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MINUTES OF THE PATERSON BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

January 18, 2006 – 7:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School

Presiding: Comm. Chauncey I. Brown, III, MBM, President Present: Dr. Michael Glascoe, State District Superintendent Mr. Anthony Infante, Assistant Comptroller Mr. Sidney Sayovitz, General Counsel Comm. Joseph Atallo Comm. Andre Sayegh Comm. Jonathan Hodges Comm. Willa Mae Taylor Comm. Alonzo Moody Comm. Daniel Vergara Comm. Juan Santiago Absent: Comm. Lawrence Spagnola The Salute to the Flag was led by Miss Luthfa Ali, 12th Grade, National Honor Society. Comm. Vergara read the Open Public Meetings Act: The New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act was enacted to insure the right of the public to have advance notice of, and to attend the meetings of the Paterson Public School District, as well as other public bodies at which any business affecting the interest of the public is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this law, the Paterson Public School District has caused notice of this meeting: Regular Meeting January 18, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School 61-127 Preakness Avenue Paterson, New Jersey to be published by having the date, time and place posted in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Paterson, at the entrance of the Paterson Public School offices, and by sending notice of the meeting to Al-Zaman,

El Diario, the Italian Voice, the New Jersey Forum, the North Jersey Herald & News, and The Record. Dr. Glascoe: Ladies and gentlemen, Children First. (Performance by Paterson Strings – School No. 7 – Mr. Thomas) Dr. Glascoe: Ladies and gentlemen, you have just heard from the Paterson Strings and they are under the direction of Mr. Nathan Thomas. I know he is going to do another

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number, but this is a group of 50 violin and viola students in grades 5-8, all from School No. 7. (Performance by Paterson Strings – School No. 7 – Mr. Thomas) Dr. Glascoe: I want to let you know that last year this group of young musicians gave 12 performances throughout the state. They received a certificate of excellence in recognition of superior performance in instrumental music at the State Teen Arts Festival in Trenton, proving that the arts are alive and well in New Jersey’s urban districts. Next month they will be returning to East Brunswick to perform at the New Jersey Music Educator’s State Convention. So ladies and gentlemen, let’s give them another standing ovation for that performance. REPORT OF STATE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Glascoe: I want to make some brief remarks for my report. I want the public to know that we are going to try to be ahead of the game this year as far as hiring practices are concerned. So get ready. Save this date. It is a job fair. The district’s Annual Job Fair will be held right here at John F. Kennedy High School on Saturday, March 11th from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I repeat - Paterson’s job fair will be held right here at John F. Kennedy High School on March 11th from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Kudos goes out to the Garrett Morgan Academy under the leadership of Mr. Michael Gowdy. The school has received the NASA Grant for the 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition and will be competing in the New Jersey Regional Competition this spring. Stay tuned. The Eastside “Marching 100” Band, along with the JROTC Cadets, participated in the Paterson Parade of Lights on December 10th and won first place in the Marching Band Competition. Let’s congratulate them. Students and staff from the Eastside Century 21 program attended a Democratic rally featuring Senator Jon Corzine. Now, he is our Governor. The students were introduced to Senator Baraka Obama of Illinois, who has been getting rave reviews in the press, and then interviewed our new Governor. So the students were treated to interviewing our brand new Governor. What a treat to be on the cutting edge of politics in the State of New Jersey, so hats off to those students from the Eastside Century 21 program. I also want to let the public know that this Friday and Saturday our School Board, along with myself, will be having our second retreat, which has now been called a Board Forward. It is going to be held at the Saddle Brook Marriott. It will start with evening activities around 5:30. We will resume Saturday morning in a closed session to work on Board governance issues and other major issues facing our School Board and our school district. I also want to let you know that today I had the opportunity to present the annual report to the Board of Education in Trenton. This is a requirement of the three state-operated districts, Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson. I was third on the list and the other two districts had already made their reports earlier this month and last month. I must say I was delighted to see that two of our School Board members were also in attendance, Dr. Jonathan Hodges and Mr. Andre Sayegh. I appreciate their support for this important presentation. The School Board has been presented with the PowerPoint presentation that I used and we also had a handbook about activities that we have conducted in our school district this year. So once again thank you to those School Board members for coming out for such an important presentation. Thank you, Mr. President. REPORT OF BOARD PRESIDENT Comm. Brown: Thank you very much, Dr. Glascoe. I first want to welcome everyone back from the holidays and I hope that it was a safe, happy, and joyous celebration for all of you and your family. As we are in the middle of the school year, I would like to

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bring you up to speed as far as Board governance. And I would like to shed some light on where we are as a Board and where we are going to be headed. We are in a state-operated school district and that means we serve in an advisory capacity here and we basically advise the Superintendent and provide oversight of the district. Last year under the leadership of Comm. Hodges, we voted to adopt NJQSAC as a pilot program that the then Commissioner Librera used to establish models to be able to transition districts not only out of local control but to identify low, moderate, or full intervention districts. Where are we now? In September we had our first Board Forward and we identified key areas within this district that we thought we needed to provide oversight on in order to aid in this administration moving forward. We have done that. This week we are going to move to have our Board retreat and we are going to move in the area of tackling policy. We are going to start solving and fixing the problems that we have identified as Board members in this district. We have looked at assessing policies and now we are going to look at developing and implementing policies over the next four months with the assistance of the Superintendent. This is critical. If we are going to return this district back to local control, we have to demonstrate that we have the ability to govern. Our main function here is policy assessment, development, and implementation. I believe that once we strongly and aggressively move in that area to attack those areas of deficiency within this district we are on our way to moving this district back to local control. That is what the Board members here are committed to and that is what we are going to be looking forward to doing, not only this weekend, but in the near future. We will be laying out our different policy initiatives over the next several months. I want to thank you very much. That is the end of my report. PUBLIC COMMENTS It was moved by Comm. Sayegh, seconded by Comm. Vergara that the Public Comments portion of the meeting be opened. On roll call all members voted in the affirmative. The motion carried. Comm. Brown: When you come to the microphone, please state your name for the record and if it is an agenda item please let us know. Also, three minutes for individuals and five minutes for organizations. Ms. Irene Sterling: Thank you very much, Commissioner. My name is Irene Sterling. I am Executive Director of the Paterson Education Fund and I live here in Paterson on Burlington Avenue. Before I go into my prepared remarks for this evening, I would simply like to make a suggestion as the information provided to the public tonight included a revised Board schedule. I know that you have had difficulty getting dates for the Board to go on retreats. I would like to suggest that you put the next Board retreat, which I am sure will follow the election, on the calendar right now so that rather than accommodating people’s schedules afterwards you have that already in plan. That way the public can ask candidates do you intend to participate fully in the activities of the Board, including the retreat on that day. That will be very helpful for us in helping hold you accountable to your work. Tonight I am here to talk about the Paterson Education Fund’s and the Paterson Coalition for Our Children’s Schools’ 4th Annual Conference on Planning and Building Schools in Paterson. As you know, the State with the SCC has run out of money for new construction. So you might ask why should I come to a conference about building schools. We need your support. We need you to participate because we have a fight ahead of us to convince the new Governor and the legislature to fund the next round of schools. You should come if you are a parent or a leader at School #24, School #25, International High School, and Hazel/Marshall and you want to be sure that those projects are high quality. One of the sessions we will be running is with Herb Simmons who will help us work on a checklist and an overview of what we

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should be looking for using the new construction at the Roberto Clemente School as the test case for what was quality about that school and what needs work. You should especially come and bring parent leadership if you are at School #3, School #4, School #28, School #5, School #12, School #15, School #16, School #20, and HARP Academy because your projects are the stalled projects. Those projects are ready to go but the SCC has said we are out of money. Those projects need to go forward and we need to press for the bridge funding so they can go in the ground in 2006 or 2007. If your school was not called when I sent out email I got a request back asking where is School #6. School #6 is not even to that point. It is not ready yet to go forward. So all the rest of you who did not hear your schools called, we need you out there too because there will be no start for those schools unless we press the legislature and the Governor to fully fund. We need to understand what that means. We need to understand that right now as our high schools strive to improve their programs and improve holding kids we are shy. We are without 2,000 seats to make sure that they have the quality education that they need to have. We need to press forward on this because in 2005 no new schools were started. That means that in 2007 no new schools will open. If we get into the ground on International and Hazel in 2006, we won't open those schools until 2008. So if you are concerned about School #6 or any of those other schools that are not on this list yet, your school can't get opened until 2010 at the earliest because of the time it takes to develop these projects. This is urgent. We all need to be working at making this happen. We are very fortunate that on January 28th we will have some of the leadership that can make that happen present with us. Assemblyman Craig Stanley who is one of the sponsors of the Assembly bill and the Chairman of the Assembly Education Committee will be with us that day. We believe that Senator Rice will be here. And we certainly hope that our own representative who I understand has just been named Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Nellie Pou, will be with us as well because in addition to the education Chairs, the Appropriation Committee leadership is key to making sure this money comes to us. Thank you very much and we hope that we will see you there. Mr. David Rivera: Good evening Commissioners. My name is David Rivera. STARS Academy is having a dinner at the Brownstone and I want to invite the Commissioners to attend this important event. It is on March 30, 2006 from 7:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. I am inviting the Commissioners to come down. It is very important to attend. We are doing a benefit for the Paterson Tigers for the Special Olympics this year. I have a concern that the roof is leaking at School #21 and the gymnasium gets full of water when it rains. What can be done about this situation? It has been happening for a year. It is a big concern to the community that when it rains the wood is flooding up with water. I would like to know which Commissioner is in charge of that school. Can anybody tell me? Dr. Glascoe: Sir, we are aware of the problem and we were at the school today trying to rectify it. We will continue to try to take care of it. School #21 is under the leadership of Dr. Major Poteat who is our Local Instructional Superintendent. Mr. Rivera: Thank you. Another thing I would like to add is that on January 10, 2006 at Martin Luther King School there were thousands of newspapers floating in the middle of the street and throughout the sidewalk. If it was not a school day they should have contacted the newspaper. I have a picture right here that I took. They should have contacted the newspaper and told them not to deliver that type of paper that day. The Board is going to get a fine of about $1,500 and that money can be used for the kids of Paterson. There is going to be a fine given because of the communication problem. They should have called the newspaper and I don’t think anyone did their homework. They are going to get a fine for no reason. If they did make the phone call, I would let the newspaper pay that fine. I believe in that. You know what I am saying. What is

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right is right. So I am going to give you a pamphlet for STARS Academy. It is important to the kids. I am inviting the Commissioners to come along. I want to thank you for this opportunity and I am praying for Paterson. I pray that the kids and the entire staff progresses. It is not easy for you guys to be up there and take the back and forth. I want to thank you for even listening to me today and we are going to push Paterson and the STARS Academy forward. Thank you and God bless each and every one of you. Mr. Luis Velez: Good evening Board members. My name is Luis Velez from Paterson, New Jersey. Last week the community came and spoke to this Board and we did what we believe any other community would do to bring up to the Board our concern and input as a community. Some people mis-communicated why we came here. Some people did some strong message and some of them were out of line. But not all the comments that came from some Board members were attacking all the people that were here that day. I believe that we came for one reason and that reason was education before politics. We as the community understand that we have to come together and we talk about community. All community should come together on behalf of education. We are not going to put a color. We are talking about every community. What happened is happening in all levels. This past weekend we were celebrating Martin Luther King on Sunday and Monday and the news was talking about his dream is still alive. Yes, Martin Luther King’s dream is still alive. But while the Paterson Public School District is going through nightmares I too believe that all the City of Paterson has a dream. That dream is better textbooks, good scores, better security in our schools, and instead of sending a divisive message we will be sending a message of being together and fighting for the benefit of our children. God bless you all. Dr. Hani Awadallah: Good evening. My name is Dr. Hani Awadallah, President of the Arab American Civic Organization in Paterson. First of all, I want to make brief remarks because I don’t want to mention jobs now. I am going to leave it until the February meeting. That time will be fresh and maybe we will give the people in personnel time to prepare the proper method of interviewing people and applicants. That is not what I am here for tonight. I am here to address what happened at Kennedy High School. I know some people don’t want to talk about it, but that is hiding your head in the sand. Dr. Glascoe, I want to applaud you for being on top of things, for being there with Dr. Fulmore, Dr. Rush, and Ms. Lyde. All of you were there and I applaud you for that. But what was very sad for me to know is that the culture at Kennedy and most of our high schools is not a culture of brotherhood. I am not talking as an Arab American. I am just talking as a citizen who believes in brotherhood in this week of the man who really taught brotherhood, Dr. Martin Luther King. For us to brag about being Latino, Arab, Black, or White is totally unacceptable. What I learned about the culture at Kennedy here from the students I talked to is incomprehensible. I just cannot believe that we are sitting on a volcano here at Kennedy. There are some stairwells that cannot be used by Arab American students because it is aside for Dominicans. And Blacks or African Americans cannot use it because it is aside to Latinos. This is very dangerous and all of us on the Board, the Superintendent, and the community leaders should all sit together because that is the case. I feel ashamed about being on the school leadership council and not knowing about this. This is very dangerous and we should address it. This kind of culture should not exist today. I contacted the Council on American Islamic Relations in Washington and told them to butt out of our relationships here because what transpired at Kennedy was not really an ethnic issue. It was not a Latino attacking an Arab American. The guy could have attacked anybody else because he wanted the hat on his head. So for us to think along those lines could be very positive and will take us along the proper way because we have to be very diligent about what is happening to the culture in our schools. All of us should be addressing this issue and not sleeping

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on it or trying to bury it. Without love among students to understand and for us to celebrate our diversity... Comm. Brown: Wrap it up, please. Dr. Awadallah: I am not closing because I have five minutes. I am the head of an organization. I have two more minutes to go. For somebody to tell me to shut up when I am addressing something like this is really sad and bad. This is very important even if I were to take the whole evening addressing this. I was very distraught when I heard of this culture happening here at Kennedy. All of us should address that. Community leaders, Board members, the Superintendent, and whoever cares about the future of Paterson should be meeting. Those kids at Kennedy, Eastside, and all other schools are our leaders if we are going to be practicing this kind of discrimination and hate against each other. I don’t really want to learn what H2O means if I don’t know how to care for my fellow students as human beings. What is the use of that? There is no use. The sooner we address this the better it is for everybody, for all of this generation, whether it is in Paterson or anywhere else. I cannot comprehend the fact that this is taking place at Kennedy with the teachers and the principals knowing about it without addressing it. Ladies and gentlemen, we are sitting on a volcano and we should address that. Comm. Hodges: Mr. President, I’m sorry. Dr. Awadallah, you need to know two things. I spoke to the administration here at Kennedy this morning on this very issue. The area is not being assigned. There is a large concentration of students in that area and the administration has taken steps to address that problem. It has been noticed. They are taking steps to make sure that there is increased security and the problem is being taken care of. Now, is it enough? No. We need to have some discussions. I agree with you 100%. But I don’t want parents to think that the district has paid no attention to what was going on. They did move to at least put some security measures in place so that was not going to continue to go on. As you have said, now we as a community have got to go further to change some of the understandings of the people, both children and adults in this community, so this does not continue. Dr. Awadallah: Dr. Hodges, with all due respect, just reading about some of the things in the paper… Just please let me finish. If somebody were to say the Arabics, the Latinos, and the Dominicans... Comm. Brown: Excuse me, sir. Dr. Awadallah, please. Dr. Awadallah: Mr. Brown, I was leaving anyway. I don’t want to argue with you. Comm. Brown: Can I please finish, sir? Dr. Awadallah: Yes, I was finishing but Dr. Hodges has this remark and I have to answer him. Comm. Brown: No, you don’t. We can have this dialogue at another time. There are other people waiting to speak. Dr. Awadallah: I am really amazed at you. I always had respect for you. But for you to try to jump the ship when this remark is happening is totally outrageous. You should be more responsible than this.

