[00:00:02]
I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER[2. Public Session - 7:30 p.m.]
THE BUSINESS MEETING OF THE PELHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION JUNE 5TH, 2024, THE SPECIAL ITEM FOR RETIREE RECOGNITION.WELCOME, EVERYONE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> I'LL ASK MR. ROWE FOR A REITERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS.
>> THE BOARD ENTERED EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE EMPLOYMENT RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS THE STUDENT RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
>> WELCOME AGAIN, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE
[3.1 Student Recognition]
SOME INCREDIBLE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CAREERS WORTH OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR OUR RETIREES.LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT TONIGHT.
I DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE ANOTHER LEADER IN OUR DISTRICT, WHICH IS DR.
CHAMP WAS, AND I WANT TO GET THIS CORRECT, RECENTLY ELECTED TO A THREE-YEAR TERM ON THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS GOVERNING BOARD, REPRESENTING NEW YORK STATE.
KIND OF BLOWN AWAY BY HOW MANY YOURSELF AND SO MANY OTHER LEADERS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE GOTTEN STATEWIDE OR NATIONAL RECOGNITION.
REALLY SPEAKS TO EXCELLENCE IN THE PELHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE GOT OURSELVES ORGANIZED.
WE ARE GOING TO START TONIGHT WITH WHAT FEELS LIKE IS BECOMING AN ANNUAL TRADITION, AND THAT IS PAUSING TO HONOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.
I'M JUST GOING TO STEP OVER TO THE OTHER MIC FOR A MOMENT, AND I'M GOING TO INVITE DR. CALLAHAN TO MEET ME THERE.
[APPLAUSE] WE HAVE CONTINUED TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK OF OUR STUDENTS AND THE WORK OF OUR FACULTY AND OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM REALLY HAS BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIER PROGRAMS IN OUR DISTRICT.
YEAR AFTER YEAR NOW, I ALWAYS SAY, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE FINALLY CRACKED THE CODE.
REALLY THE WORK THAT OUR FACULTY HAVE DONE TO TRAIN STUDENTS FROM AN EARLY AGE ON AND THE SUCCESS THAT THEY ARE NOW SEEING AS THEY FLOURISH IN THEIR STUDIES.
I'VE BEEN EXCITED TODAY IN SPEAKING WITH DR. OWEN-MICHAANE EARLIER THAT WE'VE GOT STUDENTS THAT ARE NOW ARE ASKING FOR MENTORSHIPS FROM OUR OWN BOARD OF EDUCATION IN ADDITION TO OUR FACULTY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE AND AS A VILLAGE OF PELHAM WE'RE REALLY PUSHING THE LIMITS AND HELPING OUR KIDS TO FIND THESE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS.
TONIGHT, WE START BY HONORING OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM STAFF AS WELL AS OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE MADE IT TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MAYBE NOT FOLLOWING THE NEWS ON THE PROGRAM, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED ITS INCREDIBLE STRING OF SUCCESS AT THE 2024 REGENERON WESTCHESTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR, KNOWN AS WESEF, WHICH WAS HELD BACK IN MARCH.
IN TOTAL, PELHAM STUDENTS EARNED AN INCREDIBLE 38 AWARDS WITH SIENNA GIUSEPPI, AADITA ROY, AND IRENE BASU EACH RECEIVING THE PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR RECOGNITION IN LOS ANGELES.
THAT'S ISEF. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, AT LEAST TO SAY.
WHAT I LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS ANY ONE HIGH SCHOOL, THE MOST THAT THEY CAN HAVE QUALIFY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR IS THREE STUDENTS.
THIS IS SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL IS SENDING THREE STUDENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL.
INCREDIBLE THING TO BE PROUD OF, AND THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR FACULTY AND OUR STUDENTS.
WESEF AS A PROGRAM, ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SCIENCE BY PROVIDING A FORUM FOR SHOWCASING, THE OUTSTANDING RESEARCH OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE AND SPONSORING THOSE TOP STUDENTS, 20 IN TOTAL FROM WESEF THAT THEN GO ON TO THE INTERNATIONAL.
AGAIN, THREE OUT OF THOSE 20 WERE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
IT'S INCREDIBLY SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF.
[00:05:03]
I WANT TO TAKE JUST A MINUTE NOW, DR. CALLAHAN, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK?JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, AND WE WANT TO AWARD EACH ONE OF THEM AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO COME UP AND BE RECOGNIZED.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. BELTECAS TO ALSO JOIN US UP HERE FOR THIS PART.
[APPLAUSE] I THINK WE'LL TALK ABOUT STEVE A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.
BUT WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF TEACHERS THAT HELP WITH THE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND REALLY, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO OR BE WHERE WE ARE WITHOUT THE DEDICATION OF TEACHERS WHO REALLY PUT IN TIME WELL BEYOND WHAT I THINK WOULD BE EXPECTED IN TYPICAL RESEARCH TEACHER POSITION.
WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY, VERY STRONG STAFF THAT DEDICATES TONS OF TIME TO OUR KIDS.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A BIT.
BUT WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS THAT WENT TO ISEF THIS YEAR, AND I THINK IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR THEM TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE CALL THEM UP ABOUT THEIR PROJECT VERY QUICKLY.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO DO THAT, BUT I'LL HAVE THEM MAYBE GIVE THEIR ELEVATOR SPEECH REALLY QUICKLY WHEN THEY COME UP.
BUT WHAT IS REALLY, I THINK, AMAZING ABOUT THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO THEIR PEERS IS THAT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM WORKS REALLY STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH MARIA BUCKLEY ALL THE WAY UP TO 12TH GRADE ON HONING THESE SKILLS.
THE STAFF, THE STUDENTS GET ENGAGED PRETTY MUCH AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
THE ENTIRE PROGRAM IS REALLY A BIG FAMILY AND THEY HELP EACH OTHER.
THE SUCCESS OF THESE THREE STUDENTS IS REALLY THE SUCCESS OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM AND EVERYBODY IN THE PROGRAM, AND REALLY SUCCESS OF OUR ELEMENTARY K-5 PROGRAM WHERE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS GET KIDS INTERESTED IN SCIENCE.
WE PICK UP ON THAT IN THE SECONDARY PROGRAMS. WITHOUT OUR K-5 PROGRAM AND WITHOUT THE WORK OF OUR 6-8 PROGRAM, THE STUDENTS WOULDN'T REALLY BE ABLE TO DO, I THINK WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK THE K-12 TEACHERS AS WELL WHO DEDICATE TIME TO SCIENCE.
WE HAVE ONE OF THEM HERE TODAY, THAT'S A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER OVER THERE THAT DOES A GREAT JOB.
THANKS TO ALL OF THEM AS WELL.
WE DID HAVE THREE WINNERS, BUT AGAIN, THE WHOLE PROGRAM, ALL THE KIDS GIVE FEEDBACK AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS THAT GET OUR KIDS TO WHERE THEY ARE.
IT'S REALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUCCESS OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM AND THE THREE STUDENTS THAT WE AWARD THESE CERTIFICATES TO TONIGHT ARE REALLY THE EMBODIMENT OF EVERYTHING THE WHOLE PROGRAM DOES, K-12, BUT EVEN THE WHOLE SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.
THEY'RE ALSO REALLY GOOD AT RIDING ROLLER COASTERS BECAUSE WE WENT TO UNIVERSAL AND THEY CLOSED UNIVERSAL FOR THEM, AND IT'S COOL TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT THE PHYSICS OF ROLLERCOASTERS WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
THAT WAS SUPER FUN. BUT THEY WERE ACTUALLY THREE STUDENTS OUT OF 700 TOTAL PROJECTS.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE MAX OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT YOU CAN SEND FROM ONE SCHOOL, WE ALSO HAVE THE MOST ENTRIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF ANY SCHOOL.
THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE.
[APPLAUSE] THE WHOLE PROGRAM REALLY DOES A GREAT JOB.
I'D LIKE TO CALL UP IRENE BASU FIRST.
>> HERE YOU GO. MAYBE JUST GIVE THEM A QUICK ELEVATOR SPEECH.
I SWEAR. THIS YEAR, MY PROJECT CONCERNED PANCREATIC CANCER.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD HOW DIFFICULT OF A DISEASE THAT IS.
I FOCUSED ON TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF RADIATION TREATMENT FOR PANCREATIC CANCER, SIMPLY BECAUSE RADIATION TREATMENT IS THE MOST PROMISING TREATMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR PANCREATIC CANCER.
AFTER DOING MULTIPLE BIOLOGICAL ANALYSES AND STAINS, I DIDN'T SEE ANY BENEFIT TO USING ONE RADIATION TYPE OVER THE OTHER.
BUT THIS IS CRITICAL INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE BEFORE THESE TECHNIQUES ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE CLINIC FOR PATIENT CARE.
PANCREATIC CANCER IS PREDICTED TO BE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER RELATED DEATHS BY 2030 SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TREATMENTS WE'RE GIVING TO PATIENTS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THE NEXT CERTIFICATE IS AWARDED TO AADITA ROY. [APPLAUSE] I USE STEM CELLS TO CREATE AN ORGANOID, WHICH IS A MINI ORGAN,
[00:10:01]
MODEL OF PANCREATIC EYELETS, WHICH ARE CELLS OF THE PANCREAS TO STUDY THE CELL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MACROPHAGES, WHICH ARE IMMUNE CELLS AND BETA CELLS WHICH PRODUCE INSULIN.I FOUND THAT MACROPHAGES CAUSE BETA CELL DEATH THROUGH A VERY SPECIFIC TYPE OF CELL DEATH CALLED PYROPTOSIS.
THIS IS THE FIRST DEFINITIVE DEMONSTRATION OF THIS.
THIS FINDING CAN HELP US CREATE DRUGS TO TREAT, MANAGE, AND EVEN PREVENT DIABETES, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT SINCE IT AFFECTS OVER ONE IN 10 ADULTS WORLDWIDE.
[APPLAUSE] THE LAST CERTIFICATE THIS EVENING TO SIENA GESABI.
[APPLAUSE] MY PROJECT WAS LOOKING INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY HARVESTING TECHNOLOGY, AND IN SHORT, I INVENTED A SET OF COMPUTER KEYS THAT HARVEST MECHANICAL ENERGY FROM TYPING AND TURN IT INTO RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY TO RECHARGE YOUR DEVICES BY USING THE ENERGY YOU PUT INTO THEM.
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE APPLICABLE IN A LOT OF OTHER SOURCES AS WELL, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST STUDY DONE ON THAT.
[APPLAUSE] WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOW INVITE UP OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH INCREDIBLE FACULTY WHO HAVE HELPED TO BRING ABOUT THIS LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT WITH OUR STUDENTS.
IN ADDITION TO DR. CALLAHAN, LEADING THE CHARGE, AND MR. BEL TEKETH, ALSO [BACKGROUND].
JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM. THE OTHER FOLKS THAT.
GOOD POINT. IN ADDITION TO MR. BEL TEKETH, THE DAY TO DAY OF THIS PROGRAM, AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE REALLY WORKING HARD, AS DR. CALLAHAN SAID, BE ABOVE AND BEYOND EXTENDED HOURS.
THEY'RE HERE, I THINK SHUTTING THE PLACE DOWN AT NIGHT.
I THINK THE CUSTODIANS DO KICK THEM OUT FROM TIME TO TIME.
MR. DEBOLO, DR. LAURIE TORATELLA, MS. MARIA BUCKLEY, AND I THINK NEW TO THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR IS SABRINA SACCACCIO, ARE DEDICATED, AND OUTSTANDING SCIENCE FACULTY.
PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
LET'S TAKE A PHOTO THOUGH. DID YOU GET A PHOTO? WANT A PICTURE? QUICK PHOTO.
[BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE]. AS WE ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU NEED TO GO HOME AND STUDY, YOU ARE FREE TO GO ABOUT YOUR EVENING, LADIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ANOTHER ANNUAL CELEBRATION,
[3.2 Recognition of Retirees]
AND THAT IS HONORING OF RETIREES.FORGET MY NOTES [INAUDIBLE] DOCUMENTS.
HERE WE GO. IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO PREPARE FOR THE RETIREMENT EVENING.
WE HAVE BOTH TONIGHT AS THE FORMAL, AND THEN WE HAVE A DISTRICT WIDE PARTY, TOO, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMAL, BUT TONIGHT WE'RE JUST THANKFUL FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE AND THANKFUL FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE HONORING THEM SPECIFICALLY, TWO OF OUR BUILDING PRINCIPALS ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE STAFF WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO GREATLY WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.
WHEN I WAS STANDING HERE A YEAR AGO, HONORING AND RECOGNIZING OUR RETIREES, I COMMENTED ON THAT POINT HOW WE WERE SEEING SO MANY ANOMALIES FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.
ONE OF THE MOST PERTINENT AT THE TIME, AND MANY OF YOU WILL PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT WAS THE CANADIAN WILDFIRES.
REMEMBER THAT? WE WERE GOING BACK TO MASKS.
I EVEN JOKED LAST YEAR AT THIS VERY SPEECH THAT WHAT WAS NEXT, LOCUSTS? THEN SINCE THEN, WE'VE ADDED EARTHQUAKES, SOLAR ECLIPSE AND TO THE LIST OF NATURAL PHENOMENONS, AND WHAT HAVE WE ALL HEARD IS COMING THIS SUMMER.
MAYBE NOT, BUT YOU DO GET THE POINT.
WE ARE STILL CONTINUE TO LIVE IN INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL TIMES TO SAY THE LEAST.
[00:15:03]
TONIGHT'S HONOREES HAVE BEEN PART OF HELPING US TO NAVIGATE THESE CRAZIEST OF YEARS IN THE MOST RECENT TIMES IN PARTICULAR.ANOTHER ANOMALY THAT HAS CONTINUED FROM LAST YEAR INTO THIS IS THE LOW NUMBER OF RETIREES.
MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE SEEING MASS RETIREMENTS, BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD SIX FOLKS, AND THIS YEAR, WE ONLY HAVE FOUR, ONE OF WHICH IS THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
TO ME, THAT SPEAKS SO MUCH TO WHAT WE DISCOVERED THIS YEAR, AS WE DID A SURVEY ON BELONGINGNESS AND JOB SATISFACTION, FOLKS LOVE PELHAM.
FOLKS STAY IN PELHAM, THEY PLANT THEIR ROOTS HERE, THEY STAY THEIR CAREER HERE, AND IT'S HARD TO LET GO, BUT WE ARE THRILLED TONIGHT TO ACTUALLY BE HERE TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THAT TOUGH DECISION, BUT YOU CAN ALREADY SEE FROM THE SMILES AND THE BOUNCE IN THEIR STEP THAT THERE'S EXCITING CHAPTERS AHEAD.
I THINK MR. FINNEGAN HAS HAD QUITE A BOUNCE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WE'RE JUST GLAD THOUGH TO TAKE A CHANCE TO RECOGNIZE THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TONIGHT THREE TEACHERS THAT WE'RE HONORING AND ONE OF OUR MONITORS WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE SO MANY TALENTED AND COMMITTED TO A DEDICATED EDUCATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF WHO HAVE SERVED GENERATIONS OF PELHAM STUDENTS.
AS THESE FOLKS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES, WE THANK THEM ALL FOR SHARING SO MANY YEARS WITH US, AND WITH THE PELHAM COMMUNITY AND FOR CHALLENGING, CARING, AND EXPIRING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THEIR INFLUENCE ON OUR LIVES WILL BE A LEGACY THAT LASTS FAR BEYOND THEIR TIME IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE'RE GOING TO GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER THROUGH OUR TEACHERS FIRST, AND THEN WE WILL END WITH ONE OF OUR LONGEST RETIREES IN THE DISTRICT.
I'M GOING TO INVITE SOME FOLKS TO HELP ME OUT WITH THIS TONIGHT.
SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BE BEGINNING WITH MR. FINNEGAN, I'M GOING TO INVITE MR. BERKOWITZ TO MAKE HIS WAY UP HERE TO HELP HONOR WITH MR. FINNEGAN. MARK FINNEGAN.
I'M SORRY IF I STEAL ANY OF YOUR DETAILS FROM YOUR SPEECH, BUT WE'LL WORK AROUND IT.
RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS FOR MUSIC OF ALL THINGS FROM OSWEGO, AND MASTERS AT IONA IN MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION.
PRIOR TO COMING TO PELHAM, MARK TAUGHT PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SACRED HEART SCHOOL AND SERVED AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AT WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT HIM UNTIL I WAS DOING THIS PROJECT.
HE ACTUALLY BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A MUSIC TEACHER IN THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL WHERE HE DIRECTED CHOIR AND THE SPRING MUSICAL.
A LOT OF PIECES FALL INTO PLACE FOR ME KNOWING THIS CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE.
IN HIS TIME IN PELHAM, MARK WAS APPOINTED HERE TO PELHAM IN 96, 97 SCHOOL YEAR AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AND THERE HE HAS REMAINED WORKING IN BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL SINCE THEN.
HE'S ALSO SERVED IN ADDITION TO BEING A PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER, HE SERVED AS PHYSICAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT TAKING ON ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, HE'S A LONG TIME COACH FOR MANY DIFFERENT SPORTS, INCLUDING VARSITY VOLLEYBALL, WHICH STARTED IN 2001, VARSITY BASKETBALL PRIOR TO THAT, STARTING IN 1998, HE'S ALSO COACH JV BOYS BASKETBALL, SPRING TRACK, AND I THINK MAYBE ONE OF HIS FAVORITE GOLF, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE GETS TO PLAY ALONGSIDE THE STUDENTS, AND I'VE HEARD IT'S THE BEST COACHING GIG ONE CAN GET.
IN ADDITION TO THE IMPACT THAT HE'S BROUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE IMPACT THAT HE'S BROUGHT INTO STUDENTS' LIVES ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD.
MARK HAS ALSO PROVIDED A GREAT SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT AND TO THE TEACHERS OF THE DISTRICT, SERVING AS UNION PRESIDENT.
IN HIS TIME, CERTAINLY WORKING WITH ME, AND I THINK I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS A CONTRACT BEFORE THAT HE SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED, I'LL CALL IT 2.5 CONTRACTS IN OUR WORK TOGETHER, FOUR TOTAL IN HIS TIME AS UNION PRESIDENT.
HE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD IN HIS APPROACH, HE IS FAIR, HE THINKS ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE, HE'S TIRELESS AS AN ADVOCATE FOR HIS STAFF, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, MARK IS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME THAT I MET HIM WAS MY FIRST DAY IN THE DISTRICT AND VARIOUS FOLKS WERE STOPPING IN.
OF COURSE, HERE COMES THE UNION PRESENT.
I THOUGHT, OH, BOY, HERE WE GO.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO SIZE EACH OTHER UP AND SEE WHAT OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP IS GOING TO BE LIKE FROM HERE ON OUT.
MUCH TO MY DELIGHT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT HE BROUGHT TO ME THAT DAY AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE REMEMBERS IT.
HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR THE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT.
I THOUGHT I CAN WORK WITH THIS GUY.
[LAUGHTER] ACTUALLY, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF COMMON GROUND.
[00:20:02]
I'M VERY JUST PLEASED TO SAY THAT REALLY ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, MARK HAS BEEN THE YOU CAN'T I STILL [INAUDIBLE].ONE OF THE FINEST UNION PRESIDENTS I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH.
HE HAS AGAIN, JUST THE QUALITIES THAT HE BRINGS TO THE WORK AND HIS BIG PICTURE ABILITY HELP HIM TO REALLY SEE THROUGH ISSUES IN A WAY THAT IS VERY CLARIFYING IN A WAY THAT HELPS US GET TO PROBLEM RESOLUTION.
WE NEVER WERE ABLE TO NOT GET TO A RESOLUTION BETWEEN US.
SOMETIMES IT WAS FORMAL, SOMETIMES IT WAS A LITTLE HEATED, SOMETIMES IT WAS A FRIEND TO FRIEND OFF THE RECORD CONVERSATION, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, WE ALWAYS GOT THERE AND DID WHAT WAS RIGHT BY OUR STAFF AND BY OUR STUDENTS TOGETHER.
MARK, I PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER PARTNER.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE COLORFUL LANGUAGE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PANDEMIC YEARS AT THE RETIREMENT PARTY. THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
[LAUGHTER] BUT AGAIN, TO HAVE A PARTNER LIKE YOU, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HARDEST OF TIMES IS SOMETHING I COULD NEVER HAVE WISHED MORE FOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AT THIS TIME, WE GO TO TURN IT OVER TO MARK BERKOWITZ, OUR PELHAM HIGHCHOOL PRINCIPAL TO SHARE SOME MORE ABOUT MARK AS A TEACHER IN THIS BUILDING.
>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY I WAS EXPECTING TO SPEAK ABOUT MARK LAST BECAUSE THOUGH SOME OF OUR STORIES DO ALIGN, DR.
CHAMP, I HAVE A FEW MORE THINGS TO SHARE.
>> THIS IS A FUN FACT SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, BUT 34 YEARS AGO WHEN MARK FINNEGAN WAS HIRED BY THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S ACTUALLY 1990.
GEORGE H.W BUSH WAS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND MC HAMMERS, YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS WAS ALL OVER THE AIRWAVES.
AS IT HAPPENS, WITH MARK'S ARRIVAL, PELHAM WAS ENTERING ITS OWN, YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS ERA.
AS THE STORY IS TOLD AND IT HAS BEEN TOLD RECENTLY, PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, JOE LONGOBARDI, AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, JOE DEL VECCHIO, NEEDED A PERMANENT HIRE.
IT WASN'T A TRADITIONAL POSITION.
THEY NEEDED A HUMAN JIGSAW PUZZLE, ONE PERSON PLAYING MULTIPLE PARTS THAT ALL FIT TOGETHER.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS, MARK FINNEGAN BEGAN HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHING CAREER IN GENERAL MUSIC AND HEALTH.
IN ADDITION, HE TOOK ON A SPECIAL PROGRAM THAT WE MIGHT THINK OF AS A PRECURSOR TO THE HIGH SCHOOL'S BRIDGE PROGRAM, A PLACE FOR STUDENTS WHO NEEDED A PARTICULAR FORM OF PERSONALIZED ATTENTION TO FIND SUCCESS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
MARK FINNEGAN DID IT ALL RIGHT FROM THE START.
DURING HIS FIRST YEAR COACH IN THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL JV BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, THEY ACHIEVED A 14 AND TWO RECORD.
WHEN HE JOINED SCOTT BROWN ON THE CINDER TRACK AT GLOVER FIELD, FINN FOUND A WAY TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THOSE ATHLETES PURSUING THE FIELD SPORTS.
THEIR CONVERSATION CENTERED UPON SHOT PUT, DISCUS AND BEVERLY HILLS 90210.
MARK HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY SOME, IF NOT MANY, AS A COACHING GENIUS.
CERTAINLY, HE'S A SECTION ONE LEGEND.
FOR HIS ENTIRE CAREER, HE HAS COACHED THREE SEASONS, NOT TO MENTION SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS AND WEEKEND TOURNAMENTS.
I REALLY WANT TO FACE YOU, MARK.
OVER DECADES OF LEADERSHIP, HIS DESIRE, ENERGY, AND RELATIONSHIPS HAVE TAKEN PELHAM VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, AND GOLF TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS.
WHAT'S MORE, FOR YEARS MARK HAS BEEN THE SECRET FORCE BEHIND THE FINEST PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE REGION AND THE DR. CHARLES T. WILSON PMHS OLYMPICS, A MASTER OF CEREMONIES IN PELHAM BRANDED GEAR.
OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM AND COACHING ARENAS, MARK'S LEADERSHIP IN THE PELHAM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION HAS ALLOWED HIM TO RISE FROM GRIEVANCE CHAIR TO PTA PRESIDENT.
AS ONE LONG TIME COLLEAGUE HAS SAID OF MARK, HE BECAME THE GUY THAT MOST TEACHERS SOUGHT OUT.
HE'S VERY PERSONABLE AND A GREAT LISTENER.
ANYTHING YOU NEEDED DONE, HE WAS PROACTIVE AND WANTED TO DO IT WELL.
HE FIGURED IT OUT. MARK HAS IMPACTED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ALL FOR THE BETTER.
HERE ARE THREE TRIBUTES FROM CURRENT STUDENTS.
ONE SAYS, MY FAVORITE MEMORY OF MR. FINNEGAN IS WATCHING HIM BLOW THE WHISTLE FOR THE WINNERS OF THE TUG OF WAR DURING THE OLYMPICS.
MY FAVORITE MEMORY IS WATCHING MARK FINNEGAN CALL A BLOCKING FAUL, FULL BODY.
UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S GREAT ENTERTAINMENT.
''COACH FINNEGAN HELPED ME,'' THIS CHILD SAYS, ''IMPROVE MY GOLF GAME BY SIMPLY TELLING ME TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE LESS PRACTICE SWINGS.'' AND THE STUDENT SAYS, ''I'M PLAYING BETTER THAN EVER.
BEST OF LUCK, COACH.'' FINALLY, A STUDENT WRITES, ''MR. FINNEGAN'S CLASS HAS ALWAYS BEEN FUN.
HIS DEDICATION AND KINDNESS HAVE ALWAYS INSPIRED US TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT PATH AND BE BETTER HUMAN BEINGS.'' SO TOMORROW MORNING AT 7:15 A.M, MARK FINNEGAN WILL BE SUPERVISING MIDDLE SCHOOL MORNING BASKETBALL.
HE WILL HAVE ALREADY WORKED OUT AT HOME, AWAITING HIS FORTHCOMING, AND YOU KNOW IT, HE LOVES TO HAVE IN HIS MORNING A CERTAIN SUGARY SNACK THAT WE MIGHT JUST CALL A BREAKFAST TREAT.
BUT AS EVERYONE KNOWS, MARK SITES ARE ON THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND GOLF COURSES OF FLORIDA.
AND JUST A FEW WEEKS WHEN HE AND CINDY AND KATIE MOVE DOWN SOUTH,
[00:25:03]
JACK MOVES BACK NORTH.MARK IS GOING TO CONQUER THEM ALL.
AFTER 34 YEARS OF YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND FAMILIES OF PELHAM, MARK, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE CHEERING YOU ON.
>> I JUST HAVE TO SAY, THANK YOU TO WORKING WITH SOME WONDERFUL BOARDS OF EDUCATION.
IT'S A UNIQUE CHALLENGE BEING A TEACHER AND BEING PRESIDENT AND BEING A TEACHER AND LIVING DOWN THE BLOCK.
BUT WHEN I GO TO MEETINGS OF THE NICE NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS, I'M OFTENTIMES MADE FUN OF BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ACRIMONY IN PELHAM.
WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE WORK TOWARD SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF WORKING TO BE ANGRY AT EACH OTHER.
BOWMAN, JIM RICKEY, ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS.
IT'S BEEN MY GREAT JOY AND PLEASURE TO WORK HERE SINCE 1990.
HE MENTIONED THAT FIRST BASKETBALL TEAM I COACHED.
I CAN REMEMBER EVERY BIT ABOUT IT.
FOR SOME REASON WE HAD THREE SIX-FOOT-FIVE KIDS ON A JV BASKETBALL TEAM.
I SHOULD HAVE WON 14 GAMES THAT YEAR, OF COURSE.
BUT SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE YOU.
YOU DO A WONDERFUL JOB, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE PARENTS, AND THE ADMINISTRATORS, AND FOR ME, THE KIDS HAVE BEEN SUCH A JOY TO WORK WITH AND NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THAT'S WHO WE ALL MISS WHEN WE RETIRE, IS THE KIDS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME FOR 34 YEARS.
IT'S BEEN MY GREAT PLEASURE. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE'D LIKE TO HONOR, AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S HERE TONIGHT, DAVE MOSKOWITZ.
NO. NO, BUT MARK WAS GOING TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
AS MR. BERKOWITZ MAKES HIS WAY UP, I'LL JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT THERE, AND I HAVE A FEELING HE'S GOING TO TOUCH ON THESE ITEMS. MR. MOSKOWITZ WAS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER HERE AT PELHAM, APPOINTED IN 1991.
HE GOT HIS BS FROM ST. THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE AND THEN A MASTER'S FROM MONTCLAIR STATE.
