HARM SITUATION. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD, UM, TAKE ACTION ON FOR, FOR INDEPENDENT OF THIS REASON FOR WE ALREADY HAVE MANDATES IN PLACE.

BUT SHE WAS PRETTY CLEAR, THIS, THIS IDEA OF MOVING FORWARD WITH A GENDER TRANSITION PLAN, YOU KNOW, UNILATERALLY LIKE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE CALLED A CLINICAL INTERVENTION, A PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION ON A MINOR.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AS A DISTRICT TO, TO, UM, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE THAT KIND OF ACTION, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO UNDER, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GIVEN OUR CURRENT POLICY.

SO IT'S JUST IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US TO GATHER AS WE AGAIN, TRY TO FORMULATE WHAT IS OUR APPROACH TO, UM, TO HOW TO HOW THE THESE GUIDELINES ARE ADOPTED, UM, IN PELHAM OR NOT.

YEAH. AND I AND I THINK REALLY TO AS, AS, AS I RECALL THE CONVERSATION A LOT OF A LOT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE DISTRICT CAN UNILATERALLY IMPLEMENT IT REALLY IS A SOCIAL TRANSITION PLAN THAT THAT THE GUIDANCE INDICATES, UM, AS OPPOSED TO A MEDICAL.

AND I KNOW HER CONTENTION WAS THAT THAT IT'S CLINICAL, MAKING IT MORE MEDICAL.

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'D HEARD, YOU KNOW, A DISCUSSION OF THAT.

UM, THE GUIDANCE REALLY DOES COME FROM A GENDER AFFIRMING, UH, APPROACH, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WHENEVER A STUDENT, UM, SHARES SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES IN THIS NATURE WITH A SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER, UM, THERE, OUR GOAL, OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO WORK WITH THE PARENT AND THE FAMILY IN A UNIFIED WAY.

YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, IF A CHILD COMES FORWARD AND THEY HAVEN'T MADE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE PARENT, THAT'S OUR FIRST GOAL IN THAT PLAN IS TO HELP THEM BRIDGE THAT CONVERSATION IN A WAY THAT THEY FEEL SAFE, LIKE YOU SAID, ASSESS A SAFETY SITUATION.

BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, WE ALL BELIEVE IN PARTNERING WITH PARENTS.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH MEDICAL TRANSITION PLANS.

I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR.

THAT IS NOT OUR ROLE AS A SCHOOL.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE ADMINISTER.

UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SIMPLE CHANGES THAT STUDENTS ARE ASKING FOR.

AND WE, AGAIN, WE HONOR, WE DO OUR BEST TO HONOR STUDENT VOICE AND RESPECT STUDENT REQUESTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, A NICKNAME, NAME CHANGE, ETC.

THINGS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY HAVE A LONG STANDING PRACTICE OF HONORING.

RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, A PSYCHOANALYST, COME TO TELL US THAT WHAT WE MAY SEE AS BENIGN IN HER PROFESSIONAL OPINION AND WE SHOULD GET OTHER COUNSEL TOO.

THAT'S WHAT SHE EVEN WHAT YOU JUST CALLED A SOCIAL TRANSITION, JUST CALLING KIDS BY A DIFFERENT NAME OR DIFFERENT PRONOUN AT SCHOOL, DIFFERENT FROM HOME.

IT FACILITATES THIS IDEA OF ALMOST LIKE A DOUBLE LIFE.

UM, AND SO SHE JUST, YOU KNOW, TOLD US PROFESSIONALLY THAT WE AS A.

BOARD HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS KNOWING THAT THIS IS A CLINICAL INTERVENTION, A PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION.

[00:35:06]

DOCTOR CHAMP, ANY IN KIND OF GIVING THIS GUIDANCE HAS THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND HAS THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND SORT OF THE STAFF REVIEW REVIEWED THE THE NEW GUIDANCE? AND WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR AREAS THAT THEY FELT THEY NEEDED MORE CLARITY ON? I THINK IN OUR IN SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THIS, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY YOU SAID THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE LIKE DEALING ON A CASE BY CASE SORT OF BASIS.

I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, I KNOW I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

THE GUIDANCE WAS DISTRIBUTED BY THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE WHO'S ON THEIR LIST.

SO ALL TEACHERS WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT FROM STATE ED.

UM, AND THEN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED, AS IAN SAID, IT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO TEACHERS.

UM, WE HAVEN'T SPENT ANY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T DONE A TRAINING ON IT PER SE, WITH TEACHERS, THE ADMINISTRATORS DEFINITELY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.

AND I SHOULD ADD, WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING THE INITIAL GUIDANCE SINCE 2015.

SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

WE'RE ALMOST A DECADE IN NOW TO THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAVING GUIDANCE ON TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.

UM, AND SO THIS WAS UPDATED GUIDANCE TO THE 2015 GUIDANCE.

SO THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM CERTAINLY HAS LOOKED AT IT.

WE'VE HAD COUNSEL COME IN AND PROVIDE TRAINING SESSIONS.

UH, THEY'VE BEEN DOING ACTUALLY KEENAN BEAM WAS GREAT.

THEY I KNOW THAT THEY SPENT SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH US AS A GOVERNANCE TEAM LOOKING AT IT UM, AS WELL AS, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOSTING A GREAT SERIES OF, UH, KIND OF LUNCH AND LEARN SESSIONS.

SO THEY JUST HELD ONE RECENTLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, UH, FROM ALL THEIR IT WAS AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THEIR CLIENTS.

UM, THEY ALSO HAD DONE SEMINARS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS.

SO THERE'S BEEN A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ADMINISTRATORS TO TO DIG MORE DEEPLY INTO IT.

UM, AND YEAH, THAT REALLY WAS THE CONSENSUS.

WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS TYPE OF GUIDANCE, VERY SIMILAR GUIDANCE SINCE 2015.

THERE'S CERTAINLY UPDATES TO IT.

UM, BUT THE CONSENSUS OF THE TEAM WAS, AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO WORK WITH PARENTS AND TO TO CREATE A WELCOMING AND AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND THAT GIVEN GIVEN THOSE NATURAL RELATIONSHIPS, GIVEN THAT THE COUNSELING STAFF, THE CLINICAL STAFF THAT WE HAVE, FOLKS FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE KNOWING WHAT THE GUIDANCE IS AND WORKING IN A CASE BY CASE MANNER TO HELP, TO REALLY WORK, TO SUPPORT THE CHILD.

AND WITH THAT ULTIMATE GOAL OF OF INTEGRATING, AS YOU SAID, THE INSIDE SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL LIFE, THAT'S OUR GOAL.

UM, SO THAT THE CHILDREN REALLY CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THEIR PARENTS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THE PARENTS HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FINE.

YOU KNOW, WE IT'S NOT OUR YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO TO FORGE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND SUPPORT THE STUDENT.

SO THEY DID FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE GUIDANCE AS IS.

I THINK IT IS PROVIDES ENOUGH CLARITY FOR US TO NAVIGATE THE DAY TO DAY.

UM, DOES GIVE SOME CLARITY TO THAT.

I THINK IS JUST RECOGNIZES THE HUMANITY OF, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT WE WORK WITH.

UM, YOU KNOW, VERY OFTEN GROWTH IS A PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S LEARNING, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL GROWTH, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OF IDENTITY, ESPECIALLY DURING ADOLESCENCE, IT'S ALL A PROCESS.

UM, SO, YES, THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AND DIDN'T NECESSARILY FEEL A NEED FOR MORE CONCRETE, UM, POLICY CHAMP BEHIND IT.

UM, WE DO HAVE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS AVAILABLE.

SO IF ANY STUDENT COMES, YES, TO THE ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS, THEY COULD BE REFERRED.

AND THAT'S GENERALLY THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROCESS.

IF SOME IF SOMEONE WERE TO, YOU KNOW, BECOME A STUDENT WOULD ASK SOMETHING, UM, THAT A TEACHER, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT A TEACHER'S ATTENTION, ASK FOR A NAME CHANGE OR PRONOUN CHANGE.

UM, THEY IF THEY HAD ANY KIND OF QUESTION OR CONCERN, THEY WOULD THAT WOULD BE THEIR FIRST GO TO PERSON WOULD BE THE CHILD'S COUNSELOR, UH, AND OR A PSYCHOLOGIST.

WE HAVE TWO PSYCHOLOGISTS EACH IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL, UM, OR SOCIAL WORKER.

ANY ONE OF THOSE RESOURCES WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

ARE THESE PSYCHOLOGISTS OR PROFESSIONALS? ARE THEY ALSO AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO ANY PARENT THAT MAY WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOL WOULDN'T THE PARENT SCHOOL WOULD UNILATERALLY, UH, TELL THE PARENT, RIGHT.

THE PARENT WILL HAVE TO APPROACH.

SO AND AGAIN, IT'S IT'S SOMEWHAT CASE DEPENDENT, WHICH I THINK IS WHY, YOU KNOW, TO THAT QUESTION, I THINK THERE ARE EACH CASE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

I THINK REALLY THE IN MOST CASES.