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Comm. Brown: I disagree with you, Dr. Awadallah. Thank you very much for your comments. We will dialogue later. Next speaker, please. Comm. Atallo: I don’t want to belabor the point but obviously the administration has heard the issue and I would like to get a full report from the administration, not necessarily now, as to what is going on regarding this issue, whether these allegations are in fact true. If they are true, what are we doing to remedy that? That is just not acceptable. Kennedy High School is one school for everybody. So I would just ask that the Superintendent address this issue. I don’t know if you want to comment now briefly on this issue because it is of concern, or if you want to take time to review it and get back to us. What is your pleasure? Dr. Glascoe: We will get back to you. Comm. Atallo: Thank you. We need to have it addressed. Comm. Vergara: Dr. Awadallah, that committee that you would like to form I would be more than happy to sit down with you and work with you on that. Mr. Tom Fiscaldo: Tom Fiscaldo from Preakness Avenue, One Eye On Paterson. At the last meeting I came here to speak on the usual thing, the Constitution, and I was very surprised to see what was going on at that meeting. That meeting was a very good demonstration of what is wrong with state control of our schools. For some children their entire schooling has been under state control and never a superior control run by the City of Paterson. Now, that demonstrates one mistake by an out-of-town leader who has just arrived in town and has created quite a bit of turmoil. There is an understanding of why he can make that kind of mistake – because he never lived here. We are supposed to be running a school with officials and leaders promoted from within the system of these schools. To bring in outsiders who don’t know the personnel they are dealing with and what is going on in the community is a very bad policy and we must all fight for local control as soon as possible. Today I wanted to bring up a trivial matter. I am quite experienced with the honeybee and I often get out-of-town calls from experts to come in and lecture the students on the honeybee. At this time, I have one sample given to me of a beautiful paper wasp nest. If one of the teachers listening in to this program wants to call me, I will be glad to deliver it to their classroom. The number is 942-5066. I will deliver a paper wasp nest to any science teacher or any other teacher who wants to decorate their classroom. Thank you. Mr. John Sargis: John Sargis, Paterson Inclusive Democracy, requesting five minutes. Dr. Awadallah is correct on the issue of the simmering volcano that has been going on for a long time here at Kennedy High School. There have been lots of fights and things going on between various ethnic groups and especially what he reiterated about the recent stabbing. One way to remedy this situation, and we brought this up a couple of years ago, is to assign lockers to students, rather than in September when they come in just take their locks and put them anywhere they want. Of course, they are going to congregate with their friends and buddies. But if you assign lockers to them it could be done more inclusively. Keep that in mind. To Mr. Sayegh, at the August meeting of this body I challenged you to a debate on character education. At that time you enthusiastically accepted. After some back and forth of emails, on October 12th you sent me an email saying we would shoot for a Saturday afternoon on perhaps December 17th. The next day on October 13th I responded and I said Saturday, December 17th in the afternoon is okay. The time can be 1:00 – 3:00 or 2:00 – 4:00. I asked you a couple of other questions about community outreach and awareness of the debate. I asked you what suggestions you had. Two months later, I had not heard from

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you so on December 15th, two days before the debate, I responded positively to the December 17th date you proposed. Others on the Inclusive Democracy Team received it and yours did not bounce back to me. So you must have received it. If you did not receive it you should have emailed me that you did not receive my okay for the 17th. You did not have the courtesy to respond and I wonder what kind of role model for character education you represent with that lack of courtesy. So you forfeited the debate since you did not plan to debate us at all. I supposed this is so because your character education is defenseless. Also, your notion that school uniforms will somehow change student behavior is absurd. I want to respond to your January 5th letter to the Herald & News in which you make some statements that reveal a negative and undesirable viewpoint about students. You say that baggy pants and oversized shirts that students wear are patterned after what prisoners wear. I have been to the Passaic County Jail and visited many prisoners there. They were jumpsuits that fit quite well. They are neither baggy, loose, nor oversized. You can go on to claim that the aforementioned apparel can be used to conceal weapons and hide drugs. So in other words, you say students wear these things to conceal contraband. How was contraband concealed before baggy clothes? This generalization is not a positive outlook on students. Also, why would the Sheriff and police authorities give baggy pants, loose clothing, and oversized shirts to prisoners if it were possible to conceal weapons and drugs in them? This makes no sense whatsoever. In another statement you say that the primary purpose of education is preparation. Mr. Sayegh, education is life, not a preparation to get a job. The educational process has no end beyond itself and is one of continual organizing, reconstruction, and transforming which enriches experience and increases the ability to direct the course of subsequent experience. All that society accomplishes for itself is put through the schools. And since our schools are failing before the state took over and now while the state has taken over, isn’t our society failing also? And you want to enforce implementation of uniforms? Your propaganda sounds like a cop rather than an educator. Another drill sergeant, Joe Clark, and you are probably too young to remember his antics, in 1983 attempted to have students at Eastside wear uniforms. He likewise thought uniforms would make students perform better. Needless to say, he was wrong and the people were smart enough to turn his offer down. Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up, sir. Mr. Sargis: I could go on and on, Mr. Sayegh. You get a lot of letters to the editor all the time and you make... Never mind. But your proposals for uniforms and character education are unworthy and undesirable. Comm. Sayegh: Mr. Sargis, it is obvious we have differing opinions on a number of issues and I will return that email. Mr. Sargis: It’s too late. You forfeited. Comm. Sayegh: No forfeit. Mr. Frederick Mutooni: Frederick Mutooni, 197 North 7th Street. On the sidebar, and I don’t want to sound arrogant in front of the camera, let me just say briefly that Comm. Brown you need to learn how to respect the speakers. There are some people here who you never say anything to even when they speak over 10 minutes. Today I am going to speak on behalf of the Paterson Chapter of the National Youth Rights Association but I am only going to take three minutes. Today should be a day of celebration but I came here with a heavy heart because we are a city at war. We are at war with each other. We are at war with our environment. We are at war with the

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minorities. We are at war with our young people who are dying of drugs, dying in prison, dying out in the streets, and now they are going to be dying because of the proposed city curfew ordinance. The National Youth Rights Association cannot keep quiet because we believe that silence is betrayal. If you claim to be Martin Luther King’s kin and if you claim alliance with God, silence is betrayal. Silence is betrayal if we don’t talk about discrimination in Paterson Public School’s hiring practices. We must challenge all evils because silence is betrayal. If anyone can challenge discrimination it is minorities and poor people. Why? Because minorities and poor people have been given first-class blood for second-class attitudes in the Paterson Public Schools. I stand here to tell all Patersonians that there is an urgent need for a community forum that is geared towards bridging our racial divide because this city is going to be in trouble if we don’t address these issues. Ms. Geraldine Rayfield: Good evening everyone. My name is Geraldine Rayfield. I came to address the issue that the other gentleman brought up concerning the schools. People wonder why these children are carving out sections in the schools. They are actually getting it from the parents because the parents are carving out sections of the city. You can't go in this community because this belongs to us. So actually these children are doing just what the parents are doing. I can't ever remember when an American public education became a cultural thing where you had to recognize everyone’s culture. I am a Black Baptist Native American. Never in all my life when I went to school did we ever have to recognize what culture we were. We went there for an education and it is about time that everyone stopped all of this foolishness. Everyone chose to come to America and so this is American culture. It should be about educating the children and giving them a proper education, not about what is going on in their household or whatever else they are doing. We all have our culture and whatever we have in our families keep it in your house and in your families, not in the schools. These children are failing school. The whole educational system is dumbing down and these children are not learning anything. It is really sickening that everyone wants to be represented by this country. It is foolishness. We are in America. It is about educating these children. Whatever else you want to do in your home and your private life is your business and you have no business bringing it to school. These children are doing exactly what their parents are doing, carving out niches in the neighborhoods and everything else when they should not be doing that. So I don’t know why the parents are so excited and so all up in arms when they are doing it themselves. You can't go in this neighborhood because this is where I live. You can't go walk here because this is where I live. They are doing exactly what the parents are teaching them. Pretty soon if you don’t watch out we are going to be a nation like all these other nations fighting each other because of what tongue we speak and whomever we serve. They need to really stop it. I am sick of it. I have been in America. I am the ninth generation American. So if anyone is upset about all of this garbage that they are bringing I am. It really needs to stop. I have never told anyone to go back where they come from. This is my land. Don’t let the complexion fool you - I am an American Indian and I have never told it. I have never pushed anyone away. They really need to stop it and the people in charge should stop it, too. Getting an education in public school is not about your culture. Your culture is your culture if you are well versed in it. I have not lost a thing. I have not lost one thing about my culture and we were pushed down a long time ago. But I don’t push it in anybody’s face. We still do what we know as a nation of American Indians. We still do it. But we don’t push it on anyone. Thank you. Ms. Princess Reeves: Good evening. I would just like to take the time out to say Happy New Year to the Commissioners and the Superintendent. I still have several complaints and I am still not pleased. This is the first month of 2006 that we had a small truancy

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calendar. It is fine to see numbers going down, but what is the reason for the numbers going down? Parents are taking an easy way out because there is still not enough help for those parents who are crying out for help. They have a child that may be reaching age 16 and they automatically know there is a decision they should make. Should they allow their child to be absentee? I have gone to the school system and to the Commissioners to fight for help for that child. Or should I say I might as well allow my child to be excommunicated from the school and be pushed out into the community? How much more can this community stand when you are sending out troubled youth? I definitely need an answer for that one. I just don’t know what to say. We have several problems that we bring forth to this committee. There are several. I commend Dr. Glascoe. I commend you for coming into this township, rolling up your sleeves, and trying to settle some of the problems that we do have within our school system. But we are so in dire need of getting help for our youth. We can no longer sit back and say because it is not our child just brush them off. Every child that is suffering out there, even if there is not a relationship to the individual it is still your child. As long as you are playing a key role into the Board of Education system, it is your child. I will say it again – our children need the best education we can possibly offer. I am always proud to talk about my family. I worked very hard to get them where they are. I graduated my baby, which is 18 years old, and he is getting ready to go off to college. I am now back into the system because I enrolled my grandson. I two granddaughters, now I have a new additional grandson, which is five days old, and I have a three-year-old grandson who has just been enrolled into the school system. That means that you are going to see much more of me. So ladies and gentlemen we need to come to the podium and take care of these differences. I want to try to come back up here and give you some points as to say you have done a fine job. Until I see such a job I am going to be up here and I am going to be fighting until that job is done. I just want to say in closing that when the Constitution was written it said “We the people.” It did not have any separations to anybody as far as race, color, or religion. Let’s get together and resolve this problem. Thank you. Mr. Carlos Garcia: Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Carlos Garcia and I reside at 457 21st Avenue here in Paterson. I have lived in this country for over 40 years and I have lived in Paterson almost 40 years. My wife and I became citizens of the United States in 1973. I have had a real estate office in Paterson for more than 24 years and I have been in business for more than 27 years. We have two beautiful daughters. The oldest was born in Newark while we were living here in Paterson and she is an attorney in Boston, Massachusetts for over eight years now. The youngest one was born in Paterson and after teaching in Philadelphia for two years she became a New Jersey certified teacher and has been teaching here in Paterson for the last four years. Today I came here to repeat my question made on the previous meeting of the Board. The question was just now I have a doubt about a thing going on here, Dr. Glascoe. A while ago I read in the newspaper that one of the members of your administration is a former member of the selection panel that interviewed you for the position of Superintendent of Schools of the City of Paterson. Now my doubt is not that there is some kind of conflict of interest. I don’t know how this selecting somebody for a job works. Will you please clear my mind? But this never happened. Nobody cleared my mind. Now I have to add another concern – the Herald & News has published an article attacking Assemblywoman Nellie Pou for her participation at the last Board meeting. When Assemblywoman Nellie Pou came up to express her concern and publicly gave her personal opinion on behalf of all the children of the Paterson School System and defended one of the most credited representatives of the school system, Ms. Anna DeMolli, the newspaper reportedly censured her and said that her expressions were a blatant conflict of interest. Now when this same newspaper had published the news that the Superintendent of Schools for the City of Paterson has in

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his administration a member of the panel that interviewed him for the job this same reporter kept his mouth shut. Why did he not say at that time this is a blatant conflict of interest? I personally think that this is more relevant to this situation. I think that we should be a little more concerned about it. If it is true that this Board of Education has nothing to say about the more important issues that everyone here has no power to do anything, that the state can keep their mouth shut, that this Board can’t overturn Dr. Glascoe’s decision, then how do you define your position? From my point of view, you don’t have any right to make your voice heard. Then how can you represent us all? Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up. Mr. Garcia: I am going to be short. If you did not run for the Board of Education that would be cheaper. The money spent to run such an election will be saved. But don’t resign yet. Soon we are going to have local control. An administration like this can't last long. Thank you very much. Mr. Ishmael Gonzales: Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Ishmael Gonzales and I reside in the City of Paterson. It is my first time here in front of the Board. I am here to read something that a great man by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said. “Like life, racial understanding is not something that we find, but something that we must create. So the ability of Negroes and Whites to work together to understand each other will not be found ready-made. It must be created by the fact of contact.” When one side so dominates the conversation, when one side does not give the other room at the table, when one side is not represented, when one side is dismissed, how do we create that racial understanding? The Latino community needs representation at all levels of the administration and at all levels in the school building. Racial understanding cannot grow if we do not interact in our schools, in our classrooms, and in our jobs. We know we have a long way to go. Look at our celebrations. They are mostly segregated. How often do we create opportunities for contact as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated? I can say almost never. Yet it appears that there are plenty of levels for conflict - City Hall Board meetings for the adults and the streets for our youths. The issue that brought you here initially should give us all food for thought. It should provide us with insight about how we treat each other and what motivates us. Board members, city leaders, and city councilmen need to examine their motives. Who do they represent? Do they really represent us all or just one group? The fact is our city is hurting. Our children are in crisis and we the adults are failing them because of our biases and prejudices. We need to come together and that begins with representation and fairness. That is something that Martin Luther King wrote and a lot of people forget about what he wrote and what he meant by this. Thank you very much. Mr. Tommy Silva: Tommy Silva, Inclusive Democracy Project. May I please have five minutes? Being that we don’t get our letters into the editors, as other privileged people do all the time, we have come here to say our peace. The public is here so we might as well let the public hear what we have to say. I am not going to get into any attacks on individuals. I think the problem is that we are not teaching the children that what they are consuming enslaves people in other parts of the world. Problem number one – they are buying $100 sneakers and $150 pants and these are made in sweatshops. People are working in the most disgusting factories you can imagine. I think we can tap into them to let them know that they are participating in slavery because slavery still exists in about 40% of this world. They don’t even know that. These kids don’t even know slavery exists. How in the hell are we going to change anything if these kids don’t know that slavery exists and they should be on the front line as abolitionists to take care of this problem in the world? That is character education, to stand up against racism and

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fascism where it exists. What are we doing here? We have someone in the White House who broke the Constitutional law and we are sitting here allowing this fascist government to still exist. It is illegal to wiretap and put people under surveillance without a warrant. If it were I, Anna, or anyone else in here we would be in jail right now. We would be locked up. We would be taken away from our families and put in a cell by ourselves. However, through our creative educational process our children are not taught that when something of this magnitude is happening in your country you take control and you go and root out the problem. The problem is the government and I am not afraid to say it. They are segregating us economically. They are segregating us into our own schools. We are always fighting for a better education. We can't just drop off our kid at school and say my kid is going to come out here smart. He is going to know that when someone breaks a law, even if it is the President, it is his patriotic duty to dissent. It is everyone’s patriotic duty to dissent. If we are not teaching character education and that aspect, then we are lost. They are going to continue to kill each other and they are going to continue to buy into this enslavement. What I have in this hand is all of the programs that we had presented to Dr. Clancy while he was here and to Zaida Padilla and her office. We had programs here a few years ago that were fully granted that were turned down. We had the Ruby Bridges program on racism. Maybe this could have stopped the stabbing. We had many other programs. We had the Amani Shakur program coming in. We had the Joseph Jamal program, which is great, and they are going to be at Eastside. But these are all programs we had available and no one took them. Do you know why? It is a “T” word – test. You keep testing the children and they will keep killing each other. Thank you. Ms. Anna Villalongo: Good evening. My name is Anna Villalongo. I am a Patersonian and an Operation Manager at the Paterson Education Fund. Today I have special dates and I wish for everyone to have their calendars ready. They go as follows. We will keep children first. On Tuesday, April 18th we have School Board elections. Please come out and vote. On February 6th at the Paterson Education Fund office at 6:30 we will have training for those who want to run for School Board. March 28th will be the last day to register to vote for the School Board election. Again, that is on March 28th. If you need voting registration forms, please contact the Board of Elections office soon. Thank you. Ds. Gloria Taylor: Gloria Taylor, Vice Principal at Kennedy High School and Chairperson of the district’s Equity and Diversity Council. The last time I was here I did not know I was going to speak again. Unfortunately, I was ill and could not get to Dr. Glascoe or a representative with reference to the work of the Equity and Diversity Council. Unfortunately, the incident at Kennedy High School and some of the other issues with the Hispanic community continue to confront us. I want to reiterate that it is not enough for us to just celebrate diversity. We have got to tackle the real issues of institutional racism in our district. It is not just happening at Kennedy, but it is happening all over the district. They are practices that prevent inclusion of people. Fortunately, we need to get to the point where we can see color and culture. We are not societal problems. But we need to get to know each other. We have got to move beyond celebration and create healing communities. The Equity and Diversity Council was designed and Dr. Glascoe embraced us. We want to do this work with him. I read to you the last time I was here the policy where we are to work with him in addressing issues of equity. It is true this is going on at Kennedy and I am not ashamed to say to you that the administration is attempting to attack this issue. But we can't do it with band-aid approaches of testing for weapons, quick conflict resolution sessions, or even peer group sessions. We need to really take a look at this. The work of the Equity and Diversity Council has attempted and we want to be included. Hopefully, I can follow up now that my own health is better, Dr. Glascoe, to do what we can do to help with

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bringing and making things change in the City of Paterson. We have done this work for four years. It is part of our multicultural state requirement in terms of equity. And we have an affirmative action office. But the work of the Equity and Diversity Council is beyond just celebrating holidays. We want to do that. Part of the issue at Kennedy is there is a lack of inclusion of Arabic and even Latino and African American cultures. The kids create their own sense of belonging and that is what they are doing on the second floor. Can you blame the administration? No. But we do need to address it beyond the immediacy that we are doing right now. The lack of information about Arab culture, the misinformation about poor African American children and how we are not using that to motivate them as we move the achievement gap is not happening. We want to make it happen. We have not a way to do it. Let us work with you. The work that we have done includes community people, staff, and professionals. We are on the books as a policy. We want you to utilize us and let us work with you. The problems keep coming but we can address them. I think our diversity is a positive thing in Paterson. They don’t have this problem in Princeton. They welcome and encourage diversity. The America that we were talking about 30 years ago is not the same one. We have to be more inclusive. Not only inclusive, we have to be knowledgeable. Yes, the gentleman was right – we have to create activism, not just good citizenship. People of color on this Board know what oppression is. We can't transfer what we know when we become bureaucrats and act like the oppressors. I want to say that to you. We have to act upon the experiences that we know. We have a vehicle, and not just the Equity and Diversity Council. There are other vehicles that need to be created. But we can do this and I want to offer our help and my help as a professional and others so that we can take this on and not put our heads in the sand and blame the students or the parents. We need to get to know each other and welcome diversity. Thank you very much. Ms. Ruby Cotton: Good evening to Dr. Glascoe, Board Chairman Mr. Brown, and all Board members. I am here tonight to thank my principal, Karen Johnson, our District Wide High School Coordinator, Ms. Jeanette Lyde, our community person, Dr. Fulmore, and you also Dr. Glascoe for permitting me to go to the Coalition of Title I Parents Conference. I have gone to several conferences and to me this was the best one. It wad held in Louisville, Kentucky and I took three people with me. What I think made this conference so good is that the Jefferson County School Board took charge of the conference. They did not take us to their best schools. They took us to their troubled schools and showed us what they were doing to improve their troubled schools. There were six school visits but there were only three of us so we had to pick. My high school coordinator Mark Fisher went to the high school. He went to the schools that were doing Talent Development, which we had been trying to do at Eastside High School for the last seven years with the 9th grade academy and with every child in that building being in an academy. I chose to go to a middle school where they did classrooms by gender, meaning boys were in boys’ class and girls were in girls’ class. The principal there had been there for three years and they saw the need to separate the kids. They saw that the test scores were improving. The tardiness was improving and there were not many fights. So that is what I think made the conference very good. One thing that I learned from going to the four-day conference is that we somehow in this district have to find some way to put parents all on the same page. The only way I think we can do that is that every school here should be PTA. Not HSC, not PTO, but PTA. As of now parents have problems and they don’t have anywhere to get an answer. Sometimes it is taking up to six months to get something settled and it should not take that long. But I would like to present it to the community meetings that you have for the presidents of the PTO’s and HSC’s. Once again, this was an excellent conference. Title I parents are having their problems but they are coming along. New people are coming in, things are starting to change, and I can see sometimes change takes a little while. The next

