May 28, 2025 May 28, 2025 - Business Meeting

OKAY. HELLO. WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF MAY 28TH, 2025.

[00:00:06]

NATALIE, WOULD YOU PLEASE REITERATE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION?

[2.3 Reiteration of Executive Session Motions]

THANK YOU. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH WE OBSERVED THIS PAST MONDAY.

[2.4 Opening Remarks]

WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND FOR THE FREEDOMS AND OPPORTUNITIES WE ENJOY AS A RESULT OF THAT SACRIFICE.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

[3.1 Superintendent's Report - Music Honors & Tenure Recognition]

A SIGNIFICANT PROFESSIONAL MILESTONE, THIS HONOR REFLECTS NOT ONLY THEIR DEDICATION TO TEACHING, BUT ALSO THE MEANINGFUL IMPACT THEY HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR ONGOING COMMITMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS.

IN ADDITION, WE WANT TO EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENT MUSICIANS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED SO MUCH OVER THE COURSE OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

I HOPE MANY OF YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND LAST WEEK'S CONCERTS, WHICH SHOWCASED THEIR INCREDIBLE TALENT AND HARD WORK.

THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE A REFLECTION OF YOUR PASSION, THE STRENGTH OF OUR ARTS PROGRAMS, AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT OF YOUR TEACHERS AND YOUR FAMILIES.

SO WITH THAT, LET'S BEGIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JACKIE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. I CAN'T TELL YOU, AS A FORMER MUSIC TEACHER, HOW EXCITED I AM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR OUR STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN MUSIC.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START THE EVENING SUITABLY WITH A PERFORMANCE LED BY.

I'M GOING TO LET MR. FROUNDJIAN GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE US TO THE PIECE AND THANK YOU TO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE TO PERFORM TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR ATTENDING. MY NAME IS RAFFI FROUNDJIAN, I'M THE ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR AT PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.

THIS IS THE VIVALDI CONCERTO FOR TWO VIOLINS.

OUR CONCERTMASTER, ELLIOT LEVINE, RACHEL SOLOMON, MARCUS BLACKBURN ALL ON VIOLIN, CHRISTIAN PRINCESS ON VIOLA, AVIV ELIEZER ON CELLO, AND LEO SPONBERG ON CELLO.

WE HAD THE PLEASURE TO GO TO NASHVILLE THIS YEAR IN MARCH, AND WE PLAYED THE WORLD STRIDES HERITAGE FESTIVAL EARNING A GOLD RATING FOR OUR PERFORMANCE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PIECES. AND THESE TWO STUDENTS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED AT THE FESTIVAL FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE CONCERTO OF TWO VIOLINS.

[MUSIC]

[00:06:52]

IN THE PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.

WOW. I ALWAYS, ALWAYS ENJOYED PLAYING VIVALDI, SO I'M RELIVING THAT THROUGH YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. PLEASE DO COME TO THEIR CONCERT TOMORROW NIGHT.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. YOU CAN COUNT ON IT. THANK YOU. MR FROUNDJIAN. SO NOW WE WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND I DO THANK WE GOT I THINK MOST OF OUR PRINCIPALS ARE HERE TONIGHT TOO.

I'M GOING TO CERTAINLY INVITE THEM IF YOU WANT TO JUMP UP. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, SO YOU MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT BACK AND FORTH, BUT YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TO COME IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP. ALSO JUST SHAKE A HAND WITH STUDENTS.

SO WE HAVE GOT A WHOLE RANGE OF ACHIEVEMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THE GREAT PART ABOUT OUR MUSIC DEPARTMENT, ALL OF OUR MUSIC TEACHERS ARE JUST INCREDIBLE.

AND THEY'RE REALLY INVOLVED PROFESSIONALLY IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST WITHIN THE DISTRICT, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT. SO TONIGHT'S AWARDS COVER EVERYTHING FROM ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA TO ALL AREA, ALL STATE TO ALL STATE TO NASHVILLE. SO JUST INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO CALL STUDENTS UP FOR THEIR PARTICULAR AWARD.

AND WE JUST INVITE YOU TO COME UP IF YOU HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU.

MISS DEANGELIS, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, IS HERE.

STUDENTS WOULDN'T MIND SHAKING SOME HANDS, AND MR. WOLF IS GOING TO DO HIS BEST TO GET PICTURES.

DO YOU WANT US TO DO GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL JUST SO WE CAN WE? OKAY. SO AS STUDENTS COME UP, IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED, COME ON UP, WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR CERTIFICATE AND WE'LL JUST ASK YOU TO KIND OF STAND AND REMAIN IN THE MIDDLE. AND THEN WHEN THAT GROUP'S DONE, THEN WE'LL GET A PHOTO AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.

SO TO BEGIN US OFF TONIGHT FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL PERFORMANCE FOR ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA, OUR FIRST AWARD GOES TO OLIVIA FERRANTE.

NEXT FOR ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. ABIGAIL JOAQUIM.

[00:10:11]

NEXT IS FOR ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA. THEODORE LEONARD.

OKAY. NEXT FOR ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA.

ABIGAIL HARRIS.

AND ANOTHER ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA ANDREW MYERS.

AND OUR NEXT ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA ROSALIE REGAL.

OKAY. AND ANOTHER ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA STELLA JANOWSKI.

OKAY, I THINK LET'S PAUSE THERE BECAUSE I THINK WE GO INTO ALL COUNTRY BAND NEXT.

NOW GOING TO ELEMENTARY ALL COUNTY BAND. WE'LL START WITH WILLIAM BALDASSANO.

AND NEXT GABRIELLA BARTOLONI.

AND NEXT FOR STILL ALL COUNTY BAND, WILLIAM GOLDMAN.

HERE. WE'LL GET THAT TO HIM. AND THAT'S IT FOR BAND.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE OH NO, WE'RE MOVING TO INTERMEDIATE NEXT. SO YES, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION.

CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. NOW MOVING TO INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY.

FIRST WE HAVE ELLA WANG. I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

NEXT IS MASON WAN. I WAS ALSO AN INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY ORCHESTRA. CODY TRAN.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE'RE MOVING INTO INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY BAND.

I'M GOING TO SAY WHY DON'T YOU STAY, CODY. SO INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY BAND.

WE NOW HAVE GIANNA, GIANNI DECICCO. OKAY. NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING INTO SOME SPORTS CONFLICTS AS WE GET INTO THE OLDER GRADES.

NEXT INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY BAND. WE HAVE IAN FELDMAN.

NEXT, LUIGI DI CRISTOFANO.

OKAY. AND. ALL RIGHT. ONE MORE IN THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL.

AND THAT IS FOR INTERMEDIATE ALL COUNTY BAND AND ALL COUNTY JAZZ BAND.

CATERINA HOWARD. OKAY.

CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. MOVING INTO THE, I BELIEVE, THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

[00:15:07]

FIRST WE HAVE CHRISTIAN PRENTISS.

NEXT IS JULIAN KALLHOFF.

OKAY, I'M STICKING WITH ALLSTATE, BUT NOW MOVING TO STRING ORCHESTRA.

MARCUS BLACKBURN.

AND NEXT. STILL IN ALL-STATE STRING ORCHESTRA, LUIS JOSHUA CASANAS.

CONTINUING WITH ALL-STATE STRING ORCHESTRA EVAN KAPLAN.

NOT ABLE TO BE HERE. OKAY. STILL STRING ORCHESTRA AS WELL, CECILIA OJO.

OKAY. I'M THINKING WE'LL DO TWO MORE, THEN WE'LL DO A PICTURE AND THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT GROUP. SO MOVING INTO ALL STATE CONCERT BAND.

WE HAVE MARIE KUZNETSOV.

AND ONE MORE FOR THIS GROUP. ALL STATE CONCERT BAND.

EXCUSE ME. AREA. ALL STATE CONCERT BAND.

AIDAN SINHA.

OKAY SO STILL IN THE AREA ALL STATE CATEGORY NOW MOVING TO MIXED CHORUS. CONGRATULATIONS TO LEO GARCIA.

WE'LL SEND HER THE VIDEO. NEXT IN ALL STATE MIXED CHORUS JEREMY TAM.

IN AREA ALL STATE TREBLE CHOIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING ELEANOR CONDON.

AND ALSO IN AREA ALL-STATE TREBLE CHOIR SCARLETT HANLON.

AREA ALL-STATE TREBLE CHOIR. AGAIN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING LUCETTE.

OH.

WE'LL DO ONE MORE FOR THIS CATEGORY. AND THAT IS AREA ALL-STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RACHEL SOLOMON.

BUT BEFORE I GIVE IT TO HER, I HAVE TO GIVE ANOTHER AWARD.

SHE'S UP HERE FOR TWO, ACTUALLY. RACHEL SOLOMON, ALSO FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL PERFORMANCE FOR HER SOLOIST AWARD AT THE WORLD STRIDES HERITAGE FESTIVAL IN NASHVILLE. OF COURSE, YOU NOTICE A BIG OVERLAP WITH SOCK AND BUSKINS WITH THE PARTICULAR CURRENT GROUP.

ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE DOWN TO THE END. AND THIS IS TO THE

[00:20:06]

PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING AND CONGRATULATING SAMANTHA BONANNO.

GREAT. ALSO FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL PERFORMANCE IN ALL STATE VOCAL JAZZ PLEASE WELCOME GRACE KIAMI.

ALL RIGHT. AND OUR FINAL AWARDEE TONIGHT. NOT JUST ONE, NOT JUST TWO, BUT THREE DIFFERENT CERTIFICATES TONIGHT FOR HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN AREA ALL-STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ALL-STATE, EXCUSE ME, ALL COUNTY JAZZ BAND, ALL-STATE, SYMPHONIC BAND, ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA ALTERNATE AND SOLOIST AT THE WORLD STRIDES HERITAGE FESTIVAL IN NASHVILLE, ELLIOT LEVINE.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR MUSIC STUDENTS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FAMILIES, MOMS AND DADS.

WE ALL KNOW THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT TO ACHIEVE AT THIS LEVEL.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN.

ENCOURAGE THEM THE PATIENCE YOU SHOW THEM WHEN THEY PRACTICE, THE PATIENCE YOU SHOW THEM WHEN THEY DON'T PRACTICE, AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT YOU GIVE THEM TO KEEP IT UP. WELL DONE. HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.

WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GUYS GO ON WITH YOUR EVENING SO THAT OUR TENURE FOLKS CAN COME IN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO OUR STUDENTS.

YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE THE STAIRS TO THE RIGHT OF THE ENTRANCE.

GO DOWN TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LOBBY.

[00:28:52]

THANK YOU FOR ADJUSTING WITH OUR PLANS TONIGHT. IT WAS A VERY BUSY NIGHT, BUT A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS TO CELEBRATE.

SO IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS VERY SPECIAL CELEBRATION, AN EVENING WHERE WE HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR TENURE IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND I SHOULD SAY, AND I KNOW MISS DEANGELIS IS HERE WITH ME, WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE EVERYBODY FIRST.

BUT IT'S NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL WE ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION.

SO JUST REMEMBER THAT. SO YOU GOT TO STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE ACTION.

VERY EXCITED FOR YOU TO BE HERE TONIGHT. TONIGHT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE MILESTONE THOUGH.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE JOURNEY. EACH OF OUR HONOREES HAS TRAVELED A PATH MARKED BY DEDICATION, GROWTH, PERSEVERANCE, AND DEEP COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS.

EARNING TENURE IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF PUTTING IN THE TIME.

IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE OUR EDUCATORS BRING TO THEIR WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.

IT MEANS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE NOT ONLY MET THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF THEIR PROFESSION, THEY HAVE EXCEEDED THEM. TO OUR TENURE CANDIDATES, YOU HAVE GUIDED STUDENTS THROUGH CHALLENGES,

[00:30:02]

YOU'VE COLLABORATED WITH COLLEAGUES, EMBRACED NEW IDEAS, ADAPTED TO CHANGE, AND REMAIN STEADFAST IN YOUR MISSION TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE THRIVE.

YOU'VE EARNED THE RESPECT OF YOUR PEERS AND THE TRUST OF THIS COMMUNITY.

YOU'VE ALSO CHOSEN TO GROW YOUR CAREERS HERE IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN PELHAM, AMONG OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND WITH THE COMMON VALUES. AND FOR THAT, WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL.

TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND WE ALSO LOOK AHEAD WITH EXCITEMENT AT THE FUTURE.

BECAUSE TENURE IS NOT THE FINISH LINE, IT'S JUST THE FOUNDATION.

IT'S A STATEMENT OF CONFIDENCE IN WHAT YOU'VE DONE, AND A VOTE OF FAITH IN ALL THAT IS STILL YET TO COME IN YOUR FUTURES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART, YOUR HARD WORK, AND YOUR BELIEF IN THE POWER OF EDUCATION.

ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, CONGRATULATIONS! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU. AT THIS TIME, I AM PLEASED TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO DOCTOR FITZGERALD, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND LEADERSHIP, WHO'S GOING TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. TONIGHT IS A CELEBRATION OF DEDICATION, PASSION AND IMPACT.

WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO RECOGNIZE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF 15 EDUCATORS WHOSE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS EARNED THEM THIS WELL-DESERVED MILESTONE TENURE. IT'S A PROUD MOMENT NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR COLLEAGUES, AND ALL OF US WHO BENEFIT FROM THEIR WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.

LET'S BEGIN BY HONORING OUR OUTSTANDING TENURE CANDIDATES FROM THE MIDDLE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL.

IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INVITE DOCTOR TITONE, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL WHO WILL SPEAK ABOUT MISS BRICENO PAUL, ONE OF OUR OUTSTANDING SPANISH TEACHERS AND A TENURE CANDIDATE TONIGHT.

SO BOTH OF YOU COULD JOIN ME UP HERE, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, COLLEAGUES AND TRUSTEES. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SPEAK ABOUT MISS KATHY BRICENO-PAUL, WHO IS CURRENTLY IN HER THIRD YEAR TEACHING SPANISH AT BOTH PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AND PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SINCE JOINING OUR FACULTY IN THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, MISS BRICENO-PAUL HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH AND TEACHING PRACTICE IN PLANNING AND PREPARATION SHE SHOWS A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUBJECT MATTER AND THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNS LESSONS THAT ALIGN WITH CURRICULUM GOALS.

HER PLANNING SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THEIR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND HER INSTRUCTIONAL SCOPE SPANS BOTH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS.

OFFERING CONTINUITY AND DEPTH TO OUR LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, SHE'S ESTABLISHED A RESPECTFUL, WELL-MANAGED CLASSROOM WHERE STUDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE AND KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

ROUTINES ARE CONSISTENT, AND SHE PROACTIVELY SEEK SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, ENSURING THAT THE CLASSROOM IS PRODUCTIVE FOR ALL STUDENTS.

INSTRUCTIONALLY, MISS BRICENO-PAUL CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL INTERACTION AMONG STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN SPANISH. SHE IS RESPONSIVE TO STUDENT NEEDS, OFFERING FLEXIBILITY FOR THOSE ON ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION OR THOSE THAT MAY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. MISS BRICENO-PAUL PARTICIPATED IN THE RETURN OF THE ANNUAL WORLD LANGUAGE DINNER THIS PAST WINTER, AND TOOK PART IN THE WORLD LANGUAGE HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTIONS THIS SPRING. SHE CONTINUES TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN FACULTY, DEPARTMENT AND CURRICULUM MEETINGS AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT, SUCH AS MUSIC AND WORLD LANGUAGE WEEK.

CATHY, I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING MISS BRICENO PAUL FOR TENURE THIS EVENING.

NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MISS DOLCE, ONE OF OUR DEDICATED TEACHING ASSISTANTS AT PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHARE MORE ABOUT HER INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS.

PLEASE WELCOME THE PRINCIPAL OF PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, MR. LLEWELLYN. THANK YOU. COME ON UP, DONNA.

SO, DONNA DOLCE IS A TEACHING ASSISTANT CURRENTLY WORKING IN OUR THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT PROGRAM.

MISS DOLCE BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO HER ROLE.

SHE IS A CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER WHO, BEFORE COMING TO PELHAM, TAUGHT FOR OVER 27 YEARS.

[00:35:03]

HER COLLEAGUE, MISS WATERS DESCRIBES DONNA AS DEDICATED AND LOVING, AND SAYS SHE HAS HELPED CREATE A NURTURING AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY STUDENT FEELS VALUED AND RESPECTED. SOME QUOTES FROM THOSE STUDENTS INCLUDE.

WHEN YOU LOOK UP WHAT DOLCE MEANS IN ITALIAN, IT MEANS SWEET.

AND I FEEL THAT THIS MEANING ENCAPSULATES MRS. DOLCE. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SWEET TO ME AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HER.

AND THAT'S FROM A SENIOR TO. MRS. DOLCE HAS BEEN WARM AND SUPPORTIVE THROUGHOUT THE PAST FOUR YEARS I'VE KNOWN HER.

SHE HAS NEVER FAILED TO BRING A SMILE TO MY FACE ON A GLOOMY DAY, AND HER ADVICE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE.

SHE IS LUCKY TO HAVE HER. AND FINALLY, MRS. DOLCE IS SUCH A LOVING AND CARING STAFF MEMBER AND SOMEONE I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I COULD GO TO WHEN SOMETHING IS ON MY MIND.

SHE ALWAYS KNOWS HOW TO CHEER ME UP AND MAKE ME LAUGH, EVEN WHEN I WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE AND BE MAD.

IF MRS. DOLCE WASN'T HERE, I'M NOT SURE I'D EVEN BE GETTING MY DIPLOMA THIS JUNE AND THEN MADE A LITTLE HEART SYMBOL.

SO. SO CONGRATULATIONS, MRS. DOLCE, ON YOUR TENURE.

CONGRATULATIONS. YOU DON'T GET AWAY WITH THAT. PLEASE STAND.

JOINING US NOW IS DOCTOR CALLAHAN, OUR DIRECTOR OF MATH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, WHO WILL SPEAK.

YEAH. GO AHEAD, CLAP FOR HIM. WHO WILL SPEAK ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACTS OF OUR NEXT TWO TENURE CANDIDATES, LIFE SCIENCE TEACHER MR. BARRACO AND MR. OLYMPIO ARE ALGEBRA AND DATA SCIENCE TEACHER.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH MR. BARRACO. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE AMAZING EDUCATORS THAT HAVE EARNED TENURE THIS EVENING.

THIS NIGHT, ALONG WITH THE ONE THAT FOLLOWS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, ACKNOWLEDGING THE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY BY THE DISTRICT'S RETIREES IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. IT SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT TRULY REMARKABLE EDUCATORS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS PREPARING AND IMPLEMENTING HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCES FOR THE STUDENTS ENTRUSTED TO US. THIS IS SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING AS THE BOE AND SUPERINTENDENT SHARE ITS COMMITMENT TO YOU FOR THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IN THE MATH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENTS, IT IS A BEGINNING STEP ON A JOURNEY OF PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND OFTEN SERVES AS A FIRST MILESTONE ON WHAT ULTIMATELY WILL BE A CAREER CHARACTERIZED BY A LOVE OF LEARNING AND A TEACHER THAT INSPIRES EVERY STUDENT TO REALIZE THEIR OWN POTENTIAL.

WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS IS QUOTED AS SAYING, EDUCATION IS NOT THE FILLING OF A PAIL, BUT THE LIGHTING OF A FIRE.