AND WE EVEN TOOK A LOOK AT OUR OWN STUDENT BODY, I THINK IN ALL CASES THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THE THE FAMILY IS ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION AND AWARE.

UM, SO IT IS VERY RARE, I THINK, ESPECIALLY BY THE TIME THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL THAT PARENTS WOULDN'T ALREADY BE, UM, KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR CHILD. AND I MEAN, IT'S, I THINK A TRIBUTE TO, YOU KNOW, QUALITY PARENTING AND GOOD, STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND PARENTS.

[00:40:01]

SO BUT AGAIN, IF WE DID HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE A CHILD DID COME FORWARD AND DID SAY, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR A NAME CHANGE OR A PRONOUN CHANGE.

BUT PLEASE DON'T TELL MY PARENT.

OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT WOULD BE DEFINITELY THE REFERRAL TO A COUNSELOR OR CLINICAL STAFF.

THEY TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN THEY'D WORK TO TO SET GOALS AROUND, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION FOR YOU? UM, AND THEN THE GUIDANCE DOES GIVE, YOU KNOW, DOES GIVE GUIDANCE AS TO PROCEDURALLY WHAT WE DO.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME, AND WE CERTAINLY ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY TALK ABOUT IN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IF A CHILD DOES ASK THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ADULTS AND THE SCHOOL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHILD, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND AND WANT TO RESPECT YOUR WISHES, BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FULLY KEEP THIS CONFIDENTIAL.

YOU KNOW, IF YOUR PARENTS ARE COMING IN FOR A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE AND THEY WANT TO SEE A WORK SAMPLE, I'M GOING TO SHOW THEM A WORK SAMPLE AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO WE'RE NOT ASKING TEACHERS TO LIE.

UM, WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM, YOU KNOW, IN THAT SENSE, BUT THEY THINK TO HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH THE CHILD, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

COUNSELORS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE OFTEN PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY TAKE A TEAM APPROACH TO SUPPORTING THE CHILD.

YEAH. AND I THINK THAT LITERALLY IS THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT.

UM, THERE'S A, A CHILD WANTS A SOCIAL TRANSITION RELATED TO THEIR GENDER.

UM, THEY DON'T WANT THEIR PARENT TO KNOW.

WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT CHILD WITH ALL OF OUR COUNSELING SUPPORT.

THE QUESTION IS AT THE POINT IN WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THEN SAYS, YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO, UM, DISCUSS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE POINT AT WHICH NOW A COMMUNITY HAS INFORMATION ABOUT A CHILD, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IS THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN.

UM, IAN, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD AN EXPERT COME IN TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE, AND THAT BEING IT'S A SENSITIVE TOPIC, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE OTHER EXPERTS COME IN TO GET. YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND FROM BECAUSE ALL OF US, I THINK HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THESE THINGS.

BUT I THINK BECAUSE I'VE SPOKEN NOW TO A BUNCH OF, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, LCSW PSYCHOANALYSTS, BOTH THOSE WHO SUPPORT GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, IT'S QUITE AMAZING THE LEVEL OF AGREEMENT THERE IS THAT THIS IS A CLINICAL INTERVENTION, BUT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BRING IN MORE PEOPLE TO EDUCATE US ON WHAT WE WOULD BE ALLOWING AS A DISTRICT.

RIGHT? RIGHT. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S A IT'S VERY SENSITIVE AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY VARYING OPINIONS AND FEELINGS ABOUT IT.

SO I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO TO DO THAT.

YEAH. SO MORE TO COME ON THIS ONE AS WELL.

BUT WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE CORE OF THIS IS DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS, MAINTAINING OUR STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS AS ALLIES, UM, AND DOING THE RIGHT THING.

ACTUALLY, ONE QUICK QUESTION.

SO IS THE POLICY COMMITTEE AT A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE EXPLORING WHETHER A POLICY NEEDS TO ACTUALLY BE PUT IN PLACE? IS THAT KIND OF THE CONVERSATION, WHAT THE CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING? YEAH, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DRAFTED AN ACTUAL POLICY YET BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE STILL DOING THIS.

WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PARAMETERS.

BUT AT SOME POINT, AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE SOMETHING EITHER POLICY OR OR PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

BUT I THINK WE OWE IT, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED.

WE OWE IT TO THE DISTRICT TO SAY, UM, WHAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN WHAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE GIVEN THE DISTRICT THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO.

GOTCHA. OKAY.

ANY OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS.

GOT SOME GOOD COMMITTEES THIS WEEK.

OKAY. I THINK WE'RE GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATE ON AUTHENTIC LEARNING.

