WE'RE READY? [00:00:01] OKAY, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME [2.1 Call to Order] TO THE MAY 6, 2026 MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. LET'S RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY, BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I WANT TO NOTE THAT TRUSTEE WILL TREVES AND TRUSTEE SID BURKE ARE JOINING US REMOTELY THIS WEEK DUE TO THIS EVENING DUE TO WORK TRAVEL. NATALIE, WOULD YOU PLEASE [2.3 Reiteration of Executive Session Motions] REITERATE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS? YES, WE MET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON AND COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 14. THANK YOU, NATALIE. [2.4 Opening Remarks] AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO... TO RECOGNIZE OUR SCHOOL LEADERS AND STAFF, MAY 1ST WAS NATIONAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS DAY, AND THIS WEEK IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY FOR OUR STUDENTS. PELHAM IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DEDICATED EDUCATORS AND LEADERS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT STUDENTS. SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND CONTINUALLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I'D ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TWO IMPORTANT ITEMS FROM TONIGHT'S AGENDA. FIRST, THIS EVENING INCLUDES OUR STATE MANDATED PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2026-2027 SCHOOL BUDGET. THIS HEARING PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OR OFFER COMMENTS AND ENGAGE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. BEFORE THE MAY 19TH VOTE. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, DR. CHAMP AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE CONTINUED EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH REGARDING THE BUDGET. THAT HAS INCLUDED PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, THE RELEASE OF SHORT VIDEO, I THINK THE FIRST IN THE SERIES CAME OUT THIS WEEK, EXPLAINING KEY BUDGET TOPICS AND FUNDAMENTALS, AND THE MAILING OF THE BUDGET FOCUS NEWSLETTER, I BELIEVE IT GOES TO RESIDENTS THIS WEEK. THIS WEEK? EFFECT OF PRINTERS NOW NEXT WEEK. YES, THERE'S A SPECIAL WINDOW IN WHICH THAT NEEDS TO GO OUT. YEAH AT ITS CORE THIS BUDGET REFLECTS THE BALANCE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ASKED FOR PRESERVING THE STRONG ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, ATHLETICS, EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES, AND STUDENT SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS AND THAT HAVE MADE THE DISTRICT AMONG THE HIGHEST PERFORMING IN THE STATE AND IN THE COUNTRY WHILE REMAINING TAX CAP COMPLIANT IN A VERY DIFFICULT INFLATIONARY COST ENVIRONMENT. THIS BUDGET CONTINUES TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO NEED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING THE DISTRICT'S LONG-TERM FINANCIAL POSITION AND PROTECTING ITS TRIPLE A BOND RATING BY REDUCING THE USE OF FUND BALANCE AND PRESERVING RESERVES. MORE ON THE BUDGET WHEN WE FORMALLY CONVENE THE PUBLIC HEARING. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL EXCITING PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT APPEAR ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. WE ARE PLEASED TO FORMALLY APPOINT MR. SEAN LUEHLEN AS PRINCIPAL OF PELLA MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AFTER HIS SUCCESSFUL SERVICE AS INTERIM PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. WE ARE PLEASED TO APPOINT DR. MARIA THOMPSON AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF PELLA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT SHE WILL SERVE AS INTERIM PRINCIPAL NEXT YEAR. FOLLOWING MRS. SABIA'S RETIREMENT. IN ADDITION, DR. SUZANNE SHORT WILL FORMALLY BECOME DIRECTOR OF HUMANITIES AFTER SUCCESSFULLY SERVING IN THE ROLE IN THE INTERIM. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL THREE OF THESE TALENTED LEADERS IN OUR DISTRICT. EACH HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, DEEP COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS, AND STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THEM CONTINUE IN THESE ROLES. BEGIN THESE ROLES. I ALSO WANT TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS ONGOING CONVERSATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING DEVELOPMENTS IN PELHAM. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC DISCUSSION REGARDING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. COLONIAL PTA WILL BE HOSTING MAYOR MULLEN FOR A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION REGARDING DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS OTHER TOPICS I BELIEVE STORMWATER PLAN UPDATE. AND DR. CHAMP AND I PLAN TO MEET WITH COLONIAL PTA IN JUNE TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS [00:05:01] THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN ANSWER ON HOW THE DISTRICT APPROACHES ENROLLMENT PLANNING AND CAPACITY IN LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS NOW, AND WE CAN SPEAK FURTHER ABOUT IT IN THE NEW BUSINESS SECTION OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING OR MANAGING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN PELHAM. THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND THEIR PLANNING BOARDS. WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES IS CLOSELY MONITOR ENROLLMENT TRENDS, DEMOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS, AND BUILDING CAPACITY SO THAT WE CAN RESPONSIBLY PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT ENROLLMENT. AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S BOND VOTE, THE DISTRICT CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE DEMOGRAPHIC AND FACILITIES STUDY THROUGH THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE AND WESTERN SUFFOLK BOCES, THAT STUDY FOUND THAT DISTRICT ENROLLMENT BETWEEN 2013 AND 2023 WAS RELATIVELY STABLE OVERALL, INCREASING BY 21 STUDENTS OVER THAT 10-YEAR PERIOD. HOWEVER, THE STUDY ALSO PROJECTS AN ENROLLMENT INCREASE IN EIGHT OF THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WITH PROJECTED DISTRICT ENROLLMENT GROWTH OF APPROXIMATELY 175 STUDENTS. OR 6.2% BY 2033. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MUCH OF THAT GROWTH IS EXPECTED AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, WITH PELHAM MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTED TO REACH 959 STUDENTS BY 2033. THE STUDY ALSO REINFORCED WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, THAT COLONIAL SCHOOL IS OPERATING VERY CLOSE TO ITS FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY LIMITS AND THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUES TO FACE SPACE CONSTRAINTS PARTICULARLY IN SHARED SPACES LIKE THE CAFETERIA SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE DISTRICT ACTIVELY STUDIES ENROLLMENT TRENDS PLANS FOR FUTURE NEEDS AND COMMUNICATES WITH MUNICIPAL LEADERS AND MAKES LONG-TERM DECISIONS BASED ON DATA AND AND THOSE PLANNING EFFORTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THEN LASTLY I WANT TO BRIEFLY SPEAK ABOUT OUR BOARD COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL UNDER OUR PROTOCOL, THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY SPEAK PUBLICLY ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SO IF YOU SEE ME, I'LL BE THE ONE WHO ANSWERS YOUR EMAILS OR PROVIDING CLARIFYING INFORMATION ONLINE SOMETIMES. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ARE, OF COURSE, FREE TO MAINTAIN PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AND EXPRESS THEIR PERSONAL VIEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY SHOULD ALSO MAKE CLEAR WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY. AND FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSIONS ON THE USUAL PELHAM PAGES ARE CIVIL. AND SO FINALLY, WE TRY TO AVOID BECOMING ENGAGED IN ONLINE EXCHANGES THAT DISTRACT FROM THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THE DISTRICT ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY, EVEN IN OUR OWN KIND OF PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS ONLINE. IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO KEEP THE DISTRICT FROM BEING PULLED INTO POLITICAL DEBATES. OKAY? SO THANK YOU. FOR LISTENING TO THAT. I CAN MOVE TO 3.1. [3. Approval of Minutes] DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 21ST BUDGET ADOPTION MEETING? SECOND. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THESE MINUTES? NO. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. NONE. SO THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. DID WE WANT TO MOVE UP? YES. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE UP. I THINK IT'S THE PERSONNEL SECTION INSTRUCTIONAL, RIGHT? [9.1 Motion to Approve Schedule A - Instructional] 9.1? YES. YES. I HAVE A MOTION TO, AND WE WON'T DO IT YET. I'M GOING TO OPEN, YEAH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SCHEDULE A? SECOND. OKAY. OKAY. SO JACKIE'S ALREADY COVERED A LOT OF WHAT WE SEE HERE ON SCHEDULE A. SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AS YOU SAID TO MR. LLEWELLYN. WE'LL BE RECOGNIZING HIM AT OUR NEXT MEETING FOR TENURE IN THE ROLE OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND TONIGHT WE'LL ALSO BE RECOGNIZING DR. THOMPSON NEXT TIME FOR TENURE IN HER ROLE AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BUT TONIGHT WE HAVE A SPECIAL HONOR OF RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN FOLLOWING MISS SAVIA'S RETIREMENT I SAID I SHARED WITH THE FACULTY I MET WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY THIS PAST WEEK AND SAID TO THEM, WHEN I BECAME A SUPERINTENDENT, I STARTED TO MEET ALL THESE SUPERINTENDENTS WHO SAID WHEN THEY RETIRED, THEY DID INTERGALACTIC SEARCHES TO DETERMINE THAT THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD BE THE BEST FIT TO BRING YOUR DISTRICT FORWARD WAS THEMSELVES. SO I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. [00:10:01] I COULD NOT CONVINCE MISS LEVIA TO DO AN INTERGALACTIC SEARCH, NOR TO BE THAT PERSON. AND WE ALL DO CONTINUE TO WISH HER WELL. BUT WHAT I SAID TO THE FACULTY IS WE DIDN'T NEED AN INTERGALACTIC SEARCH TO KNOW THE NEXT PRINCIPAL FOR PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL IS RIGHT HERE. SO WE ARE SO EXCITED, I AM SO EXCITED TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT WE APPOINT DR. MARIA THOMPSON TO THE ROLE OF INTERIM PRINCIPAL, PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL. DR. THOMPSON HAS BEEN IN THE DISTRICT SINCE 1999, 28-ISH YEARS. HE'S HAVING STARTED AS A TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT AND THEN BECOMING A DEPARTMENT CHAIR FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AND THEN SUPERVISOR FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AND THEN DIRECTOR K-12 OF HUMANITIES AND THEN MOST RECENTLY BEING WILLING TO STEP INTO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ROLE. WHICH IS A REAL DEPARTURE OF A JOB AND I KEPT ASKING MARIA, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? BECAUSE SHE WAS SO GOOD AT CURRICULUM, SO THOUGHTFUL IN HOW SHE WORKS WITH TEACHERS AND FACULTY ON INSTRUCTION CURRICULUM AND THE FIRST YEAR IN THE JOB I NEVER SAW HER WITHOUT A SMILE ON HER FACE. LIKE MARIA, HOW'S IT GOING? IT'S GREAT. IT'S GREAT. SHE'D HAVE KIDS FLOWING IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICE. SOMEBODY WAS GETTING DETENTION, THIS ONE, WHATEVER. HAPPY HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE DISTRICT. SO NEXT, OF COURSE. AND IT'S BECAUSE SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH MISS SAVIA FOR THOSE TWO YEARS. I KNOW, I KNOW. I WAS TRYING TO STEER IT BACK TO DR. THOMPSON. BUT REALLY, HONESTLY, TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE TWO OF THEM WORK SIDE BY SIDE WAS JUST REALLY WONDERFUL. TO SEE THE SYNERGY OF WHAT THE ASSETS THAT BOTH BRING TO THE ROLE. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT MISS SABIA CAN'T BE WITH US FOREVER AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT SHE CAN WORK SO CLOSELY WITH, HAVE SUCH A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP AND MENTOR. WHEN DR. THOMPSON TOOK THE ROLE, WE WERE ALREADY, IN MY MIND, WE HAD ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING AND HOW DO WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, SET PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL UP TO CONTINUE ON THE TRAJECTORY THAT IT'S ON. I'M PROUD TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD TONIGHT, TOO. THEY JUST SHARED WITH THEIR FACULTY RECENTLY. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WENT THROUGH THIS YEAR REAUTHORIZATION NOT ONLY FOR THE SCHOOL OF CHARACTER AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT ONCE AGAIN ACHIEVED NATIONAL LEVEL SO AND THAT'S DUE TO THE WORK OF THESE TWO INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS THAT HAVE LED THEIR THEIR SCHOOL WITH SUCH APLOMB THEY HAVE THE PROFESSIONALISM THE FOCUS ON CHARACTER AND THE WAY THAT THEY'VE RALLIED THEIR FACULTY TO REALLY TAKE ON SOMETHING ABOVE AND BEYOND SO CONGRATULATIONS AND KUDOS TO THE TEAM FOR THAT AND I AGAIN, I'M JUST THRILLED TO TO RECOMMEND TONIGHT DR. THOMPSON. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO INVITE BOTH MS. SABIA AND DR. THOMPSON UP AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO SHARE JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS BEFORE THE BOARD VOTES AND IT'S UP TO YOU. SO THANK YOU DR. CHAMP, THE CABINET, AND THE TRUSTEES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SINCE ARRIVING HERE IN 1999, PELHAM HAS SHAPED WHO I AM AS AN EDUCATOR AND AS A PERSON. SO WHEN I SAY THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS OF SERVING AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN THE MOST MEANINGFUL OF MY CAREER, I MEAN IT WITH MY WHOLE HEART. I'M STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR WHAT THIS SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS BUILT. AND WITH ENORMOUS ADMIRATION FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL SABIA. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF STANDING ALONGSIDE LYNN, OUR FACULTY, AND STAFF EVERY SINGLE DAY, WATCHING WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR STUDENTS AND LEARNING FROM THEM. AT PMS, STUDENTS TRULY ARE THE CENTER OF EVERY DECISION. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE. IT'S ROOTED IN OUR IDENTITY AS A STATE AND NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER. THIS DESIGNATION IS NOT JUST A BANNER HANGING ON OUR WALL. IT'S A PROMISE. IT'S A PROMISE TO OUR STUDENTS AND TO OUR STAFF THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE AND THAT THEIR VOICES WILL BE HEARD. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A COMMITMENT THAT AT PELHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL WE WILL GROW CITIZENS WITH CHARACTER AND CONNECT OUR STUDENTS TO ONE ANOTHER, TO THE PELHAM COMMUNITY, AND TO THE WORLD AT LARGE. MY JOB AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL IS TO PROTECT THE WORK, THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, TO BUILD UPON IT THOUGHTFULLY AND WITH PURPOSE, AND TO LISTEN AND COLLABORATE WITH EVERYONE AS WE GROW TOGETHER. I'M TRULY HONORED AND I'M HUMBLED TO BE THE NEW PRINCIPAL, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU. [00:15:12] I JUST WANTED TO COME AROUND. WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE MARIA'S HUSBAND AND ONE OF HER SONS HERE TODAY, TOO. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEIR WHOLE FAMILY. SO TODAY IS A MOMENT FILLED WITH BOTH GRATITUDE AND REFLECTION. THIS SCHOOL HAS NEVER SIMPLY BEEN A PLACE WHERE I WORK. IT'S BEEN A COMMUNITY THAT LIVES IN MY HEART. EVERY DAY OUR STUDENTS HAVE REMINDED US WHY THIS WORK MATTERS. THEY'RE THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING WE DO. THEIR VOICES, THEIR GROWTH, THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING. IT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE OF MY CAREER TO SERVE IN A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY TAUGHT, BUT TRULY SEEN, HEARD, AND VALUED. AS I STEP INTO RETIREMENT, ALTHOUGH YOUR SON SAID I'M TOO YOUNG TO RETIRE, AS I STEP INTO RETIREMENT, I DO SO WITH PRIDE AND WITH DEEP CONFIDENCE IN WHAT COMES NEXT. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DR. THOMPSON ACROSS MANY CHAPTERS OF HER JOURNEY. I OBSERVED HER AS A TEACHER, WHERE HER CARE OF STUDENTS AND PASSION FOR LEARNING IS UNMISTAKABLE. I OBSERVED HER AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER AS DEPARTMENT CHAIR, SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISOR, AND DIRECTOR OF HUMANITIES, WHERE HER LEADERSHIP AND VISION STRENGTHENED BOTH INSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY. AND OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS, SERVING ALONGSIDE HER AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HER INTEGRITY. HER COMPASSION AND HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD. I AM SO PROUD OF THE WORK SHE HAS DONE, AND I CAN SAY WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FORWARD. DR. THOMPSON IS STUDENT-CENTERED. SHE HAS UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SCHOOLS ARE BUILT ON, RELATIONSHIPS, ON DIGNITY, AND ON THE BELIEF THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING. SHE WILL CONTINUE TO NURTURE A COMMUNITY WHERE STUDENTS GROW, NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY, BUT THOUGHTFULLY, KIND, AND AS CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS. DR. THOMPSON, I LEAVE THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY WITH A FULL HEART, KNOWING IT WILL BE DEEPLY CARED FOR, THOUGHTFULLY LED, AND INSPIRED TO GROW UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AS PRINCIPAL. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU WILL DO MOVING FORWARD. NO BACKSIES AFTER THIS. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. YAY CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. CORDERO, FOR BEING HERE TOO AND SUPPORT. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE FACULTY SUPPORTING US TOO. THANK YOU ALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO AND CELEBRATE AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. AND REST UP FOR MORE TESTING TOMORROW. GOOD NIGHT. OH, YES. YES, I ACTUALLY THINK YOUR COMMENTS ARE... [00:20:02] DO YOU HAVE SUPERINTENDENT COMMENT? WE KIND OF COVERED MOST OF IT. OKAY, WE DID. OKAY, GO. YEAH, GO BACK TO NUMBER FOUR. OKAY. [4.1 Motion to Recess the Business Meeting and Convene the Budget Hearing] DO I HAVE A MOTION TO RECESS THE BUSINESS MEETING AND CONVENE THE BUDGET HEARING? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY, SO WE'RE NOW IN A BUDGET HEARING. 4.2 IS A CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE DON'T HAVE... OKAY, DR. CHAMP'S GOING TO GIVE A BUDGET, BUDGET, A BRIEF BUDGET OVERVIEW. ARE WE NOT BEING RECORDED? ARE WE NOT BEING, WE ARE BEING RECORDED. WE'RE IN A HEARING. THIS IS WHY YOU ARE THE SUPERINTENDENT. OH, THE BUDGET HEARING COMES BEFORE YOUR REPORT. ALL RIGHT, GOT IT. THIS AGENDA'S IN, LIKE, A WEIRD ORDER. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF BUDGET HEARING... I WANTED TO JUST DO A QUICK REVIEW, AND THIS IS THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE USING AS WE GO AROUND THE COMMUNITY. CATHERINE WAS WITH ME TODAY AT THE ROTARY. JIM AND JOE TOOMBS AND I HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH THE BOOSTERS LAST NIGHT. ANNE-MARIE WAS THERE FOR THAT. WE'VE GOT RETIRED BOARD MEMBERS COMING UP THIS WEEK, A COMBINED PTA COUNCIL MEETING, CIVICS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE COMING UP THE 18TH. REALTORS, THAT'S THE OTHER ONE I WAS FORGETTING. RETIRED BOARD MEMBERS AND REALTORS THIS WEEK AS WELL. SO JUST A REMINDER THAT WE ANCHOR EVERYTHING AROUND OUR VALUES AND YOU HEAR THAT IN EVERYTHING YOU JUST HEARD MS. STABIA AND DR. THOMPSON SAY. THAT IS WHO WE ARE AND THAT ANCHORS ALL THAT WE DO. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THESE MANY TIMES, CONTINUE TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF, AND TODAY'S NEWEST IS THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER. MOVING AHEAD THROUGH OUR RANKINGS AND OUTCOMES, WE ALL ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THESE THINGS AND I HAVE TO SAY AS WE'RE GOING AROUND TALKING TO THE COMMUNITIES ARE RESONATING REALLY WELL. WHEN PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE ARE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET TO HEAR THAT OUR KIDS ARE PERFORMING AT THE 95TH PERCENTILE YET OUR SPENDING OVERALL IS ONLY THE 44TH STATEWIDE IN THE HIGHEST COST AND HIGHEST TAXED AREA OF THE STATE, THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL DATA. SO I REALLY APPRECIATED PEOPLE'S THINKING AROUND THAT. AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WE DO, AND THIS IS NOT JUST WHAT WE DO NOW, THIS IS SOMETHING PELHAM HAS BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, LOWEST SPENDING, ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMING. SO WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THAT. JACKIE'S ALREADY MENTIONED THE BUDGET GUIDANCE THAT WAS GIVEN TO US THIS YEAR, AND WE'VE TALKED AT SEVERAL MEETINGS ABOUT THE COST PRESSURES THAT WE'RE ALL FEELING, AND THIS HAS ALSO BEEN RESONATING WELL WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERYONE'S DEALING WITH SIMILAR IMPACTS. SO I THINK THEY'RE REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE AND WITH AN INCREASINGLY TIGHT MARGIN. WE'VE BEEN SHARING THE BUDGET DRIVERS THAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN THIS BUDGET. YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT SALARIES IN PARTICULAR, HEALTH CARE COSTS THAT ARE RISING BEYOND OUR CONTROL, SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH WE ARE GLAD TO INVEST IN YET IS RISING. THOSE ARE LARGELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL AS FAR AS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WHO COME, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THOSE, CONTINUE TO INVEST THERE. AND THEN TRANSPORTATION, PEOPLE ARE VERY SURPRISED WHEN THEY HEAR THAT WE RUN 23 BUSES A DAY. SO, FUN FACT THAT I LIKE SHARING. BUT THAT DOES COME AT A COST. GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE REALLY HAD TO EVALUATE NEEDS VERSUS WANTS AND HOW PEOPLE DON'T MOVE TO PELHAM JUST TO HAVE A BASIC REQUIREMENT EDUCATION. THEY COME FOR MORE THAN THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO DELIVERING, AND OUR STUDENTS WERE SEEING THE OUTCOMES OF INVESTING IN THAT OVER MANY, MANY YEARS. AND AS WE WORK TO CLOSE THE BUDGET GAP THAT WE STARTED WITH IN CONSTRUCTING THIS, WE FOCUSED ON STAYING AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM AS POSSIBLE. THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT AREAS OF CATEGORY. AND YOU CAN SEE AS WE NOW ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, STARTING TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR, THERE'S LOTS OF CONTRACTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE COMING INTO PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THINGS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET AND THEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE APPEARING THIS YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, JIM'S OFFICE THE OTHER DAY SENT ME THE LIST OF CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT COME OUT OF MY OFFICE AND ASKED WHICH OF THESE CONTRACTS SHOULD I BE RENEWING. RENEW THIS ONE, BUT DO NOT RENEW THESE ONES BECAUSE THOSE WERE ELIMINATED. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW OF REALLY STARTING TO ENACT WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING THIS BUDGET TO LOOK LIKE, BUT STILL FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH THE DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE. [00:25:01] REGARDING STAFFING PROGRAMMING AND REFINEMENT OF COSTS. AS WE SHARED BEFORE THE BULK OF OUR BUDGET, EXCUSE ME, OUR TAXES, OUR REVENUES COME FROM OUR PROPERTY TAXES. SO AGAIN WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO THE COMMUNITY IS A 3.72% INCREASE IN THE TAX LEVY. THAT IS THE TAX CAP ALLOWABLE AMOUNT AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. IT COULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER THAN THAT IF WE HAD NOT USED THIS, IF WE HAD NOT USED DEBT SERVICE RESERVE. BUT WE WANTED TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE TAX PRESSURE THAT IS ALREADY ON EVERYONE AND THE ECONOMIC PRESSURE. SO THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT A $2.7 MILLION BUDGET-TO-BUDGET INCREASE IN COSTS, EXCUSE ME, IN REVENUES ON THE PROPERTY TAX LINE. STATE AID, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE, THE GOVERNOR STILL DOES NOT HAVE A FINALIZED BUDGET, SO WE'RE STILL FUNCTIONING OFF OF THE ORIGINAL ALLOCATION. WHICH AGAIN WE THINK IS PRETTY SOLID. WE DO NOT EXPECT IT TO GO DOWN. IT MAY GO UP A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE REALLY NOT EXPECTING MUCH MORE THERE EITHER, BUT THAT REPRESENTS 14% OF OUR REVENUE BUDGET. MUCH SMALLER AMOUNTS IN THE OTHER AREAS. THE THING THAT I AM POINTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL IS THIS YEAR IN THIS BUDGET WE DID REDUCE OUR RELIANCE ON DEBT SERVICE FUND. WE'RE STILL USING SOME, BUT NOT AT THE SAME LEVELS BECAUSE WE'RE STRATEGICALLY SAVING THAT FOR FUTURE YEARS TO AVOID PEAKS AND VALLEYS IN OUR... TAX RATE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TO TRY TO GRADUALLY BRING ON THE NEW DEBT. THE DEBT THAT'S STILL COMING FROM THE 2018 BOND AS WELL AS THE UPCOMING DEBT THAT WILL COME WITH THE 2025 BOND AND ALSO GET US TO THOSE POINTS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE DROPPING IN DEBT AND KIND OF THOSE DEBT NEUTRAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR. SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE THERE. THIS IS JUST A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THE SAME THING. ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE THE BIGGEST COST DRIVERS THERE. WE ARE A PEOPLE ORGANIZATION, SO 75% OF OUR COSTS RELATE TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS. AND THOSE ARE ANCHORED IN OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS UNION RIGHT NOW. ALL OTHERS ARE SETTLED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. SO WE'VE GOTTEN SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AROUND THAT SO FAR OVER THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD. AND AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT JUST SMALLER AMOUNTS AND CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE EXPENDITURE BUDGET. ABOUT A $650,000 INCREASE IN BOCES. WE'VE BEEN STRATEGICALLY OVER THE YEARS USING THAT AS A SHARED SERVICES PROVIDER BECAUSE WE GET 40% TO 50% OF THOSE EXPENDITURES BACK IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AS A REVENUE, SO TRYING TO STRATEGICALLY MAXIMIZE THAT. HERE YOU ALSO SEE A REDUCTION IN THE DEBT SERVICE INTERFUND TRANSFER, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH WE HAVE... DEBT, WE HAVE A BONDS MATURING, SO WE HAVE A DROP IN DEBT SERVICE AS WELL AS A DROP IN AID COMING BACK FROM THE STATE, SO THAT KIND OF CORRESPONDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. ALSO THE OTHER POINTS, ITEMS WORTH POINTING OUT HERE, A DECREASE IN EXPENSES BY $83,000 ON TUITION PAYMENTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT GRADUATING OUT, DROP IN EQUIPMENT, AND THAT WAS TO, AGAIN, KEEP MOST OF OUR FUNDS DIRECTED AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES AND MATERIALS AND TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE ON OUR EXPANSION OF FLEXIBLE FURNISHING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT REDUCTION AND THEN FINALLY THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE PUT IN THERE THAT I USUALLY POINT OUT TO FOLKS IS THE LEASE LINE A REDUCTION OF SEVENTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE COMPLETING RENOVATIONS ON THE FRANKLIN PLACE HOUSE TO MOVE NINE STAFF MEMBERS INTO THE HOUSE BY JANUARY OF 2027. WE'RE CURRENTLY FINISHING UP THE PLANS FOR THAT THROUGH THE ARCHITECTS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO STATE ED RENOVATIONS STARTING THIS SUMMER MOVING FOR JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE OUT OF THE RENTAL OFFICE SPACE WE'RE ALSO IDENTIFYING SPACE IN THIS BUILDING AND WE'RE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH KG INDEED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO DESIGN SPACE HERE TO RENOVATE FOR THE REMAINING STAFF MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT OFFICE TO BE LOCATED CO-LOCATED ON THIS CAMPUS SO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM BREAKS DOWN INTO THREE COMPONENT AREAS, 75% GOING TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM, 15% ON CAPITAL, AND THEN ADMINISTRATIVE HAS TO BE 10% OR LESS, AND WE'RE AT 9.4% FOR THIS YEAR. SO WHEN YOU PUT THOSE CHANGES SIDE BY SIDE, YOU SEE IT'S A $1.9 MILLION CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR IN BOTH EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES TO GET US TO A BALANCED BUDGET. AND THE PROPOSAL GOING TO THE COMMUNITY ON MAY 19TH IS $98,260,000. WHICH IS A YEAR-TO-YEAR INCREASE OF 2.05%, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK SHOWS THE DISCIPLINE THAT WE'VE PUT INTO THIS BUDGET, WITH INFLATION BEING OVER 3% AND OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE ONLY INCREASING THE 2.05%. THE COMPLIANT TAX LEVY IS 3.72%, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS HIGHER THAN 2%, THE 2% TAX CAP, AND THAT IS... [00:30:01] IS MADE UP OF TWO COMPONENTS. THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE PART THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE CAP, ACCOUNTS FOR 2.28% OF THAT INCREASE. AND THEN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, WHICH IS AN EXCLUSION OUTSIDE OF THE CAP, ACCOUNTS FOR 1.44%. COMBINED, THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR 3.72%. SO IF WE GO JUST TO THE MIDDLE HERE, THE TOP IS KIND OF THE LOW END OF ASSESSED VALUES IN THE DISTRICT. BOTTOM IS THE HIGHER END. THE PURPLE IN THE MIDDLE, PINK PURPLE, IS THE AVERAGE ASSESSED YOU HOME VALUE WHICH IS JUST OVER 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS AND THEN THE COLUMNS REPRESENT A 3% ASSESSED CHANGE 4.7% OR A 9% CHANGE AS WE DO ANNUAL REEVALUATION SO I JUST BEEN PICKING THE MIDDLE NUMBER BECAUSE JUST AS A STARTING POINT AS AN AVERAGE SO A HOME THAT'S ASSESSED AT 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT HAD A 4.7% CHANGE IN ASSESSED VALUE WE'LL BE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY A $684 TAX CHANGE IN THE TAX BILL FOR THIS YEAR. IN THE FOCUS THAT JACKIE MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WILL BE HITTING MAILBOXES IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. IN THAT, WE'LL HAVE THE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA FOR YOU TO LOOK AT YOUR ASSESSED HOME VALUE, DIVIDE BY A THOUSAND, MULTIPLY BY THE MULTIPLIER, AND IT WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL TAX SITUATION. WE HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF MEETINGS REMAINING. TONIGHT IS OUR MAY 6TH BUDGET HEARING, OUR LAST PROCEDURAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENT. WE'LL HAVE OUR BOARD COFFEE ON MAY 15TH. I'LL ALSO NOTE MR. SABALOS, OUR DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY, WILL BE JOINING US. SO FOLKS CAN COME TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET OR IF THEY WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT AI OR OUR APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY, HE AND DR. COMERFORD WILL ALSO BE THERE AS WELL. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE IS MAY 19TH. I THINK THE BOARD ALREADY KNOWS OUR UPDATES ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONS. WE'VE ADDED A QR CODE FOR SURVEY FEEDBACK AS WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY. TO TRY TO GET FEEDBACK ON HOW WE CAN REFINE THE PRESENTATION AND JUST TO CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE CAN BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET. ANY FINAL QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, DR. CHAMP. YOU'RE WELCOME. I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. AT THIS POINT, THE BOARD SHOULD BE GOOD. WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUDIENCE OTHER THAN MR. SABALOS. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DONT HAVE ANY QUESTION BUT I HAVE A COMMENT. I SAW THE VIDEO. JIM? LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VIDEO. I SAW THE VIDEO. GREAT JOB. I SAW IT. AND I LIKED IT. I ENJOYED IT. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE. I'M WAITING. SORRY. DR. COMERFORD? YEAH. NEXT ONE FOCUSES ON OUR PROGRAM. IT'S GOING ON TIKTOK. NEW TIKTOK STAR, THAT'D BE GREAT. AND THEN THANKS TO ALEX AND STEVE RAVITA. ALEX FOR CONCEPTUALIZING, STEVE FOR FILMING IT. NEXT TIME I GOTTA GET HIM TO FOCUS CAMERA A LITTLE HIGHER. WE ALL KINDA FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, YEAH. STEP BY STEP, IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE SHOWN ON A PHONE, WHICH IS NEW TO ALL OF US. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU TO JIM, TO CLAIRE, TO ALEX, AND TO STEVE. FOR DOING THE WORK TO THAT. SO, YES, THE NEXT VIDEO SHOULD BE COMING OUT. THAT WILL BE CLAIRE TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMMING. THE FINAL ONE WILL BE ME. I THINK IT'S JUST ME TALKING ABOUT JUST THE QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET ITSELF. AND SO, I SAW IT GO UP ON THE DISTRICT FACEBOOK PAGE. WILL ALEX BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES IT'S VIEWED? I'M JUST CURIOUS. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW. YES. AND I SAW SOMEBODY SHARE IT. WE'LL PULL A CLICK RATE. OKAY. AND SOMEBODY SHARED IT ON... YEAH, I SAW IT SHARED. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR DOING THOSE. I THINK WE'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S WORTH SAYING AGAIN, THE STATE HAS THIS MANDATED BUDGET HEARING TONIGHT BECAUSE IN SOME DISTRICTS, THAT'S THE ONLY CONVERSATION OUTSIDE OF WHATEVER BOARD MEETINGS ARE DEDICATED TO IT THAT PEOPLE OR THE COMMUNITY GETS TO HEAR ABOUT THE BUDGET. BUT HERE IN PELHAM... YOU GO ON YOUR ANNUAL ROADSHOW. YOU'RE TRYING TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE THEY ARE. WE'RE DOING A VIDEO. ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ENGAGED. AND WE TRY TO ATTEND THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS WITH YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND I WAS TALKING TO A BOARD MEMBER IN A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, AND THEY SAID, YOU DO WHAT WITH YOUR BUDGET? LIKE, HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR BUDGET? BECAUSE I WAS GOING THROUGH. YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PROCESS IS, HOW MANY TIMES WE TALK ABOUT IT, AND WHERE WE ARE, AND WHAT WE DO, AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH GOSH, WE DON'T DO ANY OF THAT, RIGHT? SO JUST SORT OF SAYING AGAIN, AND TO THANK YOU AND THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT THIS TAKES, AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND PLAYS A REALLY BIG PART IN WHY OUR COMMUNITY... SUPPORTS OUR SCHOOLS IN PART [00:35:02] BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE THEY YOU KNOW THEY SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY'RE SEEING US TALK ABOUT IT AND THERE'S SO MUCH ENGAGEMENT WELL THEY'RE KEPT INFORMED RIGHT LIKE THEY WERE VERY TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE DO BUT WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO SIT AND WATCH A BOARD MEETING RIGHT SO THERE YOU DO PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO GOING TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE AND I THINK THE TOWN APPRECIATES, HOPEFULLY THE TOWN APPRECIATES THAT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE COMPANY TOO. IT'S NICE HAVING YOU. IT WAS LOVELY TODAY. WE HAD A VERY LOVELY AFTERNOON. SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY I THINK THAT 4.2 AND 4.3 ARE THE SAME THING, BUT WERE THEY DIFFERENTLY? THEY'RE PART OF THE MANDATED BUDGET HEARING PROCESS. THEY NEED THEIR OWN SPECIFIC. OH, ARE THEY BOTH? IS THERE PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO [4.4 Motion to Adjourn the Budget Hearing and Reconvene the Business Meeting] ADJOURN THE BUDGET HEARING AND RECONVENE THE BUSINESS MEETING. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE BACK IN THE BUSINESS MEETING. [5.1 Superintendent's Report] THERE'S A SUPER, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS ACTUALLY HERE. YES. YEAH, AND I WOULD JUST ADD, WE'VE COVERED ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. TODAY IS ALSO SCHOOL NURSES DAY. THEY KIND OF PILE EVERYTHING INTO THIS WEEK. SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS AND THANKS SO MUCH TO OUR SCHOOL NURSES. TRACY SENT A BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE, AS SHE ALWAYS DOES, TO RECOGNIZE THEM. AND THEY ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF SO MANY THINGS IN OUR SCHOOLS, TO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM. AND THE OTHER PIECE I WANTED TO ADD IS JUST WATCH FOR THE BOARD. YOU I'LL BE SENDING A SAVE THE DATE PRETTY SOON FOR RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE FITNESS ROOM. JIM AND I AND JOHN CONDON AND JOE TOOMBS MET WITH FRIENDS OF PELHAM SPORTS AGAIN THIS MORNING. WE'RE JUST FINALIZING SOME DETAILS. I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE DATE OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING SOME CONFIRMING FIRST. BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY TYING THAT IN WITH SIGNING DAY SO WE CAN CELEBRATE THE KIDS WHO ARE SIGNING FOR COLLEGES AND THEN ALSO DO A RIBBON CUTTING TO OFFICIALLY. THE ROOM'S BEEN USED ALL YEAR, BUT WE WANT TO OFFICIALLY. YOU KNOW, CHRISTEN IT AND BLESS IT AND REALLY THANK THE FRIENDS OF PELHAM SPORTS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES FOR OUR ATHLETES. OKEY THANK YOU. OUR STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOT WITH US THIS EVENING. I'M SURE THEY HAVE AN AP EXAM EARLY IN THE MORNING. NEED TO BE THERE AT 7:40 YES, THEY CAN'T PARTY HERE WITH US. YEAH, EXACTLY. THEY'VE GOT TO GET THEIR SLEEP. OKAY. [5.3 Board of Education Committee Reports] AND THEN WE CAN MOVE TO BOARD OF EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORTS. SO I KNOW LAST FRIDAY WE HAD SAFETY COMMITTEE. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW OR IN YOUR... OKAY. I DIDN'T ATTEND THE MEETING. I HAVE A BIG DERRITIVE FOR IT. SURE. OKAY. OKAY, WE'LL WAIT. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY. WE ALSO HAD PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT DURING CLAIRE'S REPORT? YEAH, WE CAN DO IT DURING, YEAH, WE'LL DO IT DURING THE REPORT. YEAH, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT. I GUESS BRIEFLY, MR. SAVALAS WAS WITH US AND GAVE THE AI GUIDELINES OVERVIEW THAT HE GAVE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. SORRY I THINK THEY WERE VERY WELL RECEIVED IN THE SENSE THAT I THINK EVERYONE WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WERE PUT AND WORK PUT INTO THE GUIDELINES AS WELL AS JUST THE FACT THAT THE DISTRICT HAS GUIDELINES BECAUSE NOT EVERY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF ON THE, I THINK ON THE FOREFRONT OF DOING THIS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SPEARHEADING GETTING AI GUIDELINES IN PLACE. THE OTHER THING THAT CAME UP AND THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP, AND MAYBE, CLAIRE, YOU'LL TALK ABOUT THIS DURING YOUR REPORT, IS THAT... WE'VE HEARD A LOT IN THE NEWS, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS A LOT LATELY, RIGHT? THERE'S BEEN A PUSH TO HAVE LESS TECHNOLOGY TIME BY STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, PARTICULARLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A BIT, AND ONE OF THE... [00:40:02] THE DATA POINTS WE BROUGHT UP IS THAT AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL HERE IN PELHAM SCHOOLS, THE AVERAGE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, NOW REMEMBER THE KIDS DON'T BRING HOME THEIR CHROMEBOOKS, SO THEIR CHROMEBOOKS ARE, THIS COUNTS THE TIME THAT THE DATA LOOKS AT IS THE TIME USED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT IS ON THEIR CHROMEBOOKS IS 17 MINUTES. AND NOW THAT'S AN AVERAGE ACROSS ALL THE GRADES SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT MAYBE THE FIFTH GRADERS ARE ON IT MORE THAN 17 MINUTES AND THE KINDERGARTENERS ARE ON IT WAY LESS I WOULD HOPE AND AND OR SIGNIFICANTLY LESS AND THAT I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT NUMBER IS THAT SEEMS TO BE A SURPRISING NUMBER TO FAMILIES AND PARENTS THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE THAN THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BECAUSE JUST WE'RE, AS PARENTS, WE SEE THE KIDS INUNDATED WITH SCREEN TIME AND NOT JUST AT SCHOOL, BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE. BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK WE WANT THE, WE SORT OF WANT TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING ABOUT BECAUSE, AS WILL PUTS IT WHEN I TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT, THE REQUEST FOR EVALUATING THE AMOUNT OF SCREEN TIME. THE KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE KIDS ARE ON THEIR SCREENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY IS LIKE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING AWAY. I THINK THAT'S KIND OF GOING TO BE A LEVEL OF CONVERSATION THAT CONTINUES. THE THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, TOO, AND JOHN SHARED IT AT THE MEETING, IS THAT THAT CAME FROM ANALYTICS, LIKE DIRECT FROM THE ANALYTICS WITHIN OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM. THAT WAS RELATIVE TO STUDENT INDIVIDUAL TECHNOLOGY USE. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE SURVEYED AND KIND OF TOOK AN ESTIMATE. IT WAS ACTUAL MEASURABLE. ANALYTICS SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE THE SKEPTICS IT'S YOU KNOW THERE WERE SOME SKEPTICS THERE WERE SOME BUT IT WAS BASED ON ACTUAL ANALYTICAL PROVABLE DATA YEAH SO OKAY WERE THERE ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WE I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY ABOUT THE PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE THAT THERE WAS GREAT DIALOGUE AND I THINK THAT THAT MR. STAVALLOS AND MS. DEL MASTRO, REALLY TAKE FEEDBACK INTO ACCOUNT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE HAS ADMINISTRATORS, BOARD MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON IT, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A SENSE I GET THAT THE, LIKE IN YOUR CASE, YOU KNOW, SITTING HERE, BUT REALLY TAKE THE FEEDBACK AND LISTEN TO WHAT THE PARENTS' CONCERNS ARE. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO THEM AND EVERYONE. YEAH. AND THAT WAS THE DAY THAT I NOTICED IT WAS MADE TO COME BACK. YES, EXACTLY. MY QUESTION IS, DID IT EVER LEAVE? I DON'T KNOW. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D SEEN IT. DO YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT, I MUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE. AFTER THAT DAY, I WAS DRIVING, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I WAS DRIVING, BUT I DID DRIVE BY AND SAW TWO TEENAGERS OUTSIDE PLAYING HAT SET. YEAH, YEAH. AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOSH, IT'S TRUE. IT'S JUST REALLY HAVE THE 90S ARE COMING BACK YEAH OKAY SO THAT NO OTHER COMMITTEE MEETING WE'LL TALK ABOUT SAFETY WE'LL TALK ABOUT SAFETY OKAY ALL RIGHT WE'LL TALK ABOUT POLICY LATER TOO. OH, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. WE HAVE POLICY, SID. CORRECT. THANK YOU, SID. OKAY. [5.4 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Personal Growth and Achievement] WE CAN'T KEEP TALKING ABOUT SHOULDER TEN? OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE ON PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. AND I'M NOT USED TO LOOKING THIS WAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR STARTING THE REFLECTION AND THE REPORT ON OUR PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE. AS SHARED, JOHN CIPALOS DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND ELISA DELMASTER, OUR K-12 INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST, PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL PLANNING THAT THEY HAVE LED FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS REGARDING THE INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND INSTRUCTION. THEY VERY CLEARLY EXPRESSED THEIR THOUGHTFUL AND CAREFUL APPROACH WITH THE INTENTION OF UNDERSTANDING THE MARKETPLACE AND WORLD THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ENTERING WILL INVOLVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MANY WAYS. [00:45:01] SO THEREFORE WE HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO EDUCATE WITH GUARDRAILS THE ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE USE SO THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO ENTER LIFE BEYOND PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THEY GRADUATE. AND JOHN'S KIND OF METAPHOR IS A WALLED GARDEN. WE WANT TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE WHERE STUDENTS CAN LEARN AND EXPERIMENT IN A LOW-RISK SITUATIONS SO THAT THEY BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THESE TOOLS THAT THEY WILL NO DOUBT BE INTERACTING WITH, UNDERSTAND THEIR LIMITATIONS, UNDERSTAND THE PITFALLS, AND THEN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN BE LEVERAGED AS A TOOL TO ENHANCE AND ENRICH CRITICAL THINKING, ANALYTICAL, AND OTHER VERY IMPORTANT SKILLS, BUT NEVER REPLACING THEIR OWN THOUGHT OR BRAIN, THEIR OWN THINKING AND COGNITIVE GROWTH. SO JOHN AND ALICIA'S WORK FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HAS RESULTED IN CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AROUND THE RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN LEARNING. JOHN AND ALICIA AND I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THEIR USER GROUP, WHICH INVOLVED MANY TEACHERS, MOSTLY 6-12, BUT SOME ELEMENTARY, JUST TO BE IN THE CONVERSATION. AND ALL OF THESE GUIDELINES HAVE GONE FOR ITERATIONS AND FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS BACK TO THE GROUP, FROM ADMINISTRATORS BACK TO THE GROUP, AND NOW THEY'RE ENGAGING IN AN THEY'RE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN THE DISCUSSIONS AS WELL. THE DISCUSSION ALSO INCLUDED, AS JACKIE SAID, THE QUESTIONS ABOUT ELEMENTARY STUDENT SCREEN TIME ON CHROMEBOOKS. THIS HAS BECOME SOMETHING VERY PREVALENT SINCE JANUARY IN THINKING ABOUT TO WHAT EXTENT IS SCREEN TIME HAVING AN IMPACT ON OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS. AND WE, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, IS VERY CONCERNED AND INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT ANY SCREEN TIME AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL IS INTENTIONAL AND THOUGHTFUL AND HAS A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. AND PART OF WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENE WITH US LED TO JOHN EXAMINING THE ANALYTICS AND TELLING US THE AVERAGE OF 17 MINUTES A DAY. SEVENTY MINUTES A DAY IS AN AVERAGE FOR K-5. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY BUILDING FOLLOWS THE SAME POLICIES NECESSARILY, OR EVERY CLASSROOM HAS THE SAME IDEA. AND SO THAT'S HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TEACH INTO EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN AND IF WE USE IT WITH STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THERE IS A VERY CLEAR PEDAGOGICAL REASON BEHIND THE IMPLEMENTATION. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE THAT WORK. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THESE TWO TOPICS. ONE IS MANAGING SCREEN TIME AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, AND THE OTHER IS THINKING DEEPLY ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO THOUGHTFULLY INTEGRATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO SECONDARY INSTRUCTION SO THAT STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO USE THE TOOLS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE TO THEM RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, BOTH TACKLING AT THE SAME TIME. SO THAT WAS PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. GREAT THANKS TO THE TECH TEAM THERE. THEY'RE INCREDIBLE AND THEIR WORK HAS BEEN AMAZING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. WELL, AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'M SURE IT'S GONE ON LONGER THAN THAT. I THINK YOU MIGHT RECALL ON THE SAME DAY, APRIL 29TH, GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE WERE SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE MATH ASSESSMENTS. HOWEVER, ONCE AGAIN, THE SAME THING HAPPENED LAST YEAR WITH THE ELA EXAM. THE PLATFORM, STUDENTS COULD NOT ACCESS THE ASSESSMENTS ON THE PLATFORM. IT WAS A STATE VENDOR ISSUE, NOT OUR LOCAL SYSTEMS. MR. SABALAS WANTS ME TO REITERATE THAT. BUT WE MADE THE EXECUTIVE DECISION JUST BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR TO JUST PAUSE AND RESCHEDULE THEM FOR THIS WEEK, WHICH WAS GREAT. IT PUT A GREAT TAX ON JOHN AND HIS TEAM, BECAUSE WE WE ALSO HAD APS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, AND SO THE TECH TEAM WAS REALLY RUNNING AROUND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR TECH WAS UP AND RUNNING AND THAT ASSESSMENTS COULD PROCEED WITHOUT A PROBLEM. BUT HE MADE IT WORK, HIS TEAM MADE IT WORK, SO GREAT THANKS TO HIM. AND AS WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO NYSED TO IMPROVE THIS RELIABILITY MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE IT'S STRESSFUL FOR TEACHERS, IT'S STRESSFUL MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR STUDENTS, AND IT'S CONFUSING FOR FAMILIES, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE. AND ALSO JUST APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S FLEXIBILITY WHEN WE ENCOUNTER THOSE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF FUN THINGS. OUR LAST STEM MOVIE NIGHT TOOK PLACE ON MONDAY AT THE PELL AND PICTURE HOUSE. WE WATCHED OSMOSIS JONES IN PART, AND VERY GRATEFUL TO THE PARTNERSHIP [00:50:01] WITH MINE. WHO PARTNERS WITH US TO BRING THESE MOVIES TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO JUST INCREASE EVERYBODY'S INTEREST AND LEARNING IN SCIENCE RELATED FIELDS. SO ONE THING OF NOTE DR. SHORT HAS PARTNERED WITH BOCES AND HAS BROUGHT IN SOMETHING CALLED THE RED TRUNK PROJECT AND IT'S ALLOWING THIRD GRADE STUDENTS LAUNCHING INTO AN INTERDISCIPLINARY UNIT ON KENYA. THIS UNIT INTEGRATES SOCIAL STUDIES, ELA, SCIENCE, AND MATH WHILE PROMOTING HANDS-ON INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING AND HIGH STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. OUR OFFICE IS CONDUCTING A FACULTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO GUIDE SUMMER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL PEDAGOGY, AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. THIS FEEDBACK WILL SHAPE FLEXIBLE, TARGETED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ALIGNED TO DISTRICT PRIORITIES AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE. AND THEN FINALLY, LAST NIGHT AND TONIGHT, OUR ELEMENTARY CONCERTS TOOK PLACE. PLACE AT HUTCHINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I WAS THERE LAST EVENING. DR. CHAMP, I THINK, VISITED TONIGHT. AND IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL REFLECTION OF THE TALENT, DEDICATION OF THE TREMENDOUS CARE THAT OUR MUSIC TEAM BRINGS TO THEIR WORK WITH STUDENTS EACH DAY. THEY NOT ONLY EXCELLED MUSICALLY, BUT IT WAS ALSO CLEAR HOW MUCH FUN THEY WERE HAVING DOING IT, GENUINE FUN. AND THEIR CONFIDENCE, JOY, AND PRIDE SHOWN THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE AND THAT ENERGY CARRIED ACROSS THE ENTIRE ROOM. IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [5.5 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Belonging and Wellness] NEXT, WE HAVE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE ON BELONGING AND WELLNESS. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. SO LAST TUESDAY, DR. CHAMP AND I ATTENDED THE SEPTA MEETING TOGETHER, AND DR. CHAMP PRESENTED THE BUDGET TO SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENTS THAT ATTENDED. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M CERTAINLY VERY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS OFTEN A DRIVER AND HAS BEEN A KEY DRIVER IN THE BUDGET AND SOME OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO STUDENT NEEDS AND SOME OF THAT RELATES TO COMPLIANCE AND MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY'RE AT BUT WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND I THINK WE DO AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB IN PALOM AS WE DO WITH ALL THINGS IN PALOM BUT I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HOW WE APPROACH THE WORK VERY THOUGHTFULLY. WITH A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, LOOKING AT KIDS' NEEDS AND MEETING THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT. AND AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT A LOT OF WHAT WE ALSO DO IS SO COMPLIANCE-DRIVEN IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. SO RECENTLY, AS PART OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS, THE DISTRICT HAS TO REPORT BOTH TO THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOW WE PERFORM IN TERMS OF VARIOUS INDICATORS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THE STATE ABOUT. AND AS I MENTIONED, THE STATE, NEW YORK STATE, IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE 17 INDICATORS THAT ARE USED TO ASSESS BOTH COMPLIANCE WITH IDEA AND STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AND THESE INDICATORS SPAN AREAS SUCH AS GRADUATION RATES, STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON ASSESSMENTS, LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, PRESCHOOL OUTCOMES, PARENT ENGAGEMENT, TRANSITION PLANNING AND POST-SCHOOL OUTCOMES. I MEAN THESE INDICATORS ARE DIVIDED INTO CATEGORIES AND COMPLIANCE AND RESULTS INDICATORS AND OVERALL OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE STRONG PERFORMANCE ALONG ALL MEASURES THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO RIGHT THAT'S WE'RE NOT PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK BUT WE DO DO IT BECAUSE NOT ALL DISTRICTS DO IT SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE DO DO AND I HAVE TO BE YOU KNOW THANK EVERYONE FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO IN PARTICULAR INDICATORS NINE AND TEN WHICH RELATE TO DISPROPORTIONALITY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION BY RACE AND ETHNICITY SHOW THAT WE'RE ALSO IN FULL COMPLIANCE. SO OUR DATA SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION OR OF INAPPROPRIATE CLASSIFICATION OR IDENTIFICATION. AGAIN, MEETING KIDS WHERE THEY'RE AT AND THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHEN WE CONSIDER STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS. IN ADDITION, UNDER THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME OUT WITH A NEW MATRIX LAST YEAR. AND AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST DETERMINATION, WHICH MEETING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IN ALL OUR AREAS. SO THIS REFLECTS BOTH OUR COMPLIANCE, WE'RE DOING OUR JOB, AND ALL OF THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GO WITH WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO, TO DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE TABLE WHEN WE MEET WITH PARENTS. AND ASSESS STUDENT NEEDS. SO I THINK COLLECTIVELY THIS KIND OF AFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITABLE PRACTICES IN THE WORLD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMING, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS. [00:55:01] SO, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST WORTH, YOU KNOW, POINTING OUT IN LIEU OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS. IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, SPECIAL EDUCATION, WE'RE IN ABOUT THE MIDPOINT OF OUR ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS. I WANT TO, AGAIN, RECOGNIZE ALL THE OUTSTANDING WORK OF OUR STAFF. WE PULL PEOPLE OUT OF CLASSROOMS. WE PULL COUNSELORS AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS OUT OF THEIR OFFICES TO BE A PART OF CSC MEETINGS. WE'VE HAD ABOUT 350 MEETINGS TO DATE. BETWEEN CSC, CPSC, AND CSC WITH TWO MONTHS TO GO, WITH ABOUT 50% OF OUR IEPS ALREADY FINALIZED. AND THIS, AGAIN, REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT VOLUME OF DETAILED STUDENT-CENTERED WORK THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL COLLABORATION AND CONSIDERATION, AGAIN, WITH FOCUSING ON STUDENT NEEDS. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION IN ALL OF OUR WORLDS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AI AND I ALSO ATTENDED A SPECIAL ED DIRECTORS MEETING THAT WAS HOSTED BY SOUTHERN WEST CHESTER BOCES WITH A TOPIC ON AI AND HOW THAT IS RELATING TO SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT WAS RUN BY LESLIE ACCARDO OF THE RIC JOHN KNOWS HER VERY WELL I SPOKE VERY HIGHLY OF HER AND SHE HIGHLIGHTED A LOT OF PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR LEVERAGING AI TO SUPPORT EQUITY. AND DIFFERENTIATION WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. SO, YOU KNOW, SHE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF USING AI TO SCAFFOLD INSTRUCTION, ADAPT MATERIALS, VARY READING LEVELS AND SKILL LEVELS. BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO GO SLOW TO GO FAST AND LOOK AT ALL OF THIS IN TERMS OF THE WHOLE DISTRICT'S APPROACH TO AI AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO FOLD WORK IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION WORLD IN TERMS OF THE LARGER AI EXPERIENCE IN PELLON. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION TOO, DR. COMERFORD, DR. FITZGERALD, AND I ATTENDED THE TRI-STATE SPRING CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS REALLY FASCINATING, ALSO WITH A FOCUS ON AI, BUT WAS VERY INTERESTING. AND HOW THEY STARTED THE CONFERENCE WAS ACTUALLY WITH A PRESENTATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GROUNDING OURSELVES IN AWARENESS AND MINDFULNESS. AND HOLISTIC WELL-BEING. SO AS A SEL PERSON, AS I ALSO CONSIDER THE KIND OF CONNECTION BETWEEN AI, THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME AND WONDERING WHY THEY CHOSE TO DO THAT. BUT IT WAS A THOUGHTFUL REMINDER THAT LEARNING ISN'T JUST ABOUT KNOWLEDGE, BUT NURTURING A FULL HUMAN EXPERIENCE. AND AS THE CONFERENCE SHIFTED TO THE FOCUS ON AI, AGAIN, HOW, YOU KNOW, I ECHO WHAT DR. COMERFORD SAID. I MEAN, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US TO NOT PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD THEY'RE GOING TO BE WALKING INTO. WE CAN'T PUT OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND PRETEND THIS ISN'T HAPPENING. BUT AGAIN, THE KEY TAKEAWAY FOR ME WAS BALANCE. HOW DO WE DO THAT? SO WHILE WE EQUIP CHILDREN WITH THE SKILLS TO NAVIGATE AN AI-DRIVEN WORLD, HOW DO WE ALSO MAINTAIN THEIR HUMANITY? HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THAT ASPECT OF CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION? AND CREATIVITY AND CAPACITY FOR MEANINGFUL CONNECTION. SO, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE TOOL. IT'S NOT THE REPLACEMENT FOR HUMAN ELEMENTS. AND I THINK, AGAIN, I ECHO DR. COMERFORD, THE WORK THAT MR. SABALOS AND ALICIA HAVE DONE IN DEEPLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS HAS BEEN JUST SO THOUGHTFUL AND MEANINGFUL TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, PURPOSEFUL AND CAREFUL STEPS AS WE CONSIDER ALL OF THESE ASPECTS. AND TO ME, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MS. GARCIA TODAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE TWO PATHS. LIKE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, AI AND THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT HUMANITY. AND HOW DO WE DO AND CONNECT BOTH THOSE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME? AND TEACH INTO BOTH OF THEM. AND I THINK THAT LEANS INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE BIG ROCKS WE IDENTIFIED THIS YEAR. SO I THINK WE'RE DOING GREAT, MEANINGFUL WORK IN ALL OF THAT. IN TERMS OF COUNSELING, THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, WE SEE OUR STUDENTS AREN'T HERE, ARE BUSY WITH AP ADMINISTRATION. THE TESTING WINDOW STARTED MONDAY, AND IT'S GOING TO GO TO NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 15TH. ALSO, IN MY MEETING WITH MR. FARRELL, MAY 1ST IS DECISION DAY IN TERMS OF COLLEGE, SO THAT IS A BIG DEAL. SO FAR, ABOUT 60% OF OUR SENIORS HAVE ENTERED INTO THE SCORE PLATFORM, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS THEY'LL BE ATTENDING. BUT AGAIN, THIS YEAR'S ACCEPTANCES INCLUDE SOME OF THE NATION'S REALLY MOST SELECTIVE UNIVERSITIES. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF IN TERMS OF THE WORK WE DO HERE WITH OUR TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS. AND OF COURSE, THE FAMILIES THAT SUPPORT ALL OF THAT. SO AGAIN, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING INTO, [01:00:01] YALE, CORNELL, DUKE, JOHNS HOPKINS, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, A LOT OF THE HIGHLY REGARDED LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOLS, MIDDLEBURY, WESLEYAN, SMITH. SO JUST A GREAT JOB. AND AGAIN, A LOT OF BREADTH OF ACCEPTANCES AND VARIED INTERESTS AND TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS JUST SHOW WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB WE DO, TAKING OUR KIDS, FOCUSING ON THEIR INTERESTS, AND GIVING THEM DIRECTION AND HELPING THEM GET TO THE NEXT STEP. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELORS ALSO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR VISITS TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THEY ALSO WENT THROUGH A TRAINING ON THE SCORE PLATFORM AS WE OPEN THAT UP TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND EIGHTH GRADERS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE STARTING WORK THERE IN TERMS OF CAREER ASSESSMENTS. I WANTED TO MENTION AS WELL, MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, AND IT'S A TIME THAT WE DEDICATE TO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. REDUCING STIGMA, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT SUPPORT WHEN THEY NEED IT. AND IN SCHOOLS, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE, BECAUSE STUDENTS SPEND A LARGE PART OF THE LIVES WITH US IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS, AND MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE KEY SPACES AND THE KEY PEOPLE THEY CAN CONNECT TO IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO OUR SUPPORT STAFF, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, OUR SOCIAL WORKERS. YOU KNOW, REALLY DO A GREAT JOB MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. AND LASTLY, AS DR. CHAMP MENTIONED, BUT I CAN'T SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT, TODAY IS SCHOOL NURSE APPRECIATION DAY, SO TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE JUST THE INCREDIBLE DEDICATION, CARE, AND COMPASSION OUR SCHOOL NURSES SHOW EACH AND EVERY DAY WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE BUILDING. THEY'RE MORE ABOUT SCRAPES AND HEADACHES AND SNIFFLES. THEY'RE STUDENT ADVOCATES, THEY'RE CHAMPIONS OF WELLNESS, THEY'RE A STEADY REASSURING PRESENCE IN THE SCHOOLS, THEY'RE GUIDANCE GIVERS, HUGGERS, YOU KNOW LETTING EVERY LET THE KIDS KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY. SO TO JUST OUR INCREDIBLE NURSES A HUGE THANK YOU FOR THEIR TIRELESS COMMITMENT, THEIR PATIENCE, THEIR HEART, THEY JUST MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU. [5.6 Executive Director's Update on Human Resources and Leadership] OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S UPDATE ON HUMAN RESOURCES AND LEADERSHIP. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. SO THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE, AND I FEEL LIKE THE SPRINGTIME IN SCHOOLS IS THAT TIME WHERE YOU FEEL IT THE MOST. AND SO TONIGHT YOU COULD SEE IN THE PERSONNEL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THERE'S A LOT TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS TAKING OVER SOME VERY KEY ROLES. IN OUR DISTRICT THAT DOES HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT. SO AS YOU KNOW DR. THOMPSON MOVES TO BE THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL OF PELLA MIDDLE SCHOOL WE WILL NOW BE POSTING FOR AN INTERIM ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION TOMORROW MORNING. SO THAT WILL QUICKLY GET UNDERWAY AND WITH DR. THOMPSON'S HELP I'M SURE WE WILL IDENTIFY A WONDERFUL INTERIM ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR PELLA MIDDLE SCHOOL. AT THE SAME TIME MRS. MANGONI HAS BEEN IN DISTRICT ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT DAYS THIS SPRING TRANSITIONING INTO HER ROLE AS THE UPCOMING PRINCIPAL OF SIWA NOI SO I KNOW SHE'S HAD A LOT OF TIME TO WORK WITH STAFF AND BE WITH STUDENTS AND AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO SPEND TIME WITH MRS. KRAMER GILBERT AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT OVER AT SIWA NOI SCHOOL SO SHE KNOWS HOW TO CARRY THE TORCH FORWARD AND HOW TO BUILD AND GROW ALONG WITH THE FACULTY IN THE COMMUNITY WE ARE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF OF OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC SEARCH. SO THE POSTING CLOSED ON, OH IT WAS CLOSED, SORRY, CLOSED APRIL 24TH. THERE WERE 27 APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION. DR. CHAMP AND I REVIEWED THE RESUMES. WE LOOKED FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE CERTIFIED IN THE ROLE, THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE, WHAT THEY WOULD BRING TO THE TABLE. WE HAVE SINCE THEN SCREENED FIVE CANDIDATES AND WE WERE PLANNING TO BRING FOUR BACK. FOR COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS NEXT WEEK. OUR COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS ARE MADE UP OF STUDENT ATHLETES, PARENTS, COACHES, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION MEMBERS. SO WE HAVE A VERY WELL-ROUNDED GROUP OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO, IN ESSENCE, WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS WILL COME IN CONTACT WITH THROUGHOUT THEIR TENURE HERE. YOU KNOW, JUST BEING THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. SO I THINK THAT'LL BE AN IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE. SO WE WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE AS THAT TRANSPIRES NEXT WEEK AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS. WE ARE ALSO PLANNING [01:05:02] FOR OUR TENURE CELEBRATION AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. SO WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR TEACHERS, A TA, AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING FOR TENURE, AND WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THEM AT OUR MAY 27TH BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. AND THEN THE BITTERSWEET ONE IS OUR RETIREMENT MEETING WILL BE COMING UP IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE. AND SO I'M WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATORS NOW TO SORT OF PLAN THE CELEBRATIONS AND THE WORDS OF WISDOM THAT WILL COME WITH THOSE CELEBRATIONS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT. AND THEN ONE LAST PIECE, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY BUSY WITH CONVERTING TO OUR NEW DIGITAL WORLD. SO A LOT OF OUR SUMMATIVES FOR OUR NON-INSTRUCTIONAL, INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN PAPER PENCIL FOR, I'VE BEEN HERE 10 YEARS, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS. SO WE HAVE SWITCHED TO A DIGITAL PLATFORM. IT WAS A LOT OF FRONT WORK FOR MS. MADDEN IN MY OFFICE TO WORK WITH FRONTLINE TO GET THE RUBRICS CORRECT AND THE LANGUAGE CORRECT AND THE PERIODS IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND THE CAPITALS WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS YEAR WE'LL BE ENDING WITH ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, NOT ADMINISTRATORS, ALL OF OUR TEACHERS BEING DIGITIZED. BUT ALSO OUR TAS, OUR NURSES, OUR CLERICALS, AND OUR MONITORS AS WELL. SO IT'S NOT ONLY WORKING WITH THE PLATFORM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RUBRICS ARE CORRECT, BUT NOW ALSO WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LOG IN AND SEE THE INFORMATION. WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO KICK THAT OFF AND END THE YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE IN THAT REGARD. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. IT'S HARD WORK TO DO THAT. [5.7 Assistant Superintendent's Update on Facilities and Sustainable Learning Environments] THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE ON FACILITIES AND SUSTAINABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. HI, GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU. I'LL START OFF WITH A SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 24TH. 8 A.M. AT HUTCHINSON SCHOOL, SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THE LITTLE ONES EARLY IN THE MORNING AND LISTEN TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AT A REALLY SLOW PACE. RIGHT. A DIFFERENT PACE AT EACH SCHOOL. IT IS. THE THINGS YOU WOULD TAKE AWAY. BUT IN THAT MEETING, WE TALKED WITH OUR SAFETY COMMITTEE GROUP ABOUT INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM OVERVIEW TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDED TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS. WE DID A DEBRIEF OF THE SWATTING HOAX THAT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE AT THIS CAMPUS THAT PRIOR WEEK AND KIND OF A LESSONS LEARNED THERE AND WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT OUR TAKEAWAYS WERE FROM THAT. SO, AGAIN, A GOOD BREAKDOWN OF WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE. WE REVIEWED OUR CAMERA ACCESS AND CONTROLS PROJECT THROUGH THE GRANT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE FOR $1.3 MILLION AND THE STATUS OF THAT AND HOW WE'RE MOVING ALONG. JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE UPDATING OUR PROPOSALS. THE ARCHITECT HAS BEEN ENGAGED. AND WE WILL BE MEETING WITH THE VENDOR SHORTLY. SO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IN A PRETTY SHORT TIME. AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME. THERE'S A LOT OF EQUIPMENT THERE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PROJECT. AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY PLAN, AND THAT'S WHAT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD EVERY YEAR. IT HAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR THERE'S REALLY NOT ANY BIG CHANGES, JUST ADDING A COUPLE OF PHONE NUMBERS, SOME ADDITIONAL LISTS, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY DONE. WE'VE SENT THAT OUT TO THE SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. FOR COMMENT AND WITHOUT ANY THOSE COMMENTS WILL THEN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY PLAN AND WE'LL BRING THAT BEFORE THE BOARD THERE'S A PUBLIC HERE A PUBLIC AIRING REALLY OF IT FOR 30 DAYS IT HAS TO BE MADE PUBLIC FOR 30 DAYS A COMMENT PERIOD EXCUSE ME AND THEN IT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR SO THAT'S JUST PART OF WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR THANK YOU. WE HAD OUR BUDGET HEARING TONIGHT, WHICH I FIND WE TALK ABOUT THE IRON OF IT, THE BOARD, THE BUDGET, THE BOARD HAS ALREADY APPROVED THE BUDGET. YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE BUDGET. I THINK THAT'S WHY ALL THOSE MEETINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS PRIOR TO THE FINAL, TO THE ADOPTION, TO PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE, WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT BUDGET. SO WE'VE GOT THAT. NEXT WEEK WE'RE PLANNING ON HAVING A CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE MEETING. PART OF WHAT WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WAS OUR BID RESULTS, WHICH WERE SET TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN, REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION FROM VENDORS, SOME VOLUMINOUS REQUESTS THAT CAME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD BIDDING POOL, SO THAT DEADLINE HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR ONE WEEK. SO THAT BID OPENING WILL HAPPEN ON MAY 14TH NOW VERSUS MAY 7TH. SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE FOUR BID OPENINGS FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE STARTING THIS SUMMER. ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA, THERE'S A TRANSFER FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING. THAT'S THE BUDGET VOTE, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT TRANSFER. THERE'S TAX CERTIORARI ON THIS AGENDA. AS YOU SEE WHEN THESE TAX CERTIORARI HAPPEN OR TAX APPEALS, THERE'S USUALLY AN ACCUMULATION [01:10:01] OF MANY YEARS WHEN THAT HAPPENS, AND THIS IS A SEVEN-YEAR ROLL-UP. TOTAL SETTLEMENT IS ABOUT $24,000, SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THAT. AND THESE MONIES ARE SET ASIDE IN THE DISTRICT'S RESERVE. SO THIS WILL BE SETTLED. WE WORK WITH CO-COUNCIL THAT WE SHARE WITH TOWN OF PELHAM. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT TO MOVE THOSE MONIES FORWARD, A BUDGET REQUEST THAT WE'LL BRING BEFORE THE BOARD TO MOVE THOSE MONIES FROM THE RESERVE TO TAKE CARE OF PAYMENT OF THAT FOR YEAR END. DR. CHAMP MENTIONED WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FROM KG&D ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA. THAT IS TO DRAW UP SOME PLANS FOR US. TO ACCOMMODATE MOVING SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF BACK INTO THIS CAMPUS. OH AND YESTERDAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE OR JOIN IN A DISCUSSION ABOUT ASSESSMENTS WITH 20 TO 30 OTHER BUSINESS OFFICIALS, SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS, REALLY ENGAGING WORK AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT WORK THOUGH AND REALLY WE SEE HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE HERE IN PELHAM. WE'VE GOT A GREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM, WE'VE GOT GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH WITH OUR TOWN ASSESSOR. AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD ALSO TO KIND OF SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN OTHER PLACES. SOME DISTRICTS HAVE TO KIND OF SPLIT THEIR ROLES BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T FALL EVENLY WITHIN ONE TOWN GROUP OF TAXING GROUPS. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE GOT GREAT PEOPLE HERE, AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS TOO WITH TAX ASSESSMENTS AND COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENTS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. YEAH, AND I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING ABOUT THE SAFETY COMMITTEE THAT STUCK OUT AS IT RELATED TO THE SWATTING HOAX. AND I THINK SOME FOLKS HAVE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL. I HAVE THREE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCED THAT. AND IT WAS A REALLY THOROUGH, LIKE, REVIEW, ASSESSMENT. MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE LESSONS LEARNED OR THINGS, LIKE, ON THE GROUND HAVE ALREADY BEEN INSTITUTED AND MOVING ALONG. AND JUST THE WORK THAT ALEX WOLF HAD DONE AROUND SORT OF THAT COMMUNICATIONS, LIKE IT'S REALLY IN MOTION. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AROUND COMMUNICATING TO PARENTS AND BEING IN THE KNOW, AND SO THOSE WERE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP. AND THE SPEED IN WHICH SORT OF GROWTH AND LESSONS LEARNED AND INSTITUTING WAS REALLY QUICKLY MOVING. SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE WHOLE TEAM IN THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER FOR THAT MEETING. LET'S DO KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR PEOPLE. KIND OF KNEW WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY GOT THE PHONE CALL. WE KNEW THAT THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING, SO THIS WASN'T COMING OUT OF THE BLUE. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE TO ACT AS IF IT IS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF REACTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING. I THINK WE SAW A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS THAT HAPPENED. OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS TAKEAWAYS, AND THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE HAVE OUR DEBRIEFS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE MAY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. SOMETIMES THERE'S MORE THAN ONE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS, AND IT'S GOOD TO TALK ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. I AGREE, THOUGH. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION. AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE WITH YOU AT SAFETY COMMITTEE? YES, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, OUR PARTNERS, SO THEY SHOW UP. AND WE'RE COMPLETING ACTUALLY SOME OF OUR EVACUATION DRILLS FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LIKES TO COME AND OBSERVE THOSE DRILLS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE TO SHOW UP IN A REAL EMERGENCY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE KIND OF WHERE OUR PEOPLE ARE GOING WHEN THEY LEAVE A BUILDING. AND IT HELPS THEM BE ABLE TO GET TO AN EMERGENCY SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY. YEAH, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE SWATTING INCIDENT. THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACTUALLY HAD TO CLEAR, RIGHT, CLEAR THE BUILDING. THAT'S CORRECT. AND BOTH DEPARTMENTS. THEIR TRAINING WAS LIKE AN ACTION, YEAH. IT WAS. IT WAS BOTH POLICE DEPARTMENTS, VILLAGE OF PELHAM AND THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM MANOR, BOTH RESPONDED. THEY BOTH HAVE FULL FAMILIARITY WITH THEIR BUILDINGS THROUGH THEIR DRILLS. THEY BOTH PARTICIPATE. OBVIOUSLY, THIS BUILDING RESTS WITHIN THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM. BUT AS PART OF THAT COORDINATION OF EFFORT AND EVERYBODY TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER, IT'S IMPORTANT AND THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM MANOR IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS BUILDING. SO THAT IF THEY'RE CALLED TO THIS BUILDING, IT'S NOT A STRANGE OR UNUSUAL BUILDING FOR THEM TO WALK THROUGH. THEY'VE GOT THAT FAMILIARITY. VERY GRATEFUL TO THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU JIM SO WE DON'T HAVE COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. SO I THINK... [7.1 Motion to Accept Treasurer's Report for the Period Ended March 31, 2026] [7.2 Motion to Approve 2025-2026 Budget Transfers] [7.3 Motion to Approve the 2026-2027 WPSBA Annual Meeting Ballot] [7.4 Tax Certorari Mtr. of Pacis Associates, Inc. v. Assessor of the Town of Pelham, et al.] [7.5 Motion to Approve Administrators' Grant for Continuing Education in the 2026-2027 School Year] [7.6 Motion to Approve Memorandum of Agreement with the Pelham Administrators' Association] [7.7 Motion to Approve Resolution of the Board of Education of the Pelham Union Free School District in Support of the Petition of the Lower Hudson Education Coalition (Case 26-00643)] [7.8 Motion to Enter into an Agreement with KG+D Architects, PC for Architectural and Engineering Services for Pelham Middle School Interior Alterations] [7.9 Motion Pertaining to the Annual School District Budget Vote and Member Election] WE TALKED ABOUT MOST OF THIS. THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. BUT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 7.1 THROUGH 7.9 AS A CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND. OKAY. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THE TREASURER'S REPORT AND THE BUDGET TRANSFERS. JIM JUST SPOKE [01:15:02] ABOUT THE BUDGET TRANSFER. THERE'S A... 7.3 IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL MEETING BALLOT FOR W FOR WEST WEST PUTT IS THAT IT FOR WEST PUTT 7.4 IS THAT TAX SEARCH THAT THAT JIM JUST SPOKE ABOUT AND 7.5 IS A TO APPROVE A GRANT FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND THAT'S FOR DR. GARCIA. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, THERE'S ONE OF THESE THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE. 7.7, A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE PELHAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SUPPORT OF THE PETITION OF THE LOWER HUDSON EDUCATION COALITION. WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AT THE LAST MEETING. THIS IS A RESOLUTION. TO HAVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RESPECTFULLY URGES THE NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO GRANT THE PETITION AND INITIATE A DEDICATED INFORMAL PROCEEDING AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE ELECTRIC UTILITY READINESS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL BUS FLEET ELECTRIFICATION. ACROSS THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND STATEWIDE AND YOU MIGHT SAY WHY ARE WE PASSING A RESOLUTION ON THIS WE DON'T HAVE BUS FLEETS BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BUSING COMPANIES RIGHT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE COSTS OF THIS INITIATIVE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ELECTRIFY THEIR FLEETS AND THAT IMPACTS PELHAM AS WELL BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE BUSING WE DO HAVE TRANSFER WE DO HAVE TRANSPORTATION COSTS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT. SO WE ARE JOINING IN ON THIS RESOLUTION. AND THEN I GUESS THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE? I DID ACTUALLY ON THAT LAST ONE. OKAY. TWO THINGS. ONE, AND CATHERINE, I'M GOING TO ASK THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE BEEN MOST INVOLVED WITH IT, BUT IF IT'S NOT THE RIGHT PERSON, FEEL FREE TO SAY NO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS WOULDN'T CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LAW ITSELF. IT'S LIKE A PARALLEL PROCESS TO HAVE THIS, I WANT TO SAY INVESTIGATION, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY INVESTIGATION, BUT LIKE FACT-FINDING GOING ON. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL. IT'S NOT ASKING THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DEADLINES FOR ELECTRIFICATION CHANGE. IT'S JUST WHILE THAT PROCESS IS GOING ON THAT WE HAVE FACT-FINDING ON SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND IMPLEMENTING IT. CORRECT. LHEC FILED A PETITION REQUESTING AN EXAMINATION OF THE STATE'S ELECTRIC UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE TO SEE IF IT'S PREPARED TO SUPPORT WHAT THIS MANDATE WOULD REQUIRE. SO THE RESOLUTION IS, AND THEN I THINK THAT SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO NOTE ABOUT RESOLUTIONS IS THAT THIS RESOLUTION, YOU'LL NOTE THAT EVERY PARAGRAPH STARTS WITH WHEREAS. SOME RESOLUTIONS START WITH RESOLVED. SO BECAUSE THIS IS A WHEREAS RESOLUTION, THIS IS STATING OUR OPINION AND OUR POSITION. IT'S BASICALLY A POSITION STATEMENT. SO WE'RE TAKING A POSITION ON, WE'RE NOT ASKING. FOR ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN, WE'RE STATING OUR POSITION AND THEN PROVIDING FACTS, WHICH IS WHY THE RESOLUTION PARAGRAPH START WITH WHEREAS. IF WE WERE STATING OUR POSITION AND THEN ASKING FOR ACTION, SPECIFIC ACTION TO BE TAKEN, THE PARAGRAPHS WOULD START WITH RESOLVED. YEAH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESOLVED PARAGRAPHS AT THE END, JUST SUPPORTING THE PETITION AND URGING. GRANTING THE PETITION. YEAH. RIGHT. YEAH, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT THIS ONE IS IT'S ULTIMATELY STILL SUPPORTING THE GOAL. YES. SO IT'S NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT A WORTHY GOAL AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE MOVING TO, BUT TO YOUR POINT, DOING THAT GREATER DUE DILIGENCE TO UNDERSTAND THE CAPACITY OF THE STATE TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE GOAL. RIGHT. YEAH. RIGHT. THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR THIS TO STOP. THEY'RE ASKING FOR A DELAY IN TIMING SO THAT WE CAN CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE PREPARED. TO SUPPORT IT. AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS WHETHER WE THINK [01:20:02] THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY EITHER IN THIS OR THROUGH SOME OTHER PROCESS TO SEEK ASSISTANCE FOR DISTRICTS LIKE OUR OWN OR REALLY... MAYBE IT'S JUST INVESTIGATION AT THIS POINT ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD IS FOR DISTRICTS LIKE OUR OWN WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO THESE MANDATES INDIRECTLY THROUGH THE BUS COMPANIES THAT WE WORK WITH, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ENTITLED TO THE SAME SORT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT DISTRICTS THAT OWN THEIR OWN BUSES HAVE AND WHETHER THE STATE HAS DONE ANY THINKING OR PLANNING AROUND THAT. THAT'S AN INTERESTING THOUGHT. I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO, THEY DON'T, MAYBE JIM, I DON'T KNOW, DR. CHAMP, THEY KEEP A RECORD OF HOW MANY DISTRICTS PROVIDE BUSING. I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE 730 DISTRICTS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. VERY FEW DISTRICTS ARE LIKE PELHAM THAT DON'T HAVE BUSING. I KNOW PLEASANTVILLE IS ANOTHER ONE, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY OTHER DISTRICT IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY THAT DOESN'T, OR BRONXVILLE. I ASSUME THE OTHER BEP DISTRICTS, BECAUSE WE ALL SHARE BOXES. ACTUALLY, IT'S SPLIT. EASTCHESTER, OH, ACTUALLY, THEY CONTRACT. THEY CONTRACT, BUT THEY HAVE INDUSTRY TRANSPORTATION. OKAY. SO WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING REQUESTS FOR UPDATES FROM THE STATE, AND QUITE HONESTLY, THE SURVEYS REALLY DON'T RELATE TO US. SO I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, KIND OF HAVE TO CALL THE STATE AND SAY, EXPLAIN YOURSELF AND SAY, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT. NEVERTHELESS, WE STILL FULFILL THAT OBLIGATION, OR ELSE DR. CHAMP AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD WILL KEEP GETTING. MEMOS THAT WE HAVEN'T FULFILLED A SURVEY. RIGHT. THAT'S TRUE. BUT WE SHARE IN THAT THAT WE ARE A NON-BUSSING DISTRICT, AND FOR THOSE TRANSPORTATIONS OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S AT A DISTRICT OR FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, ATHLETICS, THAT WE CONTRACT FOR THAT PURPOSE. THEY HAVEN'T COME BACK TO US WITH ANYTHING YET. I THINK THEY'RE REALLY HEARING A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THOSE OTHER, LET'S SAY, 720, 10. SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DO HAVE IN-DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION. AND THERE'S SOME REAL INFRASTRUCTURE STRUGGLES THAT THEY'RE HAVING. RECHARGERS FOR ALL THE BUSES, COLD WEATHER, RANGE OF VEHICLES, WEIGHT OF VEHICLES, AND COST. THE STRAIGHT-UP COST OF THOSE VEHICLES AND THE EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE OF THOSE VEHICLES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN PLACE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ARGUMENT THAT ZERO EMISSIONS IS BAD, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WHERE THERE'S... PEOPLE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND A LITTLE BIT MORE PRACTICALITY TO MAKE SURE IT CAN ACTUALLY WORK BECAUSE WE WANT TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE. YEAH. OKAY. SO MAYBE, CATHERINE, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S SOMEONE ELSE, BUT THROUGH ADVOCACY OR SOMETHING ELSE, MAYBE IT'S WORTH HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION ABOUT. WHAT THE STATE CAN DO IN TERMS OF LOOKING INTO DISTRICTS LIKE OURS THAT ARE FACING UNIQUE ISSUES THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE ISSUES FACED BY DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN FLEETS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS WORTH HAVING A CONVERSATION, SID, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT SUGGESTION. I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE WEST PUTT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT... THIS, JUST BRIEFLY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN. I MEAN, THERE'S SO FEW DISTRICTS LIKE OURS, SO IT ISN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU PASS A POLICY AND IT'S GOING TO GET TO THE MAJORITY AND THEN THEY SAY, WELL, THERE'LL BE MAYBE 5% OR, YOU KNOW, SMALL PERCENTAGE HAVE TO FIND SOME KIND OF WORKAROUND OR SOMETHING. SO THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLAN FOR DISTRICTS LIKE OURS. SO I THINK IT'S ALWAYS WORTH EXPLORING FURTHER WHAT. WHAT YOU KNOW AMY I THINK AMY PAULIN AND AND NATALIA FERNANDEZ IT'S A GREAT QUESTION YEAH GREAT THANKS SAID NO PROBLEM ANY ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON SEVEN POINT ONE THROUGH SEVEN POINT NINE I GUESS ARE WE DOING THE LETTER AS WELL OR JUST THE RESOLUTION I THINK THE RESOLUTION WOULD BE THE STARTING POINT AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE THAT AND CONVERT IT INTO THE LETTER ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? [01:25:02] AYE. ALL OF THOSE MOTIONS CARRY. [7.10 Motion to Accept a Donation] 7.1, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT A DONATION? SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. IS THAT 7.1? NO, 7.10. EXACTLY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE ARE TWO DONATIONS IN HERE. ONE, WE THANK THE PELHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR THEIR DONATION OF $6,723 FOR GRANT 2606, 3D MOLECULAR DESIGNS FOR HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. SO THANK YOU TO THE PELHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR THAT. AND THE SECOND IS FOR THE DONATION OF A PING PONG TABLE. AND WE THANK MARY DEYOUNG FOR THAT. WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING THE PING PONG TABLE? IN THE FREEZER. EXCELLENT. GREAT. AWESOME. OKAY. SO THANK YOU TO THE PELHAM EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND MARY DEYOUNG FOR THESE GENEROUS DONATIONS. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE THANK YOU. SO THOSE ARE ACCEPTED. THANK YOU. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO POLICY. WE HAVE THREE POLICIES THAT ARE IN FIRST READING. SO, SID, DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT THESE THREE? YEAH, SURE. [8.1 Policy 5630 - Facilities: Inspection, Operation and Maintenance (First Reading)] THE FIRST ONE IS FACILITIES INSPECTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE. THIS WAS UPDATED BASED ON ERIE 1, I BELIEVE. IT WAS BUILT OUT A FAIR BIT. I THINK ONE QUESTION THAT WE HAD COMING OUT OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND DR. SCHAMPER, SOMEONE ELSE MAYBE KNOWS WHETHER WE HEARD BACK, OR JIM, MAYBE IT'S YOU, ON WHETHER WE HAVE ANY FACILITIES THAT NEED THE LEGIONELLA SECTION OR WHETHER WE... YEAH. SO WE DID INQUIRE WITH OUR ARCHITECT. AND NONE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE PRODUCE AEROSOLIZED WATER. RIGHT. WHICH WOULD BE THE DANGER PART OF HAVING LEGIONELLA. RIGHT. SO OUR DISCUSSION AT THE COMMITTEE WAS IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THEN WE COULD DELETE THE LEGIONELLA TESTING PARAGRAPH FROM THE POLICY. RIGHT. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CHANGES WE WOULD RECOMMEND COMING BACK FOR SECOND READING WOULD BE... WE CAN DELETE THAT. DELETION OF THAT. YES, WE CAN, GIVEN OUR... FIRST SITUATION. YEP. [8.2 Policy 8130 - Equal Educational Opportunities (First Reading)] THE SECOND POLICY IS EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. I THINK THE MAIN CHANGE HERE WAS REALLY JUST TO CONFORM THE WHISTLEBLOWER LANGUAGE TO LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN OTHER POLICIES THAT WE'VE APPROVED THIS YEAR. CORRECT. AND THEN AT THE NEXT READING OR WHENEVER WE APPROVE THIS POLICY, WE WOULD ALSO RESCIND THE EXISTING POLICY, WHICH IS SIMILAR BUT IS BEING RENUMBERED AS PART OF ALIGNING WITH THE IRIWAN BOSI'S MANUAL OF POLICIES. [8.3 Policy 5741 - Drug and Alcohol Testing for School Bus Drivers and Other Safety-Sensitive Employees (First Reading)] AND THEN THE LAST... ONE IS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS. AND AS WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN FLEET, WE DO CONTRACT FOR BUS DRIVERS. AND THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW RELATED TO TESTING FOR THE REQUIREMENTS FOR US ARE MAINLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPANIES THAT WE CONTRACT WITH DO THE TESTING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. AND SO WE HAVE... A POLICY AROUND THAT. AND THESE ARE ALL FIRST READINGS, SO WE'LL JUST BE REVIEWING THEM TODAY, NOT VOTING ON ANY. AND ONE THING I WILL JUST ADD IN GENERAL, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH OUR POLICY AUDIT, AND IT WAS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE AUDIT BECAUSE, AS WE SHARED WITH THE BOARD LAST YEAR, WE DID A LARGE SET OF POLICIES. I THINK IT WAS 49. THIS YEAR WE WERE UP TO AT LEAST 31 PRIOR TO THIS MEETING. WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH A MORE RECENT POLICY AUDIT, WHICH HAD I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 85 POLICIES IDENTIFIED FOR UPDATES. [01:30:02] SO WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS PRIORITIZE BASED ON THOSE THAT WERE REQUIRED. SO EITHER THEY WERE REQUIRED AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN PLACE AND WE WANTED TO GET ONE IN PLACE, SO THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE SEEING SEVERAL NEW POLICIES COME THROUGH, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS, OR IF THEY HADN'T BEEN UPDATED RECENTLY. AND THEY WERE ON THAT REQUIRED LIST, SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'RE PRIORITIZING. BECAUSE I KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, DRUG TESTING FOR BUS DRIVERS, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE BUSING, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE, YOU KNOW, TOP OF OUR LIST, BUT IT CAME UP ON THE LIST AS A REQUIRED ITEM, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH SYSTEMATICALLY THROUGH OUR LIST. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S ALL WE NEED THERE. THANK YOU, SID. THANKS, SID. THANKS, SID YEP. WE CAN, LET'S DO 8.4. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO RESCIND BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY 8.1.3.0 EQUAL... I THINK THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE WAITING UNTIL WHEN WE APPROVE THE 8.2. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE OTHER POLICY. YES. OKAY. OKAY. SO WE DID 9.1 AT THE BEGINNING [9.2 Motion to Approve Schedule B - Extra Duty Appointments] [9.3 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Instructional] [9.4 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Non-Instructional] [10.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)] IN THE MEETING. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 9.2 ACTUALLY THROUGH 10.1 AS A CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THESE? ABOUT PERSONNEL ITEMS? YEAH. SO I THINK WE'VE TALKED ALREADY ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SHIFTS AND MOVES. SO A LOT OF THIS IS JUST MODIFICATIONS OF APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE SURE DATES ARE ACCURATE AND TITLES ARE UPDATED. SO EXCITED TO DO THOSE THINGS. THAT'S THE BULK ON OUR INSTRUCTIONAL AREA. MOVING TO EXTRA DUTY, THESE ARE SOME OF OUR TYPICAL EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ON HERE, JUST COMPLETING OUR STAFF FOR THAT ESY PROGRAM. AND IN SCHEDULE C, WE HAVE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, OBSERVERS FOR THE COMING YEAR IN, EXCUSE ME, OBSERVERS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IN PARTICULAR CLASSES FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING THE ROPES OF THE JOB. AND THEN IN 9.4 WE'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT RESIGNATIONS IN CIVIL SERVICE AND APPOINTMENTS TO CORRELATED RELATIVE POSITIONS. NOT A WHOLE LOT. SO I REALIZE I TOOK, ANNE-MARIE, I TOOK THIS AS A CONSENT, SO YOU'LL ABSTAIN? I'LL ABSTAIN FROM IT. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY ABSTENTIONS? ONE. AYE. OR ME. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND I WOULD JUST SAY, ANNE-MARIE SAID THIS IS ABSTAINING BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. YEAH. YES, MY DAUGHTER'S ON THE AGENDA, SO I'M ABSTAINING FROM VOTING ON THAT. [11.1 New Business] THANK YOU. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? ONE THING, VERY BRIEFLY, I KNOW CATHERINE HAD ASKED LAST TIME ABOUT KIND OF TAKEAWAYS FROM MY CONFERENCE, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT VERY QUICKLY. THE CONFERENCE THAT I WENT TO WAS PART OF THE, IT WAS AN AASA, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. IT WAS A SYMPOSIUM, SO A SMALLER EVENT, MUCH MORE INTIMATE WHERE YOU COULD GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, HAVE A LOT MORE DISCUSSION, A LOT OF VENDORS THAT BROUGHT SOME OF THEIR RESEARCH TO BEAR AND A DEEPER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT RESOURCES THEY MIGHT PROVIDE. SO THIS CONFERENCE WAS RELATED TO THE AASA'S CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROMISE. IT'S KIND OF THEIR WHOLE APPROACH TO HOW THEY'RE DOING THEIR WORK TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS. IT WAS INTERESTING, I VERY MUCH PICKED UP A THEME OF THEM FEELING THE NEED, THE RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE URGENCY TO KIND OF STEP IN WHERE THE U.S. DOE IS KIND OF, AS IT'S BEEN REDUCED, DISMANTLED, THEY'RE FILLING IN SOME OF THOSE GAPS. SO PICKING UP THINGS LIKE WHERE THEY, IT USED TO BE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT RAN THE BLUE RIBBON RECOGNITION PROGRAM. COLONIAL WAS RECOGNIZED AS A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL. SCHOOL SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WENT AWAY. SO AASA IS PICKING THAT UP BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS THAT ARE FOSTERING GROWTH IN STUDENTS [01:35:01] AND THEY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE VISIBILITY THERE. JUST ONE EXAMPLE. SO THEIR CAMPAIGN IS REALLY, THEIR WHOLE FOCUS IS THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROMISE AND WHAT THEY, A LOT OF WHAT THEY ROLLED OUT AT THIS SYMPOSIA WAS SOME DIFFERENT TOOLKITS TO HELP DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY REALLY KIND OF IMPLEMENT THAT PROMISE. SO THE PRINCIPLES THAT ARE BEHIND THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL PROMISE ARE PRIORITIZING STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING, THE NEW BASICS, REAL SKILLS FOR REAL LIFE, AND THAT WAS THE THEME OF THE WORKSHOP IN PARTICULAR THAT I ATTENDED, ATTRACT, RETAIN, HIRE, AND REWARD THE BEST PEOPLE, BUILD HIGHLY ENGAGED FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS, AND MEASURE WHAT MATTERS. AND I THINK AS YOU LOOK AT THOSE THEMES, THEY RESONATED SO STRONGLY WITH ME AS A THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING THAT HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANS, AS WELL AS THINGS THAT ARE, I THINK, ALIGNED WITH WHERE WE WANT TO MOVE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE NEW YORK INSPIRES INITIATIVE, ALSO OUR VALUES AS A LEARNING ORGANIZATION AND THE PLACES THAT WE'VE INVESTED TIME AND ENERGY IN LOOKING AT WHAT DOES MATTER. I THINK ABOUT THE PROFILE OF A GRADUATE. THAT'S GOING TO REALLY BE TRANSFORMATIVE IN HOW WE LOOK ABOUT WHAT DO WE VALUE, HOW DO WE MEASURE IT, HOW DO WE HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF MEASURING DIFFERENT IMPORTANT CONCEPTS. THERE'S SOME TOOLKITS TO GO WITH EACH OF THESE. THERE'S DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA YOU CAN GO WITH EACH OF THESE. BUT THE ONE THAT I ATTENDED WAS THE NEW BASICS AND REAL SKILLS FOR REAL LIFE, WHICH ACTUALLY KIND OF CONNECTS WITH SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING. THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EVEN TONIGHT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AI. THE CORE UNDERSTANDINGS UNDER THAT UMBRELLA ARE THINKING ABOUT THE MODERN WORKFORCE EXPECTATIONS AND HOW THOSE HAVE CHANGED, HOW ADAPTABILITY, CREATIVITY, ANALYTICAL THINKING, TEAMWORK, DIGITAL LITERACY, AND SELF-REGULATION ARE BASELINE EXPECTATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE, AND NOW WE HAVE TO DEVELOP THOSE SKILLS IN STUDENTS. IT ALSO FOCUSES ON THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING, SO THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS, HEALTHY ROUTINES, PLAY, EXPLORATION, OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE REAL LIFE SKILLS, AND THAT SHAPE ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. AND YOU HEARD, I'M JUST THINKING TO THE REPORTS TRACY AND CLAIRE JUST GAVE, ALL OF THIS LANGUAGE IS EMBEDDED RIGHT WITHIN THESE SAME PRIORITY AREAS. AND THEN WHEN SCHOOLS INTENTIONALLY DEVELOP REAL SKILLS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND MINDSETS THAT SUPPORT THEM, STUDENTS GAIN AGENCY, PURPOSE, SETTING GOALS, MANAGING CHALLENGES, AND MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. SO IT WAS JUST REALLY VALUABLE TO SIT WITH OTHER PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT THESE SAME THINGS. FASCINATING TO HEAR THE STORIES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL. I WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT WE LIVE IN NEW YORK. I WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT I WAS IN PELHAM, BECAUSE JUST KNOWING THE AMAZING SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY GETS, KNOWING EVEN THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE TO ATTRACT THE TOP TEACHERS AND THE TOP LEADERS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE AND I THINK THERE'S A PROTECTIVE NATURE AROUND PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW YORK THAT OTHER STATES DO NOT EXPERIENCE AND THEY'RE SEEING PUBLIC EDUCATION REALLY CRUMBLE IN FRONT OF THEM BECAUSE OF A LOT OF POLICY AND POLITICS. SO I'M JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND ONCE WE GET INTO THE SUMMER THAT'S OUR THOUGHT TIME AND OUR PLANNING TIME SO THE CABINET AND I HAVE GOT AN ALL-IN WEEK PLANNED IN JULY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY DOING BEING TOGETHER AND PLANNING OUT. FOCUS FOR NEXT YEAR AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHANCE I THINK FOR ME TO SHARE MORE OF THIS WITH THEM START TO UNPACK IT AND SEE HOW THE RESOURCES THROUGH AASA CAN THEN HELP TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE LOCALLY THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORT TO CONTINUE EVENTS LIKE THAT AND I WILL SAY TOMORROW I WILL BE UP IN SARATOGA AT THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETING SO IT IS THE END OF MY SECOND TERM SO UNFORTUNATELY IT'S PASSED THE TORCH ON THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES TO SOMEONE ELSE BUT AASA THANKFULLY WILL CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER COUPLE YEARS GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT AFTER YOU AND THE TEAM HAVE HAD TIME TO SORT OF DO ALL OF YOUR PLANNING AND HEARING WHAT KIND OF IDEAS AND NEW THINKING COMES OUT OF THAT. THE MATERIALS THAT YOU SHARED WITH US WERE, I HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, AND THEY WERE VERY INTERESTING. EXCITING. THANK YOU. ANY MORE NEW BUSINESS? QUESTIONS ANYTHING SID WILL ANYTHING NO THANK YOU OKAY NOTHING FOR ME OKAY I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN SECOND ALL IN FAVOR AYE THANK YOU GOOD NIGHT * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.