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thing is that I was not able to attend the last Board meeting but this has been a struggle in this town. And I can tell you I have been in here with this fight and there are so many issues that we need to address. For people to come here to talk about personnel matters, we need to address our schools busting at the seams. We need more schools. Whenever Ms. Taliaferro has a rally or has to go down to Trenton she knows she can always depend on me. We just came back from Trenton about two weeks ago. That bus should have been filled. We should have taken 10 busloads down there because we need that school construction money back again. We have schools like School #18 with 1,100 kids. We have schools like School #10 with 900 kids. We need more classrooms. We need to be fighting at Trenton to make sure we get our money back for school construction and to make sure we get smaller classrooms. There are so many other issues that we need to fight about. I remember and Ms. Taliaferro will tell you anytime she needs a parent or people I call her office to let her know I am coming. I take a personal day to go down whenever she needs to go down. I remember at least 10 years ago when we went down to the Supreme Court hearing for early childhood. At that time I had paid for my children to go to daycare. I sat down there with the Education Law Center to argue for early childhood so three and four-year-olds can have free school. So there are a lot of issues that we need to be arguing about and the first thing are our children. As a member of the National Council of Negro Women, I am the second vice president and I want to let you know that you have our support on what needs to be done and what we need to do in this city. I am just here to tell you that. Thank you. Ms. Georgia Daniel: Good evening. My name is Georgia Daniel of Lexington Avenue and I am the very proud parent of two African American young males who graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in June 2005. They are a success story. As I come before you, I speak on behalf of the Passaic County African American 100 Women Plus Incorporated, which is led by Dr. Jessie M. Dixon, our Councilwoman-at-large in Paterson. As several of you are aware, we have had articles appear in the newspaper about all the strife that is going on in our school district. In particular, there were some articles regarding assertions on alleged racial hiring practices in the district. We, as an organization, are very unsettled by these comments and we agree with the Paterson Pastors Workshop that these actions have caused greater strife in our city. We are asking that we all work together on behalf of providing an efficient education, a positive education, for our children. As I said, I am the proud parent of two African American males who have graduated from this district. We also support Dr. Glascoe our Superintendent. We applaud him for his efforts thus far and we recognize that the job has not been easy and it will not be easy. However, we stand strong with you. We ask that if there is any way that we can help please feel free to call upon us. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and get the job done. We ask that our parents and our teachers and others do the same. Thank you. Ms. Anna Taliaferro: Good evening to everyone and a Happy New Year. Not to you, Dr. Hodges. Again, let me thank you on behalf of the many people who inquired about my health. I am back. I am getting there. I am not quite there yet but I am getting there. Thank you. But there are several issues that concern me. As I reflected on the Board meeting last month, I heard someone from the Latino community say Anna Taliaferro has always fought for Black children. Let me be crystal clear – I have fought for all children, not just children who look like me. So don’t pigeonhole me and put me in a foxhole. I was not going to deal with this issue. I was going to let you guys fight it out. But being the person I have always been I am not backing down because the going gets tough. I too want to know where were you when we were out there fighting to get Abbott on the books? We went to the Supreme Court time and time again but I did not hear your voice. It was not clear. You were not there. You did not stand up.

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Does that mean that you should not have your disagreements? That is not what I am saying. You can disagree and I have always maintained that you can say what you need to say. You should never be stopped from saying how you feel about an issue. I will support you saying that. I don’t agree with you, but I will fight for the right for you to say that. So two weeks ago when we stood in front of the State House, when I got the call from Assemblyman Craig Stanley, who is no stranger to me, when I spoke with Senator Rice, how come my representatives did not call me and say we need some help down here? And I do want to take this opportunity to thank some folks who just came to the rescue. I would have gone if I had to take the train. That is the way I feel about our children and I am talking about all children. Don’t come here with that verbal, linguistic sweetness and try to convince me that you stand for children. You better get real because you have not always been there. And do you know what saddens me? Dr. Glascoe, you just got here, but we have some horrible remnants in this city. We have the symbols of a baseball bat and a bullhorn while some of these same people sat on their derrieres and said nothing and did nothing, from the Superintendent to the White House, when our kids were being labeled miscreants and perverts and all of those ugly names. Now we have their children in the system and now you say to me we are not getting along? What did you expect? History will repeat itself if you don’t learn from it. And you all had a silent voice. Silence can breed contempt. It can also give confirmation to something that is poisonous. Now, I told you that I was reading State of the Nation, but I have also read Asia Hilliard’s books. I have also come from the school of Ron Edmonds who said we can educate any one child. We can do that. It has never been a question of what we know to educate our children. Where the question comes from is do we have the will. A lot of us will see things that go on and we won't pull those coattails because it is too uncomfortable. We need our fine houses. We need our cars. Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up. Ms. Taliaferro: We need all of those things that are material things. So for those of you who really maintain that you put children first, I am watching people come to this microphone now that would not stand up here 15 or 20 years ago. They are so cute now. Now they are going to get up here and support kids. Don't bring me that because I will call a spade a spade. I will call your name. You sat there comfortable while our kids were being dehumanized. This is my last thing. André Sayegh, since my name was mentioned in that newspaper about those school uniforms let me help you understand something. When I came to this microphone, and I get emotional about this because it directly impacted on me, I am going to tell you the same thing I told Joe Clark when he talked about discipline. Discipline is not education. Uniforms are not education. Where were you when we had principals who took my grandson’s decent clothes off his back and put on another kid’s uniform? Where were you when he sat in that office for three or four hours disrupting his educational process? Where were you when some of his teachers and one administrator in this district tried to make out that he was a pervert because he was friendly? Thank God his mother and father and their mother and father knew better because they tried to take him down. He is my grandson but he is a fine young man because his mother and father and his matriarchal grandmother have done a good job. Do you understand me? So when you talk about uniforms, let’s be very careful what we put on our kids. It is not up to you to give us uniforms. It is up to us parents. These are our children. They are not your children. And uniforms did not keep those teachers from kicking his butt. It did not keep that principal from trying to dehumanize him. So I watch that very carefully. That is not education. I want you to talk about the real issues - a rigorous curriculum which is guaranteed to us under that Abbott remedy and No Child Left Behind. I want the assessment and the monitoring. I want everything we are supposed to get. That is why I go to Trenton and Washington to fight. I don’t want you to half step with this

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education. This country has not lived up to its creed. As an African American woman I did not come here on my own. Somebody got it wrong tonight. I was brought here. I came over on a slave ship. Understand my history and don’t mistake it because this is the 21st Century. We are not educating all of God’s children. Be very clear about that. And it is not because we don’t know how. It is because we don’t have the will. Stand up when you want to sit down. Open your mouth when you want to keep silent because our children can't keep going through this. And do you know what? They are going to tag us sooner or later. That young man that just got stabbed here? Hello y’all. Did he look like somebody else? I don’t care if your child is polka dot – every child is important. If the Hispanic community wants to stand up, then stand up with all of us. Mitch, you talked about your grandparents being African American. Stand up with all of us. It doesn’t make any difference. You talk about children first? Honey, I don’t want to hear the rhetoric. I have had enough of the verbal calisthenics. I am talking about making it so. Your behavior dictates it. Your attitude determines your altitude. Our kids deserve to get better treated and be better educated than this. Thank God we won't take no for an answer because I told you I had a principal tell me my grandson could not read. I said I will be darned. He belongs to us. We will teach him how to read. I am not going to wait for you to teach him how to read. If God is willing, he will be graduating as the first grandchild in college in May. And he comes out of Paterson, New Jersey. But I had principals who told him he could not cut it. Doggone it, I am going to take that degree and wave it right in her face. You brought your child in here, didn’t you? Now, I am tired of the madness. I am tired of this, Chauncey. You all better stand up for what is the right issue. Uniforms are no issue. What are you talking about? I don’t care what you have on. I don’t care if you come into my school with your hair uncombed, with no teeth in your mouth, and clothes hung up with safety pins. I have to teach you. You are my future. Don’t get on the wrong issues. Mr. Quincy Battis: Good evening, my name is Quincy Battis. I want to stay focused because this is a very serious topic about this racial card. In my research, I don’t believe as an African American we were the first ones in this hiring process to call this a racial card. But I find it to be very offensive for people to come here and to partially quote Martin Luther King and not in his entirety. When I look throughout the City of Paterson, they have on the Paterson Board of Education a joint governance committee and I see no African American representation nor on the Mayor’s cabinet. When I look through the division heads throughout the City of Paterson and I only see two African Americans for over 30 departments in the City of Paterson and the rest of them being interim or acting division heads, I don’t see the Latino community jumping on the African American bandwagon for support. There are over 40,000 African Americans living in the City of Paterson. Why is there no representation of those who are here and who vote? Why is there no representation on the Mayor’s immediate cabinet? I find it to be very offensive when I see people here who have not been here in the last couple of months. I still want to know where were those people when School #6 had issues. Assemblywoman Nellie Pou was sitting on the education committee at that time and our kids went back into the school too early. Teachers were infected with all types of skin cancer and the state released them back into the school prematurely, but no one spoke out on those issues. But we are here tonight for my friend that was demoted to director. I have an issue with that. None of you have stood here to find out what was the issue as far as academics in the early childhood department. I respect Dr. DeMolli as a person. I don’t know her personally. However, I stand here tonight because of the process that we did not take to dialogue and to come to an agreement whether we were Latino or African American to see straight across the board what we can do to be a solution and not a problem as to what is going on in our district. I find it to be very offensive that we are not working together. When I look I believe that the new assistant superintendent is a Latino and there is a director that I believe is a Latino. But we don’t

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do our homework. And to sit here and to attack month after month on issues that my friend has been demoted, I have not read one article from the Latino community to talk about what has my friend done for my child, he or she, in this community. What did they do to excel to go to kindergarten? But my friend was demoted. The community has not been informed that your friend works part-time and still has her same salary. Let’s call it like it is. My friend still gets her salary who is not able to be an assistant superintendent. This won't come to hurt me because I am not naming names. I know how to do the administration thing. But my friend only works four hours a day but she still gets her salary. If we want to go with the taxpayer’s burden and do all that we are doing, I want you to be here next month. Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up. Mr. Battis: I will Mr. Commissioner. It is public knowledge if you do homework. But we need to come together and see how we are going to work because I know a lot of you are looking at me now like you don’t know that I knew this and you are shocked. But I find it to be very offensive that we are not coming together to resolve the issues straight across the board here in the City of Paterson. Thank you. Ms. Margie DeAlva: Good evening, my name is Margie DeAlva. I am a resident of Paterson at 43 Rossitier Avenue. I am very glad I took the chance to stand on line right after these two last speakers. First, this is going to demonstrate what I am going to read tonight. Last month’s meeting was a very interesting and important meeting where many people from the Paterson community showed up to express a very specific concern, the demotion of the only representative of our younger students in your administration. Unfortunately, Dr. Glascoe, miscommunication and silence from your part on this matter had caused turmoil and accusations to some leaders of the Hispanic community as we just heard now. That is not fair and not acceptable. Dr. Glascoe, the proper steps were taken before that meeting letting the Commissioners think that we were here to impose ourselves. We have the right to speak but we also really want to work with you. But you must keep us united by giving the right information. You let everybody think that there was no prior communication before the meeting and you know that is not true. Your silence is hurting the relationship among the communities and we have just noticed that. We just heard. The preschool program is new, about seven or eight years old, but it is greatly important in many ways to the families in Paterson. Its future has to be defended by supporting the head in charge with an excellent record of hard work and efficiency that has been kept. That is why we were here on behalf of our future. Thank you. Ms. Sandra Bosque: Good evening Dr. Glascoe and Commissioners. I am Sandra Bosque, President of the School #27 PTA and, as you know, the only PTA in Paterson. I have been asked by many parents how they can join PTA and how they can get information. So we are organizing a meeting on February 9th at School #27 at 6:00 to answer those questions. We have the state PTA representatives coming up. Everyone is invited and information will be given out at that time concerning anything you want to know about PTA, what they are about, and how to join. I also wanted to tail on Ms. Taliaferro. My daughter was told in high school what would any college want to do with you. My daughter is graduating this Sunday from William Paterson with honors despite what she was told. Thank you and I hope you all can make our meeting. Mr. Julio Tavares: Good evening, my name is Julio Tavares. I just came here more to listen than anything else. When I hear people talk about unity it sounds great, but how can you unite when you talk about something like this? I don't see any issue in unity. That is not the issue here. The issue is that there is a problem in Paterson. It is not that

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we are not united. There is a problem and we just want to get it fixed. That is what we want. There is an issue with diversity. There are not enough Latino teachers. There are not enough Latino administrators. That is all we are looking for. Today I came to listen and ask questions, not to talk or say anything else. I am glad to hear that things are working out in Paterson and moving along to diversify the staff and the administration. But I also would like to know what is the administration doing to attract more minority teachers. As you know, Latinos only make up 15% of the teaching staff. What is the administration going to do? What is the plan to attract more of these teachers to Paterson? That is my question. I just came to listen tonight. Have a good evening. Comm. Santiago: I just want to make a point of clarification to everybody here. There is one thing I am not going to tolerate and that is separation between African Americans and Latinos. But as a Latino I must say that when you have about 41 applicants applying for a position and perhaps 20 are White, 20 are African American, and one is Latino that is a problem. These are the facts. I have the facts and I am willing to share them with everyone. And there is more than that. I finally witnessed that the district is going out of their way to hire Latinos. I just wanted to make that point of clarification. Mr. Angel Montes: Good evening Commissioners and Superintendent Glascoe. My name is Angel Montes. I am also the Latino activist in the State of New Jersey and in New York. I have to say a lot of good things for two individuals. One woman I knew for so many years and I went to the Board of Education with her daughter. I have seen her dedicate a lot of her time to youngsters and she does not let a child stay behind. I have noticed for so many years and I have to give my applause to her as one who fights for a child’s education. I have to say that the person’s name is Anna Taliaferro. I know Anna too well. Anna Taliaferro has fought for all the youngsters in the city. I hope you Commissioners put a little bit of input to listen to her because she has good issues and it will help a lot of you Commissioners to stand beside her. There is another Anna. This Anna is Dr. Anna DeMolli. I will give this shirt on my back for Dr. Anna DeMolli because she is my mentor. I am an industrialist. I am also a banker. I am a chief executive officer for One Stop Shopping USA, which is a producer of millions of dollars in industry not only in the City of Paterson but also in New York City. Listening to Dr. DeMolli from early childhood education, bilingual students, and from every different ethnic group, not only just Hispanics but also the African Americans and others. When I say others, there are 65 different ethnic groups. That is what I am talking about. My major concern is that Dr. DeMolli should deserve to be in that chair as assistant superintendent. I would say, Dr. Glascoe, that my major concern as a Latino is that you have representation in your Board, not only Hispanics, but others who can be representatives of the ethnicity of the City of Paterson. I will say this because I am telling you that Dr. Anna DeMolli is a super person to work with. If I feel that a person is not suited for the job, guess what? She is. Dr. DeMolli has become an outstanding woman and I am telling you right now that this woman has worked hard day and night to make sure that a child is not left behind on the education system. The same thing I see in Anna Taliaferro. Let me tell you about Anna – I love you Anna. I see Anna and her daughter work so hard for many years. But when I see Dr. Anna DeMolli working hard for the students it is not because she is a Latina. I defend also Hispanics, Latinos, and African Americans. I have African American in my blood system, too. Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up. Mr. Montes: But to mix an issue my concern is not because of these individuals. My concern is the child. The child always has to come first. Education should come first, especially when a child is involved. Dr. Anna DeMolli deserves to be the

