Warren Township Schools

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A regular business meeting of the Board of Education was held this day in the Board of Education Administration Building, 213 Mt. Horeb 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 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, Len deMontagnac,

Lisa DiMaggio, Kathy Helewa, Joan Schiller, Greg Steier and Jim Sena

Absent:

Also Present: Dr. Elizabeth Nastus, Interim Superintendent, Patricia Leonhardt, Board Secretary, and members of the public and press.

IV. Presentations

Chromebook Update - Bill Kimmick, along with Lance Riegler, provided the board with an overview of the District’s Chromebook program, including the Acceptable Use Policy. Board members asked follow up questions, focusing on usage oversight outside of the school building. Mr. Riegler will provide follow-up.

V. Minutes

Mrs. Helewa moved the following:

• RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the public session minutes of the September 8, 2015 Board Meeting.

The motion was seconded by Mrs. DiMaggio and approved by 8-0-1 roll-call vote. (Mr. Steier abstained.)

VI.Correspondence and Information

· HIB Information

Total # of Investigations:

1

Total # of Determined Bullying Incidents:

0

VII. President's Remarks - Jim Sena

Mr. Sena thanked Mr. Kimmick and Mr. Riegler for tonight’s enlightening presentation on district technology.

Mr. Sena also noted the increasing workload of the board, including the Superintendent Search and declining enrollment review.

VIII. Superintendent’s Remarks – Elizabeth Nastus

Dr. Nastus acknowledged and congratulated the nine staff members who recently earned tenure.

IX. Committee Reports

Mrs. Helewa reported on the Policy Committee meeting which discussed the Substance Abuse and Food and Nutrition policies.

Mr. Steier reported on the Finance Committee Meeting which discussed the Security Plan Implementation, the district’s 5 year capital improvement plan, and the 2016-2017 budget planning process.

X. 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).

Angela Della Ventura, Middle School World Languages teacher, commented on cultural event celebrations which occur in her department and her hope that food in the schools does not become forbidden.

XI. Items for Board Consideration/Action

Dr. Schiller and Mrs. Allocco asked questions regarding motion C.8. The board decided to review co-curricula activities in depth in the future.

Mrs. Allocco asked that motion A.2. be pulled for separate vote.

Mr. Steier asked a question regarding motion C.3.

On motion by Mrs. Helewa seconded by Mr. deMontagnac the consent items A.1., A.3. through A.5., B.1. through B.6., C.1. through C.9., and D.1. were approved by a 9-0 roll-call vote.

The board discussed at length their thoughts and concerns regarding the 7th and 8th grade overnight trips, including the source of payment.

On motion by Mrs. Helewa seconded by Mr. deMontagnac the consent item A.2. failed by a 4-5 roll-call vote. Four board members (Ms. Campos, Mr. deMontagnac, Mrs. Helewa and Mr. Sena) voted for motion A.2., while Mrs. Allocco, Ms. DeNourie, Mrs. DiMaggio, Dr. Schiller and Mr. Steier voted against the motion.

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 September 17, 2015.

A.2. Overnight Trips - MOTION FAILED

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Warren Middle School overnight trips as follows:

a. Grade 8 Historical Trip to Camden and Philadelphia, June 2 - 3, 2015.

b. Grade 7 Environmental Trip to Fairview Lakes YMCA Camp, June 2 - June 3, 2015.

A.3. QSAC

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the QSAC Statement of Assurance for submission to the Department of Education.

A.4. Contracted Services

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Assistive Technology Training by Assistive Tek, LLC, for Student #7472966086, at a cost not to exceed $500.

A.5. Community Based Instructional Field Trip

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Warren Middle School LLD class, community based instructional field trips on September 25, 2015, December 18, 2015, March 3, 2016 and May 20, 2016, at a cost not to exceed $850.

B. Finance/Operations/Transportation

B.1. Payment of Bills

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the payment of bills for the month of September 2015 in the amount of $2,759,246.93.

B.2. 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
Alexis Sacks	CS	School Health Conference	Somerset	Oct 2015	$175
Catherine Lazas	MS	Needs of Students with Dyslexia	Somerset	Oct 2015	$330
Patsy Iannacone	CS	Needs of Students with Dyslexia	Somerset	Oct 2015	$230
Linda Yu	MS	Needs of Students with Dyslexia	Somerset	Oct 2015	$230
Jessica Halpern	MS	Needs of Students with Dyslexia	Somerset	Oct 2015	$230
Mary Lynch	ALT	NJ Science Convention	Princeton	Oct 2015	$175
Suzanne Aldrich	MS	School Based SLPs	West Orange	Dec 2015	$419
Christine Cirrotti	MS	Rutgers Literacy Conference	New Brunswick	Oct 2015	$180
Dannine Albanese	MS	Rutgers Literacy Conference	New Brunswick	Oct 2015	$180
Gina Cocivera-Wright	MH	Rutgers Literacy Conference	New Brunswick	Oct 2015	$180

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.3. 2015 Safety Grant Increase

RESOLVED, the Board of Education accepts the increased 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, now in the amount of $4,000, is for the period of July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

B.4. Sale of Obsolete Items

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education declares as obsolete the following items:

• 14 Datamation laptop Safes

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the sale of the listed equipment in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:18A:45 – Sale of Property.