PRIOR TO COMING TO PELHAM, HE WAS IN THE EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL.
HE ANOTHER COACH, LONGTIME VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH.
I THINK THE FUNNIEST THING I CAN SHARE TONIGHT ABOUT DAVE IS A YEAR AGO, HE RETIRED, AND THEN HE IMMEDIATELY CAME RIGHT BACK TO WORK FOR US FOR THE YEAR, WHICH REALLY HELPED US OUT A LOT AND IT HELPED HIM AS WELL.
SO WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM.
I'M HOPING FOR HIS SAKE THAT RETIREMENT STICKS THIS TIME.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED HIS SERVICE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS EXTRA YEAR, BUT WISH HIM WELL.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN TO MR. BERKOWITZ.
>> THIS SPEECH TONIGHT WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE GIVEN BY DR. MARIA THOMPSON, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'M SENDING MY THOUGHTS TO DR. THOMPSON, WHO'S TENDING TO A FAMILY MEMBER.
IN THE LATE SPRING OF 1994, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SUPERINTENDENT DUDLEY HAIR GRANTED TENURE TO MR. DAVID MOSKOWITZ, AND WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL THAT THEY DID.
DAVE STARTED HIS TEACHING CAREER AT XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL AND IN EAST RAMAPO.
HE WAS HIRED IN PELHAM IN 1991 AND BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A TEACHER OF SOCIAL STUDIES AND COACH.
THE HIRING COMMITTEE COMMENTED THAT DAVE WAS GOAL ORIENTED, WILLING TO LEARN, AND WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL FOR PELHAM STUDENTS.
THEY ALSO STATED THAT DAVE MAY APPEAR TO BE LOW KEY, BUT HE HAD A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THOSE WHO KNOW DAVE MOSKOWITZ WELL COULD ATTEST TO ALL OF THOSE TRAITS.
DAVE HAS HAD MANY POSITIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HE WAS A CLASS ADVISOR, THE ADVISOR TO STUDENTS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING, SPRING TRACK COACH, STUDENT SUCCESS PROGRAM TEACHER, AND ACES SUMMER PROGRAM TEACHER, A TEACHER MENTOR, AND THE CLASS ADVISOR TO THE CLASS OF 1995.
DAVE WAS ALSO A COACH OF THE PELHAM FOOTBALL TEAM FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS.
AS A SOCIALIZE TEACHER, DAVE HAS TAUGHT GLOBAL HISTORY NINE AND 10, ADVANCED PLACEMENT GOVERNMENT, AND MOST RECENTLY, ADVANCED PLACEMENT WORLD HISTORY.
DAVE ARRIVES EARLY AND GRADES WELL INTO THE NIGHT.
HE'S A TRUE HISTORIAN AND A LOVER OF ALL THINGS, SOCIAL STUDIES.
IN DAVE'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT WRITTEN OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
[00:30:02]
HE STATED, THERE'S MORE TO EDUCATION THAN JUST LEARNING SUBJECT MATTER.TEACHERS TEACH STUDENTS FIRST, PREPARING THEM FOR THE FUTURE AS THEY BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
DAVE MOSKOWITZ WORK TO INSTILL IN HIS STUDENTS AN UNDERSTANDING OF MULTIPLE CAUSES, MULTIPLE CAUSATION, CONTEXT, AND PERSPECTIVE.
ONE FORMER STUDENT STATED THAT MR. MOSKOWITZ WILL FOREVER BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS BECAUSE OF HOW UNDERSTANDING HE IS AND HOW CONSIDERATE HE IS OF HIS STUDENTS.
HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO TRY NEW THINGS, TAKE CHANCES AND HELP A COLLEAGUE.
A FORMER STUDENT FROM OUR VIRTUAL DAYS, STATED THAT IT WAS FUNNY TO SEE MR. MOSKOWITZ TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE GOOGLE MEET.
IT ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE A STRUGGLE, AND DESPITE IT, HE STILL WORKED SO HARD TO KEEP US LEARNING.
ANOTHER STATED, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT MR. MOSKOWITZ HAS ALWAYS HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS STUDENTS AT HEART DURING HIS TIME AT PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
HE CONSTANTLY LOOKED FOR WAYS TO ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MATERIAL, MAKING HIM AN AMAZING TEACHER FOR MY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL AP COURSE.
SEVERAL STUDENTS EXCLAIMED THAT DAVE ALWAYS EXPLAINED THINGS THOROUGHLY, AND WAS DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT WE WERE PREPARED FOR OUR EXAM.
ANOTHER STUDENT REMARKED, THAT HE WAS THE FIRST SERIOUS TEACHER THAT TRULY PUSHED THEM AS A LEARNER.
THIS STUDENT FELT THAT HIS TEACHING EXPOSED THEM TO A COLLEGE LEVEL EXPERIENCE.
MR. MOSKOWITZ PASSION FOR HISTORY AND ENGAGING STORYTELLING MADE EVERY LESSON UNFORGETTABLE AND SPARKED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS LOVE FOR LEARNING ABOUT WORLD HISTORY.
HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE COUNTLESS THINGS TO SHARE ABOUT THEIR COLLEAGUE.
ONCE STATED, I LOOKED TO DAVE FOR LEADERSHIP AND ADVICE AND IN 1999, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO LISTEN TO HIM FOR EXCUSE ME, I LOOKED TO DAVE FOR LEADERSHIP AND ADVICE IN 1999 AND HAVE CONTINUED TO LISTEN TO AND RESPECT HIS ADVICE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
ANOTHER LONGTIME CO TEACHER WITH DAVE STATED, DAVE IS A BRILLIANT MAN, WHO, YES, KNOWS HIS HISTORY AND THE CURRENT EVENTS OF THE WORLD, BUT ABOVE ALL, KNOWS AND LOVES THE STUDENTS AND WHAT HE DOES.
HE MAKES TEACHING AND MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH EVERY STUDENT LOOK EFFORTLESS.
IN OUR 10 YEARS AS CO TEACHERS, WE BECAME A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.
FINALLY, ANOTHER DEPARTMENT COLLEAGUE SAYS, IT'S GREAT LEARNING FROM HIM, HE CAN ALWAYS TELL YOU A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE. AS DR.
CHAMP HAS REMARKED, DAVE RETIRED LAST YEAR, BUT WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO CONVINCE HIM TO RETURN TO US FOR ONE MORE YEAR AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO GO, RELAX, PLAY GOLF, AND ENJOY HIS TIME WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN.
DAVE WILL TRULY MISSED BY EVERYONE AT PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AND MOST ESPECIALLY BY HIS SOCIALIZED FAMILY AND STUDENTS.
WE WISH HIM YEARS OF GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.
WE THANK HIM FOR TEACHING ALL OF US HOW TO LOVE HISTORY AND HOW TO LOVE EVERYTHING WE DO EACH DAY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVE MOSKOWITZ.
>> AND OUR THIRD TEACHER RETIREE THIS EVENING, ALSO FROM THE SECONDARY CAMPUS, AND MR. BERKOWITZ WILL BE DOING THE HONOR OF ASSISTING WITH THIS AS WELL.
OUR THIRD HONOR THIS NIGHT THIS EVENING IS DR. MICHELLE ZANKI.
MICHELLE GOT HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN.
VIOLIN FROM NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC.
SHE GOT HER MASTERS IN MUSIC PERFORMANCE AND PEDAGOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, AND THEN IN 2004, SHE RECEIVED ANOTHER MASTER'S IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION FROM THE COLLEGE OF NEW RACHELLE, WHICH WAS THEN FOLLOWED FIVE YEARS LATER BY HER DOCTORATE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND COMPUTING FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
A WIDE RANGE OF STUDIES AND DEGREES OVER THOSE YEARS.
PRIOR TO COMING TO PELHAM, SHE TAUGHT AT THE MASTER SCHOOL AND SEVERAL POST SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND PERFORMED IN A VARIETY OF ENSEMBLES AND MEDIUMS. THEN IN 2002, SHE JOINED PELHAM AS A PART TIME STRING TEACHER AT HUTCHINSON SCHOOL.
IN 2007, SHE BECAME THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA TEACHER.
IN ADDITION TO HER WORK IN THE ORCHESTRA FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, SHE ALSO SERVED AS CURRICULUM COACH FOR THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT.
SHE WAS A FOUNDING ADVISOR FOR THE TRIM HONOR SOCIETY FOR MUSIC, WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAM.
MICHELLE HAS CONSISTENTLY OVER THE YEARS, PREPARED INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AND ENSEMBLES FOR HIGH LEVEL PETITION IN MUSIC, COMPETITIONS SUCH AS NISMA, SOLO FESTIVAL AND NISMA ENSEMBLE FESTIVALS.
THE CALIBER OF HER INSTRUCTION AND THE STUDENTS THAT SHE PRODUCED RESULTED IN STUDENTS WHO ARE A TEACHER WHO WAS MUCH LOVED BY THOSE DEDICATED STUDENTS FOR DECADES.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE, PROUD OF THE STUDENTS THAT SHE HAS PRODUCED AND WHAT THEY HAVE ACHIEVED AFTER HER YEARS OF TUTELAGE AND THE SUCCESS THAT THEY HAVE GONE ON TO ACHIEVE.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT TO MR. BERKOWITZ TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE DOCTOR ZANKI STORY.
> THANK YOU, DR. CHAMP. AND IT'S LOVELY TO SEE ADITA AND ELLIOTT AND CHRISTIAN HERE, AS WELL AS MR. VB, ON BEHALF OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, ALL HERE TO CELEBRATE DOCTOR ZANKI.
SIENNA IS NOT ONLY HERE FOR HER SCIENCE,
[00:35:02]
BUT FOR HER STRINGS. DR. ZANKI.DOCTOR MICHELLE ZANKI JOINED THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOLLOWING A CAREER AS PROFESSIONAL VIOLINIST.
DR. ZANKI BEGAN TEACHING AT THE HUTCHINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND IN A VERY SHORT TIME HAD THREE TERRIFIC ORCHESTRAS.
THE ELEMENTARY ENSEMBLES WERE STRONG THROUGHOUT HER YEARS THERE, AND MOST OF THESE MUSICIANS CONTINUED TO PURSUE ORCHESTRA WHEN THEY ARRIVED ON THE SECONDARY CAMPUS.
WHEN SHE JOINED PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL IN THE EARLY 2000S, DOCTOR ZANKI IMMEDIATELY GOT TO WORK PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR NYSSMA MAJORS, THE ENSEMBLES.
OVER THE YEARS, WELL UP UNTIL THE PANDEMIC, THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED AT NYSSMA MAJORS RECEIVING EVALUATIONS OF GOLD OR GOLD WITH DISTINCTION.
WORTH REPEATING. CONSISTENTLY. DR. ZANKI WAS SKILLED AND IS SKILLED AT FINDING TALENTED, DEDICATED STUDENTS, AND SHE TOOK GREAT PRIDE AND TAKES GREAT PRIDE AND MENTORING THEM.
DR. ZANKI ALSO STARTED THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER OF THE TRM MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY, WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.
IN THE SPRING OF 2019, DR. ZANKI TOOK OUR ORCHESTRA TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA, ALONG WITH HER BAND AND CHORUS COLLEAGUES AND THEIR STUDENTS.
THEY HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE ORCHESTRA ONCE AGAIN RECEIVED A GOLD AWARD.
HER STUDENT OF MANY YEARS, ELLIOTT LEVINE, HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT HER.
DR. ZANKI CARES A LOT ABOUT ORCHESTRA.
SHE ALWAYS SUPPORTED US AND ENCOURAGED US TO GET BETTER.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING IN THE AUDITORIUM LAST SPRING ON JUNE 1, 2023, WHEN DOCTOR ZANKI LED THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA FOR WHAT WOULD BE HER FINAL SPRING ORCHESTRA CONCERT.
THAT PROGRAM FEATURED 15 SONGS SELECTED BY THE CLASS OF 2023 'S SENIOR ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS. IT INCLUDED.
AMONG OTHERS, ASHTAKOVCH WALTZ, A TRIBUTE TO TINA TURNER, AND AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION.
I DIDN'T KNOW CHRISTIAN WAS GOING TO BE HERE, BUT ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.
AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION WRITTEN AND CONDUCTED BY CHRISTIAN'S BROTHER, STUDENT ALEX PRINCES.
HIS BROTHER NICK WAS ALSO IN THE ORCHESTRA.
THAT PROGRAM WAS DEDICATED TO THE CLASS OF 2023 'S ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS.
TONIGHT, DR. ZANKI, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WE SAY THANK YOU.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS OF PELHAM AND THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO ORCHESTRA SPECIFICALLY.
>> GOOD EVENING. I HAVE TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ON THE WAY HERE.
I STOPPED AT THE BANK AND I WENT INTO THE ATM, AND THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN STANDING THERE ON ONE LEG, HE ONLY HAD ONE LEG.
A WOMAN CAME INTO THE ATM, AND SHE LOOKED AT HIM, STARING AT HIM, AND SHE SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" HE SAID, "CHECKING MY BALANCE." I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A COUPLE OF [INAUDIBLE].
I WANT TO THANK PELHAM FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN AS ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR.
WHEN MY JOURNEY BEGAN 22 YEARS AGO WITH CHARLIE WILSON AND DENNIS LAURO, I REALIZED THAT PELHAM WAS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE BUILT AND MAINTAINED WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND I HOPE TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
SOME OF THE FONDEST MEMORIES INCLUDE DAILY INTERACTIONS WITH KAREN MANN, PEGGY BURNS, STEVE RAVITA, LYDIA PANTON, JACK MARTINS, JANET EGAN, OUR SECURITY STAFF, GUIDANCE STAFF, AND CUSTODIANS, AND OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUES.
I LOVED STARTING THE DAY, WORKING WITH MY ORCHESTRA STUDENTS, AND AFTER ALL THEIR HARD WORK, THE BEST WAS HEARING THE ORCHESTRA SCREAM WITH JOY AND PRIDE WHEN THEY RECEIVED THEIR GOLD WITH DISTINCTION AWARDS AT NYSSMA MAJORS.
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE. AS AN EDUCATOR, MY GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO INSTILL THE LOVE OF MUSIC, THE LOVE OF PERFORMING, AND THE LOVE OF LEARNING.
AS I RETIRE, I LOOK BACK ON MY 40-PLUS YEARS OF TEACHING.
I CALCULATED THAT I TAUGHT OVER 9,000 STUDENTS DURING THAT TIME.
AS TIM MCGRAW SAID, ON LIFE'S JOURNEY, "WE ALL TAKE DIFFERENT PATHS, BUT NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE TAKE A LITTLE OF EACH OTHER WITH US." I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY STUDENTS IN PELHAM.
[00:40:02]
PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH. THANK YOU.>> OUR FINAL HONOREE FOR THIS EVENING, FROM OUR SUPPORT STAFF, I AM VERY PLEASED AND I'LL INVITE MS. GARCIA TO COME JOIN ME FROM COLONIAL.
OUR FOURTH HONOREE TONIGHT IS MS. MARJORIE TULLY.
JORIE WAS APPOINTED AS A COLONIAL LUNCH MONITOR IN 2006.
SHE HAS BEEN A JOYFUL, SMILING, EVER-PRESENT CARETAKER OF THE CHILDREN AT COLONIAL SINCE THEN.
SHE KNOWS ALL THE STUDENTS, SHE CARES FOR EACH ONE OF THEM IN A KIND, FRIENDLY, AND ENERGETIC WAY.
I SEE HER WALKING TO AND FROM WORK, AND SHE'S GOT A SMILE ON HER FACE, AND ALL SHE CARES ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
SHE IS A TRUE GEM AND SHE WILL BE MISSED.
I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO MS. GARCIA TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF JORIE'S STORY.
TONIGHT I AM HONORED TO CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF OUR COLONIAL COMMUNITY, OUR BELOVED MARJORIE TULLY.
MARJORIE HAS SERVED AS A SCHOOL LUNCH MONITOR IN PELHAM FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, AND HAS BEEN MORE THAN JUST A PRESENCE IN OUR CAFETERIA.
SHE HAS BEEN A FRIENDLY FACE, A STEADFAST PROTECTOR OF OUR STUDENTS DURING THOSE PRECIOUS LUNCHTIME MOMENTS.
EVERY DAY, MARJORIE HAS ENSURED THAT OUR STUDENTS ENJOY THEIR MEALS IN A SAFE, ORDERLY, AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.
BUT BEYOND THE TASKS OF SUPERVISION AND ENSURING RULES WERE FOLLOWED, MARJORIE HAS BROUGHT SOMETHING INVALUABLE TO THE TABLE, A DEEP, GENUINE CARE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
HER KIND WORDS, GENTLE REMINDERS, AND ATTENTIVE WATCH HAS CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE STUDENTS FELT SEEN AND SUPPORTED.
FOR MANY CHILDREN, LUNCHTIME CAN BE A CHALLENGING TIME, AND MARJORIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO OFFER A SMILE, A LISTENING EAR, OR A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
HER COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED THAT COLONIAL APPRECIATES MARJORIE'S DEDICATION.
WE WILL MISS YOUR STRONG WORK ETHIC AND COMMITMENT.
MARJORIE IS HARD WORKING AND TOOK PRIDE IN HER JOB.
SHE LOVES TO LAUGH, AND HER LAUGH IS CONTAGIOUS.
SHE LOVES TO SOCIALIZE AND CHAT WITH THE FACULTY AND STAFF, SHARING ALL THE EXCITING MILESTONES, VENTS OF HER FAMILY, WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.
SHE IS A PROUD AUNT AND LOVES BRAGGING ABOUT HER NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND WE WILL MISS HER.
MARJORIE, AS YOU EMBARK ON THIS NEW CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE, WE ARE FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF JOY AND SADNESS; JOY FOR THE WELL-DESERVED REST AND NEW ADVENTURES THAT AWAIT YOU, AND SADNESS FOR YOUR DAILY PRESENCE WE WILL DEEPLY MISS.
YOU HAVE NOT JUST BEEN A LUNCH MONITOR, YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR, A FRIEND, AND A CHERISHED MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY.
ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COLONIAL SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WE THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.
WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT, MAY IT BE FILLED WITH JOY, RELAXATION, AND FULFILLMENT THAT YOU SO RICHLY DESERVE. CONGRATULATIONS.
>> GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT 20 YEARS AT COLONIAL SCHOOL.
I LOVED MY JOB AND ALL THE CHILDREN, THEY ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL.
I WILL MISS YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> IF WE COULD INVITE OUR RETIREES ALL UP ONE MORE TIME FOR ANOTHER GROUP PHOTO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM.
[00:45:07]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.AGAIN, WE'LL INVITE FAMILIES, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY, BUT YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO GO AND CELEBRATE AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING.
THANK YOU, MR. BERKOWITZ AND MS. GARCIA FOR BEING HERE. NICE TO MEET Y'ALL.
>> I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE FORWARD ITEM 4.1 PUBLIC COMMENT.
[4. Communications and Comments from the Public]
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE MICROPHONES SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.>> HI, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR MOVING IT UP.
IT'S ACTUALLY MY ANNIVERSARY, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE.
I KNOW MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ME AS THE CALENDAR LADY.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT A FEW POINTS TONIGHT.
AS YOU KNOW, A FEW PARENT FRIENDS AND I HAVE CIRCULATED A PETITION BECAUSE WE'RE INTERESTED IN SOME POTENTIAL TWEAKS TO THE CALENDAR AND HOW THAT MIGHT LOOK.
I'VE SENT YOU THE SIGNATURES AND ALL THAT.
I WILL GO INTO SOME DETAIL JUST FOR THE INTEREST OF THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING FROM HOME, BUT I WILL TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET.
THREE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS.
AIR CONDITIONING, HALF DAYS, AND END OF THE YEAR AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE CALENDAR.
AS I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS AND TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE LACK OF AIR CONDITIONING AT FOUR OF OUR SIX SCHOOLS IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING.
IT'S GETTING HOTTER, WE'RE GOING LATER INTO THE YEAR, BUT ALSO IT'S HOT IN SEPTEMBER AND MAY TOO.
WE ARE SEEING TEMPERATURES WHEN IT'S 80 DEGREES, 85 DEGREES, SOMETIMES 90 DEGREES, IT'S A GOOD FIVE DEGREES HOTTER IN THESE TOP FLOOR CLASSROOMS. MY SON HAS THE DUBIOUS HONOR OF BEING IN THE HOTTEST CLASSROOM AT SIWANOY.
HE'S MISERABLE. HE TELLS ME ABOUT IT EVERY TIME IT'S HOT.
OUR PTA HAS RAISED THE FUNDS TO PUT IN WINDOW UNITS, AND THIS HAS BEEN BLOCKED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET CLARITY ON THAT.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD ELECTRICAL, WE'VE BEEN TOLD MOLD.
THERE ARE OLD BUILDINGS IN THE CITY RUNNING AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, WINDOW UNITS.
I REALLY THINK THIS HAS GOT TO BE POSSIBLE AND WOULD IMPLORE YOU ALL TO RE-LOOK AT FACILITIES REPORTS OR DO A DEEP DIVE IF THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE ALREADY.
ALSO SOMETHING OUR TEACHERS REALLY WANT.
IT'S HIGHER THAN MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOT OF HALF DAYS IN PELHAM.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW IS THAT WE GO LATER IN THE YEAR THAN WE HAVE BEFORE AND WE HAVE MORE POCKETS OF HOLIDAYS.
WHEN YOU LAYER IN THESE 12 HALF DAYS ON TOP OF OUR CALENDAR, AND YOU TAKE THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW.
WE NOW HAVE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO FULL WEEKS OF SCHOOL PER MONTH.
IT'S REALLY DISRUPTIVE TO LEARNING, AND IT'S REALLY HARD FOR PARENTS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN TO FIND CHILDCARE.
WE REQUEST THAT WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HALF DAYS IN OUR DISTRICT TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
I THINK 10 WOULD BE REALISTIC.
IT WOULD PUT US IN LINE WITH SCARSDALE AND NEWER SHELL, TWO OF OUR BIGGEST NEIGHBORS. HOW DO WE GET THERE? NEXT YEAR WE GET A FREEBIE, WHICH IS EXCITING BECAUSE CHRISTMAS FALLS ON A WEDNESDAY AND WE'RE TAKING THAT WHOLE WEEK OFF, SO WE DON'T GET THE HALF DAY PRIOR TO THAT BREAK.
BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN RELY ON EVERY YEAR.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER LOOKING AT OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALL AGREE IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE COULD REALLOCATE SOME OF IT TO AFTER SCHOOL ONLY.
CURRENTLY, OUR TEACHERS ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO BE IN SCHOOL TILL 4:30 ON WEDNESDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE CURRENTLY USE FIVE OF THESE ALREADY.
FOR PLC THEY STAY 1:00-4:30 ON THESE DAYS.
COULD WE START BY REALLOCATING ONE OF THESE DAYS TO AFTER SCHOOL ONLY, WHICH WOULD TAKE UP SEVEN WEDNESDAYS AFTER SCHOOL.
THAT WILL LEAVE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE 36 WEDNESDAYS IN PLAY, 29 LEFT FOR FACULTY MEETINGS AND OTHER SCHOOL BUSINESS, WHICH SOUNDS FAIR, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE INS AND OUT OF THAT.
THIS IS JUST A REQUEST FOR THE BOARD.
I'M REALLY HERE TO COME WITH SOLUTIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO COME COMPLAINING AND SAYING, WE HAVE TOO MANY HALF DAYS.
I'VE REALLY TRIED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM.
THE LAST AND MOST COMPLICATED ISSUE IS HOW LATE WE GO IN JUNE.
THAT'S BETTER. WE ARE GOING LATER AND LATER INTO JUNE EVERY YEAR.
IT'S NOT A FLUKE OF THE CALENDAR.
IT'S BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR IS ADDING
[00:50:01]
MORE HOLIDAYS AND REGIONS ARE BEING SET LATER AND LATER AS A RESULT.WE'RE PINNED TO THIS LATE END DATE WITH REGIONS.
AS A RESULT, WE ARE TAKING OUR USUAL 185 DAYS.
WE ARE TAKING ALL OF OUR USUAL AND CUSTOMARY HOLIDAYS, ALL OUR REQUIRED HOLIDAYS BY THE STATE.
WE STILL HAVE 3-5 DAYS EXTRA THAT WE SPRINKLE IN AS ADDITIONAL VACATION.
COULD WE APPLY THOSE DAYS TO GETTING OUT EARLIER IN JUNE AND ELEMENTARY IS THE QUESTION.
WE DO NOT WANT A SEPARATE CALENDAR FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE EVERYONE AGREES.
BUT THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE NOW IS REALLY NOT THE FAIREST FOR ELEMENTARY BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THIS YEAR.
ELEMENTARY GETS OUT ON JUNE 26TH, SECONDARY GETS OUT ON JUNE 13TH, AND THEN THEY COME AND GO FOR REGIONS AND FINALS.
UNLESS YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT'S GRADUATING OR TAKING THE VERY LAST REGIONS AND FINALS, THE SECONDARY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY GETTING OUT A FEW DAYS EARLIER THAN ELEMENTARY.
THIS WOULD JUST LEVEL SET THAT SITUATION, BE A LOT EASIER FOR FAMILIES.
WE HAVE THE SHORTEST SUMMER WE'VE EVER HAD, IT'S NINE WEEKS THIS YEAR.
LOT EASIER TO FIND CHILDCARE FOR AN EXTRA WEEK OF THE SUMMER THAN TO SPRINKLE THESE HOLIDAYS IN THROUGH THE AIR. THIS IS LEGAL.
I'VE SPOKEN AND CORRESPONDED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF STATE AID FOR NEW YORK, AND HE HAS SAID THAT ACTUALLY, A LOT OF DISTRICTS DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THE CHALLENGE THAT DR.
CHAMP POINTED OUT, WHICH IS VERY REAL IS THAT WE HAVE CLERICAL STAFF THAT SERVE K-12, AND WHEN IT COMES TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THEIR NEED ARE [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE WE COULD NEGOTIATE WITH A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, THE COMMENSURATE NUMBER OF DAYS OFF SO THAT IT WOULD BE FAIR TO THEM AS WELL AND THEN GIVE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL POPULATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT A FEW DAYS EARLIER, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY DESIRES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. GOODNIGHT.
>> FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MOVING UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[LAUGHTER] WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT BEING PARENTS OF PELHAM.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANKS TO LIZ FOR POINTING OUT ALL OF THE WAYS THAT THIS MAY BE POSSIBLE.
I REALLY AM ENCOURAGED TO SEE THESE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU DO TAKE THEM TO HEART AND GIVE THEM SOME REAL THOUGHT.
UNLIKE LIZ, I AM HERE TO COMPLAIN JUST ALE BIT.
ON BEHALF OF THOSE PARENTS, THERE'S SEVERAL HUNDRED FAMILIES, AS SHE MENTIONED, WHO HAVE SIGNED A PETITION FOR US ALL TO TRY TO WORK TOGETHER TO CONSIDER HOW WE CAN GET TO A POTENTIALLY SHORTER CALENDAR.
I THINK LIZ APTLY POINTED OUT THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THAT THE CURRENT CALENDAR IS CAUSING ALL OF US.
I'LL SAY THAT FOR ONE, OBVIOUSLY, THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES, THE UNCOMFORTABLE CONDITIONS.
IN ADDITION TO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE PARENTS, I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY TWO CHILDREN.
MY 5TH GRADE DAUGHTER ACTUALLY ASKED IF SHE COULD COME AND SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
MAYBE I WILL BRING HER TO THE NEXT MEETING.
BUT SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW UNCOMFORTABLE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IN HER CLASSROOM TO DATE THIS YEAR AT SIWANOY, AND IN PARTICULAR, SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER TEACHER WHO FINDS THE CONDITIONS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND DISRUPTIVE.
IN THE PAST, SIWANOY HAD ONE AIR CONDITIONED CLASSROOM, WHICH THEY WERE ABLE TO USE TO GO AND LET STUDENTS AND TEACHERS COOL OFF.