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superintendent. I am a pistol and I don’t shoot blanks. Dr. Anna DeMolli deserves to be in that chair and I hope you hear this very well. There is one more thing I have to comment on. If the $50 million was raped a long time ago, why did the representatives from the Governor’s office panel who were sitting as Commissioner to your chair did not catch it in time? Why was it not presented to the State and Commissioner or the Board of Education when the $50 million was raped? That is an issue I would like to get an answer for. Not now, but at least tomorrow. Have a pleasant evening Commissioners and Superintendent. Comm. Atallo: I just want to say for the record before you leave regarding the money that it is well documented that Dr. Hodges, myself, and other Board members wrote to the Commissioner. We spoke to the Commissioner in person and we spoke to assistant commissioners. We spoke to the County Superintendent and people remember she used to sit up here and try to control the meeting and did not want to hear about it. I think Dr. Hodges can back me up on that. We told those people six years in a row about the time and material bids and the money that was being taken out of here without any accountability. So they were fully aware of everything that was going on. The prosecutions that have occurred and the guilty pleas and the indictments have occurred on the federal level. We need to thank the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office for those prosecutions. Thank you. Ms. Bridget Johnson: Good evening. My name is Bridget Johnson and I am a preschool teacher at Paterson Daycare 100. I would just like to say this in reference to the last Board of Education meeting. It saddens me that we as a community have become so divided that we would prefer to have an individual in a position based on nationality or cultural inheritance instead of competence. I know that Dr. DeMolli had been on the Board for over 30 years, but the last thing we need on the Board of Education is some form of dictatorship. We need novelty, accountability, and competence. Our Hispanic counterparts call her demotion racism. But we have to be cautious of the words that we use when we are emotional. Racism has not been the problem since Hispanic is not a race, in and of itself, but an umbrella of races combined. The only commonality is that you are all Spanish subjects. Right? As far as the State is concerned, all of our children are considered disadvantaged and under-serviced. Do you understand me? So let us not be distracted by the things that are going on in the periphery and forget about the children. If we are saying that the children are our main focus, let’s focus on the children and let whatever personnel is doing handle their business. Thank you. Mr. Frederick H. LaGarde, Jr.: Good evening, Frederick H. LaGarde, Jr. from the Community Baptist Church of Love in Paterson, New Jersey. I am also a member of the State Board of Education. Let me first of all again say good evening to all of you Commissioners. Let me start out by just saying I will be brief. I don’t think I will even need the three minutes, but I was very disturbed at the last Board meeting. Many of you may not have known but I was here purposely sitting all the way in the back of the building just absorbing everything. I wanted to speak that night but I wanted to hear everything before I got up. I wanted to speak with an educated mindset. I was very disturbed about some of the statements that were made. I do not know Dr. Anna DeMolli but I do believe from hearing many speak about her that she seems to have been a great educator. But I think we need to be careful when we use words. I keep hearing people say demotion. When there is a demotion there is also a cut in pay. Let me say that again. When there is a demotion there is also a cut in pay. I know what I am talking about because I am a State Board member. So I know if there has been a cut in her pay or not. So when there is a demotion there is a cut in pay. There has been no cut in pay. There has been merely a reassignment to another position, not

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unlike what our new Governor is doing in reassigning and eliminating people who were serving and making his own cabinet. And not unlike what our President does when he comes in as the new President of the United States and those who were there prior to are moved around or are no longer there. She was merely reassigned. I am not going to speak when others are speaking, but I do believe that we need to come together as a community. But the divisiveness that is going on was started at the last meeting. It was started at the last meeting when the Latino community that I have great respect for came here. I don’t think that any of us where fully informed and had full knowledge of what we were speaking on. When we speak we need to make sure that our facts are facts and that our facts are not fiction. We need to speak knowing full well that we are speaking fact and not fiction. I was very disturbed when our Superintendent was accused of coming to Paterson to rape the community. This is a man who came from another state and did not have to come. He was doing fine right where he was. But he came with a desire because he saw that this community needed a change and he was led here. So I am disturbed that he would be accused of raping the community. What really disturbs me is that when Dr. Edwin Duroy sat up here as our superintendent, who just coincidently is a Latino, not many of us – including myself – were here speaking against him and the things that happened while he was watching the store. When Dr. Clancy was here many of us were not here speaking when we should have been speaking. But the minute this happens now all of a sudden we are here speaking. We want diversity in the school system, but they have to be qualified in order to get the positions. So I want to commend our Superintendent. He has only been here six months and I believe that since he has been here he has done better than the previous two who sat in the same chair that he sits in now. So I want to let him know that I am lending him my support and we are prayerful. I am a preacher so I am going to take it to church in closing. Dr. Glascoe, there is a song that says I don’t feel no ways tired. I have come too far from where I started. When you took the job you knew the road was not going to be easy, but God has not brought you this far to leave you. You have our support at the Community Baptist Church of Love. God bless you. Councilman Anthony Davis: Good evening and Happy New Year. Where do I start? How do I begin? I know. Starting today we are all green. One color – green! Now, I am not going to get into some of the things that some of the speakers before me have spoken about. But I will talk about 30 years ago when we did not throw the word diversity around but we were diverse. Today we throw this word around and we are more divided than ever. We are hurting here in Paterson like we are all across the United States. But here in Paterson we are hurting. We as Patersonians are the color of green – and I don’t mean money – and need to come together. I just left Eastside High School and I am looking at Blacks, Latinos, Caucasians, Arabs - green was there too - Muslims, and Christians all watching this drug presentation. Last Monday we had a stabbing. We need to really concentrate on what is going on and put our energy into helping our community. Our youth are failing forward academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually, and here we are fighting amongst ourselves and trying to put each ethnicity before the other. I was not here at the last Board meeting but I saw the tapes. To me I don’t think the majority of people who got up here and spoke were over 60. I say that to mean that when they use the term racism, you need to be mindful of how you use that term. You need to be mindful of how you use race. I am nowhere near 60, 50 or even 40. I’m close to 40. Comm. Sayegh: You are 40. Comm. Hodges: You are closer than you think, sir. Comm. Sayegh: I went to your birthday party.

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Councilman Davis: However, I am not even at liberty to talk about that and I know history and I know how Blacks were treated. When I am in front of a group of students, I represent all students. If you come into my program or if I am in front of you, it does not matter to me your ethnicity, your complexion, or your skin tone. You will not hear me say I am for all children but let me make sure the Black children get what they need to get. We need to stop using that race card. This week we celebrated a fine leader, Martin Luther King. When Martin Luther King stood up, he stood up for everyone. He stood up for what he believed, for human rights and civil rights. He did not go and say he was just a Black man and he would not stand up for any other people. I am going to leave on this and I have been saying this since 2000. Children do not question the wrongdoing of adults. They suffer from it. Children do not question the wrongdoing of adults. They suffer from it. Our children in the City of Paterson are suffering because of us. Ms. Mary Johnson: Good evening Commissioners, my name is Mary Johnson. I have resided in Paterson since 1948. I marched to Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King. We marched to Paterson to get the School Board. I have had mace thrown in my face. I have had the dogs on me for not just the Black community, but for the whole community whether they were Latino, Muslim, or whatever. We took it. We had guns drawn on us, but we did not stop. We sat in Eastside High School because they had two types of system there. They were teaching the White kids for college and the Black kids and other kids they weren’t. They came to put us in jail, but they did not stop us. We did not give up and we were for all people, not just for a chosen few. Mr. Charles Ferrer: Charles Ferrer, Friends of the Paterson Falls, requesting five minutes. I am going to jump on a couple of quick issues first. I have been reviewing a lot of the postings that are out by the district and I am a little concerned. Director of No Child Left Behind, No Child Left Behind Program Manager, Director of Gifted and Talented Programs, Coordinating Directors for Curriculum and Instruction, Special Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Supervisors - Department of Pupil Personnel Services - Secondary and Special Education. Before this year even started we were top heavy. All I have been noticing is that we are hiring top at tremendous amounts of money. I have stopped counting. I don’t know, but I am pretty sure we are probably close to $2 million in new salaries. I am concerned when we are short book and supplies. We were told that because we are changing the health series that we could not order new health books, but meanwhile we are getting new children. Another thing we need to address with our book companies is that the binding of these books that we are paying a tremendous amount of money for is not holding up. The pages are coming out of brand new books. It is not good. I am concerned that we are going to be so top heavy that we are going to sink just because there is too much at the top. In this new year, compared to what we hired at the top, how much have we hired that will have direct contact with the children? The amount of money that we are spending to hire people at the top could be utilized for after-school programs. I would like to be able to hear some justification for all of these appointments because let me tell you something. Much of what I am reading shows that that kind of money being spent there is just smoke and mirrors. There is no direct correlation to what is going to affect the children. If you have an assistant superintendent of curriculum, what do you need a special assistant for? My God. What are their degrees for if they can't do the job? You have enough people running around down there. You don’t need anymore. The other issue I want to jump on real quick is that I am tired of the articles in the newspaper. I am really tired of everything that I am reading because it is confusing the children. I am going to give you an example. We have people that come into the buildings and this is where the confusion starts because too many people are mixed up. They say they

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would like all the African American young men to raise their hand, so they raise their hand. Then they count them. Then they ask the same of the Latino or Hispanic. They raise their hands. Then the man says, “No young man. You can't raise your hand because I just counted you in the African American community, so you have to pick and choose which race you are going to represent.” The mother in the house might be in this case African American and the father in the house might be Hispanic. Why should he be made to choose? This is where the confusion starts. I pulled a book out that I got from Puerto Rico called Que Pasa? It talks about a famous dish from Puerto Rico – pasteles. All the children love them. I asked all my children today what is their origin? One said the Dominican Republic, but in this book that I got from Puerto Rico it says pasteles were created by the Africans. I got another magazine called Latina, February’s edition, and it talks about a San Juan born dancer, Silvia Del Villa. I may not be saying the name right. She is of Puerto Rican decent, or so she thought. She traced her roots back to Nigeria. The problem that I have is with the people that continue to keep this confusion going. Comm. Brown: Please wrap it up. Mr. Ferrer: I am getting ready to wrap it up. When the ship left Africa and traveled down the ocean waves, it stopped at many different islands and it let people off. If you check in the books it says when the Spaniards came to Puerto Rico they only came with men. I never recall men making babies by themselves, so it was either the slaves or the Indians that were already on the island. So let’s stop the nonsense. You see – when I look at myself and I think of my father and all the years he was in the Korean War and he suffered from the war fatigue, who is of Cuban and Puerto Rican decent, I asked where does that leave me. I don’t pick and choose my heritage. I don’t pick and choose my nieces and nephews and my grandnieces and grandnephews. We need to stop doing that to our children because they are confused. There is no difference. You may be Spanish-speaking, but where are your true roots from? You can’t deny it. We eat the same thing and there are only two groups of people that have rhythm like we do. Understand that. Stop letting this nonsense come between us because you are doing what the people want. We are the two most powerful groups of people in the State of New Jersey, but because we don’t have enough sense to come together we stand separate and weak. Since the bell is over I won’t address that article in the paper on Sunday, but the one thing I will say is that it wasn’t the Department of Education that led the investigation on Dr. Duroy. It was Dr. Atallo and the FBI and the United States Attorney General. The people in Trenton wouldn’t touch it because of all the politicians coming out of Hudson County. Let’s keep it real. If you really want a good lesson on Hudson County, a couple of months ago there was an article about them building a high school to the tune of $100 million. I think I talked about that here. In today’s paper, that high school that a few months ago was $100 million, because the new Governor is out of Hudson County, is now $200 million to build. That means $50 million to build the school and $150 million to spread around. That’s what it is all about in Hudson County and look at the people who are coming from there. Let’s stop the nonsense. There is no difference, unless we make it a difference. My father was who he was and I am who I am. And so are my nieces and nephews. I am sick and tired of people coming up here making like there is a separation when there isn’t. The only separation is in the minds of ignorant people who continue to make it separate. It was moved by Comm. Vergara, seconded by Comm. Sayegh that the Public Comments portion of the meeting be closed. On roll call all members voted in the affirmative. The motion carried. GENERAL BUSINESS

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Items Requiring a Vote PRESENTATION OF MINUTES Comm. Brown presented the minutes of the December 7, 2005 Workshop Meeting and the December 14, 2005 Regular Meeting, and asked if there were any questions or comments on the minutes. It was moved by Comm. Hodges, seconded by Comm. Sayegh that the minutes be accepted with any necessary corrections. On roll call all members voted in the affirmative. The motion carried. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE Comm. Sayegh reported that the Curriculum and Instruction Committee met, reviewed and recommends approval for Resolution Nos. A-1 through A-12:

Resolution No. A-1

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court ordered the implementation of full day preschool for three and four year olds in Abbott districts; and WHEREAS, the State Department of Education explicitly authorized the use of existing early childhood and daycare programs in the community; and WHEREAS, the timetable for implementation required the provision of preschool programs by September 2001; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District desires to continue to contract with community licensed early childhood centers to undertake the provision of integrated services for our preschool children; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District already has a contract with BJ Wilkerson #1 for 30 students and the district wishes to serve 60 students at their new location at 501 West Broadway, Paterson, NJ 07522; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the district modify the original contract for BJ #1 to provide compensation for 60 students as per the contract.

Resolution No. A-2 WHEREAS, the grant allocated by NGO No. 05-EE03-H04, New Jersey Refugee Students Impact Grant Program, for $95,826.00 has been accepted by the Board of Education at its meeting on the 14th day of December, 2005; and WHEREAS, the said grant shall be used for the purpose described in the application filed with the New Jersey Department of Education for Public School No. 18; and WHEREAS, the said grant shall be used for the purpose described in the application for Catholic Family & Community Services; and now therefore

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BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the continuum grant from the New Jersey Department of Education for the Catholic Family & Community Services in the amount of $24,607.00 starting November 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2006.

Resolution No. A-3 WHEREAS, 100% of John F. Kennedy English Language Learners, according to “NCLB”, must pass the High School Proficiency Assessment by 2014; and WHEREAS, approximately 6.4% of John F. Kennedy’s ELL students passed the 2005 Language Arts section and approximately 7.5% of John F. Kennedy’s ELL students passed the 2005 Math section of the H.S.P.A.; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the John F. Kennedy ELL H.S.P.A. Enrichment Program for seven weeks/three days a week, for a total amount not to exceed $8,316.00.

Resolution No. A-4 WHEREAS, 100% of John F. Kennedy students, according to “NCLB”, must pass the High School Proficiency Assessment by 2014; and WHEREAS, approximately 64% of John F. Kennedy students passed the 2005 Language Arts section and approximately 58% of John F. Kennedy students passed the 2005 Math section of the H.S.P.A.; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the John F. Kennedy H.S.P.A. Enrichment Program for four Saturdays, 1/28/06, 2/4/06, 2/25/06 and 3/4/06, for a total amount not to exceed $9,240.00.

Resolution No. A-5 WHEREAS, Paterson Public School #14 decided to continue with Reading Recovery Program, Year 5; and WHEREAS, the above named school wishes to continue to implement the Reading Recovery Program; and WHEREAS, the above named school will continue its affiliation with the Newark Public School District for the purpose of staff development training for the Reading Recovery Program; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Reading Recovery contract with the Newark Public School District to provide training throughout the 2005-2006 school year, total rate of $650.00.

Resolution No. A-6 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public Schools (PPS) entered into a contract with the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) during the 2003-2004 school year to assist in the implementation of the Construction Trades Training Program for Women and Minorities, by providing instructional services to Paterson residents; and

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WHEREAS, NJCDC has continued to provide services as the training provider for this initiative; and WHEREAS, upon requests from NJCDC, the New Jersey Department of Labor has granted extensions of the contract through August 31, 2005 using an estimated $40,000 in unexpended funds; and WHEREAS, the PPS recognizes the value of the program and services it provides to city residents; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves extension of the contract with NJCDC for the Construction Trades Training Program for Women and Minorities through August 31, 2005 under the terms of the existing contract and approved extension by the New Jersey Department of Labor, using an estimated $40,000 in unexpended funds.

Resolution No. A-7 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public Schools must submit for approval the Non-Public Technology State Grant Program to administer funds to the Non-Public Schools; and WHEREAS, Paterson Public Schools acknowledge receipt of a State Grant by the Department of Education for Non-Public Technology Aid for the 2005/2006 School Year of 14 Non-Public Schools located in the City of Paterson in the total amount of $95,080.00; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Non-Public Schools contract the services to administer said funds for 14 Non-Public Schools located in the City of Paterson; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District approves the Non-Public Technical State Grant Program to administer the Non-Public Technology Program with Essex County Educational Services Commission, all fees being paid through the grant award.

Resolution No. A-8 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District recognizes the need to effectively implement the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies through professional development of its teachers, and to have accurate evaluation of all programs that seek to reach this goal; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District can provide professional development for 50 secondary school teachers of Social Studies, grades 5 through 12, to positively impact upon the achievement of our students in the area of American History; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School’s “Alexander Hamilton Fellows: Creating Expertise in American History Project” will help the school district to build its own capacity to carry out its future professional development of teachers; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District hired LGE Evaluation Services to evaluate the effectiveness of this project and periodically report its findings to the Director of Grant Development and Evaluation, during the first year performance period beginning in January 2006 through August 2006, in an amount not to exceed $25,000.

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Resolution No. A-9

WHEREAS, the Brothers of Delta Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., sponsored by the Division of Community Services, is sponsoring a college tour for students currently attending school in the Paterson Public School District. The students will visit colleges, universities, Dr. Martin Luther King’s Memorial and other significant educational places in Atlanta, GA.; and WHEREAS, this college tour will include approximately (16) students ages 12-17 and (4) adults. They will depart from Rosa Parks High School on January 25, 2006. The trip is coordinated by Mr. William Nelson, Jr., Mr. Vincent Smith, and Dr. Joseph Fulmore, Sr. The participating students and their parents will bare the sole responsibility of the per person cost of $358.00; and WHEREAS, Dr. Joseph Fulmore and other advisors have planned a five (5) day educational experience to Atlanta, GA.; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson School District approves this educational experience for students and staff. All expenses associated with this trip are the responsibility of the parent/guardian of each participating student.

Resolution No. A-10 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District is committed to enhance secondary education programs to increase student achievement; and WHEREAS, the district is mandated to comply with the Abbott X regulations pertaining to the Secondary Education Initiative to ensure student engagement, alignment of curriculum and academic rigor; and WHEREAS, the Board Curriculum Committee and the State District Superintendent recognize the following NovaNET provisions:

District-wide access to an in-depth standards-based interactive curriculum along with assessments and reporting;

A library of over 6,000 hours of individualized, self-paced courses and learning activities covering language arts, mathematics, science and social studies;

Research-driven, mastery-based lessons to meet students’ individual needs and learning styles;

Comprehensive testing capabilities to tie back to prescriptive learning plans to encourage sustained learning;

Credit recovery for students; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves adoption of NoveNET for 250 Concurrent User Licenses for professional development, technical services, technical connections and set-up fees, for the 2005-2006 school year, in the amount of $346,750.00.