OUR TENURE RECIPIENTS HAVE IGNITED THAT GLOW IN OUR STUDENTS, AND THE CHALLENGE THAT LIES AHEAD IS TO BUILD UPON WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TO FUEL EVERY LEARNER THAT ENTERS YOUR CLASSROOM IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

THIS COHORT OF TEACHERS MAY HAVE PROVEN THAT THEY HAVE THE QUALITIES, THESE QUALITIES, EVEN MORE THAN EDUCATORS TYPICALLY DO AT THIS POINT IN THEIR CAREER.

IT WAS THEIR JOB TO NAVIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF A PANDEMIC AND BRING US BACK TO THE ENGAGING LESSONS WE WERE IN SEARCH OF BEFORE THIS GLOBAL NIGHTMARE.

NIGHTMARE GLUED US TO OUR COMPUTER SCREENS. IN MY OPINION, THESE EFFORTS PROVED THAT NO PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY COULD EVER REPLACE THE POWER OF AN IN-PERSON TEACHER. BRANDON BAROCCO SET TO WORK DOING THIS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

HE HELPED TO SPEARHEAD OUR ADOPTION OF PHENOMENA BASED, INQUIRY DRIVEN LESSONS IN SCIENCE AS WE SOUGHT TO BOTH VALUE THE BODY OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHILE CHALLENGING OUR STUDENTS TO BE INDEPENDENT THINKERS AND ACTUAL PROBLEM SOLVERS IN A FAST PACED WORLD.

HE RESEARCHED AND UNPACKED THE NATIONAL NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS.

THIS INCLUDED AN OVERHAUL OF NEW YORK STATE SCIENCE STANDARDS THAT WERE APPROACHING 30 YEARS IN EXISTENCE, WHICH TAUGHT CONCEPTS LIKE GENETICS IN A WAY THAT DID NOT REFLECT CURRENT ADVANCES IN THOSE TECHNOLOGIES OR OTHERS.

THIS WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE CHALLENGING AS CHANGE, EVEN FOR THE BETTER, MEETS WITH RESISTANCE, BECAUSE PREDICTABILITY CAN BE MORE COMFORTABLE THAN ASKING STUDENTS TO THINK DEEPLY AND SOLVE REAL PROBLEMS AS INNOVATORS AND SCIENTISTS.

THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING NEW TEACHING STRATEGIES, AND ULTIMATELY A NEW CURRICULUM INVOLVED A SERIES OF STEPS.

BRANDON WAS INVOLVED IN EACH ONE OF THEM, FROM READING THROUGH POTENTIAL PROGRAMS LIKE OPEN SEED AND NEW VISIONS, TO ENGAGING COUNTLESS HOURS OF TRAINING AND TEAM LEVEL COLLABORATION SESSIONS TO ULTIMATELY PICKING A NEXT GEN ALIGNED APPROACH AND SUPPORTING IT.

LOGISTICALLY, THIS TEACHER WAS AN ABSOLUTE ASSET TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO OUR WHOLE SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION TO THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, MR. BRACCO HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON INTEGRATED CO-TEACHING.

[00:40:04]

THE CLASSROOM BECAME ACTIVE, STUDENT CENTERED, TOTALLY DIFFERENTIATED AND THE TYPE OF EXPERIENCE EVERY PARENT WANTS TO SEE THEIR CHILD HAVE. MR. BRACCO PUT EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S NEEDS AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING HE DID.

SCIENCE LEARNING IS BOTH RIGOROUS AND RELEVANT.

STUDENTS FEEL SUPPORTED IN HIS CLASSROOM, AND THEY KNOW THEIR TEACHER CARES ABOUT THE TYPE OF PERSON THEY ARE.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. YOU CAN SEE BRANDON ALL OVER OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S HELPING THE SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAM AT BOTH THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS, LENDING A HAND IN OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM, OR ATTENDING A GAME OR OTHER SCHOOL WIDE COMMUNITY EVENT.

MR. BARRACO HAS INVESTED IN PELHAM. HIS RANGE AS A TEACHER INCLUDES CERTIFICATION IN BOTH CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY.

HE'S BEEN ASKED TO TEACH ALL LEVELS OF SCIENCE AND IS EVEN THE INSTRUCTOR FOR A SECTION OF ENGINEERING.

HIS COLLEAGUES DESCRIBE HIM AS DRIVEN, COLLABORATIVE, AND A TOTAL TEAM PLAYER.

STUDENTS KNOW THAT HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP, AND THIS YEAR EVEN MODERATED A HIGH SCHOOL CLUB DEDICATED TO FUTURE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. AFTER LEADING A REGIONAL CONFERENCE DELEGATION THIS SPRING, THE GROUP WAS INVITED TO TAKE PART IN PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, AND THEY'LL BE TRAVELING TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, NEXT MONTH FOR THAT CONFERENCE.

IF I WERE TO SUMMARIZE MR. BARRACO INTO JUST ONE WORD, WHICH YOU GUYS PROBABLY WISHED I DID THAT A LITTLE EARLIER, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE DEDICATED. HE PUTS HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO THINGS HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE HAS SO MUCH HEART AND SOUL.

HE'S FOUND AN ADDITIONAL OUTLET BRANDON HAS TAKEN UP.

HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT I RESEARCHED THIS. HE HAS TAKEN UP COMPETITIVE HIP HOP DANCING AND REFLECTIVE OF HIS PRO-GROWTH APPROACH TO EVERYTHING IS EVEN TAKING CLASSES TO IMPROVE HIS MOVES.

ANECDOTALLY, HE'S ALSO AN EXPERT ON NUTRITION, SUPPLEMENTS, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.

SOME OF US PICK HIS BRAINS ABOUT LIKE KETO STUFF WHEN WE HAVE SOME TIME.

BUT BACK TO HIS DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS AT PELHAM MR. BARACCO IS SO COMMITTED TO BEING HERE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WHEN HIS CAR BROKE DOWN, I ALSO REACHED THAT, RESEARCHED THAT, AND TOOK WHAT SEEMED LIKE YEARS TO FIX.

HE PURCHASED AN ELECTRIC BIKE AND TOOK IT TO SCHOOL DURING THE WINTER SO HE WOULD NOT MISS HIS CLASSES.

BY THE WAY, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THAT BROKE DOWN TO RIGHT.

THAT BIKE BROKE DOWN TOO. YEAH. SO WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT, HE GOT HERE AND TAUGHT HIS CLASSES AS IF NOTHING COULD KEEP HIM AWAY FROM WHAT HE LOVES TO DO. A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOUR FAMILY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO INVITE BRANDON UP TO DEMONSTRATE A FEW OF YOUR DANCE MOVES AT DOCTOR CHAMP'S REQUEST.

SO JUST KIDDING. SAVE IT FOR THE PROM. YOU KNOW, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND OUR ENTIRE PELHAM COMMUNITY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

SO A FEW YEARS AGO, AS WE LOOKED TO HIRE A MATH TEACHER IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

OH, SORRY, MR. OLYMPIO. THERE HE IS OVER THERE.

COME ON UP. I KNOW. AS WE LOOK TO HIRE A MATH TEACHER IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL A FEW YEARS AGO, MISS SABY AND I WERE REALLY SEARCHING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT COULD MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THOSE SKILLS IN MATHEMATICS AND OUR STUDENTS OWN REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES. TOO OFTEN, HOWEVER, EDUCATORS SACRIFICE RIGOR WHEN THEY SEEK TO ADOPT STRATEGIES THAT MAKE MATH RELEVANT.

AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR BOTH OF US IN SAYING THAT WE WANTED RIGOR AND RELEVANCE IN THE PERSON WE WERE LOOKING FOR.

DOCTOR CHAMP HAS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO THE SEARCH FOR EXACTLY THE RIGHT FIT AS FINDING THAT UNICORN.

YOU'RE NOT SURE THAT PERFECT FIT EXISTS BECAUSE YOUR STANDARDS ARE SUPER HIGH, BUT YOU SET TO FIND IT ANYWAYS.

IN THIS INSTANCE, THAT SEARCH WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING BECAUSE THE MATH POSITION I'M REFERRING TO WAS VACATED IN AUGUST, LEAVING US LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO HIRE SOMEONE.

IN THAT SPRING, JUST PRIOR TO THE SUMMER I ENCOUNTERED IN MY ROLE AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AT IONA, A PROMISING YOUNG MATH TEACHER. HE CHANGED CAREERS AND WAS TEACHING AT A LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL.

HE HAD DEMONSTRATED IN GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES QUALITIES THAT I COULD ONLY CHARACTERIZE AS ONES THAT NATURAL TEACHERS JUST HAVE.

THEY GET IT. THEY CAN TALK TO KIDS IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM FEEL VALUED.

THEY CAN COMMUNICATE COMPLEX IDEAS IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE TO STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE WITH THE ABSTRACT, AND THEY MAKE INTUITIVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CONCEPTUAL AND THE PRACTICAL.

HIS LESSONS WERE ENGAGING. THEY INVOLVED THE LEARNER, AND THEY CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS TO PERSEVERE WHEN ANSWERS DID NOT EMERGE QUICKLY OR AFTER

[00:45:06]

IT MADE AN IMPRESSION. SO WHEN THIS POSITION CAME AVAILABLE, I SPOKE TO MISS SABIA AND THEN REACHED OUT TO MR. OLYMPIO. AFTER GETTING THE GO AHEAD TO BRING KEN IN FOR AN INTERVIEW.

I ALSO REACHED OUT TO DOCTOR CHAMP. I REMEMBER BEING ON THE PHONE WITH HER ON MY WAY TO MAINE ON VACATION.

I TOLD HER THAT KEN MIGHT BE TOUGH TO GET BECAUSE HE WAS COACHING BASKETBALL AND TEACHING MATH AT A PLACE THAT HE LOVED HIS ALMA MATER.

SHE ENCOURAGED ME TO TRY, AND THEN I PLACED THE CALL TO MR. OLYMPIO. IT WAS NOT AN EASY SELL, BUT I ASSURED KEN THAT PELHAM WAS A SPECIAL PLACE AND THAT HE WOULD LOVE OUR COMMUNITY.

AFTER A FEW MORE FOLLOW UP CONVERSATIONS, HE CAME IN.

DURING THE PROCESS, HE CONTINUED TO IMPRESS OUR COMMITTEES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MISS SABIO, AND WE OFFERED HIM THE JOB WITH LESS THAN A WEEK TO THE START OF SCHOOL.

A YEAR LATER, I ASKED, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR DECISION? AND HE EMPHATICALLY SAID, YES. I LOVE BEING HERE IN PELHAM.

THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN FOR YEARS NOW IS THAT OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS LOVE HAVING HIM HERE AS WELL.

IT WAS A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE. DURING HIS TIME HERE, MR. OLYMPIO HAS TAUGHT SEVENTH GRADE BEFORE MOVING TO A HIGH PROFILE, HIGH PROFILE ROLE TAKING ON OUR ACCELERATED ALGEBRA CLASS.

HE ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE OF REPLACING A POPULAR, RETIRING TEACHER AS AN UNTENURED NEW TEACHER AND OF COURSE, WITH HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT CONSEQUENCES. IN EIGHTH GRADE, WITH THE HELP OF MISS VITALE, WHO'S ALSO HERE TONIGHT, HIS INCREDIBLE TEAMMATE. HE PROVED TO BE A STRONG, THIS PROVED TO BE A STRONG MOVE.

IN ADDITION TO HAVING PROVEN RESULTS, MR. OLYMPIO IS A VERY WELL, WELL LIKED AND A FAVORITE TEACHER AMONG HIS STUDENTS.

HE WAS EVEN TASKED WITH INTRODUCING A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTIVE AND CUTTING EDGE DATA SCIENCE ANALYTICS TAUGHT FOR COLLEGE CREDIT IN THE AREA OF COMPUTER SCIENCE.

IT HAS BECOME A HIGH DEMAND ELECTIVE AS STUDENTS ENGAGE IN PROJECT BASED LEARNING GROUNDED IN STATISTICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND MATHEMATICS. I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED STUDENTS WHO CATEGORIZE THEMSELVES AS MATH PHOBIC TURN THAT AROUND, WITH PROJECTS RANGING FROM HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS IN NEW YORK TO PROGRAMING INVOLVED IN MUSIC SELECTION ON SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS, THE NCAA BASKETBALL STATISTICAL UNIT ATTEMPTING TO PROJECT THE WINNERS OF THE TOURNAMENT USING MATH WAS ONE I WISH I COULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME OBSERVING. THE STUDENTS LITERALLY DID NOT WANT TO STOP THEIR PROJECT PRESENTATIONS WHEN THE CLASS HAD ENDED.

MR. OLYMPIO ALSO FACED SOME REMARKABLE AND PERSONAL LIFE EVENTS AS HE TRANSITIONED HERE TO PELHAM FROM ONE CAREER TO ANOTHER, AND FROM HIS ALMA MATER TO US. HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG FAMILY, AND I KNOW I SHARE WITH THEM AND OTHER SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING DOWN UPON YOU THIS EVENING WITH PRIDE AND IMMENSE SENSE OF HAPPINESS IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE FLAW.

HE'S A 76ERS FAN. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK DOCTOR CHAMP, MISS SABIA AND MEMBERS OF THE BOE.

WE FOUND OUR UNICORN.

CONGRATULATIONS, KEN. WE WOULD NOW LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TWO EDUCATORS WHO HAVE MADE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SIXTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER MR. MOTTA AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER MISS SOCCO IS THE PRINCIPAL OF PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL.

MISS LYNN SABIA AND MR. MOTTA, PLEASE JOIN US.

THANK YOU. DOCTOR CALLAHAN IS ALWAYS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AND HE DID HELP US FIND CHRIS.

SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR CALLAHAN. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AND RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE A VERY SPECIAL MILESTONE IN THE CAREER OF ONE OF OUR OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS, CHRISTOPHER MOTTA. CHRIS HOLDS A BA FROM CONCORDIA COLLEGE, AN MA IN HISTORY FROM LEHMAN COLLEGE AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING HIS PHD FROM LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. A TRUE LOVER OF HISTORY, CHRIS BRINGS NOT ONLY ACADEMIC RIGOR BUT PROFOUND PASSION FOR THE SUBJECT AND EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES.

BEFORE HIS CAREER IN EDUCATION, CHRIS HAD AN EXCITING CHAPTER AS A PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER.

HE PLAYED FOR THE PHILLIES, YANKEES, METS, THE PHILLIES, AND COMPETED INTERNATIONALLY IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND PUERTO RICO. THAT GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE NOW ENRICHES HIS TEACHING AND BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE FOR HIS STUDENTS IN A POWERFUL,

[00:50:06]

CALLAHAN INTRODUCED HIM TO US FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

HE BROUGHT THOUGHTFUL AND PURPOSEFUL LESSONS INTO EVERY CLASSROOM.

EVERY LESSON HE TEACHES IS CRAFTED WITH INTENTION, ROOTED IN INQUIRY, ENRICHED IN REAL WORLD CONNECTIONS, AND DELIVERED WITH AN ENERGY THAT CAPTURES THE ATTENTION OF EVERY STUDENT, EVEN OUR MOST RELUCTANT LEARNERS.

NOT THAT WE HAVE ANY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AS A MEMBER OF THE SIXTH GRADE TEAM, CHRIS HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION INFUSING OUR SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM WITH DEEP KNOWLEDGE, CONTAGIOUS ENTHUSIASM AND FRESH PERSPECTIVE.

MORE THAN JUST TEACHING ANCIENT CIVILIZATION OR WORLD GEOGRAPHY, HE INSPIRES STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY.

EMPHASIZE. SORRY. EMPATHIZE WITH DIVERSE CULTURES AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE PAST CONTINUES TO SHAPE OUR PRESENT.

WHAT TRULY SETS CHRIS APART IS NOT JUST HIS STRENGTH AND HIS TEACHING, BUT THE STRENGTH IN HIS RELATIONSHIPS.

IN EVERY HALLWAY CONVERSATION, CLASSROOM INTERACTION, IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS A TEACHER WHO CARES.

ONE WHO SEES EVERY CHILD NOT JUST AS A STUDENT, BUT AS A WHOLE PERSON.

A TEACHER WHO LISTENS AND BELIEVES THAT EVERY LEARNER HAS POTENTIAL AND REMINDS THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST, THAT THEY DO BELONG. STUDENTS DESCRIBE HIM AS SMART, CARING, COOL, AND YES, A GREAT, GREAT BASEBALL PLAYER.

ONE STUDENT EVEN SURPRISED HIM WITH ONE OF HIS OLD JERSEYS THAT HE PURCHASED ONLINE AS A SIGN OF ADMIRATION.

TONIGHT, WE RECOMMEND TENURE. WE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE CHRIS'S PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT WE ARE AFFIRMING OUR CONFIDENCE IN HIS CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. TENURE IS A COMMITMENT FROM US TO CHRIS AND FROM CHRIS TO THE GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS YET TO COME.

SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING CHRIS ON HIS WELL-EARNED ACHIEVEMENT.

WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS AHEAD.

THANK YOU, CHRIS. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NEXT, WE'D LIKE TO INVITE CHRISTINA SACCO TO COME UP.

THE YOUNGER THEY GET, THE OLDER I GET. BOY. IT'S A IT'S A DISTINCT HONOR TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND CHRISTINA SACCO FOR TENURE. CHRISTINA IS A PROUD GRADUATE OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE EARNED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS.

SHE WENT ON TO RECEIVE HER MASTER'S IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY.

DOCTOR THOMPSON HELPED US GET CHRISTINA AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR CALLAHAN. SO THANK YOU. HER JOURNEY WITH US BEGAN AS A MATH LEAVE REPLACEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL.

ONCE WE HAD THE CHANCE TO OBSERVE HER IN THE CLASSROOM, IT WAS CLEAR WE NEEDED TO KEEP HER.

AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. HER WORK WAS QUITE QUIET, BUT PROFOUNDLY AND TRANSFORMED LIVES OF SO MANY STUDENTS IN HER YOUNG CAREER. DID I SAY YOUNG STUDENTS DESCRIBE HER AS SMART, KIND AND CREATIVE.

CREATIVITY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NOT OPTIONAL, IT'S ESSENTIAL.

CHRISTINA HAS ELEVATED TO AN ART FORM, WHETHER IT'S ADAPTING A LESSON SO EVERY STUDENT CAN ACCESS IT, OR TURNING CHALLENGES INTO VICTORIES. SHE SHOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

CHRISTINA IS CONSIDERED A TRUSTED ADULT TO SO MANY STUDENTS.

TRUST IS A CORNERSTONE OF EVERY SUCCESSFUL CLASSROOM, BUT ESPECIALLY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.

FAMILIES TRUST HER WITH THEIR HOPES AND FEARS, KNOWING THEIR CHILDREN ARE CARED FOR, AND SOMEONE LISTENS DEEPLY AND ADVOCATES FIERCELY.

STUDENTS TRUST HER BECAUSE THEY FEEL SEEN, VALUED AND SAFE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

CHRISTINA EXEMPLIFIES PROFESSIONALISM, GRACE, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS.

MS. SACCO ENSURES THAT EVERY LESSON IS NOT ONLY THOUGHTFUL, BUT IMPACTFUL FOR ALL LEARNERS.

