Warren Township Schools: Minutes for January 3, 2022

Minutes for January 3, 2022 Archived Minutes

A regular business meeting of the Board of Education was held this day at the Warren Middle School, 100 Old Stirling Road. The public was welcome to attend in person or virtually through the online Zoom platform. 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 Secretary Christopher Heagele

Open Public Meeting Statement – Mr. Heagele 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 6, 2021. This notice was on that date was posted on the Courier News, and TAP into Warren, all in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act.”

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

III. Election Results

For entry into the minutes, Mr. Heagele provided the Somerset County Clerk certified results of the Annual School Election, held on November 2, 2021:

Warren Township - Three (3) Three Year Board of Education Seats

● Daniel Croson

● Mehul Desai

● Ryan Valentino

IV. Oath of Office

● The Oath of Office was administered to Mr. Croson, Mr. Desai and Mr. Valentino by Mr. Heagele.

V. Roll Call

Present: Mark Bisci, David Breeze, Daniel Croson, Mehul Desai, Lisa DiMaggio,

Laura Keller, Ryan Valentino, Todd Weinstein, and Patricia Zohn

Absent:

Also Present: Dr. Matthew Mingle, Superintendent, Christopher Heagele, Board Secretary, and members of the public and press.

VI. Election of Board Officers

The nominations for Board President were opened by Mr. Heagele.

Mr. David Brezee was nominated by Mrs. Patricia Zohn. Seeing no other nominations, nominations were closed.

Mr. David Brezee was elected President with a 9-0 roll-call vote.

Board President Brezee presided over the remainder of the meeting.

The nominations for Board Vice President were opened by Board President Brezee.

Ms. Laura Keller was nominated by Mr. Todd Weinstein. Seeing no other nominations, nominations were closed.

Ms. Laura Keller was elected Vice President with a 9-0 vote.

VII. Annual Reorganization Action Items

On motion by Ms. Keller, seconded by Mrs. DiMaggio and approved by a 9-0/6-0-3 roll-call vote, the board approved reorganizational agenda items B.1., through B.3, C., through G.

(Mr. Croson, Mr. Desai and Mr. Valentino abstained on reorganizational agenda items A., B.4. and B.5.)

A. Policies

RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves adoption of current Board Policies & Bylaws for the Calendar Year 2022.

B. Service Appointments

RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the following:

1. The Echoes-Sentinel as the official school district newspaper for the Calendar Year 2022.

2. The Courier News and Star-Ledger as official alternate newspapers to be used in lieu of the Echoes-Sentinel, when necessary, for the Calendar Year 2022.

3. TAP into Warren and the Echoes-Sentinel (online version) as official electronic news sources for the Calendar Year 2022.

4. The appointment of Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC (non fair and open) as Board Attorneys for the Calendar Year 2022 at the following hourly rates:

a) $160 - Partner

b) $155 - Counsel

c) $150 - Associate

d) $90 - Law clerks and paralegals

at an approximate total cost not to exceed $64,000.

5. The appointment of Parette Somjen Architects, LLC as the architect of record (non fair and open) for the Calendar Year 2022, at an approximate total cost not to exceed $20,000, at the following hourly rates:

a) Principal $170

b) Partner $170

c) Director $160

d) Senior Associate $160

e) Associate $160

and additional rates and terms as specified in the contract.

C. Board Meeting Dates

RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the following list of meetings for the Calendar Year 2022:

WARREN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION

2022 MEETING SCHEDULE

(NOTE: All meetings will be held in person and virtually. All meetings are assumed to be held in the Library at the Middle School. All meetings are to be held on a Monday unless otherwise noted.)

DATE	TIME
January 3, 2022 REORGANIZATION	7:00 pm
January 24, 2022	7:00 pm
February 7, 2022	7:00 pm
February 28, 2022	7:00 pm
March 14, 2022	7:00 pm @ ALT
March 28, 2022	7:00 pm @ WS
April 11, 2022	7:00 pm @ MH
April 25, 2022	7:00 pm @ CS
May 23, 2022	7:00 pm
June 20, 2022	7:00 pm
July 18, 2022	4:00 pm
August 22, 2022	7:00 pm
September 19, 2022	7:00 pm
October 3, 2022	7:00 pm
October 17, 2022	7:00 pm
November 21, 2022	7:00 pm
December 19, 2022	7:00 pm
January 3, 2023 TUESDAY REORGANIZATION	7:00 pm

D. Board Member Code of Ethics

RESOLVED, the Board of Education acknowledges that each Board Member has received a copy of the Code of Ethics as follows:

1. I will uphold and enforce all laws, state board rules and regulations, and court orders pertaining to schools. Desired changes should be brought about only through legal and ethical procedures.