GIVEN HOW CROWDED THE SCHOOL NOW IS, THAT ROOM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
I THINK NUMBER 1, IT'S THE HEALTH AND SAFETY, THE COMFORT OF OUR STUDENTS AND CHILDREN THAT THE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN ADDITION TO CAUSING DISCOMFORT, DO ALSO INTERRUPT LEARNING.
AGAIN, AS LIZ SAID, WE'D LOVE TO LOOK INTO POTENTIAL WINDOW AIR CONDITIONED UNITS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN'T SHORTEN THE CALENDAR.
SECOND, I WOULD SAY IN ADDITION TO DISCOMFORT, OBVIOUSLY, DISRUPTIONS TO LEARNING ARE A CONCERN OF ALL OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WHICH WE HAVE SPOKEN TO AND HEARD FROM.
IT'S DEFINITELY TRUE OF MY KIDS.
HAVING ONLY TWO FULL WEEKS OF SCHOOL PER MONTH IS REALLY OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK IDEAL FOR LEARNING.
THIRD, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WORKING PARENTS LIKE MYSELF, WHERE WE HAVE TWO WORKING PARENTS IN THE FAMILY.
IT IS SO MUCH EASIER AND SO MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL FOR US TO GET 1-2 ADDITIONAL WEEKS OF CAMP AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THAN IT IS TO FIND RELIABLE PART TIME CHILDCARE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
IT'S JUST REALLY SUCH A STRESS ON MY FAMILY.
I ALSO THINK THAT MANY OF THE WORKING FAMILIES IN PELHAM CANNOT AFFORD FULL TIME NANNY CARE JUST TO COVER THESE FEW HOURS AFTER A HALF DAY AND THIS ONE DAY HERE OR THERE.
IT'S JUST NOT A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THIS DISTRICT IS CLEARLY COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY, AND TO HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE JUST ASK THAT THEY CONTINUE AND THAT YOU ENABLE THAT TRANSPARENCY BY MAKING THINGS AVAILABLE LIKE THE TEACHER CONTRACTS.
CHAMP THAT YOU SHARED WITH US THE TEACHER CONTRACT.
IN NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE JUST PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALSO CONSIDER IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN PELHAM AS WELL.
FINALLY, AGAIN, IT DOES SEEM BASED ON ALL OF THE DETAILED FACTS THAT LIZ LAID OUT,
[00:55:02]
AND I JUST REALLY WANT THE PARENTS OF PELHAM TO KNOW AND THE BOARD TO KNOW.WE REALLY THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO CUT AT LEAST ONE OR TWO HALF DAYS TO SHORTEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CALENDAR.
THERE'S NO LEGAL IMPEDIMENTS TO DOING THAT.
I THINK IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, IT REALLY IS POSSIBLE, AND I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED BY ALL THE FACTS. THANK YOU GUYS.
>> THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE CALENDAR?
>> I WAS GOING TO INCLUDE THAT IN IN MY REPORT.
[3.3 Superintendent's Report - Strategic Plan Draft Presentation]
GOING TO DO YOUR REPORT NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC PLAN?>> I WAS GOING TO DO STRATEGIC PLAN FIRST.
>> BUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN RELATES WITH THE FACILITIES QUESTIONS.
>> DEFINITELY. I CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT NOW IF YOU PREFER.
>> I WAS GOING TO SHARE JUST THE UPDATED DRAFT WITH THE BOARD OF THE CALENDAR AS PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE MET WITH SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE WITH US TONIGHT.
THE RIGHT NUMBER. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ENOUGH COPIES. HOPEFULLY THERE'S ENOUGH.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS THAT WE DEAL WITH.
I'M ALSO GOING TO GIVE THE BOARD A COPY OF THIS.
AGAIN, WE SHARED THIS WITH MS. LIVINGSTON WHEN WE MET.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW THE BOARD IS AWARE THAT WE PASSED THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CALENDAR BACK SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO.
WHAT WE HAD STILL BEEN WORKING THROUGH WAS THE PLAN FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES AND PLC HALF DAYS IN THE COMING YEAR.
WHAT YOU HAVE COMING AROUND TO YOU IS THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL NEXT TIME, SO THAT WE CAN ROUND OUT THE PLANNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WHAT WE DID, AS LIZ MENTIONED AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS, WE DID REDUCE ONE ELEMENTARY HALF DAY THIS YEAR.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A K12 HALF DAY.
THE WAY THE CALENDAR FELL THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN, IT MADE SENSE TO DO A HALF DAY BEFORE THE HOLIDAY BREAK GIVEN HOW CLOSE THE HOLIDAYS WERE TO THAT WEEKEND.
BUT THE WAY THE CALENDAR IS FALLING FOR NEXT YEAR AND THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THIS.
WE HAD A PLAN FOR A TWO WEEK BREAK AROUND DECEMBER AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TEACHERS FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COME BACK PRIOR TO LABOR DAY.
THAT'S THE WAY ONE OF THE PROVISIONS WITHIN THE CONTRACT.
WE'RE SCHEDULED TO COME BACK ON AUGUST 28 AND 29TH AND THEN BEGIN SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ON SEPTEMBER 3TH.
AS I SHARED WITH THEM AND I'LL SHARE WITH THE BOARD AGAIN, FOR THE DAYS ON HERE ARE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND THAT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND THE LAST THREE DAYS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, THOSE ARE HALF DAYS BY CONTRACT.
THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING IS ONE THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE A HALF DAY FOR OUR STAGING DRILL.
THAT IS ONE CERTAIN I KNOW DISTRICTS HANDLE THAT STAGING DRILL VERY DIFFERENTLY.
I'VE BEEN IN DISTRICTS WHERE THEY EARLY RELEASED 15 MINUTES AS A STAGING DRILL, OTHER DISTRICTS ARE LIKE US, WHERE IT'S A HALF DAY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
THERE'S CERTAINLY FLEXIBILITY AROUND THAT.
ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT AND WE'LL INCLUDE IN OUR MESSAGING ABOUT THE CALENDAR.
BOWMAN WORKED WITH A TEAM OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THIS YEAR TO RESHAPE HOW WE APPROACH PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES TO SEE IF WE CAN GAIN SOME MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TIME AND STILL HAVE ENOUGH SLOTS FOR CONFERENCES.
WE DID ACCOMPLISH THAT THROUGH HAVING A FULL DAY RELEASE IN DECEMBER WITH A HALF DAY RELEASE PRIOR TO THAT FOR EVERYONE.
THEN IN MARCH, WE CHANGED THAT TO A FULL DAY SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCE DAY AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN FOLKS ADVOCATING FOR US AT OUR BOARD COFFEES IN PARTICULAR TO TRY TO GET A FULL DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING FOR OUR TEACHERS.
WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT THIS YEAR.
BUT TO DO THAT, WE DID OUT A HALF DAY LEADING INTO THAT AND THAT WAS IN MARCH.
THIS CALENDAR IS BUILT ON A SIMILAR MODEL.
THE ONE CHANGE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CONTINUED CONVERSATION WITH THE PRINCIPALS AND THE TEACHERS WAS THAT WE WANTED TO START MOVING AWAY FROM THE ELEMENTARY IN PARTICULAR, ELEMENTARY PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES BEING ALIGNED
[01:00:01]
TO THE FIRST TRIMESTER MARK REPORT CARD.WE WANTED TO BE MORE ABOUT THE STUDENT, THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK, THEIR SKILLS AND THE CURRICULAR BASED ASSESSMENTS AND GROWTH THE TEACHERS WERE SEEING AS THEY'RE GETTING TO KNOW STUDENTS EARLIER IN THE FALL AND SEPARATE THAT FROM THE ACTUAL REPORT CARD ITSELF.
WE RAN THAT BY GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND ME, GROUP OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
WE ALSO CHECKED IN WITH PTA COUNSEL FOR SOME FEEDBACK BECAUSE WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS IN ORDER TO ALIGN BETTER FOR ELEMENTARY WITH THAT GOAL OF SEPARATING FROM THE REPORT CARD.
SECONDARY STILL WANTED THAT AND IT MADE MORE SENSE TO KEEP THAT CLOSE TO THE END OF THE MARKING PERIOD.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS ACTUALLY SEPARATING THE ELEMENTARY FROM THE SECONDARY REPORT CARDS THIS COMING FALL.
IT WOULD BE THE FULL DAY OF NOVEMBER 15TH AS A DAY OFF SCHOOL FOR ELEMENTARY CONFERENCES WITH ONLY AFTERNOON EVENING.
WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN BACK A HALF DAY THERE, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT.
THE SECONDARIES IN ORDER TO GET THE NUMBER OF SLOTS THAT WE NEED AND THOSE OF YOU WITH SECONDARY STUDENTS, I KNOW YOU KNOW THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING ENOUGH SLOTS.
WE DID MAINTAIN A HALF DAY RELEASE FOR THE SECONDARY STUDENTS ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12TH AND THEN A FULL DAY ON DECEMBER 13TH.
PTA COUNSEL, I THOUGHT GAVE US GREAT FEEDBACK.
THEY LOVED THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE DIFFERENTLY WITH THE ELEMENTARY.
THEY SAID AS LONG AS THEY FELT AS LONG AS FOLKS KNEW IN ADVANCE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES THAT SECONDARY AND ELEMENTARY WOULD BE ON A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE FOR THOSE DAYS THAT THE PARENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES THERE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
WE ARE ASKING FOR CONTINUATION OF FIVE PLC DAYS BECAUSE WE GENUINELY BELIEVE WE NEED THAT TIME.
TO LIZ'S POINT AND I DID GO BACK AFTER OUR MEETING AND DOUBLE CHECK AS WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, WELL, WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER WEDNESDAYS? IS THERE A WAY TO REDUCE A PLC AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO OTHER TIME? I WENT BACK THROUGH THE SCHEDULE AND THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE ALREADY WELL INTO THE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LITERALLY ONE WEDNESDAY IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR, THERE ARE MEETINGS AND DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL EITHER DEPARTMENT MEETINGS, GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS, FACULTY MEETINGS, CURRICULUM MEETINGS, PLANNED FOR EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY THROUGHOUT.
THAT'S ONE PIECE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE WHEN WE SPOKE, IS THAT THE WEDNESDAYS ARE SPOKEN FOR THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR ALREADY.
THIS IS THE PROPOSAL I GUESS THAT I'M BRINGING TO YOU TODAY.
THE WEDNESDAYS ARE ALL USED AT THIS POINT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE.
TWO PIECES THAT MAY BE OF ASSISTANCE TO SOME FAMILIES.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AND I THINK THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THIS AS WELL.
I BELIEVE I INCLUDED IN MY LAST NOTE IN JIM IN HIS OFFICE WILL BE COORDINATING.
WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PELHAM CHILDREN CENTER TO EXPAND PROGRAMS TO BOTH PROSPECT HILL AND COLONIAL.
RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT THOSE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT THOSE SCHOOLS.
SOME STUDENTS ARE BUSTED TO THE OTHER BUILDINGS, BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE ENOUGH INTEREST NOW THAT WE ARE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN A PROGRAM AT ALL FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND I KNOW THOSE PROGRAMS DO ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING ON THESE HALF DAYS TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE FROM FAMILIES AND PROVIDE THE CHILDCARE NEEDED.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE WILL DO AND I KNOW JIM MEETS REGULARLY WITH REC PROGRAMS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THAT AND WE CAN SPECIFICALLY BRING THIS ISSUE TO THEM.
I KNOW THEY DID SOME PROGRAMMING ON THESE WEDNESDAYS, BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH, IS WHAT SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL WOULD BE A LOT MORE DEMAND FOR MORE REC PROGRAMS ON THOSE DAYS.
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO TRY TO HELP EASE SOME OF THE PRESSURE.
WE CERTAINLY ARE HEARING THE CONCERN THAT FAMILIES HAVE, BUT ALSO TRYING TO BALANCE THAT WITH THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE STAFF, SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
JUST THE OTHER DOCUMENT THAT I SHARED WITH YOU IS ALSO JUST A SUMMARY, A LITTLE BIT OF LUNCH TO SUMMARY, WE LOOK BACK HISTORICALLY TO SEE HOW MANY HALF DAYS, HOW MANY FULL DAYS AND WHAT YOU SEE THERE JUST SPREAD ACROSS THEM.
THE PINK COLUMN, I'M JUST ASK YOU TO SET THAT ONE ASIDE.
THAT WAS A PANDEMIC YEAR, SO NOTHING WAS NORMAL.
THE CALENDAR WAS THE FARTHEST THING FROM NORMAL IN THOSE DAYS.
BUT YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE LEVELED OUT WITH SOMEWHAT OF A CONSISTENT PATTERN BACK IN '14, '15, IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES WHERE YOU HAD A LOT MORE CONFERENCES DONE ON MORE HALF DAYS.
WE'VE SHIFTED AWAY FROM THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE PATTERNS OVER TIME.
WE LOOK AT OPTIONS, HOW DO WE MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS HERE, REDUCING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, WHICH AGAIN, I DON'T FEEL IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, I CAN RECOMMEND KNOWING THE DEMANDS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND THEIR ONE NEED IS.
THEIR MOST IMPORTANT ASK FROM US HAS BEEN TIME.
WE COULD REDUCE THE STAGING DRILL BEFORE THANKSGIVING TO MAYBE A SHORTER EARLY RELEASE, SO THAT'S MORE OF A SUBSTANTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY.
[01:05:03]
CERTAINLY RENEGOTIATING TEACHERS CONTRACT IS POSSIBLE.THIS CONVERSATION CAME UP VERY LATE IN OUR NEGOTIATING PROCESS, SO IT WAS PAST THE POINT AT WHICH WE CAN BRING NEW PROPOSALS TO THE TABLE.
THAT IS NOT AN OPTION RIGHT NOW IN THE CURRENT NEGOTIATION AS WE SETTLE THAT.
I WANT TO SHARE AND SEE WHAT QUESTIONS FOLKS MIGHT HAVE.
>> DR. CHAMP, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO [NOISE] THE DATES WE HAVE RIGHT BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.
I KNOW WE DON'T USE THEM LAST YEAR, WE TOOK THEM ALL.
THIS YEAR, WE ENDED UP USING THEM.
COULD THIS BE PART OF, IF WE DON'T USE THEM AGAIN? PUT THEM AT THE BACK END [NOISE] AND THEN STOP THE JUNE HALF DAYS, OR IS THAT JUST NOT POSSIBLE?
>> I HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
THAT MAY BE ONE AND THEN WHEN WE MET, I DIDN'T REMEMBER THAT PORTION.
I THINK THERE MAY BE CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFIES THAT WEEKEND. WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE THERE WITH THE END OF THE YEAR IS SOMEWHAT WHAT WAS ARTICULATED.
THE REGENTS EXAM SCHEDULE GENERALLY RUNS THROUGH REGENTS RATING DAY.
TECHNICALLY, YES, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT THE REALITIES OF ADMINISTERING THE EXAMS. WE ALSO DO NOT JUST REGENTS, WE DO FINAL EXAMS AND A LOT OF COURSES AS WELL.
BY THE TIME YOU ADMINISTER, SCORE, ENTER GRADES AND WRAP UP THE SCHOOL YEAR AT THE SECONDARY, YOU NEED THOSE DAYS FOR THAT PROCESS TO CONTINUE.
SECONDARY REALLY COULD NOT LOGISTICALLY FEASIBLY END SOONER.
WITH THE ELEMENTARIES, THAT WOULD BE THE CHALLENGE IS HAVE PART OF THE STUDENT BODY COME TO SCHOOL IN ONE DAY AND NOT THE OTHERS.
TO THE POINT, THERE ARE TIMES THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THE STAFF IS STILL COMING TO SCHOOL ON THOSE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE DAYS, WHETHER THE STUDENTS ARE OR NOT.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE GENERAL CONSTRUCT OF THE SCHEDULE FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU START CHANGING THINGS LIKE ELEMENTARY NOT COMING ON THOSE LAST THREE DAYS, THE STAFF NOT COMING, THEN THEY'VE GOT TO COME SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IF THEY'RE COMING SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU NOW HAVE CUSTODIANS THAT MAY BE NEEDED SOMEWHERE ELSE, CLERICAL STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS THAT HAS THE EFFECT OF POTENTIALLY LENGTHENING THE ADDING DAYS TO THE CALENDAR FOR THEIR WORKING HERE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN NEGOTIATED OR COMPENSATED FOR.
WHEN YOU START CHANGING THE ACTUAL SET STAFF WORK DAYS IS WHAT MAKES IT VERY CHALLENGING.
TRYING TO SEE IF I CAN PULL UP THE MEMORIAL DAY LANGUAGE QUICKLY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> QUESTION THEN, IF THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT HOURS THAT END EARLIER, WHAT ARE THEY DOING DIFFERENTLY THEN? BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GET A FULL PICTURE.
IF YOU FOUND SOME THAT DO, I'D HAPPILY TAKE A LOOK. I DON'T KNOW.
MOST DISTRICTS THAT EVERY DISTRICT I'VE EVER WORKED IN AND I LOOK TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO WORKED IN OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE HAD THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WAS REGIONS [OVERLAPPING].
JUST BECAUSE OF THE LOGISTICS OF HOW THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS PLAY OUT, I KNOW, DR.
BOWMAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS?
>> I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A DISTRICT WHERE ANY OTHER DAY, BUT RATING DAY WAS THE LAST DAY.
I KNOW THIS YEAR, YESTERDAY, STERDAY WAS THE FOURTH, YESTERDAY.
WE ADMINISTERED THE NEW ALGEBRA REGIONS EXAM.
THE STATE HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE US WITH.
WHICH WENT WELL. BY THE WAY, [LAUGHTER] WENT EXTRAORDINARILY WELL.
BUT THE STATE HAS PROMISED TO RELEASE THE CONVERSION CHARTS, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO CREATE PERCENT GRADES FOR THOSE STUDENTS BY RATING DAY, WHICH LEAVES A HALF A DAY FOR THE TEACHERS TO ENTER THOSE GRADES INTO THE SYSTEM.
IF THEY WERE OFF, OBVIOUSLY, THEY WOULDN'T BE HERE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT WILL BE CONTINUING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
PERHAPS DEPENDING UPON HOW THINGS CHANGE WITH THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW REGIONS ARE ADMINISTERED THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES THAT WOULD SOMEHOW OPEN SPACE IN THIS AREA.
[01:10:02]
BUT RIGHT NOW THAT'S SLATED FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO BE PROBABLY HOW IT HAPPENS, WHERE THERE WILL BE REGIONS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE JUNE WITH THE CONVERSION CHARTS PROMISED BY THE VERY LAST DAY.I DID FIND THE CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE.
IN A SCHOOL YEAR WHERE NO EMERGENCY SNOW DAYS ARE USED, THE DISTRICT WILL SCHEDULE TWO ADDITIONAL VACATION DAYS IN PROXIMITY TO THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
THE LANGUAGE IS SPECIFIC TO THAT.
THEN IF IT'S ONE SCHOOL ONE EMERGENCY SNOW DAY, THEY'LL BE ONE DAY IN PROXIMITY TO MEMORIAL DAY.
>> I ALSO WANTED TO ASK JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES AND THE SECONDARY CAMPUS WAS DUE TO A LOT OF CONCERN FOR PARENTS, GETTING THE SLOTS TO MEET WITH THEIR TEACHERS.
JUST GETTING MORE TIME TO DO THAT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT, ALICE?
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION?
>> THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, WAS IT DUE TO ALL THE CONCERNS OF SECONDARY PARENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET WITH ALL THE, HAVING THE ABILITY TO MEET WITH TEACHERS DUE TO THE TIME CONSTRAINTS BEING JUST A DAY OR HALF, THE NIGHT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU YES.
BUT IT IS AN UNINTENDED BENEFIT THAT HAS OCCURRED, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE THINK.
I THINK THAT BECOMES A BETTER SITUATION FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE AT MULTIPLE LEVELS BECAUSE YOU CAN BE ONLY IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME, WHICH MAKES YOUR AVAILABILITY SHRINK.
HAVING THEM ON SEPARATE EVENINGS DOES ALLOW FOR THAT ABILITY TO BE AT BOTH BUILDINGS OR ALL THREE BUILDINGS IN DIFFERENT TIME FRAMES.
THE DECISION TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES WAS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE IDEA THAT TRIMESTERS WOULD BE SEPARATED EQUALLY BY THREE.
IN YEARS PAST, THE FIRST TRIMESTER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER THAN THE OTHERS, AND THE REPORT CARDS AND PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES WERE SCHEDULED AROUND QUARTERS AS OPPOSED TO THE CADENCE OF AN ELEMENTARY BUILDING.
RE ORGANIZING WHEN DURING THE YEAR YOU HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND WHEN THE REPORT CARDS ARE PUBLISHED, REALLY PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ADDED TIME FOR PARENTS TO MEET WITH TEACHERS AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW THEIR CHILD IS PROGRESSING IN SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU TAKE MORE DAYS BETWEEN WHEN THE REPORT CARDS ARE AND WHEN THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES ARE, IT SEPARATES THE CONVERSATION SO THAT YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REPORT CARD AT PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, BUT RATHER TALKING MORE FOCUSED ON THE CHILD AND THE CHILD'S PROGRESS IN CLASS.
THOSE WERE REALLY THE REASONS WHY WE SEPARATED THEM, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER ADDED BENEFITS, PARKING, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT SPREADS THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THERE'S NOT AS MUCH CONGESTION.
>> IF YOU HAVE FIVE KIDS, I NEED TO SCHEDULE.
[LAUGHTER] BY A PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE ON THE SAME DAY IT COULD BE CHALLENGING.
>> IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
[OVERLAPPING] ESPECIALLY ON TWO CAMPUSES OR EVEN THREE CAMPUSES, THEN IT BECOMES EVEN GREATER OF A CHALLENGE.
THAT WAS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE FIVE CHILDREN.
THANK YOU. SO ARE YOU WELCOME. THE OTHER REASONS WERE SECONDARY.
>> I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE HALF DAYS ARE DISRUPTIVE FOR ELEMENTARY PARENTS.
THERE CERTAINLY ARE MONTHS OR LIKE BACK TO BACK WEEKS WHERE IT'S LIKE, WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE REGULAR.
YOU WENT TO SCHOOL FIVE DAYS, AND IT JUST FEELS VERY, I'M NOT SURE FOR THE KIDS, HOW THEY EXPERIENCE THAT.
THEY PROBABLY JUST LIKE HAVING THEIR DAY OFF TO GO PLAY, BUT FOR THE PARENTS TO JUST BE IN A ROUTINE, IT IS DISRUPTIVE.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE HALF DAYS FOR, THIS YEAR AND PRIOR YEARS.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE NEGOTIATION, BUT THAT THE QUESTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND HALF DAYS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN AWARE OF FOR A WHILE.
>> NOW, YOU DID MENTION PELHAM CHILDREN CENTER, WOULD LIKE TO COME IN AND DO SOME, AND I KNOW I USED TO BE SITTING ON THE BOARD THERE FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE I CAME HERE.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A PROJECT OF THERE FOR MANY YEARS.
[01:15:01]
SO I DO HOPE IT BECOMES.TO FRUITION, I DO LIKE THE PROGRAMMING THAT THE REC OFFERS.
HOWEVER, FOR WHAT I REMEMBER, THEY WEREN'T HAPPENING DURING THE HALF DAYS AT THE SCHOOLS AS THEY DO AFTER SCHOOL, SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR KIDS, YOU PICK THEM UP AND THEN TAKE THEM.
WHICH THEN DEFEATS THE WHOLE PURPOSE.
>> I KNOW THAT WE HAD WE HAD OFFERED TO REC TO HAVE PROGRAMS AT EVERY SCHOOL.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE A MATTER OF MAYBE IT'S THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WANT MAY NOT BE AT, THERE'S SOMETHING AT YOUR CHILD'S SCHOOL.
SOME PARENTS WERE LIKE, WELL, IF I HAVE TO PICK UP MY CHILD AND TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN IT DEFEATS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF JUST JUST STAY IN SCHOOL, DOING SOMETHING FUN LIKE TENNIS OR GOLF OR WHATEVER CHESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING COULD BE OFFERED.
PARENTS COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY IN SCHOOL.
WILL PICK YOU UP AT THE NORMAL TIME.
WELL, LET US KNOW ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK YOU HAVE, AND WE HOPE TO BRING A FINAL VERSION FORWARD NEXT TIME FOR APPROVAL SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS SET FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD REDUCE ONE MORE HALF DAY? IF THAT'S THE CONSENT TO THE BOARD.
[OVERLAPPING] IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK, I GUESS THAT WOULD.
IF THAT'S THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD, WE CERTAINLY COULD.
I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT. IT DEFINITELY WILL REDUCE.
WHAT WOULD BE THE TRADE-OFF? IT WOULD BE REDUCED THREE HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIME FOR TEACHERS.
COULD THAT BE MADE UP SOMEWHERE ELSE OR.
[OVERLAPPING] NOT PART OF THE CONTRACT.
EVERY WEDNESDAY IS USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE WEDNESDAYS OF THE DAY IS THAT BY CONTRACT.
THOSE ARE DESIGNATED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE BASICALLY FULLY SUBSCRIBED.
FOR THE FACULTY MEETINGS YOU'RE SAYING OR? YEAH.
WE ALREADY HAVE ONE WEDNESDAY THAT'S FREE.
WE JUST NEED ONE WEDNESDAY AFTER SCHOOL AND WE WOULDN'T LOSE ANY PD.
I DON'T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO ANSWER THIS, BUT HOW DOES THAT WORK? I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING.
I THINK THAT THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE THREE HOURS WELL, FROM 1:00 TO 4:30.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THREE HOURS BECAUSE IT'S 1:15 ACTUALLY TO 4:30.
ONE OF THOSE HOURS IS ALREADY ON THAT WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTH WEDNESDAY IS THERE.
THE OTHER TWO WOULD BE NEEDED TO BECOME UP WITH ANOTHER WEDNESDAY AND ONE IS ALREADY AVAILABLE.
WE WOULD NEED TO FIND THE THIRD. I'M I DOING THE MATH, CORRECT? TO FIND THE THIRD. THE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH IS THAT THERE'S A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DELIVERING A LESSON OR A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSION IN THREE, ONE HOUR CHUNKS OR ONE, THREE HOUR CHUNK.
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE WAY PEOPLE LEARN.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN HOW IT WOULD BE RECEIVED.
IS THERE A NUMBER OF HOURS CONTRACT WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR TEACHERS? THEY HAVE TO TAKE 20 HOURS. YEAH, FOR.
[OVERLAPPING] NO, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF NO SPECIFIED MINIMUM NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS.
FOR THE DISTRICT, THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
DEPENDING UPON THE CERTIFICATION THAT A TEACHER HAS, THERE ARE CTLE CREDITS THAT NEED TO BE ACCRUED OVER TIME IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN YOUR CERTIFICATION DEPENDING UPON WHEN YOU WERE CERTIFIED.
THERE ARE MANY OF US WHO DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO DO HAVE TO DO THAT, AND THEN THERE'S A GROUP AFTER THAT DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
IT REALLY DEPENDS. IT'S NOT A UNIVERSAL, YES OR NO.
[OVERLAPPING] YOUR MID CAREER TEACHERS DO AND THESE MEETINGS DO COUNT TOWARDS THAT.
[BACKGROUND] I ALSO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS IN INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS AND THE CORRELATING ASSESSMENTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE SHIFTS AND STANDARDS THAT HAVE HIGH STAKES FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FUTURES, WHICH RELY UPON OUR ABILITY TO TRAIN OUR TEACHERS TO MAKE THE SHIFTS AND INSTRUCTION THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT THE KIDS CAN MEET THOSE STANDARDS AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
[01:20:01]
REMOVING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WOULD OBVIOUSLY IMPACT.WHAT ABOUT I KNOW WE'RE JUST LIKE GOING ROUND AND ROUND, BUT TAKING HAVING MORE FULL DAYS AND LESS.
DO FEWER FULL DAYS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, SO THERE'S NOT SO MANY HALF DAYS.
TWO MORE FULL DAY? A FULL DAY OF TRAINING? FULL DAY OFF INSTEAD OF HAVING.