AS SHE STATED IN HER APPLICATION, HER PHILOSOPHY AND IDEOLOGY OF EDUCATION BEGINS WITH INCLUSION, EQUITY AND RESPECT. THIS THE SUCCESS WE SEE IS NOT BY ACCIDENT.

IT'S A PRODUCT OF CAREFUL PREPARATION, DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS, AND A MINDSET THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN GROW WHEN GIVEN THE RIGHT SUPPORT AT THE RIGHT TIME.

MISS SACCO EMBODIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE INTENTIONAL IN HER PRACTICE AND REFLECTIVE IN HER PROCESS.

SO TONIGHT, AS CHRISTINE IS RECOMMENDED FOR TENURE, WE CANNOT JUST ACKNOWLEDGE HER YEARS OF SERVICE.

WE CELEBRATE A FOUNDATION OF EXCELLENCE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOL FOR YEARS TO COME.

CHRISTINA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CREATIVITY, YOUR INTEGRITY, YOUR SHARP MIND, AND YOUR TIRELESS PLANNING.

YOU MAKE US PROUD. YOU MAKE OUR STUDENTS SHINE AND YOU MAKE PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL BETTER EVERY DAY.

[00:55:02]

WE WOULD NOW LIKE TO HONOR OUR OUTSTANDING TENURE CANDIDATES FROM OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS SHAPE NOT ONLY MINDS, BUT HEARTS.

HERE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE CANDIDATES BEING RECOMMENDED FOR TENURE IS PRINCIPAL OF PROSPECT HILL SCHOOL, DOCTOR CARR. AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH KINDERGARTEN TEACHER MISS CRISTERNA.

HI. I NEED A LOUNGE CHAIR. DOCTOR CALLAHAN. I'M ALSO INVITING UP A CANDIDATE THAT HAS SOME REALLY GREAT DANCE MOVES.

SO IF WE WANT TO STICK AROUND AFTER, I THINK WE GOT A LITTLE COMPETITION GOING ON.

IT IS MY ABSOLUTE PLEASURE AND HONOR TO SPEAK ABOUT A TRULY DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE EDUCATOR, MRS. CRISTERNA. I GOT IT RIGHT. I USUALLY SAY THE NAME BEFORE SHE WAS MARRIED, MISS FENDRICK, WROTE IT DOWN. MRS. CRISTERNA IS AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF BOTH THE KINDERGARTEN TEAM AND THE WIDER PROSPECT HILL COMMUNITY.

SHE'S KNOWN FOR HER WARMTH, HER CREATIVITY AND PATIENCE, QUALITIES THAT SHINE THROUGH IN EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES.

IN HER CLASSROOM SHE CREATES A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE, VALUED, AND EXCITED TO LEARN.

MANY PARENTS HAVE SHARED THAT THEIR CHILDREN COME HOME WITH STORIES OF JOY AND DISCOVERY, ALL THANKS TO HER ENGAGING LESSONS AND DYNAMIC TEACHING STYLE.

SHE BRINGS IT IN EACH AND EVERY DAY TO HER CLASSROOM.

SHE TURNS EVERYDAY MOMENTS INTO MEANINGFUL LEARNING LEARNING EXPERIENCES, HELPING TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH OF HER STUDENTS. BUT HER DEDICATION DOESN'T STOP AT THE CLASSROOM DOOR.

MRS. CRISTERNA IS A VITAL FORCE IN OUR SCHOOL.

BEYOND HER TEACHING ROLE, SHE SERVES ON SCHOOL COMMITTEES, CONTRIBUTES TO IMPORTANT INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES, AND IS A CONSTANT ENTHUSIASTIC PRESENCE AT AFTER SCHOOL EVENTS, FROM EVERY FESTIVAL TO EVEN PASTA NIGHT.

THIS YEAR, SHE TOOK ON A BRAND NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE BY CREATING AND LAUNCHING OUR FOURTH GRADE AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO BECOME LEADERS AND POSITIVE ROLE MODELS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

AND THEN THERE'S HER CREATIVITY. THIS YEAR, MRS. CRISTERNA TOOK THE CREATIVITY TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

SHE BECAME HER OWN VERY OWN STEVEN SPIELBERG, AND SHE LED OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS IN CREATING A VIDEO THAT CAPTURED THE HEART AND SOUL OF PROSPECT HILL. SHE GUIDED STUDENTS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, WRITING, ACTING, DIRECTING AND HELP THEM SHOWCASE THEIR LOVE OF LEARNING AND SCHOOL SPIRIT ALL ON CAMERA. WATCHING THEM LIGHT UP WITH THE EXCITEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT WAS REMARKABLE, AND IT MIRRORED THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM MRS. CRISTERNA BRINGS TO EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES.

NOW, WHILE SHE'S AN EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR, MRS. CRISTERNA IS ALSO JUST A WHOLE LOT OF FUN. SHE ALWAYS TELLS THE KIDS HOW MUCH SHE LOVES PIZZA.

YOGI I'M NOT SURE WHY SHE DOESN'T SAY TACOS, BUT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT HOME.

HER FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE. SHE'S A PROUD FAN OF THE JETS AND THE RANGERS.

SHE HAS TWO SISTERS, A DOG NAMED MILLIE, A CAT NAMED NUGGET.

WELL-KNOWN SOFT SPOT FOR SHOPPING AT MARSHALLS.

SHE LOVES TO READ AND WILL TELL ANYONE WHO LISTENS THAT HER FAVORITE SUBJECT TO TEACH IS MATH.

SHE'S ALSO AN ADVENTURER AT HEART. ONE OF HER FAVORITE PLACES TO VISIT IS NASHVILLE.

NASHVILLE, WHERE HER DANCE MOVES HAVE BECOME SOMETHING OF A FAN FAVORITE.

AND IN TRUE SPONTANEOUS SPIRIT, SHE'S EVEN BEEN KNOWN TO BOOK A LAST MINUTE FLIGHT JUST FOR THE THRILL OF A QUICK ADVENTURE.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE SHE'S GOING TO POP UP NEXT.

AND I CAN SAY FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I'VE EVEN STOPPED TRAFFIC FOR HER.

LITERALLY. BECAUSE WHEN YOU WITNESS CRISTERNA, YOU DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SUPPORT HER ENERGY AND HER MAGIC, EVEN IF IT MEANS HALTING A LINE OF CARS TO MAKE SURE SHE CROSSES SAFELY.

BUT PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL REFLECTION OF WHO MRS. CRISTERNA COMES FROM A LETTER SHE ONCE WROTE TO HER STUDENTS.

IN IT, SHE SAID, MY GOAL IS FOR YOU TO GO HOME EACH DAY WITH A GIANT SMILE.

IF YOU'VE EVER WALKED PAST HER CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW SHE HAS MORE THAN ACCOMPLISHED THAT.

HER WARMTH, HER JOY, HER COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING MAKE HER A MODEL EDUCATOR.

SHE HAS EARNED THE RESPECT OF HER COLLEAGUES, THE AFFECTION OF HER STUDENTS, AND THE ADMIRATION OF OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

MRS. CRISTERNA. CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WELL-DESERVED MILESTONE.

WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AS A PART OF THIS PROSPECT HILL COMMUNITY.

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE SILVER SCREEN, WHO KNOWS WHAT IMPACT YOU'LL HAVE NEXT? AND I DO HAVE TO END WITH A LINE FROM A COUNTRY SONG.

SO AS THE SONG GOES, LIFE IS A HIGHWAY. I WANNA RIDE IT ALL NIGHT LONG.

SO WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE TEACHING KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR. BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WHEREVER YOU END UP IN PROSPECT HILL,

[01:00:03]

CONGRATULATIONS.

NEXT, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING ABOUT A TEAM MEMBER WHOSE PASSION FOR BOOKS AND LITERACY AND LEARNING HAS LEFT A LASTING, LASTING IMPRESSION ON MANY OF US. SO I'M GOING TO INVITE UP MISS GALENA, WHERE SHE IS.

TODAY WE HONOR MISS GALENA AS SHE EARNS HER TENURE NOT JUST IN RECOGNITION OF HER YEARS OF SERVICE, BUT IN CELEBRATION OF THE COUNTLESS WAYS SHE HAS NURTURED A LOVE OF READING IN OUR STUDENTS AND SUPPORTED OUR STAFF WITH CARE, CREATIVITY AND DEDICATION. MISS GALENA IS THE EMBODIMENT OF A DEDICATED TEAM PLAYER.

WHETHER IT'S STEPPING IN TO PROVIDE TEACHER COVERAGE WHENEVER NEEDED, EVERY NOW AND THEN, EVERY NOW AND THEN, HELPING WITH LUNCH AND RECESS DUTIES, OR SIMPLY LENDING A HELPING HAND.

SHE'S ALWAYS READY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN ANY WAY SHE CAN.

HER BEHIND THE SCENES EFFORTS DON'T GO UNNOTICED, AND SHE'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF MAKING OUR SCHOOL A BETTER PLACE.

ONE OF MISS GALENA'S GREATEST STRENGTHS LIES IN HER ABILITY TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF READING IN THE STUDENTS SHE WORKS WITH.

SHE HAS AN INCREDIBLE TALENT FOR RECOGNIZING THE INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS OF EACH CHILD, AND SHE'S QUICK TO RECOMMEND BOOKS THAT CONNECT TO WHAT BOTH WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING IN THE LIBRARY AND ALSO AT HOME AND IN THE CLASSROOM.

HER THOUGHTFUL BOOK SUGGESTIONS HAVE SPARKED EXCITEMENT IN MANY OF OUR YOUNG READERS.

CREATING A CULTURE WHERE READING BECOMES SOMETHING THEY CAN'T WAIT TO DO.

THIS PERSONALIZED TOUCH ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO SEE READING AS AN ADVENTURE AND NOT JUST AN ASSIGNMENT.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST HER KNOWLEDGE OF LITERATURE THAT MAKES HER STAND OUT, IT'S HER ABILITY TO BUILD MEANINGFUL, POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERY STUDENT SHE WORKS WITH.

MISS GALENA'S PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, AND APPROACHABLE DEMEANOR CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE, VALUED, AND EAGER TO LEARN. SHE BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN THEM, MAKING THEM FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEMSELVES AND EXCITED TO TAKE ON CHALLENGES.

IN ADDITION TO HER WORK WITH STUDENTS, MISS GALENA HAS CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN OTHER WAYS.

SHE CREATES MONTHLY DIGITAL BOOKSHELVES FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS, OFTEN HIGHLIGHTING CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS WHICH NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE READING BUT ALSO FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND INCLUSIVITY.

HER SUPPORT DURING OUTDOOR RECESS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS, ENSURES THAT EVERY CHILD FEELS SAFE AND SUPPORTED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TRULY SETS MISS GALENA APART IS THE SPECIAL BOND SHE SHARES WITH OUR STUDENTS, A CONNECTION THAT'S EVIDENT IN COUNTLESS WAYS.

A STANDOUT EXAMPLE IS THE POPULARITY OF THE LIBRARY TO FOR THE DAY EXPERIENCE.

THROUGH OUR ANNUAL PTA FUNDRAISER, THIS ITEM CONSISTENTLY DRAWS HIGH INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASTIC BIDS, AS STUDENTS JUMP AT THE CHANCE TO SPEND A DAY IN THE LIBRARY ALONGSIDE MISS GALENA.

IT'S NO SURPRISE IT'S HER WARM, WELCOMING PRESENCE AND THE JOYFUL ATMOSPHERE SHE CREATES THAT MAKE THE OPPORTUNITY SO APPEALING.

THE SUCCESS OF THIS FUNDRAISER REFLECTS NOT JUST HER POPULARITY, BUT THE GENUINE CARE AND ENTHUSIASM SHE BRINGS TO WORK EVERY DAY.

MISS GALENA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, YOUR KINDNESS, AND YOUR DEDICATION TO PROSPECT HILL.

YOUR IMPACT IS FELT BY STUDENTS, STAFF AND PARENTS AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

OH, JUST BREAK IT OUT ANY TIME. ALL RIGHT. MISS SOKOL. YAY! LOOK HOW EXCITED THEY ARE. IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO HONOR AN EDUCATOR WHOSE PASSION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND HEART HAVE PROFOUNDLY ENRICHED OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

MISS SOKOL, LET'S BEGIN WITH HER INSTRUCTION.

MISS SOKOL EMPOWERS HER STUDENTS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LEARNING JOURNEY IN HER CLASSROOM.

STUDENTS ARE NOT PASSIVE RECIPIENTS OF KNOWLEDGE.

THEY ARE REFLECTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE LEARNERS THROUGH TARGETED INSTRUCTION.

SHE PROVIDES THE PRECISE SUPPORT EACH STUDENT NEEDS TO THRIVE, ALL WHILE NURTURING THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND CONFIDENCE.

WHAT TRULY DISTINGUISHES DISTINGUISHES. MISS SOKOL, HOWEVER, IS HER REMARKABLE ABILITY TO MAKE LEARNING DEEPLY PERSONAL.

SHE CREATES A VIBRANT, ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT ROOTED IN STUDENT VOICE.

SHE SKILLFULLY WEAVES THEIR INTERESTS INTO LESSONS, SPARKS RICH DISCUSSIONS WITH OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS, AND FOSTERS MEANINGFUL PEER COLLABORATION. HER DEDICATION TRANSFORMS LEARNING INTO A JOYFUL AND PURPOSEFUL EXPERIENCE.

[01:05:05]

SHE WEARS MANY HATS. LEADING THE SPELLING BEE, COACHING THE 24 CLUB, ADVISING THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER, SERVING ON OUR SOCIAL COMMITTEE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.

WHETHER SHE'S PLANNING STAFF CELEBRATIONS OR SPREADING POSITIVITY THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING, HER ENTHUSIASM HELPS BUILD A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL ENJOY.

SHE'S ALSO A FAMILIAR AND ENTHUSIASTIC PRESENCE AT AFTER SCHOOL PTA EVENTS, AND ON OCCASION, HAS EVEN BRAVELY STEPPED BEHIND THE CAFETERIA COUNTER TO SERVE FOOD.

I WON'T TAKE OUT THE PICTURE, A TASK THAT NOT EVERY TEACHER WOULD DO SO WILLINGLY.

NOW, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE TIME YOU ALMOST DERAILED THE FIRST SPELLING BEE.

BUT IN CLASSIC MISS SOKOL FASHION, SHE RALLIED QUICKLY AND CALMLY, AND WITH HER SIGNATURE SENSE OF HUMOR, TURNS A POTENTIALLY CHAOTIC MOMENT INTO A SMOOTH, SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE SPELLING BEE HAS BECOME JUST ONE OF HER MANY SUCCESSES.

HER DEDICATION IS UNWAVERING. SHE'S EVEN BEEN KNOWN TO FORGO SOME PRETTY SERIOUS FAMILY HOLIDAYS TO CELEBRATE IMPORTANT MILESTONES ALONGSIDE HER COLLEAGUES. THAT BALANCE OF HEART AND PROFESSIONALISM DEFINES EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES.

WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THAT MISS SOKOL BEGAN HER TEACHING JOURNEY IN SIWANOY AND THEN IN PROSPECT HILL.

PROSPECT HILL WAS HER VERY FIRST KINDERGARTEN EXPERIENCE AND LIKE MANY NEW TEACHERS, SHE QUICKLY LEARNED SOME HARD LESSONS, SUCH AS THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE DOOR CLOSED AT ALL TIMES, NOT JUST FOR QUIET OR CLIMATE CONTROL, BUT TO PREVENT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS FROM MAKING AN UNSUPERVISED ADVENTURE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, YOU SORT OF KEPT YOU KEPT THE DOOR CLOSED, BELL ON THE DOORKNOB.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AT ITS FINEST. YET NOTHING ILLUSTRATES THE ESSENCE OF MISS SOKO L BETTER THAN THE WORDS OF ONE OF HER STUDENTS.

WHEN ASKED IF MISS SOKO L WAS HAVING STUDENTS ANOTHER SCHOOL VISIT, HER CLASSROOM AND ONE OF THE ONE OF THE STUDENTS WAS NERVOUS AND THE PARENT ASKED, DO YOU TRUST MISS SOKOL? SHE SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING.

SHE'S GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR YOU. AND THE STUDENT SAID, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT. WITHOUT HESITATION, THE PARENT WROTE ME AND SAID THE FIRST THING THE STUDENT SAID WAS, YEAH, SHE'S GOT OUR BACK. AND THAT SAYS IT ALL.

MISS SOKOL IS A TEACHER WHO HAS HER STUDENTS BACKS ACADEMICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.

SHE CELEBRATES THEIR SUCCESSES, ATTENDS THEIR HOCKEY GAMES OVER BREAKS, AND EVEN ENCOURAGES THEIR PLAYFUL CREATIVITY LIKE THEIR LOVE OF MAKING PAPER AIRPLANES DURING FREE TIME. SHE'S THE KIND OF STUDENT THAT SHE'S THE KIND OF TEACHER STUDENTS REMEMBER FOR A LIFETIME, NOT JUST BECAUSE SHE HELPED THEM READ BETTER OR THINK DEEPER, BUT BECAUSE SHE TRULY SAW THEM, SUPPORTED THEM, AND BELIEVED IN WHO THEY ARE.

AND PERHAPS THE MOST HEARTWARMING REFLECTION COMES FROM A STUDENT WHO RECENTLY WAS ASKED ABOUT HIS TIME WITH YOU AND HE SAID, A DAY WITH MISS SOKOL IS JUST HAPPINESS. THAT SIMPLE SENTENCE SAYS EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE JOY SHE BRINGS TO STUDENTS LIVES.

MISS SOKOL, ON BEHALF OF YOUR STUDENTS, YOUR COLLEAGUES, OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, YOUR EXCELLENCE, YOUR LAUGHTER, AND YOUR INCREDIBLE HEART.

THANK.

YOU. HOW'S EVERYONE DOING? HERE I GO AGAIN.

I STILL DO ON CAMERA. YEAH, YOU COULD JUST SAY SHE'S NOT HERE.

BUT YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK ABOUT HER. I'LL DO THAT LAST.

OKAY. OKAY. I'M NOW GOING TO INVITE UP MISS AMÉSQUITA.

WHO? DID A LOT OF HIRING A FEW YEARS AGO. I SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN A RAISE FOR THIS. ALL RIGHT. IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO CELEBRATE A TEACHER TODAY WHOSE IMPACT HAS BEEN FELT IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS OUR SCHOOL.

NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE TEACHES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEDICATION, SKILL, AND CARE SHE BRINGS TO THE WORK EVERY DAY.

TODAY, WE HONOR MISS AMÉSQUITA, OUR INTERVENTIONIST, AS SHE EARNS TENURE A RECOGNITION THAT'S NOT ONLY WELL-DESERVED, BUT DEEPLY MEANINGFUL TO OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL. MISS AMÉSQUITA SERVES AS AN INTERVENTION TEACHER, AND SHE BRINGS TO HER WORK A RARE COMBINATION OF INTELLECT AND INNOVATION.

HER INSTRUCTION IS PURPOSEFUL AND DEEPLY PERSONAL.

SHE CRAFTS HER LESSONS WITH INSIGHT DRAWN FROM BOTH FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE DATA, ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES PRECISELY THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, EXACTLY WHEN THEY NEED IT. BUT IT'S NOT ONLY HER STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM HER EXPERTISE.