2. I will make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children and will seek to develop and maintain public schools which meet the individual needs of all children regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex or social standing.

3. I will confine my board action to policy making, planning, and appraisal and I will help to frame policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be affected by them.

4. I will carry out my responsibility, not to administer the schools, but, together with my fellow board members, to see that they are well run.

5. I will recognize that authority rests with the board of education and will make no personal promises nor take any private action which may compromise the board.

6. I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends.

7. I will hold confidential all matters pertaining to the schools which, if disclosed, would needlessly injure individuals or the schools. But in all other matters, I will provide accurate information and, in concert with my fellow board members, interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its schools.

8. I will vote to appoint the best qualified personnel available after consideration of the recommendation of the Superintendent.

9. I will support and protect school personnel in proper performance of their duties.

10. I will refer all complaints to the Superintendent and will act on such complaints at public meetings only after failure of an administrative solution.

E. District Mission Statement

RESOLVED, the Board of Education readopts the district’s mission statement as follows:

“The mission of the Warren Township School District is to provide, through a safe, nurturing yet challenging environment, all students with an outstanding education that engages students and fosters academic excellence, healthy social and emotional development, and a lifelong passion for learning.”

F. Appointments

1. The election of Lisa DiMaggio as Board Representative to the NJSBA Delegate Assembly for the Calendar Year 2022 and the election of Ryan Valentino as the alternate.

2. The election of Daniel Croson as the Board Representative to the Somerset County Educational Services Commission for the Calendar Year 2022 and the election of Laura Keller as the alternate.

3. The election of Ryan Valentino as Board Representative to the Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance Committee for the Calendar Year 2022 and the election of Lisa DiMaggio as the alternate.

4. The appointment of the Superintendent of Schools as the Board Representative to the Morris Union Jointure Commission Board of Education for the Calendar Year 2022.

5. The appointment of the Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education president as liaisons to the Warren Township committee.

G. 2022-2023 School Year Tuition Rates for Employees’ Children

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following as the 2022-2023 tuition rates for children of staff members.

● Kindergarten- Grade 8: $4,330

**********End of Reorganization Items**********

VIII. Minutes

● Ms. Keller moved the following:

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the public and executive session minutes of the December 20, 2021 Board Meeting.

The motion was seconded by Mrs. DiMaggio and approved by a 6-0-3 roll-call vote.

(Mr. Croson, Mr. Desai and Mr. Valentino abstained.)

IX. Correspondence and Information

· HIB Information

Total # of Investigations:			Total # of Determined Bullying Incidents:
	0			0

· Suspension Report

In School:			Out of School:
	0			0

· Fire Drills

ALT	Central	Mt. Horeb	Woodland	Middle
December 6	December 2	December 9	December 16	December 21

· Security Drills

ALT	Central	Mt. Horeb	Woodland	Middle
December 16	December 13	December 15	December 7	December 7
Shelter in Place	Shelter in Place	Shelter in Place	Shelter in Place	Shelter in Place

X. President's Remarks - Mr. David Brezee

Newly elected Board President Mr. Brezee welcomed the new board members.

Mr. Brezee thanked district staff for making today’s school opening after winter break very successful.

Mr. Brezee asked all Board members to provide him with their ranked committee preferences via email.

XI. Superintendent’s Remarks - Dr. Matthew Mingle

Dr. Mingle congratulated Mr. Brezee and Ms. Keller on their election as board leadership for the coming year.

Dr. Mingle welcomed the board’s three new members, Mr. Croson, Mr. Desai, and Mr. Valentino.

Dr. Mingle spoke about the Warren Township School response to the COVID-19 omicron variant. Dr. Mingle thanked all district staff and district partners for their assistance at school today. Dr. Mingle thanked all district school nurses and principals for their assistance with COVID case reporting and contact tracing over winter break.

Dr. Mingle outlined Warren Township School’s plan to maintain in-school operations during the current surge in COVID-19 cases.

XII. Presentations

None

XIII. Discussion

None

XIV. Committee Reports

None

XV. Public Commentary (agenda items only)

Note on public input at BOE meetings: Board Policy #0167, adopted on June 18, 2018, provides for public participation in Board of Education meetings. Such participation is governed by the following rules:

A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface comments by an announcement of his/her name, address, and group affiliation, if applicable;
Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three minutes’ duration. If necessary, the public comment portion of the meeting may be extended fifteen minutes with Board approval;
No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard;
All statements, questions, or inquiries shall be directed to the presiding officer and any questions or inquiries directed by a participant to another Board member shall be redirected to the presiding officer who shall determine if such statement, question, or inquiry shall be addressed by the presiding officer on behalf of the Board;
When the Board of Education is conducting its meetings either virtually or in a hybrid environment, members of the public may also submit comments no later than 9:00 AM the day of the board meeting via email to BA@warrentboe.org or hardcopy mail to the district office.

