TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 108 North Clinton Avenue Trenton, New Jersey 08609 BOARD MEETING MINUTES Monday – November 18, 2019 – 5:30 PM Completed November 26, 2019 Convened at 5:35 P.M. Call to Order Board President Addie Daniels-Lane called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance President Daniels-Lane led the salute to the flag. Roll Call Present: Gene Bouie Addie Daniels-Lane Yolanda Marrero-Lopez Taraun McKnight – arrived 5:48 p.m. Gerald Truehart II Jeannie Weakliem Absent: Emily Hernandez Fiah Kwesseu Sadé Williams Superintendent of Schools – Ronald C. Lee – Present Business Administrator/Board Secretary – Jayne Howard – Present New Jersey Sunshine Law - Read by Board President Daniels-Lane The New Jersey Public Meetings Law was enacted to ensure the right to the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted on. On the rules of this act, the Trenton Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting by publicizing the date, time and place, therefore posted in the Central Services Building, 108 North Clinton Avenue, City Clerk’s Office, City Hall, the Times and the Star Ledger. Anyone whose name is on the mailing list should receive a notice. Formal action will take place at this meeting. Mission Statement - Read by Board President Daniels-Lane All students will graduate with a vision for their future, motivated to learn continually and prepared to succeed in their choice of college or career. 1 TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 108 North Clinton Avenue Trenton, New Jersey 08609 BOARD MEETING MINUTES Monday – November 18, 2019 – 5:30 PM Adoption Of Agenda President Daniels-Lane advised of the following changes to tonight’s agenda: • There is an HR addendum • The Student Study Trip for Grant School on December 4 should show the destination as City Hall • PULL Curriculum Items W and CC • Correct Curriculum Item WW to read “Resolution to Approve Partnership with Earl Jenkins Ministries (EEJM)-Trenton Restorative Academy for a Wellness Grant” • There will be a presentation on the Strategic Plan Motion was made by Mr. Bouie and seconded by Ms. Marrero-Lopez to adopt the agenda with the above changes. Agenda was adopted by all Board Members present. ROLL CALL YES NO ABSTAIN Gene Bouie X Emily Hernandez absent Fiah Kwesseu absent Yolanda Marrero-Lopez X Taraun McKnight not present for vote Gerald Truehart II X Jeannie Weakliem X Sadé Williams absent Addie Daniels-Lane X STUDENT PERFORMANCE Students from Franklin Elementary School performed for the Board and the public. SUPERINTENDENT’S REMARKS Mr. Lee discussed the presentations slated for this evening. He said the District is seeking permission to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a demographer. He also updated the Board on vacancies in the District, 9 teaching positions as follows: 2 Math at The Ninth Grade Academy, 1 Fourth Grade and 1 Fifth Grade Bilingual at M.L. King, Jr., 1 Music and 1 Computer at Monument, 1 Special Ed Inclusion at Daylight/Twilight, and 2 Resource at Daylight/Twilight. Superintendent Lee commended the Human Resources staff for their diligence in filling vacancies. He spoke about the instructional impact of absences. He also thanked all those who have been working on how to meet the needs of the growing bilingual population and addressing over-crowded classrooms. To this end, teaching positions have been added as follows: 1 ESL each at Monument, Washington, Grant (bilingual overflow school), Wilson and M.L. King Jr.; 2 Co-Teachers at M.L. King Jr., 2 Co- Teachers at Mott, 2 Co-Teachers at P.J. Hill and 1 Co-Teacher at Robbins; and 1 ESL at Daylight/Twilight. 2 TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 108 North Clinton Avenue Trenton, New Jersey 08609 BOARD MEETING MINUTES Monday – November 18, 2019 – 5:30 PM Lastly, Superintendent Lee announced that on the previous Friday, leaders from Trenton Education Association (TEA), Trenton Administrators and Supervisors Association (TASA), Board representatives and the Leadership Team attended the annual Rutgers University Labor/Management Collaboration Consortium. The meeting focused on working together to increase student achievement. He thanked TEA leadership for bringing the proposal to the District. He also discussed the work of the District Transition Committee. PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD Assistant Superintendent Wilfredo Ortiz introduced the administrative staff at Daylight/ Twilight HS. Principal Rosario Casiano gave an update on the school (handout attached). Also presenting were Interim Principals Christopher DeJesus and Penny Britt. Board questions and comments were in the following areas: • Strategy for course acceleration • Reasons for student attendance issues • Methods for determining if learning disabilities exist in ESL students • Extra