Minutes for August 22, 2016History icon Archived Minutes

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A regular business meeting of the Board of Education was held this day at the Warren Middle 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 Tia Allocco.

Open Public Meeting Statement – Mrs. Allocco 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 5, 2016. 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 TAP into Warren, 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 – Mrs. Allocco led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.

III. Roll Call

Present: Celeste Campos, Len deMontagnac, Andrea Freijomil, Joan Schiller, Jim Sena

and Tia Allocco

Absent: Paige Albano and Kathy Helewa

Also Present: Dr. Matthew Mingle, Superintendent, Patricia Leonhardt, Board Secretary,

and members of the public and press.

Lisa DiMaggio arrived at 7:02 p.m.

IV. Minutes

Ms. Campos moved the following:

  • RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the public and private session minutes of August 8, 2016 Board Meeting.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Schiller and approved by 4-0-2 roll-call vote. (Ms. Campos and Mr. Sena abstained.)

V.Correspondence and Information

· HIB Information

Total # of Investigations:

 0

Total # of Determined Bullying Incidents:

 0

 

VI. President's Remarks – Tia Allocco

Mrs. Allocco thanked the staff for all the work done in preparation for the new year.

VII. Superintendent’s Remarks - Matt Mingle

Dr. Mingle recognized the district’s recently deceased staff member Wendy Rosenberg.

Dr. Mingle reported that the work schedule for all staff returns to normal the week of August 29.

Dr. Mingle reported on the following upcoming events: the Administrators Retreat (August 24 and 25), the New Teacher Induction Program (August 29 and 30), Staff return (September 1) and Student return (September 6).

Student documentation (bus routes, class schedules and assignments) will be sent electronically at the end of the day Thursday, August 25th.

Dr. Mingle also shared a Superintendent Coffee is scheduled for Wednesday, September 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the Board of Education Office.

Lastly, Dr. Mingle discussed the process for granting permission for a student to attend a school outside of their zone.

VIII. Committee Reports

N/A

IX. Discussion

N/A

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).

N/A

XI. Items for Board Consideration/Action

Mrs. Freijomil made a request regarding presentation of curriculum changes in the future.

On motion by Ms. Campos seconded by Mrs. Freijomil the consent items A.1. through A.5., B.1. through B.6., C.1. through C.11. and D.1., were approved by a 7-0 roll-call vote.

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 August 18, 2016.

A.2. Autism Class - Termination

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the elimination of

the Autism Class at Mount Horeb School, effective school year 2016-2017. Class elimination due to changing needs of students.

A.3. Out of Zone Request

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the out of zone request for the following student:

    1. Student #8035934794, Grade 4, to remain at Angelo L. Tomaso for the 2016-2017 school year. The student is moving to a home zoned for Central School. The district will not be responsible for transportation.

b. Student #1483198393, Grade 2, to remain at Angelo L. Tomaso for the 2016-2017 school year. The student is moving to a home zoned for Central School. The district will not be responsible for transportation.

c. Student #8125114971, Grade 5, to remain at Angelo L. Tomaso for the 2016-2017 school year. The student is moving to a home zoned for Mt. Horeb. The district will be responsible for transportation.

d. Student #2623157871, Grade 1, (sibling to student #8125114971 above) to remain at Angelo L. Tomaso for the 2016-2017 school year. The student is moving to a home zoned for Mt. Horeb. The district will be responsible for transportation.

A.4. ELL Curriculum Grade K-8

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the revised Grade K-8 ELL Curriculum.

A.5. Science Curriculum

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the revised Grade 6-8 Science Curriculum.

B. Finance/Operations/Transportation

B.1. Payment of Bills

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the payment of bills for the month of August 2016 in the amount of $1,921,988.87.

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

Michelle Wegener

ALT

NGSS Workshops

Branchburg

Sept and Dec 2016

$250.00

Anita Brower

WS

Identifying Struggling Readers

Somerset

Oct 2016

$190.00

Stephanie Cohen

CS

Conquer Math

Pompton Plains

Oct and Dec 2016, Jan, Feb and Mar 2017

$675.00

 

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. Transportation for Out of District Students

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the transportation contracts with Educational Services Commission of New Jersey and Somerset County Educational Services Commission for the 2016-2017 School year transportation for out of district students as follows:

Contractor

Student ID#

School

Cost

ESCNJ

1405701923

Cambridge

$32,992.50

SCESC

6440285665

Cedar Hill

$31,716.56

SCESC

8009989713

PG Chambers

$34,353.80

SCESC

7211419443

Jardine

$37,440.00

B.4. Transportation Contract for Out of District Student - Berkeley Heights

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the transportation contract with Berkeley Heights School District for the transportation of their student for the 2016-2017 School Year as follows:

Contractor

District

School

Cost

Warren

Berkeley Heights

DLC

$5,393.07

B.5. Transportation Contract for Out-of-District Students – WHRHS

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the transportation contract with Watchung Hills Regional High School for the transportation of their students for the 2016-2017 School Year as follows:

Contractor

District

School

Cost

Warren

WHRHS

WH1

$8,250.44

Warren

WHRHS

WH2

$5,003.56

Warren

WHRHS

Special Ed trips

$9,154.70

B.6. Transportation for Out of District Student

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the transportation contracts with Union County Educational Services Commission for the 2016-2017 School year transportation for out of district student as follows:

Contractor

Student ID#

School

Cost

UCESC

1794155813

Horizon

$52,706.16

C. Personnel/Student Services

C.1. Movement on the Guide

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff for amended placements on the 2016-2017 salary guide:

a. Carla Annese, with congratulations, for movement from MA+15 to MA+30, effective September 1, 2016.

b. Gina Banks, with congratulations, for movement from BA+15 to Masters, effective September 1, 2016.

c. Nicholas Bayachek, with congratulations, for movement from BA+15 to Masters, effective September 1, 2016.