B.5. District 2016-2017 Budget Calendar

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the 2016-2017 District Budget Process calendar dated September 20, 2015.

B.6. Donations - Somerset County Municipal Youth Services Commission

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts, with gratitude the following donations from the Somerset County Municipal Youth Services Commission for Warren Middle School:

a. $2,500, to be utilized for the Lunch-Time Mentors Program provided by the staff of Middle Earth.

b. $1,000, to be utilized for the Student Leadership Program.

C. Personnel/Student Services

C.1. Employment for the 2015-2016 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. Maxine Dornfeld, transfer from Classroom Paraprofessional, Woodland School, to Classroom Paraprofessional, Mt. Horeb School, effective September 1, 2015 through September 27, 2015, followed by transfer to Classroom Paraprofessional, Warren Middle School, with no change in contracted hours and salary, effective September 28, 2015 through June 30, 2016. (She replaces Mrs. Harden at Middle.)

b. Carrie Grapstein, Bookkeeper/Payroll, District Office, increase from 23 hours to 37.5 hours, for a salary of $57,572.28 (prorated), effective October 1, 2015 through February 28, 2016.

c. Amanda Gordon, Elementary Teacher, Angelo L. Tomaso School, MS, Step 1 of the 2015-2016 salary guide, $62,337 (prorated), effective on September 22, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

d. Salvatore Morelli, Jr., Leave Replacement Teacher, Angelo L. Tomaso School, BS, Step 1 of the 2015-2016 salary guide, $56,670 (prorated), effective on or about October 26, 2015 through on or about March 18, 2016. (He will be a LRT for Employee #0792.)

e. Spencer Adriaanse, Leave Replacement Maintenance/Custodian, Middle, $31,750 (prorated), effective September 22, 2015 through on or about January 31, 2016. (He is leave replacement for Employee #1191.)

C.2. Substitute Teachers

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following to be appointed as substitute teachers for the 2015-2016 school year:

a. Amanda Fish

b. Denise Greller

c. Jack Meyers

C.3. Movement on the Guide

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff for amended placements on the 2015-2016 salary guide:

a. Andrew Ahimovic, with congratulations, for movement from BA+15 to MA, effective September 1, 2015.

b. Nicole Evins, with congratulations, for movement from MA+30 to MA+45, effective September 1, 2015.

c. Catherine Lazas, with congratulations, for movement from MA to MA+15, effective September 1, 2015.

d. Myranda Shimko, with congratulations, for movement from MA+15 to MA+30, effective September 1, 2015.

e. Jill Ziobro, with congratulations, for movement from BA+15 to MA, effective September 1, 2015.

C.4. Family Leave Request

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following:

a. Employee #2042 for leave (paid and unpaid according to legal and contractual entitlement) under FMLA/NJFLA, from on or about January 6, 2016 through on or about May 13, 2016, with an anticipated return date of May 16, 2016.

C.5. Retirement/Resignation

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the retirement/resignations of the following staff:

a. Mona Harden, Classroom Paraprofessional, Warren Middle School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for her 12 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective September 30, 2015.

b. Pamela Suggs, Classroom Paraprofessional, Mount Horeb School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for her 16 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective September 30, 2015.

C.6. Winter/Spring Coaching Stipends - Warren Middle School

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the appointment of the following coaches for the 2015-2016 school year:

Winter:

a. Girls Basketball, Laura Lamson - $3,360

b. Boys Basketball, Peter Kassalow - $3,360

c. Cheerleading, Shannon O’Shea - $2,900

Spring:

a. Girls Softball - Debra Granrath - $2,900

b. Boys Baseball, David Arnold - $2,900

c. Track, Donna Bardy - $2,200

d. Track, Carolyn McCloskey - $2,200

e. Track, Bob Hartshorn - $2,200

C.7. Basketball Supervisor

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves David Arnold to serve as Basketball Supervisor during the 2015-2016 school year, at a rate of $40 per hour, not to exceed 50 hours.

C.8. After School Activities/Clubs

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the 2015-2016 after school activities/clubs, and the instructors for each, at the negotiated stipend rate.

C.9. Long Term Substitute

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves Salvatore Morelli, Jr. as a Long Term Substitute, effective September 22, 2015 through on or about October 23, 2015. (Mr. Morelli will be in the classroom with Employee #0792.)

