Warren Township Schools

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A regular business meeting of the Board of Education was held this day in the Angelo L. Tomaso School, 100 Old Stirling Road. The following is a record of that meeting.

I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Board President Jim Sena.

Open Public Meeting Statement – Mr. Sena read the following Statement:

Re: Chapter 231 P.L. 1975: “The adequate notice of this regular meeting as required by the open public meetings act was provided by the posting, mailing/delivery, and filing of this notice on January 7, 2015. This notice was on that date posted on the bulletin board in the Township Office, mailed to the Courier News and the Echoes Sentinel, and filed with the Township Clerk of the Township of Warren, all in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act.”

II. Pledge of Allegiance – Mr. Sena led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.

III. Roll Call

Present: Tia Allocco, Celeste Campos, Desiree DeNourie, Lisa DiMaggio, Kathy Helewa, Joan Schiller, Jim Sena and Greg Steier

Absent:

Also Present: Dr. Tami Crader, Superintendent, Patricia Leonhardt, Board Secretary, and members of the public and press.

Len deMontagnac arrived at 7:06 p.m.

IV. Presentations

• Community Resources Project
• Budget Preview #2 - Technology and Security

V. Minutes

Mrs. Helewa moved the following:

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the public minutes of the February 17, 2015 Board Meeting.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Schiller and approved by 9-0 roll-call vote.

VI.Correspondence and Information

· HIB Information

Total # of Investigations:

0

Total # of Determined Bullying Incidents:

0

· Fire Drills

ALT
February 26

Central
February 25

Mt. Horeb
February 27

Woodland
February 25

Middle
February 23  

· Security Drills

ALT
February 26
Lockdown 

Central
February 26
Modified Lockdown 

Mt. Horeb
February 25
Modified Lockdown

Woodland
February 24
Lockdown 

Middle
February 6
Lockdown

VII. President's Remarks - Jim Sena

President Sena thanked Ms. Jarmicki and her 5th graders for this evening’s community service presentation. He also thanked Ms. Bond for her hosting hospitality.

President Sena also congratulated Mrs. Cirrotti and her students for their outstanding performance in the Scholastic Writing contest.

Regarding the insertion of discussion items on the board agenda, President Sena proposed that Board of Education members contact the Board of Education president by the Tuesday prior to a meeting. Upon canvassing the board, those topics supported by five or more members would be placed on the agenda.

VIII. Superintendent’s Remarks – Tami Crader

Dr. Crader reported that Mrs. Hengemuhle has been asked to serve on Montclair’s Dialogue Night panel.

Dr. Crader also discussed her observation of the application of 21st Century Learning Skills in a multitude of classrooms.

IX. Committee Reports

Mrs. Allocco reported on this evening’s Personnel Committee meeting which discussed the 2013-2014 final Summative evaluations, the Superintendent’s evaluation, and the board’s self evaluation.

Mr. Steier reported on the Finance Committee’s meeting which discussed the 2015-2016 proposed budget and established a finance committee schedule.

X. Discussion

Budget 2015-2016 - The board discussed the proposed budget which contains a 1.3% tax levy increase.

Honor Roll at Warren Middle School - Dr. Crader presented the results of the work of the committee reviewing honor roll. The board then discussed at length.

XI. Board Goals

XII. Public Commentary (including opportunity to speak about items for Board Consideration/Action)

Note on public input at BOE meetings: Board Policy #9322, adopted on April 14, 2008, provides for and encourages public participation in Board of Education meetings. Such participation is governed by the following rules:

1. A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface comments by an announcement of his/her name and place of residence;

2. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three minutes’ duration (limit may be adjusted at the discretion of the presiding officer as circumstances dictate);

3. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard; and

4. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer—no participant may address or question Board members individually.

The portion of the meeting during which participation of the public is invited shall be limited to fifteen minutes (limit may be adjusted at the discretion of the presiding officer as circumstances dictate).

N/A

XIII. Items for Board Consideration/Action

Mrs. Helewa had a question regarding the rates listed in Motion C.6.