C.2. Offers of Employment

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to extend offers of employment for which there may be a vacancy or which are predicated by enrollment numbers between August 23, 2016 and September 6, 2016, subject to ratification by the Board at its September 6, 2016 meeting.

C.3. Organizational Chart

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the revised organizational chart, dated August 22, 2016.

C.4. Retirement/Resignation

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

a. Alexis Sacks, School Nurse, Central School, for the purpose of resignation, with appreciation for her 5 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective October 15, 2016.

b. Cathleen Gavin, Paraprofessional, Mt. Horeb School, for the purpose of resignation, with appreciation for her 9 years of service to the Warren Township students, effective September 18, 2016.

c. Kaitlyn Brown, Paraprofessional, Angelo L. Tomaso School, for the purpose of resignation, with appreciation for her two years of service to the Warren Township students, effective September 17, 2016.

d. Rabieb Manteria, Custodian, Middle School, for the purpose of retirement, with appreciation for her 15 years of service to the Warren Township School District, effective October 1, 2016.

C.5. Substitute Teachers

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the list of substitute teachers, dated August 17, 2016, for the 2016-2017 school year.

C.6. New Teacher Induction Program Mentors

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the reimbursement of the following employees for their participation as mentors in the New Teacher Induction Program orientation for 5.5 hours on August 30, 2016, at the WTEA contractual rate of $40 per hour per employee for a total not to exceed $1,980.

    • Hildegarde Jackson
    • Jennifer McMahon
    • Laura Rodaman
    • Christine Rzasa
    • Brenda Sasso
    • Kelly Stankiewicz
    • Joan Toth
    • Carolyn McCloskey
    • Leslie Ortega

C.7. New Teacher Induction Program - Presenter

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves Sean Convery for the New Teacher Induction Program orientation on August 30, 2016, at the WTEA contractual rate of $40 per hour, for three hours, at a cost not to exceed $120.

C.8. 2016-2017 September Opening Day Inservice

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff for the

2016-2017 September Opening Days, at the WTEA contractual rate of $40

per hour, at a cost not to exceed $1,200:

    • Lynn Alger
    • Cynthia Cassidy
    • Michelle Cebula
    • Sean Convery
    • Melissa Stoeckel

C.9. Approval of Merit Goals 2016-2017 - Superintendent

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following Superintendent’s merit goals for 2016-2017:

    • Quantitative: 3.33% per goal

Improve communication with stakeholders.

Improve outcomes related to staff recruitment and hiring.

Receive at least one state or national award for district work.

    • Qualitative: 2.5% per goal

Connect district goals with the Whole Child approach to education.

Recommend a plan to address effects of declining enrollment.

C.10. Approval of 2015-16 Merit Goals Payment - Business Administrator

Whereas, on August 10, 2015, pursuant to NJAC 6A:23A-3.1 and its contract with the Business Administrator, the Board of Education established two qualitative criteria and associated merit bonuses for the Business Administrator for the 2015-2016 school year, and

Whereas, the Board of Education has now reviewed indicators of the achievement of those goals, now, therefore, be it

Resolved, the Board of Education makes the following determinations and directs that its determinations be submitted to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools for approval before payment as required by law:

Qualitative Criteria

Status

Merit Bonus Amount

1) Successful management of seven ROD Grants, culminating in SDA acknowledgement of acceptance of all required documentation.

__ Achieved

X Partially Achieved

__ Not Achieved

2.44% percent of base salary

2.) Provide extensive Business Administrator support, including but not limited to financial, physical and transportation analyses, for district study of response to declining student enrollment.

X Achieved

__ Partially Achieved

__ Not Achieved

2.5% percent of base salary

C.11. Employment for the 2016-2017 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 2016-2017 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. Rosalia Lopa, World Language Teacher, Woodland School, BA, Step 5-7, of the 2016-2017 salary guide, $59,600, effective September 1, 2016 (or when released by current district) through June 30, 2017.

D. Policy

D.1. Policies – Second Reading

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the second and final reading of the following policies:

a. Policy 4212.8 - Nepotism

b. Policy 5141.22 - Medical Marijuana

c. Policy 3570 - District Records and Reports

 XII. Old Business

  • Class Size - Mrs. DiMaggio discussed some concerns regarding class size, which arose during her committee’s STEEP work.
  • Additionally, the Board discussed distribution of each STEEP committee’s executive summary.

XIII. New Business

  • School Communication - The benefit of standardization of communication at the school level was addressed by Mrs. Freijomil.
  • Enrollment - Mr. deMontagnac asked a question regarding pre-school enrollment.

XIV. Public Commentary - NA

XV. Adjourn

On motion by Ms. Campos, seconded by Mrs. DiMaggio, the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Minutes submitted by

Patricia Leonhardt

Board Secretary