Resolution No. A-11 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District is committed to enhance elementary education programs to increase student achievement; and

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WHEREAS, the district is mandated to comply with the Abbott Intensive Early Literacy Initiative Elementary Education to ensure student engagement, alignment of curriculum and academic rigor; and WHEREAS, the Board Curriculum Committee and the State District Superintendent recognize the following staff development provided by Sopris West will enhance teacher training in differentiation of instruction and intervention strategies inclusive of:

The five critical elements of a balanced research-based reading program: Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension

The five components will be implemented during the primary 90 minutes of uninterrupted literacy instruction, inclusive of guided reading and differentiation of instruction through center activities.

This will enable the maximum use of all supplemental instructional materials for intervention purposes; and now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves contracting Sopris West Educational Services to provide aforementioned staff development in the amount of $75,000.

Resolution No. A-12 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District recognizes the need to effectively implement the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies by providing advanced instructional resources to teachers in order for their students to increase their academic achievement; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School’s “USDOE Alexander Hamilton Fellows: Creating Expertise in American History Project” will help the school district to build its own capacity to carry out its future professional development of teachers and to have access to online instructional resources in the area of American History; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District hired Learners Online Incorporated, to provide Web-based lessons and access to online documents designed to correlate with the implementation of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Social Studies, during the first year of the project, beginning in January 2006 through January 2007, in an amount not to exceed $49,000. It was moved by Comm. Sayegh, seconded by Comm. Santiago that Resolution Nos. A-1 through A-12 be adopted. Comm. Atallo: At the workshop two weeks ago I asked for backup information on some of these resolutions and to date I have not received the information I requested. I wanted to know who the principals of these consulting firms were, these companies, principals meaning who the owners are. I also wanted to know the members of the board of directors of these companies. At this time, I am requesting that A-8, A-10, A-11 and A-12 be tabled until we get that appropriate backup information. I support the remaining resolutions, but I am requesting those four be tabled.

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Comm. Sayegh: Dr. Atallo, I do believe that information was provided. Comm. Atallo: No, it wasn’t. Comm. Sayegh: As curriculum chair, I strongly disagree with the assertion that was just made, or the motion that was just made, to table any of the items. Comm. Taylor: For the different companies that we have for the curriculum, we did get the information from Dr. Perna. On A-8, we did receive the information. Comm. Atallo: I received one packet of information in regard to A-8 and quite frankly I have questions because the consulting company, which apparently are the initials of one individual, that individual’s resume was given to us and I reviewed it and basically his background is in science and somewhat in mathematics. I don’t see anything here in history, let alone American History or social studies. If you read it, and I did read this document, the individual’s background is in science and I don’t know how that applies to being a consultant to do evaluations on the Alexander Hamilton American History Project. I just don’t see how that relates. That is my concern. Comm. Sayegh: Are there any other questions or comments on any of the other items? Comm. Atallo: I have a motion to table. Comm. Sayegh: Do we have a second for that motion? Comm. Atallo: Is there a second for the motion? It was moved by Comm. Atallo, seconded by Comm. Vergara that Resolution Nos. A-8, A-10, A-11 and A-12 be tabled. On roll call all members voted as follows: Comm. Atallo: Yes. Comm. Hodges: No. Comm. Moody: I would need to know the effect of pulling these four motions at this point. Comm. Taylor: They don’t start. Dr. Glascoe: Comm. Moody, there are two things. We will continue the perpetuation of being late in paying our bills and fees, and to move these programs along in our schools to support our children’s learning will just be curtailed until this is settled. Comm. Sayegh: If I may dovetail on that, I want to speak specifically to item A-10. Any further delay will lead to a further delay in preparation for the SAT, for credit recovery, and for dropout prevention. NovaNET does deal with those issues and I am sure you are well aware, because you work very closely with our young people in this city, that half of our freshmen do drop out of school. This is a very vital service that could be provided for them to help them recover credits and to help them consider alternatives to dropping out of school. Comm. Brown: Point of order. I believe there is a vote on the floor. Comm. Sayegh: I just wanted to provide clarification.

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Comm. Brown: I just wanted to remind you. Comm. Moody: Thank you. My vote is no. Comm. Santiago: No. Comm. Sayegh: No. Comm. Taylor: No. Comm. Vergara: Yes. Comm. Brown: No. The motion to table did not carry. Comm. Sayegh: I would like to call for a roll call on items A-1 through A-12. Comm. Atallo: Under discussion, let me say this. I find it absolutely unbelievable that Board members have no interest in finding out who owns these companies, who the principals are, and who the board of directors are. I find it absolutely unbelievable that you are not remotely interested in finding out what is going on in light of all the consulting contracts that have gone on in this district over the last few years. I just find it absolutely amazing. I asked for this information two weeks ago and we did not receive it. I called the Superintendent’s office, but I did not get called back. The Board members are blindly voting on things, as Board members have blindly voted on things in the past that have come back to bite them. Finally, I have to agree with Mr. Charles Ferrer in the sense that I see postings and postings from more senior administrators, more central office administrators, and I don’t see things happening in the classroom they way they should be. I receive many complaints from schools. Comm. Sayegh: Dr. Atallo, can you please speak to the items on the agenda? Comm. Atallo: I’m talking, Mr. Sayegh. When I am done, then you can talk. Comm. Sayegh: I’m terribly sorry, sir. We are actually in the middle of roll call. Comm. Atallo: No, we are under discussion and I am going to say this for the record. Apparently, you just like to rubber stamp things and write letters. Comm. Sayegh: I take exception to that because we had a very lengthy curriculum committee meeting where we had presentations on all of these items. So this is not a rubber stamp. Comm. Atallo: You didn’t get the information that was requested at the workshop. Comm. Sayegh: We were provided with that information. We are discussing items A-1 through A-12 under curriculum, sir. Comm. Atallo: I’m talking now. When I am talking you keep quiet, young man. Thank you. Comm. Sayegh: We were voting, sir, and we are discussing items A-1 through A-12.

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Comm. Atallo: And I am saying I asked for information regarding who owns these companies, who are the principals, and who are the board of directors. We are not getting that. What I am saying is simply this. There are postings for more and more central office administrators in the academic area, yet I see more and more consulting contracts going out for more and more consultants. This has happened in the past. Apparently, people get appointed to positions and then they broker out these assignments to these consultants. Yes, I agree our students should be prepared for the SAT. Yet, I agree we need to address the dropout rate. I have been addressing these questions long before I was even on the Board of Education. But we need to get clarification as to what these companies do and what they don’t do. On the one company that is going to get the big six-figure contract, I asked for the information and I was sent this little booklet that answers nothing. I asked what urban districts have they worked with and they said references are in the back. I see two districts in the back. I see Pago-Pago in the American Samoa Islands, which I don’t believe is an urban district, and I see a district in Montana. I don’t see any urban districts listed as references here with this company. So I just don’t see how you are so excited about this program. It is absolutely unbelievable to me that you would just blindly follow this through. I am not going to belabor it. Board members can think for themselves, I hope, and I am just going to state for the record. Unless I get information that we ask for… The administration had two weeks to get it to us. I think that was fair. They agreed to do it and we did not get it. I can’t vote for it, so I vote no. Comm. Brown: I believe that it is my role as a Board member not to find out, in my own personal opinion, who sits on the board of directors for a company and who owns companies. It is my understanding, as a Board member, that I am supposed to express my philosophical view of education. I believe that the Superintendent for this district is supposed to fulfill that obligation for all the children in this district, by any means necessary. Comm. Atallo: Did Ed Duroy do that? Did Clancy do that? Comm. Brown: Excuse me - I am speaking now. As a result, if these things that we have before us are going to help not only have accountability and have students achieve, then I support it. If I can’t see any other information that warrants why we should not support this, I must support this in the best interest of children. Thank you. Comm. Sayegh: We are still in roll call. Comm. Hodges: I think we are in discussion of the second motion. If I may comment, I understand and appreciate some of Dr. Atallo’s concerns because he is correct in that there have been a number of problematic appropriations… Comm. Atallo: Not problematic – criminality. Comm. Hodges: Okay, criminal. There have been some criminal activities around the issue of consultants. However, we have also a responsibility to examine what these programs are going to provide for our students. Unlike some of the other committees, the curriculum committee spends three and sometimes four hours in meetings. We are there a while and when I first started they were spending an hour. But they are now spending three, four or five hours because we do ask a lot of questions and we do hold people to account. We do examine these programs in great and exhausting detail. We have asked for a lot of additional data and we have asked for people to explain exactly what this is for and why they are doing this and what this will accomplish. Most

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importantly, we have asked what is the evidence that what you are giving us is going to accomplish these things. Those are the kinds of questions that the curriculum committee asks when they bring these projects to us. So we are confident that we don’t have to have all the details about who is on the board of directors. We didn’t ask that. I will admit, Dr. Atallo, we didn’t ask that question. We concentrated our activities and our questions on what kind of benefit will these programs provide to the children. Comm. Atallo: Well, that’s a good question. My point is simply this. When we are spending hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars of taxpayer’s money, public money, to educate our children, we should have an accountability of who is on the board of directors and who owns these companies. We need to get that information. If the administration is not going to provide it, I can contact a law enforcement agency and they can come down with subpoenas and get it very quickly. I was hoping to get cooperation. Along the educational trail, since you were walking along that trail, let me get back to that. Where is the data? Since we should be a data-drive school district, where is the data documenting that by retaining these consultants the educational programs are going to improve for our children? I haven’t seen any data. People come in, they promise things, and then I just don’t see it happening. What districts have they worked in before? What have they accomplished? Have we contacted those districts and have those districts said yes this is a valid program, this is valuable to students, and you should look into this? Where is the data that is going to drive us into retaining these companies to improve our children’s education? Or is this just another consultant coming in to make money off Paterson, as it has happened historically? Consultants have come in here and I am not tagging any one administrator but this has happened historically, Dr. Hodges, and you will agree. You are nodding you head. Are you agreeing? Comm. Hodges: Dr. Atallo, go ahead. Comm. Atallo: Administrators bring in brokers for these programs, they bring in consultants to run these things, and then we never see any data. If we are going to be a data-driven school district, we should have data before us. What have these companies done in other districts? I haven’t seen that. Did they show any type of marked academic improvement? What are they going to do in Paterson? I haven’t seen that. Comm. Hodges: I do agree and I am not trying to diminish what you are trying to say. But the district deals with thousands of companies and I can’t bog down the operation of the district in order to ask for the board of directors of every single one of them. I understand that we have had a history where these things have been abused and I have been right there with you, Dr. Atallo. Comm. Atallo: I wish you were with us now. Comm. Hodges: Well, I don’t know where you are going. The question is, what are we trying to provide? If we have a program, they will tell you that short of asking for DNA I ask a lot of questions in those meetings. I am trying to say that it reaches a point when we have to say certain things make sense. We had a workshop and we had a curriculum meeting. We had a two-week interval, which I don’t agree with by the way, during which time we could have gotten some of these additional questions addressed. I regret that that did not occur, but the opportunity was there over the course of two weeks. I am a little concerned because if we continue to hold up the bills of all these people who may, in fact, be providing positive opportunities for our children, then we get

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further and further behind. Not to mention the fact that they don’t want to do business with us anymore. Comm. Atallo: I am not talking about thousands of contracts. I am talking about the ones that appear on the agenda before us tonight to be voted on. Those are the ones I am talking about tonight. We had a workshop two weeks ago and the record will show, if you check the minutes of that workshop meeting, that two weeks ago I asked for this information and I was told by the administration that I would have it. I called the office as a follow-up, I did not get return phone calls, and I did not get the information. So what choice do I have as a responsible Board member, or any Board member here, but to vote to table it until we get this information? Comm. Sayegh: Dr. Atallo, as curriculum chairman, since you are very concerned about this and you are certainly not a rubber stamp, I would like to extend an invitation to you to our next curriculum committee meeting so you can see the type of debate and discussion that takes place that results in four-hour meetings. Comm. Atallo: You are not accomplishing the relevant issues. Comm. Sayegh: I’m sorry. We are discussing these issues and tomorrow we are actually convening a special meeting on something we are all concerned about – the guidance department – and you are more than welcome to join us. Comm. Atallo: I asked for information two weeks ago at the workshop meeting. It’s part of the record. We have a transcript of that meeting. I was told by the administration that the information would be provided. What did I get? On one resolution they sent me a detailed resume of an individual who seems to be heavily involved with science and somewhat with mathematics. Why would you hire a consultant like this to oversee the Alexander Hamilton American History project? I just don’t see the relevancy. Why are you hiring somebody from the University of Oregon? Who recommended this person? How did this person find their way into Paterson, New Jersey? I am concerned about that and I did not get answers to those questions. I am not questioning the person’s qualifications in the areas of science and mathematics, but that is not what you are hiring the individual for and it is for a substantial amount of money. I think we need to have accountability – educational accountability. Let’s have someone who has a master of that subject area, American History. That is not this person’s background according to their resume. Why don’t we get someone locally? Who is this person? On the other resolutions, it was very clear what I asked for and I find it very disturbing that you would not, in light of all the things that have gone on in this district, ask for accountability. What is the problem with getting the board of directors of these companies and the principal owners of these companies? What is so tough about that? This goes back to the resume issue. What is the problem with providing this information? If we are going to vote on millions of dollars worth of contracts, then we need to get that background information. It’s the responsible thing to do. If we don’t get it, I will contact a law enforcement agency and they will come in with a subpoena and get it. Either way, we are going to get it. Comm. Hodges: I certainly support the notion that if a Board member requests reasonable information, that information should be provided. I think the district has the responsibility to make every effort to get that information to the Board member so that they can make any determination they need to make based on their request. If the request was there, I support the notion that the information, if available, should have been provided. However, I still think that it is not incumbent upon me to check into the

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board of directors of this particular company in order to determine whether or not this program may have some benefit for the children of Paterson. Dr. Glascoe: I don’t want to belabor the debate on what transpired after the work session, but to our knowledge in our office we sent the information out, as witnessed by some Board members saying that they received the information. Also, we do have information from when Dr. Atallo called the office and had some questions just yesterday. They may have been follow-up questions to the original questions. I am not trying to debate any of that. Let me push that aside for a minute and talk about the consultants and this company and that company. We are a school district in need of improvement, per No Child Left Behind. We are a school district that has been under state control for 15 years. We are a school district that has not met the needs of our children academically. We can use facilities as an excuse and in many cases it has handicapped us, but we have not done what I know full well we can do. Ms. Taliaferro used a famous quote from Ron Edmunds, which is one of my favorite quotes. We know how to do this but the fact that we haven’t done so is something that we have to come to grips with. Given that scenario, we have proven over the course of time that we do not have the infrastructure in this district to pull our children up to a level where they are. So quite naturally we have to go outside with bona fide programs, whether you agree with it or not, to help us meet the needs of our children. Is it going to cost? Absolutely! That is why our district, along with other Abbott districts, has additional funding in different focuses. We cannot afford to sit on our hands while the lives of our children weigh in the balances. So we are going to have to spend the money, sorry to say, because we are behind. There is no other way out of this. We are going to have to spend the money. Today at the State Board presentation I got a pretty good idea of our funding sources, whether it’s No Child Left Behind, Title I, Abbott, or the like, and it is a considerable amount of money. It’s enough money, and Superintendent’s don’t normally say this, to get the job done. When I was presented with the question from the State Board, and I know Dr. Hodges and Mr. Sayegh probably were squirming in their seats, about resources and do we have enough resources, I was struck by that question because we do have an abundance of resources at our fingertips. We are spending the money in the areas that we feel will meet the needs of our children. We will plan, do, check and act as our accountability model. The information that we sent out on some of the questions talks about districts that have been using these services. I don’t know whether that would be good enough. But I can understand trying to watch the books and trying to protect the financial interests of the school district. I don’t know how to say to you that I have committed myself to doing right by our children in this school district. I personally have put in guidelines and safeguards so that we don’t find ourselves in a situation where people are going to jail. Those individuals in our school district who have been found to misuse the funding sources in our school district and those individuals in our school district who may be in violation of squandering away valuable resources as I speak are being dealt with and we will continue to do that. So we are trying to provide safeguards as well and we will continue to do that. While I can understand trying to protect the financial interests, we are going to have to spend some money for these programs and these are not programs that are grown on the streets of Paterson because if they were or if we had the wherewithal to develop these programs on our own we would not be sitting here. That’s down the road and we are going to work to that end. From everything from programs to leadership, we are going to try to grow our own. But we can’t afford to put all stops into that now when our children are suffering. Comm. Vergara: With all due respect to the Superintendent, I do believe that whether we agree or disagree and whether it has to do with the monies or no monies, the point here is that if a Commissioner requests information and he states for the record that he

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did not receive it, it should be appropriate that that Commissioner receives that documentation so he can see it. There was a two-week grace period since our last School Board meeting. There is no reason why Comm. Atallo did not receive that information. If I received it, I will be truthful and honest that I did not read it. So I cannot vote on something that I have not read up on and just appropriate this money. It seems like every meeting, like Mr. Atallo said, we just go along with the flow. It’s true what the Superintendent stated, but the point is that the Commissioner requested information, it has been two weeks, and he should have received it. Comm. Sayegh: Comm. Atallo, did you receive information? I did receive information. Comm. Atallo: I received information regarding A-8, but I clearly asked for information regarding the principal owners of these companies and the board of directors. I would like to ask the Superintendent directly. Dr. Glascoe, is there a problem with our receiving this? What is the problem with our getting this? Dr. Glascoe: I believe you received it. Comm. Atallo: Sir, the principal owners of the companies and the board of directors? Dr. Glascoe: I believe that information was sent out to you, sir. Comm. Atallo: Sir, I did not receive that. Dr. Glascoe: We will send it to you again. Comm. Atallo: I am not going to debate that. Are you saying you have it and you are willing to give it to us? Dr. Glascoe: Absolutely. We followed through in answering all of your questions and we sent out a package of information answering those questions. I understand you had some follow-up questions and we raced to try to provide those follow-up answers to you as well. Comm. Atallo: By follow-up questions, basically they were the questions from last week. So you are saying you have it and I will get a copy? Dr. Glascoe: I will resend it to you – absolutely. Comm. Atallo: Okay, so I will get a copy? Dr. Glascoe: Be more than happy to. On roll call all members voted as follows on the original motion: Comm. Atallo: I vote yes on A-1 through A-7 and A-9, and I vote no on A-8, A-10, A-11 and A-12 due to the fact that I don’t have the information. Comm. Hodges: Yes. Comm. Moody: Yes. Comm. Santiago: Yes.