WE ALL DO. MISS AMESQUITA IS AMONG THE MOST TECH SAVVY PROFESSIONALS I'VE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH.

[01:10:03]

AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF INNOVATION, SHE'S ALSO A MASTER AT THE CRICKET MACHINE.

YES, THE CRICKET MACHINE. THANKS TO HER CREATIVITY AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL, OUR BULLETIN BOARDS ARE MORE THAN JUST DISPLAYS.

THEY'RE ENGAGING, PURPOSEFUL, AND OFTEN BREATHTAKING.

THESE VISUALS SHOWCASE NOT ONLY THESE VISUAL SHOWCASES NOT ONLY REINFORCE KEY CONCEPTS, BUT ALSO INFUSE OUR HALLWAYS WITH WARMTH, PRIDE, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING. THEY ARE A REFLECTION OF THE SAME THOUGHTFULNESS SHE BRINGS TO EVERY ASPECT OF HER WORK.

ONE OF MS. AMESQUITA'S GREATEST STRENGTHS LIES IN HELPING STUDENTS APPLY WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED INDEPENDENTLY.

TEACHING A STRATEGY IN SMALL GROUP IS ONE THING.

ENSURING STUDENTS TRANSFER THAT KNOWLEDGE INTO A REAL WORLD APPLICATION IS QUITE ANOTHER.

THROUGH HER USE OF MINI ANCHOR CHARTS AND PERSONALIZED GOAL SETTING SHEETS, SHE BRIDGES THAT CRITICAL GAP.

THESE TOOLS SERVE AS VISUAL CUES AND MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE THAT QUIETLY AFFIRM TO KIDS, YOU'VE GOT THIS.

KEEP GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. THIS CONTRIBUTES MEANINGFULLY TO THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL.

THROUGH HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, MEETS SCHOOL BASED COUNSEL AND THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY COMMITTEE.

SHE'S A LEADER WHO LEADS BY DOING CONSISTENTLY, SHOWING UP, STEPPING IN AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

YOUR TENURE MARKS NOT JUST A MILESTONE IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY, BUT A CELEBRATION OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE GIVEN TO OUR COMMUNITY.

YOUR PRECISION, YOUR CARE, YOUR CREATIVITY, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO HELPING THOSE AROUND YOU GO GROW.

CONGRATULATIONS.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'M NOT GOING TO INVITE HER UP BECAUSE SHE JUST HAD A BABY LIKE THREE DAYS AGO.

BUT I AM GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT HER BECAUSE I KNOW SHE IS GOING TO BE WATCHING, AND WE HAVE SOME GOOD COLLEAGUES OF HERS TAKING VIDEO.

THEY PROMISED THEY'D TAKE VIDEO. SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT MRS WEISS, WHO'S OUR RESOURCE ROOM TEACHER.

SO TODAY I HAVE THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF RECOGNIZING AN EDUCATOR WHOSE IMPACT REACHES FAR, FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF HER CLASSROOM. AS WE CELEBRATE MRS. WEISS TENURE, WE'RE NOT JUST ACKNOWLEDGING YEARS OF SERVICE.

WE'RE HONORING A TEACHER WHOSE DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND THE HEART HAVE BECOME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

MRS. WEISS IS QUITE SIMPLY, THE KIND OF TEACHER EVERY SCHOOL HOPES TO HAVE.

SHE'S A TRUSTED AND VALUED COLLEAGUE, SOMEONE HER PEERS NATURALLY TURN TO FOR GUIDANCE, SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION.

WHETHER IT'S THROUGH AN INFORMAL HALLWAY CHAT OR A STRUCTURED TEAM MEETING.

SHE BRINGS INSIGHT, EMPATHY, AND A PROBLEM SOLVING MINDSET TO EVERY CONVERSATION.

SHE'S A PILLAR OF SUPPORT IN OUR BUILDING, ALWAYS READY TO SHARE WHAT SHE KNOWS AND JUST AS EAGER TO LEARN FROM OTHERS.

AS ONE TEACHER PUT IT, WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT CARA? I THINK EVERYONE AT PROSPECT HILL WOULD SAY THEY HAVE GONE TO CARA FOR ADVICE, PERSPECTIVE OR LISTENING EAR.

SHE COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, WHICH HAPPENS OFTEN.

SHE LISTENS EMPATHETICALLY AND HELPS OTHERS FEEL TRULY HEARD.

SHE ALWAYS PUTS KIDS FIRST, BUT SOMEHOW DOES THAT WITHOUT PUTTING HER OWN NEEDS OR THE NEEDS OF HER COLLEAGUES TO THE SIDE.

SHE'S THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER. SHE'S CURIOUS, THOUGHTFUL, SMART, TRUSTWORTHY, ENDLESSLY PATIENT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE'S A GREAT FRIEND. CARA BRINGS WARMTH, PERSPECTIVE, AND LAUGHTER TO PROSPECT HILL.

HER CLASSROOM IS WARM AND WELCOMING AND WONDERFULLY STUDENT CENTERED. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE WHEN YOU WALK IN IS A BULLETIN BOARD THAT READS, IF ALL YOU FOCUS ON IS A DISABILITY. YOU WILL MISS.

AND UNDERNEATH HER STUDENTS HAVE WRITTEN BEAUTIFUL RESPONSES LIKE KINDNESS.

HOW FUNNY WE ARE THAT WE CAN DO HARD THINGS. THAT BOARD SAYS EVERYTHING ABOUT HER PHILOSOPHY.

LEAD WITH COMPASSION, HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND A DEEP RESPECT FOR EVERY CHILD'S POTENTIAL.

BUT MRS. WEISS CONTRIBUTIONS EXTEND FAR BEYOND HER OWN FOUR WALLS AS HER MTSS COORDINATOR.

A MEMBER OF SEPTA RESIDENT BRANCHING MINDS WIZARD, SHE'S PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN HOW WE SUPPORT STUDENTS SCHOOLWIDE.

HER LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING, VISUALIZING AND VERBALIZING TO ALL FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THROUGH A PEF GRANT HAS ALREADY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE APPROACH ONE OF OUR MOST TOUGHEST CHALLENGES READING COMPREHENSION. AND IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, LET ME SAY THIS IF THERE'S EVER SOMETHING GOING ON AND YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, MRS. WEISS WILL FIND IT. SHE HAS A SIXTH SENSE FOR FIGURING THINGS OUT, TRACKING DOWN DETAILS, PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER. IF SHE DOESN'T COME BACK TO TEACHING, SHE COULD PROBABLY WORK AS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR THERE.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET HER FABULOUS SENSE OF STYLE.

BECAUSE WHEN MRS. WEISS SHOWS UP WITH SOMETHING THAT SHE THINKS IS TRENDY, SHE DOES NOT LET IT GO QUIETLY UNNOTICED.

SHE'LL GIVE YOU A TWIRL, A POSE, A BACK STORY OF HOW SHE FOUND IT ON SALE.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT HER.

AND RECENTLY, I ALSO LEARNED THAT APPARENTLY SHE DOESN'T MIND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TEXT.

[01:15:01]

THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP EVERY DAY WITH A FULL HEART AND OPEN MIND.

WE ARE BETTER BECAUSE OF YOU. AND WE MISS YOU.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR CARR. AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, EDUCATORS NURTURE CURIOSITY AND BUILD CONFIDENCE EVERY DAY.

AND NO ONE TAKES THIS MORE SERIOUSLY THAN MRS. MURRAY. OUR COLONIAL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AND HERE TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF, IS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE COLONIAL SCHOOL, MRS. GARCIA.

IT'S MY ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MISS ANAMARIE MURRAY, AN EXTRAORDINARY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AT COLONIAL.

MISS MURRAY PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN OUR BUILDING, SUPPORTING STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES WITH A LEVEL OF CARE, COMMITMENT AND COMPASSION THAT IS TRULY UNMATCHED.

SHE IS A TRUSTED EXPERT, A CALM PRESENCE, AND A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF EVERY CHILD WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS.

MISS MURRAY STRENGTHS LIE NOT ONLY IN HER DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BEST PRACTICES, BUT IN HER ABILITY TO CONNECT THOSE PRACTICES MEANINGFULLY TO STUDENT LEARNING AND GROWTH.

SHE APPROACHES EACH STUDENT AS A WHOLE PERSON, ADDRESSING EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND ACADEMIC NEEDS IN WAYS THAT ARE DEEPLY HUMAN.

HER SUPPORT IS ALWAYS PROACTIVE AND INTENTIONAL.

SHE LEADS BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS, CONDUCTS COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATIONS, AND DEVELOPS THOUGHTFUL BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS TAILORED TO EVERY NEED OF EVERY STUDENT.

WHETHER SHE'S FACILITATING A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LESSON OR SUPPORTING AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, MISS MURRAY CREATES A SAFE, SUPPORTIVE SPACE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, AND EMPOWERED.

SHE IS A POWERFUL COLLABORATOR, PARTNERING WITH TEACHERS TO IMPLEMENT CLASSROOM STRATEGIES, WORKING CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES TO ENSURE SHARED UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT.

AND SHE PLAYS A KEY ROLE ON OUR SCHOOL TEAM. HER EXPERTISE IS CENTRAL TO EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING MEETINGS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT IEPS.

BEYOND HER DAILY DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES.

MISS MURRAY CONTRIBUTES TO OUR SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.

SHE HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY. SHE CONSISTENTLY TAKES INITIATIVE AND LEADS WITH EMPATHY, SHAPING THE CULTURE OF OUR BUILDINGS IN PROFOUND AND LASTING WAYS.

RECENTLY, SHE STARTED THE WALKING CLUB FOR STAFF, A SIMPLE YET INCREDIBLE, IMPACTFUL IMPACT EFFORT TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND FOSTER COMMUNITY AMONG COLLEAGUES. IT REFLECTS HER BELIEF THAT CARE EXTENDS TO EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING, NOT JUST STUDENTS, AND THAT WELLNESS MUST BE WOVEN INTO THE CULTURE OF OUR SCHOOL.

MISS MURRAY IS ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT WELLNESS COMMITTEE AND DISTRICT MTSS COMMITTEE, WHERE SHE HELPS SHAPE INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS ACROSS PELHAM.

HER COMMITMENT TO WHOLE SCHOOL WELLNESS EXTENDS WAY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

SHE IS ALSO THE JV LACROSSE COACH FOR PELHAM, BRINGING THE SAME PATIENCE, POSITIVITY AND TEAM FIRST MINDSET TO THE FIELD AS SHE DOES TO HER WORK IN OUR BUILDING. WITHIN COLONIAL. SHE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN PLANNING STUDENT SUPPORT MEETINGS, GUIDING CRISIS RESPONSE, AND HELPING IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT TARGETED STUDENT SUPPORT.

SHE IS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR EQUITY AND ACCESS, ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD RECEIVES THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE.

SHE IS NOT JUST PART OF OUR TEAM, SHE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF IT.

HER WORK DOESN'T END WHEN A SESSION ENDS. SHE FOLLOWS THROUGH, FOLLOWS UP, AND ENSURES THAT EVERY CHILD RECEIVES THE ATTENTION, CARE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT THEY DESERVE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE.

IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN MISS MURRAY SEATED BESIDE A STUDENT, CALMLY, KINDLY LISTENING AS THEY SHARE WHAT'S ON THEIR MINDS, YOU'VE WITNESSED HER QUIET MAGIC. SHE DOESN'T JUST LISTEN.

SHE SEES EACH CHILD MEETING THEM WITH EMPATHY, GIVING THEM TOOLS AND HELPING THEM BELIEVE THEY CAN GET THROUGH EVEN THE HARDEST MOMENTS.

HER COLLEAGUES DESCRIBE HER AS THE CALM IN THE STORM AND HIS PRESENCE IS GROUNDING, AND HER ABILITY TO LISTEN WITH COMPASSION AND GENUINE INTEREST MAKES STUDENTS AND ADULTS ALIKE FEEL TRULY HEARD AND VALUED.

SHE LEADS WITH HEART IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES, WHETHER GUIDING A STUDENT, SUPPORTING A COLLEAGUE, OR PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES. SHE LIFTS OTHERS UP WITH PATIENCE, CARE AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT.

HER COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT IS STEADY. HER LEADERSHIP IS AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE COLONIAL COMMUNITY.

[01:20:04]

AND WE BELIEVE THAT MISS MURRAY IS THAT HERO, NOT JUST TO OUR STUDENTS, BUT TO OUR STAFF AND OUR FAMILIES AS WELL.

QUITE SIMPLY, WE COULDN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT HER.

SHE IS THE QUIET FORCE THAT KEEPS US GROUNDED, THE THOUGHTFUL PRESENCE THAT REMINDS US WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO, AND THE CARING HAND THAT ENSURES THAT NO ONE EVER FEELS ALONE.

SO TODAY WE CELEBRATE HER NOT ONLY FOR EARNING TENURE, BUT FOR THE DEEP ADMIRATION, RESPECT AND GRATITUDE SHE INSPIRES IN ALL OF US.

AND ANNA, THIS IS SO WELL DESERVED AND WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

AND WE LOVE YOU.

SHE REALLY DOES TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE.

OUR NEXT EDUCATOR IS BEING RECOGNIZED FOR HER DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE IN CREATING A SAFE, WARM, AND SUPPORTIVE THERAPY ENVIRONMENT. HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT MISS SUZUKI.

ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS IS MISS KEENE THOMPSON.

THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

I'M HONORED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE ALYSSA ZOKI, OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST WHOSE IMPACT REACHES FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF HER THERAPY ROOM.

MRS . ZOKI CREATES A WARM AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE, SEEN, AND SUPPORTED.

THAT ENVIRONMENT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SHE'S OFTEN ASKING STUDENTS TO WORK ON MOTOR TASKS THAT ARE DIFFICULT FOR THEM.

HER ABILITY TO BUILD STRONG, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TAKE RISKS AND GROW.

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING HER SESSIONS WHERE STUDENTS MOVE THROUGH ENGAGING GROSS MOTOR AND FINE MOTOR STATIONS, USING TWEEZERS TO BUILD PRECISION SCOOTERING TO DEVELOP COORDINATION, OR SWINGING TO SUPPORT REGULATION.

SHE'S ALSO INCREDIBLY ATTUNED TO STUDENT SENSORY NEEDS AND THOUGHTFULLY INCORPORATE SENSORY SUPPORTS INTO HER WORK, HELPING STUDENTS STAY GROUNDED, FOCUSED, AND READY TO LEARN.

WHEN A PARTICULAR ACTIVITY ISN'T WORKING FOR A CHILD, MRS. ZOKI DOESN'T PUSH THROUGH, SHE OFFERS CHOICES THAT CHALLENGE THE STUDENT AT JUST THE RIGHT LEVEL WHILE KEEPING THEM ENGAGED.

THAT THOUGHTFUL APPROACH MAKES HER A TRUSTED ADULT FOR SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.

HER CARE EXTENDS WELL BEYOND HER OT SESSIONS.

MRS. ZOKI WORKS LUNCH DUTY EVERY DAY, A TASK SHE TAKES ON WITH KINDNESS AND HUMOR.

DURING OUR INDOOR RECESS, SHE'S OFTEN FOUND PLAYING BOARD GAMES WITH STUDENTS ON THE RUG.

SHE NOTICES WHEN STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A ENOUGH GAMES, AND SHE TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO COLLECT A WIDE ASSORTMENT OF SECONDHAND GAMES THAT ARE NOW TREASURED BY OUR SECOND GRADE STUDENTS. MRS ZOKI IS ALSO A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR MTS S TEAM, OFFERING. CREATIVE, ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES FOR TIER ONE SUPPORTS.

SHE'S HELPED US THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, LITERALLY, BY HELPING DESIGN A POWER STATION IN THE HALLWAY WITH A WEIGHTED BOX WHERE STUDENTS CAN PUSH WEIGHTED BOXES, DO WALL SITS, OR TAKE A MOVEMENT BREAK WHEN THEY NEED TO REGULATE.

HER IDEAS ARE BOTH DEVELOPMENTALLY SOUND AND PRACTICAL FOR A BUSY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

SHE ALSO RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH OUR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST AND MUSIC TEACHER TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW PLAYGROUND COMMUNICATION BOARDS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

TOGETHER, THEY LED AN ENGAGING TOWN HALL TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION AND HOW TO USE THE NEW TOOLS, SHOWING STUDENTS THAT EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD.

ONE OF THE THINGS I ADMIRE MOST ABOUT ALYSSA IS HER UNWAVERING ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS.

JUST RECENTLY, SHE CAME TO FIND ME AT RECESS UPSET AFTER WITNESSING A STUDENT BEING EXCLUDED.

HER EMOTION CAME FROM A PLACE OF DEEP EMPATHY AND A FIERCE BELIEF THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO FEEL INCLUDED.

I'M SO EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE ALYSSA ZOKI. ALYSSA, THANK YOU FOR BEING A THOUGHTFUL SPECIALIST, A COLLABORATIVE COLLEAGUE, AND ABOVE ALL, AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN.

YOU ARE HELPING TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE AND RESPONSIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

CONGRATULATIONS.

AND OUR LAST ELEMENTARY EDUCATOR BEING RECOMMENDED FOR TENURE TONIGHT IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS,

[01:25:06]

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TENURE CANDIDATES THIS EVENING.

I COULDN'T STAND UP HERE AND SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPECIAL EDUCATORS AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF.

I'M TRULY THANKFUL THAT YOU DECIDED TO MAKE PELHAM YOUR HOME.

AND TOGETHER WITH YOU AND ALL THE TENURE CANDIDATES, I THINK THAT I'M VERY HUMBLED TO WORK WITH SUCH AN AMAZING GROUP OF TALENTED COLLEAGUES WHO TRULY, ALWAYS PUT STUDENTS FIRST. BUT AGAIN, TONIGHT I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF RECOMMENDING MISS CARRIE ANN WEAVER, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, FOR TENURE AS A VALUED MEMBER OF OUR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES TEAM.

MRS. WEAVER, MISS WEAVER CAME TO PELHAM AS A SEASONED PSYCHOLOGIST, HAVING WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR FIVE YEARS AND PRIOR TO THAT AT BOSTON RENAISSANCE CHARTER SCHOOLS. MISS WEAVER EARNED HER UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AT TULANE UNIVERSITY AND HER MASTER'S IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY AT TUFTS.

SINCE JOINING OUR DISTRICT, MISS WEAVER HAS DEMONSTRATED THE COMPETENCE, EXPERTISE, AND HEART THAT DEFINE A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ROLE.

MISS WEAVER BRINGS A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL TO EVERY EVALUATION SHE CONDUCTS.

HER ASSESSMENTS ARE THOROUGH, ACCURATE, AND ALWAYS CENTERED ON WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS.

SHE HAS REMARKABLE ABILITY TO TRANSLATE COMPLEX DATA INTO MEANINGFUL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HELP GUIDE IEP DEVELOPMENT AND GOALS.

HOWEVER, WHAT TRULY SETS MISS WEAVER APART IS HER ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

WHETHER SHE'S WORKING ONE ON ONE WITH A STUDENT WHO IS FEELING OVERWHELMED, SITTING DOWN WITH A FAMILY, NAVIGATING A NEW DIAGNOSIS, OR COLLABORATING WITH A TEACHER TO IMPLEMENT SUPPORT STRATEGIES, SHE BRINGS A CALM, COMPASSIONATE PRESENCE. SHE HAS AN ABILITY TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS QUICKLY, AND IT'S CLEAR THEY FEEL SAFE AND SUPPORTED IN HER CARE.