C.10. Warren Middle School Musical

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following personnel and stipends in support of the Warren Middle School production:

a. Director, Diane McCloskey, at a stipend amount of $2,640.

b. Production Manager, Bev MacGorman, at a stipend amount of $2,640.

c. Assistant Director, TBD, at a stipend amount of $1,430.

d. Stage/Sound, Joel Van Tine, at a stipend amount of $1,430.

e. Set Designer, Susan Sage, at a stipend amount of $1,430.

f. Choreographer, Jennifer Roberts, at a stipend amount of $1,430.

C.11. Temporary Leave of Absence

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves a temporary leave of absence for the following staff:

a. Emily Puhak, Classroom Paraprofessional, Warren Middle School, effective September 1, 2015 through December 23, 2015, unpaid without benefits, with an expected return date of January 4, 2016. (Ms. Puhak will be student teaching during this time.)

b. Carolyn Wells, Classroom Paraprofessional, Warren Middle School, effective January 4, 2016 through June 30, 2016, unpaid without benefits, with an expected return date of September 1, 2016. (Ms. Wells will be student teaching during this time.)

C.12. In-Service Presenters

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff members for an In-Service Presentation, on October 12th, at the WTEA contractual rate of $40 per hour, at a cost not to exceed $12,000:

Lynn Alger	Lindsay Chell	Colleen Krumm	Myranda Shimko
Nancy Andrews	Sean Convery	Susan Jackson	Beatrice Schwarzkopf
Fran Blabolil	Sue Cooper	Joe Larramendia	Kelly Stankiewicz
Anita Brower	Lynn Degen	Marianne Larson	Melissa Stoeckel
Kathy Brown	Mary Beth Greco	Kathy Lazas	Suzanne Wisher
Chris Burkhardt	Jessica Halpern	Rebecca Olszyk	Linda Yu
Cynthia Cassidy	Deb Hunt	Bonnie Pierson	Michelle Zgombic
Michelle Cebula	Peter Kassalow	Jola Scassera

D. Policy

D.1. Policies – First Reading

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the first reading of the following policy:

a. 5131.6 – Drugs, Alcohol, Steroids, Tobacco (Substance Abuse)

XII. Old Business

Middle School Trips - The board discussed their concerns and the options for these trips now that the motion supporting the trips was defeated. Considerable discussion focused on funding.

In response to a request to allow for public input, Mrs. Helewa moved the motion:

RESOLVED that the Board of Education agrees to modify the agenda to insert a Public Commentary at this point in the meeting.

Motion was seconded by Mr. deMontagnac and passed by voice vote.

XIII. Public Commentary

Brenda Nemczek, Old Smalleytown Road, provided some additional information regarding the 7th and 8th grade class trips, including funding.

XIV. Old Business (Continued)

Middle School Trips - The board continued to discuss options for future funding of overnight trips.

On motion by Mrs. Allocco, second by Mr. deMontagnac, the Board approved Motion A.2

by 8-0-1 roll-call vote. (Mr. Steier abstained.)

On motion by Mrs. Allocco, second by Dr. Schiller, the board approved:

RESOLVED that the Board of Education commits to review funding for 2016-2017 and beyond overnight trips. Possible options include district funding.

by a 6-1-2 roll-call vote. (Mr. Sena voted no, and Mr. deMontagnac and Mr. Steier abstained.)

Mrs. DiMaggio left at 9:04 p.m.

Declining Enrollment Review Process - Dr. Nastus reviewed with the board the updated enrollment tracker. The board discussed the effect of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) requirements on potential district enrollment. It was reiterated that closing a school is just one option under discussion.

XV. New Business

Technology Communication - Mr. deMontagnac asked a question regarding student and teacher or coach communication in light of tonight’s presentation and board policy.

Nutrition & Wellness - The idea of a school nurse coming before the board to discuss food in the classroom was discussed. Also discussed was the creation of an ad hoc curriculum committee to discuss Field Trips, Chromebooks, and foods at parties.

Superintendent Search - Mrs. Helewa reported on the community input session for the superintendent search stated for September 28th. Mrs. Helewa will be attending.

Declining Enrollment Review Process - Ms. Campos asked for a recap of current status. Dr. Nastus reported that a packet of information will be distributed to BOE on October 6, with NJSBA to present on October 13. The board then discussed its prior decision to use NJSBA to facilitate the declining enrollments study.

Mr. Sena left at 9:46 p.m.

The board decided that the first step in this process would be to establish a plan of action for the review, they accepted Ms. Campos’ offer to create. Accordingly, the board decided to postpone NJSBA’s presentation planned for the board’s October 13th meeting.

XVI. Public Commentary

N/A

XVII. Adjourn

On motion by Mr. deMontagnac, seconded by Ms. Campos the meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.

Minutes recorded by

Patricia Leonhardt

Board Secretary