Board of Education, Regular Meeting

1. 4:28for here thank you acceptance of agenda I would like to make a motion to accept agenda as presented second all the favor um at this time we have the student representative report
2. 4:52good evening everyone so what we have going on in the school right now the class of of 2025 is planning a queen of hearts dance for Valentine's Day that's coming up I believe probably February 14th or the Friday um and then model un sorry should I be louder should I be louder no okay um model un the members are getting ready to go to Harvard where they'll stay overnight for three days for one of their meetings I'm not sure the appropriate term for that um and then student council is hosting a dodgeball tournament March 8th and triam and Multicultural Club are holding a multicultural um talent show March 27 and that's all I have for the stud representative report
3. 5:47awesome thank you very exciting thank you okay at this time have a need for an early executive oh we resolve the Board of Education enter executive session at 6:05 for the purpose of reviewing the employment history of particular persons or person oh presentation diversity equity and exclusive
4. 23:24good evening everyone good evening on this cold day it's good to see your faces we've had a couple of cancellations and we're pretty excited about the new Dei initiatives so I'm going to get right to it. we have a diversity equity and inclusion mission statement it is on our website in the Dei section so at the Hudson City School District our mission is to support our diverse student body by providing providing each student with opportunity and access to a highquality rigorous Equitable education in welcoming and affirming inclusive environments where students can develop the 21st century skills needed to thrive in a global Society college career and life.
5. 24:20I know you can tell I'm excited because this is this is a labor of love so we had an original Equity ambassador's posting and the posting really covered a couple of things as you see with the anticipated program dates there's a little information but it's not very descriptive and then it talks about a seed program that was implemented pardon me for the pause the challenges with the original posting are there wasn't really clear guidance regarding the meeting criteria and the stien payments and it focused on seed but our new Dei Community will be focusing on our Hudson City School District policy as well as the New York State education department policy and culturally responsive sustaining framework.
6. 25:55also in conversation ations with the HTA Union president their meetings are on Tuesdays and in that original posting the meetings were to be held on Tuesdays that's a pretty busy day for all of us district and school building administrators so let's take a quick look at the new Dei Community member posting pardon me so this is a bit more detailed with the meeting criteria we've got our mission statement we've got what it takes to be a Dei Community member and the reporting structure selection criteria qualifications responsibilities so it's pretty detailed and it's predictable people know exactly what to expect.
7. 27:12there's clear guidance there's a clear Mission again all the things that I just discussed and what's really wonderful is that Dei community members are going to have monthly assignments so we're going to get a lot of good work done this school year for our students and staff. so on the website there is a new Dei Community strategic plan part two now if you've seen the first one right under that you will see the second one it was posted recently so this is where we're headed this gives a lot of information we're going to look at the culturally responsive sustaining framework New York State already has it and best best practices research really were consulted to put it together we're looking at four major pillars we're going to create welcoming and affirming environments for students we're going to Foster inclusive curriculum and assessment stud students need to see themselves in the curriculum and the assessments make that connection encourage high expectations and rigorous instruction and participate in and facilitate ongoing professional learning that's one part that the Dei Community is going to work on.
8. 28:50and then the second part is a book study which is going to be really exciting we're going to be using culturally responsive teaching and the Brain by zaretta Hammond we're going to take a look at the Neuroscience behind learning it's going to be really riveting I'm actually in a book study right now and I've completed six chapters and I'm finishing the last three and I said wow wait until everyone is able to read this book we're going to look at identity voice and agency advocating for yourselves agency unpacking the Neuroscience of learning and identifying what those examples are developing a passion for building relationships and Community we really have to take a look at making connections we reach children then we can teach children valuing diversity equity and inclusion and identifying the benefits of culturally respect responsive instruction because it benefits each student so that means every student benefits.