MISS WEAVER'S REASSURING AND CARING APPROACH DURING EVEN THE MOST INTENSE SITUATIONS MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE.

HER STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES KNOW THEY CAN COUNT ON HER, AND SHE TRULY HAS BECOME A DEPENDABLE PRESENCE IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

HER IMPACT ON STUDENTS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING HAS BEEN PROFOUND.

SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE JUST AS CRITICAL AS THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

MISS WEAVER IS A CONSISTENT ADVOCATE FOR HER STUDENTS WHOLE NEEDS.

IN FACT, WHEN MISS WEAVER WAS HIRED FOR THE POSITION, SHE WROTE IN HER POSITION STATEMENT, MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IS THAT AS EDUCATORS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE CHILD.

WHEN WE CONSIDER A CHILD'S LEVEL OF FUNCTIONING, WE MUST LOOK BEYOND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

WE MUST TAKE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH AND UNDERSTAND HOW TRAUMA, STRESS, ANXIETY, LOSS AND DEPRESSION AND OTHER FACTORS IMPACT STUDENTS.

IN ADDITION TO HER REGULAR RESPONSIBILITIES, MISS WEAVER CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, SUCH AS PARTICIPATING IN INTERVIEW COMMITTEES, THE DISTRICT'S WELLNESS COMMITTEE, AND ATTENDING AFTER SCHOOL EVENTS TO SHOW HER SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. MISS WEAVER HAS ALSO LED PARENT SESSIONS AS PART OF SIWANOY PARENT UNIVERSITY SERIES, FOCUSING ON EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AND SELF-REGULATION SKILLS.

IN SHORT, MISS WEAVER IS A HIGHLY SKILLED, DEEPLY CARING PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

HER WORK DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS, AND SHE HAS SHOWN IN HER TIME HERE IN PELHAM, A COMMITMENT TO THE DISTRICT'S VISION AND MISSION.

MISSION. IT IS WITH JOY AND PLEASURE THAT I RECOMMEND MISS KAREN WEAVER FOR TENURE.

SHE HAS EARNED IT NOT JUST THROUGH HER TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, BUT THROUGH THE RAPPORT AND RELATIONSHIPS SHE HAS BUILT WITH STUDENTS AS THEIR ADVOCATE, SUPPORTER, AND BELIEF IN THEIR ABILITY TO BE THE BEST VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES EVERY DAY.

CONGRATULATIONS, MISS WEAVER.

FINALLY, OUR LAST CANDIDATE FOR TENURE IS ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE I KNOW, AND HER DEDICATION TO ENSURING EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IS UNWAVERING. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DOCTOR CHAMP TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR FINAL CANDIDATE CANDIDATE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR TENURE TONIGHT.

OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUPIL PERSONNEL, MISS TRACY HOLTZ.

WELL, THE UNENVIABLE POSITION OF BEING LAST ON THE AGENDA, BUT THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.

SO I AM JUST THRILLED TO TO BE HERE TONIGHT CELEBRATING TRACY HOLTZ, OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES, AS TRACY COMPLETES HER THIRD YEAR IN PELHAM, WE TAKE THIS MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT THAT SHE HAS MADE ON OUR DISTRICT

[01:30:03]

HER LEVEL OF EXPERTISE WAS SECOND TO NONE. PRIOR TO THAT, SHE SERVED AS A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER IN TUCKAHOE AND AT PLEASANTVILLE COMMUNITY RESIDENCE FOR 12 YEARS COMBINED, ALSO SHARING HER PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AS A FIELD PLACEMENT ADVISER FOR CONCORDIA COLLEGE AND LEADING WORKSHOPS AND GUEST LECTURING ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, ALL WITHIN HER WHEELHOUSE AS A SPECIAL EDUCATOR AND A PPS SPECIALIST, HER PREPARATION FOR THIS WORK BEGAN WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM NYU, FOLLOWED BY A MASTER'S DEGREE IN CLINICAL SOCIAL SOCIAL WORK WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, AND THEN ANOTHER MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION FROM THE COLLEGE OF SAINT ROSE.

MY ALMA MATER AS WELL FROM MY ADMINISTRATIVE DEGREE.

THESE LEARNING EXPERIENCES PROVIDED THE PERFECT FOUNDATION FOR HER TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE UP TO UPPER LEVELS OF SCHOOL OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

IN THE FIELD OF PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES, SHE HAS BROUGHT WITH HER AND BROUGHT TO US A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND A STUDENT CENTERED FOCUS.

HER SOCIAL WORK BACKGROUND HAS BEEN A TRUE ASSET TO THE DISTRICT, BROADENING OUR CONNECTION TO RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS OUTSIDE WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY VERY NEW TO US.

IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE HAD NOT HAD SOCIAL WORKERS UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

SO TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH THAT BACKGROUND HAS BROUGHT A NEW VISION AND NEW RESOURCES TO THOSE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND THEIR WITH THEIR WORK AS WELL.

HER CONNECTIONS REALLY STRENGTHENED OUR TIES WITH THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, PELHAM TOGETHER AND ALL MANNER OF AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, ESPECIALLY IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA. HER METICULOUS APPROACH TO POLICY PROCEDURES.

BUDGETING. LITTLE LAUGHTER. UP HERE, BUDGETING HAS HELPED TO ENSURE THAT WE NOT ONLY PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND SERVICES.

WHAT SETS MISS HOLTZ APART, BEYOND HER IMPRESSIVE TECHNICAL SKILLS IS HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS.

SHE WORKS TIRELESSLY, OFTEN LONG HOURS INTO THE EVENING.

NOT BECAUSE SHE HAS TO, BECAUSE SHE GENUINELY CARES.

SHE IS STUDENT CENTERED IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES.

HER COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT SHINES THROUGH IN HOW SHE WORKS WITH ADMINISTRATORS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF.

SHE IS THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER. HER BELIEF IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION DRIVES HER ADVOCACY FOR PROGRAMS THAT HELP STUDENTS LEARN IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND HER ABILITY TO CONNECT FAMILIES TO THOSE RIGHT RESOURCES HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF A LIFELINE FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS.

TRACY'S LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY VITAL AS WE'VE NAVIGATED INCREASING NEEDS AMONGST OUR STUDENT POPULATION.

SHE'S GUIDED THE DISTRICT THROUGH A NOTICEABLE RISE IN 504 PLAN REQUESTS AND MORE COMPLEX SPECIAL EDUCATION CASES THAN WE'VE EVER EXPERIENCED, PROVIDING CRITICAL TRAINING FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY AND STAFF, ENABLING THEM TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE, MEANINGFUL ROLE IN THE 504 PROCESS. HER DISTRICT WIDE TRAINING ON 504 PLANS THIS PAST YEAR HELPED ENSURE THAT EVERY EDUCATOR IN OUR SYSTEM UNDERSTANDS THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND MAKING A LASTING IMPACT ON HOW WE APPROACH STUDENT SUPPORTS.

SHE'S EXPANDED TRAINING TO HER SUPPORT STAFF ON DE-ESCALATION AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT.

SHE HERSELF HAS GOTTEN TRAINED AS A TRAINER TO PROVIDE CPI TRAINING TO RELEVANT STAFF, WHICH PROVIDES YET ANOTHER AND AN ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX FOR OUR EDUCATORS WHO ARE WORKING WITH OUR MOST CHALLENGED STUDENTS.

AND ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE SPECIAL PROJECTS MISS HOLTZ HAS LED, AND IT'S BEEN MENTIONED AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES TONIGHT ALREADY IS THE CRAFTING OF A SUCCESSFUL PEF GRANT FOR THE PROCUREMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNICATION BOARDS FOR ALL OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS, CREATING MORE INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR STUDENTS WITH COMMUNICATION DELAYS.

SHE NOT ONLY BROUGHT THAT VISION TO LIFE, BUT ENSURED THAT THE STAFF RECEIVED THE TRAINING THEY NEEDED THROUGH OUR SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, WHO ARE ALSO HONORED TONIGHT TO USE THESE TOOLS EFFECTIVELY.

THESE WERE AN INSTANT SUCCESS WITH STUDENTS LITERALLY BEFORE THE CEMENT WAS DRY ON THE POSTS.

OUR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THEM WITH OUR COMMUNITY AT A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY ON JUNE 9TH, SO PLEASE HOLD THE DATE. MISS HOLTZ IS ALSO THE KIND OF COLLEAGUE WHO QUIETLY SUPPORTS OTHERS BEHIND THE SCENES.

WHETHER IT'S SENDING FOOD TO A GRIEVING FAMILY, REMEMBERING AND CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAYS OF COWORKERS, HELPING IN A CRISIS LIKE STEPPING IN WITHOUT HESITATION DURING AN UNEXPECTED EMERGENCY DISMISSAL AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE. NO MATTER WHAT, TRACY SHOWS UP ALWAYS WITH HEART, HUMILITY, AND A DEEP SENSE OF PURPOSE.

[01:35:06]

SHE IS HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY, WHICH ARE QUALITIES I TRULY VALUE AND APPRECIATE.

AND WE ALL ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DEDICATION, CARE AND EXPERTISE THAT YOU BRING TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

TRACY, YOU MAKE PELHAM STRONG PELHAM STRONGER AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SO, JACKIE, I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO GO BACK TO THE DAIS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOTION TO GRANT THESE PEOPLE TENURE.

AND WHILE WE DO THAT.

IT'S FINE. IT'S FINE. OKAY, JUST DOUBLE CHECKING OUR OUR AGENDA.

SO TONIGHT, AS WE CLOSE THIS PART OF THE CELEBRATION, AND AGAIN, PLEASE DO DO STAY FOR THE ACTUAL ACT SO WE CAN MAKE IT OFFICIAL.

BUT AS WE COME TO THE CLOSE OF THIS EVENING'S CEREMONY, I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN EXTEND MY DEEPEST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR TENURE AWARDEES.

TONIGHT HAS BEEN A REMINDER OF THE POWER OF PURPOSE, THE VALUE OF PERSEVERANCE, AND THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT ANYONE EDUCATOR CAN HAVE NOT JUST ON A CLASSROOM, BUT ON THE LIVES OF STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

AND THE WORDS OF RITA PEARSON, A LEGENDARY EDUCATOR AND ADVOCATE.

EVERY CHILD DESERVES A CHAMPION. AN ADULT WHO WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM, WHO UNDERSTANDS THE POWER OF CONNECTION AND INSISTS THAT THEY BECOME THE BEST THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE. TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE. A ROOM FULL OF CHAMPIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, YOUR BELIEF IN YOUR STUDENTS, YOUR DEDICATION TO MAKING A LASTING DIFFERENCE FOR THE CHILDREN OF PELHAM. WE ARE HONORED TO CALL YOU COLLEAGUES AND EVEN MORE TO PROUD, EVEN MORE PROUD TO CALL YOU OURS TONIGHT.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR AWARDEES AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.

AFTER THE BOARD TAKES ACTION.

SO I'M GOING TO MOVE UP 7.1. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S TENURE RECOMMENDATIONS?

[7.1 Motion to Approve Tenure Recommendations]

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

OKAY. OKAY. COMPUTER. BACK UP. THAT WAS GREAT.

AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE TO 3.2 DEPARTMENTALIZATION AND SCIENCE CURRICULUM UPDATE.

[3.2 Departmentalization and Science Curriculum Update]

THANKS TO THE ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE STICKING AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE CURRICULAR CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

SO WE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WE'VE BEEN TALKING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ABOUT VARIOUS WAYS TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR APPROACH TO, TO INSTRUCTION AND ALSO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK TO HELP BUILD STUDENTS SKILLS AS THEY PREPARE TO TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, WORK WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING, BUILDING THOSE SKILLS.

AND ONE OF THE APPROACHES THAT CAME UP FROM OUR EDUCATORS, FROM OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS, IS TO CONSIDER DEPARTMENTALIZING AT THE FIFTH GRADE LEVEL.

AND SO TONIGHT, WE'RE COMING TO YOU AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH, A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF REAL PROBLEM SOLVING AROUND HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS WORK IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHERE IN SOME SCHOOLS YOU HAVE TWO SECTIONS AT A GRADE LEVEL AND SOME YOU HAVE THREE.

AND THAT COULD CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WHEN IT COMES TO DEPARTMENTALIZATION, THAT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED, BUT NOT TOO BIG OF A CHALLENGE. SO I SPENT I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM.

THEY SPENT THE YEAR WORKING IT OUT AND FIGURING OUT WHAT IS AN EQUITABLE WAY TO DO THIS AND DO IT WELL, BECAUSE WE ALL BELIEVE AS A TEAM THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR US TO BE TAKING.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TONIGHT TO THE BOARD THAT THIS IS A MOVE THAT WE MAKE FOR FIFTH GRADE NEXT YEAR.

AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE ELEMENTARY TEAM, WHO WILL DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING IT THAN I DID.

ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT.

AS DOCTOR CHAMP SAID, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS THIS YEAR, AND I THINK IT REALLY CAME FROM A FEW THINGS.

[01:40:05]

I THINK THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE WAY WE DID IT BACK THEN, AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT THAT CAUSED US TO STOP IT.

SO I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY THEN, MISS KEENE THOMPSON, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE WHY AND THE RESEARCH BEHIND WHY WHY WE ARE DOING THIS IN PELHAM. AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCHEDULE, AND MISS GARCIA WILL END BY TALKING ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS.

SO, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN WE STARTED, ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE DID HAVE A DEPARTMENTALIZATION MODEL IN FIFTH GRADE, AND WE DID HAVE TEACHERS DEPARTMENTALIZED IN THE MAJOR CONTENT AREAS.

SO IT WAS ELA AND MATH. THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE MODEL WE'RE PROPOSING TONIGHT IS THAT IF THERE WAS A THIRD SECTION, TEACHERS WERE TEACHING SOMETHING THAT THEY SORT OF HOME GREW AND CREATED CALLED STUDY SKILLS.

AND AS WE STARTED TO GROW IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CURRICULUM AND WE STARTED TO CHANGE A LOT OF OUR CURRICULUM, ESPECIALLY THE WAY WE TEACH OUR READING AND WRITING, WE REALIZED THAT THE TIME WE NEEDED TO DEDICATE TO THOSE CONTENT AREAS DIDN'T ALLOW FOR JUST THIS EXTRA SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, LIKE STUDY SKILLS.

IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EMBEDDED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TEACHING. SO WE KNEW THE WAY WE WERE TEACHING IT IN ISOLATION.

RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THAT'S NOT THE BEST WAY FOR KIDS TO LEARN A CONTENT LIKE THAT.

AND SOME KIDS WERE GETTING IT, SOME KIDS WEREN'T.

SO IT WASN'T REALLY AN EQUITABLE MODEL. SO WE HAD SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAD THREE SECTIONS.

THE KIDS WERE GETTING THIS STUDY SKILLS GROUP, AND IF THE SCHOOL HAD TWO SECTIONS, THEY WEREN'T GETTING IT.

SO WE DECIDED TO STOP DEPARTMENTALIZED BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS ACROSS FIFTH GRADE WERE ABLE TO GROW IN OUR NEW CURRICULUM.

SO WE WERE TURNING TO A WORKSHOP MODEL. WE WANTED EVERYONE TRAINED IN THE READING AND WRITING UNITS OF STUDY THAT WE WERE TURNING TO.

WE WANTED EVERYONE TRAINED IN THE FOUNDATIONS MODEL THAT WE WERE GOING TO.

WE WERE LOOKING AT A NEW SCIENCE CURRICULUM, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE RECEIVED TRAINING BECAUSE FOR US, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE TEACHERS HAD THAT KNOWLEDGE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WHEN THEY'RE WITH THEIR KIDS.

SO WE STOPPED DEPARTMENTALIZED AND THEN AS WE STARTED TO WORK TOGETHER, AND WE WERE IN A LOT OF OUR PRINCIPAL GROUPS, OUR TRI STATE PRINCIPAL GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTY, OUR PRINCIPAL GROUPS IN WESTCHESTER, A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE DOING THIS IN FIFTH GRADE, AND WE'VE SPENT THE TIME, AS DOCTOR CHAMP HAS SAID, TALKING TO DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS MODEL FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

AND WE TALKED TO DISTRICTS THAT ARE JUST STARTING THIS YEAR.

SO MAMARONECK IS A DISTRICT THAT JUST STARTED THEIR IN THEIR YEAR ONE.

SO WE REALLY LEARNED A LOT. WE SPOKE TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, WE SPOKE TO PARENTS, WE SPOKE TO TEACHERS, WE SPOKE TO ADMINISTRATORS. AND WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME SPEAKING TO STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT. I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MISS KEENE THOMPSON WHO'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE WHY.

AND THEN WE'LL SHARE THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE. I THINK THERE'S A VISUAL AID FOR THIS.

YES. YES. OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO START WITH FOUR AND THEN GO BACK UP TO ONE.

SO OUR WHY BEGAN WHEN THE SIX, THE SIX SCHOOLS, ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS FROM SIX SCHOOLS MET TOGETHER TO PLAN THE WE ARE PELHAM FIFTH GRADE EDITION. WHEN ALL THE THE CHILDREN CAME TOGETHER AT HUTCHINSON AND WE WERE REALLY THE GOAL OF THAT MEETING WAS TO BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING FOR OUR INCOMING FIFTH GRADE.

OUR OUTGOING FIFTH GRADERS, AS THEY MOVED FROM THEIR FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS INTO PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WHAT ALSO CAME OUT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS WAS SOME OF THE QUALITATIVE DATA FROM STAFF AND FROM STUDENTS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TRANSITION FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. OBVIOUSLY, MISS SABIAN, DOCTOR THOMPSON, DO SO MUCH TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH THAT HUGE TRANSITION.

BUT WE WE KIND OF LEFT THAT MEETING THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS, WITH THE TRANSITION FROM, YOU KNOW, THE NEW WORK OF MANAGING THEIR SCHEDULE, OF WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND WHEN WITH TO FLEXIBLY MOVING FROM CLASS TO CLASS WITH DIFFERENT ADULTS WHO MANAGE AND ORGANIZE THEIR CLASSES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

TO HAVING A LOCKER AND NEEDING THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS TO KNOW WHAT BOOKS THEY NEED, FOR WHICH CLASSES AND WHEN. SO THEN ANOTHER WHY, ANOTHER GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR US OUT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS TEACHER SUBJECT SPECIALIZATION WITHIN THE GRADE LEVEL TO HELP TEACHERS DEEPEN AND SHARPEN THEIR CONTENT AND METHOD KNOWLEDGE.

BEING SPECIALIZED WILL HELP TEACHERS TO PLAN MORE RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION THAT'S DIFFERENTIATED TO BE RIGOROUS AT THE LEVELS OF THE STUDENTS IN FRONT OF THEM.

IT CAN ALLOW TEACHERS TO RECEIVE MORE SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SO THEY ARE CURRENT WITH BEST PRACTICES.

IT WILL ALLOW TEACHERS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH MORE SPECIFIC AND ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK AND ALLOW TEACHERS TO PURSUE THEIR PASSION, WHICH IS ALWAYS. AS WE SAW AFTER THIS BOARD MEETING, AND ALWAYS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.

