Aug 26, 2026 August 26, 2026 - Business Meeting

[00:00:05]

OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 26TH, 2026 BUSINESS MEETING OF THE PELHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION.

[1.1 Call to Order]

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.

YOU CAN SMELL IT. FLAG WAS UP THERE. YES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. TONIGHT WE'LL HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THE BUSINESS MEETING.

SO TONIGHT'S AGENDA INCLUDES SEVERAL ITEMS THAT ESTABLISH HOW THE BOARD WILL ORGANIZE AND CONDUCT ITS WORK FOR THE COMING YEAR.

AND FOR A SECOND, WOULD YOU MIND APPOINTING ME CLERK? OH, YES. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT A CLERK?

[1.3 Motion to Appoint Clerk Pro Tem]

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR CHAMP.

OKAY, SO TONIGHT'S AGENDA INCLUDES SEVERAL ITEMS THAT ESTABLISH HOW THE BOARD WILL ORGANIZE AND CONDUCT ITS WORK FOR THE COMING YEAR,

[1.4 Opening Remarks]

OUR NEW BOARD CHARTER. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL BE ADOPTING OUR BOARD GOALS FOR THE 2026 2027 SCHOOL YEAR.

THESE GOALS WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK WE DID TOGETHER AT THE SUMMER RETREAT, AND I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE BOARD AGAIN FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL INPUT AND DISCUSSION THAT WENT INTO DEVELOPING THEM. OUR BOARD GOAL, OUR BOARD GOAL READS TOGETHER.

THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT WILL SUPPORT THE CONTINUED ENHANCEMENT OF STUDENT OUTCOMES AS WELL AS DEEPEN COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE PROVIDED BY THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE OBJECTIVES SUPPORTING THAT GOAL ARE TO BUILD ON THE DISTRICT'S CULTURAL CULTURE OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE BY FOSTERING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN PROGRAMS, SUPPORTS AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT PROMOTE STUDENT SUCCESS AND EFFECTIVELY DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF THE PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ITS POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENT SUCCESS TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. OUR WORK UNDERNEATH THAT GOAL IS ORGANIZED INTO THREE AREAS, AS OUTLINED IN THE GOALS DOCUMENT INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE, FINANCES AND DATA AND DATA SLASH STUDENT STUDENT LEARNING. THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF WORK THAT HAS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE IMPROVING COMMUNICATION BOTH WITHIN THE BOARD AND WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THAT MEANS SHARING INFORMATION MORE CONSISTENTLY, CONTINUING TWO WAY COMMUNICATION ON IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS NOT ONLY WHAT DECISIONS WE MAKE, BUT THE THINKING AND PRIORITIES BEHIND THEM.

WE NEED TO EVOLVE HOW WE AND THE COMMUNITY ARE THINKING ABOUT OUR BUDGET.

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO KEEP INCREASES TO A MINIMUM IN A VERY HIGH, HIGHLY INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT. AND WE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGH THOUGHTFUL CUTS, EFFICIENCIES AND DIFFICULT CHOICES.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES IN EVERY BUDGET CYCLE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE INVESTMENT IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN AND ELEVATE THE THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR SCHOOLS GOING FORWARD. THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE ABOUT BOTH WHERE WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AND WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST.

THE THIRD AREA IS DATA AND STUDENT LEARNING. THERE ARE A FEW IMPORTANT PIECES TO THAT WORK.

THE BOARD IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENT GROWTH.

WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT HANDLE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN PELHAM AND KNOW OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVE AT VERY HIGH LEVELS.

WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY. WHAT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY IS GROWTH, THE PROGRESS THAT STUDENTS ARE MAKING OVER TIME ACROSS DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEARNERS, AND HOW OUR PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT GROWTH.

NEW YORK STATE IS ALSO CHANGING GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS THROUGH NEW YORK INSPIRES AND THE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE.

WE WANT TO STAY AHEAD OF THOSE CHANGES AND ENSURE OUR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO PREPARE PELHAM STUDENTS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL FOR WHAT COMES NEXT.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WANT TO ENSURE THE DISTRICT IS FORWARD THINKING AND WITH RESPECT TO AI AND TECHNOLOGY USE, INCLUDING DEVELOPING A CLEAR APPROACH TO AI INTEGRATION AND STUDENT SCREEN TIME.

TONIGHT, WE WILL ALSO REVIEW THE NEW BOARD CHARTER WE DEVELOPED TOGETHER AT OUR RETREAT.

IT IS A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AND SHOW UP FOR ONE ANOTHER.

LISTENING TO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, ASSUMING POSITIVE INTENT, COMING PREPARED AND ENGAGED, DISAGREEING RESPECTFULLY AND ADDRESSING ISSUES DIRECTLY WHEN THEY ARISE.

WE DEVELOPED IT BECAUSE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON WHAT WE WORK ON, BUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.

[00:05:01]

NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RANKINGS. THE NEW NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DID NOT AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF AP PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE DATA TO THE U.S.

NEWS FOR ITS RANKINGS THAT AFFECTED SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW YORK, INCLUDING HIGH PERFORMING DISTRICTS LIKE PELHAM, WHOSE AP PROGRAMS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR ACADEMIC PROFILE.

AS A RESULT, PELHAM DROPPED THIS YEAR IN ITS RANKINGS.

THAT DID NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE OUR AP PARTICIPATION OR OUR PERFORMANCE DECLINED IN ANY WAY.

IT'S BECAUSE THE PERFORMANCE OF, OR BECAUSE THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR STUDENTS CHANGED.

IT WAS BECAUSE A CRITICAL PIECE OF DATA WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE IN THE RANKING.

FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THIS YEAR'S RANKING DOES NOT PROVIDE AN ACCURATE COMPARATIVE PICTURE OF PELHAM'S PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO SCHOOLS IN OTHER STATES WHERE THAT DATA WAS AVAILABLE, OR EVEN WITHIN THE STATE, BECAUSE SOME SCHOOLS HAVE LESS OF A FOCUS ON ON AP.

REGARDLESS OF THE RANKING, OUR FOCUS REMAINS WHERE IT SHOULD BE ON THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCES AND GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS.

FINALLY, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BEST ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF THE YEAR.

NEXT WEEK, WE WILL WELCOME OUR TEACHERS BACK FOR THEIR OPENING OPENING DAY, FOLLOWED BY OUR STUDENTS THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK HAPPENS ACROSS THE DISTRICT OVER THE SUMMER TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WANT TO THANK DOCTOR CHAMP, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, STAFF, AND EVERYONE ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR THE THOUGHTFUL PREPARATION THAT HAS GONE AND CONTINUES TO GO ON RIGHT TO GET THE SCHOOLS READY FOR FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME EVERYONE BACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

THANK YOU. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 2.1. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE

[2. Approval of Minutes]

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE MINUTES? OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DOCTOR CHAMP. THANK YOU.

[3.1 Superintendent's Report]

AND ACTUALLY AND I SHARED WITH THE BOARD, BUT JUST FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING, WE'RE GOING TO TRY A NEW APPROACH TO OUR REPORTS THIS YEAR.

SO CERTAINLY WE LOOK FOR SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE ALL THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT, YET BE STREAMLINED IN OUR WORK? SO THE NEW APPROACH THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE CABINET LEVEL IS EACH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE FOR THE THE MICE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE MYSELF AND THE CABINET PROVIDE YOU WITH UPDATES, WRITTEN REPORTS AND MEMOS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

BUT THAT I WOULD, WE WOULD WORK TO PICK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF EACH OF THEIRS.

AND JUST TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR THINGS THAT MAYBE ARE MOST PERTINENT FOR FOR ACTION OR THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MORE SIGNIFICANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSED PUBLICLY.

SO I WILL DO THOSE IN MY REPORT AS KIND OF THE SUMMARY AND THEN CERTAINLY OPENS THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU'VE GOT FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THAT CERTAINLY CAN BE ASKED OF THEM. THERE MAY BE TIMES I WOULD THINK TO WHERE I MAY TOSS TO THEM TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COLOR ON IT.

SO WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY, SEE HOW WE LIKE IT FOR A COUPLE MEETINGS AND CERTAINLY LOOK FOR FEEDBACK THERE.

SO IN THAT SPIRIT SO YES, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I KEEP SAYING THIS IS THE RAMP UP. SO DOCTOR COMERFORD HAS BEEN DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PLANNING FOR WHAT'S KICKING OFF TOMORROW, WHICH IS OUR TWO ADMINISTRATIVE DAYS OF DAYS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFF SITE RETREAT.

SO YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST YEAR'S THEME WAS SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS.

THIS YEAR WE'RE BROADENING THAT TO SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR ALL LEARNERS.

SO THAT'S INCORPORATING THE STAFF INTO THAT TOO.

WE ALWAYS DO LEARNING FOR OUR STAFF, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT MORE INTENTIONALITY AROUND THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO FOSTER THEIR SKILLS, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF, PEDAGOGICAL TRAINING FOR OUR FACULTY OUR ADMINISTRATORS SEL WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE STAFF. SO REALLY JUST MAKING CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT JUST FOCUS ON SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS, IT'S FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF AND CONTINUING THEIR GROWTH AND LEARNING. NEXT WEEK, ANOTHER BUSY WEEK, WE START WITH NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.

DOCTOR FITZGERALD HAS BEEN WORKING ACTIVELY TO PREPARE THAT. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY OF ORIENTATION AND WELCOME.

I KNOW EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS COME AND DO A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT OF THE BUSINESS OFFICE WILL BE THERE. PBS WILL BE THERE.

I WILL BE THERE. JACKIE WILL BE THERE. JUST WELCOMING FOLKS AND STARTING TO ENCULTURATE THEM IN.

AND WE HAVE A NEW TEACHER STEPPING INTO THE ROLE OF THE MENTOR TEACHER FOR THE DISTRICT.