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Comm. Sayegh: Yes. Comm. Taylor: Yes. Comm. Vergara: Yes, except for A-8, A-10, A-11 and A-12. Comm. Brown: Yes. The motion carried. FISCAL COMMITTEE Comm. Atallo reported that the Finance Committee met, reviewed and recommends approval for Resolution Nos. C-1 through C-11:

Resolution No. C-1 WHEREAS, it is necessary to pay vendors’ bills and claims against the Paterson Public School District; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves payment of January 2006 bills and claims, checks 128490 through 129098, and wires in the amount of $15,911,149.27 as attached hereto and made a part of the minutes; and be it further RESOLVED, that offline checks 128472, 128473, 128474, 128475 through 128479, 128480 through 128486, 128487 through 128489 in the amount of $484,348.46 as attached hereto and made a part of the minutes; and be it further RESOLVED, that voided checks 126903, 127722, 127774, 128123, and 128356 in the amount of $387,297.85 as attached hereto and made a part of the minutes; and be it finally RESOLVED, that cafeteria checks 129099 through 129138 in the amount of $514,740.18 as attached hereto and made a part of the minutes.

Resolution No. C-2 WHEREAS, there is a need to request district taxes, exclusive of debt service requirements, to meet the needs of the School District for the month of January 2006; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves the request of District taxes, exclusive of debt service requirements, needed to meet the obligations of the School District, for the month of January 2006, in the amount of $3,032,414.58, and that the City of Paterson is hereby requested to place in the hands of the Custodian of School Moneys that amount within the next thirty (30) days, in accordance with the statutes relating thereto; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves the monthly certification of the State District Superintendent/Board of Education for the month of January 2006, attached hereto and made a part of the minutes.

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Resolution No. C-3 WHEREAS, the Paterson Schools caused an annual audit to be made by a public schools accountant pursuant to NJSA:18A:23-1&2; and WHEREAS, said “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report” and “Auditor’s Management Report” for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005 were filed in duplicate with the Office of the Commissioner on November 7, 2005 pursuant to NJSA:18A:23-3; and WHEREAS, a synopsis of the audit has been made available to the public by the audit firm of Watson & Rice at the Board Meeting December 14, 2005; and WHEREAS, the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Operations presented these reports, findings and recommendations and representatives of the audit firm Watson & Rice were present to discuss the reports; and WHEREAS, a Corrective Action Plan has been prepared and disseminated by the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Operations in response to the audit recommendations; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public Schools acknowledge receipt of the “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report” and “Auditor’s Management Report” for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public Schools hereby incorporates the Synopsis of the Audit and each specific audit recommendation and the resulting Corrective Action Plan as part of the minutes of the meeting and note the public discussion of same for the minutes; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Operations be directed to forward to the County Superintendent the minutes together with the Corrective Action Plan Audit Synopsis; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect upon its adoption.

Resolution No. C-4 WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of Labor has approved the Paterson Public School District’s Application for Continuation Funding in order to operate a New Jersey Youth Corps; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District wishes to operate a New Jersey Youth Corps in order to assist young adults (ages 16-21) who have dropped out of high school in successfully transitioning to employment, college, or additional training by obtaining a state-issued high school diploma, by receiving career counseling and employability skills instruction, and by engaging in meaningful community service activities for the 2005-2006 school year; and WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of Labor has increased funding for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, from $328,000.00 to $403,000.00; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District accepts a contract for Continuation Funding from the Department of Labor to operate a New Jersey Youth

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Corps, for the project period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, in the amount of $403,000.00.

Resolution No. C-5 WHEREAS, the FY04 Combined Basic and Preschool Carry-over Final Report for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-Part B must be submitted to the county office on an annual basis. The Paterson Public Schools received $362,384.00 IDEA-B Basic and $10,539.00 IDEA-B Preschool FY04 carry-over funds. A total of $362,320.00 IDEA-B Basic and $10,436.00 IDEA-B Preschool was expended during FY04; and WHEREAS, the District wishes to remain compliant with IDEA-B Federal Grant Guidelines; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves the Combined Basic and Preschool Carry-over Final Report for expended FY04 carry-over funds.

Resolution No. C-6 WHEREAS, the Combined Basic and Preschool Final Report/Carry-over Application for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-Part B must be submitted on an annual basis. The Paterson Public Schools received an FY05 award of $5,830,672.00 for IDEA-B Basic and $180,501.00 for IDEA-B Preschool; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District wishes to remain compliant with IDEA-B Federal Grant Guidelines; and WHEREAS, the District wishes to apply for unexpended FY05 funds to be used during the FY06 school year; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Board of Education approves the Combined Basic and Preschool Final Report/Carry-over Application for IDEA-B FY05 funds in the amount of $937,107.00 for IDEA-B Basic and $49,521.00 for IDEA-B Preschool.

Resolution No. C-7 WHEREAS, the Department of Education requires New Jersey School Districts to submit a three-year maintenance plan documenting “required” maintenance activities for each of its public school facilities; and WHEREAS, the required maintenance activities as listed in the attached documents for the various school facilities of the Paterson Public Schools are consistent with these requirements; and WHEREAS, all past and planned activities are reasonable to keep school facilities open and safe for use or in their original conditions, and to keep their system warranties valid; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public Schools hereby authorize the School Business Administrator to submit the attached Comprehensive Maintenance Plan for the Paterson Public School District in compliance with the Department of Education requirements.

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Resolution No. C-8 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District solicited proposals for Elevator Preventive Maintenance & Repair Services (re-bid), PPS-263-06; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District encourages open public bidding for goods and services; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District recognizes the need for obtaining the lowest responsible bid for goods and services; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District awards a contract, as per the attached bid summary, for Elevator Preventive Maintenance & Repair Services (re-bid), PPS-263-06, for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years, as follows: GS Elevator 1453 75th Street North Bergen, NJ 07047 Not to exceed $100,000.00

Resolution No. C-9 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District requires Speech-Language Therapy professional services district-wide, for the 2005-2006 school year; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District recognizes the need for obtaining the highest quality of service at the best price for the district; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District wishes to purchase Speech-Language Therapy professional services, without public bidding and advertising in accordance with N.J.S.A.18A:18A-5; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to 18A:18A-5 the Paterson Public School District authorizes the Department of Pupil Personnel Services to award this category without advertising to: EBS Health Care 9 La Crue Street, Suite 210 P.O. Box 911 Concordville, PA 19331 Not to exceed $63,000.00

Resolution No. C-10 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District has identified a need to provide out of district transportation for special needs pupils; and WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District has agreed to jointure with other districts through the Passaic County Educational Services Commission and the District agrees to the terms of the contract agreement; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Paterson Public School District ratifies the action of the State District Superintendent in approving the contract for the 2005-2006 school year; and

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the total estimated cost of the jointure agreement is as follows: Route School Est. Cost Per Route Surcharge SCH8 School No. 8 $ 7,526.00 $225.78 FORT Fort Lee Ed. Center $10,400.00 $ 0.00 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this action is authorized by the State District Superintendent of Schools and is affirmed by the Paterson Board of Education.

Resolution No. C-11 WHEREAS, the Paterson Public School District has identified a need to provide temporary transportation for special education pupils to after school programs (PM transportation only) for the 2005-2006 school year; and WHEREAS, informal telephone quotes were received by the Transportation Department; and now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board of Education ratifies the action of the State Business Administrator in awarding a temporary contract to: Route Destination Contractor Total Per Diem TMLS 134 Belmont Avenue Konner $89.00 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the State District Superintendent authorizes this action and the action is affirmed by the Paterson Board of Education. It was moved by Comm. Atallo, seconded by Comm. Santiago that Resolution Nos. C-1 through C-11 be adopted. On roll call all members voted as follows: Comm. Atallo: I vote no on C-1 and yes on the remaining resolutions. Comm. Hodges: Yes. Comm. Moody: Yes. Comm. Santiago: No on C-1 and yes on everything else. Comm. Sayegh: Yes. Comm. Taylor: Yes. Comm. Vergara: Yes. Comm. Brown: Yes. The motion carried. OTHER BUSINESS

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PERSONNEL 06-B38. Approved leaves of absence: Name Location Eff. Date Type Kathy Aleman Inst. Asst./DAS 1/3/06-4/4/06 Fam./Mat. Rosie Cox Inst. Asst./No. 28 11/7/05-3/1/06 Ext. Medical Lydia Martinez Inst. Asst./No. 6 1/10/06-6/30/06 Medical Wanda Ocasio Pers. Aide/No. 28 11/7/05-11/25/05 Medical Wanda Rosado Fd. Serv. 11/1/05-12/20/05 Ext.Fam/Med Maggie Salmond Fd. Serv. 10/28/05-11/7/06 Personal 06-B39. Approved returning staff to active employment: Name Location Eff. Date Gisela Adorno Tchr./No. 15 10/24/05 Deidre Bauernschmidt Tchr./No. 5 11/1/05 Cassandra Kearney Tchr./ULA 11/7/05 Marni Mendez Psych./No. 9 11/21/05 Sarah Birth Soc. Wrkr./No. 9 10/10/05 Jacqueline Micari Tchr./No. 5 11/1/05 Carlita Rodriguez Tchr./No. 18 11/1/05 Rita Route Tchr./No. 10 11/16/05 Ana Torres Guid. Cnslr./RCS 10/24/05 06-B40. Approved returning staff to active employment: Name Location Eff. Date Alvida Abraham Fd. Serv. 10/24/05 Maria Santiago Secretary/Sp. Prog. 10/26/05 Maggie Salmond Fd. Serv. 11/8/05 06-B41. Accepted resignations/retirements: Name Location Eff. Date Type Gloria Andrade Soc. Wrkr./STARS 1/9/06 Resignation Juan DeMiguel Tchr./No. 3 12/16/05 Resignation

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Virginia Fulmore Tchr./JFKHS 1/1/06 Retirement Sanford Kushner Act. V.P./SCA 11/1/05 Retirement Regina Lowery Tchr./No. 4 11/14/05 Resignation Kenneth Mortensen Tchr./PCTA 1/16/06 Resignation Mary Orbegozo Principal/SCA 12/1/05 Retirement Alexander Prezioso Tchr./SBA 12/31/05 Resignation Marian Rabel Principal/No. 8 1/1/06 Retirement Jane Slutsker Tchr./PSA 11/14/05 Resignation Afsaneh Taherisefat Tchr./JFKHS 12/31/05 Resignation Karen Thomany Psych./No. 2 12/31/05 Resignation Glenn Vanderveen Tchr./DFN 11/30/05 Resignation 06-B42. Accepted resignations/retirements: Name Location Eff. Date Type Alvida Abraham Fd. Serv. 12/16/05 Resignation Lina Acosta Fd. Serv. 10/20/05 Resignation Ana Cassiani Purch. Analyst 11/1/05 Resignation Michael Krause Labor Relations 1/1/06 Retirement Officer Sheryl Pilgrim Sec./H.R. 11/1/05 Resignation Vivian Valentin Sec./SCA 12/1/05 Retirement 06-B43. Approved appointment of Derlyn Ramos as Food Service Substitute, at a

salary of $6.75 per hour, effective November 2005. 06-B44. Approved change in status of Sandra Monteagudo from MA, Step 17 to

MA+30, Step 17, in the amount of $87,369, retroactive to September 1, 2005.

06-B45. Approved change in status of Paulette Newby from MA, Step 17 to

MA+30, Step 17, in the amount of $87,369, retroactive to September 1, 2005.

06-B46. Approved change in status of Diana Ramirez from MA, Step 15 to MA+30,

Step 15, in the amount of $74,865, retroactive to September 1, 2005.

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06-B47. Approved change in status of Florencio Moran from MA, Step 11 to MA+30, Step 11, in the amount of $54,871, from September 1, 2005 to October 31, 2005.

06-B48. Approved change in status of Sharon Kosak from BA+30, Step 3 to MA,

Step 3, in the amount of $47,371, retroactive to September 1, 2005. 06-B49. Approved appointment of John Tyson, Principal of Sports Business/Public

Safety Academies, to supervise Great Falls Academy, Garrett Morgan Academy, Academy of Performing Arts, Alternative Middle School, Paterson Pre-Collegiate Teaching Academy, STARS Academy and MPACT Academy, effective December 5, 2005.

06-B50. Approved appointment of Yolanda Burgos, Principal of International High

School, to supervise BUILD Academy, PANTHER Academy, HARP Academy and Silk City Academy, effective December 5, 2005.

06-B51. Approved termination: Name Location Eff. Date Erica Shayland SCL/No. 26 11/21/05 06-B52. Suspension of employee, without pay, pending tenure charges. 06-B53. Approved stipend for staff of Rosa Parks High School for the 2005-2006

school year: Name Position Kenneth Davis Band Director George Dearani Drama Coach Norma Williams Vocal Coach Serge Laguerre Treasurer Joseph Grich Treasurer 06-B54. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Hermes Almeida Tchr./JFKHS $48,371 12/5/05 06-B55. Approved internal transfers for School No. 5, effective October 31, 2005: Peter Rebovich Jacqueline Christiano 06-B56. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Joanna Norton Tchr./NSW $46,371 1/3/06 06-B57. Approved compensation for part time instructional staff according to the

procedures and guidelines of Adult High School funds, during the 2005-2006 school, at an amount not to exceed $7,128.00:

Jennifer Bligh Cheryl Coy

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06-B58. Approved abolishing the title of grant analyst specialist and reclassifying to fiscal monitor in the Division of Pupil Personnel Services, effectively immediately.

06-B59. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Alvin Pilgrim Cafe. Monitor/No. 5 $7.50/hr. 11/14/05 06-B60. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Gayle Adler Tchr./HARP Academy $46,371 12/19/05 06-B61. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Stephanie Gales Fiscal Monitor/Tech. Dept. $49,044 12/7/05 06-B62. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Jennifer Thomas Tchr./No. 1 $44,671 1/3/06 06-B63. Approved appointment of Alicia Moczo as Food Service Substitute, at a

salary of $6.75 per hour, effective December 2005. 06-B64. Approved internal transfer for Barbara McKoy, from instructional assistant

at School No. 20, to personal aide, effective November 17, 2005. 06-B65. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Flor Feliz Cafe. Monitor/No. 21 $7.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B66. Approved compensation for Raquel James as an Assistant Girls

Basketball Coach at John F. Kennedy High School, beginning November 21, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $3,969.00.

06-B67. Approved compensation for instructional and support staff of Great Falls

Academy for the Adult Education/ABE/GED Evening School Program, at an amount not to exceed $37,500.00:

Olanrewaju Alade Patricia Carr Anthony DePasquale Mary Ellen Draheim Zatiti Moody Lenora Watson 06-B68. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Yvonne Nambe Tchr./RPHS Facilitator/RPHS 1/9/06

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06-B69. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Fayza Abdou Pers. Aide/STARS Acad. $28,965 12/1/05 06-B70. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Michael Migliorino Pers. Aide/STARS Acad. $28,965 12/1/05 06-B71. Approved compensation for Jose DeJesus as an 1st Assistant Wrestling

Coach at John F. Kennedy High School, beginning November 21, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $4,379.00.

06-B72. Approved compensation for James Trisuzzi as an Head Bowling Coach at

John F. Kennedy High School, beginning November 21, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $4,107.00.

06-B73. Approved compensation for Joseph Andriulli as Assistant Indoor Track

Coach at John F. Kennedy High School, beginning November 21, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $3,879.00.

06-B74. Approved compensation for Yacine Abada to work the National Certified

Program, for six days, at an amount not to exceed $1,640.70. 06-B75. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Diane Moore Cafe. Monitor/No. 8 $7.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B76. Approved compensation for staff in Schools 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,

12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, MLK, EWK, RC, AHA, APA, BUILD, AMS, NSW, and ULA, working in the NJASK and GEPA After School Programs, from December 5, 2005 through March 9, 2006, at an amount not to exceed $343,200.00.

06-B77. Approved compensation for lead teachers for Category I and Non

Category Schools working in the NJASK and GEPA After School Programs, from December 5, 2005 through March 9, 2006, at an amount not to exceed $59,280.00:

Deine Garner Barbara Oslizly Shirley Glaubach Sonja Capers Giovanni Cusmano Dorian Butcher Theresa Logan Biagio Conforti Lauren Terranova Pamela Vermaas Paul Fontanella Gina Bergen Alfreda Williams Lauren Romer Rodrigo Patino Imelda Diaz Arlene Weil Celia Morales Anne Marie Urgovitch Cathy Cosenza Venessa Serrano Cathy Newton ElmaDeliz Vega June Eckardt Nicole Booker Jill Cisneros

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Diane Galina Jennifer Schmid Lucia Miller Lolita Vaughan Janice Lopez Joseph Borchard Ryan Haimer Elizabeth Lappert Cathleen Zehnacker Mary Bertino Florencio Moran Joan Bivins 06-B78. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Aida Purtscher Tchr./No. 26 $43,671 1/3/06 06-B79. Approved hiring Samual Gillian as a consultant to conduct a presentation

on “Why Education is Failing” at the Parent Awareness Day on December 3, 2005, in the amount of $1,000.00.

06-B80. Approved hiring Utterly Noble, LLC as a consultant to conduct a

presentation on anti-bullying at the Parent Awareness Day on December 3, 2005, in the amount of $750.00.