[01:45:01]

WHEN STUDENTS ARE DEPARTMENTALIZED, THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE TRUSTED ADULT THAT KNOWS THEM VERY WELL THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON.

ALSO, DEPARTMENTALIZATION HAS A TEAM APPROACH.

STUDENTS DON'T HAVE ONE TEACHER LOOKING OUT FOR THEM WITH THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. THEY'LL HAVE TWO TEACHERS AS A TEAM STUDYING TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE CHILD.

WE WERE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY THAT WAS A BIG LIFT FROM THE ELEMENTARY TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR WHY KIDS HAVE A LOT OF INCREASED INDEPENDENCE.

AND THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH KIDS AND ADULTS, WE LEARNED THAT STUDENTS NEEDED MORE EXPLICIT TEACHING AROUND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND LOW STAKE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE THOSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING, NOT PRACTICING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH MULTIPLE TEACHERS, BUT GOING FROM 1 TO 2 AS A LOW STAKES WAY TO PRACTICE THESE, THESE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING STRATEGIES THAT THEY'LL BE EXPLICITLY TAUGHT STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS AND PLANNING FOR THEIR MATERIALS.

ACROSS THE DAY, STUDENTS CAN LEARN HOW TO FUNCTION IN DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS WITH DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLES AND EXPECTATIONS.

WITH ONLY TWO TEACHERS BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO MULTIPLE TEACHERS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO THOSE ARE BIG FOUR BUCKETS OF THE WHY THAT KIND OF DROVE US TO THIS WORK.

ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE SCHEDULE? AWESOME. OKAY, SO THIS IS A SAMPLE SCHEDULE. IT SHOWS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF THERE WERE TWO MODELS, TWO TEACHERS ON A GRADE OR THREE TEACHERS ON A GRADE.

WE WILL HAVE BOTH NEXT YEAR. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT, LIKE I SAID, MULTIPLE MODELS ACROSS MANY DISTRICTS IN WESTCHESTER.

BUT THERE WERE ALSO SOME GREAT THINGS WE DO IN PELHAM THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD ON TO.

SO WE WERE WE WERE NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP ANY OF OUR MINUTES FOR FOR OUR MATH INSTRUCTION.

STAYING AT 60 MINUTES. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WOULD CONTINUALLY INFUSING OUR SCIENCE AND HAVING TIME FOR SCIENCE.

AND THIS MODEL ACTUALLY INCREASES THE TIME WE SPEND ON SCIENCE.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEPT TRUE TO OUR ELA BLOCK AND HAVE A 90 MINUTE BLOCK THERE.

AND WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KEPT THE 30 MINUTE TWO 30 MINUTE BLOCKS OF WHEN THE WHAT I NEED PERIOD.

NOW, WHAT I NEED PERIOD REALLY IS DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS OF OUR RESOURCE ROOM TEACHER AND THE WAY THEY HAVE TO SCHEDULE A LOT OF STUDENTS.

SO WE REALLY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE TIMES.

BUT THE NICE THING WITH BOTH BLOCKS, HAVING THE 30 MINUTES OR HOUR BLOCK OF WHEN IS THAT? IT REALLY BECOMES IN MANY OF THE DISTRICTS, STUDENT DRIVEN, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE MODEL WE HAVE NOW.

SO RIGHT NOW IT'S VERY TEACHER DRIVEN, WITH TEACHERS PICKING UP STUDENTS THAT NEED EXTRA SUPPORT.

TEACHERS NEED PULLING SMALL GROUPS IN THEIR OWN CLASSROOM.

THIS MODEL KEEPS THE WIND BLOCK BACK TO BACK.

SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS KIDS CAN ACTUALLY OWN THEIR OWN LEARNING AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY ADVOCATE FOR WHAT THEY NEED.

SO IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO GO TALK TO THEIR MATH TEACHER, THEY CAN SAY THAT AND THEY CAN GO OVER TO THEIR MATH TEACHER AND ASK FOR MORE SUPPORT.

SAME THING WITH ELA AND SCIENCE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TWO MODEL SCHEDULE, IT SHOWS THAT THERE IS, WE CALL IT TEACHER A AND TEACHER B. IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE MODEL.

THE THE KIDS, WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH MORNING MEETINGS. SO THAT WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT OF OF WHAT WE DO IN PELHAM THAT WE DEFINITELY SEE VALUE IN AND WANT TO CONTINUE, AND WE WANT THAT TO BE WITH THEIR HOMEROOM TEACHER.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE EASING INTO A MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, BUT STILL HOLDING ON TO ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE GET TO HAVE AT ELEMENTARY.

SO OUR BOTH THE BOTH SCHEDULES FOR THE TWO SECTION AND THREE SECTION KEEP MORNING MEETING FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, 20 MINUTES IN THEIR HOMEROOM. AND THEN THE THE KIDS WOULD STAY IN THEIR HOMEROOM AND THEIR TEACHER WOULD EITHER BE TEACHING THEM THE MATH AND SCIENCE BLOCK OR THE ELA BLOCK. THEN THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE SPECIAL, OBVIOUSLY THE HOUR LONG WIN LUNCH, AND THEN THEY TRANSITION TO THAT SECOND 90 MINUTE BLOCK OF TIME WHERE IF IN THE MORNING THEY WERE WITH THEIR HOMEROOM TEACHER FOR MATH AND SCIENCE, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO TEACHER B FOR ELA AND SOCIAL STUDIES.

IF IN THE MORNING THEY WERE WITH THEIR ELA AND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER THEN THEY WOULD THEN TRANSITION TO THE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER IN THE AFTERNOON FOR ANOTHER 90 MINUTE BLOCK, AND THEN KIDS WOULD GO BACK TO THEIR HOMEROOM TO END THEIR DAY, AND THEY WOULD HAVE A 30 MINUTE CONTENT LITERACY BLOCK.

SO THAT BLOCK IS REALLY A TIME WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS AND IN TALKING ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TIME ON TASK LOOKS LIKE NOW. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HELD ON TO TIME WHERE THEY CAN DO A READ ALOUD THAT'S SPECIFIC TO A CONTENT AREA THAT THEY'RE TEACHING, OR PREVIEW A GREAT VIDEO THAT'S GOING TO LEAD INTO ANOTHER LESSON.

SO THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY HELD ON TO THAT TIME.

ALSO TO HAVE THE TIME FOR CLOSING CIRCLE, OR A REFLECTION ABOUT THEIR DAY AND GIVING KIDS TIME TO SHARE WITH THEIR PEERS AND SHARE WITH THEIR TEACHER ANY CONNECTIONS THAT WERE MADE

[01:50:04]

THIS IS WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT IF YOU'LL HAVE A TEACHER TEACHING JUST ELA AND SOCIAL STUDIES.

SO LET'S CALL HER TEACHER A YOU'LL HAVE A TEACHER TEACHING JUST MATH AND SCIENCE.

THAT'S TEACHER B, TEACHER C WOULD BE TEACHING EVERYTHING.

SO THE KIDS WILL STILL HAVE. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS ALL HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS THE OTHER KIDS, SO THEY'RE STILL GOING TO MOVE TO A NEW TEACHER FOR THAT SECOND ROTATION.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE THAT ONE OF THE TEACHERS HAS TO TEACH ALL OF THE CONTENT LIKE THEY DO NOW.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING WE SHARED WITH THE TEACHERS. AND I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS PEOPLE SAY, OH, THAT DOESN'T SOUND EQUITABLE. AND ACTUALLY THE TEACHERS WERE LIKE, NO, THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH IN PELHAM THAT WHEN WE MAKE OUR SCHEDULES, WE GIVE OUR TEACHERS COMMON PLANNING SIX DAYS AND A SIX DAY CYCLE, WHICH WAS SORT OF UNIQUE WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING ALL OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS.

A LOT OF SCHOOLS, EVEN, I THINK WHEN DOCTOR CHAMP AND I FIRST STARTED GRADES WOULD HAVE IT WAS IT WAS ACTUALLY INCONSISTENT.

SO SOME GRADES HAD TWO TIMES IN A SIX DAY CYCLE, WHICH WAS PART OF IT TOO.

TWO DAYS IN A SIX DAY CYCLE WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRADE LEVEL MEETING WHERE THEY CAN MEET TOGETHER.

SOME GRADES HAD THREE, SOME GRADES HAD ONE, SOME GRADES HAD FOUR.

SO WE MAKE SURE IN OUR SCHEDULE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE COMMON PLANNING EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY EVEN HAVE A SEVENTH ROTATION EVERY TWO WEEKS.

SO THE NICE THING WITH THAT IS THAT TEACHERS WHO ARE THE TEACHER, WHO IS TEACHING EVERYTHING, STILL HAS A LOT OF TIME TO GO DEEP INTO THE CURRICULUM WITH THOSE TWO SPECIALISTS.

SO THE TEACHER THAT ACTUALLY WOULD BE TEACHING EVERYTHING SORT OF SAID, IF IT WAS ME, I WOULD FEEL LIKE I'M ACTUALLY GETTING LIKE MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE I'M GETTING TO MEET WITH NOW TWO CONTENT SPECIALISTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WORK.

AND THE SAME WAY THEY GO DEEP INTO THE CURRICULUM, I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO MODELS. AND LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I COVERED IT.

COULD YOU JUST YEP. IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT, COULD YOU JUST TAKE 30S AND LIKE TELL US WHAT WHAT A DAY TO DAY LOOKS LIKE. LIKE HOW HOW THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE KIDS ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY.

FROM THE FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A STUDENT SCHEDULE PERSPECTIVE.

LIKE, ARE THEY THE SAME SORT OF BLOCKS TODAY? AND IT'S JUST THE TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT OR IS IT OR IS THE SCHEDULE ITSELF CHANGING? SO THAT'S SORT OF I CAN GO BACK TO THE SCHEDULE IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT THIS IS SORT OF I THINK IT TOUCHES ON WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

SO ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL IS THE SAME. THAT'S IN THEIR HOMEROOM.

THAT'S WHERE THEY DO THEIR LUNCH COUNT. AND THEN THEY GO THROUGH THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF MORNING MEETING. THAT'S GOING TO STAY THE SAME AS IT IS THIS YEAR. THE WIND BLOCK IS GOING TO STAY THE SAME 60 MINUTES. BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT WE GET KIDS TO BECOME AS AS THEY OBVIOUSLY GET TO KNOW THEIR TEACHERS, THAT IT REALLY BECOMES MORE STUDENT DRIVEN WHERE THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES AND ASKING FOR THE HELP AND ASKING TO MEET WITH THE TEACHER THAT THEY MIGHT NEED MORE SUPPORT IN OR ENRICHMENT IN. SO THE TIME STAYS THE SAME, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO SHIFT IT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE AN ACADEMY, PERIOD. LET'S SAY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE KIDS ARE ASKING FOR THE SUPPORT THE SPECIAL STAY THE SAME LUNCH AND RECESS BLOCK STAYS THE SAME.

WHAT CHANGES IS OBVIOUSLY THE TWO TEACHERS. WE DO HAVE INCREASED TIME FOR SCIENCE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING EVERY OTHER DAY 45 MINUTES.

THIS SCHEDULE PUTS MATH WITH SCIENCE IN A 90 MINUTE BLOCK, SO IT ALMOST INCREASES IT TO 180 MINUTES IN A SIX DAY CYCLE VERSUS THE 135 WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WHEN MORE STUDENT DRIVEN.

SO THE DAY TO DAY SCHEDULING LOOKS A LOT LIKE IT DOES NOW, EXCEPT THE KIDS ARE GETTING UP AND MOVING TO ANOTHER CLASSROOM FOR THAT 90 MINUTE BLOCK OF TIME. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHEDULE? THE KIDS. SORRY, CHRIS. THE KIDS WILL HAVE. SO WHEN FOR ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL WHEN THEY COME INTO SCHOOL, WILL THEY HAVE AN ASSIGNED HOMEROOM SO THEY'LL GO TO THE SAME FOR MORNING MEETING, THE SAME HOMEROOM TEACHER EVERY HOUR.

PLACEMENT PROCESS IS GOING TO STAY EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT IS NOW.

KIDS WILL HAVE A HOMEROOM TEACHER LIKE EVERY OTHER KID IN THE SCHOOL.

THEY WILL GET A LETTER FROM THEIR HOMEROOM TEACHER TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE, AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO NOW.

EXCEPT THEY'LL HAVE THAT ADDED PIECE WHERE THEY HAVE A ROTATION TO A SECOND TEACHER.

AND AND IF THIS IS COMES LATER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU CAN SAVE IT.

BUT FOR PARENTS RIGHT NOW, I MEAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENTS ARE WE RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH PARENTSQUARE FROM OUR ONE TEACHER.

[01:55:04]

SO NOW IF OUR KIDS ARE HAVING MULTIPLE TEACHERS, IS OUR MAIN POINT OF CONTACT STILL THAT HOMEROOM TEACHER OR ALL OF THE TEACHERS THAT OUR KIDS HAVE? SO IF WE HAVE THE THREE TEACHER MODEL OR THE TWO TEACHER MODEL, BOTH TEACHERS WILL BE CONNECTED TO OUR PARENTSQUARE ACCOUNTS AND BE GIVING US UPDATES AND SENDING US INFORMATION THAT WAY, AND WE CAN COMMUNICATE AS A PARENT. WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT WAY.

YEAH. SO IT WILL STORE IT WILL STAY SIMILAR TO THE WAY IT IS NOW.

SO IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL EMAIL THAT YOU NEED TO SEND A TEACHER SPECIFIC TO YOUR CHILD, IT GOES THROUGH THEIR GMAIL ACCOUNT.

SO THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE HOMEROOM TEACHER.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION SPECIFIC TO THE CONTENT AREA, THEN PARENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH TEACHERS AND CAN EMAIL THAT TEACHER.

WE FORESEE AND AGAIN, WE'RE STILL PLANNING WITH OUR FIFTH GRADE TEAMS IN THE UPCOMING MONTH, BUT WE FORESEE TEACHERS DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR WHERE THEY'RE SENDING NEWSLETTERS THAT ARE GRADE LEVEL NEWSLETTERS THAT TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL CURRICULUM AND THE UNITS OF STUDY THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. BECAUSE OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT WHILE THE INSTRUCTION IS INDIVIDUALIZED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERY DIFFERENT GROUP, THEY GENERALLY STAY WITHIN THE SAME UNITS. SO THOSE SORTS OF THINGS WILL GO THROUGH PARENTSQUARE FROM BOTH TEACHERS AND THE REPORT CARD SIMILAR. SO MATH TEACHER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MATH ELA AND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER ON THE BEHAVIORS THAT AFFECT LEARNING.

THAT PIECE OF THE REPORT CARD. AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT A WAY WHERE CONFERENCES FOR FIFTH GRADE LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WHEN WE WERE VISITING IS THAT SOME SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOLS THAT STARTED THIS YEAR, THEY PLAN CONFERENCES THE WAY WE TRADITIONALLY DO, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE HOMEROOM TEACHER.

AND AS THE TEACHERS GOT TO KNOW THE KIDS AND STARTED TO WORK WITH BOTH GROUPS, THEY REALLY FELT A NEED TO WANT TO HAVE BOTH TEACHERS SITTING AT THE TABLE WHEN THEY MEET WITH THE PARENTS. SO IT'S FIGURING OUT A SCHEDULE THAT ACCOMMODATES THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SORT OF COMMITTED TO AS WELL.

FROM A FROM A DISTANCE, THE IMPRESSION I'VE ALWAYS GOT IS THAT THE SCHEDULE IN SCHOOLS AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE IN THE SORT OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THAT THE SCHEDULE IS LIKE A FINELY CALIBRATED THING AND EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.

THE SHIFT TO KIDS, YOU KNOW, TRAVELING FROM ONE BIT OF THE BUILDING TO ANOTHER BIT OF THE BUILDING AND PRESUMABLY TAKING STUFF WITH THEM AND FORGETTING THINGS AND SETTLING DOWN AND ALL THAT. IS THAT GOING TO PUT PRESSURE ON, ON THE SCHEDULE? IS IT GOING TO SORT OF MAKE THINGS EVEN TIGHTER? SO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE CONSULTED WITH, A LOT OF THEM SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY TEACHING INTO THE ROUTINES IN THE BEGINNING, WHICH IS A CHANGE FOR FIFTH GRADE, BECAUSE THEY GET THE OLDEST KIDS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THESE ROUTINES BEFORE, SO THEY CAN NATURALLY START TEACHING THE CURRICULUM RIGHT IN THE FIRST WEEK, BECAUSE THE KIDS KNOW HOW TO, YOU KNOW, BOOK SHOP, AND THEY KNOW HOW TO GO FROM THE RUG TO THEIR DESKS AND HOW TO BRING THEIR MATERIALS AND HOW TO GET THEIR CHROMEBOOK.

I THINK A LOT OF THE ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WE SPOKE TO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN THE BEGINNING, WORKING THROUGH THE ROUTINES. THEY GAVE SUGGESTIONS ON POSSIBLY NOT HAVING THE KIDS MOVE FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AND HAVING THE TEACHER MOVE SO THEY CAN REALLY TEACH THOSE ROUTINES, AND THEN GETTING THE KIDS TO START TO TRANSITION TO THE NEW CLASSROOM.

SO I THINK IT'S IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

I THINK TEACHERS ARE JUST GOING TO SPEND TIME ON DIFFERENT ROUTINES THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD TO ADDRESS IN THE PAST.

AND THE HOPE IS THAT DOING THAT AT THE BEGINNING IS JUST GOING TO MAKE THEM EVEN MORE INDEPENDENT.

SO SCHOOLS THAT WE VISITED, KIDS STARTED TO WALK TO THEIR SPECIAL BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE TEACHER, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THOSE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND STUDENTS MAKING GOOD CHOICES EVEN WHEN AN ADULT IS NOT WATCHING YOU.

AND IT'S A BIG PART OF FIFTH GRADE. SO HAVING KIDS LEAD INTO THAT INDEPENDENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, WITH SO MUCH SCAFFOLDING ALONG THE WAY, I THINK IS GOING TO, IN THE BEGINNING, MAYBE TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME, BUT IT'S GOING TO THE MOMENTUM IS GOING TO TAKE THEM THROUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, IN THE END, A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

TEACHERS ALSO HAVE SHARED THAT THEY FELT LIKE EVEN THOUGH KIDS ARE CHANGING.

SO LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, YOU FEEL LIKE, NO, THE KIDS HAVE TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM NOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GET TO THAT NEXT CLASS. AND IS THAT GOING TO FEEL PRESSURE FOR THEM? THEY ACTUALLY FELT LIKE BECAUSE KIDS WERE CHANGING CLASSES AND BECAUSE THEY WERE SPECIALIZED IN A CONTENT AREA, THEY FELT LIKE THEY REALLY WENT IN DEPTH WITH THE CURRICULUM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SO MUCH MORE, EVEN THOUGH THE ACTUAL ALLOTTED TIME WAS THE SAME.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST MORE TIME ON TASK IN A SPECIALIZED WAY THAT SORT OF MADE THEM FEEL THAT WAY.

SO I THINK IN THE BEGINNING, YOU'RE RIGHT. ROUTINES, ROUTINES, ROUTINES, ROUTINES.

BUT THEN IN THE END, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BENEFIT.

