John J. Bell

The board meeting primarily focused on the annual rollover budget report presented by the assistant superintendent of business. Key discussion topics included the district's goals, historical financial data regarding tax levies and debt service, and the methodology behind the proposed rollover budget. The board reviewed the projected deficit for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and discussed various strategies to balance the budget, including potential tax levy increases, use of fund balance reserves, and reduction of specific contractual and operational expenses. The presentation also provided an overview of upcoming budget adoption and voting procedures.

The board meeting included a presentation of the annual building report for the Port Jervis Middle School, focusing on the school's 'Leveling Up' framework. Key discussion topics included the integration of character education, leadership development through the 'Leader in Me' and 'Lighthouse Team' programs, the implementation of a digital currency system for students, strategies for improving school attendance, and the adoption of collaborative professional learning communities to drive academic rigor and student-centered learning.

The board meeting focused on several key items, including the approval of tenure for multiple educators and a presentation on the Odyssey of the Mind program. The presentation highlighted the program's components—long-term solutions, style, and spontaneous problem-solving—and showcased the achievements of various teams from the school district, including their participation in regional and state competitions. The board also engaged in a demonstration of spontaneous problem-solving techniques and recognized the efforts of students and coaches involved in the Odyssey of the Mind initiatives.

The meeting included a student representative report detailing upcoming winter concert events, CEK information sessions for sophomores, attendance incentive tracking, the release of scholarship packets totaling over $250,000, and the commencement of various winter sports seasons. Elementary school administrators presented annual reports highlighting new initiatives: the implementation of the K through 5 reading program "Into Reading" which focuses on vocabulary, grammar, and diverse content, and the Heggerty program for preK through grade two to address phonemic awareness. Additionally, administrators presented on the Dibbles reading assessment, which provides deeper insights into student struggles, and the LinkIt data warehouse platform used for tracking attendance and student performance data. The report also covered the ongoing 'Reading Together' program across both elementary schools, which involves reading a selected book collaboratively.

The meeting was called to order following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. The purpose of this meeting was to address timing requirements for two resolutions related to SRA, the statewide environmental quality review, which mandates a 30-day interval between them. Following the approval of the agenda, the board addressed action items related to a solar field project. This included the approval of the seeker solar field resolution and the approval of the contract with Renova Solar for the actual construction of the solar field. It was noted that Hunt Engineering was previously approved to serve as the engineers specializing in solar development. The meeting concluded with the scheduling of the next regular board meeting for January 13, 2026.