[OVERLAPPING] THERE ARE RULES AROUND THAT AS WELL.
OF THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL DAYS THAT YOU HAVE, FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, YOU CAN USE TOTAL OF I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR BETWEEN PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS.
YOU CAN USE A GRAND TOTAL OF FOUR SCHOOL DAYS.
IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, WE WOULD HAVE TO DECREASE PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.
BECAUSE ONE OF OUR FOUR DAYS WE USE.
[OVERLAPPING] WE ARE USING FOUR ALREADY.
ARE PEOPLE HAPPY WITH THE SCHEDULE OR SHOULD WE TRY TO REDUCE THE [BACKGROUND] HI, [INAUDIBLE] MOTHER OF ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT AT SIMONI.
I'LL HAVE TWO THERE NEXT YEAR.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US.
I KNOW ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WAS THAT THE LAST THREE HALF DAYS ARE CONTRACTUAL, BUT AS I LOOK FORWARD TO THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL, I'M DREADING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THREE HALF DAYS AND THEN TWO DAYS WITHOUT SCHOOL AND THERE'S NO CAMPS THAT WE DO ANYTHING.
FROM TWO WORKING PARENTS IN A HOUSEHOLD, IT'S A VERY STRESSFUL WEEK FOR US.
I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS IF THOSE DAYS ARE NOT BEING USED FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND OBVIOUSLY FOR SECONDARY, THERE'S REGIONS EXAMS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE THERE IF THEY'RE NOT BEING USED FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT ALREADY? HONESTLY, NOT HAVING SCHOOL THAT WEEK WOULD BE EASIER THAN HAVING THREE HALF DAYS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A THREE, BUT IT'S A REALLY TOUGH WEEK FOR US AS PARENTS. THANK YOU.
I THINK WE JUST NEED MORE CONVERSATION.
THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT WITHIN THE BOARD, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALICE AND JUST SOME OF THE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW.
WELL, YOU NEED TO APPROVE THE CALENDAR WEEKS.
THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL. I GUESS IF YOU'D LET US KNOW WHAT INFORMATION IT IS THAT YOU NEED, WE CAN COME PREPARED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
JUST TO ADDRESS THE LAST COMMENT ABOUT THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT BEING A HARD WEEK FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TOO, BUT I GUESS THOSE AREN'T PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, BUT THOSE ARE TEACHERS PREPARING FINAL REPORT CARDS AND ALL THE END OF YEAR STUFF.
THAT'S THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE CONTRACT PROVISION, IS THAT RIGHT? IT'S REALLY TO ATTEND TO ANY THE END OF YEAR, SO IT'S EVERYTHING FROM.
[OVERLAPPING] BUT THEY STILL ACCOUNT.
GRADES. THEY STILL COUNT IN 180 DAYS.
THEY STILL COUNT AS DAYS TOWARDS THE HUNDRED 180 DAYS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE 180 DAYS FOR STUDENTS, BUT WE ALSO CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN 185 FOR TEACHERS.
THAT'S THE LITTLE WINDOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.
THE TEACHERS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL HAVE STUDENTS THAT THOSE DAYS.
THEY'RE WRAPPING UP THEIR CLASSROOMS, WRAPPING UP THEIR GRADES, AND THE LAST DAY FOR STUDENTS IS THE LAST DAY FOR TEACHERS OF THEIR CONTRACTUAL YEAR.
THOSE WERE DESIGNED TO ENABLE THEM TO ATTEND TO END OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
REALLY [INAUDIBLE] JUST TO SAY WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION.
I JUST WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT WE DID EMAIL YOU IN ADVANCE.
OUR OWN IT'S LIKE VERY DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE CALENDAR AND HOW WE COULD GET TO ONE LESS HALF DAY THIS YEAR.
I FORGET IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD GET TO, BUT IN ESSENCE, WE DID A LOT OF DETAIL BECAUSE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY COMPLEX.
WE'RE REALLY COMMITTED TO TEACHER DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AND THOUGHT DEEPLY ABOUT IT BUT WE REALLY THINK THERE IS A WAY TO GET THERE.
JUST LOOK AT THE INFORMATION WE'VE [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT.
>> DO WE WANT TO GIVE ANY DIRECTION NOW OR
[01:25:01]
JUST PEOPLE CAN ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS IF THEY WANT TO? OFFLINE. PERSONALLY, IF YOU COULD REDUCE ONE HALF DAY, I THINK COULD BE GREAT.[OVERLAPPING] IF WE COULD REDUCE THE ONE HALF DAY WITHOUT SACRIFICING, HOW MUCH WE WANT OUR TEACHERS TO BE PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
I THINK THAT'S THE FINE LINE WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
>> I THINK GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, WE CAN LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
>> WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL MAYBE IF THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT COME UP THROUGH THAT, THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
>> ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NOW OR MOVE ON TO STRATEGIC PLAN?
>> I THINK THAT WAS THAT WAS REALLY IT FOR MY REPORT IN GENERAL.
>> WE HAVE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> NADIA KRIVICKOVA, I'VE GOT THREE KIDS AT SIWANOY.
I PROMISED I WAS NOT GOING TO TALK AND JUST BE HERE TO SUPPORT THESE WONDERFUL LADIES THAT HAVE DONE A TON OF RESEARCH.
I LOVE THAT WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HALF DAYS, BUT PLEASE ALSO TAKE A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT THE AIR CONDITIONINGS IN THE SCHOOLS AND HOW WE GET THE KIDS EITHER OUT OF THE SCHOOLS EARLIER OR WE GET AIR CONDITIONS IN THE BUILDING.
I LOVE THAT YOU GUYS TOOK THE TIME AND DID THAT IN FRONT OF US AND HAD THAT CONVERSATION, BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AIR CONDITIONING AS WELL. THANKS.
I THINK WE COULD USE THAT AS A SEGUE TO OUR STATE PLANS BECAUSE THE FACILITIES AND AIR CONDITIONING IS A BIG PART OF THAT FACILITIES DISCUSSION.
>> I THINK WE MIGHT HEAR ABOUT STRATEGIC PLAN REPORT.
>> THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION THROUGH THIS PLAN.
THANK YOU TO THE MANY FACULTY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS THAT JOINED US FOR THIS PROCESS AS WELL.
I'M EXCITED TO BRING IT TO YOU TONIGHT. THIS IS THE DRAFT.
THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON THIS AT OUR NEXT MEETING, SO THIS WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT TO DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS. I KNOW THE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO PREVIEW THIS IN ADVANCE.
HOPEFULLY WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
JUST A BRIEF QUICK REVIEW OF THE PROCESS.
THE PELHAM AND OUR DISTRICTS AS A WHOLE, PELHAM DISTRICT SERVES APPROXIMATELY 2,800 STUDENTS IN OUR FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHICH YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, THE DIVERSE STUDENT BODY AND DIVERSE STAFF.
THE DISTRICT SETS HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
WE HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND SETTING DIRECTION THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
THIS WILL BE THE THIRD STRATEGIC PLAN THAT I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF HERE IN PELHAM.
THEY'VE ALL HAD A LOT OF SIMILARITY, POINTING IN A VERY SIMILAR, BUT ALWAYS GROWING DIRECTION.
WE'RE APPRECIATIVE TO HAZARD YOUNG ATTEA ASSOCIATES.
THEY ARE THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE HIRED TO LEAD US THROUGH THIS PROCESS THIS TIME.
THEIR APPROACH TO THIS PROCESS IS REALLY IN FOUR PHASES, AND TONIGHT BRINGS US TO THAT THIRD PHASE.
ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS WAS THE FIRST PHASE WHERE WE SURVEYED AND DID A DATA SCAN OF VARIETY OF DATA REPORTS THAT RELATE TO OUR DISTRICT, OUR OUTCOMES, AND VARIOUS AUDITS AND ANALYSES THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
FOLLOWING THAT WAS INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHERE WE COLLECTED SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, INTERVIEWS, WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS AND ADDED IT TO THAT DATA SCAN.
WE THEN ALSO BROUGHT A LARGE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER OVER THREE SESSIONS IN THIS SPRING TO THEN TAKE THAT DATA, IDENTIFY PATTERNS OF STRENGTH, AREAS FOR GROWTH, IDENTIFY THE PRIORITY AREAS THAT WE WILL SEE TONIGHT, AND THEN TO START TO DRILL DOWN INTO THE OBJECTIVES THAT WILL THEN FLESH OUT WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHY ARE WE GOING THERE? THEN START TO GET DOWN TO THE FOURTH PHASE, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN THIS SUMMER WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? THIS IS AGAIN, THE SAME LEVELS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WE STARTED IN OUR FIRST MEETING AT THE BOTTOM, FOUNDATION OF THAT GOVERNANCE TRIANGLE.
AS WE TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE PORTION OF THIS IS THE STRATEGIC GOALS, THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION THAT THE BOARD SETS AND POINTS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE DATA ANALYSIS, IDENTIFY VISION MISSION AND VALUES, AND THEN TO SET THOSE LARGE SCALE PRIORITIES WITH OBJECTIVES BELOW THEM.
[01:30:01]
THAT'S WHERE WE THEN CROSS TO THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE FACULTY WILL TAKE IT FROM THERE TO BRING THOSE VISION, MISSION VALUES AND PRIORITIES TO FRUITION.I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE A LITTLE PAST THAT.
DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, JUST SOME STATISTICS ON THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION.
THE INTERVIEWS, THOSE ARE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH THE BOARD AND THE CABINET MEMBERS, SO A TOTAL OF 13 FOLKS WITH ONE-ON-ONE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS.
THEN WE HELD FOCUS GROUPS WITH A TOTAL OF 140 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING OVER THE SPACE OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THAT WAS A RANGE OF BROAD STAKEHOLDERS EVERYWHERE FROM DISTRICT LEADERS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, SUPPORT STAFF, AND STUDENTS TO SPECIALIZED GROUPS SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL FAMILIES, SPECIAL EDUCATION FAMILIES, AND FAMILIES AT EACH OF THE DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL LEVELS SO THAT WE COULD GET A BROAD VIEW FROM MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF HOW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND STAFF EXPERIENCE OUR DISTRICT.
THERE WAS A VARIETY OF OVERALL FINDINGS, AREAS OF STRENGTH, CERTAINLY WITH A HIGH ACHIEVING DISTRICT, WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENT EXPERIENCES, WHERE STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS IN THE NEXT STAGE OF THEIR LIFE.
ACADEMIC RIGOR, TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY, STAFF, TEACHERS, LEADERS ARE WELL REGARDED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE DISTRICT, ETC.
THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR CURRICULAR PROGRAMS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, I THINK, IT'S ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF OUR DISTRICT, STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS AND ATHLETICS, FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, STRONG FISCAL MANAGEMENT, DEFINITELY A KEEN LOOK AT THAT, AND COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE ACTIVELY RESPONDING TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNITY ISSUES OVER TIME.
DEFINITELY SOME AREAS FOR CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH ALSO IDENTIFIED.
CONCERNS ABOUT FACILITIES, WHICH WAS OUR TRANSITION INTO THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT.
CLASS SIZE IS ANOTHER RELATED AREA IN THERE.
CONTINUING AND RENEWING OUR FOCUS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN PUTTING A STRONG FOCUS ON COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
STARTING TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT PATHS OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL FOUR YEAR COLLEGES.
AS WE'VE SAID IN MANY OF OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND YEAR-END REVIEWS, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACCESSING OUR BOCES PROGRAMS FOR CAREER AND VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL PROGRAMS. HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY AND PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD OF WORK? DEFINITELY, THERE'S A CONCERN ON A LOT OF OUR RADARS ABOUT RETAINING EXEMPLARY TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATORS AS WE FACE ANTICIPATED RETIREMENTS AT LARGER SCALES, CERTAINLY THAT WE SAW TONIGHT IN THE COMING YEARS.
HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR THAT AND CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THAT HIGH LEVEL OF EXPECTATION AND TEACHER QUALITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND TEACHER LEADERS? THEN PARENT CONCERNS ABOUT EQUITY ACROSS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
IT'S A VARIETY OF AREAS THAT THAT TOUCHES UPON AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED NEED TO PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAMS TO ALL STUDENTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
AS FAR AS THE SURVEY RESULTS, WE RECEIVED ALMOST 1,900 SURVEYS, WHICH WAS A GREAT PARTICIPATION RATE.
THE LARGEST STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT WAS SURVEYED WERE STUDENTS.
WE GOT THE BEST RESPONSE RATE THERE FROM OUR STUDENTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT EASIER BECAUSE WE COULD CONTROL THEIR TIME.
THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT OF A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE, BUT THEY STILL GOT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS ACCORDINGLY.
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS MADE UP THE SECOND LARGEST GROUP.
I THINK THAT GAVE US A GOOD EXTERNAL VIEW FROM THE STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE THE LEARNING IN OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE FAMILIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THEM.
THEN REGARDING THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT, JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS THERE.
TECHNOLOGY IS INTEGRATED INTO CLASSROOMS. IT WAS A VERY LARGE THEME.
DISTRICT SCHOOLS ARE SAFE, WHICH IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL THEME FOR US TO HEAR.
TEACHERS THAT ARE EMPLOYED ARE EFFECTIVE, THE ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF ARE OUTSTANDING.
HIGH STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS AND STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK TO BE READY AS THEY MOVE GRADE TO GRADE AND BEYOND OUR WALLS TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE.
THEN WE IDENTIFIED TOP RATED PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE.
PREPARING STUDENTS TO BE READY FOR THE NEXT GRADE, HIRING AND RETAINING, YOU'RE SEEING SOME CONSISTENT THEMES HERE, ENSURING A WELL ROUNDED EXPERIENCE, PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, ADDRESSING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
TOP RATED PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT DURING THE SURVEY ITSELF.
THIS ISN'T THE CULMINATED SYNTHESIZE SET, BUT JUST SOME THEMES THAT CAME FROM THE SURVEY.
TOP RATED PROGRAMS, YOU SAW ONE TONIGHT, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, HISTORY, FINE ARTS, INTERMURALS, AND ATHLETICS, AND THEN THE HUMANITIES.
THEN REGARDING EQUITY EFFORTS, FOLLOWING STATEMENTS, WHERE THEY'RE EITHER AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED.
STUDENTS HAVING AT LEAST ONE TRUSTED ADULT IN THE BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE'RE GLAD TO HEAR THAT STUDENTS HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ADVANCED PROGRAMMING.
[01:35:01]
MINORITY STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN EXTRACURRICULAR SPORTS AND HIGHER LEVEL COURSES AS WELL.THE DISTRICT ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO STRUGGLING STUDENTS SO THEY CAN RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND ACCESS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
THOSE WERE ALL WONDERFUL TO HEAR, ESPECIALLY GIVEN SEVERAL OF THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE LAST FEW STRATEGIC PLANS.
JUST REVIEW THE WORK FOR OVER THE THREE DAYS.
I'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON MUCH OF THIS.
WE'VE COLLECTED DATA, WE REVIEWED THE DATA, DID A STRENGTH NEEDS ANALYSIS, IDENTIFIED THE THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, AND USE A VARIETY OF PROTOCOLS TO HELP THE GROUP PROCESS THE DATA AND COME TO SOME COMMON AREAS OF THINKING.
THIS IS THE GROUP OF FOLKS THAT WERE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE OF THEIR TIME.
FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE STARTED THESE STRATEGIC PLANNING CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE GOT TO THE LARGE WORK GROUP PORTION. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU TO OUR CABINET, TO LARGE GROUP OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE DISTRICT AT THE BUILDING AND DISTRICT LEVEL, AND CURRICULAR LEVEL.
THEN WE HAD TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, SUPPORT STAFF, AND TEACHERS FROM ALL DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ALSO ADDED THEIR EXPERTISE TO THE DISCUSSION.
FINALLY, WE HAD FOUR WONDERFUL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED AS WELL.
IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THEIR VOICE AND TO KEEP THEM GROUNDED IN THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR STUDENTS.
REMEMBER, THEY'RE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
THESE WERE THE DELIVERABLES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF THEIRS THREE SESSIONS, AND WE WERE ABLE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A REALLY HIGH PRESSURE FAST PACE.
THE COHESION THAT CAME FROM DOING THAT DATA ANALYSIS THROUGH THE PROTOCOLS REALLY HELPED US TO CLOSE THE LOOP AND CONNECT ALL THE DOTS VERY SEAMLESSLY BY THE END OF THE PROCESS.
ONE OF THE TASKS OF DELIVERABLES WAS TO COME UP WITH A MISSION.
WE REALIZED IN LOOKING BACK, THERE WAS NO UPDATED MISSION ANYWHERE TO BE FOUND IN THE DISTRICT ANY MISSIONS, I THINK DOCTOR THOMPSON FOUND SOME BOARD MINUTES IN THE ARCHIVES THAT DATED BACK TO, I BELIEVE WAS 1987, WAS THE EARLIEST ANYONE COULD FIND ANY LEVEL OF DISTRICT APPROVED MISSION VISION STATEMENT.
IN TALKING ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF A MISSION AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S ALREADY IMPORTANT TO US AS A DISTRICT, THE GROUP IDENTIFIED THAT WHAT WAS OUR MOTTO, INSPIRING A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS, REALLY FIT THE CRITERIA TO BE A FORMAL MISSION STATEMENT.
THE GROUP DISCUSSED IT, CAME TO CONSENSUS THAT GOING FORWARD, THAT WAS NOW GOING TO BE OUR MISSION.
IT'S MEMORABLE, IT'S SHARABLE, AND IT'S INSPIRATIONAL IN ITS NATURE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WORK TO IDENTIFY A VISION FOR THE DISTRICT.
IF YOU GO TO OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE, YOU DO SEE A VISION STATEMENT THERE THAT WAS CRAFTED AND ADOPTED IN THE YEAR 2000 SO 24 YEARS AGO.
IT'S HARD TO SAY YOUR VISION FROM 24 YEARS AGO IS STILL YOUR VISION.
HOPEFULLY BY THEN, YOU WOULD HAVE ACHIEVED IT.
I WOULD SAY IN LARGE PART, I REALLY GENUINELY BELIEVE WE HAVE, SO IT WAS TIME TO UPDATE.
REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO THIS GROUP.
THEY REALLY CRAFTED SOME GREAT LANGUAGE IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
WITHIN THAT, I THINK YOU WILL SEE SOME CONTINUING THEMES FROM OUR PRIOR VISION, ALSO FROM THE PREAMBLE, FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP.
WITHIN IT, YOU SEE, I THINK A LOT OF KEYWORDS THAT REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT WE WANT TO BUILD FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WHAT IS OUR VISION OF THE FUTURE FOR THEM? WHAT ARE WE PLANNING FOR AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO NOW, WE NEED TO DO THAT BACKWARD MAPPING THAT WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN EDUCATION THINKING ABOUT, WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? THEN HOW DO WE MAP BACKWARDS FROM THERE TO GET THERE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD NEVER, IN THE TIME AS I WAS AWARE, IDENTIFIED VALUES THAT COULD BE OUR CORE VALUES AS A DISTRICT.
MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME DISTRICTS WOULD PICK, BUT THESE SEEM TO BE A REALLY GREAT FIT FOR PELHAM.
COMMUNITY AND BELONGING BEING PAIRED.
HOW DO WE BUILD COMMUNITY? HOW DO WE CREATE SENSES A SPACE WHERE EVERYBODY FEELS THEY BELONG, NOT JUST OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO OUR STAFF.
WELLNESS AND BALANCE, ESPECIALLY, I THINK THIS IS THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF OUR MINDS WITH THE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND SEEING THE MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUED AND WELLNESS NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND EVERYONE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE APPROACH OUR WORK THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO KEEP WELLNESS AND BALANCE IN THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE BELIEVE, THEREFORE, WHAT WE DO.
LEARNING AND GROWTH, WE ARE LEARNING ORGANIZATION, THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND OUR FOCUS IS ON GROWTH.
FINE MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND MOVING THEM TOWARD WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IS AN IMPORTANT VALUE.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE END RESULT, IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY ALONG THE WAY, AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE ALL STUDENTS ARE MOVING ON THAT TRAJECTORY.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS LED US TO THE PRIORITY AREAS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHERE WE WANT TO GO, WHY WE WANT TO GO THERE.
NOW WE NEED TO START GETTING INTO HOW ARE WE GOING TO START GETTING TO THAT VISION AND MISSION.
THAT'S BY IDENTIFYING OUR KEY PRIORITY AREAS.
THESE HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO AS OUR GOALS CURRENTLY IN THE PRIOR PLAN, THEY WERE THE PILLARS IN THE NEW PLAN, THEY ARE THE PRIORITY.
[01:40:03]
THESE ARE THE LARGE STRATEGIC AREAS THAT THE BOARD IS POINTING US INTO.IN REFLECTING ON THESE AFTERWARDS, I THOUGHT IT QUITE INTERESTING THAT THESE ALIGNED VERY STRONGLY WITH THE BOARD'S ACTUAL GOALS FROM THIS YEAR.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT VERBIAGE, BUT NOT VERY FAR OFF TRACK FROM WHERE THE BOARD HAS BEEN FOCUSING.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT CORRELATION.
THE AREAS ARE PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT.
AGAIN, KEEPING IN THAT FOCUS OF GROWTH AND MOVING STUDENTS ON THE JOURNEY, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT WHAT IS ACHIEVEMENT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.
HOW DO WE PUSH STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL HIGHEST LEVELS, AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO HELP THEM GROW ALONG THE WAY? BELONGING AND WELLNESS IS SOMEWHAT SELF EXPLANATORY.
HOW DO WE BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS AND ASSURE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, THE WELLNESS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF? THEN WE GET TO THE KEY PIECE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER FACILITIES AND SUSTAINABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND THAT SUSTAINABLE IN MULTIPLE LENSES OF SUSTAINABILITY THAT COULD HAVE TO DO WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, OR SUSTAINABILITY WITH REGARDS TO CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES.
THIS IS WHERE WE GET INTO THE DETAIL THAT CAME IN BELOW THAT.
THIS IS REALLY THE FINEST LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT THE GROUPS ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PLANNING SESSIONS.
THIS IS AS FAR AS WE WERE SLATED TO GO.
YOU GO THROUGH THE FIRST THREE PHASES OF PLANNING WITH THE HAZARD YOUNG AND TTM MODEL.
THAT IS THE POINT AT WHICH THE BOARD ADOPTS THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHAT WE'VE REVIEWED JUST IN THESE LAST FEW MINUTES FROM MISSION, VISION, VALUES TO PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES IS, IN FACT, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE ASKED TO VOTE ON NEXT TIME.
WHAT WE WILL DO ONCE THAT PLAN IS ADOPTED, THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM HAS ALREADY SCHEDULED TO MEET THE SUMMER TO THEN FLESH OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE THINGS? WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL STRATEGIES AND TACTICS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TO BRING THIS PLAN TO LIFE.
THAT'S ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE NEXT STEPS.
I THINK MAYBE I'LL JUST LAND BACK HERE BECAUSE IT'S I THINK THE PAGE WITH THE MOST DETAIL ON IT.
MAYBE I WILL PAUSE TALKING FOR A LITTLE BIT AND OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD FOR THOUGHTS, REFLECTIONS, QUESTIONS.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS BECAUSE YOU WERE ALL PART OF THE PROCESS BUT I KNOW THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, REITERATE, RAISE, AS WE VIEW IT HERE IN DRAFT FORM TONIGHT.
>> I'LL KICK IT OUT. FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THIS.
THIS PLAN, WHILE IT'S IN A FEW SLIDES, IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO GET HERE, AND IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED AND THE MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN GIVING INPUT AND FEEDBACK.
I JUST WANT TO FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO GAVE THEIR INPUT, WORKED ON THIS AND GAVE FEEDBACK.
WHILE THE BOARD WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENTS, WE WERE REALLY ONLY A SMALL DATA POINT IN THE OVERALL PLAN.
I THINK WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED, I THINK SOME ACHIEVEMENTS HERE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS LONG AND IT USES PLAIN LANGUAGE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
IT GIVES A NOD TO EXCELLENCE BEING SOMETHING THAT'S PERSONALIZED FOR EACH STUDENT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE PRIORITIES AND YOU MENTIONED THIS, DR.
CHAMP. THEY ARE STUDENTS SENT BOTH STUDENT CENTERED AND STAFF FOCUSED.
I THINK THAT'S MAYBE A CHANGE IN THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE BRINGING THE STAFF INTO FOCUS AS WELL.
THEN THIS DOESN'T LEAVE THE OLD PLAN BEHIND OR THE OLD PLAN OR THE CURRENT PLAN AND IT JUST SETS THE STAGE FOR THE FUTURE.
YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE SAME LANGUAGE IN THE PILLARS, LIKE IT DOESN'T SAY AUTHENTIC LEARNING OR CULTURAL COMPETENCE OR THE WHOLE CHILD, BUT THAT IS FACTORED INTO THE LANGUAGE WE'RE USING IN THE PRIORITIES.
>> I WOULD CONCUR, I MEAN, JUST SOME INCREDIBLE WORK TO CORRAL AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
LIKE JACKIE, I WAS VERY PLEASED THAT WE CAME TO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT IN THE VISION STATEMENT, EACH STUDENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR OWN PATH TO EXCELLENCE.
[01:45:01]
IT GETS AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES.BEING ABLE TO BE EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT CAREERS WITHIN HIGH SCHOOL THAT COLLEGE DEGREE GREAT, BUT MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER PATHWAYS THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE DIGITAL LITERACY, OBVIOUSLY, VERY IMPORTANT.
I'M ALSO REALLY PLEASED TO SEE EARLY CHILDHOOD.
THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE TOWN.
A GREAT WAY, A UNIVERSAL PRE K WOULD BE A GREAT MAGNET FOR THE TOWN TO ATTRACT YOUNG FAMILIES.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT IN HERE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO DIG INTO AND CREATE CONCRETE PLANS MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S PSYCH AND OF COURSE, FACILITIES.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST, I THINK THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES.
>> YES. THAT'S I AS I SAID BEFORE, I THINK THE BOARD GOALS OF THIS YEAR ARE WELL ALIGNED TO THIS.
I THINK ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF FACILITIES, WE'VE BEEN DOING A DEEP DIVE INTO A LOT THIS YEAR, ALMOST LIKE PRE BOND FEASIBILITY.
I THINK NEXT YEAR IT'S POSITIONED AS WELL TO DO THAT DEEP DIVE FOR NEXT YEAR TO START TO TACKLE SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND AIR CONDITIONING AND SPACE, AND ADA ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE ISSUES THAT WE KNOW NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
I THINK WE'RE ALL FEELING LIKE THE TIME IS COMING TO REALLY HIT THOSE HEAD ON.
>> DR. CHAMP, CAN I ASK YOU TO GO BACK TO THE VALUE SLIDE BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR?
>> I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT THE DISTRICT CAME UP WITH SOME VALUES THAT INFLUENCE.
A LOT OF LIKE YOU SEE AS COMMUNITY AND BELONGING, WELLNESS, BALANCE, LEARNING AND GROWTH, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY ALIGNED AGAINST, NOT AGAINST, BUT FOUR TO BE ABLE TO THEN INFLUENCE THE STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL SEE PELHAM AS BEING BEHIND ALL THESE GREAT THINGS THAT CAN LEAD TO EXCELLENCE.
>> I'LL ECHO WELL, THAT WAS REALLY LOUD.
I'LL ECHO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE SAID.
ALSO JUST MAKE A POINT OF SAYING THAT I KNOW AT THE BEGINNING, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AS TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE WERE APPROACHING THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THE LARGE GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER AND HOW WE REALLY LIKE JACKIE SAID, WE WERE SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE JUST PART OF THIS LARGER GROUP AND IT WAS GREAT HAVING THE STUDENTS AS PART OF THAT GROUP CONTRIBUTING BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY REALLY OFFERED A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM THERE.
THE FACILITIES WAS NOT LOST ON US.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT CONTINUES TO COME UP AND CLEARLY, BEING ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT.