[4.3 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Authentic Learning]

UM, NEW YORK STATE MANDATES THAT, UH, BECAUSE OF THE MANDATED COMPUTER BASED TESTING THAT EACH EACH BUILDING ADMINISTER A SIMULATION.

THE SIMULATIONS LAST FOR, UM, ONE PERIOD OF CLASS INSTRUCTION, AND NO MORE.

NO MORE.

UM, IN PELHAM, WE HAVE EACH GRADE PARTICIPATING IN SOME DEGREE IN COMPUTER BASED TESTING IN THE SPRING.

[00:45:05]

WE WILL BE ADMINISTERING, UM, BETWEEN JANUARY 22ND AND JANUARY 25TH IN EACH OF THE BUILDINGS, ONE ONE ONLY, UM PER GRADE.

UM, MORE INFORMATION WILL BE COMING OUT FROM MY OFFICE LATER THIS WEEK TO FAMILIES, AS WELL AS FROM PRINCIPALS AND CLASSROOM TEACHERS.

UM, WITH SPECIFICS ABOUT WHICH ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED, IN WHICH CLASSROOM.

UM, AS WELL AS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING SPRING ASSESSMENTS, BECAUSE WE ARE ROUNDING THAT CORNER TO GETTING TO THAT PART OF THE YEAR.

UM, ALSO COMING UP SHORTLY NEXT WEEK, WE WILL BE HOSTING MICHAEL RETTIG, WHO IS A, UM, MASTER MASTER SCHEDULER.

UM, HE WILL BE HERE FROM JANUARY 9TH THROUGH THE 11TH.

HE'S WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE HIM REVIEW FEEDBACK THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHEDULE.

UM, AFTER HIS LAST VISIT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

UM, IN ADDITION, WE'VE SCHEDULED TIME FOR HIM TO MEET WITH SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL.

UM, TO DISCUSS SECONDARY SCHEDULE NEEDS, DESIRES, LIMITATIONS, AND OFFER POSSIBILITIES TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR, UM, SCHEDULE AND ALSO PROGRAMMATICALLY, WHAT WE CAN DO SCHEDULE WISE TO HELP, UM, IMPROVE PROGRAM OFFERINGS.

UM, AFTER THAT, BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE OF A CANCELLATION IN DECEMBER, WE HAVE ONE MORE SESSION WITH HIM, WHICH WE'LL SCHEDULE NEXT WEEK FOR LATER THIS YEAR.

AS DOCTOR CHAMP MENTIONED, NEXT WEEK WE HAVE OUR DISTRICT SPELLING BEE.

UM, WHICH WILL BEGIN AT 330.

SO I WANT TO WISH ALL OF OUR SPELLERS GOOD LUCK.

UM, BEFORE THE BREAK AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER ON THE EIGHTH, HERE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THE HOT SPOT FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

WE HOSTED A, UM, AUTHOR VISIT FROM JASMINE WARGA, WHO IS A A YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR.

UM, WHO IS WHO WROTE SUCH TITLES AS OTHER WORDS FOR HOME, THE SHAPE OF THUNDER, AND A ROVER STORY.

I WAS HERE FOR MUCH OF THE, UM, MUCH OF THE VISITS AND A COUPLE OF THE DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS WHICH WERE CONDUCTED BY GRADE AND, UM, SHE WAS WONDERFUL.

THE KIDS LOVED HER. THEY LOVED HER STORIES, NOT THEY LOVED HER STORIES.

THE, YOU KNOW, HER WRITING, BUT THEY ALSO LOVED HOW SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE PROCESS OF WRITING THAT SHE UNDERGOES AND WHAT SHE USES FOR, UM, CHARACTERS AND HOW SHE DEVELOPS A PLOT AND, UM, ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT GOES INTO IT.

AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME BUDDING AUTHORS AMONGST OUR RANKS HERE.

UM, IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ONGOING.

I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT NEXT WEDNESDAY IS A PLC DAY, SO THAT WILL BE AN EARLY RELEASE.

UM, WE DO HAVE UPCOMING MATH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHERS AS WELL AS OUR INTERVENTIONISTS NEXT WEEK WITH SHELLY DUBOSE, WHO'S A MATH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPER THAT WE USE.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ONGOING PD FOR OUR ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHERS WITH TK FOR LITERACY.

UM, AND I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME STEM PD THAT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER.

WE, UM, DOCTOR CALLAHAN SPEARHEADED HAVING SOME MENU BASED PD, UM, AND ALSO GOT FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF THE TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED.