[00:10:07]

SO MISS LEILANI RUBRIC, ELEMENTARY TEACHER AT HUTCHINSON, REALLY EXPERIENCED TEACHER IS NOW STEPPING INTO THIS NEW MENTOR ROLE.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT SHE'S GOING TO BRING TO THAT.

SO SEPTEMBER 1ST, NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION IS KIND OF THE KICKOFF OF THAT.

AND THEN SHE'LL WORK WITH DOCTOR FITZGERALD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO MEET MONTHLY WITH WITH THE NEW NEW EDUCATIONAL STAFF.

ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. CERTAINLY THE BOARD WILL BE COMING BACK FOR OUR ANNUAL FACILITIES TOURS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO START WITH. WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING WITH THE ELEMENTARIES THIS YEAR, SO THAT WE CAN SEE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED OVER THE SUMMER. IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF THE ROOFING WORK GET SOME UPDATES THERE.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO END ON THIS CAMPUS BECAUSE IT'S ALSO FRESHMEN OR PARENT ORIENTATION NIGHT.

SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY GET THAT YOU KNOW, LET THEM HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.

AND THEN MR. LLEWELLYN WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN US BY THE TIME WE REACH THIS CAMPUS, ALSO ON SEPTEMBER 2ND AND THIRD, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONFERENCE DAYS. THAT'S THE OTHER THING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OR IN PARALLEL WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE RETREATS THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON.

SO TWO FULL DAYS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TRAINING, PREPARATION FOR THE YEAR TO COME.

SO WE'VE GOT SESSIONS THAT'LL BE GOING ON ALL THROUGHOUT THOSE TWO DAYS.

SO AGAIN, JACKIE WILL BE JOINING ME FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY ON THE MORNING OF WEDNESDAY.

THE SECOND WE WILL HAVE BREAKFAST PROVIDED BY THE PTA COUNCIL AND THEN LUNCH, OF COURSE, THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD PROVIDE LUNCH FOR EVERYBODY ON DAY ONE.

SO REALLY EXCITED TO BE BRINGING FOLKS BACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LEARNING TO GET US PREPARED FOR THE START OF SCHOOL.

AND THEN STUDENTS COME BACK THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.

SO IT'S VERY QUICK. IT'S A LATE LABOR DAY, WHICH MEANS WE'RE BRINGING THEM BACK RIGHT AWAY AND REALLY EXCITED FOR SEPTEMBER 8TH.

SO THAT WILL BE A HALF DAY FOR OUR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS.

AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE WILL BE A PHASED STAGGERED START FOR EACH OF THE GRADE LEVELS AND SAME THING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL TOO, WHICH AFFORDS THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ORIENTATION.

THAT'S ALL ON THE CALENDARS. ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE GOING OUT TO PARENTS, SO THINGS ARE EXCITING.

I DO BELIEVE THAT ELEMENTARY ROSTERS WILL OPEN FRIDAY 28TH.

I HEARD 28TH FRIDAY MORNING, FRIDAY MORNING. SO I KNOW WELL, IT'S ALL ELECTRONIC THIS YEAR, ALL ELECTRONIC. THE OFFICE IS CLOSED. THAT'S RIGHT.

ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS WILL BE AT A RETREAT OFF SITE.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, DO NOT DISTURB IN ONE PLACE.

BUT YES, YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE. BUT SO IT IS IT'S EXCITING TO GET TO THAT POINT.

AND THAT REALLY I THINK IT REALLY BECOMES REAL FOR EVERYONE.

SO WE'RE MAKING SOME FINAL WE'RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR ENROLLMENTS, REGISTRATIONS, MAKING SOME FINAL DECISIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

SO SECTIONS CONTINUE TO BE ON TRACK. THERE STILL ARE SOME VERY, VERY CLOSE SECTIONS, BUT THAT HAS HELD PRETTY CONSISTENT THROUGH THE SUMMER.

SO WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS AND HAVING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN WHAT'S BUDGETED AND PLANNED FOR THROUGHOUT THE COMING YEAR.

AND THIS WILL BE OUR THEME FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS WE BRING THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS BACK, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR FOCUS ON MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT, INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AND ETHICAL AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE USE OF THAT.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER IN MY REPORT.

AND CERTAINLY THE TRANSFORMATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT TO ASSURE MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES FOR GRADUATES SO THAT THEY ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE.

WE'LL BE GIVING YOU MORE SPECIFICS ON THESE AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. ONCE THIS IS ONCE IS ROLLED OUT, IT'LL BE MORE BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN REFLECTION.

WE'LL ALSO BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE FACILITIES OPENING OF SCHOOL.

SO JIM AND HIS DEPARTMENT WILL BE PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER TO SHOW THE SHINY FLOORS THAT WE ALL GOT A VIEW OF TONIGHT.

WE'LL GET TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT ON THE SCREEN. AND AS JACKIE ALREADY MENTIONED, TONIGHT'S AGENDA, WE'LL BE REVIEWING VARIOUS DOCUMENTS THAT WE WORKED ON AT OUR BOARD RETREAT TO GET, AGAIN, OUR FOCUS AND GOALS SET UP ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO DO OUR WORK AND WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR THIS YEAR. SO CERTAINLY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE.

ANY LAST COMMENTS ON THOSE WHEN WE GET TO THAT PART OF THE AGENDA? ALSO ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THERE'LL BE SEVERAL THINGS FOR YOUR FOR APPROVAL THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

OUR DISTRICT SAFETY PLAN WILL BE UP FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT AS WELL. WE'VE HAD OUR HEARING PERIOD ON THAT.

WE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS. SO THAT WILL BE ASKING TO APPROVE THAT AS PRESENTED.

SAME THING WITH OUR DISTRICT CODE OF CONDUCT. NO COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED ON THAT AS WELL.

I WILL NOTE AND I THINK I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.

WE DO PLAN IN THE COMING YEAR TO DO A THOROUGH LOOK AT THAT.

SO THAT IN THE COMING YEAR WILL LIKELY HAVE, I THINK MY, MY GOAL IN MY MIND IS PROBABLY BY APRIL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE, THE POLICY COMMITTEE BE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AND BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME YOU KNOW, MORE THOROUGH PUBLIC LOOK AT THAT PRIOR TO THE INITIAL HEARING, BECAUSE ANYTIME THERE'S BIGGER CHANGES, IT TENDS TO ELICIT MORE INTEREST. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT THIS YEAR.

[00:15:04]

SO THERE'S SOME RESIGNATIONS, THERE'S STILL SOME POSITIONS BEING HIRED AND THERE'S STILL SOME VACANCIES THAT DOCTOR FITZGERALD'S OFFICE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENT, ARE WORKING VERY ACTIVELY ON.

SO WE DID HAVE A LATE SOCIAL STUDIES RETIREMENT RESIGNATION AND TEACHER.

SO THAT AND PS LIAISON. SO THOSE THOSE WILL BE ON THERE TONIGHT.

AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO FILL THOSE NURSE OPENING A COUPLE OTHER ONES THAT ARE EITHER ON OR IN PROCESS OF BEING ON.

SO WE ARE WORKING HARD TO BE FULLY STAFFED FOR THE START OF SCHOOL.

EXPECT THAT TO BE MOSTLY THE CASE, AND WE'LL HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR ANY OPENINGS THAT ARE STILL MAY STILL BE THERE BY THE START OF SCHOOL.

ONE OTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA, YOU'LL SEE A NEW EQUIPMENT MANAGER POSITION.

THAT'S ONE THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE BOARD ABOUT IN THE PAST. WE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE HAD THIS ATHLETIC SCHEDULER COMBINED WITH THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER.

AND AS WE'VE TRIED THAT MODEL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE REALIZED IT'S REALLY NOT.

IT'S TOO MUCH WORK FOR THAT ONE POSITION. SO WITHIN THE EXISTING ATHLETICS BUDGET, WE WERE ABLE TO TO FIND WHAT WE BELIEVE IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH MONEY THAT WE CAN REALLOCATE TOWARDS CREATING THIS NEW POSITION. SO WHAT IT WOULD BE IS A POSITION, IT COULD BE THE SAME PERSON ALL YEAR, OR IT COULD BE DIFFERENT PERSON EACH SEASON. SO ONE EQUIPMENT MANAGER FOR EACH SEASON, WE'VE NEGOTIATED A RATE ON WHAT THAT WOULD BE RELATIVE TO THE WORK OF THE SEASON TO HELP SUPPORT THE ATHLETICS OFFICE.

SO THE THINKING THERE FROM MULTIPLE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND MULTIPLE DISTRICTS IS IF YOU HAVE A TIGHT CONTROL ON THE EQUIPMENT, IT PAYS FOR ITSELF IN TIME BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT GOOD INVENTORY, YOU'RE MAINTAINING, YOU'RE CLEANING, YOU'RE REPAIRING INSTEAD OF DOUBLE ORDERING, REPLACING THINGS YOU DON'T NEED, NOT REPAIRING THINGS.

AND THEN YOU KNOW THEM HAVING TO BE DISPOSED OF.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF MR. CASTANEDA'S FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO PUT THAT IN PLACE FOR THE FALL. FINALLY, ANOTHER CONTRACT I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT TO YOU.

WE'RE ENTERING INTO AN AGREEMENT RECOMMENDING WE ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH JED ORGANIZATION.

THEY ARE A SUICIDE PREVENTION MENTAL HEALTH SEL THOUGHT PARTNER.

SCARSDALE HAS BEEN DOING WORK WITH THEM. THEY DO A LOT OF WORK AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND I KNOW THE BOARD REMEMBERS OUR RECOVERY GRANT, WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH BOCES CAME TO AN END AFTER TWO YEARS THAT PROVIDED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRATEGIC THINKING AND RESOURCES, ASSESSMENTS AND JUST A GOOD PARTNERSHIP. SO WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE A GRANT FROM A THROUGH A ESA TO PARTNER WITH JED. AND SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT A $30,000 ANNUAL PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO WE GOT A FULL SCHOLARSHIP.