9. 30:08then we're going to have implicit bias training through the New York State United teachers and this training is really really great it's done in such a wonderful uh I call it healthy and Healing Way people walk away pondering and they feel comfortable learning the information the way it's presented so I think this is going to be good it helps to Define and provide bias what is bias actually and how can we identify those biases and stereotypes looking at ways to challenge biases stereotypes and microaggressions
10. 30:55yes well that will will that be administered to all the teachers or to the Dei
11. 30:59no Dei Community because this is all about the Dei community that eventually we will get to the teaching staff we have to start with the Community First all right we're going to look at culture what is it and identify some examples and then looking at cultural inclusivity and then let's take a look ahead we'll have some training for teachers and staff and then we're going to review some data write action plans and we'll have some wonderful team presentations so I'm excited because this team is going to be doing a lot collaboratively and working with school teams to support our precious students.
12. 31:46so the Strategic plan I just went over those things that's just the quick and dirty of them again and then what we will use to do this great work is is we will use a pre-planning document that means we're going to make sure that our goals are targeted and that we complete them this is a pre-planning document so we're going to look at what is a possible inequity how do we know that
13. 32:17It's inequity, an inequity they will write down, meaning the team members. A couple of reasons we're only going to address one to two areas at a time because we meet once monthly. We will write smart goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. Those goals are important because we need to align them to the standards. Everything we do needs to have alignment to our standards. And so we will be going over this month as a team.
14. 33:06And I talked about the pre-planning document. What's going to happen is there will be a Google Document, our team members, the Dei Community, they will fill out the information on that document and it'll be easy to pull up on a spreadsheet. We're going to always let the data speak for us and drive our decision making, our action steps as a team.
15. 33:32Our first Dei Community kickoff meeting is on January 31st 2024 from 3:30 to 6:30. The posting did go up. We had 19 interested candidates. We conducted interviews last week and we're finishing up the interviews this week and on on Friday we will make our announcement. Thank you so much for your time and get ready to see some great work from our new Dei Community. Thank you, thank [Applause] you.
16. 34:18Questions? Um, yeah, how many um community members or teachers or staff or anybody reapplied from the old?
17. 34:27We had two, okay.
18. 34:31Yes, did you interview all 19 candidates?
19. 34:35No, some of the candidates who were interested they wanted to look at the time and I said the time's 3 to 3:30 to 6:30. So they will have to join us probably in the future but we have a total of 11 interviews.
20. 34:48Yeah, out of the yeah, so I'm pretty excited.
21. 34:54Awesome, thank you, thank you. Okay, varsity football merge informational presentation.
22. 35:12Good evening, um, so basically I'm just uh here to answer any questions that anyone may have about the possible merger. Um, last week we had a community informational meeting um and went through the possibility of a merger, what it would look like, the benefits of that. Um, we then sent out a survey to um our community, our parents of football, current football players, anyone interested in you know playing football in the upcoming year, um as well as trying to Target our parents of Pop, our popor youth football program, um to see you know where they stood as you know they will be upand cominging football players here here for the school distri year hopefully.
23. 35:57So if anyone has any questions um regarding what the merger would look like, where we are in that process, um I will do my best to to answer those for you. Yes?
24. 36:10Yeah, I realized I'm not clear how long we anticipate this merger progressing or proceeding for, how long we expect to be merged, um and knowing that we're um attempting to strengthen our incoming football playing population. Um, do we foresee a time when we would return to Hudson being on its own?
25. 36:29Um, so mergers the way they are done through section two in New York state they are yearly. Um, you have to reapply every year. So we currently we are merged with IAD crane for swimming, um this is our second year. So at the beginning of the school year there's a merger deadline for each specific season. Um, so we have to reapply, reput the paperwork in, the section board then reapproved it each year, um um for those things to happen. So it wouldn't necessarily have to be longterm.
26. 37:02Um, based on enrollment numbers, do I foresee us being able to have three levels of football just on our own? I don't know. Um, just looking at kind of the numbers that we've had in our current 10th 11th and 12th graders and the issues we had having enough players, um those are the similar numbers that we see in our elementary school.