GREAT. DOCTOR CARR, CAN YOU ALSO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT? I KNOW WE DIDN'T LENGTHEN THE SCHOOL DAY, BUT WE'RE GETTING MORE TIME IN SCIENCE.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IS HELPING TO KIND OF NAVIGATE THAT,

[02:00:07]

LET'S SAY IT'S 90 MINUTES. BUT IF THE SCIENCE LESSON IS GOING TO TAKE 45 MINUTES, THAT'S OKAY.

THEY STILL HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO SPEND 45 MINUTES IN MATH, 45 MINUTES IN SCIENCE, INSTEAD OF FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE TO DO A FULL 60 MINUTES EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MATH AND SCIENCE IS EVERY OTHER DAY, IT REALLY GIVES THEM THAT FLEX TIME.

AND SORT OF WHERE WE PICK THE TIME UP IS THE SOCIAL STUDIES PIECE.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE LEARNING AND WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO LEARN ABOUT IS SOCIAL STUDIES IS REALLY BEST TAUGHT IN THE CONTENT AREAS.

THAT'S HOW KIDS RETAIN THE INFORMATION. AND A LOT OF OUR UNITS OF STUDY IN READING AND WRITING ARE HEAVY IN SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT.

SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE IT FEELS LIKE WE PICKED UP EXTRA TIME.

WE REALLY DIDN'T. WE REALLY JUST LABELED THE SCHEDULE THE WAY IT SORT OF IS HAPPENING NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONTENT LITERACY, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ENGAGING STUDENTS IN A LOT OF BOOKS AND EMERGING THEM IN VIDEOS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT SUPPORT THE CONTENT.

IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. IT'S JUST SORT OF LOOKS DIFFERENTLY IN THE BLOCK SCHEDULING, BUT IT DOES DEFINITELY GIVE TEACHERS THAT FLEXIBILITY.

OKAY, SO NOW MISS GARCIA IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS.

SO IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN OUR PLAN THESE ARE OUR NEXT STEPS.

SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO PLAN COLLABORATIVELY, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ALIGNMENT ACROSS SCHOOLS.

SOME ARE PLANNING IS OBVIOUSLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THIS WORK.

WE DO WANT TO HOST A FOURTH GRADE. SO THE FOURTH GRADE PARENTS THAT ARE FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING INTO FIFTH GRADE IN SEPTEMBER AND INFORMATION SESSION IN JUNE, AND ALSO THOSE STUDENTS GETTING THEM TOGETHER FOR A TOWN HALL AT EACH SCHOOL TO ALSO EXPLAIN WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR THEIR FIFTH GRADE YEAR.

AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE TO SOLIDIFY THIS PLAN, TO ROLL IT OUT IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THAT'S IT GUYS. ANY QUESTIONS? YES. SO. SO I'M ACTUALLY ONE OF THE COMMITTEES THAT I SIT ON IS PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. SO THESE THIS DYNAMIC TEAM HERE AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME WE HAVE 2 OR 3 MEMBERS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE. CAME AND PRESENTED AT OUR LAST MEETING.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME I'M HEARING SOME OF THIS. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE, NOT A HUGE CHANGE. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT WHO SORT OF REMEMBER THIS. I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME PARENTS WHO REMEMBER THIS HAPPENING, ALTHOUGH NOT HAVING STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCED IT.

BUT WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS IS THE THE FLEXIBILITY, I MEAN, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BECOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO AS A TEACHER.

I AM NOT A TEACHER, I'M A PARENT. BUT I HAVE OBSERVED THIS AND TALKED TO MANY TEACHERS.

IS THAT DIFFERENTIATION, THE ABILITY TO DIFFERENTIATE THE CURRICULUM AND TEACH TO THE STUDENTS? AND WHEN YOU HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND LARGER BLOCKS OF TIME, THE ABILITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY DIFFERENTIATE IN THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO, IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED IMMENSELY IN A POSITIVE WAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING FOR OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING THINGS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND AT DIFFERENT PACES, AND, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TEACHERS TEACH TO WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT MOMENT IS GOING TO CHANGE THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

THE OTHER THING IS, I'M REALLY EXCITED WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS. IS THE BUILDING OF THAT INDEPENDENCE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT YOU HEAR WHEN KIDS ARE THINKING ABOUT AND THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR THEY START TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS WHEN I GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, HOW AM I GOING TO KNOW HOW TO GET TO MY CLASSES? WHAT AM WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? HOW DO I WALK FROM MY LOCKER TO, YOU KNOW, AND THIS THIS IS THEY'RE GOING TO GET A WHOLE YEAR OF LEARNING HOW TO BUILD THOSE SKILLS IN THEIR IN THIS ENVIRONMENT OF THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT THEY FEEL SO COMFORTABLE IN.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO TAKE THOSE RISKS.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, BE SCAFFOLDED TO WHEN THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AND BUILD THAT INDEPENDENCE THAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE.

AND I THINK, LIKE, THEY CAN START THEIR SIXTH GRADE YEAR OUT FEELING THAT MUCH MORE PREPARED, WHICH IS IT'S GOING TO CHANGE, I THINK, THE WAY THAT THEY THINK OF KINDERGARTEN BEING THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS FOR LEARNING.

AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SIXTH GRADE IS THAT FOUNDATIONAL SKILL.

THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'RE TEACHING THEM HOW TO FLY AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, HOW TO LIKE THIS IS THAT FIRST YEAR,

[02:05:02]

SO YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT DIDN'T HAVE THIS MODEL AND THEIR CHILD'S MINDSET ABOUT LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, I'M GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AM I GOING TO FIND MY CLASS? AM I GOING TO BE ON TIME? AM I GOING TO GET LOST? WHAT IF I FORGET SOMETHING? WHAT DO I PUT MY LOCKER? CAN I CARRY A BACKPACK? ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THEY FOUND THAT WHEN THEIR OTHER KIDS WENT THROUGH THIS MODEL, JUST FELT THAT IT SHIFTED THEIR MINDSET.

THEY WEREN'T AS NERVOUS. THEY WEREN'T AS FEARFUL.

THEY FELT A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT, A LITTLE MORE EXCITED ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THE NERVES SORT OF WEREN'T AS GREAT AS THEY WERE WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, SO I AGREE.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I EARLIER THIS FALL, BACK IN THE FALL, I MET WITH MY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL THAT I MEET WITH, AND I TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE ELEMENTARY AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, I WISH WE HAD THAT WHEN WE WERE THERE, BECAUSE I WAS ASKING THEM WHAT THEY WHAT WAS THE TRANSITION LIKE AND WHAT THEY LIKED. WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS THAT TEACHERS SPECIALIZED AND THAT THE THEY COULD GO DEEPER INTO THE SUBJECT. IT WAS MORE INTERESTING, MORE CHALLENGING, MORE EXCITING, BECAUSE THE TEACHERS JUST KNEW THE SUBJECT BETTER.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO TO START THAT SPARK.

ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS WE SPOKE TO THAT'S IN YEAR ONE.

SO THIS SCHOOL JUST STARTED THIS YEAR, SAID I'VE JUST SEEN THE CURRICULUM IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING, IT WAS PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO I'D JUST SEEN THE CURRICULUM COME TO LIFE IN SUCH WAYS THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.

AND SO EVEN IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THEY'RE SEEING A DIFFERENCE.

AND THEY SAID THEIR TEACHERS ALWAYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT THEY REALLY GOT TO SEE THE DEPTH OF HOW THEY WENT INTO THE CURRICULUM AND DIFFERENT AND INNOVATIVE WAYS. THEY BROUGHT IT TO THE TO THE CLASSROOM, AND THEY STARTED EVEN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO HAVE YOU HAVE YOU ALREADY DETERMINED WHICH TEACHERS WOULD SPECIALIZE IN WHICH, IN MY MIND.

NO. I THINK TEACHERS, IT'S SO FUNNY BECAUSE, I MEAN, I'LL SPEAK FOR PROSPECT HILL.

YOU HAVE THE TEACHERS, NATURALLY. NO. THEY'RE LIKE, OH, SHE HAS TO BE MATH AND SCIENCE BECAUSE THAT'S HER THING I WANT TO DO.

LA AND I HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE SAYING, I'LL DO EVERYTHING THIS YEAR BECAUSE I WANT TO LEARN FROM BOTH OF YOU.

AND THEN LET'S REVISIT NEXT YEAR TO SEE IF WE WANT TO ROTATE THAT TEACHER TEACHING EVERYTHING ROLE.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IN MY BUILDING IT'S SORT OF NATURALLY HAPPENS.

AND IT WAS EXACTLY WHO I WOULD SAY SHOULD BE TEACHING THOSE CONTENT AREAS.

YEAH I SEE. GREAT. I DO HAVE I DO HAVE ONE, ONE EXTENSION QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD HAS THEIR BECAUSE IT'S A VERY CONTENT SPECIFIC QUESTION.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR BEFORE I GO THERE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. I MEAN, I COULD TALK ABOUT HOW EXCITING THIS IS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GOING TO GO TO MY OTHER QUESTION. AND I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TAP DOCTOR CALLAHAN WHO'S THANK YOU FOR STAYING ON TONIGHT.

HOW LATE DO YOU WANT TO BE HERE? I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S TRUE.

JUST KIDDING. SO I MEAN, SO THIS MODEL DOES PROVIDE US EXTRA TIME IN SCIENCE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH SOME I THINK WAS MENTIONED EARLIER TONIGHT.

THERE'S FIRST CHANGES IN 30 YEARS IN THE SCIENCE CURRICULUM.

I KNOW THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THIS. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS HELPING TO LAY A FOUNDATION TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT'S NOW GOING TO SPIRAL UP INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THEN I KNOW WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF A NEW BIOLOGY LIVING LIVING ENVIRONMENT EXAM COMING UP VERY SOON.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS IMPACTING AND EVEN AND I'M GOING TO GO A STEP BEYOND THE ELEMENTARY.

WHAT ARE YOU FORECASTING FOR THE UPCOMING EXAM AND OUR TRANSITION? I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL FOR THE TEN YEARS YOU'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT A TRANSITION PLAN.

SO IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, I APPRECIATE IT. SO I THINK AND THERE WAS A HISTORY OF DEPARTMENTALIZATION FROM A TRAINING PERSPECTIVE, IT'S CERTAINLY A LOT EASIER TO TRAIN YOUR TEACHERS IN SCIENCE WHEN THAT'S THEIR FOCUS.

SO EVEN LAB PREP AND SETUP. SO THE STATES NOW GIVING US THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL FOR MANDATED EXAMS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE. AND IN ORDER TO SIT FOR THE FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE TEST, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL FOUR OF THOSE LAB EXPERIENCES DONE.

THAT HAS REQUIRED A LOT OF TRAINING OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO.

SO IT ENABLES US ON THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SIDE TO TARGET THOSE TEACHERS A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR ENHANCED TRAINING.

AND THEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE CURRICULAR CHANGES THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING, WHERE THEY GET TO KNOW THEIR CONTENT AREA A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND SO I THINK AS AS THAT HAPPENS, YOU DO REALLY GET PEOPLE THAT BECOME CONTENT EXPERTS AND REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE TEACHING.

AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO TO THAT.

ON THE CONTENT AND TRAINING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SIDE.

THE OTHER THING IS I SEE THE WHOLE SYSTEM AS A K-12 PERSON.

[02:10:01]

IT'S ACTUALLY I SPEND EVERY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THE ELEMENTARY KIDS RECOGNIZE ME AND I HELP THEM GET TO THEIR CLASSES FROM THE GYM DOWNSTAIRS.

AND JUST READING THAT SCHEDULE AND LOOKING AT A NINE PERIOD DAY AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GO TO A NINE PERIOD DAY WHEN YOU'RE USED TO JUST GOING TO SPECIALS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THEN THAT KIND OF DYSREGULATION THAT YOU SEE ON THAT FIRST DAY AND THEY ADJUST.

BUT I THINK THESE KIND OF ROUTINES, WHEN ESTABLISHED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, GIVES US THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT ANXIETY AND PUT PROTOCOLS IN PLACE THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO ADJUST TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A BIG TRANSITION. JUST ANYWAYS SO WHENEVER WE CAN DO THAT, I THINK IT HAS SOME, SOME BENEFITS ON THE CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION SIDE, IT HELPS US WITH THE K 12 SCIENCE SPIRAL, FROM THAT TRAINING PERSPECTIVE AND THAT ENGAGING OUR TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.

IS THAT SHORT? IS THAT GOOD? I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING SINCE YOU'RE UP? I KNOW, I KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINES FOR NEW EXAMS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS AND AND FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES.

CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO KIND OF WHAT OUR TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE? SURE. NEW EXAM AND JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE MIGHT EXPECT.

I KNOW THIS IS A SECONDARY ISSUE. SO IT'S ACTUALLY IT'S K-12.

SO OKAY. I WAS GONNA INVITE YOUR COLLEAGUES TO SIT DOWN IF THEY WANTED.

YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SECONDARY LEVEL. AND THEN YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE TEST, WE HEARD ABOUT AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, BECAUSE SCIENCE LABS WERE NEW THERE, TOO.

SO WE STARTED THIS PROCESS TEN YEARS AGO. THE STATE GAVE US AN IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.

WE FOLLOWED THAT TIMELINE, AND WE'VE HAD A PROCESS IN PLACE TO RESEARCH WHAT THE STATE WAS REQUIRING OF US, AND ALSO TO COME UP WITH OUR OWN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

SO WE HAD A TEN YEAR PLAN THAT STARTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.

AND WE STARTED IN KINDERGARTEN, ROLLED OUT OUR PLAN ONE YEAR AT A TIME, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PANDEMIC, WHICH DELAYED US A LITTLE BIT FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

SO WE DID THAT ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, AND WE WORKED THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO FROM THE ELEMENTARY TO THE SECONDARY LEVEL.

SO THE ENTIRE CURRICULUM WILL BE TOTALLY SPIRALED.

THAT PROCESS INVOLVED THE TEACHERS AS PART OF OUR EARLY KIND OF RESEARCH GROUP.

THEN WE FORMED A SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH INVOLVED SCIENTISTS, COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FORMER BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS.

WE REVIEWED SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE NEEDED, NEEDED TO MAKE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN WE BROUGHT A LOT OF THOSE. AND I'LL ASK THE MEMBERS OF THE PGA COMMITTEE HERE TONIGHT TO EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE YOU'RE USED TO ME TALKING. I THINK I'VE DONE THREE PRESENTATIONS THIS YEAR TO THE PGA COMMITTEE AS WELL, SO THAT THEY WOULD BE WELL INFORMED OF OUR PROCESSES TOO.

THERE IS SOME MISINFORMATION OUT THERE THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.

SO WE OFTEN GET COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW IS OUR SCIENCE TEAM COMPARES US TO THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE NATION, NOT TO THE BEST SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA. SO WE LOOK FOR THE BEST PRACTICES SO THAT WE CAN LEAD IN THE AREA OF SCIENCE, NOT FOLLOW. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. BEST PRACTICES IN THE NATION.

AND WE HAVE LOTS OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS, BOTH AT THE AP LEVEL AND AT THE SCIENCE RESEARCH LEVEL.

OUR FOCUS IS ON INQUIRY, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, AND PROBLEM SOLVING.

SO OUR TEAM THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS.

SO WHAT THE STATE ASKED US TO DO IS IN THEIR TIMELINE BY 2024, TO BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED WITH THE NEW SCIENCE STANDARDS, WE WERE TOTALLY COMPLIANT WITH THAT AND REALLY AHEAD OF THAT.

SO FOR THE 2024 2025 SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH IS THIS YEAR, WE HAD ADOPTED ALL OF THE NEXT GEN STANDARDS WE WERE EXPECTED TO ADOPT.

THE COMMISSIONER'S GUIDANCE SAID THAT YOU ARE TO OFFER THE REGENTS EXAM THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INSTRUCTION THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING.

SO FOR US, WE'RE PROVIDING NEXT GEN INSTRUCTION.

SO WE ARE OBLIGED TO GIVE THE NEXT GEN EXAM TO BE CONSISTENT WITH COMMISSIONER'S REGULATIONS.

THERE ARE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE CHOOSING TO GIVE THE OLD EXAM, AND WE'RE BEING COMPARED TO THOSE DISTRICTS AT IN SOME INSTANCES, THE OLD EXAM, THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT EXAM WAS INTENDED TO BE A ONE YEAR LAYOVER EXAM FOR KIDS THAT ARE OUT OF COHORT, MEANING THEY TOOK THE EXAM, MIGHT HAVE FAILED IT, AND THEY HAVE TO RETAKE IT AND THEY HAVE TO RETAKE THE EXAM BASED ON THE CLASS THEY HAD IN THE PAST, WHICH WAS LIVING ENVIRONMENT. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED AS A WAY TO USE OUR 30 YEAR OLD CURRICULUM ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR SO THAT KIDS COULD PRACTICE FOR A NEW TEST BEFORE THEY GOT IT, BEFORE FOR THE OLD TEST, BEFORE THEY GOT IT, SO THAT THEY WOULD BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THAT OLD TEST.

[02:15:01]

WE'VE CHOSEN NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE TYPE OF INSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING HERE.

SO AND WE'VE TALKED TO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.

WE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS. OUR TEAM HAS BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS, AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT USING A BANK OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS FROM 30 YEARS TRAINING OUR KIDS WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE.

SO WHEN THEY GET THE SAME QUESTIONS AGAIN, THEY CAN USE THE SAME RESPONSE IS NOT REAL LEARNING.

SO WE HAVE CHOSEN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CAUSING ANXIETY FOR ME AND MY TEACHERS AND FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS, WE'RE CHOOSING TO GIVE THE EXAM THAT IS TESTING THE NEXT GENERATION STANDARDS THAT WE ARE TEACHING TO.

WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS. WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT LEADING LOOKS LIKE.

AND I'M SUPER PROUD OF OUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.

GREAT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TOM? OKAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, RIGHT? YES, BUT THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP, TOO.

THANKS A LOT. AND I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, AND I, I'VE GOT TO GO TO A SADDER THING.

I KNOW, I KNOW THE BOARD WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME OF LAST WEEK'S VOTE.

WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT MUCH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR MYSELF AND I KNOW THE BOARD THAT WE REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE TEACHERS WITH THAT UPDATED INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE.

SO I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE TEACHERS THAT WE FEEL VERY SUPPORTED BY THE BOARD AND HOPE THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE FACILITIES ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH ON THE SCIENCE SIDE, BUT WE DEFINITELY FEEL SUPPORTED BY THE BOARD.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS THAT DO GREAT THINGS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. SO SO THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE TO REVISIT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.

YEAH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS, EVERYONE.

THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO I JUST WANT TO SAY OH GO AHEAD. QUICK QUESTION FOR DOCTOR CARR OR OR THE TEAM.

WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS COMING OUT OF THE CHANGE TO DEPARTMENTALIZATION.

I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED WITH THE TRANSITION.

OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES TO MOVING TO THIS FROM WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE IN YOU GUYS MINDS? LIKE, IS IT SORT OF A NO BRAINER OTHER THAN YOU HAVE TRANSITION WORK TO GET TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

TO THE MICROPHONE. MRS. GILBERT CAN'T HELP IT. HELLO? HI. IS IT ON? NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, WHO MAYBE AREN'T QUITE READY, BUT THEY'RE NOT QUITE READY WHEN THEY GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL EITHER. RIGHT. AND SO I THINK I FORGET WHO SAID IT IN THAT COMFORT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM ADJUST.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING AT LEAST AT SIWANOY WALKING ACROSS THE HALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE GOING DOWN THE HALL OR UP THE STAIRS OR DOWN THE STAIRS.