SO THE DISTRICT IS NOT HAVING TO EXPEND ANY FUNDS FOR THAT.

SO WE SEE JED AS A PARTNER THAT DOES WORK IN THAT SAME AREA THAT WE CAN PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND CONTINUE IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS KIND OF GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

SO WE'VE WORKED. TRACY AND I HAVE SEVERAL TIMES AND BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US TO CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING WORK, MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS IN GENERAL ALL IN THE SAME COHESIVE DIRECTION.

SO REALLY EXCITED TO ENTER THAT PARTNERSHIP. THANKFUL TO AASA. WE DO NEED THE BOARD TO APPROVE THAT CONTRACT THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO FUNDS BEING, IS THAT A ONE YEAR GRANT OR A MULTI-YEAR GRANT. IT'S A MULTI-YEAR GRANT, $30,000 A YEAR FOR MULTI-YEAR, CORRECT? YEAH, IT'S A THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP. YEAH. SO IT'S 90.

YEAH, IT'S ABOUT A $90,000 BENEFIT SCHOLARSHIP TO THE DISTRICT.

SO TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME WITH PARTNERING WITH.

YES. A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PTA COUNCIL AND THE PTAS AT COLONIAL PROSPECT AND SIWANOY, WHO ARE PARTNERING WITH US TO RAISE SOME FUNDS FOR A FEW AIR CONDITIONERS.

I KNOW BOARD KNOWS THAT IN 2027, WE ARE SCHEDULED TO DO CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING AT THOSE THREE BUILDINGS.

BUT GIVEN THE EXTENSIVE HEAT AND THE LEGISLATION AND REALLY KIND OF AS A STOP GAP MEASURE, SEVERAL PARENTS, AS YOU ALL REMEMBER, STEPPED FORWARD IN JUNE AT OUR BOARD MEETING TO, TO WANT TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE, UNDERSTANDING IT'S A SHORT TERM PROBLEM, BUT WORKED WITH US THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE PTA COUNCIL JUST APPROVED FUNDRAISING PROCESS LAST NIGHT.

SO LETTERS ARE GOING TO BE GOING OUT TO FAMILIES TO START TO HELP SUPPORT THAT, WHICH WOULD BE FOUR UNITS FOR PROSPECT HILL FOR, FOR SIWANOY, EIGHT FOR COLONIAL, WHICH WOULD COMPLETE AIR CONDITIONING OF CLASSROOM SPACES AND THE NURSE'S OFFICE AT COLONIAL ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

THE BASEMENT STILL WILL NOT HAVE THEM, BUT THE BASEMENTS DO NOT GET AS HOT AS THE OTHER ROOMS. OBVIOUSLY, EACH FLOOR IS PROBABLY 5 TO 10 DEGREE DIFFERENCE ON SOME OF THOSE HOT DAYS.

SO THIS SHOULD POSITION US. SO WE'RE REALLY POSITION US THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE SCHOOL FOR HEAT AGAIN.

[00:20:02]

AND I THINK I WAS JUST APPRECIATIVE TO THESE PARENTS FOR STEPPING FORWARD AND BEING WILLING TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND HELP.

THANKS TO JIM AND JOHN CONDON WHO, WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE AND WENT OUT AND DELIVERED.

SO THEY ARE READY. UNITS WE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH THE PTA AS THEY'RE ARE GOING TO REIMBURSE US, SO EVENTUALLY YOU WILL SEE A DONATION FROM THEM TO REIMBURSE FOR THOSE COSTS, WE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND PROCURE THOSE SO WE COULD GET A CONSISTENT UNIT AT A GOOD PRICE. THAT WAS THE PROPER, YOU KNOW, WARRANTED AND PROPER BTUS.

THOSE HAVE BEEN INSTALLED THANKS TO SENATOR DID THE ELECTRICAL FOR US FOR ANY ROOMS WHO NEEDED IT.

SO THOSE ARE IN AND READY TO GO FOR DAY ONE. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

WELL, YEAH, JUST TO TAKE A SECOND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY, I REALLY HAVE TO HAND IT TO OUR PARENT COMMUNITY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS AND DOERS THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE OUR PARENTS SEE A IDENTIFY AN ISSUE AND THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO FIX IT. AND ALSO THE DISTRICT'S PART IN COLLABORATING WITH THEM TO MAKE THIS SOLUTION WORK.

AND I KNOW THAT THESE AIR CONDITIONERS ARE GOING TO BE REUSABLE.

SO IT'S NOT IT'S A SHORT TERM SOLUTION TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC FOR A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY NOW TO THEN WHEN THESE RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETE AND WE DO HAVE A MORE FULLY AIR CONDITIONED, YOU KNOW, THESE THESE ARE NOW CAN BE REPURPOSED UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN GIFTED TO THE DISTRICT THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICTS TO THEN REPURPOSE FOR OTHER NEEDS AND OTHER BUILDINGS AND WHICH IS REALLY MEANINGFUL.

SO THANK YOU TO THE PARTNERSHIP FROM OUR PARENTS AND OUR AND OUR DISTRICT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR OUR KIDS.

AND WE WILL HOPEFULLY NOT SEE THEM HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN IT'S TOO HOT.

YES, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT WAS THE PIECE I FORGOT TO MENTION.

THE, THE, THE GOAL AND THE ATTENTION THEN IS TO TAKE ALL THE WINDOW UNITS THAT WERE PURCHASED THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

ONCE WE GET THE ELEMENTARIES FULLY THE CENTRAL AIR IN THOSE WILL BE PURPOSED THEN TO BE PUT IN HIGH SCHOOL SO THAT WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO THAT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE HIGH SCHOOL AS AIR CONDITIONED AND COVERED AS POSSIBLE.

SO IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST ELEGANT SOLUTION, BUT IT'S FUNCTIONAL.

AND THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE COOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS. SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

ANOTHER THING, I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

DOCTOR COMERFORD GAVE AN UPDATE IN HER MEMO ON THIS, BUT WE'VE GOT EVEN MORE UPDATED INFORMATION.

OUR CONVERSION TO DIGITAL REGISTRATION IS WELL UNDERWAY.

YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS YEAR WAS THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE AND EIGHTH INTO NINTH GRADE.

SO NOW AS OF YESTERDAY, WE WERE UP TO 88% OF INCOMING SIXTH GRADE APPLICATIONS ARE IN AND COMPLETE, WHICH IS GREAT. AND YES, IT DOES. 83% OF NINTH GRADE.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A STAFF IN OUR OFFICE THAT ARE CONTINUING TO REACH OUT MULTIPLE WAYS.

WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE FIGURED ONCE WE GET TO 20 OR FEWER APPLICATIONS, THEN WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO THE BUILDING FOR FOLLOW UP WHEN SCHOOL STARTS.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF THAT POINT.

SO VERY EXCITED. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO DOCTOR COMER FOR PUTTING THAT PLAN IN PLACE AND SEEING IT THROUGH.

AND FOR THE STAFF THERE DOING THE HARD WORK OF FOLLOW UP, AND THANKS TO FAMILIES WHO REALLY CAME THROUGH AND PROVIDED EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED.

SO WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO THAT PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALLUDED TO EARLIER THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IS SCREEN TIME GUIDELINES.

I KNOW IT'S A BIG TOPIC ON PEOPLE'S MINDS. SO THANK YOU TO MR. SEBALOS AND MISS DELMASTRO, WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING OVER THE SUMMER TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW TO BEST APPROACH THIS.

THERE'S THE EASY WAY TO DO IT, AND THEN THERE'S A THOUGHTFUL WAY TO DO IT. AND WE WANTED TO, AS ALWAYS, BE THE THOUGHTFUL WAY TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT EDUCATION, THAT'S GOING TO BALANCE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS WITH EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND TO BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ACTIVE PURPOSES OF USING TECHNOLOGY IN OUR CLASSROOMS VERSUS PASSIVE THAT ARE NOT AS NECESSARY AND REALLY NOT AS BENEFICIAL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING THOSE OUT FOR FEEDBACK WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS DURING THE RETREAT DAYS.

THESE NEXT TWO DAYS. WE'LL ALSO BE ROLLING THEM OUT TO STAFF AND SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCES NEXT WEEK TO GET MORE FEEDBACK THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING THE PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE.

TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE. SO WE ARE PLANNING AN EARLY MEETING EARLY IN SEPTEMBER.

WE'RE TRYING TO ACCELERATE OUR COMMITTEE SIGNUPS THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN GET COMMITTEES IN PLACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET THINGS LIKE THAT MOVING.

AND THEN THEY'LL BE COMING AND PRESENTING TO THE BOARD AND WE'RE PLANNING TO DO A PARENT SESSION AS WELL TO ROLL THOSE OUT.

SO YEAH, IT'S REALLY EXCITING. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH THAT I THINK IS GOING TO MAKE SENSE FOR US AND STILL BALANCE A LOT OF THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETING NEEDS AROUND IT. YET WE ARE ALL SENSITIVE TO REALLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL.

WHEN YOU SAY A PARENT SESSION, DO YOU MEAN LIKE A WORLD CAFE OR WHAT'S THE FORMAT OF THAT?

[00:25:01]

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT FEEDBACK ON WHAT YOU FOLKS THINK WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE FORMAT AND WE'RE VERY OPEN TO THAT.

I THINK THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY I THINK THE AI MEETING WENT VERY WELL.

I THINK WE JUST WANT TO RECORD IT AND WHICH WE ALREADY KNOW. YEAH. YES.

YEAH. LESSON LEARNED ON THAT. THOSE WHO ATTENDED WERE VERY VOCAL AND I THOUGHT THE PRESENTATION WAS GREAT.

SO YEAH. YEAH. I THINK THAT FORMAT WENT WELL.