Dr. Schiller had questions regarding C.5.a., B.2. and A.2.

On motion by Mrs. Helewa seconded by Mr. Steier the consent items A.1. through A.3., B.1. through B.3., and C.1.a., and C.1.b., and C.2. through C.9., were approved by a 9-0 roll-call vote. (Motion C.1.c. was tabled.)

A. Education

A.1. HIB Report

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the HIB Report submitted by the Superintendent for the period ending on February 26, 2015.

A.2. Board Goals

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Board Goals for the 2014-2015 school year.

A.3. Home Instruction

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves up to 10 hours per week of home instruction for Student #3385531519, beginning on or about March 2, 2015, at a rate of $40 per hour.

 

B. Finance/Operations/Transportation

B.1. Travel Approval

Whereas, in accordance with State of New Jersey School District Accountability Act (A-5) and the Warren Township Schools’ policy number 4133-Travel and Work Related Expense Reimbursement, travel by school district employees and Board of Education members must be approved in advance.

Now Therefore Be It RESOLVED, the Warren Township Schools Board of Education approves the following expenses for faculty, staff, administrators, and board members for seminars, conferences and workshops. The expense includes travel costs, if applicable:

 

Name	School	Workshop/ Conference	Location	Month/Yr	Cost
Nicole Evins	CS	What’s New in Third Grade	Edison	March 2015	$239
Karen Sutherland	WS	Using iPads in the Music Classroom	Edison	March 2015	$235
Laurie Donovan	MHS	Size Matters Handwriting Program	Parsippany	April 2015	$213
Lynn Alger	MS	ISTE Conference 2015	Philadelphia	June 2015	$247
Patricia Leonhardt	District	NJASBO Conference	Atlantic City	June 2015	$478
Michelle Barbagallo	MHS	Pediatric Yoga	Somerset	March 2015	$199
Janet Kozik	District	Powerschool Users’ Group Conference	Atlantic City	April 2015	$408
MaryPat Brown	MS	ISTE Conference 2015	Philadelphia	June 2015	$263

 

All of the above travel has been approved by the Superintendent. The School Business Administrator shall track and record these costs to insure that the maximum amount is not exceeded.

B.2. Joint Agreements between SCESC and Warren BOE

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves entering into the following joint agreements between Somerset County Educational Services Commission (SCESC) and the Warren Township Board of Education:

• Nonpublic School Textbook Services agreement, dated July 1, 2015 for the 2015-2016 school year, with no administrative fee charged;
• Nonpublic School Technology Initiative Program agreement, dated July 1, 2015 for the 2015-2016 school year, with a state-approved administrative percentage (5% in 2014-15);
• Nonpublic School Nursing Services agreement, dated July 1, 2015 for the 2015-2016 school year, with an administrative fee of 6%.

B.3. NJSIG - ERIC North Sub-Fund Application for 2015 Safety Program

RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the submission of a grant application for the 2015 Safety Grant Program through the New Jersey School Insurance Group’s ERIC North Sub-Fund for the qualified purposes of installing IDenticard access control at the back doors of the Angelo L. Tomaso school building. The Grant, in the amount of $3,505, is for the period of July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

C. Personnel/Student Services

C.1. Employment for the 2014-2015 School Year

RESOLVED, upon recommendation from the Superintendent that the Board of Education approve the following Personnel items including the emergent employment of the following employees (indicated by *) conditional upon the final approval by the New Jersey Department of Education, for the 2014-2015 school year and the Board further authorizes the submission of an application for emergency hiring pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1, et. Seq., N.J.S.A. 18A:6.14.12, et. Seq.”

a. Brittany Leonard, Transportation Monitor, 1.5 hours per day, at a total cost of $1,050, effective December 8, 2014 through March 2, 2015. (This motion supersedes the original motion from December 15, 2014.)

b. Brittany Leonard, transfer from ABA Paraprofessional, 32.5 hours, Mt. Horeb School, to Special Education Teacher, Angelo L. Tomaso School, BA, Step 1-2 of the 2014-2015 salary guide, $56,085 (pro-rated), effective March 3, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

c. Joseph Larramendia, Transportation Monitor, 1.5 hours per day, at an approximate cost of $1,973.19, effective March 3, 2015 through June 30, 2015. (TABLED)

C.2. Movement on the Guide

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff for amended placements on the 2014-2015 salary guide:

a. Christine Rzasa, with congratulations, for movement from MA to MA+15, effective February 1, 2015.