TO ME, THAT'S THE ONLY DOWNSIDE. I KNOW WHEN I FIRST CAME TO SIWANOY, THERE WAS DEPARTMENTALIZATION.

THE KIDS LOVED IT, THE TEACHERS LOVED IT. AND I THINK NOW WITH THE HEAVIER EMPHASIS ON CURRICULUM, I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE TIMING IS PERFECT.

AND THE TEACHERS ARE EXCITED. AND THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN HAVE TEACHERS EXCITED.

IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, REINVIGORATING THEM. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

GREAT. GREAT. THANKS. GO TO THE MIC. SO I KNOW IT'S GETTING LATE, SO I JUST I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR. THE RESEARCH, THE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER SCHOOLS. AND JUST TO SEE YOU GUYS WORK AS A TEAM, TO HAVE A VISION FOR SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE WHAT'S ALREADY GREAT EVEN BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

IT WAS JUST A PLEASURE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

I IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE BOARD IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIRECTION.

SO WE'RE GOING EXCITED TO GET THIS ROLLED OUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO TO SEEING THIS GO INTO PLACE NEXT YEAR.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT, PLEASE GO GET SOME SLEEP WITH WHATEVER'S LEFT OF THE NIGHT.

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH. OKAY, I HAVE ONE. DO YOU WANT TO TALK? LAST ITEM. VERY QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO INTO THE BUSINESS AGENDA.

OKAY. I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PASS. THESE ARE THESE ARE THESE IN THE FOLDER? YEAH, THERE'S THE CALENDAR. SO VERY QUICKLY, I, WE WERE JUST CATCHING UP WITH SEVERAL THINGS FOLLOWING THE VOTE.

[02:20:04]

SO I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT. BUT I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO VOTE ON IT NEXT TIME.

AND THIS IS OUR CALENDAR, THE UPDATED CALENDAR.

YOU REMEMBER WE APPROVED A COUPLE MONTHS BACK, BUT TOOK THE PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES PLC DAYS OFF SO WE COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. SO WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU IS I'LL DESCRIBE THE DRAFT OF WHAT WE GOT HERE FOR THIS, THIS COMING YEAR. WHAT I DID REALLY WAS I LOOKED AT THE FEEDBACK THAT CAME IN THE SURVEYS.

WE TALKED WITH TEACHERS, WE TALKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM. AND THIS IS A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE RECOGNIZING THAT THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIME IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH EFFORTS LIKE WE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'LL BE TACKLING IN THE COMING YEAR. WE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN TIME, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE OF PLACES ON FAMILIES.

WE ALSO, AS WE WERE TALKING, GETTING FEEDBACK BOTH IN THE SURVEYS AND IN TALKING WITH TEACHERS, WE DID HEAR A CONTINUAL THEME FROM NOT FROM EVERYBODY, BUT FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT THE MORNING LATE STARTS WERE ACTUALLY EASIER TO MANAGE FROM A PARENT PERSPECTIVE AND MORE FOCUSED FOR TEACHERS.

SO INSTEAD OF TAKING A FULL PLUNGE BACK TO THAT DIRECTION, WHAT WE DECIDED WAS KIND OF SPLIT THE BABY ON THIS ONE AND STILL MAINTAIN ABOUT FIVE DAYS OF THAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIME. BUT TO GO BACK TO WHERE ONLY THREE OF THOSE ARE THE EARLY RELEASES AND TWO OF THOSE ARE LATE START DATES.

IT'S STILL THE SAME TIME. IT'S JUST SLICED UP A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

SO WHAT WE'VE GOT IN HERE IS SOME OF WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, SOME OF THE CONTRACTUAL THINGS.

SO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS K SIX BY CONTRACT IS A HALF DAY.

SO THAT WOULD REMAIN A HALF DAY. AND THEN THE TRIANGLES ON HERE IN RED ARE THE EARLY RELEASE DAYS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT AN EARLY RELEASE ON OCTOBER 29TH, JANUARY 14TH AND MARCH 4TH.

AND AGAIN, WE DO THOSE ON WEDNESDAYS BECAUSE WE CAN ALSO PAIR THEM WITH THE CONTRACTUAL ABILITY TO KEEP TEACHERS UNTIL 430 ON THAT DAY.

SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO HAVE A GOOD, SOLID THREE, THREE, 3.5 HOURS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.

BUT WHAT WE DID INSTEAD OF HAVING MORE OF THOSE IS WE PUT IN TWO LATE START DATES.

ONE, I KNOW THIS IS A QUICK WIN FOR ME. I'LL BE HONEST, YOU ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT SINCE LOOK, SMILING THE MONDAY AFTER THE SUPER BOWL WILL BE A LATE START.

WE'RE PROPOSING THAT AS A LATE START. WE USED TO HAVE THAT.

YES, AND IT WAS UNIVERSALLY LOVED. BUT THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD GIVE US TWO HOURS OF REALLY PRODUCTIVE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TIME.

AND WE WOULD BE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT IT IS USED WELL.

THE OTHER ONE WE'RE PROPOSING IS ACTUALLY APRIL 6TH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE MONDAY AFTER SPRING BREAK.

SO AGAIN, KIND OF THAT'S A DAY SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE USED TO HAVING THAT DAY OFF.

WE'VE CHANGED WHERE THAT DAY OFF IS, BUT THOUGHT MAYBE THIS WOULD BE A WAY TO, TO PUT THAT IN A PLACE THAT MIGHT BE, MIGHT WORK FOR FAMILIES AS WELL AS STAFF AND STILL GIVE US THAT EXTRA TIME.

SO THAT WOULD BE APRIL 6TH, A LATE START, JUST A TWO HOUR DELAY.

AND FEBRUARY 9TH, AS I SAID BEFORE, WOULD BE THE TWO HOUR DELAYS.

EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE CALENDAR WE'RE KEEPING GENERALLY THE SAME. SO WE'VE GOT THE SPLIT PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES IN THE FALL.

THAT WAS CORRECTED FROM THE EARLIER DRAFT TO MATCH THIS YEAR.

SO THERE WILL NOT BE A HALF DAY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IN NOVEMBER.

IT'LL JUST BE EVENING OR AFTERNOON AFTER SCHOOL AND EVENING, NOVEMBER 6TH, FOLLOWED BY THE FULL DAY, NOVEMBER 7TH. FOR ELEMENTARY FAMILIES, SECONDARY WILL HAVE A HALF DAY.

WE NEED THE LARGER NUMBER OF TIME SLOTS, SO THAT WILL BE A HALF DAY ON DECEMBER 4TH, FOLLOWED BY THE FULL DAY ON THE FIFTH AND THEN THE FALL CONFERENCES.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY THOSE THE SAME WAY AS WELL. HALF DAY FOR EVERYONE ON THE 19TH, AND THEN A FULL DAY OF CONFERENCES AND SUPERINTENDENTS, CONFERENCE DAY, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THE FACULTY ON THE 20TH, MAINTAINING THE COMPENSATORY DAYS IN MAY.

THAT'S CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION. AND THEN ALSO, WE HAVEN'T LIVED THROUGH IT YET, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK THIS YEAR.

YOU REMEMBER WE ADDED IN THE IN ORDER TO SHORTEN THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHEN POSSIBLE.

IF WE DIDN'T USE THE SNOW DAYS, WE'RE ADDING GIVE BACK DAYS IN THE END OF JUNE.

SO I'M ALSO INCLUDING THOSE AGAIN FOR FUTURE.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS GETS AT SOME OF THE REDUCTION OF EARLY RELEASES, TRYING TO END THE SCHOOL YEAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. TRY TO ADDRESS AS MANY OF THE CONCERNS AS POSSIBLE, YET STILL PRESERVING THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT THAT WE NEED.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? SO AGAIN, NOT VOTING TONIGHT.

ON MARCH. SO JUST SO I CAN UNDERSTAND MARCH 19TH AND 20, THE 19 IS HALF A DAY FOR EVERYONE.

THE 19TH MARCH 19 IS HALF A DAY FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.

[02:25:01]

NOT FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES, BUT. FOR THE ELEMENTARY.

WE DO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IN THE MORNING.

YES. SO SECONDARY WILL BE IN PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES THAT DAY AS WELL.

YES. ONLY FOR THE K, ONLY FOR K THROUGH FIVE AND ONLY IN THE MORNING.

YEAH. ON THE 20TH. YEAH. WE'RE GETTING PRETTY COMPLICATED WITH OUR CALENDAR.

AND THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO REALLY CAPTURE IT ALL.

YEAH. BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE INTENT. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS AND CHANGING IT FOR THE MORNING? BECAUSE IF WE HAVE 10.5 HOURS, SO LIKE THREE DAYS AT 3.5 HOURS IS 10.5 HOURS, PLUS THE FOUR HOURS FOR THE TWO DAYS AT TWO HOURS IN THE MORNING RELEASE. OKAY. CAN YOU START OVER FOR ME? SO I KNOW, I KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY. I'M NOT ASKING, IS IT THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS? YES. 14.5 HOURS IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS. IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL IS, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS WHEN WE HAD THOSE AS AS EARLY RELEASES, IT WAS BASICALLY A TWO HOUR EARLY RELEASE THAT WE WOULD THEN TIE INTO THE AFTER SCHOOL FACULTY MEETING CONTRACTUAL FACULTY MEETING TIME.

SO THAT TIME IS STILL THERE, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE EARLY RELEASE PAIRED WITH IT.

OUR THOUGHT WAS PUT IT ALL TOGETHER SO WE COULD GET A BIG CHUNK.

WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SPLITS IT BACK APART. BUT THE TIME IS STILL THE TIME AND.

WHAT SURVEY OR WHY? THE MORNING AGAIN. CAN YOU JUST GO OVER THAT? LIKE WHO'S SAYING THE MORNING? THIS MODEL STARTED WAY BACK BEFORE I WAS HERE.

IT WAS. IT WAS A MODEL THAT WAS ALL LATE STARTS.

A LOT OF DISTRICTS WERE DOING EITHER LATE STARTS OR EARLY RELEASES, DEPENDED ON ON THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE APPROACH.

AND THAT WE DID THAT FOR, I THINK, MY FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS.

BUT WHAT, WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WAS TRY TO MAKE MORE USE OF THAT WEDNESDAY EXTENDED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

AND THE THOUGHT WAS, IF WE CAN DO THAT, USE THOSE TWO HOURS ON WEDNESDAYS INSTEAD, YOU COULD GET A BIGGER CHUNK OF CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIME.

THAT'S WHY WE CHANGE. THE MORNINGS WERE, I THINK, WHAT THE POSITIVES OF THE MORNING WAS.

IN A LOT OF CASES, IT WAS EASIER FOR PARENTS TO JUST GO IN TO WORK LATE, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO GET OUT EARLY TO GET HOME AND GET THEIR CHILD.

FOR TEACHERS, THEY COULD WALK IN. THEY WERE KIND OF FRESH. THEY HADN'T BEEN TEACHING ALL DAY. SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HARDER JUST FROM A CONCENTRATION LEVEL IN THE AFTERNOONS.

BUT THE ALSO THE OTHER THING TOO IS WHEN WE'RE GOING TO MEET AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND OUR RETREAT IS GOING TO BE JUNE 30TH AND JULY 1ST.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT CLAIRE'S GOT A YEAR UNDER HER BELT, SHE'S GOT A VISION FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE YEAR WHERE WE WANT TO LITERALLY SIT AND MAP OUT EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AT EACH ONE OF THOSE TIMES? SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SPLITTING UP THAT DEDICATED CHUNK OF TIME, WE'RE STILL WE STILL HAVE THE TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO ASSIGN IMPORTANT WORK TO THAT TIME.

SO BUT THIS IS ALSO WHY WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST GO FULLY BACK TO THE MORNINGS, BECAUSE IT DOES SPLIT SPLIT THAT TIME.

SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF DIP OUR TOE BACK IN THE IN THE WATER ON THAT, CHANGE IT, SEE HOW IT WORKS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, SEE HOW IT WORKS FOR FAMILIES, SURVEY AGAIN AFTER THE YEAR AND THEN DECIDE IS, IS THAT THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR US TO GO COMPLETELY? IS THIS HALF AND HALF. YOU KNOW BETTER APPROACH.

SO. CAN I MAKE A PITCH FOR IN FUTURE YEARS, WHEN NOVEMBER 1ST IS A CLASS DAY THAT WE HAVE A LATE START AFTER HALLOWEEN? MOST DEFINITELY YES.

IF HALLOWEEN WAS NOT ON A FRIDAY, WE WOULD. WE WOULD BE HAVING ONE OF THOSE THAT ONE YEAR.

DID WE? A COUPLE YEARS WE DID. OKAY. YEAH. DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN AND DAY AFTER THE AFTER THE SUPER BOWL ARE THE IDEAL EARLY LATE ARRIVAL DAYS.

YEAH. I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I KNOW THE CALENDAR HAS BEEN IMPORTANT, AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT.

SO THANK YOU FOR REALLY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE.

IT'S APPRECIATED. THANKS. YEAH. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NOPE. OKAY. YES. DO WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC?

[4. Communications and Comments from the Public]

ELIZABETH ALDERMAN, 659 ELY AVENUE. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK STRAIGHT UP FOR THE BOARD, PLEASE NOT TO APPROVE THIS CALENDAR.

THE ONLY CHANGE IS THAT TWO HALF DAYS MOVED TO THE MORNING.

I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO DOES NOT WORK ON A MONDAY MORNING.

FRIDAY WOULD BE DIFFERENT. EVEN IF IT'S AFTER THE SUPER BOWL.

EVEN IF IT'S AFTER EASTER BREAK. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY HARD.

I THINK WHAT I'M TAKING AWAY IS A POSITIVE FROM THIS IS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO TAG THEM ON TO THE WEDNESDAYS, BUT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO BE AT SCHOOL.

I BELIEVE IT'S STILL 4:30 EVERY WEDNESDAY. ALMOST EVERY OTHER DISTRICT IN WESTCHESTER AND MANHATTAN ALSO DO ALL OF THEIR PLC DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS.

[02:30:06]

I KNOW FOR A FACT AT OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE WE USE A TUTOR THAT IS A TEACHER.

THERE WERE MANY WEDNESDAYS THAT WERE NOT USED THIS YEAR WERE MEETINGS EITHER GOT CANCELED OR DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO I THINK THERE MAY BE MORE ROOM THERE THAN WE THINK. AND EVEN IF WE COULD ELIMINATE ONE HALF DAY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

I KNOW TO OUR FAMILY AND I KNOW TO MANY OTHERS AS WELL, IF YOU TAKE THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE CALENDAR, IT'S THE SAME SITUATION. WE HAVE VERY FEW MONTHS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL THAT ARE UNINTERRUPTED.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE REAL ISSUE THAT WE FIND IN OUR HOUSEHOLD IS THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A DAY OFF, IT'S A HALF DAY, IT'S A HOLIDAY.

AND IT'S AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT GOES AND GOES AND GOES UNTIL THE END OF JUNE. AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THAT WITH REGENTS.

BUT I THINK WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE IN PELHAM IS THAT WE DO.

AND I KNOW DOBBS IS ALSO HAS SOME HALF DAYS, BUT WE REALLY DO HAVE A HIGH NUMBER COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS WHO BASICALLY ONLY USE THEM FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES. SO THAT IS MY PLEA, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL LISTENING TO US.

I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS WHO FEEL THIS WAY WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT I'VE ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO EMAIL AND I HOPE THAT THAT THEY WILL AND AND APPRECIATE EVERYONE TAKING OUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANKS. OKAY.

WOULD IT BE OKAY AT THIS POINT TO LET THE CABINET GO? OF COURSE. YEAH. SO AT THIS POINT, IT'S GIVEN HOW LATE IT IS.

TRISH, TRACEY, JIM, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO GO, YOU'RE.

YOU'RE GETTING THE BLESSING. ALEX, EVEN. DAVID GOGGINS INSPIRED YOU.

YEAH. AND I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH BUSINESS LEFT, SO THANKFULLY IT'S GOOD.

ONE THING I WAS GOING TO SAY WE GOT JUST FOR JACKIE'S BENEFIT 5.1 AND 5.2, WE HAVE TO TAKE SPECIFICALLY ON THEIR OWN.

OKAY. YEAH. WE CAN'T DO A CONSENT ON THOSE TWO BOND COUNCIL SPECIFIED.

OKAY. I HOPE SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE RESOLUTION.

I'M NOT. I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO SAY. I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO SAY YOU HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE.

VALERIE, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO I CAN. I CAN DO THE MOTIONS FOR THE END.

OKAY. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO TAKE A

[5.1 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO DISTRICT SCHOOL BUILDINGS; STATING THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST THEREOF IS $56,205,000; APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR; AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $56,205,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID DISTRICT TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.]

SECOND. SO MOVED. OH, SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY.

SO, 5.1 IS THE BOND RESOLUTION OF THE PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO DISTRICT SCHOOL BUILDINGS, STATING THE ESTIMATE TOTAL COST THEREOF IS 56,205,000.

IN APPROPRIATING SET AMOUNT, THEREFORE, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $56,205,000 IN SERIAL BONDS OF SAID DISTRICT TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION. SO THIS IS GO AHEAD.

OKAY. YEAH. SO SO THIS IS THE THE THE RESOLUTION FOR PROPOSITION ONE.

CORRECT. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NOPE.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. NON OPPOSED, THAT CARRIES.

MOVING TO 5.2. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE ANOTHER BOND RESOLUTION?

[5.2 BOND RESOLUTION OF THE PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NEW YORK, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO SIWANOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; STATING THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $42,570,000; APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR; AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $42,570,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID DISTRICT TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.]

DOLLARS, APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT, THEREFORE, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $42,570,000 SERIAL AND SERIAL BONDS OF SAID DISTRICT TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THIS IS FOR SIWANOY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES. OKAY.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 5.3 TO 5.6 AS A CONSENT AGENDA?

[Items 5.3 - 5.6]

[02:35:02]

[6.1 Policy 7110 - Comprehensive Student Attendance Policy (Second Reading)]

NO CHANGES FROM LAST TIME. NO CHANGES. WE COULD, IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES FROM LAST TIME AND NO QUESTIONS. OR ARE THERE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I CAN MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING.

SHOULD WE DO THAT? SURE. AND THEN WE CAN PUT ANOTHER ANOTHER GOLD STAR OFF ANOTHER EXCELLENT POLICY.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE TO DO TWO MOTIONS.

RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING OF POLICY 7110.

SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THAT PASSES.

NOW, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE POLICY 7110 COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY.

SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. CONGRATULATIONS, SID.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER THAT IS, BUT THREE MORE AND I GET A SET OF STEAK KNIVES.

YES, EXACTLY. SID, DO WE MAKE YOU A THERMOMETER TO FILL UP FOR THE.

OKAY, SO WE DID 7.1. DO I HAVE. LET'S SEE. WELL, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 7.2

[Items 7.2 - 8.1]

ALL IN FAVOR?AYE. CARRY, 9.1. DOES ANYONE HAVE NEW BUSINESS?

[9. New Business]

[10. Communications and Comments from the Public]

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.