WE TAKE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
>> I AGREE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT PROCESS IN TERMS OF GETTING SO MANY PEOPLE'S VOICES INVOLVED AND HAVING A REAL PROCESS TO GET TO CONSENSUS AMONG A BROAD GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM DIFFERENT POCKETS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK IT'S GREAT.
>> ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AS WE'RE CLOSING THIS OUT.
IF YOU GO TO OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE AND YOU GO UNDER THE DISTRICT TAB AND DOWN HERE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, YOU SEE A 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN LINK, IF YOU CLICK ON THAT, THAT IS WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD OUT THE WORK RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I KNOW CERTAINLY I'VE BEEN EMAILING WITH ONE MEMBER OF COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER LOOKING FOR MATERIALS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN STARTING TO HOUSE THE INFORMATION.
I JUST POINT THIS OUT FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT IS LIVE.
THERE WE GO. YOU JUST GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS.
IT'S VERY MUCH WHAT I TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
STRATEGIC PLANNING SURVEY THAT WAS JUST THE SURVEY ITSELF THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS STILL LINKED TO THE SURVEY.
I THINK THE SURVEY LIKELY CLOSED.
BUT THE OTHER TAB IS WHAT WILL BE DEFINITELY FLUSHED OUT.
[01:50:04]
AS WE CREATE THE ACTION PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO THEN IDENTIFY THE METRICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING TO ASSESS OUR PROGRESS.IF YOU CLICK ON THE PROGRESS DASHBOARD, IT TAKES YOU TO IT'S AN EXTERNAL SITE, BUT IT'S THE ERA DASHBOARD THAT WE GOT AS PART OF OUR WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
THEY GO THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN THERE, THE HOME PAGE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK ON THE MIDDLE LEFT, THERE'S AN INDICATORS TAB AND STRATEGY TABS.
THE INDICATORS TAB IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO START TO SEE THE METRICS ACTUALLY FILL OUT.
YOU CAN SEE THERE NOW YOU'VE GOT ENROLLMENT AND JUST SOME BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE DISTRICT.
STRATEGIC PLANNING DOCUMENTS, THIS IS THE SECTION WHERE YOU MAY FIND VARIETY OF THINGS.
PHASE 2 COMMUNITY SURVEY, STILL LEARNING THE SYSTEM.
IF YOU GO TO THE LITTLE I IN THE CORNER FOR INFORMATION, WE'LL SEE IF IT WORK AND THEN THERE'S A BLUE COMMUNITY SURVEY REPORT.
SEE, I GOT TO TALK TO THE CONSULTANT.
THIS WAS ON MY COMPUTER, I CAN LOG IN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THERE, BUT THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ACCESS TO THE SURVEY REPORT SUMMARY THERE.
WE'LL GET THAT WORKED ON FOR NEXT TIME, BUT EVENTUALLY FOLKS SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AND THEN A VARIETY OF OTHER ITEMS AS THE PLAN GETS FILLED OUT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, IT'S QUALITATIVE DATA REPORT. LET'S TRY THIS ONE.
>> THIS DASHBOARD IS ACTUALLY THE PROCESS DASHBOARD.
>> RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE PROCESS.
>> ONCE WE IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT ANCHORED TO THE ACTION PLAN, THEN THIS WILL BE REDESIGNED TO SHOW OUR PROGRESS ON THOSE.
THESE REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE THERE WITHIN THAT SITE.
AGAIN, IT'S ON THE PROGRESS DASHBOARD.
YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON THE INDICATORS PAGE, AND THEN THE INFORMATION BUBBLE ON EACH OF THE SECTIONS THERE, AND IT'LL GIVE YOU LINKS TO THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS.
KEEP AN EYE ON THAT, CHECK BACK ON THAT FROM TIME TO TIME AND YOU'LL SEE OUR CONTINUED PROGRESS AS WE WRAP UP THIS PART OF THE PHASE AND ESPECIALLY ONCE WE GET THE NEXT PORTION DESIGNED.
WE'LL BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU NEXT TIME FOR JUST A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW AND HOPEFULLY APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING.
>> THEN THE NEXT STEP IS ADMINISTRATORS THEY PUT AN ACTION PLAN TOGETHER UNDER EACH OF THE PRIORITIES?
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WAY EARLY ON.
BUT THE IDEA THAT WE WERE PASSING THE STRATEGIC PLAN AT THE END OF JUNE, AND THEN THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO DEVELOP THE EXECUTION PLANS.
BUT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION FOR SOME OF THESE IDEAS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY REQUIRE ANY RESOURCES MIGHT NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL '25, '26.
>> I THINK IN LARGE PART, ESPECIALLY KNOWING A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD.
THEY ARE VERY RESOURCE DRIVEN.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CERTAINLY ON THE FACILITY SIDE.
IT'S GOING TO LEAD US TO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TO PRIORITIZE AND DO WHATEVER FACILITIES UPGRADES THAT WE NEED.
BUT ALSO, I THINK ON THE PROGRAMMATIC SIDE.
IT SHOULD HELP TO DRIVE OUR BUDGET PLANNING IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I THINK TO YOUR POINT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A PHASED OUT APPROACH TO DELIVERING ON THOSE THINGS AS WE ARE ABLE KNOWING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO KEEP A STRONG EYE ON FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.
WELL, THAT'S MY REPORT FOR TONIGHT.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD OF EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORTS? NO.
>> I DON'T THINK I HAD ANY COMMITTEE.
>> I'M SORRY, WE DID HAVE AUTHENTIC LEARNING.
>> THEN SAFETY, BUT I GUESS JIM WE WILL TALK ABOUT SAFETY.
[01:55:05]
>> MR. THIEVES IS A SAFETY. THANK YOU.
>> MAYBE WE GO ON TO ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS.
[3.5 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Authentic Learning]
>> I'D SAY, WHY DON'T YOU MENTION THE COMMITTEE REPORTS?
[3.4 Board of Education Committee Reports]
WHILE YOU'RE DOING A REPORT? GO AHEAD AND JIM CAN DO THE SAME TOUCH ON SAFETY IN HIS REPORT.>> ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WAS SHARED WITH YOU FOR THIS EVENING IS THE CULMINATING DOCUMENT FROM THE WORK OF THE MTSS COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
I AM PROUD OF THE WORK OF I THINK 30 PLUS PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THE MTSS COMMITTEE TO CREATE THE FRAMEWORK WHICH IF ADOPTED WILL BE PUBLISHED AND WILL BE THE GUIDANCE THAT WE USE MOVING FORWARD AS WE ARE IN A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF IMPROVEMENT WITH HOW WE ADDRESS MTSS.
WE HAVE CONCLUDED THE NEW YORK STATE THREE TO EIGHT ASSESSMENTS.
WE ARE DONE WITH TESTING SEASON FOR THREE TO EIGHT, AND OUR CBT ADMINISTRATION WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL ACROSS THE BOARD.
MOST RECENTLY AS TODAY, WE HAD OUR MUSIC AND ART EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES, IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE EIGHTH-GRADE STUDIO ART EXHIBIT ON YOUR WAY UP.
WE DID HAVE ON MAY 22 THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION IN THE LIBRARY, WHICH WAS PHENOMENAL AS WELL.
SCIENCE RESEARCH, AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT WERE SAID EARLIER REGARDING OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT IT IS REALLY THE SUCCESS OF THE STUDENTS WHO CAME BEFORE US TONIGHT IS REALLY THE CULMINATION OF THE WORK OF OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM, K12.
SOMETHING THAT MR. BELTECAS IS FAMOUS IN MY MIND FOR SAYING IS THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE AND A MANNER.
I THINK THAT'S [LAUGHTER] AN IMPORTANT THING THAT HAPPENS IN SCIENCE RESEARCH AND ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND ACROSS GRADE LEVELS WHEN MAKING IT SO THAT WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS WHO ARE PLACING IN ISF FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR IN A ROW.
I THINK THAT THAT'S PHENOMENAL.
OUR AUTHENTIC LEARNING COMMITTEE DID MEET LAST WEEK AND THERE WERE TWO TOPICS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE CELL PHONE POLICY, WHICH I WON'T STEAL THUNDER FOR.
THE OTHER TOPIC WAS EARTH SCIENCE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE REGION'S EXAMS, WHICH I HINTED AT EARLIER.
YESTERDAY, WE HAD THE NEWLY ALIGNED ALGEBRA REGIONS, WHICH HAPPENED IN EARLY JUNE.
NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE EARTH SCIENCE AND GEOMETRY.
WE WILL HAVE EARTH SCIENCE AND GEOMETRY HAPPENING IN THE SAME WAY.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE WITH EARTH SCIENCE AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE OTHER REGIONS IS THAT I WANT TO SAY IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY.
WE'RE GIVEN HOLD ON. LET ME FIND THE WORD.
EXEMPLAR, THANK YOU, ITEMS FROM WHAT WE CAN EXPECT ON NEXT YEAR'S REGIONS, AND ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT OUR ENTIRE EIGHTH-GRADE CLASS SITS FOR THE EARTH SCIENCE REGIONS.
THE READING LEVEL IS GOING TO BE IF THE EXEMPLARS ARE INDICATIVE OF WHAT THE EXAM AT LARGE WILL LOOK LIKE ON AN 11TH-GRADE READING LEVEL, WHICH IS YEAH, QUITE A JUMP.
WE'LL HAVE ALL OF OUR EIGHTH GRADERS POTENTIALLY SITTING FOR THE REGION'S EXAM THAT IS WRITTEN AT AN 11TH-GRADE READING LEVEL.
A SIGNIFICANT OTHER SHIFT, WHICH IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH ALL OF THE SHIFTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IS THAT THERE'S LESS OF A FOCUS ON CONTENT, NOT THAT CONTENT ISN'T IMPORTANT, BUT MORE ALONG THE LINES OF ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL THINKING AND THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE INFORMATION TO FORM A CONCLUSION, WHICH WE SAW VERY MUCH IN THE NEWLY DESIGNED MATH ASSESSMENTS IN THREE TO EIGHT AND SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS.
IN PARTICULAR, THE FIFTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, WE DON'T ADMINISTER THE EIGHTH-GRADE SCIENCE ASSESSMENT, BUT IN MY CIRCLES, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT BOTH EXAMS WERE VERY DIFFERENT AND VERY CHALLENGING FOR THE STUDENTS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT OUR EIGHTH GRADERS, SHOULD WE SHOULD WE REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE MODEL OF HAVING ALL OF OUR EIGHTH GRADERS SIT FOR THE EARTH SCIENCE REGENTS WILL ENCOUNTER NEXT YEAR.
ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT DOCTOR CALLAHAN AND I MADE SURE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMITTEE IS THAT NOT ALL DISTRICTS AND IMPORTANTLY, NOT ALL OF OUR PEER DISTRICTS ARE ADMINISTERING REGION'S EXAMS IN EIGHTH GRADE, PARTICULARLY THE EARTH SCIENCE REGIONS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT MODEL WHICH WAS ONCE WHAT WAS DONE.
YOUR EIGHTH GRADERS ARE GOING TO TAKE EARTH SCIENCE AND THEY'LL BE ACCELERATED AND THAT IS A GOLD STAR.
THAT MODEL IS SHIFTING AND MAY SHIFT EVEN
[02:00:01]
FURTHER WITH THE CHANGES TO THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION.I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT.
HOWEVER, IT'S LOOKING LIKE IF THEY'RE MAKING THE READING LEVEL OF AN 11TH-GRADE EARTH SCIENCE THEY'RE MAKING A SHIFT IN WHAT THEY EXPECT THE REQUIRED REGIONS TO BE US THOSE EXTRA REGIONS SO YOU CAN GET THE SEQUENCE SO THAT YOU CAN GET REGIONS WITH DISTINCTION DIPLOMA AT THE END.
PERHAPS THERE SHOULD BE SOME LOOKING AT THE SEQUENCE OF SCIENCES THAT WE OFFER AND PROVIDING SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS AS WELL.
NO, I'M GOING TO REPHRASE THAT.
THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE IF A DISTRICT HADN'T TAUGHT TO THE NEW STANDARDS.
WE'VE BEEN EXPECTED TO REVISE THE WAY THAT WE TEACH BASE AND ALIGN IT TO THE NEW STANDARDS FOR YEARS NOW.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT IF YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE, WHICH WE'VE DONE, THEN YOU SHOULD BE READY FOR AND SHOULD BE ADMINISTERING THE NEW EXAM.
HOWEVER, FOR EARTH SCIENCE, UNLIKE ALGEBRA, THERE IS AN OVERLAP WHERE NEXT JUNE, THE STATE WILL HAVE AN EARTH SCIENCE EXAM THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE OLD STANDARDS AND AN EARTH SCIENCE EXAM THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE NEW STANDARDS.
IT'S DESIGNED FOR KIDS WHO WILL HAVE TAKEN THE REGIONS THIS YEAR AND NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN INSTRUCTION UNDER THE OLD STANDARDS, AND SO IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO GIVE THEM AN EXAM THAT'S NOT BASED ON THE INSTRUCTION THAT THEY RECEIVED LATER ON.
THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS AND SOME AREAS THAT ARE POINTING OUT THAT THIS BIG JUMP IS NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY LAND WELL AND SO SOME PRESSURE MIGHT BE PUT ON TO ALLOW FOUR DISTRICTS TO GIVE THE OLD REGIONS REGARDLESS OF THEIR COMPLIANCE AND CHANGING THE STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO INSTRUCTION.
I KNOW THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL, AND I APOLOGIZE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>> NO QUESTIONS, BUT A BIG THANK YOU FOR THE REGIONS YESTERDAY.
I HAD TWO KIDS TAKE IT, AND BOTH OF THEM CAME OUT AND SAID THEY THINK THEY DID OKAY.
[LAUGHTER] FROM A 13-YEAR-OLD, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT NOTHING WENT WRONG BECAUSE I WAS SO NERVOUS.
BUT THEY SEEMED TO BE OKAY AFTER THEY TOOK IT.
>> THE FEEDBACK I GOT TODAY EVEN WAS THAT THE KIDS REALLY SHOWED UP, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
OUR TEACHERS REALLY SHOWED UP.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS ARRIVED AS EARLY AS 7:00 IN THE MORNING SO THAT THEY COULD SET UP THE CLASSROOMS SO THAT THEY WOULD BE AS SMOOTH OF AN ADMINISTRATION AS POSSIBLE.
THEY WERE EXTREMELY WELL PREPARED, AND ALSO UNLIKE EARTH SCIENCE, THE SHIFTS IN ALGEBRA WERE TWEAKS.
THEY WEREN'T GLACIAL. THEY WERE LIKE ICE CUBES.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. TAKE IT AWAY.
[3.6 Assistant Superintendent's Update on The Whole Child]
>> IN THE AREA OF JUST SPECIAL EDUCATION, I'VE BEEN GIVING THE BOARD UPDATES WHERE WE ARE IN OUR PROCESS.
WE STILL REMAIN VERY BUSY AS WE CONTINUE TO HOLD MEETINGS, WE'RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE REFERRALS DOWN TO THE BITER END.
BUT WE ARE HOLDING MEETINGS AND GETTING THROUGH AS MUCH AS WE CAN BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT CONTINUES TO BE A VERY BUSY TIME.
ON WEDNESDAY, I ATTENDED A SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER BOSS DIRECTORS MEETING, WHO THE GUEST SPEAKER WAS KATE MILLMAN, WHO WAS THE RIGHT HAND INDIVIDUAL FOR CHRIS SORIANO, WHO'S THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER AND FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
WE WERE ALLOWED TO ALL SUBMIT FIVE QUESTIONS, I'M ASSUMING NOT TO OVERWHELM HER.
SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT MANY OF US WANTED TO TRY TO GET SOME INFORMATION AND CLARITY ON FROM THE STATE HAD TO DO AROUND THE FAP UNTIL 2022 AND FUNDING THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EXPECT FROM THE STATE, SHORTAGES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, LACK OF AGENCY PROVIDERS IN THE CPSC WORLD, AND IMPARTIAL HEARINGS IN DUE PROCESS, WHICH IS THE LEGAL ACTIVITY THAT WE ENGAGE IN.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T I THINK IT WAS DIFFICULT.
THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF CONCRETE ANSWERS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE LEVEL.
IN REGARDS TO FAP UNTIL THE YEAR '22, THERE IS REALLY NO FINANCIAL RELIEF THAT THE STATE HAS COME UP WITH, SO IT WILL BE A BURDEN THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ABSORB.
FINANCIALLY, THEIR SUGGESTION WAS FOR US TO TALK TO OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS.
I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GET FROM THAT, BUT WE REALLY TRIED AS A GROUP TO PUSH BACK AND SAY,
[02:05:05]
WE NEED SOME HELP FIGURING THIS OUT, BECAUSE WHEN STUDENTS PASS 21 AND THE WORLDS THEY END UP IN, THE FINANCIAL REIMBURSEMENTS ALL CHANGE BECAUSE THEN THEY BECOME ADULTS.REALLY I DIDN'T GET A CONCRETE ANSWER, BUT WE CERTAINLY ALL EXPRESSED OUR NEED FOR HELP AND SUPPORT.
STAFFING SHORTAGES WAS SOMETHING THAT OTHER DISTRICTS WERE REALLY TALKING ABOUT A LOT, EXPERIENCING.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE TIER 6 CHANGES AS BEING PART OF IT.
THEN JUST ALSO THIS GENERAL IDEA OF NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE PROFESSION.
AGAIN, NOT OUR DISTRICT, BUT THERE WERE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT WERE REALLY SUFFERING WITH I'M BEING HIT WITH COMPENSATORY EDUCATION ISSUES BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFFING TO HELP SUPPORT NEEDS FOR STUDENTS.
AGAIN, THE STATE WASN'T REALLY PROVIDING MANY SOLUTIONS, ASKED US WHAT WE THOUGHT.
I SUGGESTED MAYBE SIMILAR HOW GOVERNOR HOCHUL, I BELIEVE, IS JUST GIVING SOME TUITION RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO THE NURSING PROFESSION.
I SUGGESTED MAYBE THE IDEA THAT GOVERNOR HOCHUL MIGHT OFFER SOME TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION TO TRY TO DRAW PEOPLE BACK INTO THAT WORLD.
WE TALKED ABOUT OTHER THINGS ABOUT CPSC SHORTAGES AND ALSO A LOT OF COLLEAGUES EXPRESSED CONCERN AROUND THE IDEAS IF THERE'S ANYTHING AT THE STATE LEVEL WHERE THEY CAN LOOK AT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL TO DISTRICTS WHEN IN BEING FACED WITH THIS JUST FLOW OF IMPARTIAL HEARINGS AND DO REQUESTS THAT WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
A LITTLE BIT OF A FRUSTRATING MEETING, BUT AT LEAST WE ALL GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
CHAMP, I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FIND A SECOND JOB LOBBYING AT THE STATE LEVEL TO HAVE ALL OUR VOICES HEARD.
SHE HAD A VISIT LAST WEEK ON THE 30TH AND HER LAST VISIT IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 20TH.
I MET WITH OUR ICT OVERALL CONSULTANT TODAY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO START TO MAP OUT NEXT YEAR AND WHAT OUR FOCUS WILL BE. THAT WAS HELPFUL.
ON THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL EARNING FRONT.
LAST FRIDAY, I DID ATTEND AN EVENT THAT WAS HOSTED BY SEPTA.
IT WAS A GREAT EVENT WITH AN AUTHOR PETER SHANKMAN.
HE WROTE THE BOY WITH THE FASTER BRAIN.
HE'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT GREW UP HE HAD ADHD AS A YOUNG MAN AND HAS ADHD AS AN ADULT, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF WHAT THAT HAS BEEN LIKE FOR HIM.
THIS WAS HOSTED WITH SEPTA AND TWO OF OUR PELHAM STUDENTS, YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE WORKING ON THEIR GHOST SILVER AWARD.
THEY CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA FOR OUR PROJECT, GIANNA OTERO AND ISABELLA COLONNE.
THEY REACHED OUT TO THE AUTHOR AND ARRANGED FOR HIM TO COME SPEAK ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
IT WAS GREAT. HE SIGNED MY BOOK, SO I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
PELLM TOGETHER, I THINK I SHARED WITH THE BOARD, WE THIS YEAR ENGAGED IN CONTRACT WITH THEM TO DO SOME SERVICES FOR US, PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORK SUPPORT AND AREAS OF NEED WITH OUR ENL STUDENTS AND SOME SOCIAL LUNCH GROUPS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
PART OF THAT CONTRACT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH THEM ORGANIZING SPEAKERS ON TOPICS THAT WE DEVELOPED A PEM TOGETHER ADVISORY GROUP THAT CONSISTS OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
WE TALKED ABOUT TOPICS FOR NEXT YEAR.
THINGS THAT WE WOULD BRING TO THE STUDENTS AND TO PARENTS, AND AGAIN, GIVING THEM THE FEEDBACK WHERE WE SEE PRESSURE POINTS WHERE WE SEE ISSUES OCCURRING.
SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT I THINK HAVE ALREADY BEEN BOOKED THAT STARTED PREVIOUS TO MY WORK WITH THEM IS A SPEAKER ON RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE FOR OUR OLDER STUDENTS.
SCHOOL AVOIDANCE AND ANXIETY, WHICH IS A TREND THAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE RISE.
DEFINITELY SOMETHING AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND HOW TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN MAKING GOOD DECISIONS AROUND THAT.
ALSO NEW FOCUS ON DOING SOME INFORMATION FROM PARENTS ON CO OCCURRING DISORDERS, WHICH ARE FOR STUDENTS WHO SUFFER FROM BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
THOSE ARE THE TOPICS THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD ON FOR NEXT YEAR.
[02:10:04]
IN THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT, ALL AP EXAMS AND MAKEUPS WERE COMPLETED AS OF LAST WEEK AND HAVE BEEN PACKED UP AND SHIPPED.I'M SURE EVERYONE IS VERY HAPPY.
I WANT TO THANK EUGENE FARRELL AND ALL OF THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT AND THE PROCTORS AND THE MANY STAFF THAT HELPED SUPPORT THE NUMEROUS TESTING SESSIONS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S A BIG ENDEAVOR TO GET THAT DONE, AND A LOT OF HARD WORK, SO I WANT TO THANK THEM.
SATURDAY WAS THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION OF THE DIGITAL SAT.
THANK YOU TO JOHN SABALOS, AND HIS TECHNOLOGY TEAM AND MR. FERRARI FOR ALL OF THE PREPARATIONS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN GETTING THAT EXAM SET UP.
THE COLLEGE BOARD ACTUALLY NOW REQUIRES TECHNOLOGY TO STAFF BE ON SITE FOR SUPPORT ADMINISTRATION.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO JOHN SABALOS AND HIS TEAM FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ARE PLANNING TO VISIT THE HIGH SCHOOL, JUNE 11TH AND 12TH.
TRANSITION MEETINGS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND COUNSELORS ARE MEETING WITH TEACHERS OF THE FIFTH TO SIXTH GRADERS THAT ARE COMING IN TO PREPARE FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
CAREER INVENTORIES FOR OUR EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE HAPPENING THE THIRD WEEK IN JUNE IN THE TECHNOLOGY CLASSES TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR.
I DID SHARE WITH THE BOARD A GLIMPSE OF OUR COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES, SO YOU HAD ALL OF THAT TO GET A SENSE OF WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING.
SOME REALLY EXCITING PLACES AND VERY PROUD OF THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF THAT HELP THEM GET THERE.
FINALLY, IN THE WORLD OF NURSING, THE NURSES ARE PREPARING THEIR END OF YEAR PROCEDURES.
THEY WILL BE SENDING HOME NOTICES TO PARENTS ABOUT PICKING UP MEDICATION.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALL UNUSED MEDICATION HAS TO BE PICKED UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR UNLESS A STUDENT HAS PERMISSION TO SELF CARRY.
WE CANNOT GIVE IT TO A STUDENT TO TAKE IT HOME.
THE PARENT PICKUP IS REQUIRED AND ANY UNUSED MEDICATION THAT ISN'T PICKED UP WILL BE DISCARDED.
PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THOSE LETTERS SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ANY UNUSED MEDICATION BACK TO YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME.
WELL, GOOD EVENING AND TRY TO KEEP MY UPDATE SOMEWHAT BRIEF.
WE DID HAVE OUR FOURTH AND FINAL SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE YEAR LAST WEEK.
AT THAT MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE UPDATED DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY PLAN, WHICH HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD EVERY YEAR.
THAT DRAFT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE REORGANIZATION MEETING, AND THEN IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED AFTER A 30-DAY REVIEW PERIOD OR COMMENT PERIOD, IT'LL BE APPROVED IN THE AUGUST TIME FRAME.
TOM DRAKE FROM ALTERES, HAS MET WITH THE SAFETY TEAMS IN EVERY SCHOOL.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THEIR BUILDING RESPONSE TEAMS AS WELL AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT-WIDE PLAN.
IN OUR MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S TWO MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THIS YEAR, AND THE SAFETY PLAN, ONE HAS TO DO WITH.
WE DO A LOT OF DRILLS EVERY YEAR AS WE KNOW, WE CALL THEM EVACUATION DRILLS.
WE KNOW THAT WE GREW UP THERE WERE FIRE DRILLS BUT NOW WE ALSO HAVE OUR LOCKDOWN DRILLS AND OUR STAGING DRILLS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE NEW STATE LAW WILL HAVE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT OF ALL OF THOSE DRILLS.
TO OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND GREATER COMMUNITY WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT WITH LOCKDOWNS, BUT NOW WITH THE EVACUATION DRILLS AND FIRE DRILLS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES NEXT YEAR.
ALSO, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS IN PLACE.
IF WE FEEL WE NEED A PROCESS FOR EVALUATING A STUDENT, A STAFF MEMBER, A PARENT, A COMMUNITY MEMBER, IF THERE'S A CONCERN IN THE BUILDING.
THIS IS A PROCESS AND THAT THE DISTRICT HAS HAD, AND THE SAFETY TEAMS ARE AWARE OF AND THEY'VE HAD TRAINING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE NEW FOR TO PELHAM, IT'S JUST GOING TO NOW BE CODIFIED AS PART OF THAT DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY PLAN.
THOSE WERE THE TWO NEWER THINGS FROM THE DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE HAD OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS FROM BOTH VILLAGES AND BOTH FIRE DEPARTMENTS, BOTH POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR PARTNERSHIP ALL YEAR LONG.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING WAS FOR THIS YEAR AND I THINK WE HAD A A LOT OF REALLY POSITIVE THINGS THAT HAPPENED ALL YEAR.
I THINK IN RELATIONSHIP WISE, I THINK WE ALL ARE VERY OPEN TO COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER.
IF ANY OF US HAVE A CONCERN OR A THOUGHT,
[02:15:02]
THAT COMMUNICATION FLOW IT'S WIDE OPEN.I THINK THOSE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND IF YOU MEET MORE FREQUENTLY, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.
WE TALKED ONE THING ABOUT GLOVER COMPLEX AND PARKING.
TO DATE, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT IN A NUMBER OF NO PARKING SIGNS.
WE'VE STENTED THE DRIVEWAY, WE'VE HAD PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS.
WE'RE NOT STILL SEEING A LOT OF COMPLIANCE, AND I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON THIS.
WE KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOOKING AT DIFFERENT METHODS AND WAYS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT COMPLIANCE.
WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED AND CERTAINLY, OUR PARTNERS ARE CONCERNED AS WELL, IF THE ROADWAY IS CLOGGED, AND THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THAT EQUIPMENT TO GET DOWN INTO THE DRIVEWAY.
THOSE ARE VERY SERIOUS THINGS, AND WE HAVE TO TREAT THEM SERIOUSLY.
AS WE LOOK AT THIS YEAR, WE'RE WINDING DOWN BUT THINGS FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEIR LARGER TOURNAMENT-TYPE PLAY OVER THE WEEKENDS, THOSE HOST ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH RECREATION.
WE ASK THEM TO EXPLORE A SUPERVISION PLAN, A TRAFFIC PLAN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AND THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE MANAGING A SAFER ROADWAY.