support needed after hours • Length of time engaged in the tier system and measurements of success • Advising students of their reading and math levels • Addressing the impact of student social/emotional learning needs • Parental engagement • Mentoring program for 11th and 12th Graders Mr. Jesse Adams, Field Services Representative for New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), provided the Board with information about strategic planning services offered by NJSBA. A copy is available through the Board Secretary’s office. Board questions and comments were as follows: • Critical process of developing a living plan to which everyone can commit COMMENTS BY BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS Ms. Marrero-Lopez thanked Superintendent Lee for providing an update for the Human Resources Committee. Ms. Weakliem reported on the Facilities Committee, stating that all issues with the State Fire Marshall have been addressed. The Committee is moving forward with any other building issues that arise. Mr. Bouie said that the Operations Committee reviewed the Board agenda, Executive Session agenda, and the list of resolutions. The annual audit summary by the independent auditors will be presented at the December 16 meeting. The Committee observed that there still seems to be a challenge with the City providing School Resource Officer (SRO) support to the District. He hoped that further discussion will lead to SROs being present all day at the high school. Lastly, Mr. Bouie said there was a proposal for a pilot at the Trenton 3 TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 108 North Clinton Avenue Trenton, New Jersey 08609 BOARD MEETING MINUTES Monday – November 18, 2019 – 5:30 PM Restorative Academy to address the issue of students using cell phones during the school day. Further conversation will take place. Mr. Truehart reported, on behalf of the FACE Committee, that the District is back on the radio with WIMZ 1300 AM every Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. The first two episodes introduce the Superintendent, discuss District goals and objectives, provide information on the roles and responsibilities of the Board, and discuss the difference between an Interim Superintendent and a regular Superintendent. Mr. Truehart expressed appreciation to Ms. Denise Kreiss for coordinating Parenting Matters with Children’s Futures. Classes are held each Wednesday. Mr. Truehart said he has been meeting with representatives from the African American History Department at Mercer County Community College, planning events for February 2020. A scholarship will be available to students at TCHS; details will be forthcoming. There is also a committee working on supporting Amistad compliance. The next FACE Committee meeting will be held at Franklin Elementary School on December 12 at 5:00 p.m. Mr. Truehart called the public’s attention to the policies on tonight’s agenda for a second reading. He thanked the Committee for diligently working on the Wellness Policy. Ms. Daniels-Lane reported on the Curriculum Committee meeting, stating that the Committee reviewed all proposals and resolutions being recommended for Board consideration. The Committee also noted the disclaimer on the Curriculum recommendations regarding service providers having contact with students. The question arose as to how compliance with the requirements will be documented. The Committee discussed academic competitions across the District level. Ms. Daniels-Lane discussed the merits of various proposals on the agenda. Streamlining the approval process for student study trips and clubs was considered by the Committee, along with School Improvement Teams and School Leadership Teams, and Restorative Practices training for 45 Teachers. The Special Services department was discussed, and the Committee noted that 13 Corrective Action Plans (CAP) have been closed since September. Eight CAPs are still open, with one in the process of being closed. There are no new CAPs. Ms. Daniels-Lane said the Committee also discussed the Use of Physical Restraint Policy 5561 on tonight’s agenda. The Policy as written refers to Special Education students, and the person who practices physical restraint must be certified in restraint techniques. This must be accomplished before the Policy is implemented. Physical restraint is to be used as a last measure, after efforts to de-escalate a situation have been tried unsuccessfully. Lastly, the Committee discussed next steps in overall planning for progress in Special Education. Ms. Daniels-Lane reported on a meeting she attended, along with some Leadership Team members, at the Trenton Police Department (TPD) to review the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the District and the TPD. She also congratulated Ms. 4 TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION 108