GREAT. OKAY. KATHRYN. SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE SAME IN PELHAM, BUT I KNOW FROM SPEAKING WITH OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THIS IS A TOPIC ON A LOT OF DISTRICTS MINDS EDTECH, THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING OUR OUTREACH TO PARENTS, TO HAVE A PARENT FORUM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY HARD, AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO CAPTURE THE PRESCHOOL AGE FAMILIES, BECAUSE IN OTHER DISTRICTS, I THINK MORE SO THAN IN PELHAM, AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UNLESS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

BUT IN OTHER DISTRICTS, THE MOST VOCAL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS WHO ACTUALLY SO THEY DON'T HAVE PUBLIC SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

SO THEY THEY HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN THE LOUDEST VOICE AND THEY DON'T UNDER THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF EDTECH IS IN SCHOOLS. AND SO THE EDUCATION PIECE OF IT HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND SO JUST BEING MINDFUL OF LIKE PROACTIVELY THINKING ABOUT LIKE, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING ALL THE, LIKE EVEN OUR THREE, FOUR YEAR OLD FUTURE PARENTS? YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY FEARFUL.

I THINK IT'S COMING FROM A PLACE OF LIKE, WHEN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, IT'S SCARY. AND YOU KNOW HOW THE IMPACT OF SCREEN TIME AT HOME, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME AT SCHOOL. THE SCREENS ARE NOT THE SAME KIND OF END GOAL OR END RESULT IS AT SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT.

SO. RIGHT. YEAH. NO, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

AND I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE THESE ARE NOT FINALIZED YET AND YOU'RE COLLECTING FEEDBACK.

BUT WHEN YOU SAY INTENTIONAL, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE IT'S, YOU KNOW, INTENTIONAL USE DOES THAT MEAN, LIMITING LIMITING IT IN ELEMENTARY TO LIKE, WILL IT BE MORE LIMITED? I THINK BY NATURE OVERALL, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THIS? I'M HESITANT TO CHIME IN BEFORE WE FINALIZE. I WAS HESITANT TO ASK THE QUESTION.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THIS. SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A TOPIC AND SO MANY I'VE HAD HAVE AN ADVOCACY UPDATE GUYS.

SURPRISE. INFORMATION FOR ME ISN'T COMING OR FORTHCOMING, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THIS AT LIKE ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN AT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THE DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER THAT JUST CAME OUT FROM THE US DOE EDUCATION, DEPUTY DEPUTY EDUCATION, WHATEVER HER TITLE IS, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME NOW.

WAS ACTUALLY GAVE THEY'RE NOT GIVING GUIDANCE, BUT THEY'RE GIVING GUIDELINES AND THEY MADE A VERY CLEAR DISTINCTION ABOUT INTENTIONAL USE VERSUS JUST SCREEN TIME AND AND LEAVING IT UP TO THE STATES.

BUT SO, SO AGAIN, LIKE SCHOOLS ARE KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT THAT MEANS AND HOW THEY WANT IT AND HOW THEY'RE DEFINING IT.

AND SO I'M, I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE HEARING A LOT FROM SCHOOLS ABOUT WHAT A PLAN LOOKS LIKE UNTIL THEY'VE HAD TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

I FORGET WHAT SCHOOL IT IS, BUT I, I'VE SEEN SOME THINGS SORT OF IN THE PRESS BEEN PUTTING OUT JUST PUTTING OUT STATEMENTS ABOUT THEIR POSITION ON SCREEN, YOU KNOW, SCREEN TIME IN ELEMENTARY. AND THEY AND AGAIN, IT MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN IN NEW JERSEY, LIKE, BECAUSE I GET SOME OF THAT FROM, FROM WHERE I GREW UP.

BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAD, THE BOARD HAD A POSITION OF YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO LIMIT SCREEN TIME IN, IN THE, IN THE ELEMENTARY AS, AS MUCH AS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF, IF YOU'RE NOTICING, IF YOU'RE NOTICING THAT IN LIKE IN THIS AS YOU'RE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, THAT IT'LL BE MORE LIMITED OR. YEAH, I MEAN, SO ONE THING THAT WE KNOW IS THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE SCREEN TIME SKYROCKETED FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS.

AND SO FOR EVERYONE AND THEN PRACTICES CAME TO BE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THOUGHTFUL AND INTENTIONAL.

AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO FIRST, WE'VE BEEN THINKING IN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT MONTHS AND TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE USING A DEVICE, IT'S FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, THAT THE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AGE? AND SO WHAT WE'RE FIRST DOING IS DEVELOPING SOME GUIDELINES THAT I DON'T TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THEY THEY WOULD LIMIT THEM BECAUSE NOW WE'RE ASKING YOU TO GO THROUGH STEPS OF THINKING, WHY AM I USING THIS? WHAT'S THE DATA I'M USING TO SHOW THAT I SHOULD USE THIS? WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE STUDENT? AND SO WE'RE PUTTING SOME, SOME STRUCTURES IN PLACE THAT,

[00:30:03]

AND THEN, AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GETTING FEEDBACK ON THOSE.

AND DAY ONE OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS CONFERENCE DAYS, WE'RE ENGAGING ALL ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WHY AND THE WHAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT NO, THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT BEING OVERWHELMED.

THEY ARE NOT BEING JUST SENT OFF TO PLAY WITH A DEVICE WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OR REASON TO IT AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT EVERYONE IS ALIGNED IN HOW THEY'RE DOING IT.

SO THAT ONE CLASSROOM OR BUILDING ISN'T DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE REST.

THAT WAS MY DECISION TO HAVE MORE CONSISTENCY.

SO, SO WITH THAT CONSISTENCY AND ALIGNMENT AND WITH THE INTENTIONAL PROCESSES, WE'RE ASKING MY VERY NAIVE ASSUMPTION IS THAT IT WOULD WOULD LOWER AND LIMIT.

YES. WITHOUT KNOWING FOR SURE. YES. BUT WE THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL BECAUSE WE CAN SEE YOU CAN TRACK USAGE.

YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. WE'RE HOPING TO WE'RE KIND OF AIMING TO TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH A FULL PRESENTATION ON IT AT OUR OCTOBER 7TH MEETING.

SO THAT'LL GIVE US A TIME TO VET THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND TO GET, YOU KNOW, GET THAT ADDITIONAL LAYER OF, OF FEEDBACK.

RIGHT. AND, AND I'M NOT, I WASN'T, I WASN'T TRYING TO SAY THAT LIMITING IS ALWAYS THE BEST THING, RIGHT? YOU SOMETIMES THERE'S DATA, RIGHT? THAT SAYS IF YOU USE A CERTAIN TOOL ONLINE, LIKE A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR ACHIEVEMENT.

YEAH, EXACTLY. SO WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.

RIGHT. YEAH. AND I THINK TOO, THERE'S A, THERE IS A REALITY OF OUR THREE THROUGH EIGHT ASSESSMENT STATE ASSESSMENTS ARE COMPUTER BASED ASSESSMENTS.

KIDS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO USE. SO THERE'S A UNFORTUNATELY YEAH, THERE'S A SKILL THERE THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS. THERE'S MANY OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. AND WE HAVE OUR K 12 NEW YORK STATE DIGITAL LITERACY STANDARDS, WHICH WE ARE MANDATED TO, TO, TO INSTRUCT.

BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO ALL BE DONE ON SCREENS EITHER.

THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE. WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTFUL AND IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, VERY SCHOOL STUDENT CENTERED DECISIONS ON THOSE.

YEAH. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT.

AND FINALLY, JUST ONE MORE ITEM THAT'S STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON.

YOU KNOW, AS PART OF CONTINUING TO REINFORCE A CULTURE IN SCHOOLS THAT'S FREE OF DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT DOCTOR FITZGERALD IS CONTINUING.

SHE'S WORKING WITH ALEX AND FINALIZING A TITLE NINE WEB PAGE TO BE LAUNCHED IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

SO KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP OF POLICIES, PROCEDURES, WHO, HOW, YOU KNOW, FORMS ALL OF THAT.

AND ALSO HAS BEEN WORKING ON AN EMPLOYEE PORTAL THAT WILL LAUNCH AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR AS WELL.

THAT SAME THING, KIND OF A LANDING PAGE FOR EASY ACCESS FOR EMPLOYEES WITHIN SOME OF THE NEW MODULES THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING ON WITHIN OUR FRONT LINE.

THAT'S MORE OF AN EMPLOYEE FACE, BECAUSE WHEN I THINK OF TITLE NINE, MY BRAIN GOES TO ATHLETICS, YOU KNOW? BUT YES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TO JUMP IN BECAUSE TRACY AND I ARE BOTH THE TITLE NINE COORDINATORS.

BUT SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A FRONT PUBLIC FACING PAGE FOR FAMILIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ATHLETICS.

IT COULD BE NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE IN AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM.

SO THE, THE REPORTING FORM HAS TO BE FRONT FACING BY POLICY.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DESIGNING WITH THAT WEB PAGE IS A LANDING PAGE FOR FAMILIES TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.

WHAT'S OUR POLICY? WHO DO YOU CONTACT? AND THEN THE ACTUAL FORMAL COMPLAINT FORM.

AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL INTERNAL FACING THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE PORTAL.

I SEE, YEAH, THE, THE EMPLOYEE PORTAL, WE HAVE A LOT MORE LIKE PROCEDURAL STEPS AND FORMS FOR EACH STEP OF A COMPLAINT THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH. BUT AS AS TRICIA SAID, BASED ON POLICY AND REGULATION, WE ARE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING OUTWARD FACING TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT COVERS MY REPORT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR CHAMP. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT IS COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE HERE SO WE CAN MOVE TO. DO I HAVE A MOTION?