THE TOPICS INCLUDED WERE ESL STUDENTS IN THE STEM CLASSROOM, DELTA MATH USERS GROUP, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ACADEMIC DISHONESTY VERSUS PRODUCTIVITY, SINGAPORE MATH REMEDIATION AND SUPPORT, AND SECONDARY MATHEMATICS USING THE SINGAPORE APPROACH, INNER ORBIT ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPMENT FOR NEXT GEN AND NEW STANDARDS IN MATH WORK SESSION.

UM, AS I SAID, HE COLLECTED FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS AND IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.

AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENSURING THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE CONTINUALLY PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOPED, DEVELOPED PART OF ME, BOTH ON THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS.

THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE HAVE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATE ON THE WHOLE CHILD.

[4.4 Assistant Superintendent's Update on The Whole Child]

UM, JUST WANTED TO MENTION LAST MONTH WE DID HAVE VISITS WITH OUR ICT CONSULTANTS.

UM, THEY WORKED WITH, UM, OUR ELEMENTARY TEAM AND OUR SECONDARY TEAM.

UM, I SAT IN WITH THE PRINCIPALS ON THE DEBRIEFS, AND, UM, THINGS ARE GOING WELL WITH THEIR COACHING.

WE ARE ALSO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, GETTING READY FOR ANNUAL REVIEW SEASON.

SO OUR PLANNING BEGINS THIS MONTH.

WE START WITH ALL OF THE STAFF AT ONE OF OUR UPCOMING PLCS.

[00:50:02]

AND, UH, MY OFFICE WILL START BELIEVING OR NOT PLANNING MEETINGS AND SENDING INVITATIONS TO GET READY AFTER THE FEBRUARY BREAK.

UM, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT IN ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, UH, SEPTA DID THEIR FIRST, UH, THEIR, UM, SEMIANNUAL SEPTA SCOTT TALENT SHOW, WHICH WAS HELD IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AT ALUMNI HALL.

UM, STUDENTS, BOTH CLASSIFIED AND NON-CLASSIFIED WORK TOGETHER AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ON A PERFORMANCE FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT FEATURED SINGING, DANCING AND SOME ACROBATICS. UM, AND ALSO FEATURED SOME INCREDIBLE ARTWORK.

UM, JUST INCREDIBLE BUDDING ARTISTS THAT WE HAVE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I THANKED EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD BEHIND THE SCENES, BECAUSE THAT IS A HUGE ENDEAVOR AND A LOT OF WORK TO PULL OFF.

UM, JOANNE COLAN AND STEPHANIE OTERO, THE FORMER SEPTA PRESIDENTS, IT'S THEIR, UH, BRAINCHILD.

SO THANK YOU FOR FOR THEM, FOR THEIR HARD WORK.

AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SEPTA SCOTT TALENT SHOW IN THE SPRING.

UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION NEXT WEEK ON JANUARY 11TH, AT THE NEXT SEPTA MEETING, THERE WILL BE A SPEAKER.

UM, I WORKED WITH THE CO-PRESIDENTS TO ORGANIZE, UM, YVETTE GUROVICH, WHO IS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR NEW ROCHELLE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NORWALK SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO NOW WORKS WITH WESTCHESTER INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

AND SHE'S GOING TO BE TALKING TO PARENTS ON THE OPWDD APPROVAL PROCESS AND QUALIFICATION PROCESS.

UM, AND THAT'S THURSDAY, JANUARY 11TH.

UH, LAST MONTH, THE WELLNESS COMMITTEE HAD ITS SECOND MEETING.

UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FOCUS OF THE WORK THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO DO THIS YEAR.

SOME AREAS OF FOCUS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.

UM, IS WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS A DISTRICT TO WORK WITH THE NEW YORK LIFE FOUNDATION, WHO SERVED AS ONE OF THE LARGEST SUPPORTERS OF PROVIDING GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM ON HOW TO GET SOME, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HERE FOR US IN OUR DISTRICT, IN THAT AREA.

UM, ANOTHER AREA OF FOCUS THE COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED WOULD BE CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE AREA OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PEER ISOLATING PEERS.

UM, THIS IS A THEME THAT CAME UP BOTH AT THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TIER ONE AND TIER TWO INTERVENTIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THAT IN THOSE REALMS. AND THE LAST AREA OF FOCUS THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE WRITE NEW POLICY SPECIFIC TO, UM, OUR NARCAN USE AND GUIDELINES, UM, THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN APPROVED AS AN OPTION ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS WE COULD TRAIN OUR OWN STAFF IN-HOUSE.

UM, IN TERMS OF COUNSELING, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION LAST MONTH THAT THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH PELHAM CIVICS, DID HAVE A WORKSHOP, UM, ABOUT CAREERS AND COMMUNICATIONS.