FOR SPORTS, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, I THINK PART OF THAT MAY BE JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT GATE CLOSED ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS DURING THE WEEK, AND THAT I'LL JUST PUSH TRAFFIC TOWARDS THE SURFACE LOT AT THE TARGET SURFACE LOT, WHICH PEOPLE CAN JUST TAKE THE FOOTBRIDGE RIGHT OVER TO THE FACILITY OR THEY COULD USE THE IMPERIAL HILL LOT OVER BY FRIENDSHIP FIELD.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON THAT AND THAT'LL ALWAYS BE A PROCESS, I THINK.
BUT WE HAD OUR MEETING ON THURSDAY ON FRIDAY MORNING.
WE MET WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM RECREATION.
THAT WAS REALLY GREAT, TOO, AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION THERE WHERE WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT OUR SUMMER PLANS, WHAT THE CAMP CYCLE IS LOOKING LIKE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THE PROSPECT HILL CAMP IS OPENING UP A LITTLE BIT LATER BECAUSE WE'RE DOING SOME ASBESTOS ABATEMENT.
PLACEMENT OF ONE OF THE FLOORS, RIGHT AT THE RIGHT AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS, AND AGAIN, THAT COORDINATION IS REALLY HELPFUL AND THE OPEN COMMUNICATION.
ONCE THE FLOOR IS REMOVED AND THE ASBESTOS IS REMOVED, WE'RE FINE.
WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE CHILDREN BEING BACK IN THE BUILDING AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AS WE DO EVERYTHING, THE AIR IS MONITORED AND WE HAVE CLEARANCES BEFORE WE ALLOW PEOPLE BACK IN THOSE AREAS.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT HOW THAT'S WORKED, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TALKING WITH THEM ALL SUMMER LONG BECAUSE WE ALSO WORK COLLABORATIVELY DURING THE SUMMER SCHOOL PROCESS.
THIS FACILITY IS USED QUITE EXTENSIVELY.
WE HAVE EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM, AND THEN THEY RUN RECREATION PROGRAMS IN THE AFTERNOON THAT SOMETIMES COMPLIMENT THE MORNING PROGRAM AS WELL SO THEY'VE BEEN WONDERFUL PARTNERS.
THIS EVENING'S AGENDA, THERE'S A REQUEST FROM PELE TOGETHER FOR A WAIVER FOR A FACILITY FIELD USE FEE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW THE NORMAL COST OF THAT IS $80 FOR THREE HOURS.
THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST, IT'S AN OVERNIGHT EVENT RIGHT BACK HERE ON ENGLES FIELD, RUN OBVIOUSLY WITH PELHAM TOGETHER AS A SPONSOR AND OUR LOCAL STUDENTS AS PART OF A FUNDRAISING AND AWARENESS FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AS IN THE USE OF OUR FACILITY, THEY'RE REALLY NOT DRIVING ANY COST FOR US BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMING INTO THE BUILDING.
THEY HAVEN'T ASKED TO USE THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
WE'RE NOT INCURRING ANY LABOR COSTS OR ANYTHING TO THAT EFFECT.
I THINK AS THE BOARD LOOKS AT THAT AND WEIGHS ON THAT FEE, IT REALLY HAS REALLY DE MINIMUS IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT.
WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT JUST DIFFERENT THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF.
SECURITY ACCESS, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE SOME LIGHTS ON FOR THEM SO THAT THE FIELD IS A LITTLE BIT WELL-LIT.
MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT PERHAPS POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN HAVE A PATROL OFFICER HOLD IN THAT AREA WHILE THEY'RE ON PATROL THEY CAN SHIFT INTO THAT AREA DURING THAT TIME FRAME.
REALLY BEING THOUGHTFUL AS FAR AS HOW THIS WHOLE EVENT CAN RUN SUCCESSFULLY FOR THEM AS WELL.
IT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE REALLY TIRED SUNDAY MORNING, BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE A RELAY FOR LIFE TYPE PROGRAM, WHICH IS I THINK WHAT I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH SO SHARE THAT.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE HERE? THERE'S A COUPLE OF TRANSFERS ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA.
[02:20:05]
ONE IS FOR INSURANCE, AND THE OTHER ONE IS FOR SPECIAL COUNSEL.WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IS WE'RE JUST SEEING A CHANGE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING INSURANCE MARKET AND THE REINSURANCE MARKET, AND THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE.
I THINK A LOT OF US ARE SEEING THAT OUR OWN PERSONAL LIVES WITH OUR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AND ALSO OUR AUTO INSURANCE, AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME THINGS AS WELL.
WE WORK IN A COOPERATIVE, THE NEW YORK STATE INSURANCE RECIPROCAL WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE ALL SHOP THE SAME TYPES OF PROGRAMS AND THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT IS WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHAT'S WORKING FOR US, WHAT'S NOT WORKING FOR US.
WE CAN GET THE SPECIALIZED INSURANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THERE'S CERTAINLY AWARE OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS AND WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, SO WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR IS FOR ADDITIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE BECAUSE AS PART OF SOME OF THOSE DEDUCTIBLES CAN CHANGE IN THOSE VARIANCES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE COVERAGES.
ALSO IN FINANCE, WE HAVE A OUR TREASURER'S REPORT, YOU'LL SEE OUR INTEREST RATES ARE STILL UP AT ABOUT 5.2%.
I FELT REALLY GOOD UNTIL WE SAW SOME ECONOMIC NEWS TODAY AND NOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME REDUCTIONS.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US KNOW REALLY WHERE IT WILL LAND.
I HAPPENED TO BE AT A BUSINESS OFFICIALS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK AND WE ALL JOKE IF WE KNEW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE, WE WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS, WE'D BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE IF WE COULD REALLY PREDICT THE INTEREST RATES.
BUT I THINK FOR THE TIME BEING, WE ALL EXPECT THEM TO HOLD STEADY.
I JUST BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION IN THE BUDGET CYCLE.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE HERE? I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO COMMISSIONER ROSA THIS MORNING.
AT MY BUSINESS OFFICIALS CONFERENCE.
ONE OF THE LARGER TOPICS OF CONVERSATION WE'RE ABOUT FOUNDATION AID, THE UPCOMING FORMULA, AND THE ANSWER IS, IT'S COMPLICATED.
THERE'S GOING TO BE WINNERS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE LOSERS, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND OUT ANY ANSWERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
WE SHOULD PROBABLY EXPECT A TWO YEAR TIME PERIOD BEFORE WE REALLY GET SOME ANSWERS.
>> THEY'RE PRETTY REALISTIC ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY SAID WE KNOW THE FIRST TIME WE ROLL OUT A NEW FORMULA, EVERY DISTRICT IS GOING TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW IT IMPACTS THEM AND EVERYBODY IS UNIQUE IN THEIR OWN WAY.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT THEY FACE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CANDOR BEHIND IT.
THEY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE TO BE SOME MODIFICATIONS AS TIMES MOVE FORWARD, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SO I'LL STOP RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU.
>> WHEN DO THEY EXPECT TO ROLL OUT THE NEW FORMULA?
>> IT WON'T BE FOR THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
PROBABLY A BUDGET YEAR AFTER THAT IF THEY'RE ABLE TO [OVERLAPPING]
>> COME UP WITH SOMETHING. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT COME INTO IT.
PROPERTY VALUES IS ONE OF THOSE FACTORS THAT PLAYS A VERY LARGE ROLE IN STATE AID.
YOU CAN HAVE A JURISDICTION LIKE OUR NEIGHBOR WHO SAW A VERY LARGE REDUCTION, BUT THEY STILL HAVE HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES WHERE THEY COME UP A LITTLE BIT SHORTER COMPARED TO OTHER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT; THE GEOGRAPHIC VARIANCES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THEN THE DIFFICULTIES OF ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF STUDENT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AS THEY GO THROUGH IT, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AND SEE HOW THEY FLOW BACK AND FORTH.
BUT THEY WERE VERY BLUNT ABOUT IT TOO.
THEY SAID, INEVITABLY, THERE WILL BE WINNERS AND THERE WILL BE LOSERS, AND THAT'S THE HARDEST PART AND THAT'S WHAT WILL MAKE IT UNPOPULAR AT SOME POINT IN TIME WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN OR POPULAR, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE OF THAT EQUATION YOU'RE ON.
>> JIM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION, NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THIS, BUT THE GRANT WE RECEIVE FOR SECURITY.
>> YES. RIGHT NOW THAT'S AT THE STATE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WAITING FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, WHICH WE WOULD NEED TO INSTALL THOSE CAMERAS.
NO, I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT THERE.
IT'S STILL AT THE STATE FOR FINAL VERIFICATION, THEN IT HAS TO GO TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE FITNESS ROOM.
THAT'S AT THE STATE. ANOTHER DISCUSSION THIS WEEK WAS ABOUT FACILITIES PLANNING FOR NEW YORK STATE.
CURRENTLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 26-WEEK LEAD TIME FOR PLAN REVIEW.
[02:25:03]
THAT'S SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT WITH THE UPCOMING TURF FIELD.WE'VE ALREADY CONTACTED OUR ARCHITECT, KG&D, ASKED THEM FOR A CONTRACT, AND ASKED THEM TO GET STARTED ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN GET IN THE QUEUE RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
ONE THING THAT THE STATE IS LOOKING TO DO WHEN WE DID THE HUTCHINSON PROJECT, THEY HAD A PROCESS CALLED EXPEDITED REVIEW THROUGH CITY BOSSES.
IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS WIDELY POPULAR WITH US, BUT I GUESS NOT TOO POPULAR WITH CITY BOSSES.
I THINK THEY LOST SOME MONEY ON IT, SO THEY STOPPED DOING IT. THEY'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK.
IT'S GOING TO COST A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL IN PROVIDING SOME RELIEF TO THE STATE AND FACILITIES PLANNING AND SOME OF THE PLAN REVIEW THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
IT'S A GOOD THING, SO WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THERE AS WELL.
>> GIVEN THOSE TIMELINES, WHERE ARE THE ACS?
>> THE AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE FITNESS ROOMS, THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, THE UPSTAIRS ONES, [OVERLAPPING] THEY'RE IN PLAN REVIEW RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A VENDOR WHO WE CAN USE, WHO WE WANT TO USE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING OFF OF A BID THAT WE CAN USE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
THEY KNOW WE'RE GOING TO USE THEM, AND ALL OF OUR ESTIMATING HAS BEEN OFF OF THEIR PRODUCT AS WELL.
ONCE WE GET THAT GREEN LIGHT FROM THE STATE, THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENTER THAT REQUISITION AND GET THAT PROJECT LINED UP AND HOPEFULLY SWING THE NEW UNITS UP NEXT SUMMER.
>> TWO YEARS? THIS IS A LONG TIME.
>> EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY IS SEEING RIGHT NOW AND THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU COULD BE DEALING WITH TWO YEARS OF ESCALATION IN SOME INSTANCES.
SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE IN SOME REALLY LARGE BOND PROJECTS.
YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THEY MAY HAVE SET THEIR BUDGET TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY AWARD THE CONTRACT.
THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN HAPPEN IN TWO YEARS TIME PERIOD.
AS I LEARNED THIS WEEK, 70-PLUS PERCENT OF THE GYPSUM BOARD COMES THROUGH THE PORT OF BALTIMORE.
THIS PAST QUARTER, THAT PROVIDED QUITE A SPIKE IN THE COST OF GYPSUM BOARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID WAS, IF YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, GIVE IT SOME TIME FOR THE SUPPLY SYSTEM TO SMOOTH OUT A LITTLE BIT BASED ON THAT.
THINGS YOU LEARNED AT CONFERENCES.
>> I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO FINANCIAL REPORTS AND MOTIONS.
[5. Financial Reports and Motions]
I WOULD SUGGEST WE JUST APPROVE 5.1 THROUGH 5.8 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.>> MICHAEL, I WON'T VOTE ON 5.7. [OVERLAPPING]
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT [OVERLAPPING]
>> WITHIN THIS IS THE REPORT THAT DR.
BOWMAN REFERENCED EARLIER, THE DISTRICT MTSS REPORT, SO THANK YOU TO HER AND THE TEAM THAT WORKED ON THAT SO DILIGENTLY THIS YEAR.
>> THEN I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE 5.7,
[5.7 Motion to Approve a Fee Waiver for Facilities Use]
THE WAIVER FOR FACILITIES USE.>> THIS IS FOR THE PELHAM TOGETHER.
>> SLEEPOVER. IS THAT THE RIGHT TERM? [LAUGHTER] THAT'S NOT THE POLITICALLY CORRECT TERM.
>> YOU DON'T SLEEP. ALL RIGHT.
>> ANY ABSTENTIONS? THAT MOTION CARRIES.
[5.8 Motion to Dispose of Equipment]
HOW ABOUT 5.8; DISPOSE OF EQUIPMENT? MOTION.>> I'D ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT DONATION.
[5.9 Motion to Accept a Donation]
RESOLVE THAT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS,
[02:30:04]
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT THE MONETARY DONATION OF $1,000 TO CREATE THE ARABINDA GUHA SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THAT GRATITUDE BE BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, THE GUHA FAMILY.THAT UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT A MONETARY DONATION OF $100 IN MEMORY OF MS. ANNE PINE, A FORMER HUTCHINSON SCHOOL MASTER SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPIST.
GRATITUDE IS HEREBY BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, MS. RENEE TUG.
THANK YOU TO THEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE DONATIONS?
>> I COULD ADD A LITTLE ON DR. GUHA.
HIS SON CONTACTED US LAST WEEK.
MR. GUHA AND HIS SISTER ARE BOTH GRADUATES OF PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL.
DR. GUHA, THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER MOVED TO PELHAM AND LIVED ON AIDEN, I BELIEVE, STARTING IN 1975, AND THEY JUST HAVE A VERY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE IN PELHAM.
IT WAS A VERY GENEROUS DONATION FROM THE GUHA FAMILY.
AFTER OUR PHONE CALL, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, HIT THE GOOGLE AND DR. GUHA'S OBITUARY WAS THERE AND SPOKE.
AGAIN, I TOLD A WONDERFUL STORY OF DR.
GUHA AND HIS FAMILY'S WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE IN PELHAM AS WELL, AND HOW FONDLY THEY HOLD THE VILLAGE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SO A VERY GENEROUS DONATION AND A NICE CONVERSATION.
THAT BRINGS US TO POLICY MONITORING AND GOVERNANCE.
[6. Policy Monitoring & Governance]
[NOISE] I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO RETIRE A COUPLE OF POLICIES.>> YEAH. JUST THESE FIRST COUPLE OF MOTIONS ARE TO RETIRE 7619 AND 7350.
THE POLICY SERVICE NOTIFIED US THAT GIVEN THE NEW TIMEOUT AND PHYSICAL RESTRAINT POLICY THAT WE PASSED, WE NEEDED TO RETIRE THESE OLD POLICIES AS THEY WERE NO LONGER APPLICABLE.
THEN IN LINE WITH THAT, WE NEED TO RE-NUMBER OUR NEWLY PASSED TIMEOUT AND PHYSICAL RESTRAINT.
6.3 IS A MOTION TO AMEND THE POLICY NUMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE POLICY SERVICE.
>> WE'RE CHANGING THEIR NUMBER?
>> OKAY. WE COULD PROBABLY DO ALL THREE OF THOSE TOGETHER?
>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE 6.1 THROUGH 6.3?
>> THEN WE CAN DISCUSS A FIRST READING OF 6.4 POLICY 73-16 DIGITAL DEVICE USE.
[6.4 Policy 7316 - Digital Device Use (First Reading)]
>> YES, I'LL JUST MAYBE TEE THIS UP.
I KNOW THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THIS IS A REMINDER.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THIS.
CERTAINLY, I THINK WE'RE ALL SEEING LOTS OF DIFFERENT ARTICLES, RESEARCH, COMING OUT ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF CELL PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM, SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS, MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, LEARNING IMPACTS, ETC.
DEFINITELY, AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE ALL WATCHING CLOSELY.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE'VE DONE A SERIES OF SURVEYS OF OUR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, WORLD CAFE, LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON HOW FOLKS FEEL ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO DETERMINE HOW BEST APPROACH US AS A DISTRICT.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A POLICY IN THE PAST.
WE HAD PRACTICE THAT WAS CAPTURED WITHIN OUR STUDENT HANDBOOKS.
BUT GIVEN THE GROWING NATURE OF THIS AREA, I THINK WE ALL AGREED THAT A POLICY WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HELP JUST TO DEFINE AN EXPECTATION, AND THAT WOULD HELP OUR ADMINISTRATORS AS THEY WORK TO IMPLEMENT WHAT IS A VERY QUICKLY EVOLVING AREA.
POLICY COMMITTEE SPENT SEVERAL MEETINGS TALKING ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU, IAN FOR DRAFTING A WORKING DOCUMENT FOR US TO REACT TO.
I THINK THAT REALLY HELPED TO SPREAD THE CONVERSATION ALONG.
OUR ADMINISTRATORS WERE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION TO OUR SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS.
WHAT YOU HAVE TONIGHT IS THE FIRST READING OF OUR FIRST POLICY DRAFT ON THIS.
TRIED TO CAPTURE A LOT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PURPOSE AND EXPECTATION, DEFINITIONS, SETTING AN EXPECTATION ABOUT USE OF DEVICES AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL APPROACH, AND TAKING NOT JUST A STICK APPROACH, BUT A CARROT AND STICK APPROACH, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FOSTER PERSONAL INTERACTION, FACE TO FACE INTERACTION WITH STUDENTS IN ADDITION TO DEFINING
[02:35:03]
A LEVEL OF EXPECTATION ABOUT WHERE THE DEVICES CAN AND CANNOT BE USED.CERTAINLY SIMPLEST AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, DEVELOPMENTALLY, MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
CURRENT PRACTICE, WHICH WE'RE CAPTURING IN THIS POLICY IS THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
HIGH SCHOOL REALLY WAS THROUGHOUT THIS DISCUSSION, THE BIGGEST AREA OF DEBATE.
AS I THINK EVERYONE IS AWARE AT THIS POINT, THE SITE BASED TEAM HAD DEVELOPED A PRACTICE FOR THE BUILDING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
I THINK AS WE LOOKED AT THE FEEDBACK, THERE WAS DEFINITELY CONCERNS ABOUT INCONSISTENCY IN THE WAY THAT THE APPROACH WAS DESIGNED AND WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS REALLY TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
THE FIRST APPROACH AND WE BROUGHT I THINK AND IF I MISSPEAK, DEFINITELY, PLEASE CORRECT ME ON THIS.
I THINK THE COMMITTEE IN GENERAL WAS COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING THE FIRST APPROACH FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS DEFINITELY STILL A DESIRE TO CONSIDER THE SECOND APPROACH.
FIRST BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE BASED SIMILARLY ON THE CURRENT PRACTICE, BUT WITH SOME DIRECTION TO BASICALLY TO BRING MORE CONSISTENCY TO IT.
SECOND APPROACH BEING MORE RESTRICTIVE.
I THINK THE COMMITTEE WAS OKAY WITH BRINGING BOTH VERSIONS FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION TO THE FULL BOARD. FURTHER CAPTURED THAT OKAY.
>> YEAH. I THINK THE FIRST APPROACH WAS WHAT WAS VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE AND THE SECOND APPROACH WAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD.
>> I THINK THE THINGS THAT ARE, I THINK, REALLY GOOD THAT SHOULD BE NOTED, AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU JUST ALLUDED TO DOCTOR CHAMP, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE CERTAINLY LEARNED WAS THAT THE USE OF CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL, OFTENTIMES, IT'S TO FILL A VOID IN YOUNG PEOPLE JUST TRYING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH EACH OTHER, OR WITH FACULTY AND ARRANGING LUNCH OR JUST OTHER THINGS OF JUST CONNECTING WITH OTHER STUDENTS.
JUST THE FIRST BULLET POINT, I THINK IS A REALLY POWERFUL ONE IS THE IDEA THAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD MAINTAIN PHYSICAL SPACES AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES THAT FACILITATE FACE TO FACE COLLABORATION THAT DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE A DEVICE.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A MINOR THING, BUT THAT OPENS UP A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES, I THINK FOR THE ADMINISTRATION JUST TO THINK ABOUT, COORDINATING NINTH GRADE LUNCH TOGETHER SO THAT THERE'S A WAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SEE ONE ANOTHER.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE SECOND BULLET POINT IS JUST A MORE DELIBERATE APPROACH TO DIGITAL LITERACY.
WE HAVE THE NEW YORK STATE K-12 LEARNING STANDARDS, BUT JUST REALLY CODIFYING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I KNOW WE'RE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THAT, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IF THERE ISN'T A DELIBERATE APPROACH TO HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW DO THEY USE THIS POWERFUL DEVICE IN A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE WAY, WE'D BE NOT OWNING UP TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP HELP THEM LEARN.
I JUST THINK THOSE TWO BULLET POINTS AT THE BEGINNING ARE JUST IMPORTANT TO SOLIDIFY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SUBTRACTION AND TAKING AWAY, IT'S ABOUT HOW TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER IN PERSON, AND HOW DO THEY LEARN MORE HOW TO BE DIGITALLY LITERATE.
>> I WOULD SAY TO THAT POINT, WE HAD A SECONDARY LEADERSHIP MEETING TODAY OR THIS WEEK AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS POLICY AND ABOUT THE APPROACH TO LUNCH.
I ASKED HER A WHILE BACK TO LOOK AT THIS, START TO THINK ABOUT A SEVENTH PERIOD, NINTH GRADE LUNCH. COULD YOU BUILD THAT IN? WHILE IT'S NOT PERFECT, IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
I THINK SHE HAS ABOUT HALF THE CLASS AT THIS POINT IS SCHEDULED IN FOR A SEVENTH PERIOD LUNCH.
THEN THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION TO DO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT START.
IF WE CAN HAVE STUDENTS COMING INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND CREATE A CULTURE WHERE THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED JUST STILL GOING IN TO THE CAFETERIA, AND WE CREATE A SCHEDULE THAT PROVIDES SPACE FOR THEM IN THE CAFETERIA.
SEVENTH PERIOD, THERE'S NO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS THERE, SO IT'S WIDE OPEN FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
THEN I THINK WE CAN START TO SHIFT TO SHIFT THE EXPECTATION AND PRACTICES ABOUT HOW TO MOVE ABOUT THE BUILDING, WHICH SHOULD HELP SUPERVISION, CLEANLINESS FACILITIES USE.
BUT THEN IT NATURALLY PUTS THEM ALL TOGETHER.
>> THEN THE NEXT STEP CAN BE, NOW THAT THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER, WHAT ARE WE NOW GOING TO PROVIDE OR DO TO HELP THEM CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN [OVERLAPPING].
THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A PEF GRANT FOR BOARD GAMES IN OUR NEAR FUTURE. THAT'S GREAT.
[02:40:01]
>> I MEAN, I REALLY LIKE ONE OF THE BULLETS UNDER STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED NOT TO BRING THE DIGITAL DEVICE TO SCHOOL, WHICH I KNOW, WE LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING IT BECAUSE THEY'RE PLANNING AND DOING THINGS AFTER SCHOOL.
BUT I LIKE THAT WE ARE DEFINING SOME RESPONSIBILITY THAT MUST BE TAKEN.
ONE, IF IT GETS LOST, IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS THE ONE THAT SPEAKS ABOUT THE RECORDING AUDIO, VIDEO, TAKING PICTURES WITHOUT PEOPLE'S CONSENT, BATHROOM LOCKER ROOMS. I LIKE THAT WE'RE DEFINING THAT BECAUSE, IT COULD GET PRETTY DICY EVEN JUST TAKING A PICTURE OF SOMEONE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS, AND THEN SHARING THAT PICTURE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.
>> I'M GLAD THAT WE PUT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION, AND UNFORTUNATELY, POSSIBLY POLICE REFERRAL DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, LIKE, I ALWAYS TELL MY KIDS, DON'T EVEN TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS.
YOU MAY THINK THAT'S FUNNY, BUT THEY DON'T.
IT'S REALLY JUST MAKING SURE EVERYBODY'S UNDERSTANDING WHAT CONSENT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO PICTURE SHARING OR SHARING JUST INFORMATION ABOUT SOMEONE.
I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO DEFINE THAT BETTER.
THE FACT THAT IT SAYS STUDENTS MAY USE DIGITAL DEVICES IF AUTHORIZED BY THE SCHOOL.
I ALSO THINK SOMETHING ELSE THAT IT SAYS HERE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS STUDENTS SHOULD NOT USE DIGITAL DEVICES DURING EMERGENCY AND FIRE DRILLS.
I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY COUNTER INTUITIVE TO WHAT WE FEEL SHOULD BE USED DURING AN EMERGENCY.
BUT THE REALITY IS, WE'VE GIVEN OUR KIDS VERY STRICT INSTRUCTIONS, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO DURING THESE EMERGENCIES.
I DON'T THINK A PHONE WAS ONE OF THEM.
WE TELL THEM YOU EITHER HIDE OR YOU GO TO AN EVACUATION LIKE A PLACE.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST REACT WITH THAT INSTEAD OF GETTING ON THEIR PHONE.
THEY CAN GET ON THEIR PHONES LATER.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY, WE REALLY ARE RELYING ON THEM TO THEY HAVE TO BE QUIET, OR THEY HAVE TO EXIT.
THEY HAVE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS VERSUS GET ON THEIR PHONE.
I KNOW IT'S VERY COUNTER INTUITIVE BECAUSE THE FIRST THING WE'RE ALL GOING TO DO IS GET ON OUR PHONES.
BUT THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF STAGING DRILLS TO GO OVER WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO BASED UPON THE EMERGENCY THAT PRESENTS ITSELF.
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT IMPORTANCE, BUT THEN ALSO LEAVE A CAVEAT.
GOD FORBID, THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS A IN A CLASSROOM AND TEACHER, I FORGET WHO WAS GIVEN THE EXAMPLE, TEACHER HANDS THEIR PHONE TO A CHILD TO CALL 911 BECAUSE THE TEACHERS UNABLE TO.
I MEAN, YOU MAKE UP THESE TERRIBLE SCENARIOS, AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUMP TO EXTREMES, BUT TEACHER AUTHORIZED DISTRICT AUTHORIZED.
HERE'S THE EXPECTATION, BUT THEN ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY ON THE PART OF THE SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO NAVIGATE WHATEVER THEY MIGHT HAVE TO NAVIGATE.
I LIKE THAT THERE IS THE EXPECTATION BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL VERSUS THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I KNOW WE HAVE THESE ALTERNATIVES HERE.
I DO THINK THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO IT A DIFFERENT WAY WHERE THAT INITIAL STATEMENT IS THE SAME, BUT MAYBE WE ADD ANOTHER EXCEPTION TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I DO THINK HIGH SCHOOLERS AT SOME POINTS, MAY NEED ACCESS TO MAKE A PHONE CALL OR DO SOMETHING THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED EDUCATIONAL OR FOR BALANCE.
I'M GOING TO GO TO, MAYBE THEY WANT TO USE THE COM APP WHILE THEY'RE IN THE LIBRARY TO DO SOMETHING, OR MAYBE AS PART OF LEARNING, THEY WANT TO LISTEN TO A PODCAST RELATED TO SOMETHING.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THAT, SO PERHAPS THERE'S SOME EXCEPTION THAT CAN BE MADE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL USING IT IN DESIGNATED AREAS AND TIMES THAT IS ESTABLISHED BY THE BUILDING FOR PURPOSES OF WELL-BEING OR LEARNING OR SOMETHING.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION THERE FOR.
[OVERLAPPING] WE WERE TRYING AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST OR THE SECOND.
WELL, I WAS LOOKING AT THE SECOND AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING CONSISTENT IN THE OVERARCHING STATEMENT THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING,
[02:45:06]
SHOULDN'T BE USED AT SCHOOL, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, AND I THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL EXCEPTION FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLER WHO MAY NEED TO CHECK MESSAGES OR SOMETHING AT SOME POINT DURING THE DAY.IN A DESIGNATED AREA, YOU'RE SAYING? IN A DESIGNATED AREA OR DURING A CERTAIN TIME.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY HAVE JOB AFTER SCHOOL OR SOMETHING AND NEED TO CHECK THEIR SCHEDULE OR SOMETHING I WOULDN'T WANT TO.