[5.1 Motion to Approve and Adopt the 2026-2027 Board of Education Meeting Dates]

[5.2 Motion to Approve and Adopt the 2026-2027 Board of Education Governance, Meeting and Communication Protocols]

[5.3 Motion to Approve the 2026-2027 Organizational Chart]

[5.4 Motion to Review the 2026-2027 Board of Education Charter]

[5.5 Motion to Approve and Adopt the 2026-2027 Board of Education Goals]

[5.6 Motion to Approve and Adopt the 2026-2027 Board of Education Committee Roles and Responsibilities]

[5.7 Motion to Accept Treasurer's Report for the Period Ended May 31, 2026]

[5.8 Motion to Accept Treasurer's Report for the Period Ended June 30, 2026]

[5.9 Motion to Approve 2025-2026 Budget Transfers]

[5.10 Motion to Approve and Accept the Pelham Public Schools District-Wide Safety Plan]

[5.11 Motion to Enter into an Agreement with Sarah Lawrence College for Swimming Pool Rental]

[5.12 Motion to Extend the Agreement with Isa Marrs Speech Language Pathology PC]

[5.13 Motion to enter into an agreement with The Jed Foundation]

[5.14 Motion to Approve Memorandum of Agreement with the Pelham Teachers' Association]

[5.15 Motion to Dispose of Equipment]

SURE. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 5.1 THROUGH 5.15 AS A CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. SO THE FIRST FIVE. SIX. THE FIRST SIX ITEMS ARE ARE ITEMS FROM OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

[00:35:07]

THE GOALS AND IN OUR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS WHICH THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE DATES FOR THOSE COMMITTEES ALREADY ALREADY PROVIDED.

WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD THIS YEAR TO GET THAT, GET THE RHYTHM ALL IN PLACE SO THAT IT'S CLEAR AND EVERYONE CAN PLAN AHEAD.

YEAH. SO OF COURSE, IF SOME OF THE DATES DON'T WORK, YOU CAN LET US KNOW AND WE'LL ADJUST.

OKAY. CAN I, AS FAR AS THE BOARD DATES, I ACTUALLY JUST REALIZED ONE THING I WANTED TO RAISE TONIGHT.

THE DATES, I KNOW THOSE HAVE BEEN OUT FOR THE BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE. THOSE ARE ALL NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES THERE.

I DID WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR WORK SESSIONS, WE'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO STARTING AT SEVEN.

WE HAD DONE THAT IN THE PAST FOR SOME REASON.

WE SWITCHED TO 730 WITH A WORK SESSION. THE HOPE IS THAT THERE'S NO EXEC SESSION AND THERE'S NO BUSINESS THAT NIGHT IS REALLY JUST WORK SESSION.

AND WE OFTEN HAVE STAFF WITH US, WHETHER IT'S TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS.

SO AN EARLIER START TENDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSIDERATE FOR THEM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT THAT WAS OKAY. AND THEN THERE'S ONE MEETING THAT IT DAWNED ON ME TODAY IS OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION TEN YEAR REVIEW IN FEBRUARY.

THAT'S FEBRUARY 10TH. THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE DONE THAT REMOTE.

AND I THINK WE WERE, WE ALSO SHIFTED IT TO AN EARLIER TIME.

SO I GUESS I WANTED TO SAY ON THE FRONT END, IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THAT INSTEAD OF SCRAMBLING CLOSE TO THAT DATE.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT TIME WE STARTED LAST YEAR. IF IT WAS A 5:00 OR 6:00, THIS IS FEBRUARY 10TH, FEBRUARY 10TH. NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I'M DOING IN FEBRUARY 10TH AT THIS POINT, BUT I JUST REMEMBER THE FORMAT HAS WORKED WELL THE LAST COUPLE OF LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO I AGREE. SO LAST TIME WELL I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE US.

DO WE WANT TO START EARLIER. YEAH. OKAY. BUT THEN WE MOVED TO ONLINE.

SO SO IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER AS MUCH. SO MAYBE SIX.

WE'LL SPLIT THE SIX WORK. I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT WAITING FOR SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS TO GET HOME AND GET SETTLED.

THEY'LL MAKE IT WORK EITHER WAY. I THINK THE EARLIER, THE EARLIER THE IT TENDS TO BE, THE BETTER.

SO 6:00 SOUND OKAY FOR THAT MEETING? WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE.

YEAH. AND I THINK A SEVEN START FOR THE WORK SESSIONS IS FINE.

OKAY, GREAT. AND AS I SAID, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO, TO MAKE TO TRY TO AVOID HAVING TO HAVE EXACT SESSION OR BUSINESS UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT AS WELL.

BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S TOUGH FOR YOU KNOW, FOR YOU ALL TO GET HERE SOME NIGHTS FROM WORK, SO WE'LL COMMUNICATE AROUND THAT.

OKAY, SO WITH THE SO IN THE APPROVAL THEN FOR THE BOARD MEETING DATES, WE WOULD BE APPROVING THOSE WITH A CHANGE OF FEBRUARY 6TH TO A SORRY, FEBRUARY 10TH TO A 6:00 START. SO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD.

OKAY, GREAT. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE MEETING DATES.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE ORG CHART? I THINK THAT WAS FAIRLY PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

YEP. STRAIGHTFORWARD. THAT WAS JUST UPDATES OF NEW STAFF.

THE BOARD GOVERNANCE. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAD ANY CHANGES ON THAT FROM PRIOR YEAR.

SO UNLESS ANYONE HAD A LAST TWICE THOUGH OKAY.

IT SEEMS TO WORK PRETTY WELL FOR US. THE CHART ACTUALLY THE CHARTER IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TECHNICALLY APPROVING.

WE'RE JUST REVIEWING TONIGHT. IT'S NOT A REQUIRED DOCUMENT, BUT AS JACKIE SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO BRING AND THIS ACTUALLY FITS IN WITH A LOT OF THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS A DISTRICT AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.

WE'VE BEEN USING IT AS A TOOL THAT COMES FROM THE RULER PROGRAM, JUST FOR US TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE HOW WE COME TO THE WORK, HOW WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND TREAT OURSELVES.

SO WELL, WE MAKE THAT AVAILABLE. CAN PEOPLE REVIEW THAT? LIKE, WILL WE PUT THAT? IT'S ON THE AGENDA. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY. OH YEAH. IT'S ON THE AGENDA. YEAH. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FROM TIME TO TIME WE CAN ADJUST AS PART OF OUR MEETINGS.

JUST REVIEW IT, SEE HOW WE'RE DOING, KIND OF A LITTLE SELF-REFLECTION.

WHAT ARE WE DOING? WELL, WHAT ARE SOME AREAS MAYBE WE NEED TO SET SOME MORE INTENTION AROUND SHORE UP.

MAYBE WE WANT TO ADJUST LANGUAGE IN TIME. IF THERE'S MAYBE SOMETHING MISSING OR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT QUITE WORKING, BUT GREAT START. OKAY. SO THEN THE GOALS YOU SHARED THOSE.

YEAH, I DO HAVE A COMMENT. OKAY. LIKE POTENTIALLY LIKE A LATE EDITION.

I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER MAKING ADVOCACY MORE EXPLICIT IN NOT IN THE GOAL ITSELF, BUT IN THE WHAT ARE WE CALLING THE IN THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION? YEAH.

[00:40:01]

RIGHT. YES. WE. SOMETHING LIKE LEVERAGE BOARD ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS TO ADVANCE DISTRICT PRIORITIES AT THE REGIONAL AND STATE LEVELS.

THAT SOUNDS VERY GOOD. OKAY. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, KATHRYN WE HAVE THE, LIKE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING KATHRYN ON THE THE WEST PUTT BOARD AND BEING OUR LOWER HUDSON NOW TO, OH, LOWER HUDSON AND AREN'T YOUR NYSBA LIAISON AS WELL.

SO I, I THINK IT MAKES, I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR US TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL AREA OF FOCUS THERE.

AND I DON'T, I DIDN'T SEND IT OUT TODAY, BUT KATHRYN PUT TOGETHER A CALENDAR OF, OF HOW ADVOCACY WORKS AND WHERE, WHERE ARE, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE INPUT INTO ADVOCACY DECISIONS.

THEY WERE TAKING POSITIONS. SO I'LL SHARE THAT AFTER THE MEETING.

I THINK IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A GREAT THING FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND SHE'S ALSO GOING TO HELP WORK ON LIKE, WHAT'S AN EFFICIENT WAY TO GET US PREPARED BEFORE WE HAVE TO TAKE A POSITION ON SOMETHING ADVOCACY WISE.

SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON. KATHRYN FOR US.

THAT'S GREAT. CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING ON ADVOCACY? SO I'M SO HAPPY SHE'S TAKING OVER. THANK YOU.

NATALIE. YOU KNOW, NOT BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN SO GOOD ABOUT THAT DOCUMENT, LETTING US KNOW WHEN WE AS A BOARD COULD GET INVOLVED OR WHEN WE AS A BOARD COULD GET INVOLVED, BUT ALSO JUST EMAILED HER ABOUT ALSO LETTING US KNOW WHEN WE COULD HAVE THE COMMUNITY GET INVOLVED BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY.

SO IT'S LIKE, NOT JUST LET US KNOW WHEN WE AS A BOARD, WHEN WE CAN ALSO RALLY OUR COMMUNITY, WHEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THAT AFFECT US AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR.

SO THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE WELCOME. WELL, AND PELHAM, THIS IS SO EXCITING FOR TO, TO BE DOING MORE OF BECAUSE I THINK I MENTIONED AT A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, PELHAM IS A VERY CIVICALLY MINDED COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PRIDE THEMSELVES ON THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN CIVIC WORK AND TAKE PART IN THAT ASPECT OF PUBLIC LIFE.

AND SO TO BE ABLE TO MODEL THAT AT THIS AT THE BOARD LEVEL, AT THE TABLE, THE BOARD TABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO BE ABLE TO PULL THEM ALONG WITH US AND BRING THEM ALONG WITH US AND AND HAVE THEM SUPPORT US IN, IN OUR WORK ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS REALLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PELHAM WHO ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, ANSWER THAT CALL FOR US.