27. 37:26Um, and and one of the big positives of doing a merger is us getting back to having three levels of football, modified meaning seven and eight, JV 9-10, Varsity 11 and 12. Of course you always have a kid or two who may move up a level based on their um skill and development. Um, but we haven't had JB football here in quite a while and I think that's part of our problem with getting kids um to continue playing, just knowing that as a seventh grader you have to go compete against a ninth grader, um which is a Hu is a huge um difference in maturity, um size, skill level. And then the same thing happens as a 10th grader has to then play with seniors.
28. 38:10Um, so we've seen in the last two years kids have played in ninth grade on the modified, not play as as sophomores, um for some of those specific reasons.
29. 38:25When was the last time we had a JV program?
30. 38:29Um uh I don't know the exact uh year. I would say it's got to be at least five. Um, it's been a while. Um, and chadam, the school we're you know looking at doing this with, is in the same boat. They they lost their JV team a while ago as well. Um, so they're they're kind of looking at this the same way we are at least from the athletic Department's um stance.
31. 38:57Being able to get back to that three levels is uh for me probably the biggest positive out of this because we can just get kids at a developmentally appropriate level and you know see continued success, hopefully.
32. 39:09Yes, um, I didn't make it to the meeting so I don't know if this was answered before, but one of the concerns um that I've hearing at home is at the JB level there aren't other teams locally, so who would they be playing against?
33. 39:24Um, so the schedule would actually another thing that would benefit us. Um, is our JB schedule would then mirror our varsity schedule which it currently does not. Um, right now the way we run our our modified program is we um basically compete against all other patun conference schools that have football. Um, so we're playing catso, we play tonic Hills, we play chadam. We they doesn't look at what class you are, what size School you are for the modifi.
34. 39:54So what would happen is is our JV team then now would have the same schedule as our varsity team. We'd be playing those same teams, um which again is another benefit in my opinion. Our JV kids are now seeing the same teams they're going to be playing at Varsity, whereas we don't do that now with our current modifi team. We're not playing the renas, we're not playing the Glenn's Falls, we're not playing the shonts that we would see as a varsity team because
35. 40:21those schools have JV so our modifi don't go play them because we bring ninth graders their modifies only have seventh and eighth grade um so actually that would be another benefit as well so I'm glad you brought that up schedule wise that's who we'd be planing.
36. 40:37did you um get back the results of the survey yet?
37. 40:40um yes uh so the survey was um in my opinion overwhelmingly in favor it was about 75% um in favor and then the other 25% was basically split in half as opposed and then undecided um but 75% were in favor there were I believe 78 responses.
38. 41:10any other questions concerns?
39. 41:15okay thank you I appreciate your time thank [Applause] you
40. 41:34okay old business we got to do this first section and then it's the the okay motion to open public hearing for local law number three establishing income levels for disabil dis disabled lowincome real property tax exemptions Pursuit that is that S4 59c of the New York State real property tax law at 641 any questions or comments?
41. 42:33this is a law that we had a hearing about a month ago and there were some revisions to it to include um uh disabled and low income in addition to um senior citizens.
42. 42:57motion to close public hearing on Lo local law number three
43. 43:00second all in favor yeah
44. 43:14um so make a motion to uh accept local law number three whereas under code 49 459 C of the New York real property tax law taxing jurisdictions including school districts May extend a real property tax exemption to a disabled and lowincome citizens subject to income eligibility requirements and whereas the Hudson City School District intends to extend this exemption for property owners who are disabled low income who meet specified income eligibility requirements as specified below and whereas those income eligibility requirements are restricted by parameters established under rptl 459c and whereas the Board of Education of the Hudson City school district has considered adjusting the income limits governing this exemption in accordance with rptl 459c and whereas the Board of Education deems it appropriate and in the interests of property owners within the Hudson City School District that these income limits be adjusted under rptl 459c and whereas the Board of Education conducted a duly notice public hearing adjust on adjustments to these limits as now specified in this resolution on January 23rd 2024 now therefore be it resolved that the following income limits hence shall henceforth be applied within the Hudson City school district for purposes of determining eligibility for a real property tax exemption pursuant to rptl 459c
45. 44:51second second all in favor
46. 45:02the policy oh um so policy number 8130 point2 is up for second read um which is establishing and maintaining a safe and secure workplace for employees um did anyone have any questions about it because we can adopt it tonight I think we have to okay.