[OVERLAPPING] OR AN EXTERNAL SCIENCE RESEARCH MENTOR? YES.
YES, OR AN APPOINTMENT WITH A MENTOR, EXACTLY.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIMIT THAT USE, WHICH IS NOT NEGATIVE.
[OVERLAPPING] VERY PRODUCTIVE.
I WAS GOING TO SAY WITH THE FIRST APPROACH, I THINK THAT'S MAYBE MORE IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET A RECOGNIZING THAT THERE MAY BE VALID USES OF IT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, THAT IT WOULD BE RESTRICTED IN EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SPACES.
I THINK THAT APPROACH WAS TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL PLACES WERE, WHICH WAS PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE.
INCLUDES DIGITAL DEVICES NOT TO BE USED DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, WHICH INCLUDES CLASSROOM AND OTHER AREAS OF THE BUILDING BEING USED FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING.
WE WANTED TO KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT BROADER BECAUSE THAT COULD BE ASSEMBLIES, PRESENTATIONS, SPEAKERS, PANELS, LEARNING ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE TRADITIONAL LIKE A FIELD TRIP, IN A MUSEUM GOING TO SOMETHING.
IS ANYTHING WHERE THE EXPECTATION IS THE FOCUS IS ON THE INSTRUCTION? THAT'S HOW BECAUSE WE REALIZED AS WE TALK THROUGH IT, LOCATING IT TO A SPACE ACTUALLY WASN'T QUITE GOOD ENOUGH, BECAUSE IF YOU SAY IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GRADE LEVEL ASSEMBLY, WHERE NO ONE SAYING, YOU CAN'T BE ON YOUR PHONE IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT YOU CAN BE ON YOUR PHONE DURING AN ASSEMBLY.
NO, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOUR ATTENTION IS STILL FOCUSED THERE. I THINK THAT WAS.
[OVERLAPPING] THE ATTENDED THE FIRST.
MAYBE THE REVERSE WAY OF TRYING TO SAY SOME OF THE SAME THINGS I THINK THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET.
THEN I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT, I'M GOING TO REPRESENT WILL, NOT WITH HIS BRITISH ACCENT [LAUGHTER] BUT HE WAS PRETTY FIRM THAT HE WOULD GO FOR THE MORE STRINGENT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK FROM HIS STANDPOINT, WHAT WAS INTERESTING TO HIM WAS THAT THIS IS IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK, BUT HASN'T BEEN REALLY ENFORCED SO FAR.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I THINK WITH THE WAY THAT IT'S DESIGNED, AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED SOME ABOUT THIS.
I'D SAY MY ADMINISTRATORS FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN IF I FORGET ANYTHING.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS SET UP WAS WITH A LOT OF AUTONOMY AND HOW IT WAS IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS. THAT WAS AN AREA, I THINK AND SPEAK WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS.
I THINK THERE WAS A STRONG AGREEMENT FROM THEM IF WE CAN CREATE A MORE CONSISTENT APPROACH TO WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE EXISTING POLICY, IT'S LIKELY TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
IN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WE BRAINSTORMED, BUT AS SIMPLE AS PUTTING THE CALCULATOR HOLDERS IN ALL CLASSROOMS, REQUIRING THEM TO BE USED IN ALL CLASSROOMS, AND NOT MAKING IT A CHOICE, AND THEN JUST MAKE THAT THE SCHOOL WIDE EXPECTATION, THAT ALONE WILL CHANGE THE CONSISTENCY OF HOW ANY POLICY IS IMPLEMENTED, AND WOULD BE I THINK MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE AN INCREMENTAL STEP TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT IT WOULD BE A LARGE INCREMENTAL STEP FORWARD AND MUCH MORE ENFORCEABLE THAN I THINK WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING NOW.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, I LIKE THE IDEA OF TAKING THESE INCREMENTAL STEPS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE YET TO ENFORCE THE GUIDELINES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ENFORCED YET.
I THINK IN LET'S SAY GOING WITH THE FIRST OPTION TO ME, IT GIVES THE ADMINISTRATION AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENFORCE THE GUIDELINES, MAKE THINGS LIKE THOSE CALCULATOR POCKET THINGS REQUIRED IN EACH CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO SPEAK TO THE BEGINNING, LIKE IAN WAS TALKING ABOUT COMING UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO CONNECT, SO THEY HAVE CHOICES OTHER THAN JUST BEING ON THEIR PHONES.
[02:50:01]
I'M MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT APPROACH BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO PUT THINGS INTO PLACE THAT WE HAVEN'T YET DONE SO AND SEE HOW THAT GOES OVER THE NEXT YEAR.IT WILL BE MEASURED, THE SUCCESS OF THE POLICY WILL BE MEASURED.
NOT JUST ON OF COURSE, PATTERNS AND DISCIPLINARY ISSUES, BUT ALSO JUST THE IMPACT ON SCHOOL CULTURE.
WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO USE THEIR CELL PHONES? I KNOW IT'S CLEARLY DEFINED THE PLACES THEY CANNOT, BUT HALLWAYS OR BATHROOMS, WOULD THAT BE ALLOWED? BECAUSE THEN I'M CONCERNED WE MAY BE CAUSING A RUSH FOR THEM TO GO THE BATHROOM OR VERY LONG LINES IN THE HALLWAYS WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SNEAK THE TEXT MESSAGING.
I THINK THE FIRST OPTION WOULD PERMIT.
THE BATHROOMS THAT'S ADDRESSED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE VIDEO AND AUDIO IN BATHROOMS. HALLWAYS WOULD BE ALLOWED.
THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CONVEYED TO US WAS FOR THE MOST PART, STUDENTS ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
THEY'RE NOT EXPERIENCING THE BULK OF THE CELL PHONE PROBLEMS, THEY'RE NOT IN THE HALLWAY.
THAT'S REALLY NOT THEIR ISSUE.
THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH MOST OF TIME.
MOST OF IT'S COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, SO NONE OF THIS WOULD IMPACT THAT, WOULDN'T STOP WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS, BUT THE ISSUES I THINK THAT THEY ARE DEALING MORE WITHIN SCHOOL IS FROM WHAT'S COMING OUTSIDE OR IT'S USED DURING CLASS WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USING IT AS OPPOSED TO HALLS.
I THINK THEY'VE FOUND THE HALLS TO BE UNENFORCEABLE IN THE CURRENT PLAN.
I THINK THAT WAS THEIR CONCERN IS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO ESTABLISH A POLICY THAT THEY COULDN'T ENFORCE BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE ABOUT WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WE ENFORCE IN THE HALLWAYS.
TO ME, THIS BECOMES JUST ANOTHER THING WE ENFORCE, WE ENFORCE NOT SMOKING OR VAPING IN THE HALLWAYS, AS IN THE BATHROOM AS ANYWHERE IN SCHOOL, BUT IT'S THE TRUTH.
WE DON'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN, SO IF WE GO WITH THE POLICY.
[OVERLAPPING] ALSO LEGAL FOR THEM TO HAVE.
IT SHOULD BE ENFORCED JUST LIKE ANY OF OUR OTHER POLICIES THAT SAYS, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO IT ON THE HALLWAY.
WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING BECAUSE, WE DID DO LOTS OF DATA COLLECTION FROM PARENTS, KIDS I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ACTUALLY HAD TO SAY BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINES OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.
WE GOT I THINK PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE, 30 RESPONSES WITH A LOT OF COMMONALITY.
JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S ONE QUESTION ON A SCALE OF 1-5 WITH FIVE BEING THE HIGHEST, HOW HIGH IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DISRUPTION OF CELL PHONES CAUSED IN THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE? THIS ISN'T JUST THE CLASSROOM, BUT IN THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE, 60% OF THE TEACHERS RATED AT FOUR OR FIVE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVELS, AND 87% SAID 2-5.
LITERALLY ONLY 13% OF THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS RATED AT ONE, WHICH IS THE LOWEST LEVEL OF CONCERN, BUT 87% SAID IT WAS HIGH.
AGAIN, 60% AT THE FOUR OR FIVE LEVEL.
I THINK IT'S INTERESTING JUST TO EVEN READ SOME OF THE QUOTES.
I DO THINK THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE.
>> THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE VERBATIM QUOTES FROM TEACHERS.
THE STUDENTS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF IGNORING THEIR PHONES.
IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, THEY WILL BE OUT.
TEACHERS ARE ADDRESSING PHONE USE LITERALLY CONSTANTLY, AND IT EATS INTO INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, MORE IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS IT, BUT THE ACT OF ADDRESSING IT DOES TOO.
ANOTHER TEACHER SAID, STUDENTS ARE WAY BEHIND IN THE AREAS OF SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL MATURITY.
THEY CANNOT PERFORM THE BASIC FUNCTIONS PREVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.
TEST SCORES ARE DOWN, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ARE UP.
THIS IS ANOTHER STATEMENT. STUDENTS HAVE A VERY HARD TIME MANAGING THEIR TIME AND ARE VERY DISTRACTED BY THE MERE PRESENCE OF THEIR PHONE. ANOTHER STATEMENT.
STUDENTS ARE CONSTANTLY DISTRACTED BY THE CONSTANT BEEPING, DINGING, AND ALERTS THAT THEY GET WITHIN THE COURSE OF JUST ONE CLASS PERIOD, NEVER MIND THE ENTIRE DAY.
EVEN PARENTS ARE INTERRUPTING THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION BY THE CONSTANT TEXTING.
THESE ARE ALL PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS.
AS AN EDUCATOR WHO IN THE PAST HAS STRONGLY OPPOSED HAVING STRONGER CELL PHONE POLICIES, I FEEL WE NOW NEED TO MOVE TO A MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY.
STUDENTS, FOR THE MOST PART, NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELF REGULATE THEIR DEVICES,
[02:55:04]
AND IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE POLICY OF NO OUTSIDE DEVICES LIKE LAPTOPS FROM HOME OR OTHER ELECTRONICS, WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AS WELL.IT IS A SHAME THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION, BUT THE STUDENTS WE HAVE NOW ARE MUCH DIFFERENT FROM STUDENTS IN THE PAST WHO HAD VERY GOOD SELF REGULATION SKILLS.
FOR ME, THIS SCREAMS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE REALLY SAYING, KIDS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THIS AND THEY NEED HELP.
MY CONCERN WITH THE FIRST ARTICULATION, IS THAT BASICALLY IT'S LEAVING TO THE DISCRETION OF STUDENTS, OBVIOUSLY, I THINK WE'RE ALL CLEAR IN CLASSROOMS. TEACHERS HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS THE SPECIFIC USE, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, IT'S REALLY LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF A STUDENT, WHETHER IT'S IN THE LIBRARY, STUDY HALL, CAFETERIA, GYM, BASICALLY ANYWHERE.
ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING, IT'S REALLY UP TO THEIR DISCRETION.
IF WE'VE SEEN FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT INCONSISTENCY OF IMPLEMENTATION WAS A HUGE ISSUE.
I THINK THE WAY THAT THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE IS ARTICULATED, BASICALLY, WE'RE REALLY JUST SAYING IT'S UP TO A STUDENT TO DECIDE WHEN TO USE THEIR PHONE, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT RISK RELATIVE TO ALTERNATIVE 2, AND JACK, I'M INTRIGUED BY YOUR MODIFICATION TO THE SECOND ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS REALLY TRYING TO SAY, LOOK, THIS ISN'T A BAN, THERE SHOULD BE TIMES WHEN KIDS ARE ABLE TO USE THEIR PHONES IF THE TEACHER SAYS THAT THERE IS APPROPRIATE USE, OR THERE'S MEDICAL PURPOSES, OR THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
BUT IT'S TRYING TO INCULCATE THIS IDEA THAT THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE FOR CELL PHONE USE IN SCHOOL THAT'S DIRECTED BY A TEACHER, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S REALLY GOT TO BE AN EXCEPTION.
YOUR MODIFICATION, JACKIE, OF SAYING MAYBE THERE'S A CORDONED OFF SPACE OF SOME KIND, MAYBE COULD BE A GOOD ADDITION.
BUT THE FIRST ONE, I THINK IT'S IGNORING THE FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS WHO ARE SAYING, WE DON'T THINK OUR KIDS CAN ACTUALLY MANAGE THESE DEVICES, SO WE NEED HELP.
TO ME, THAT'S A REAL RISK AND IN SOME WAYS, GOING BACKWARDS FROM WHAT THE SITE BASED COMMITTEE, TWO YEARS AGO, WANTED BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO, THE SITE BASED COMMITTEE SAID WE DIDN'T WANT CELL PHONES IN THE HALLWAYS NOR IN STUDY HALL, BUT THIS WOULD ALLOW THAT AT THE DISCRETION OF STUDENTS.
I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO THE MORE RESTRICTIVE APPROACH, MAYBE JACKIE, WITH YOUR AMENDMENT, THAT MAYBE THERE'S SOME SPACE.
>> BUT THE FIRST ONE JUST SEEMS TO POTENTIALLY OPEN THE FLOODGATES IN A WAY THAT I THINK NO ONE REALLY WANTS, NOR I THINK IS IT RESPONSIVE TO WHAT OUR TEACHERS ARE SAYING?
>> I'LL JUST SAY, I HAD A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TAKEAWAY ON THE DATA.
EVERYTHING YOU SAID WAS IN THERE ABSOLUTELY, BUT I SAW IT AS MUCH MORE MIXED.
>> I'M LOOKING AT 57% OF TEACHERS THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE, WHICH IS NOT 80% OR 90%, BUT IT'S OVER HALF.
WHEN YOU GO TO HOW WOULD YOU THINK IT'S EFFECTIVE, THAT WAS 64%.
THEN A LOT OF THE COMMENTS DO SPEAK TO IMPLEMENTATION TO YOUR POINT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S COMPLETELY HEAVILY IN ONE DIRECTION.
I REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY MIXED ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF PERSPECTIVE ON APPROACH.
IMPLEMENTATION, I THINK ABSOLUTELY.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECURRING THEMES, AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK HEARING THE FEEDBACK FROM THE ADMINISTRATORS, THINKING ABOUT THE PROCESS HAVING BEEN A BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR MYSELF, I THINK THERE'S MODIFICATIONS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT FAR MORE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT HAVING TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE LEVEL OF THE SECOND OPTION, AND I THINK THERE WOULD STILL BE A BIG GAIN THERE.
JUST MY OPINION ON WHAT I'M READING AND WHAT I CAN SEE BEING IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY.
>> I'LL SAY THIS IN LOOKING AT THE DATA, THAT'S WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT IT WAS VERY MIXED.
YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE RATINGS, THEY TENDED TO LEAN IN ONE DIRECTION, BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMENTS, YOU HAD THINGS LIKE,
[03:00:01]
IN MY EXPERIENCE, MOST STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT REMAIN ON TASK, WHEN THE WORK IS APPROPRIATE, IT IS ONLY WHEN AN OBJECTIVE IS TOO SHORT OR SIMPLE WHERE PHONES BEGIN TO COME OUT.I'M NOT GOING TO IMPLEMENT PUNITIVE MEASURES TO A STUDENT THAT COMPLETED WHAT WAS ASKED OF THEM.
IN MY CLASSES, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO USE THEIR CELL PHONES, THEY'RE INCORPORATED INTO OUR CURRICULUM.
WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS NOT THAT DOWN THE ROAD, MAYBE THERE'S AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOWN THE ROAD LOOKS LIKE OR HOW FAR THAT IS, MAYBE WE WILL BE IN A PLACE WHERE IT'S A STANDARD THAT YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PHONE IN SCHOOL.
MAYBE THAT IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHERE I SEE US IS IF WE WERE TO GO FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW TO SUCH A RESTRICTIVE POLICY, IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BACKFIRE ON US JUST BECAUSE IT WOULD BE SO EXTREME.
I KNOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THAT.
IF WE TAKE A RESTRICTIVE APPROACH RIGHT AWAY, AND NOT LOOK AT HOW THINGS CAN BE ENFORCED, LOOK AT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO PHONES, THEN WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK IT'S RISKY, BASICALLY.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT MAYBE AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, WOW, HERE WE ARE WITH NO PHONES IN SCHOOLS, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
BUT I THINK TO GET THERE, IT HAS A MORE MEASURED APPROACH, AN APPROACH WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE CHANGES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MADE YET, MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME.
BUT I DID THINK THE DATA WAS INTERESTING IN THAT IT DID SEEM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND YOU HAD SENT US SOME OTHER FEEDBACK FROM ADMINISTRATORS WHO THOUGHT THAT THE FEEDBACK WAS MIXED ON IT.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT A COUPLE THINGS.
I TOOK THE EXCERPTS THAT YOU READ ABOUT SELF REGULATION AND TO REALLY BE FOCUSED ON CLASSROOM SPACES AND WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING IN CLASSROOMS. SO I THOUGHT THAT OUR FIRST OPTION WAS DIRECTLY ADDRESSING THAT.
I DON'T HAVE THE THE PRINTOUT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THERE WERE ALSO A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM TEACHERS TALKING ABOUT STUDY HALL BEING A PLACE WHERE IT WAS A LOSING BATTLE ON PHONES AND THAT IT FRANKLY WASN'T WORTH IT TO FIGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY DISRUPTIVE TO OTHER KIDS, AND IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO ENFORCE IT ENDED UP BEING MORE DISRUPTIVE.
>> I THINK TO ANNE MARY'S POINT ABOUT WHERE WE END UP HERE, I THINK WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IN THE POLICY IN TERMS OF A REVIEW ANNUALLY AND AND GATHERING DATA FOR THAT WAS INTENDED, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
I THINK HAVING A NEW PRINCIPAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERS IN THE SCHOOL NEXT YEAR AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A NEW POLICY THAT'S MORE RESTRICTIVE IN SOME RESPECTS, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT IN A MORE RESTRICTIVE WAY WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS AND HAVE THAT HOPEFULLY BE EFFECTIVE WILL BE HELPFUL AS A GOOD FIRST STEP, AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHETHER THERE OUGHT TO BE FURTHER CHANGES FROM THERE.
AND I WILL SAY I AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY.
I HAD MY COLLEGE REUNION THIS WEEKEND AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF MY TEAMMATES WHO LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND NOW, AND THEY HAD THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED NATIONWIDE A BAN ON CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS, AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAD WAS POSITIVE, BUT THE KEY THING THAT I TOOK FROM IT WAS IT WAS POSITIVE BECAUSE IT WAS UNIVERSAL AND EVERY ADMINISTRATOR COULD SAY TO THEIR TEACHERS AND TO THEIR STUDENTS, THIS IS THE LAW.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE, THIS IS HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
IT WAS MUCH HARDER FOR THEM TO DO THAT BEFORE THEN.
I KNOW THERE'S A PROPOSAL FROM GOVERNOR HOCHUL TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
MAYBE WE'LL SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT'LL ADDRESS AS IN AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE ACTION PROBLEM AROUND THIS.
>> I MEAN, I WISH THIS WAS HER PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW AND THAT SHE WOULD DO TO CELL PHONE POLICY THAT SHE WANTS TO IMPLEMENT.
SIMILAR TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN NEW ZEALAND NOW, WHICH IS LIKE NEW YORK STATE NO CELL PHONE.
ENGLAND, NO CELL PHONES IN THE SCHOOLS.
[03:05:02]
I ALWAYS PROUD MYSELF THAT IN PELHAM, WE'RE SO FORWARD LOOKING.WE'RE THINKING AHEAD, WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE CUSP THE NEXT BIG THING.
I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT WHEN IT COMES TO HER CELL PHONE POLICY THAT WILL HELP THE KIDS, WE'RE NOT THERE LIKE, WE'RE NOT SO PROGRESSIVELY INTO THE FUTURE WHERE I THINK IF GOVERNMENTS, LIKE NEW YORK GOVERNOR ARE LOOKING INTO THIS, OTHER COUNTRIES ARE LOOKING INTO THIS, THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF I THINK HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
I WOULD LIKE US TO CONTINUE BEING PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CELL PHONE POLICIES AND HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT SOMETHING WITHIN THE SCHOOL? THAT IS AHEAD OF HIS TIME AND I THINK THAT MAY BE RESTRICTING THE USE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH HOW DO YOU ENFORCE IT.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO HIT ANYONE OVER THE HEAD WITH YOU TOOK OUT YOUR CELL PHONE AND THERE ARE WAYS WE COULD WORK AROUND THAT AND I THINK THERE MIGHT BE PLACES.
THERE ARE PLACES I CAN'T USE MY PHONE NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANT TO USE IT.
BECAUSE THERE'S GOVERNMENT OFFICES, THERE'S THE OPERA, THERE'S BROADWAY, AND GOD FORBID YOU TAKE OUT YOUR CELL PHONE IN THE MIDDLE OF LIKE LABEL M. STARE DOWN AT THE MET.
THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T USE THEM, SO WHY DON'T WE CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS? WAS LIKE, HEY, JUST NOT A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT.
IN CERTAIN PLACES UNLESS YOU MAY BE AT LUNCH OR MAYBE AT A PARTICULAR LOCATION WITHIN THE SCHOOLS OR A TIME THAT WE DESIGNATE FOR THEM TO USE IT.
>> BY THE WAY, I HAVE A PLUG FOR THE I WAS TELLING EVERYBODY HERE.
I WAS LISTENING ON MY WAY HERE.
THE LATEST PODCAST, I THINK EVERYBODY HAS TO LISTEN TO, AND THEN EVERYBODY'S GOING TO STAY AWAY FROM TELEPHONES. BECAUSE IT WAS SCARY.
>> FOR DIFFERENT REASONS TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT WAS A REALLY GOOD PODCAST.
>> YEAH, THEY'RE GOOD REASONS.
>> WELL, IT'S BIG MEDIA, THE WAY THEY MAKE THE DEVICES AND IS TO SIT YOU TO CLICK AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH THAT'S AFFECTING A BUNCH OF TEENAGERS.
WE KNOW IT'S OUT THERE, WE'VE ALL READ THE STUDIES AND THEY'RE MAKING MONEY OFF OF US AND SOUNDS LIKE A CONSPIRACY THEORY, AND I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE I'M SAYING THAT.
IT WAS A GREAT IT WAS A GREAT PODCAST, SO EVERYONE'S INTERESTED, LISTEN TO IT.
>> I MEAN, ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WHY DID YOU CONSIDER PUTTING IN THE INTRO? WHY WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THIS POLICY THAT THERE IS IMPACT TO STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING?
>> THERE WAS SOME INITIAL GAMBLE.
LIKE A PREAMBLE AND IT WASN'T TYPICAL POLICY LANGUAGE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY JUSTIFY WHY YOU'RE CREATING A POLICY, YOU'RE CREATING A POLICY.
THAT WAS WE LET THE ATTORNEY TAKE A LOOK AT STRIPPING THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO KIND OF SETTING THE CONTEXT AND EXPECTATION AS OPPOSED TO REFERENCING, RESEARCH AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> I MEAN, IT'S LATE, BUT I KNOW YOU DID PUT THAT STUFF TOGETHER.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO MENTION SOME OF THAT, A VOICE OVER TO IT.
BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, THAT'S FINE TOO.
>> NO, NO. I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT YOU CAN'T WALK, YOU CAN'T READ TWO NEWS ARTICLES WITHOUT READING ABOUT THE GROWING CERTAINTY ABOUT IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CELL PHONES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE CONTENT THROUGH WHICH SO IT'S NOT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S SEXTING, IT'S BULLYING, IT'S PORNOGRAPHY, IT'S JUST DISTRACTION.
I THINK THERE'S A PRETTY VALID EVIDENCE THAT, FOR THOSE OF US, ALL OF US, WHO ARE CONCERNED AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO NOT REALLY THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT CELL PHONE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY IS HAVING.
I JUST THINK WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THE TOTALITY OF THE ISSUE.
I WAS JUST LOOKING AT HAKEL BECAUSE SHE IS CONSIDERING A BAND.
SHE SAID, "STUDENTS, DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, ARE LIVING IN THIS DARK PLACE WHERE THERE'S THIS FOMO, FEAR OF MISSING OUT.
THAT IF THEY PUT DOWN THEIR DEVICE FOR ONE SECOND THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THEM, OR THEY'VE GOT TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING.
THIS IS HOW ADDICTIVE IT IS, WE HAVE TO LIBERATE THEM FROM THIS.
WE HAVE TO JUST DRAW A LINE NOW AND SAY, NO, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH." THAT'S WHAT HAKEL SAID THIS PAST TUESDAY IN HER RATIONALE FOR WHY SHE'S SUPPORTING A BAN.
AGAIN, SHE WANTS TO GO FURTHER THAN I THINK WHAT WE'RE EVEN SAYING.
[03:10:04]
WE'RE SAYING, NO, THERE ARE, THERE CAN BE ARTICULATED INSTRUCTIONAL USES, BUT SHE WANTS TO GO EVEN FURTHER.I THINK THE CASE HAS BEEN MADE WELL.
IT'S JUST WHAT IS THAT WE AS A BOARD ARE WILLING TO DO? I'M COMPELLED THAT A MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY CAN WORK.
I DARE SAY, I THINK A LOT OF KIDS WOULD SUPPORT IT AFTER THEY ACTUALLY START TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN SCHOOL AND NOT HAVE THE WEIGHT OF DEVICES ON THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
>> I WOULD SAY I CERTAINLY AM AS CONCERNED AS EVERYONE ABOUT THE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH, DISTRACTION, ETC, WHERE I CONTINUE TO ADVISE CAUTION IS IMPLEMENTATION AND DEALING WITH I MEAN WHAT WE DO IN SCHOOL IS NOT GOING TO STOP THAT LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU LIST.
>> IN EDUCATION, WE'RE FAMOUS FOR TREATING SYMPTOMS AND NOT PROBLEMS. I DON'T WANT US IN A POSITION OF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS ONE THING TO TRY TO SOLVE ONE PROBLEM, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY SOLVING IT.
THAT'S MY CONCERN. SOCIAL MEDIA, WHETHER WE HAVE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEM IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM IN THE SCHOOL DAY OR THAT'S NOT FIXING SOCIAL MEDIA PROBLEMS.
>> THE IDEA OF HAVING A LOCATION THAT'S DESIGNATED, AND I'LL USE YOUR OWN SMOKING.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE OLD SCHOOL SMOKING LODGE.
>> SMOKING LODGE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> WE HAVE A FACILITIES ISSUE OF SPACE.
>> ALLOWING IN THE CAFETERIA ISN'T FUNCTIONAL BECAUSE THERE ISN'T SPACE DURING LUNCH PERIODS FOR KIDS AND THEN OUR KIDS ARE OFF CAMPUS FOR OPEN CAMPUS.
THERE'S A REALITY TO IF THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED, THEY'RE STILL KEEPING THEM ON THEIR PERSON.
IF THEY'RE STILL ON THEIR PERSON, WE'RE NOW INTO AN LIKELY IN AN UNENFORCEABLE SITUATION.
>> IT'S AN ADDICTION. I MEAN, THIS IS THE CHALLENGE.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THE FIRST TWO BULLET POINTS OF THE POLICY ARE SO IMPORTANT.
THE PROACTIVE EFFORT TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES OR FACE-TO-FACE CONNECTION AND DIGITAL LITERACY, LIKE ACTUAL INSTRUCTION AROUND HOW TO MANAGE THESE ISSUES.
>> ONE THING I THOUGHT ABOUT ADDING BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT LANGUAGE, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN'T LIKE TO PROMOTE A CULTURE BECAUSE ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME FROM THE INFORMATION YOU SAID FROM PEER DISTRICTS WAS LIKE IN SCARSDALE, THEY HAD THE SLOGAN AND I THINK OTHER SCHOOLS ARE USING THIS TO AWAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY OFF AND AWAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
>> YOU COULD ANNOUNCE THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE GOOD MORNING REMINDER, PUT YOUR CELL PHONES AWAY.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IN A POLICY THAT'S NOT SO PRESCRIPTIVE, BUT.
>> IT'S CALLED CREATING A CULTURE.
>> WE ENDEAVOR TO PROMOTE A CULTURE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE.