SO THEY HAD GUEST PANELISTS, UM, CAITLIN O'NEIL, WHO WAS, UH, SHE WAS DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION FOR IBM, OLIVIA LEATHERWOOD, WHO WAS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR CONDE NAST, AND ALEX DE LA ROCHA, WHO IS VP OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS FOR TIAA.

SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE AND WELL ATTENDED.

UM, FAST FAFSA LINK BECAME LIVE AT THE END OF DECEMBER.

THAT'S A NEW PROCESS THIS YEAR FOR FAMILIES AS THEY GO THROUGH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS.

UM, SO THAT'S OFTEN RUNNING JUST SOME UPCOMING EVENTS FROM THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT.

UM, THEY WILL HAVE TOMORROW NIGHT THEIR GRADE TEN COLLEGE NIGHT.

UM, SO THAT IS GOING TO THAT'S THEIR ANNUAL DISCUSSION WITH THE SOPHOMORE CLASS ABOUT THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS.

UM, MISS JEAN RENNER, SHE'S THE CAMPUS DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS FROM FORDHAM UNIVERSITY.

SHE'LL BE PRESENTING ON THE TOPICS OF COLLEGE SEARCH STRATEGIES AND FACTORS, AND SELECTING A COLLEGE AND UPDATES IN THE COLLEGE ADMISSION PROCESS.

SO THAT'S FOR SOPHOMORES TO KIND OF GET THEM GOING.

UM, JANUARY 11TH IS OUR GRADE EIGHT INFORMATION NIGHT.

UM, THAT'S MR. HUVANE.

OUR FRESHMAN COUNSELOR WILL BE MEETING WITH THE EIGHTH GRADERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO TALK ABOUT GETTING READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY USUALLY INVITE SOME UPPERCLASSMEN TO TALK TO THE STUDENTS.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT THAT TRANSITION IS LIKE.

AND THAT'S JANUARY 11TH.

AND THEN JANUARY 17TH IS OUR GRADE 11 COLLEGE NIGHT.

AND THAT IS GOING TO BE ADMISSION REPS FROM PENN STATE, BARNARD, IONA AND CUNY.

UM, THEY DO A SORT OF A MOCK TRANSCRIPT REVIEW FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS.

SO THEY GET A FLAVOR OF WHAT COLLEGES ARE LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY SEE A VARIETY OF TRANSCRIPTS, AND THEN THEY'LL DO BREAKOUT SESSIONS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS.

AND THE TOPICS CAN BE FROM THE COLLEGE APPLICATION AND ESSAY TO APPLYING TO TEST OPTIONAL SCHOOLS.

AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS HAVE A CHOICE OF WHAT WORK SESSION THEY WANT TO GO TO.

SO THAT'S THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT.

[00:55:01]

SO SOME OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO TULANE, BOSTON COLLEGE, DAVIDSON, WAKE FOREST, BUCKNELL, ROLLINS COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, GEORGETOWN, FAIRFIELD, FORDHAM, UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA, PROVIDENCE COLLEGE, WELLESLEY, DUKE, CLEMSON, VILLANOVA, SUNY ALBANY, UNIVERSITY OF PENN, COLLEGE OF WOOSTER, CORNELL, SKIDMORE, BROWN, AND ELON.

SO NICE ACCEPTANCE POOL SO FAR AND AND MORE TO HEAR.

VERY GOOD. UM, AND JUST QUICKLY FROM THE NURSING DEPARTMENT AS WE'RE KIND OF COUGHING AND SNIFFLING.

UM, COVID IS A THING A LITTLE BIT.

AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING PEAKS, BUT ALSO FLU AND PNEUMONIA.

UM, IS A LOT OF CASES SWIRLING.

SO JUST A REMINDER FROM OUR NURSING STAFF AND DOCTOR LIGUE, OUR DISTRICT MEDICAL DIRECTOR, ABOUT THE COLD AND FLU SEASON REMINDERS, THEY'RE ALL POSTED ON ALL OF THE SCHOOLS HEALTH SERVICES PAGE.

YOU KNOW, JUST GUIDELINES ABOUT WHAT TO THINK ABOUT KEEPING YOUR KIDS HOME AND WHEN TO SEND THEM BACK.

SO HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL STAY WELL AND WE'LL ZIP THROUGH RIGHT TILL SPRING.

AND THAT'S IT FOR ME.

THANKS, TRACY. THANK YOU AND OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON FINANCE AND

[4.6 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Finance and Facilities]

SO IT PROVIDED A NICE OPPORTUNITY TO WASH AND WAX SOME OF THOSE HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, WHICH WAS GREAT.