47. 45:24so I make a motion to adopt policy 813 0.2 which is workplace violence prevention
48. 45:32second all in favor
49. 45:50okay I I would like to make a motion to set Personnel agenda items a through S but I'm pulling letter e e pulling e for a vote at another time
50. 46:10second all in favor okay
51. 46:24Tracy welcome you staff oh
52. 46:30so tonight I'd like to welcome Mr kennet be Mr bear is an educator with over 15 years of experience in education in districts of various sides most recently he served as an associate principal for the Highland Falls Fort Montgomery Central School District following four and a half years at the middle school level for the pipy City School District. Mr beay replaces Carolyn Miller who left the district for another employment opportunity. Mr bear will work directly with the principal of the Junior High School Miss rad Cooper.
53. 47:11he holds a New York certification in physical education K through2 as well as a school building leader professional certification in addition to having degrees from New York and cuni leham Mr bear attended West Virginia University and Sunni Courtland. in his free time Mr bear enjoy spending time with his wife and two daughters grilling and attending football games as a season ticket holder of the New York Jets welcome Mr bear it's a it's great having you join our team and thank you so much for choosing us
54. 48:04been since I started there's a great support system Place Dr pman and her staff has been fantastic dedicated staff phenomenal students and uh a caring community so I'm really looking forward to what the future holds and thank you again thank you
55. 48:19sorry about the Jets yeah okay
56. 48:39s tended update nobody sign up nobody signed up no thank you
57. 48:46so I'd like to um update everyone by just speaking of we've had some great winds here the past last few months first of all I'd like to thank everyone who came to the family fun night last Friday we had a wonderful time I want to thank my staff who were able to come and help with that and to show their support board members want to thank you all also for attending. second we've just won um a stronger together Grant from the state department um everything we do here at Hudson is a team effort so I just want to you know thank the team and I also want to thank Miss Pat bian who's been working with us um laboring through those grants and have to hear me say keep going we're going to get one we're going to get one so I do want to say this is just the beginning of many more grants there's so many great things that are going to be happening.
58. 49:46I am so proud of the student advisory teams that I have met at met with so far this year today most recently I met met with my junior high sixth seventh and eighth grade student advisory team and boy I tell you they really know what they want our school district to be and what they want for our students I was so proud um to meet with them. I just want to um thank you for your um continued support I will be my tentative date for presenting my um superintendent's um 125 day should be the last board meeting of February February 27th with all the different changes the past few Tuesdays we've had to push a few things back but I should be prepared to present on February uh 27th and in the meantime again I just want to say thank you so much for your support and please everyone if you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to reach out to me thank you thank you [Applause]
59. 51:11make a motion to approve consistence items a through T
60. 51:16second all in favor
61. 51:23um just wanted to make a note on uh item we just voted on very pleased to announce that the
62. 51:33Hudson City School District and Hudson Teachers Association you know have a new three-year contract the contract is retroactive to July 1st 2023 and runs through July 30th 2026 makes our teachers amongst the highest paid teachers in the region this contract represents the successful intersection of shared goals um demonstrates the esteem our board of education has for our Educators we know how hard our teachers work we know how dedicated they are and we know the skill talent and expertise they bring to their classrooms every day.
63. 52:05Um the board was committed to crafting an agreement that met the teachers Union's needs uh we listened to uh their feedback and discussed the Union's priorities we're so pleased that this contract has been ratified by the Union's membership.
64. 52:20Um thirdly the board believes this contract is a fair Equitable and financially respons ible uh contract for our taxpayers it's always a vital consideration also happy to note that through this contract our teachers will more extensively collaborate with administrators to provide additional supervision throughout our buildings and make our schools a safer and more inviting environment overall we're proud that this contract will position Hudson City School District to move forward it's another example that in Hudson together we can
65. 52:52clap clap
66. 52:56um also happy to show our support for the football merger thank you to um uh Shan Brisco and all the members of our community who helped come out

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