>> JUST TO COME BACK TO THE SURGEON GENERAL REPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT COMES UP IN SEVERAL SPOTS IS MEAL TIME, THE IDEA THAT TO KEEP MEAL TIMES DEVICE FREE TO HELP BUILD SOCIAL BONDS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT MEANS BAN.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT HERE BECAUSE KIDS ARE EATING ALL OVER.
>> MAYBE THAT COMES BACK TO CULTURE AND EDUCATION AND DIGITAL LITERACY.
>> BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'VE MADE WHOLE CHILD AND NOW BELONGING AND WELLNESS TOP PRIORITIES, I THINK THIS IS PART OF IT.
>> I THINK THESE ARE STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE I DON'T DISAGREE WITH LIKE IAN, WHAT YOU WERE READING AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANY OF IT.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF PLAYING THINGS OUT.
IF WE SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING YOUR PHONE WHEN YOU'RE EATING, I LOVE IT.
EAT, TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS LIKE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT KIDS ARE EATING IN THE HALLWAYS, AND THE STAIRWELLS BECAUSE THERE'S NO SPACE IN THE CAFETERIA.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE FIX THAT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT EITHER CULTURE OR IT'S A RULE OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
BUT I THINK JUST PLAYING OUT THE SCENARIOS,
[03:15:04]
BASICALLY IS WHAT I HAVE IN MIND.IF WE HAVE NO PHONES OUT ALL DAY, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN REALITY? WHAT ARE THE TIMES THAT THE PHONES LIKE, THEY'RE USING THEIR PHONES FOR GOOD.
THEY NEED TO, AN ART STUDENT IS TAKING PROCESS PICTURES, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
THEY CAN ACCESS A SITE, SO THEY GO ON THEIR CELL PHONE.
WE CAN NOW, EVEN WITH IMPLEMENTING THE LESS RESTRICTIVE PART OF THE POLICY, ADDRESS THOSE THINGS SO THAT SHOULD WE EVER GET TO A PLACE WHERE IT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE OR GOVERNOR HOKO TELLS US IT'S GOING TO BE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE NOW SO THAT IT'S NOT SO SHOCKING, SO THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER BEYOND JUST TEXTING EACH OTHER WHILE THEY'RE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
>> I THINK WE NEED TO JUST MAKE IT COOL NOT TO BE ON YOUR CELL PHONE ALL THE TIME.
I DO THINK IT'S A PERCEPTION SITUATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE KIDS TO NOT BE ATTACHED TO THEIR DEVICES AT ALL TIME.
LIKE, YOU COULD PUT IT AWAY AND STILL HAVE A GREAT DAY AND STILL CONNECT WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
BUT THEN HOW DO WE DO THAT? IF ENFORCEMENT IS AN ISSUE, HOW DO WE ENFORCE WITH HEY, YOU MENTIONED CARROTS AND STICKS AND HOW DO WE GIVE THEM CARROTS? HOW DO WE MAKE IT GREAT? THEN THAT ELEMENTARY KIDS SCHOOL A STICKER IS NOT GOING TO DO.
HOW DO WE GET THESE TEENAGERS TO BUY INTO, HEY, YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE OUT YOUR CELL PHONE? IF TEACHERS ARE SAYING, WELL, IF THEY'RE BORED BECAUSE THEY FINISHED THE LESSON, THEN I'M SORRY, AS A TEACHER, YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BRING THAT STUDENT GIVE ME THE MORE OR MORE CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENTS.
BUT THE ANSWER SHOULDN'T BE SO THEY'RE BORED, SO THEY TAKE OUT THEIR CELL PHONE.
>> I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT SETTINGS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR.
IF WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE DISTRACTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM, THAT IS, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMPLE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES THAT ONE CAN IT'S BASIC CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, IT'S INSTRUCTION, AND IT'S HAVING A ROUTINE IN SYSTEM SO THE KIDS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEM DURING CLASS.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SOLVABLE AND ENFORCEABLE FROM THE GET GO IN THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT HAVING ACCESS IN THE HALLWAYS AND OTHER LOCATIONS, THAT'S THE HARDER TO SOLVE BECAUSE IT'S A FAR LESS CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE CARROT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND LET'S USE THE AREAS THAT, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE CLASSROOM, WE WANT TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION, WE WANT TO PROTECT THAT TIME AND MAKE THAT DISTRACTION FREE.
WE HAVE VERY EASY WAYS TO DO THAT.
THEN LET'S TRY TO CREATE A CULTURE OUTSIDE OF THAT THAT ALSO PROMOTES HEALTHY HABITS AND BEHAVIORS.
I THINK OTHERWISE ANYTHING BETWEEN THAT AND NOT RESTRICTING, I THINK IS JUST GOING TO GET VERY MUDDY AND VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO A FULL RESTRICTIVE, THERE ARE LOGISTICS AROUND AN OPEN CAMPUS THAT REALLY WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN TO TACKLE.
>> WELL, CAN THEY USE IT WHEN THEY'RE NOT LIKE, IF THEY LEAVE FOR LUNCH?
>> MY ASSUMPTION IS THEY'RE GOING TO USE IT.
THEY'RE ORDERING OVER EAT AND THEY GOT TO PICK IT UP, OR GET A DELIVERY POINT.
THAT'S MY ASSUMPTION THAT DURING THIS TIME, THEY'RE USING IT.
>> THEY GO OUT CAMPUS THAT FREE COUNTRY.
>> BUT THAT'S THE POINT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING AND GOING ON AND OFF CAMPUS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PHONE ON THEIR PURSE IN THE ENTIRE DAY BECAUSE THEY COME IN THE MORNING, THEY GO TO TWO PERIODS, THEY GO OUT FOR LUNCH, THEY COME BACK.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LOGISTICS OR THE STAFF TO RUN THE LOGISTICS OF CHECKING PHONES IN.
>> NO, WAS THERE ANY OF THOSE POLICIES NOT TO HAVE A PHONE ON THEM? I ASSUME WHICHEVER POLICY WAS, THE PHONE REMAINED WITH THE STUDENT AND IT WAS LIKE A LOT OF THE HONOR SYSTEM.
AT LEAST I'M NOT ENVISIONING TAKING THE CELL PHONES AND CHECKING THEM OUT.
>> THAT WOULD BE LOGISTICALLY NOT POSSIBLE?
>> I'M NOT ENVISIONING THAT AT ALL.
>>. I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD PULL THAT ON AND OFF.
>> I'M SURE YOU TALKED TO MR. BUELL AND DR. TETON.
DID THEY OFFER SOME PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT?
[03:20:01]
>> I THINK THEY WERE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE FIRST OPTION BECAUSE IT DID SET AN EXPECTATION.
IT DID PROVIDE MORE CONSISTENCY, BUT IT WAS ALSO AN ENFORCEABLE, GIVEN OUR STAFFING, GIVEN OUR FACILITIES, GIVEN ALL OF OUR PARAMETERS.
I THINK THEY BOTH FELT THAT IT WAS AS I SAID EARLIER, IT WAS A GOOD STEP FORWARD FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW.
I THINK THEY SEE AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THEM ALREADY.
SOME VALID USES IN PLACES LIKE STUDY HALL AND LIBRARY WHERE KIDS ARE LISTENING TO A PODCAST, LISTENING TO MUSIC FOR THEIR LEARNING STYLE, LISTENING TO MUSIC TO BLOCK OUT OTHER NOISE AROUND THEM.
THEY'RE NOT SEEING DISRUPTION IN THE LIBRARY AS A RESULT OF IT.
THEY'RE IN MANY STUDY HALLS, I FORGOT ONE OF THEM EVEN JOKED ABOUT, A LOT OF TEACHERS WOULD RATHER THE STUDENT BE LISTENING TO THEIR MUSIC OR LISTENING TO THEIR PODCAST BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT KIDS TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER IN STUDY HALL.
IT'S NOT A PLACE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE ENCOURAGING FACE TO FACE INTERACTION.
STUDY HALL IS SUPPOSED TO BE QUIET IN STUDYING.
THEY DIDN'T SEE THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH ARE NOT COMING FROM USE IN THE LIBRARY AND STUDY HALLS.
THAT'S WHY I THINK THEIR PERSPECTIVE WAS THAT THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE REASONABLE AND ENFORCEABLE AND AN IMPROVEMENT TOWARDS THIS SCHOOL.
>> THAT WAS CLEARLY THE MESSAGE.
>> NOW THE NEXT STEP IS WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH POLICY SO THAT WAY IT CAN CONTINUE TO BE, BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST READING.
FIRST THEN IT HAS TO CONTINUE SECOND AND THIRD.
>> BUT WITH THE GOAL, AS WE TALKED, I THINK LAST TIME IS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS DONE SO THAT WE CAN GET IT IN THE HANDBOOKS FOR THE FALL.
WE DO HAVE THE MEETING ON THE 18TH AND THEN WE HAVE A MEETING JULY 2.
THAT COULD BE OUR THREE READINGS.
BUT I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW, AGAIN, DIRECTION FROM A CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD AS TO WHAT DIRECTION YOU WANT US TO GO WITH THIS.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO BACK TO COMMITTEE IT'S WHAT REVISIONS IS EVERYONE LOOKING TO SEE AS WE BRING THIS BACK NEXT TIME.
>> MICHAEL, ARE YOU OPEN TO A MOTION?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PROVE THE, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE DO THIS, TO MOVE THE POLICY FORWARD WITH THE FIRST OPTION.
>> I WOULDN'T SAY WE'RE AT THAT POINT.
>> WE'RE NOT ADOPTING THE POLICY.
>> I'M SAYING TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
>> I WASN'T SAYING WE ADOPT IT, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A SECOND READING AND THIRD READING BUT WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE HAVING A SECOND READING ON.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SECOND READING ON A POLICY WITH TWO OPTIONS, STILL, I ASSUME.
>> I GUESS, I WAS HEARING THAT THERE MIGHT BE MODIFICATIONS EITHER POTENTIALLY TO THE SECOND OR MAYBE EVEN TO BOTH.
>> BECAUSE THEN WE'LL BE AT THE SAME PLACE AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE ANY POLICY FOR THE NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THEN IT'LL GET TOO LATE DURING THE YEAR.
I ALSO ENVISION, LIKE, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WHETHER WE'RE GOING WITH EITHER.
>> I GUESS, I HAD ENVISIONED THAT.
>> OR DO YOU SEE IT COMING BACK FOR A SECOND READING WITH MODIFICATIONS OF BOTH.
>> I GUESS, WOULDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE'RE NOT THINKING OF.
>> I WILL JUST SAY BECAUSE I THINK UNRELATED TO YOUR COMMENT NECESSARILY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY LAID OUT FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR SIX MONTHS PLUS IN COMMITTEE, PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT, PROBABLY SINCE MID FALL.
WE DID TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN TERMS OF SURVEYS, VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC THAT'S BEEN VETTED BACK AND FORTH QUITE A BIT.
BUT THAT WASN'T INTENDED TO REACT TO YOUR COMMENT, IT WAS REALLY INTENDED TO SORT OF GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO THE PUBLIC.
>> JUST A QUESTION ON LOGISTICS.
SORRY. IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, HEY, WE WANT TO REVISIT THIS POLICY WITH BOTH OPTIONS ON IT, THEN WILL THAT BECOME A SECOND READING FOR THE 18? BECAUSE THEN I'M CONCERNED WHEN WILL WE ACTUALLY PICK THE FINAL PURPOSE?
[03:25:03]
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU MAY JUST NEED TO MAKE A DECISION AND IT MAY NOT BE UNANIMOUS, AND THAT MAY HAVE TO BE OKAY.
BECAUSE I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TIME SPENT; IMPORTANT TIME AND GOOD QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATION.
BUT I THINK WE ARE AT THAT POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT TO JUST KIND OF PICK A LANE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK BEST.
>> TO YOUR POINT I THINK ABOUT THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD, I THINK WE COULD HAVE A POLICY THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO A SECOND READING AND PEOPLE WOULD STILL MAKE AMENDMENTS TO IT AT THE NEXT MEETING IF THEY HAVE COMMENTS BASED ON THINGS THAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT.
>> RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT I ENVISIONED THAT BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION ON THE 18TH, WE WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE, I THINK A POLICY, WHICH IS EITHER 1, 2 OR SOME VERSION, BUT WE HAVE TO WALK OUT OF THE ROOM WITH A THING.
I DIDN'T SEE THE NEED FOR A MOTION NOW. LET'S JUST MOVE.
I THINK WE JUST HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AND WE COME BACK ON THE 18TH WITH BETTER SENSE OF WHICH DIRECTION WE WANT.
>> WOULD IT BE MAYBE WORTH JUST GOING AROUND AND GETTING A SENSE OF WHERE EVERYBODY IS? LIKE, I'M GOOD WITH OPTION 1, I'M GOOD WITH OPTION 2.
I WANT TO SEE A BLEND OF THE TWO JUST KIND OF A QUICK PULSE CHECK? THAT WAY WE CAN THINK ABOUT WHERE TO HEAD NEXT TIME.
>> I THINK THAT'S FINE, BUT I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE MODIFICATIONS TO BOTH OPTIONS.
TO BE HONEST, IF WE MAKE A MODIFICATION TO THE FIRST OPTION, IT KIND OF BECOMES THE SECOND OPTION AND WE MAKE A MODIFICATION TO THE SECOND OPTION IT KIND OF BECOMES THE FIRST OPTION.
>> BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENCE HERE.
I THINK WE'RE WAY DOWN TO THE HALLWAY.
>> IT'S LIKE WE CHANGE ONE LETTER AND ONE AND, POOF, NOW WE HAVE THE SECOND OPTION WHERE WE CHANGE HALLWAYS AND BATHROOM AND WHERE THEY'RE USED, THEN IT'S THE SECOND OPTION VERSUS THE FIRST OPTION I JUST FEEL LIKE IF YOU ASK US WHERE WE ARE, I DO WANT TO SEE EVEN THE OPTION THAT I WANT TO PROPOSE.
I STILL THINK ONE TINY MAGNIFICATION TO THAT, WHICH I GUESS WILL COME ON THE SECOND.
>> WHAT'S THE MODIFICATION? BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
>> RIGHT NOW I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING I WANT THE MORE RESTRICTIVE OPTION, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE KIDS A PLACE TO USE THEIR CELL PHONE WITH APPROVAL FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR.
LIKE WHAT JACKIE SAID, IF WE HAVE A STUDENT THAT NEEDS TO USE COMM APP OR LISTEN TO A PODCAST OR JUST PUT ON SOME MUSIC FOR 10 MINUTES.
I DO WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPTION.
BUT IT HAS TO BE A DEFINED PLACE, WHICH WE STRUGGLE WITH DEFINED PLACES.
>> CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT? THINGS LIKE USING THE COMM APP OR LISTENING TO A PODCAST.
ARE THOSE ARE THE USES OF THE CHROMEBOOKS NOT ALLOWED FOR THOSE PURPOSES? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CELL PHONE? BECAUSE THOSE EXAMPLES, I THINK ARE ACHIEVABLE THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
>> IF IT'S ON THE CHROMEBOOK, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
>> THERE YOU GO, SEE? WE JUST SOLVED MY CONCERN.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACTUALLY TECHNOLOGICALLY CAPABLE, WE'D HAVE TO ASK.
[OVERLAPPING] I KNOW STUDENTS WHO LISTEN TO MUSIC.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN.
>> NATALIE, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MAKING THOSE RESTRICTIONS, I AGREE.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE I SEE IS WHERE ARE YOU ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN? NOW, THINK ABOUT EVERY KID THAT HAS A NEED FOR, WHETHER IT'S THE COMM APP OR TO LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE THEY STUDY OR NOISE CANCELLATION.
THEY'VE GOT THEIR HEADPHONES ON AND IT'S JUST NOISE CANCELLATION.
HOW DO WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO SOMETHING ELSE? IN THEORY, I AGREE.
BUT IN PRACTICALITY, I THINK, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY ENFORCE IT? NOT THAT I DON'T THINK THERE IS A SOLUTION.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING FOR THE FALL THAT WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT WITH ENOUGH TIME AND THAT'S THOROUGH AND THAT'S EFFECTIVE.
[03:30:12]
>> SHOULD WE HAVE ANOTHER POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A FINAL VERSION OF THIS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE DO PEOPLE HAVE MORE INPUT OR MORE CHANGES?
>> YOU COULD VOTE TO SEND IT BACK TO COMMITTEE IF YOU WANT, THAT MAY SLOW THE PROCESS DOWN UNLESS WE CAN GET A POLICY COMMITTEE ON BETWEEN NOW AND THE 18TH.
>> WE JUST SUGGEST WE COME TO THE 18TH WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHICH PATH, AND THEN WE VOTE.
THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE. IT'S PROBABLY UNLIKELY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 7-0.
THIS IS PUBLIC DELIBERATION. THAT'S GREAT.
>> WITH THREE READINGS, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, LET'S SAY WE LEAVE HERE TONIGHT, LET'S THINK.
THE SECOND READING, WE COME BACK AND SAY, WE'RE GOING WITH OPTION, WON'T SAY WHICH, WHICHEVER OPTION IT IS.
THEN THE THIRD READING IS THE FINAL VOTE.
>> MICHAEL SAID THIS OR YOU SAID THIS, THAT YOU CAN WAIVE THE THIRD READING.
>> I WOULD GUESS IF WE'RE STILL WORDSMITHING AT THE SECOND READING, THOUGH, WHICH WOULD BE THE BENEFIT OF TRYING TO HAVE A MEETING IN BETWEEN.
>> A POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING?
>> BUT WOULDN'T THAT START THE CLOCK TICKING AGAIN?
>> I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH STEPHANIE ON THE RULES.
THERE MIGHT BE FLEXIBILITY THERE.
>> I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE'VE ALREADY HAD A READING TODAY.
WHETHER YOU CHANGE IT BASED ON DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD OR DISCUSSION BY THE COMMITTEE THAT THEN FEEDS BACK TO THE BOARD.
I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE WHETHER IT'S A FIRST OR SECOND READING. I DON'T KNOW.
>> THEN YOU'RE SAYING WE COUNT IT AS A SECOND READING?
>> I THINK WE'VE SENT SOME STUFF BACK AND THERE'S BEEN POLICY COMMITTEE, AND THEN IT STILL REMAINS SECOND READING OR THIRD READING.
>> I GUESS, WE JUST NEED TO KNOW CLEARLY WHAT THE TASK OF COMMITTEE IS.
IF WE HAVE A COMMITTEE ME MEETING IN THE NEXT WEEK, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO COME BACK WITH?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT IN LOOKING AT THIS, IT'S NOT LIKE, WELL, TELL ME HOW IT WORKS POLICY-WISE.
IT'S NOT LIKE IF WE IMPLEMENT LET'S SAY THE LESS RESTRICTIVE POLICY THAT KEEPS US FROM IMPLEMENTING A MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S THE IDEA THAT WE COULD REEVALUATE?
>> YEAH. I THINK IT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE ANNUAL EVALUATION.
>> I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT, I'D RATHER SEE US TAKE THAT APPROACH, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO REEVALUATE THIS AGAIN THIS TIME NEXT YEAR OR WHENEVER THE CASE MAY BE OR IN POLICY IN THE FALL OR IN THE SPRING.
AFTER WE JUST HAD THIS DISCUSSION, I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE DIFFERENT.
IT IS NUANCED BETWEEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE FIRST OPTION DEFINITELY SHOWS THAT NUANCE.
WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT MR. LUELEN AND DR. TETON ARE NOT COMFORTABLE BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE THIS IN THE HALLWAYS OR THE BATHROOMS AND I THINK WE GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK, JUST ENSURING THAT BANG FOR OUR BUCK [LAUGHTER] JUST ENSURING THAT THEY'RE NOT USING IT DURING IN THE CLASSROOM.
THAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE POLICY, TO ENSURE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, THEY ARE NOT USING THEIR CELL PHONES UNLESS IT'S FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE THAT'S APPROVED BY THE TEACHER.
[03:35:04]
I'M OKAY WITH THE FIRST ONE WITH THE IDEA THAT POTENTIALLY OVER TIME, THERE WILL BE MODIFICATIONS TO IT, POTENTIALLY TO MAKE IT MORE RESTRICTIVE, OR MAYBE WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT CULTURE BUILT AROUND NOT USING CELL PHONES AND PEOPLE ENGAGING WITH EACH OTHER THAT YOU WON'T NEED TO MAKE IT MORE RESTRICTIVE.THAT'S HOPEFUL, BUT [LAUGHTER].
UNLESS LIKE WE SAID EARLIER, WE'D HAVE TO PUT ANOTHER EXCEPTION IN THAT SECOND PART.
I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT'S WORTHWHILE, IT'S LIKE THE SAME THING.
WHAT'S THE EXCEPTION YOU WOULD PUT? WELL, I'M SAYING IF WE SAID DIGITAL DEVICES THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE USED AS FOLLOWS, AND THERE'S THE PRE-APPROVED MEDICAL PURPOSES THAT THE TEACHER SAYS, BUT WE'D HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT OTHER PLACES THAT THEY COULD USE YOUR CELL PHONES FOR PURPOSES.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS DISCUSSION IS THAT IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK THAT ENSURE.
YOU MEAN LIKE LISTENING TO MUSIC OR A PODCAST? YEAH, I THINK THE [OVERLAPPING].
OR IS THE MORE VARIATION YOU ENTER INTO THE MORE EXCEPTIONS YOU PUT IN, THE MORE VARIATION THE HARDER IT GETS TO IMPLEMENT.
IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY GOING TO BE SO HARD TO LIKE IF YOU'RE EITHER ON YOUR PHONE OR YOU'RE NOT, AND WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO? NO ONE'S REALLY GOING TO KNOW.
YOU CAN'T DETERMINE IF SOMEONE'S JUST SCROLLING OR DOING SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE.
FUNDAMENTALLY, THE BID ASK IS HALLWAYS, LUNCH AND STUDY HALL.
THE INPUT WE GOT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THOSE ARE NOT THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DISRUPTIVE AND THEY'RE THE HARDEST AREAS TO ENFORCE.
WHAT'S OUR MOVE? ARE WE HAVING A POLICY COMMITTEE? ARE WE COMING BACK ON THE 18TH AND JUST REVISITING AFTER TALKING? THINKING MORE.
CAN WE DO WHAT YOU SAID, WHICH IS JUST TO GET A GENERAL SENSE OF WHERE PEOPLE STAND AND NOT THAT WE'RE VOTING OR ANYTHING, JUST TO GET A FEEL FOR THE GROUP? THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. IF WE ARE GOING TO TWEAK, THEN IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE THOSE AREAS ARE.
I'M GOOD WITH THE LESS RESTRICTIVE OPTION.
JACKIE WHAT DO YOU? SHOULD WE DO LIKE THIS [LAUGHTER].
[INAUDIBLE] WHAT WOULD GET YOU TO AT LEAST A THREE? BECAUSE OF THE REASONS WE JUST SAID, I'M OKAY WITH THE LESS RESTRICTIVE ONE.
WITH THE IDEA THAT OVER TIME THE DISTRICT MAY FIGURE OUT AREAS WHERE THEY CAN OPTIMIZE IMPLEMENTATION STUFF.
THAT'S WHERE I'M TOO, AND I WOULD JUST ADD, WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY, BUT IN POLICY COMMITTEE, WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF NUANCES AROUND DIFFERENT USES AND USE CASES AND SITUATIONS AND WHETHER IT'S THE SCHOOL SENDING OUT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR CHANGES IN TEAM SCHEDULES, FOR PRACTICES THROUGH THE APP THAT YOU NEED YOUR PHONE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS OR MEETING KIDS FOR LUNCH OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES.
WE TALKED ABOUT STUDENTS WITH ANXIETY ISSUES AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY HERE THAT I THINK THE COMMITTEE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING AND TRYING TO THINK ABOUT CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACHES, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY ALL AGREE ON WHERE THE RIGHT BALANCE IS, BUT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH IT, AT LEAST.
FOR THE MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION BECAUSE KIDS DO PLAY SPORTS
[03:40:03]
AND THEY DO HAVE TO GO OUT FOR LUNCH BECAUSE IT'S AN OPEN CAMPUS, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO PUT SOME PARAMETERS AS TO WHERE AND WHEN AND WHERE THEY'RE USING IT BASICALLY.WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT RIGHT ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER IT'S RESTRICTIVE OR NON-RESTRICTIVE POLICY.
WHAT DOES ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE I THINK EVERYTHING HINGES ON THAT.
[OVERLAPPING] THIS ENFORCEMENT LEFT TO.
IT'S THE ENFORCEMENT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.
WHICHEVER POLICY THAT GOES, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WELL, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M WITH THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT A REASONABLE ENFORCEMENT PLAN TOGETHER.
I THINK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING IS THEY CAN'T FOR THE SECOND ONE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A MASSIVE SHIFT THAT IS I'M NOT SURE WE'RE STAFFED OR FACILITIES WISE PREPARED TO BE SUCCESSFULLY I WOULD BE WILLING OR I WOULD BE ENCOURAGING OF THAT CONVERSATION TO HAPPEN THIS COMING YEAR, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES TRUE ENFORCEMENT OF THE MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY LOOK LIKE IN REALITY.
YOU JUST MENTIONED THINGS I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT STAFFING AND SO FORTH.
ACTUALLY ASKING THE ADMINISTRATION IF THEY COULD EVALUATE THAT.
IN REALITY, WHAT DOES ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE WHAT'S NEEDED IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL THEN? IN THE MEANTIME, IMPLEMENT A POLICY THAT DOES, AT A MINIMUM, DEAL WITH CLASSROOM DISTRACTION, BUT NOT IGNORE THESE OTHER THINGS.
IT'S NOT IGNORING IT, IT'S JUST BEING REALISTIC ABOUT IT.
I THINK WILL'S NOTE SUGGESTS THAT HE WOULD SUPPORT THE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
NOT SURPRISINGLY I'M TRYING TO LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M MORE LEANING TOWARDS A MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY AND STILL TRYING TO THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IN LANGUAGE TO GET AT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD IS RIGHT NOW.
I ALSO THINK SO, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR WILL, BUT HE DEFINITELY SAID IMPLEMENTATION WHETHER OR NOT IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED WOULD AFFECT WHICH ONE? I THINK THE MORE RESTRICTIVE WOULD BE MAYBE IDEAL AND LIKE A PERFECT WORLD.
BUT AT LEAST TO FOCUS ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL DISTRACTION.
THEN THIS ALSO HAS THE ANNUAL REVIEW, SO COULD MAKE CHANGES DOWN THE ROAD, IF NEEDED.
I REALLY LIKE THE ANNUAL REVIEW.
AGAIN, IF GOVERNMENT GETS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, TO JUST STOP, CONGESTION PRICING.
WHO KNOWS? SHE ALREADY DID A MIRACLE.
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHE'S GOING TO STOP THE INTERNET BUT STILL HAVE FLIP PHONES.
I KNOW SHE DID MENTION A FLIP PHONE.
I WAS LIKE, I HAVEN'T SEEN A MOTOROLA IN QUITE A LONG TIME.
I KNOW, I START THAT [LAUGHTER] HOW'S THAT GOING TO WORK? THERE ARE. BUT IF YOU DO GO LISTEN TO SARA WEMBLEY I BELIEVE, SHE DOES HAVE A LOT OF CELL PHONES, THAT ARE.
YEAH, THAT HAVE NO INTERNET ACCESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE FOR KIDS.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK IN A SCHOOL SETTING WHERE WE HAVE WIRELESS INTERNET FOR THE DEVICES THAT WE GIVE TO THE KIDS AND THE BURNER PHONES THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE DUMP LENGTH? IT'S OKAY. NOW, FIVE MINUTES AWAY, LESS.
WE'RE NOT HAVING A POLICY COMMITTEE OR WE ARE HAVING A POLICY COMMITTEE? [BACKGROUND] WE'LL TALK TOMORROW [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO COME.
[7. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]
[03:45:01]
CONSENT.WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 7.1 THROUGH 7.4 AS A CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE SCHEDULE D COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION.
[8.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D – Committee on Special Education (Confidential)]
SO MOVED.I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WE ARE ADJOURNED. [BACKGROUND]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.