06-B81. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Richard Goffman Tchr./PPTA $47,971 12/19/05 06-B82. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Lakeshia Thomas Soc. Wrkr./JFKHS $47,371 1/9/06 06-B83. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Turkan Sezen Tchr./EHS $42,671 12/7/05 06-B84. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Mark Thompson Tchr./JFKHS $42,671 12/8/05 06-B85. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Boris Salazar Inst. Asst./JFKHS $28,965 12/7/05 06-B86. Approved internal transfer for Saulius Shikhman, from academic support

teacher at School No. 11, to physical education teacher, effective December 2005.

06-B87. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Harriet Brown Tchr./No. 6 Tchr./ULA 1/3/06

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06-B88. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Ann Devaris Tchr.(Gr. 7)/No. 7 $42,671 12/19/05 06-B89. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Randy Torres PC Tech./Tech. Dept. $40,000 1/3/06 06-B90. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Jose Maldonado SCL-Stud. Attend./ $11.00/hr. 12/12/05 No. 17 $25 travel stipend 06-B91. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Wanda Torres HSCL/14th Ave. ELC $10.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B92. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Lorena Rodriguez Cafe. Monitor/No. 21 $7.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B93. Approved compensation for George Lisboa to work the National Certified

Program on December 3, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $201.60. 06-B94. Approved payment of staff serving as mentor in the Provisional Route

Program, in the amount of $450.00: (Nancy Holtje)

06-B95. Approved submission of appropriate forms for emergent hiring:

Regina Alcalde Cecilia Arrango Arlenny Garcia Pamela Griffin Ninoska Heleny Sharon Johnson Tangy Major Cory McLeod Katherine Mesia James Moore Scharlinda Powell Derlyn Ramos Mauricio Sandoval Diedra Simon Fowzia Uddin Lourdes Villacis Gayle Brown 06-B96. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Daniel Neuvirth Tchr./SBA,PSA $44,871 1/3/06 06-B97. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Detricke Wilson SCL-Stud. Attend./ $11.00/hr. 12/12/05 No. 20 $25 travel stipend

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06-B98. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Maribel Mitchell Cafe. Monitor/No. 20 $7.50/hr. 1/9/06 06-B99. Approved salary adjustment for Tasha McKinney, from BA, Step 3 to MA,

Step 3, $45,600, effective September 1, 2005. 06-B100. Approved reimbursement for Jack Perna for mentor payment during

Principal/Supervisor Residency Program, in the amount of $1,800.00. 06-B101. Approved creating a position control number (6476) for Home School

Community Liaison at Urban Leadership Academy. 06-B102. Approved creating a position control number (5156) for School Community

Liaison at Urban Leadership Academy. 06-B103. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Melissa Friedman Inst. Asst./CJR#9 $28,965 12/15/05 06-B104. Approved salary adjustment for Florencio Moran from BMA, Step 1 to

BMA+30, Step 1, $72,910 plus $2,200 longevity, effective November 1, 2005.

06-B105. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Kerrah Alexander Tchr./No. 13 Tchr./ULA 1/3/06 06-B106. Approved payment of unused accumulated vacation days, as per policy, to

the following employee: Name Days Jannet Morales 10 06-B107. Approved payment of staff serving as mentors in the Provisional Route

Program: Charles Ferrer Jesse Anderson Anne Donnelly Jennifer Ciocco Beatriz Vaca Maria Ross Jennifer Romano 06-B108. Suspension of employee, without pay, pending tenure charges. 06-B109. Approved termination: Name Location Eff. Date Leroy Walker Sub. Tchr./No. 3 11/29/05

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06-B110. Approved creating a position control number (3540) for Planetarium Manager at PANTHER Academy.

06-B111. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Esther Dominguez SCL-Stud. Attend./ $11.00/hr. 12/19/05 No. 26 $25 travel stipend 06-B112. Approved change in status for Heru Keonte, from permanent substitute to

teacher, at a salary of $42,671, effective September 1, 2005. 06-B113. Approved salary adjustment for Linda Monnett from MA, Step 17, to

MA+30, Step 17, $87,369, retroactive to September 1, 2005. 06-B114. Approved correction in salary for Regina Moore, Instructional Assistant, to

reflect salary from the 2003-2004 guide, due to correction on equivalency, in the amount of $24,066, Level II, Step 5.

06-B115. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Troy Smikle Pers. Aide/No. 7 $26,249 1/3/06 06-B116. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Lauren Smith Pers. Aide/OOD $28,965 12/19/05 06-B117. Approved compensation for staff for overnight stays at Happiness is

Camping, from September through December 2005, at an amount not to exceed $8,200.00:

Crystal Gallo Kelly Gallagher Darcel Deodato John Kasich Robert Fox Sharyn Wickman Lisa Priddy Rosemarie Kaplan Sarah Laldee Sonia Flagg Barnard Williams Cynthia Santoli Gloria Bennett Leslie Rosen Dorothy Kelder Susan Bickoff Daniel Newman Nancy Capriglione Alfreda Williams Stacy Harris Robert Allen Debra Grossman Alexander King Sharon Gurecki Cesar Cabrera Denece DiGioia Kelly Patterson Ava Pearl Kiai Jones Mary Howard Andre Rivers Reggi Hall Melanie Brown Nicole Booker Ronda Thompson Salvatore Picinich Jennifer Woods Alexander Kennedy Roger Zuidema

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06-B118. Approved returning staff to active employment: Name Location Eff. Date Iris Perez Tchr./No. 16 12/5/05 06-B119. Approved returning Elaine Bisciotti to payroll from workers compensation

benefits after one year of continued benefits, effective November 16, 2005.

06-B120. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Elizabeth O’Neill Tchr.(K)/AHA $46,871 1/3/06 06-B121. Approved payment to Leonard Bernstein for substitute assignment, at a

rate of $130.00 per day, for ten days. 06-B122. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Pamela Jung Tchr./SCA $44,871 1/3/06 06-B123. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Kenneth Wilkins Truck Driver/Central Stores $33,948 12/19/05 06-B124. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Hezekiah Akintunde Pers. Aide/No. 28 $28,965 1/4/06 06-B125. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Quatarra Benjamin Pers. Aide/No. 28 $28,965 1/3/06 06-B126. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Martha Dudley Pers. Aide/EWK $26,249 1/16/06 06-B127. Approved compensation for Genea Veal to assist student on the NJASK 3

and NJASK 4 in the after school program at School No. 9, from December 6, 2005 through March 16, 2006, at an amount not to exceed $936.00.

06-B128. Suspension of employee, with pay. 06-B129. Approved reclassifying position control number 1863 from administrative

secretary to senior specialist for the Division of Pupil Personnel Services.

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06-B130. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Juana Noriega Pers. Aide/No. 19 $28,965 12/19/05 06-B131. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Ernestina Medina Cafe. Monitor/No. 12 $7.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B132. Approved for principal John Tyson to supervise the Sports Business

Academy, Public Safety Academy, Great Falls Academy, Garrett Morgan Academy, Paterson Pre-Collegiate Teaching Academy and MPACT Academy.

06-B133. Approved substitute teacher applicants: Luz Arias Maria Cuevas Nancy Benavides Davvon Bethea Jamal Bouzaitoun Erin Calamita Gregory Capers Isabel Chung Estrojilda Cobian Susana DeLaOz Jahmel Drakeford Nataly Farias Elvin Ferreras Ronald Foote Lilia Garay Jose Garcia Yousef Souzi Ismail Jose Maldonado Ramon Marmol Miranda McKenzie Charles Mignone Sameh Mikhail Bruce Mitchell Sahar Mustafa Paulino Nirca Joanna Norton Naala Salem Joane Swasey Crystal Torres Shana Tulloch Mohammed Uddin Jenabu Williams 06-B134. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Iris Perez Tchr./No. 16 Tchr./No. 20 12/6/05 06-B135. Approved transfer: Name From To Maria Valdez Cafe. Monitor/No. 21 Cafe. Monitor/No.24 06-B136. Approved internal transfer for Carmen Coldiron, from academic support

teacher at School No. 15, to literacy coach, effective December 2005. 06-B137. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Samantha Darden Tchr.(Grs.6,7)/No. 13 $42,671 12/19/05

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06-B138. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Jan Grecco Secretary/Facilities Dept. $31,615 1/9/06 06-B139. Approved principal Yolanda Burgos to supervise the International High

School, PANTHER Academy, HARP Academy and Silk City Academy. 06-B140. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Sylvia Hughes Conf. Sec./Deputy Supt. $54,700 12/19/05 06-B141. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Ada Fernandez Conf. Sec./Deputy Supt. $50,650 12/19/05 06-B142. Approved processing payment of accumulated days for retired employees: Name No. of Days Vivian Davis 51.5 Mary Orbegozo 90 Vivian Valentin 101.5 06-B143. Approved processing payment of accumulated days for retired employee: Name No. of Days Sandford Kushner 90 06-B144. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Fatma Yagmur Cafe. Mon./No. 9 Cafe. Mon./No. 8 12/7/05 06-B145. Approved termination due to job abandonment: Name Location Eff. Date Samuel Vega PC Tech./Tech. Dept. 12/7/05 06-B146. Approved reclassifying position control number 3638 from Acting Director,

Secondary Programs, Division of Pupil Personnel Services, to Acting Director, Secondary Guidance under the Acting Local Instructional Superintendent for High Schools and to transfer Paulette Waite accordingly, effective January 15, 2005.

06-B147. Approved creating two position control numbers (6477, 6478) for

Supervisor of Special Education, Secondary Programs for the Division of Pupil Personnel Services.

06-B148. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Crystal Lawson Specialist/Payroll Dept. $27,695 1/3/06

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06-B149. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Jocelyn Johnson HSCL/No. 1 $10.50/hr. 1/23/06 06-B150. Approved salary adjustment for Jerome Boyd, from AMA, Step 7, to

AMA+30, Step 7, $83,873, retroactive to September 1, 2005. 06-B151. Approved payment of staff serving as mentor in the Provisional Route

Program, in the amount of $300.00: (Nancy Holtje) 06-B152. Approved internal transfer for Audrey Wilson, from grade 4 teacher at

School No. 10, to facilitator, effective January 1, 2006. 06-B153. Approved transfer: Name From To Eff. Date Rodkee Benjamin Security/No. 14 Security/No. 2 1/3/06 06-B154. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Lisa Young Conf. Sec./H.R.-Personnel $37,500 1/3/06 06-B155. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Rudaina Al-Dajani Pers. Aide/No. 9 $29,983 12/19/05 06-B156. Approved appointment: Name Assignment/Location Salary Eff. Date Jessica Valois SCL-Stud. Attend./ $11.00/hr. 1/23/06 No. 29 $25 travel stipend 06-B157. Approved hiring Felix Padilla, of Libros A Community Publisher, as a

consultant to implement the Children’s Authors’ Project at School No. 28, at an amount not to exceed $2,400.00.

06-B158. Approved compensation for Lorenzo Hobbs as Assistant Football Coach

at Eastside High School, at an amount not to exceed $6,661.00. 06-B159. Approved substitute teacher applicants: Luz Arias Omar Bahaj Kristin Bertolero Nafize Civi Peay Garland James Joyner Mirca Paulino Fateha Rahman Jarrod Rogers Maria Rojas Brunilda Solano Alicia Stewart Michael Trommelen Carmen Urbaez

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06-B160. Approved removing former employees from the Edu-Met System due to no payroll activity, effective December 13, 2005.

06-B161. Approved compensation for mentor/novice teachers attending professional

development training on December 12, 2005, at an amount not to exceed $6,187.50:

Rosarie Alfieri Fatimah Ali Cara Aprile Lavinia Arnett Sandra Auletta Patricia Bouchard Carol Brezsnyak Cynthia Brooks Dorian Butcher Alisa Camacho Julia Campo Maria Cefalo Michelle Clements Connie Coleman Nancy D’Acunto Rashad Davis Melaika Dias Kathleen Donohue Nurcan Ekici Emily Feldman Petrina Frankoski Pamela Frazier Claudia Garcia Susan Gerding Janet Guglielmo Meredith Hemphill Michael Henzel Norma Hernandez Shakeena Hill Charla Holder Eloy Huamanchumo Aida Irizarry Samira Kat Stephen Kayne Aida Kitchen Amy Lefanto Joanna Llinas Marika LoBue Keith McElroy Ramona Serrano Anissa Conyers Lisa Mayer Gemar Mills Audrey Mocco Mildred Montalvo Sandra Monteagudo Richele Neal Paulette Newby Natalie Olivetti Lily Peralta Zuleima Perez Diane Pride Pamela Powell Amy Romero Martin Rosenberg Maria Ross Marta Shanahan Patrice Speroni Patricia Tahan Sibel Taner Susan Tellefsen Marcus Thompson Ana Ursetti Egly Valenzuela Rafael Medina Jorge Ventura Kristy Wellins Lynn Yakimik Ellen Zakian Maximiliano Alvarez Jane Bradley Carmen Coldiron Lauretta Cole Antonette Crismale Steven DiSebastian Joseph Fleissner Crystal Gallo Santiago Gamarra Kenneth Garrabrant Brenda Henry Kathleen Lawrence Vicki McKiernan Edward McManus Judith Manzo Jeanne Massaro Gary Nafash Janice Notte Heather Pearson Andy Phinn Laura Pritchard Donata Reilly Toni Setteducato Elaine Silverstein Robert Sokol

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Jennifer Valentin Gloria VanHouten Edwin Vargas Linda Dale Hermes Almeida Elizabeth Babones Teresita Baldanza Claire Bussanick Sonja Capers Areli Chavez Marie Easton Richard Glueck Joan Goldberg Jay Hagedorn Doreen Hammond Tara Kane Zineta Kupi Mark Maloney Maria Matano Yvonne Nambe Joyce O’Sullivan Dante Petretti James Piombino Timothy Reilly Hafiz Saleem Leira Sanchez Turkan Sezen Marianna Suzano Elvin Wong Dilber Yildirim 06-B162. Approved tuition payments for students attending Passaic County

Community College as part of the district’s scholarship fund, in the amount of $7,428.00:

Crystal Gonzalez Luis Izaguirre Cornelia Bogle Miriam Esipila Steven Jimenez Erinson Reyes 06-B163. Approved processing payment of non-accumulated sick days for Jennifer

O’Neal, less $110 substitute per diem pay, from January 25, 2006 through March 31, 2006.

06-B164. Approved change in status for Alisa Camacho, from permanent substitute

to teacher, at a salary of $46,371, effective September 1, 2005. 06-B165. Approved termination: Name Location Eff. Date Rosa Sharrock HSCL/No. 2 12/23/05 Board Member Comments Comm. Vergara: First of all, I would like to make an announcement to the general public that the Office of Dental Services is going to have a free dental clinic program and there is a flyer out regarding February 3, 2006 at the Board of Health, 176 Broadway. For the parents who don’t have health insurance or coverage for their children, they can take advantage of this on February 3. I also would like to mention that the Troupe 911 program that is being held at Roberto Clemente School by myself on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays is going very well. The children are doing well. They are keeping up with their homework and their basketball program. I would also like to commend Comm. Al Moody. I received a phone call from a young lady who will be joining Troupe 911 and she said that she was in a lot of danger and had a lot of problems. She told me to thank Comm. Moody tonight for his help and his guidance. She is going to try to do better in her school and with her family problems. I also would like to thank Dr. Rush on behalf of Naomi for helping her with her family situation and her school situation. He took immediate action for a child who has been out of school for almost a week and a half and she is very happy to be back in our school system. I would also like to thank Dr. Rush because the situation that the gentleman spoke about

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earlier with reference to School No. 21 we were on top of that since around 10:00 this morning and Dr. Rush assured me that he was going to look into it. Apparently, the gentleman who spoke didn’t know that the district was on it and I know that for a fact. Again, thanks to Dr. Rush for being there and assisting with that situation. I do have a problem with the Paterson newspapers that are passed out throughout the schools. Are they actually using the newspapers, or are we piling them up there? I went to two or three schools and I noticed that they were in the entrance. They were still wrapped up in this tight elastic, so it didn’t seem that the newspapers were passed out. That was around 11:00 in the morning. Then there was a situation where they were blown all over the sidewalk, as one gentleman noted, and I believe he even stated that the district is going to be getting a court summons for that. So if we are not going to be using these newspapers and if the children are not going to be using them in the schools, then let’s stop it and put that money to other use. To our girl’s venturing team at St. Michael’s Church, I would like to invite any students, ages 5-10. The girls are starting a program for the children and they are excited about it. If anybody is interested they may call 973-279-4309. Any children ages 5-10 in the Paterson School District may attend the program there, which they are going to commence. Comm. Taylor: I would just like to remind us again about School Board elections. I would like to see a broad spectrum of people trying to become Board members. We have three seats open and those School Board elections will be April 18th. But I would like you to pick up your petitions now so that you can get a place on the ballot. I would like to see more women come and be a part of this Board. I think women bring a different kind of tenor to the School Board and the attitude about the care of children and what children need. I would also like to remind you to attend the facilities meeting on January 28th so that we can have a good show of people because we need these buildings to be built for the children. I hear us talking about the buildings leaking. School No. 21 had a roof put on less than 10-15 years ago and I believe roofs are supposed to last more than 20. They are leaking very badly. Many places are leaking throughout the district and I think our maintenance department should be taking better care of that. I see there is a leak here in Kennedy in the hallway. I see them in the office. I see leaks all over the place. From the time they built this building, J.F.K., this place has always leaked and it is still leaking. I think at some point we are going to have to make sure we find out why we can’t keep a roof from leaking in our district. This meeting on Saturday, January 28th I would like for us to attend from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. about planning and building schools for our district. Please be there. The conference fee is $20 and there are scholarships. Please call Ana Villalongo at 973-881-8914 for other information. Our children need the schools and if you don’t come out and put yourself there and say we need the school buildings and we need better instruction it will not happen for our children. There is a scholarship fund, Dr. Napier’s scholarship fund, being given on February 11th at the Brownstone. Comm. Sayegh: No, it’s the 9th – a Thursday. Comm. Taylor: I’m sorry. It will be at 6:00 in the evening and the tickets are $60.00. Remember that it is a scholarship fund and they do give scholarships to our youngsters in the district. If you want more information, please see Dr. Fulmore or Ms. Jones for information about this. This is the 3rd Annual Scholarship Dinner and it’s for our children, so please support this. I believe I was looking at the report that there have been more than 16 murders in our district and a lot of them have happened in my area of town where I live. I think what happened to us last month and what has been happening all year with the killings and the mistrust and the not believing in each other and trying to rope out territories – something has gone wrong with us as a community. Many of the speakers who stood before us tonight spoke with clarity and understanding