GREAT. AWESOME. SO CAN YOU SEND ME THAT LANGUAGE? YES, I CAN. OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL APPROVE THE GOALS WITH THAT LANGUAGE ADDED, IF EVERYONE'S GOOD WITH THAT.

EVERYONE WAS GOOD WITH THE LANGUAGE. YES. OKAY.

THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN FINALLY IN THIS SECTION WAS THE COMMITTEES.

SO SAME COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS LAST YEAR. A LITTLE BIT OF ADJUSTMENT AS NATALIE SAID, A COUPLE OF MOVING PIECES.

WE WORKED WITH THE CABINET TO SET OUT DATES FOR THE YEAR SO THAT FOLKS CAN HAVE THOSE TRANSPARENTLY ON THE FRONT END AND TIMES.

AND THEN IF ONCE THE BOARD ADOPTS THESE WE'LL WORK ON LAUNCHING THE SOLICITING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP AS WELL IN ANY INTERNAL STAFF MEMBERSHIP THAT WE NEED TO. SO ACTUALLY, WE'VE GOT THE ADMIN THING READY TO GO ON FRIDAY, AND THEN WE'LL LAUNCH THE TEACHERS THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR ANY OF THE COMMITTEES THAT INVOLVE TEACHERS. SO OKAY. OKAY.

THAT WAS THE END OF THE THINGS. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT I DO HAVE ONE, ONE MORE THING TO TALK ABOUT.

THE WE HAD A BUNCH OF SORT OF PARKING LOT ITEMS. YES. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE? I KNOW I SAW SOME OF THEM IN THE WORK, LIKE IN THE WORK SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE.

YES. SO YEAH, SO I SENT A SURVEY OUT TO THE BOARD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE SURVEY.

YEAH. THAT THE SURVEY WAS, WAS YEAH. IT WAS OKAY.

IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT BY TONIGHT.

SO I CAN TELL IF IT'S PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT.

YEAH. IF I'M TOO AFRAID TO CLOSE OUT OF IT. I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT. IF I LOSE THE ANSWER, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. SO. SO YEAH, I DID LAUNCH A SURVEY AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE PARKING LOT ITEMS THAT WE DIDN'T GET WRAPPED INTO EITHER THE RETREAT OR A WORK SESSION.

SO PLEASE DO TAKE SOME TIME. I ALSO AM JUST EXPERIMENTING WITH OUR NEW SURVEY TOOL USING THOUGHT EXCHANGE.

SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN ENDED RESPONSE.

WHICH I'M HOPING CAN HELP US START TO LEARN THE TOOL, BUT ALSO THEN TO GET DOWN TO SEE WHAT SOME OF THE,

[00:45:03]

SO BECAUSE OF THE AI GENERATED DOES IT TELL YOU THE HOW DO I WANT TO PHRASE THIS QUESTION? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S LIKE ATTEMPTED TO START THE SURVEY OR NOT, BUT SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THREE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLETED ALREADY. THREE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLETED IT. THANK YOU. CAN YOU OKAY, SO I HAVE STARTED.

I STARTED THE SURVEY AND IT HAS THE QUESTION THAT DOCTOR CHAMP TELL ME IF THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.

YOU'VE LIKE PRE-POPULATED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT THEN BASED ON OUR ANSWERS, SOMETIMES YOU GET A LITTLE STAR IMAGE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT AI HAS DECIDED TO ASK YOU LIKE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

YES. SO I HAVE STARTED THIS SURVEY AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE A NEVER ENDING AMOUNT OF FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.

I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CARRIED AWAY WITH IT WITH AI.

WELL, SO I WAS LIKE, MAYBE I ENCOUNTERED THAT AND I JUST SAID, NEXT QUESTION.

OKAY, SO, SO I HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY SAID I'VE TRIED, I'VE TRIED THIS BECAUSE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIES WOULD YOU USE? AND, AND I ANSWERED, THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE LIKE THIS IS OUTSIDE MY SCOPE AS A BOARD MEMBER TO COMMENT ON STRATEGY, BUT THEN IT WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH A DIFFERENT QUESTION.

TRYING TO GET YOU TO TRY TO GET ME TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. AND THEN I WOULD SAY STOP HOUNDING ME.

I DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. YEAH, I JUST WAS LIKE, NEXT.

SO YEAH. AND A LITTLE BIT IS I'M PLAYING WITH IT TOO.

I HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, GOTTEN I DIDN'T SIT WITH A SURVEY DEVELOPER.

I THOUGHT LET ME JUST GIVE IT A TRY. I DID GO PUT IT IN ONCE WITH LIKE LIKERT QUESTIONS WITH FOLLOW UPS.

AND I TOOK IT MYSELF. I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS NOT GOOD AT ALL.

SO THEN I WENT BACK WITH THE OPEN ENDED THE AI QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF IT CAN FOLLOW GOING BROADER, DEEPER, LOOKING FOR AN INSIGHT OR BRAINSTORMING SOLUTIONS.

SO WHEN YOU GET FOUR IN A ROW, IT'S ALL THOSE.

AND I KIND OF DID IT BASED ON WHAT I THOUGHT WERE THE MEATIER QUESTIONS FROM JUST FROM THE FEEDBACK AND CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD OR THINGS WHERE I KNEW THAT THE, THE WHOLE BOARD WAS, WAS VERY INTERESTED AND WANTED, WE WANTED TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

SOME OF THEM ARE A LITTLE SIMPLER, BUT YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT. EVEN WHEN I TESTED SOME OF. THEY MAY BE ASKING YOU FOR A SOLUTION THAT IS MORE OF LIKE SOMETHING THAT THE EDUCATORS OR THE ADMINISTRATORS WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER. SO YEAH.

RIGHT. JUST KIND OF BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.

YEAH. YEAH. SO YEAH, I'LL SHOW YOU. I'M HAPPY TO HAPPY TO SHARE THAT.

HOW MANY HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU PUT IN THERE? VERSUS VERSUS VERSUS BECAUSE JUST SO I KNOW, LIKE HOW MANY BECAUSE I THINK I CAN TELL HOW MANY.

I THINK ANYONE, ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE START A NEW TOPIC.

SO IT'S PROBABLY LIKE MAYBE TEN DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

YEAH. BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF TO WHAT DEGREE ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS OR WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENT GROWTH? IT'S PROBABLY LIKE A DOZEN OR SOMETHING. YEAH. IF IT'S JUST A DIRECT QUESTION, THEN IF THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE DIAMOND, THEN IF IT DOESN'T HAVE. WELL, I KNOW I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF THOSE LITTLE DIAMONDS, SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY LIKE NEXT, PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT. SO IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS FOR ME AS MUCH AS IT IS FOR YOU GUYS.

I TOTALLY SEE THE VALUE IN THE TOOL THOUGH, ANSWERING ALL OF THOSE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT, IT DOES MAKE YOU THINK MORE SPECIFICALLY. AND IT IS THE SMART RESPONSES THAT YOU, THAT YOU GET ARE VERY TARGETED BASED ON WHAT YOU ANSWER BECAUSE THEN IT, IT ASKS A VERY SPECIFIC FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO GET ME TO EXPAND MORE ON WHATEVER YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MY PREVIOUS ANSWER WAS. SO I CAN I SEE THE VALUE IN LIKE, I SEE WHERE THOUGHT EXCHANGE AS A NAME FOR THIS TOOL HAS COME FROM, BECAUSE IT IS VERY MUCH A PARTNER IN THAT. AND SO I DEFINITELY SEE THE VALUE OF THE TOOL IN.

AND I READ SOME OF THE CASE STUDIES ON, ON THE SITE OF HOW IT'S BEEN USED BY OTHER DISTRICTS.

AND SO I SEE WHY THAT WOULD BE. AND THIS IS WHY I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY.

AND THIS IS WHERE THEIR THEIR EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE THEM STAND OUT. THEY'RE THERE TO BE A THOUGHT PARTNER IN DESIGN AS WELL.

I DIDN'T USE THEM THIS TIME. I WAS JUST PLAYING WITH IT.

BUT BUT THAT'S THEIR PART OF THEIR ROLE IS THEY, THEY WORK EXCLUSIVELY IN EDUCATION REALM.

SO THEY NO EDUCATION, NO EDUCATIONAL ISSUES. AND THEY'VE WORKED WITH DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AT THE STATE LEVEL, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

SO THEY'VE VETTED A LOT. THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF TEMPLATES ALREADY BUILT IN THAT WE CAN PULL FROM THAT ARE PROBABLY ALREADY WELL DESIGNED QUESTIONS.

AND THEY'VE THEY'VE BASICALLY TEST RUN IN OTHER DISTRICTS TOO.

SO A LOT OF RESOURCES. THEY'VE GOT PARTNERS WITH US.

THEY'VE GOT A RESEARCHER. SO SOME OF THE STATISTICAL, YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGE IN SURVEY DESIGN, BECAUSE DESIGNING GOOD SURVEYS IS NOT SOMETHING ANYBODY CAN DO.

OH MY GOSH, I DID RESEARCH ON THAT. IT'S IT'S SO MUCH THAT I HAD NO CLUE ABOUT.

I, I HAVE A VERY NEW FOUND APPRECIATION FOR SURVEY DESIGN.

YES. SO MINE WAS VERY WEAK, BUT IT WAS A, IT WAS A FUN.

[00:50:03]

YES. THE CONFIRMATION THAT I CAN ANSWER YOU. PLEASE MOVE ON AND THANK YOU ALL FOR.

DON'T LET AI. YEAH, I TRIED BEING SUPER DIRECT AND I WAS LIKE, EVEN THIS IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

I STARTED JUST HITTING KEYS AT A CERTAIN POINT AND IT'S LIKE, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN BY SEE? YOU KEEP SAYING SEE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SEE? ANYWAYS, SO YEAH, SOME MORE TO COME.