UH, THERE WAS SOME ACTIVITY IN THE BUILDINGS.

THERE WAS A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.

UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A GAME GOING ON DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW, UM, THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS WERE BOTH IN THE FINALS, SO THAT'S GREAT.

I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE FINAL OUTCOME OF IT, BUT IT'S GOOD THAT THEY MAKE IT THE FINAL.

AND IF YOU'VE IF YOU'RE RUNNING THE TOURNAMENT, YOUR TEAM SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE IT TO THE FINAL.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ENJOYING IT, WHICH WAS TERRIFIC.

UH, OUR, OUR LOCK SYSTEM, OUR, UH, DOOR PROXIMITY SYSTEM, WHICH WAS FORMERLY PART WIRELESS AND PART HARDWIRED.

SO THE HARD WIRING OF THAT SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

THE SYSTEM IS UP AND RUNNING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ON ALL OF OUR BUILDING BUILDINGS, WHICH IS GREAT.

UH, WE HAD SOME WIRELESS COMPONENTS ON GATES, WHICH WE HAVE CHANGED TO BEING HARDWIRED.

AND THE FINAL APPLICATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SET UP ON THOSE GATES IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WELL.

SO ALL GOOD NEWS THAT WORK IS DONE.

AND, UH, BY KNOCKING OUT THAT WIRELESS PART OF IT, WE REALLY HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE RELIABILITY OF THAT PROXIMITY SYSTEM.

WORKING, UH, REGULARLY, WHERE BEFORE WITH THE WIRELESS SYSTEM, IT GOT A LITTLE JANKY AT TIMES.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE OKAY THERE, BUT WE'RE ALL ONLINE.

UH, WE MET WITH THE ARCHITECT TODAY, OUR ARCHITECT, WHO'S STILL DOING OUR BUILDING CONDITION STUDY, UH, FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND THEN, UH, DISCUSSION ON OUR CAPACITY STUDY.

UH, THERE, THERE, THERE, ON THAT PARTICULAR WORK.

THE GOAL HERE IS HOPEFULLY TO PROVIDE SOME EARLY INFORMATION TO THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, UH, IN THE LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH TIME PERIOD PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING CONDITION STUDY, AND THEN AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN.

SO WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT AS WE MOVE ALONG.

UH, SAFETY, OF COURSE.

WE'RE MEETING WITH OUR SAFETY FOLKS, UH, REGULARLY.

WE'RE DOING SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON THE PLC DAY NEXT WEEK.

UH, ALSO DURING THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, UM, OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AGENCIES WILL BE CONDUCTING SOME TRAINING AT PROSPECT HILL SCHOOL THIS YEAR, UH, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'VE DONE ON REGULAR BASIS.

AND IT'S A IT'S A IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN A COORDINATED TRADING BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE SOME TRAINING, UH, IN OUR BUILDINGS SO THAT THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING USUALLY ROTATES FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING.

THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE A PROSPECT HILL.

WE'RE GEARING UP FOR SNOW.

MAYBE WE'LL GET IT. IT'S BEEN HOWEVER MANY HUNDRED DAYS SINCE WE'VE HAD SNOW, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO FALL ON, UH, WEEKEND DAYS.

WHEN YOU WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE POSITION OF THE PERSON WHO THINKS ABOUT PAYING FOR THE TIME.

SO, UH, AGAIN, IT'S FALLS ON THE TIME AND A HALF FOR THE DOUBLE TIME DAY, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

WE'RE THE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BETTER THAN BEING UP AT 530 AND MAKING A SNOW CALL.

I DON'T I DON'T ENJOY THAT EITHER.

AND LAST, UH, CERTAINLY GOOD NEWS.

UH SALDANO.

A CUSTODIAN OF OURS.

HE'S BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT, UH, EIGHT, MAYBE NINE YEARS NOW.

HIS WIFE DELIVERED A NEW BABY BOY, BENTLEY, 7 POUNDS.

MOM AND BIG SISTER ARE DOING GREAT.

AND JOSE GOT JUST PUSHED.

GOT PUSHED DOWN TO FOURTH POSITION IN THE FAMILY.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR HIM.

AND UH, WE WANT TO EXTEND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM.

THANK YOU. GREAT.

THANKS. UM, OKAY, SO NEXT WE CAN MOVE ON TO SIX FINANCIAL REPORTS AND

[6. Financial Reports and Motions]

[01:00:09]

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 6.1 AND 6.2 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? THIS INCLUDES THE CHANGE TO THE BUILD BUILDING USAGE FEES, WHICH INCLUDES PELHAM CHILDREN'S THEATER IN THE DOCUMENTATION. WE'VE JUST IT'S THE SAME THING THAT THE BOARD SAW IT REORG.