C.3. Family Leave Request

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following:

a. Employee #2411 for leave (unpaid with benefits) under NJFLA, from June 9, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

b. Employee #0590 for leave (paid with benefits) under FMLA, from February 27, 2015 through on or about March 27, 2015.

C.4. Extension of Family Leave Request

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following leave extension:

a. Employee #2578, for Child Rearing leave (unpaid without benefits) from September 1, 2015 through June 30,2016, with an anticipated return date of September 1, 2016.

C.5. Additional Hours

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves to contract:

a. Michele Stein, for 2 additional days, during the weeks of PARCC testing, for Student #1405701923, at a cost not to exceed $818.

b. Janice Anderson, for 1 additional day, on March 26, 2015, for IEP Direct Training, at a cost not to exceed $441.

C.6. Service Provider

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Center for Child & Family Development to provide the following Evaluations with written reports for the 2014-2015 school year:

• Psychiatric Evaluations ($850)
• Neurodevelopmental Evaluation (rate increase to $665)
• Psychological Evaluation (rate increase to $665)

C.7. Approval of Inservice Day Presenters

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves additional prep hours for the February 12, 2015 Inservice Day, to be paid at the contractual rate of $40 per hour, for total cost of $640:

• Rebecca Olszyk
• Beatrice Schwarzkopf

C.8. Student Nurses

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following as Student Nurses, on Tuesdays between March 3, 2015 and May 4, 2015:

1. Dara Abellanosa
2. Aaron Bell
3. Lisa Blomgren
4. Lyndzi Bronstein
5. Marianne Claricia
6. Natalia Davie
7. Emily Raudensky
8. Dianna Schoder

C.9. Retirements

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the retirements of the following staff:

a. Jo Ann Blatchford, Science Teacher, Warren Middle School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for her 9 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective June 30, 2015.

b. James Frascella, Language Arts Teacher, Warren Middle School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for his 14 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective June 30, 2015.

c. Robin Savage, French Teacher, Warren Middle School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for her 20 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective June 30, 2015.

XIII. Old Business

Dr. Schiller requested a copy of the district’s Strategic Plan.

XIV. New Business

Legislative Meeting - Mrs. Helewa informed the board that she, Mr. Sena and a representative from NJSBA will be meeting with Assemblyman Bramnick. Mrs. Helewa asked the board to let her know of any topics requested for discussion.

Mr. deMontagnac asked about today’s first day of PARCC testing. Dr. Crader reported that the implementation went well.

Mrs. Helewa also discussed Junior Achievement’s Biz Town, at which she volunteered and Warren students participated.

Mr. Sena reported that he will miss the board’s next meeting.

XV. Public Commentary

N/A

XVI. Executive Session

At 8:17 p.m. Mrs. Helewa moved the following:

Executive Session

WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A.10:4-11, permits the Board of Education to meet in closed session to discuss certain matters, now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, the Board of Education adjourns to closed session to discuss:

pending or anticipated litigation or contract negotiation and/or matters of attorney-client privilege

Action will not be taken upon return to public session;

the length of the meeting is anticipated to be approximately 15 minutes; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, the minutes of this closed session be made public when the need for confidentiality no longer exists.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Schiller and approved by unanimous voice vote.

On motion by Mrs. Helewa, seconded by Mr. Steier, the Board reconvened in open session at

8:39 p.m.

XVII. Adjourn

On motion by Mrs. Helewa, seconded by Mrs. DiMaggio, the meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Minutes recorded by

Patricia Leonhardt

Board Secretary