BUT I'LL DEFINITELY I'LL SHARE THOSE RESULTS BACK AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT EXACTLY THAT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE OTHER PARKING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

OKAY. SO JIM, 5.7 THROUGH 5.9. ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT? YEAH. SO THANK YOU. THE 5.7 AND 5.8 ARE OUR TREASURER'S REPORT FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR.

MAY 31ST JUNE 30TH. THEY'VE JUST BEEN FINALIZED.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE IT. AGAIN, AS YOU LOOK AT THE JUNE 30TH REPORT, YOU'LL SEE OUR OVERNIGHT INTEREST RATES AT 3.5%.

THAT SEEMS TO BE KIND OF HOLDING THERE RIGHT NOW.

NOBODY KNOWS IF IT'S GOING TO GO UP OR DOWN. I THINK HALF THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING UP AND HALF THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING DOWN RIGHT NOW. SO WE'LL FIND OUT THE NEXT TIME THE FOLKS MEET.

WE DO HAVE A BUDGET TRANSFER REQUEST IN HERE FOR 25, 26.

IT WAS IN ANTICIPATION OF A SPECIAL SETTLEMENT EITHER ACCRUING IT OR OR SETTLING IT.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE EXPENSED.

IF IT'S NOT THAT THOSE MONIES WILL JUST FLOW DOWN TO FUND BALANCE, AND IF IT SETTLES NEXT YEAR, WE WILL APPROPRIATE IT OUT OF FUND BALANCE IS MY ANTICIPATION.

IF WE HAVE TO END UP PAYING IT. SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S A TIMING ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

YEAH. WE'RE WAITING FOR FOR FINAL INFORMATION.

WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY PLAN. IF YOU RECALL AT THE REORGANIZATION MEETING, THERE'S A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD WHICH IS REQUIRED BY NEW YORK STATE LAW. ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROVED DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY PLAN IN PLACE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST.

THE TIMING OF THE BOARD'S MEETINGS THIS SUMMER DIDN'T ALLOW FOR THE 30 DAY PERIOD TO HAPPEN SOONER.

I THINK THE LAST MEETING WAS IN EARLY WAS IN LATE JULY.

THE BOARD MET IN EARLY, EARLY JULY AND LATE JULY.

SO WE WEREN'T AT THAT 30 DAY PERIOD. SO WE'RE CERTAINLY OVER THAT 30 DAY PERIOD.

WE HAVE NO COMMENTS. AGAIN, THIS WAS A DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY PLAN.

THAT'S OUR FORWARD FACING DOCUMENT. IT'S MODIFIED EVERY YEAR BASED ON EXISTING STATE LAW RECOMMENDATIONS, WORKING WITH OUR TERRORISTS AND OUR DISTRICT WIDE SAFETY TEAMS AND BUILDING SAFETY TEAMS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THAT SWIMMING EVERY YEAR.

WE ENTERED AN AGREEMENT WITH SARAH LAWRENCE FOR THEIR, FOR THE, FOR THE USE OF THE POOL FOR LET'S SEE.

THIS IS THE GIRLS TEAMS, THE YOUNG LADIES FOR THE, FOR THE FALL.

I SHOULD KNOW THAT. YES. SWIM, DAD. AND THEN THE OTHERS WERE AGREEMENTS AS DOCTOR CHAMP MENTIONED.

ONE TO JED FOUNDATION. I SKIPPED THE OTHER ONE TO MARS SPEECH PATHOLOGY.

JUST OUR REGULAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE.

WE'RE DISPOSING OF SOME EQUIPMENT, WHICH I THINK IS ACTUALLY BOOKS SOME TEXTBOOKS, ONE FROM 1991, TEN COPIES. SO MAYBE AN OLD BOOK, MAYBE AN ANTIQUE BOOKSTORE WILL LIKE THAT.

BUT WE'RE GOING AGAIN. JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE DISPOSING OF THESE PROPERLY.

YEAH. APPARENTLY VINTAGE OVER A QUARTER CENTURY.

RIGHT. SOMETHING ELSE. SO WE'LL ASK THE BOARD TO APPROVE THOSE ITEMS TONIGHT.

AND THAT'S EVERYTHING. OKAY. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THESE? I'LL SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE TO THE PTA FOR FUNDRAISING, FUNDRAISING FOR THE FOR THE, THE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND AND TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEN TO THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS GAVE US THE SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE, THE JED FOUNDATION. IT'S THE A SAASA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? I OKAY. ALL OF THOSE MOTIONS CARRIE.

OKAY. NEXT IS POLICY. AND THIS IS

[6.1 Motion to adopt the resolution for Policy 6110 - Code of Ethics for Board Members and All District Personnel to remain as last adopted and/or revised.]

YES. THAT'S RIGHT. FOR BOARD MEMBERS. SO WITH THIS MOTION, THERE'S ACTUALLY NO, WE'RE ACTING ON THE MOTION TO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT MOTION, BUT THIS CERTAINLY GIVES THE BOARD THE OPPORTUNITY PUBLICLY TO REVIEW THE CODE OF ETHICS, WHICH I KNOW THE BOARD, WHICH WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO ANNUALLY, SUPPOSED TO DO ANNUALLY.

YEAH. OKAY. SO OKAY, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION FOR POLICY 6110

[00:55:04]

SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS? IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

OKAY. SO THAT REMAINS. THE REMAINS THE SAME. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR 2026

[6.2 Motion to Approve the Code of Conduct for the 2026-2027 School Year]

OKAY. AND THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT IT THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

YEP. WE'LL BE TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO IT THIS YEAR.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. SO THAT'S APPROVED.

SO YOU CAN GET THAT INTO THE RIGHT THE YEP. UNDER THE WEBSITES.

YES. AND THE STUDENT HANDBOOKS. EXACTLY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 7.1 THROUGH

[7.1 Motion to Approve Schedule A -Instructional]

[7.2 Motion to Approve Schedule B - Extra Duty Appointments]

[7.3 Motion to Approve Schedule C -Instructional]

[7.4 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Non-Instructional]

I THINK YOU MENTIONED MOST OF THESE IN YOUR. YES.

OPEN UP ANY ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? NO. WE'VE GOT A APPROVING FOLKS FOR SIX PERIOD ASSIGNMENTS OVERAGES.

SO THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE SCHEDULED FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS IN THE YEAR TO COME.

WE ALSO HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STIPENDS.

THOSE ARE CONTRACTUAL STIPENDS TO DO A RANGE OF THINGS FROM COORDINATING CURRICULUM DEPARTMENTS, HELPING WITH SCHEDULING TEACHERS IN CHARGE AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CHAIRING DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES SUCH AS OUR EMTS COMMITTEES, OUR SCHOOL CULTURE COACHES DIFFERENT TEAM LEADERS ACROSS THE DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS.

AND THEN OF COURSE OUR CLUBS AS WELL. SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR ELEMENTARY CLUBS LIKE 24 CLUB ETC.

AND ALL THE DIFFERENT CLUBS THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THE TEACHERS CONTRACT RANGING THROUGH THE K-12 SPECTRUM THAT EVEN INCLUDES OUR DRAMA PROGRAMS. SOCK AND BUSKIN AND EVERYONE RELATED TO THAT DOOR.

COE ADVISORS, ELEMENTARY NEWSPAPERS, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE GRADE LEVELS AND CLASSES, STEAM COACHES, ETC.

SO ACROSS THE WHOLE RANGE OF COE AND EXTRACURRICULAR RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND THEN APPOINTING FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING LUNCH DUTIES FOR US IN THE COMING YEAR.

SO THAT'S SUPERVISION COVERAGE AND SOME COACHING AND ATHLETICS APPOINTMENTS AS WELL.

ADDITIONALLY, SOME SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS TEACHING ASSISTANT WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES THERE IN THE LIBRARIES IN PARTICULAR.

SO WE'VE GOT A NEW MEGAN MALONEY IS A NEW LEAVE REPLACEMENT TEACHING ASSISTANT WHO'S GOING TO BE COMING TO US.

MR. RITACCO IS MOVING FROM HUTCHINSON TO PROSPECT HILL AND I THINK GOING TO BE COVERING.

ANOTHER CLASS AS WELL. SO THIS PERSON IS COVERING HIM A LITTLE BIT OF A SHELL GAME.

AND WE'LL ALSO BE WELCOMING A NEW TEACHING ASSISTANT TO HUTCHINSON. HUTCHINSON FOR THEIR LIBRARY.

AND THEN FINALLY RESIGNATION OF A MONITOR AND APPOINTMENTS OF A PAYROLL CLERK.

JIM CAN FINALLY BREATHE A LITTLE BIT MORE. WERE YOU DOING PAYROLL? YES. REALLY TAKING OFF ADDITIONAL WORK FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS? YEAH. IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB. AND THEY REALLY DID IT SEAMLESSLY.

YEAH. AND THEY REALLY WORKED VERY, VERY HARD AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR WORK, HR WORK AND IDENTIFYING SOMEBODY WORKING WITH CIVIL SERVICE.

AND AGAIN, WITH ALMOST HALF A YEAR WITHOUT A PAYROLL PERSON, IT WAS CERTAINLY A, A LOT OF WORK FOR THE FOLKS DURING SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES OF THE YEAR, THE CLOSE OUT OF THE YEAR, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. YEAH.

YEAH. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED. AND THEN A COUPLE OF SCHOOL MONITORS AS WELL.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ARE WE ARE WE FULLY STAFFED WITH MONITORS OR WE CONTINUE.

DOCTOR FITZGERALD, ARE WE FULLY STAFFED WITH MONITORS? YES AND NO. SO I SAY THAT EXACTLY. WE ARE, BUT WE ALSO.