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).

None

XVI. Items for Board Consideration/Action

On motion by Ms. Keller, seconded by Mr. Croson, the consent items A.1., B.1., through B.3., and C.1., through C.8., were approved by a 9-0 roll-call vote.

The Superintendent recommends that it be:

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 December 20, 2021.

B. Finance/Operations/Transportation

B.1. Payment of Bills

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the payment of bills for the period December 21, 2021 through December 31, 2021 in the amount of $1,479,867.53.

B.2. Travel Approval

Whereas, in accordance with State of New Jersey School District Accountability Act (A-5) and the Warren Township Schools’ Policy 6471-School District Travel, 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
Michael Pate	Buildings and Grounds	ServSafe Manager Certification	Online	Feb 2022	$179
Michael Pate	Buildings and Grounds	New Jersey School Buildings and Grounds Association	Atlantic City, NJ	Mar 2022	$263

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

B.3. Travel Reimbursement Mileage Rate

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the reimbursement rate for district travel in a personal vehicle to be $0.35 per mile, per the New Jersey State Appropriations Act.

C. Personnel/Student Services

C.1. Employment for the 2021-2022 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 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., if applicable Staff members shall be paid in accordance with provisions in their collective bargaining agreement and/or in accordance with a schedule provided to all employees prior to the beginning of the contract or school year.

Name

Position/PCR

Location

Degree

Step

Salary

Effective Date

Tenure

Discussion

Christie Zomer*

Leave Replacement Teacher

$59,549

(prorated)

August 30, 2021 through

January 14, 2022

To replace employee #3059

*This motion supersedes the previous motion approved on August 23, 2021

C.2. Leave Request

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

Employee ID

Paid/Unpaid

#3059

FMLA - On or about June 4, 2021 through June 30, 2021(paid)

NJFLA - August 30, 2021 through November 19, 2021 (unpaid)

Extended Leave - November 20, 2021 through January 14, 2022 (unpaid)

(This motion supersedes the previous motion approved on August 23 2021)

C.3. Warren Middle School Musical

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

Name	Position	Cost
Kelly Backus	Director	$2,714
Michael Gasko	Assistant Director	$1,470
Beverly MacGorman	Production Manager	$2,714
Jennifer Ronkiewicz	Set Designer	$1,470
Joel VanTine	Stage & Sound Director	$1,470

C.4. Warren Staff Academy Courses Instructor Stipend 2021-2022

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following staff for reimbursement as an Instructor. Each instructor will be reimbursed at the WTEA contractual rate $50.00 per hour. The total cost shall not exceed $300.00.

Name	Course	Date	Prep Hours	Instructor Hours	Total Cost
Michelle Zgombic	Assistive Technology and Accessibility Tools	Apr 7 & 13, 2022	4	2	$300.00

C.5. Approval to Create Positions

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the creation of the following positions for 2021-2022 school year:

Location

Position

Full-Time Equivalent

District

Director of Operations

04-00-21/bmx

1.0

C.6. Approval to Abolish Positions

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the abolishment of the following positions for the 2021-2022 school year:

Location

Position

Full-Time Equivalent

District

Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds

04-00-21/bhx

1.0

C.7. Transfer/Change in Assignment

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the transfer/change in

assignment of the following district staff:

Name

Effective Date

From

Michael Pate

1/1/2022 - 6/30/2022

Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds

04-00-21/bmx

Director of Operations

C.8. Substitute Approval

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves all individuals listed as New Jersey Department of Education approved substitute teachers and nurses as district substitute teachers and nurses, pending receipt of all required paperwork.

XVII. Unfinished Business

None

XVIII. New Business

● Mr. Corson thanked Dr. Mingle and the Board for its support of the new members and thanked family, friends and the residents of Warren.

● Mr. Valentino thanked the Board and other supporters. He remarked that he would like to discuss the addition of School Resource Officers in schools.

● Mr. Desai thanked Warren voters for his appointment to the Board.

XIX. Public Commentary (any topic)

A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface comments by an announcement of his/her name, address, and group affiliation, if applicable;
Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three minutes’ duration. If necessary, the public comment portion of the meeting may be extended fifteen minutes with Board approval;
No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard;
All statements, questions, or inquiries shall be directed to the presiding officer and any questions or inquiries directed by a participant to another Board member shall be redirected to the presiding officer who shall determine if such statement, question, or inquiry shall be addressed by the presiding officer on behalf of the Board;

None

XX. Adjourn

On motion by Mr. Valentino, seconded by Mr. Croson, the meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.

Minutes submitted by,

Christopher Heagele

Board Secretary

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