BUT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED OR BOLDED PELHAM CHILDREN'S THEATER SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

YEAH. AND I WOULD JUST ADD ON 6.1, THIS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT IS JUST TO GIVE US A PATHWAY TO PAY FOR TEACHERS WHO ASSIST WITH SUPERVISION.

AND AFTER HOURS, THE HOURLY RATE IS WHAT WAS ALREADY WITHIN THEIR CONTRACT.

SO, UM, IT'S JUST GIVING US THAT PATHWAY TO, UM, IF THEY HELP TO SUPERVISE EVENTS.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. THEN I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT DONATION.

[6.3 Motion to Accept Donation]

OKAY. AND I'LL READ THIS.

RESOLVED, UH, THAT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT THE MONETARY DONATION OF $4,506 FOR A GRANT PREVENTING ACADEMIC FAILURE READING PROGRAM, SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT, AND THAT GRATITUDE BE BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, THE PELHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND THAT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT THE MONETARY DONATION OF $4,500 FOR ANOTHER GRANT SUPERINTENDENT'S CONFERENCE DAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND THAT GRATITUDE BE BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, THE PELHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

YES, I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT THAT.

YEAH. I WOULD JUST SAY I VERY APPRECIATIVE, AS ALWAYS, FOR THESE GRANTS.

UM, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR AHEAD OF THIS, BUT WE HAVE REQUESTED.

IT'S NOT CONFIRMED YET, BUT REQUESTED, UM, THE NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR TO COME AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

SO APPRECIATE THE PEF SUPPORT OF THAT.

WE'RE I THINK MID FEBRUARY, WE'LL GET THE FINAL CONFIRMATION IF SHE'S AVAILABLE.

UM, DOCTOR BOWMAN AND I AND MISS GARCIA GOT TO HEAR HER SPEAK IN WASHINGTON, DC AT THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL.

AND VERY INSPIRING.

SO FINGERS CROSSED.

AND THANKS TO THE PEF FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

GREAT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NOPE. OKAY, THEN MOVING ON TO PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS.

[7. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]

SO MOVED.

SECOND. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO. OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? NO. AND I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE 8.1 SCHEDULE D.

[8.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)]

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. AND OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW BUSINESS.

NONE FOR ME. OKAY, THEN I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

JUST ONE QUESTION. SURE. UM, THE LETTER THAT KRISTEN BURKE SENT TO THE POLITICIANS.

YES. ANY, I MEAN, IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO KNOW, BUT HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING FROM THAT? I DO HAVE AN UPDATE.

UM, IT'S STILL BEING REVISED.

OH. UM, SHE JUST SENT ME THE LATEST REVISION LAST NIGHT.

UM, SHE I SHE HAD PROPOSED BROADENING WHO IT'S GOING TO INSTEAD OF JUST THE COUNTY.

REALLY LOOKING AT OUR STATE, UH, ASSEMBLY AND, UM, SENATORS AS WELL, FIGURING THE BROADER THE REACH, HOPEFULLY THE BETTER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME RESOLUTION.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT SHE'S WAS IN TOUCH WITH PTA COUNCIL THE PEDESTRIAN SUBCOMMITTEE, SO I THINK JUST WAITING FOR FEEDBACK FROM THEM.

SO I ACTUALLY WAS MEETING WITH CRYSTAL HOWELL TODAY TO PLAN OUR PTA COUNCIL MEETING, AND SHE MENTIONED IT.

SO STILL WAITING FOR THE FINAL LANGUAGE, FINAL SIGNATURES.

AND THEN THAT WILL GET LAUNCHED ASAP.

AND I KNOW JIM AND TOM WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING A SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, BEFORE END OF THE MONTH.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT IN THE HOPPER, UH, WITH THE GLOVER.

YEAH, I JUST THINK WE'RE IN THIS SORT OF WINTER PERIOD WHERE IF WE'RE GOING TO GET CREATIVE, NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN IT.

YEAH. UM, SO, UH, WHEN IS THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS? YES. UH, PART OF THAT WAS WE WANTED TO SEE WITH, UH, [INAUDIBLE] ON BOARD, KIND OF HOW THAT'S IF THERE'S ANY EARLY INDICATIONS OF

[01:05:05]

OKAY. AND WHAT HAVE YOU I KNOW IT'LL STILL BE EARLY, BUT THAT'S WHY WE WERE THINKING A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE MONTH.

TRY TO GET SOME EARLY FEEDBACK FOR OUR COMMITTEE.

OKAY, OKAY. MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.