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as to what we need to do with each other. I understand where Mr. Ferrer has his understanding about himself because there are many people in town who have historical backgrounds similar to his. We should just look at each other as people. We come to schools to educate, not to fight about where you came from, what you have and what you don’t have. You should get into the books and all parents should push the children into that. I think Princess spoke about children dropping out instead of taking the challenge of learning and staying in school when they get to be 16. I believe she is really asking us to work along with children who want to drop out because once they drop out they don’t have an opportunity to get a job. There is not a job for them. I don’t care what community they think they are from. They need to stay in school so that they have the opportunity to get a better job for themselves. We all need to stay with all children and don’t encourage them to quit at 16. Don’t encourage children to quit at 16. Challenge them. I see the children work out and work out for track and for bowling and for all kinds of different sports, but they don’t work out with their minds for different things so that they can get stronger in their minds. The way they work out for basketball and soccer, they need to work on activities that increase their mind for getting along with each other and learning things about their world so they can make the world better. I think we all need to get on to that same track. Comm. Sayegh: The issue of school uniforms was raised by a few participants during the public portion and I do agree with Ms. Taliaferro that ultimately my opinion on this particular issue really doesn’t matter. It’s the opinion of the parents in Paterson that will ultimately decide the fate as to whether or not students will wear uniforms. I have said that time and time again. So if they want to make that decision that will save them perhaps time, money and some headaches, then it is their call to make. I do disagree with the assertion that I do not advocate for a rigorous curriculum. In fact, in the two years I have been the chairman of this particular committee we have had lengthy meetings and discussions on issues that directly affect each and every one of our 27,000 students in each and every one of our schools. We have dealt with issues pertaining to the Stupski Foundation, going to one Whole School Reform Model, and tonight you saw a debate on NovaNET and a number of other items. So we do have long meetings, but we do get things accomplished and questions that need to be asked are asked. I want to assure the members of the general public that there is no rubber-stamping that takes place in the curriculum committee. We do take people to task and hold administrators accountable. Speaking of accountability, today I had the opportunity to join Dr. Hodges in Trenton to watch our Superintendent present his status report on our district. I think it is very vital for us to support this man in his quest to, of course, achieve academically and produce accountability throughout the district. I am not asking anyone to always agree with the Superintendent because I am sure that with any organization we are affiliated with we don’t always agree. I am Catholic, but I don’t always agree with Catholic dogma. I am a democrat, but I don’t always agree with my party leaders. The hallmark of a democracy is healthy debate. We can debate and discuss anything. That is what our Constitution says and that is what we have to exemplify. But today I got an opportunity to speak to the State Board members after the Superintendent presented his status report on Paterson and the operative word, the common refrain that was used, was respect. I think in the past Paterson was not respected by anyone in Trenton, especially these Board members, and apparently the common theme amongst all of them was that we turned the corner in Paterson. Now it is absolutely imperative and essential that we support our educational leader because that is exactly what he is. He has been called that on a number of occasions and I believe in his six months here he has been the embodiment. So we do want to maintain that level of respect that we have garnered thus far. We can’t do it if we are bickering. It’s fine to debate and it is fine to discuss, but while we are in workshop we can do that

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behind closed doors. But when we are out in the public we have to present a united front because it’s not for us – it’s for the children. Comm. Santiago: I have two reminders. Comm. Spagnola is not in town. I don’t want anybody to think he went AWOL. He is pretty much effective on this Board and he is pretty much missed today. Also, I got a call from Assemblywoman Nellie Pou and she didn’t attend because she attended the swearing in for the new Senator Robert Menendez. In all fairness to the Superintendent, the newspaper situation has been going on for many years. For the city to try to give him a fine or the district a fine, they should give whoever was here a long time ago fines beyond that. But the district shouldn’t be paying for these newspapers if there is no school that is going to read them. While we are here listening to individuals speak and say their peace of mind, we must be mindful of our enemy in the City of Paterson. It’s not just drugs, but also on Friday the 13th at School No. 10 in the parking lot they were initiating approximately 200 new gang members. I got the call this weekend. About 200 members were being initiated from Mercer Street and Rosa Parks. We know we passed a resolution months ago, maybe over a year ago, to have cameras in our schools. The resolution was passed, but I guess there was lack of funding or whatever. We should try to see what we can do to try to get some money because I know that Captain Smith has always been gung-ho about fighting drugs and gangs. We have cameras here in Kennedy and Eastside, but a lot of our schools and our school ground properties need cameras. I also want the students in the high schools to know that a lot of them will be turning 18 or they are already 18 and the police test is out right now. You can pick up your application at your local library and they have everything, including Paterson Police, Passaic County Sheriff, Corrections, etc. So the test is out and all you need is a high school diploma, a driver’s license and a clean record. Take the test, go to the academy, apply, and you will have yourself a career. But I must also say this. It is really sad and I want to ask this Board for a moment of silence for a great individual who fought for taxes in this city. He fought for what was right. He ran down on me during times when I was wrong and he should never be forgotten. He passed away – Andy Torcicollo. Moment of Silence for Andy Torcicollo I want to ask the Superintendent a question. We have some serious problems in our high schools, such as safety issues for staff. Maybe you can meet with the Board and Captain Smith, but I think it is time to take this district to another level. I know that here in Paterson we have good children and we have some that act up. It is hard for other students in this district to actually focus on their studies. This is Paterson Public Schools, not Alcatraz. But we should really think of having not only the metal detectors, but also the x-ray machines in our high schools. We need to have our children to be safe. We don’t know what some of these kids are bringing inside the schools. We really don’t. There are other districts doing this. Why can’t we do it? If we can’t receive the money for these kinds of machines or any mechanism and we get the approval, we can sit down and form a committee and then I would be willing to have a fundraiser because it is for the safety of our children in Paterson, families, staff, principals, security guards, and individuals who work in the kitchens. We have serious, serious problems here and it is going around worldwide. It’s not just drugs, but almost every single day children are being initiated to become gang members. God forgive if someone’s grandchild or baby or one of my children, which I am the father of nine, gets slashed with a box cutter or stabbed. We cannot afford that and sometimes families are afraid. It’s not fair for the one who gets hurt, but also for the kid who gets suspended and the family has to lose days out of work. We have to provide a safe environment for our children. Happy New Year to all. In closing, I am a New York Giants fan and we were knocked out in the first round. But I still support the New York Giants. During this

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football season I learned something. Dungy from the Indianapolis Colts is a great man and he lost his son. But I remember some words he said when he lost his son and this is what we should all carry with us at all times. He said hug your children every single day and every single day tell your children you love them because you don’t know if tomorrow you may not see them again. Those are true words. Good night everybody. Comm. Moody: Tonight I want to speak on two issues that are concerning me. For the last month or so there are issues surrounding the various allegations and the situation in the early childhood department. It is disturbing me because at a time when we really need to be coming together, and for the last six months the Superintendent has been directing the effort to try to pull us together and get us moving all in the same direction, we have come to this situation. The thing that disturbs me is the allegation of racism in the decision-making and that race has something to do with the decision that was made. That was cold. I don’t know if it was deliberate, but it just drove a knife through the community. Then it just continued. Now there is another allegation of racism, even on the part of our Assemblywoman. I am just certain that race had nothing to do with the decision that was made, either by the Superintendent nor by Nellie Pou, whom I happen to know for more than 20 years. I am sure she is not racist. It is unfortunate that these types of issues continue to divide us and impede our progress. The second concern is that last Friday night, Friday the 13th, there was an airing on Channel 7. They took this very biased shot at public education and it was extremely negative and one-sided. I am appealing to the Board President. I think that we need to reach out at least to the state and national organizations that advocate public education to find out what their responses are to that telecast. I believe there should be a telecast to rebut or to put some truths out. At least take a position sensitive to public education. I don’t know if anyone saw that publication, but I thought it was a very damaging one and I think it should be responded to nationally. Comm. Hodges: I have a few things to cover tonight. Number one, we are talking about policies and I want to remind the Board that there are several policies before it awaiting action, at least five or six. I know because I have written them and I am waiting for somebody to move on them, particularly around the athletics and what we demand of our student athletes. I think we need to address that in a significant way and there are some others that we need to take a look at. So I urge you to move forward on those. We had mentioned this before regarding the newspapers. That has been a major concern and I am all for having the papers at schools, but only if they are going to be used. We have talked about this before and we have asked for some sort of definitive idea as to how they are used. I actually went a little bit further and said I think they should be used every day because we are paying for them every day. I would like to see a plan by every single school as to how they are being used or we pull them. I don’t see the point of having them just sit there and be trampled over or stepped on or picked up by whomever, except the students. That is what they are there for. I think the schools can put them to use by having students take a look at current events locally, statewide, nationally and internationally so that our students become acquainted with things that are going on, other than what is going on in their school or on their street. I think it is extremely important that they read and that they become aware of what is happening in the world, instead of just walking past it on the ground. We went down to the State Board of Education tonight and I spoke to a State Board member. I didn’t actually think that going down there and testifying made a difference as a public entity or as an individual. But I was told by a State Board member that they began to pay attention to what was happening in Paterson when Paterson people came down and testified, not the agencies but the people. People came down and began to report what was happening in Paterson and that is what forced them to take another look at what was going on. They are getting information from other people, from the state and from

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the people in charge here, which was contrary to what might have been actually occurring. So the letters, your appearance and your participation does make a difference and I really want parents to understand that and community people to understand that. You can have an impact and no clearer message was sent to me than when the State Board member came to me and said your testimony made a difference. Finally, I learned in the paper this Sunday and I injected race into Board members’ conversation at the last meeting. I was extremely disappointed in that. Before I get to that, let me just say this. Mr. Santiago made a statement earlier this evening where he contradicted a number of people in his community. He told his community the truth, which might not have been very popular but it was the truth. It is important to make note of that because it is very difficult to sometimes stand up against the tide and look at that tide in the face and say I am going to tell you the truth. I am going to put aside how angry you are and how emotional and committed you are, and you may be right in being concerned about what you think is going on, but here’s the truth. He did that tonight. I am saddened that some of the people who went to the community in the first place didn’t do that. I am saddened that some of the individuals who went and told people that the Hispanic community was being discriminated against didn’t tell them the whole truth. They didn’t tell them what was really behind that story. What they did was antagonize everybody. You had people who had very legitimate concerns. Some of those numbers are disturbing if you just look at the numbers. They are disturbing. Having been raised in the 60’s, I know how disturbed I would be. So I don’t blame people for getting disturbed about hearing that they have been discriminated against. I get disturbed about the people who lied to them in the first place because they were wrong and they knew better. That’s even more irresponsible because what you are doing is significant damage to the body as a whole, all of us. We are in this together. I am not afraid of the racist label. I have been called everything else, so that’s a new one. But I can point to the things that I have tried to do here and they weren’t defined by what race I am or the people I was trying to affect. That is the real measure of the individual – what you are trying to do. If you are out here trying to tear a community apart using race as an issue, then I think we don’t have to define you because you have defined yourself. Paterson is more complex and more important than that. It’s much larger than that. We have many more issues that are far more important than this. Down at the State Board meeting I heard some of the data on dropout rates, on SRA usage, on student attendance, on bilingual education, and on student passage of the HSPA. We have a lot of work to do. We have an awful lot of work to do. I haven’t even gotten to the facilities issues, with overcrowded, crumbling buildings, with students put in cramped places, and with borderline safe structures – all of our children. But we don’t seem to get energized around those issues. We don’t seem to get whipped up. People stop me in the store and they want to tell me they heard what I said and I gave it to them good. I said the real issues weren’t discussed and I wasn’t trying to give it to anybody. I was trying to get people to refocus on what was really important, not the color of the skin or the language that they spoke, but the eventual educational outcomes of the children. That is why we are here. When the adults forget that, trust me the children will too. Not just in Kennedy High School, but also Eastside High School and in time in our elementary schools too because they hear what the adults say. They hear what you whisper at home or what you yell at home. They hear it and they come to school and act it out. That is what I am trying to get people to understand. There are legitimate concerns about diversity throughout this city, as well as in the Board of Education. There is no question about that. Let’s find ways to address that issue, but in the context of getting qualified, excellent individuals – the best kinds of individuals – to provide the educational services that our children demand and need. Comm. Atallo: It was mentioned earlier but we need to honor people who do take a stand in the community, whether you agree or disagree. We lost a very active citizen

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this week in Andy Torcicollo, who always spoke his mind—and that needs to be respected. He pointed out issues that a lot of people didn’t have the guts to come out and say. It’s a sad loss for the community. This debate about school uniforms really has to be put on the backburner. We have much more important issues to deal with. Our kids are bleeding educationally and there is a debate about what color robe we need to dress them in. We need to address why things are happening educationally. I don’t really see that as a priority issue. We need to have accountability. Everybody talks about it but they don’t follow up. Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it and this district has had a very bad history in the last few years. All I ask for is accountability. I am not accusing anybody, but before I vote on any contract, particularly contracts dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars, to spend taxpayers money and valuable resources that should be spent on our children, we need to get all the information and get it in a timely manner. I think that is very important. Comm. Spagnola is out of town at a conference. We changed the meeting date from last week to this week. Had it been last week he would have been here, but he will be back for the next meeting. He had an obligation to be at a conference this week and he is sincerely missed. Assemblywoman Pou made mention to me and others that she would be in Washington today for the swearing in of our new United States senator, my former classmate and fraternity brother Senator Menendez. We wish him well in that new role. Speaking of the US Senate, Edward Hale, who was chaplain of the United States Senate for many years, was asked if he prayed for the United States Senate. He said he looks at the Senate and he prays for the country. I look at the Board of Education and I pray for the children and the taxpayers. I hope the Board members read the backup materials before they vote on things because I have warned this Board month after month for the last six years that things were happening and those warnings were ignored. I am not saying anything that happened tonight was wrong, but we need to be vigilant as to what we do. I am not saying anything was done improperly tonight, but I know some people voted on things tonight without reading the background material and that is simply wrong. It’s not fair to the taxpayers but even more importantly it is not fair to the children we are responsible to educate. Those resources need to be spent on children and not necessarily outside consultants. Finally, while we don’t have a voice in the hiring of personnel, we do have our opinions and I see many, many postings up for assistants to assistants to assistants and coordinating directors. I just respectfully don’t agree with that and I am asking the administration to rethink that. Before we continue hiring central office administrators we need to assess where we are, what we are doing in the actual classroom setting, and the resources that go into our classrooms and schools. Comm. Taylor: I am sorry I am back talking again but I would like to just remind parents and students that they are supposed to come to the Saturday morning programs for prep time for them to take the HSPA. Many of the students that are given the opportunity do not attend. If you are a parent and if teachers know of a student that should be there on Saturday morning, this is an opportunity for us to get a heads up on information so that the students can do better when they do take the HSPA. This is a test that all the students in the district will be taking and for the last three or four years, especially at Kennedy, they have gathered data to let them know where the areas of weaknesses have been in the student population. Not only the general population will be taking it and have extra classes on Saturday, but also the children in bilingual and special needs will have an opportunity to have this. They will have lessons in writing, reading and math. It is going to be given at Kennedy and at Eastside. The first week is January 28th, the second week is February 4th, the third week is February 25th, and the fourth week is March 4th. It is prior to what we call the big testing, so I would like all the students involved to take these classes so that we can do better and get a better score for the district. Parents, please encourage your students to go on these Saturdays.

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Dr. Glascoe: Just very briefly, Comm. Santiago, I will certainly take under advisement the things you talked about with security in our schools. I certainly want to and will look into security cameras and metal detectors as well. I have had some debates about the pros and cons of using metal detectors, but I think given the situation and where people stand we need to really take a good look at it, so we will. In our work session next month I will come back with a presentation and some information on the new positions that we are currently looking at within our school district, to give the Board a better idea of what we are doing and the rationale behind it. I also want to let you know that in this coming School Board retreat we will also talk about ways in which I can work with the School Board as far as personnel decisions are concerned, short of making those decisions as the State Superintendent. Comm. Brown: I just have some brief comments to make. First, I would like to dovetail off of Comm. Santiago’s comments with reference to public safety. I support us moving forward in looking into providing a safer environment for our children by looking into metal detectors. I also would like to recommend that we look into the cost and purchase of defibrillators in every school. With reference to a comment made by Comm. Moody with reference to an ad that was against public education, I will request… Comm. Taylor: A program. Comm. Brown: A program – I apologize. I will move to request a tape from Channel 7 and I look forward to collaborating with my Board to write a response to Channel 7 on behalf of the Board. I will also write to the State School Boards Association to find out their position, as well as the National School Boards Association. Dr. Hodges has written several policies and we are going to be discussing those policies and others at our Board retreat. I am hoping that in February we will be introducing not only his policies, but also policies that I have on the table, as well as some in curriculum and hopefully some from the fiscal committee. We will be able to introduce them for first reading next month. I want to thank everybody for coming out tonight. Have a good evening and God bless. It was moved by Comm. Taylor, seconded by Comm. Sayegh that the meeting be adjourned. On roll call all members voted in the affirmative. The motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.