OH, SORRY. YES AND NO, BECAUSE WE ARE. AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE SHIFTING SOME STAFF AROUND INTO OTHER POSITIONS, WHICH MAY THEY MAY BE MONITORS. SO IT'S, IT'S, WE'RE STILL IN THE SHELL GAME STAGE.

OKAY. BUT WE'RE CLOSE. RIGHT. IT IS GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE ARE FULLY STEPPING AWAY BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE KIND OF STRUGGLE.

AND SO WE'RE JUST PROMOTING FROM WITHIN. YES.

YES. YEAH. AND THIS IS NOT I THINK WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT TYPICAL TO POINT AT WHICH WE'RE AT.

[01:00:03]

YES, IT ALWAYS WORKS OUT. OKAY. SCHOOL WILL OPEN.

SURE WILL. OKAY. ARE WE READY? YEP. ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL APPROVED.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? 8.1. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE A SCHEDULE D?

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

9.1 NEW BUSINESS. I THINK. KATHRYN WERE YOU GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF ADVOCACY UPDATE?

[9.1 New Business]

LET ME PULL UP MY NOTES. WE DIDN'T DO IT ALREADY, RIGHT? NO, NO, BUT I CAN SKIP OVER WHAT I ALREADY MENTIONED BEFORE.

SO OKAY, SO THERE'S BEEN FIVE MEETINGS IN THE PAST MONTH.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ON A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHAT WE COVERED IN EACH OF THOSE MEETINGS.

THE FIRST TWO I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I DO HAVE AN UPDATE THAT I CAN GIVE YOU.

SO THE FIRST WAS AN LCC MEETING HAPPENED ON AUGUST 3RD WITH THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE REGARDING THE EV BUSSES THAT.

AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, OUR BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE LHC PETITION THAT WAS SENT TO THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE ON MAY 6TH. SO WE SUPPORTED THIS PETITION, WHICH THEN THIS MEETING WAS HELD WITH THE DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO WILL BE WORKING ON GOING THROUGH THOSE, THE PETITION AND THE AND THE CONCERNS THE MEETING ADDRESSED AND THE CHALLENGES DESCRIBED IN THE PETITION, WHICH INCLUDED IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES AND GRID CHALLENGES, AND ALSO COVERED WHO DPS SHOULD BE.

ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS THAT DPS SHOULD BE IN IN COMMUNICATION WITH, INCLUDING NICKERSON AND ASBO AND OTHER REGIONAL.

CONTRACTED TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS AND WE ALSO COVER.

THEY ALSO COVERED WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WERE IN THIS PROCESS.

SO THE NEXT STEPS ARE. LHC WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN A FORMAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEGINS FOR THIS INQUIRY INTO THE PETITION.

AND THEN ALSO DPS STAFF EXPRESSED INTEREST IN MEETING WITH DIRECTLY WITH DISTRICT LEADERS, FROM SUPERINTENDENTS FROM AROUND THE REGION OR, AND OR MEETING WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF DISTRICTS TO JUST HEAR MORE PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT THE DIRECT IMPACT AND CONCERNS OF THE MANDATE.

SO THAT'S COMING UPCOMING IN THE FUTURE. THE AND I GUESS IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, MAYBE YOU FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM IN THE MOMENT, OR IF YOU CAN HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS TILL THE END.

I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCE IS, WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE BEST SYSTEM GOING FORWARD.

BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. SO AUGUST 11TH, WE HAD A MEETING WITH CONGRESSMAN LATIMER'S OFFICE.

THEY WERE ACTUALLY HOLDING MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS ACROSS THE REGION.

BUT YOU WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE ONES THAT YOU'RE IN DISTRICT, LIKE YOU'RE IN DISTRICT OF RESIDENCE FOR.

SO THAT'S LATIMER FOR US. I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING.

BUT THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS JUST THE FEDERAL FUNDING PRIORITIES.

AND THEY MAINLY TALKED ABOUT I.D.E.A. FUNDING.

AND THIS WAS EXCITING WITH THE GOAL OF AND ALSO CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, BUT MAINLY I.D.E.A.

BECAUSE NYSBA NISBA, WHICH IS NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION AS VERSUS NEW YORK.

SO THERE'S NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, AND THEN THERE'S NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.

THOSE ACRONYMS SOUND THE SAME, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT. AND THEN COSPAR ARE CONSIDERING A 40 BY 40 CAMPAIGN CALLING FOR CONSISTENT INCREASES IN FEDERAL ID E FUNDING, WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING THE ORIGINAL AUTHORIZED FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION OF 40% BY 2040.

SO IF THAT IF THAT DOES GET OFF THE GROUND, THAT WILL BE A VERY EXCITING THING BECAUSE AS A REMINDER, NO ITERATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS FULLY FUNDED I.D.E.A.

SINCE 1975. SO IT WOULD BE A HUGE WIN FOR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IF THAT COMMITMENT WAS FULLY FUNDED. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FEDERAL TAX SCHOLARSHIP PROVISION, BUT THAT'S NOW PRIMARILY IN THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNOR.

SO THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYTHING ANYONE CAN DO AT A LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, AT ANY LEGISLATIVE LEVEL ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.

[01:05:02]

AND. THE FIRST MEETING USUALLY JUST OPENS THE FLOOR ABOUT WHAT TOPICS ARE ON TOP OF MIND FOR DISTRICTS.

WE SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR ITEMS ABOVE AND BEYOND FUNDING BECAUSE IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FUNDING AND MANDATES.

SO WE WERE INTERESTED IN REALLY LEARNING WHAT WAS ON DISTRICT'S MINDS FROM, YOU KNOW, ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS EDTECH, TALKED A LOT ABOUT EDTECH, AND UNIVERSAL PRE-K REALLY HAS BEEN THE EDTECH, AND UNIVERSAL PRE-K HAS BEEN A THEME THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE ADVOCACY MEETINGS.

SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD.

THE LHC STEERING COMMITTEE HAD ITS SECOND MEETING ON THE 25TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY.

WHERE WE YOU GUYS WILL EXPECT TO SEE IN YOUR INBOXES A SURVEY FROM LEGACY ABOUT ADVOCACY PRIORITIES.

I WILL ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO RESPOND. IT'S JUST YOUR PERSONAL OPINION.

YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE ON ADVOCACY TOPICS.

THE LHC STEERING COMMITTEE IS DESIGNING THAT SURVEY AS MULTIPLE CHOICE, SO YOU'LL BE PROMPTED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

SO IT'S REALLY YOUR USING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AS A BOARD MEMBER.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC ADVOCACY KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO TAKE THE SURVEY.

BUT IT'S JUST, IT WILL HELP US AT THE STEERING COMMITTEE LEVEL, THE LHC STEERING COMMITTEE LEVEL, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RISING TO THE SURFACE FOR DISTRICTS, WHAT WE NEED TO BE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO AND MAYBE COME UP WITH WHAT THE THEMES ARE, AND THAT'LL HELP DIRECT THE ADVOCACY PRIORITIES.

FOR THAT GROUP. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER, WHICH I DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL FOR.

AND THEN THE THE BIG KIND OF SORT OF SOMETHING THAT WAS INTERESTING, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WAS WE HAD A LEAK, HAD A MEETING WITH THE NEW, THE GOVERNOR'S NEW DEPUTY SECRETARY, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.

SHE STARTED EARLIER JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

AND THAT MEETING WAS ALSO ON THE 25TH. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE REALLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT WITH HER.

AND SO THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT MEETING BECAUSE LAKE IS A VERY POWERFUL ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE, BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER SUPERINTENDENTS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

SO THAT VOICE IS IMPORTANT, AND THE STATE LEVEL OFFICIALS LIKE TO HAVE A CONNECTION.

SO THAT MEETING, IT WAS AN INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH HER. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE HER KNOW US AND HAVE US KNOW HER AND HER REALLY THINK.

THINK OF US AS A A RESOURCE FOR HER, A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR HER.

SHE WAS VERY INTERESTED TO TALK WITH US ABOUT LITERACY STANDARDS AND HOW THE STATE CAN SUPPORT LITERACY STANDARDS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE GOVERNOR'S BIG GOALS. SHE WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN HEARING THOUGHTS ON UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND THE ROLLOUT OF THAT.

AND NEW YORK INSPIRES LHC'S PRIORITY WAS TO TALK ABOUT UNIVERSAL PRE-K, AND THERE WAS A MEMO THAT WENT OUT ON THAT, TALKING ABOUT STAFFING CONCERNS AND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THOSE.

AND THAT WAS ON TOP OF PRIORITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT.

SO WE STARTED THERE AND THEN MOVED ON TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ON NEW YORK INSPIRES.

THOSE ARE OUR TWO MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES. WE DIDN'T WE ONLY HAD 30 MINUTES.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY PRESSED FOR TIME. SO WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET TO LITERACY. BUT WE DON'T ALSO, WE ALSO EXPECT THIS WON'T BE THE FIRST TIME THE GROUP IS GOING TO SPEAK WITH HER.

SO THAT WAS OBJECTIVE CONVERSATION. THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. AWESOME. YEAH, IT WAS A LOT. A LOT HAPPENED AT THE END.

I TOLD YOU IT WAS A VERY, VERY STRONG START TO THE YEAR.

YEAH. OKAY. DO WE HAVE OTHER NEW BUSINESS? OKAY.

SO I WILL. TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE BUSINESS MEETING.

[11. Executive Session]

YEAH. AND TO ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVED.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. WE'LL BE BACK. OKAY.

OKAY. WE'RE BACK. NATALIE, WOULD YOU REITERATE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION?

[01:10:01]

OKAY. I WILL TAKE ITEM 12.1. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DENY STUDENT TRANSPORTATION APPEAL

[12.1 Motion to Approve/Deny Student Transportation Appeal 2026-2027 #01]

SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

AND JUST AND JUST KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT WILL BE REACHING OUT ABOUT THIS DECISION FOR, FOR THIS APPEAL. I'LL GO MOVE TO 13.1. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. THANKS, EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.