Minutes for May 11, 2026
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 6:30 p.m. by Board Secretary Christopher Heagele.
Re: Chapter 231 P.L. 1975: “The adequate notice of this regular meeting as required by the Open Public Meetings Act was provided on January 6, 2026. This notice was on that date posted on the bulletin board in the Township Office and the Board of Education Administrative Office, posted on the Board of Education district website, 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. Heagele led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
III. Roll Call
Present: Kevin Brotspies, Nicole Dalton, Bridget Granholm, Laura Keller,
and Patricia Zohn
Absent: Richard Molfetta, Stephen Toor, Ryan Valentino and Todd Weinstein
Also Present: Dr. Matthew Mingle, Superintendent, Christopher Heagele, Board Secretary, and members of the public and press.
IV. Executive Session
● At 6:32 p.m. Ms. Keller moved the following:
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:
● specific prospective or current employees unless all who could be adversely affected request an open session
Action will 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 Mrs. Granholm and approved by a 5-0 roll-call vote.
On motion by Ms. Keller, seconded by Mrs. Granholm, the Board reconvened in open session at 6:45 p.m.
V. Minutes
● Ms. Keller moved the following:
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the public minutes of the April 27, 2026 Board Meeting.
The motion was seconded by Mrs. Granholm and approved by a 5-0 roll-call vote.
V. Correspondence and Information
● Dr. Mingle reported on suspensions, HIBs and correspondence.
· HIB Information
|
Total # of Investigations: |
Total # of Determined Bullying Incidents: |
|||
|
1 |
1 |
· Suspension Report
|
In School: |
Out of School: |
|||
|
3 |
0 |
· Fire Drills
| ALT | Central | Mt. Horeb | Woodland | Middle |
| April 27 | April 15 | April 22 | April 16 | April 24 |
· Security Drills
| ALT | Central | Mt. Horeb | Woodland | Middle |
| April 28 | April 02 | April 22 | April 14 | April 28 |
| Lockdown | Hold in Place | Lockdown | Hold in Place | Lockdown |
VI. President's Remarks – Mrs. Patricia Zohn
● Mrs. Zohn report on:
○ Thanked grantors for their generosity (B.7. and B.8.)
○ Acknowledged that the Board added Heather Trumpore to the Planning ForGrowth Working Group.
○ Informed that she attended the NJSBA Somerset County meeting. The Watchung Borough Board was recognized, and congratulated them on their achievement.
VII. Superintendent’s Remarks – Dr. Matthew Mingle
● Dr. Mingle reported on:
○ Thanks Katherine Gorski and the Business Office on the contract work necessary to be prepared for this evening’s meeting.
○ Congratulations to Warren Middle School students for being recognized for extraordinary performance in history and water conversation.
○ Welcoming Mrs. Casey Capelli as the district’s choice for the next Central School principal.
VIII. Presentations
● Governor’s Educator of the Year Award Recognition - The school principals introduced this year’s district’s 2025-2026 Governor’s Educator of the Year Awards recipients as follows:
❏ Classroom Teacher Recipients
Angelo L. Tomaso - Mariana Arango, Special Education Teacher
Central - Sarah Scalea, Grade 1 Teacher
Mt. Horeb - Andrea McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
Woodland - Jessica Mironski, Special Education Teacher
Middle - Donna Bardy, Special Education Teacher
❏ Educational Services Professional Recipients
Angelo L. Tomaso - Josephine Maccagnan, Paraprofessional
Central - Erica Bell, Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant
Mt. Horeb - Sara Callahan, Social Worker
Woodland - Lisa Coppola, Reading Specialist
Middle - Lauren Systo, School Counselor
● Unsung Superhero in Education Award Recognition - Mr. Villar and Ms. Mensinger recognized:
❏ Unsung Superhero in Education Award Program
Phil Shimko, Head Custodian at Middle
IX. Discussion
None
X. Reports of Board Members Appointed to External Assignments
● New Jersey School Board Association Delegate Assembly
○ Stephen Toor, and Patricia Zohn - Alternate
■ Mrs. Zohn reported that she and Mr. Toor will attend the delegate assembly.
● Somerset County Educational Services Commission
○ Nicole Dalton and Bridget Granholm - Alternate
● Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance Committee
○ Richard Molfetta and Ryan Valentino - Alternate
● Warren Township Opioid Advisory Committee
○ Kevin Brotspies
● Warren Township Mayor’s Wellness Committee
○ Laura Keller
XI. Committee Reports
● Curriculum and Technology Committee - April 27, 2026 - Deferred
○ Stephen Toor - Chair, Kevin Brotspies, Todd Weinstein, Bridget Granholm - Alternate
● Finance, Operations, and Security Committee - May 4, 2026
○ Patricia Zohn - Chair, Rich Molfetta, Ryan Valentino, Kevin Brotspies - Alternate
■ Mrs. Zohn reported that the Finance Committee met on May 4 to discuss the Warren Middle School Security vestibule.
● Personnel, Negotiations, and Communication Committee - No Meeting
○ Laura Keller - Chair, Nicole Dalton, Bridget Granholm, Todd Weinstein - Alternate
● Planning for Growth Working Group - April 29, 2026
○ Laura Keller - Chair, Patricia Zohn, Kevin Brotspies
■ Ms. Keller reported that the Planning for Growth Working Group met on April 29 to discuss three school models. She reported that the current school model is not sustainable and has been eliminated from further consideration. A detailed presentation will be made at the June meeting.
XII. 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;
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).
The Board of Education welcomes and encourages input from the public. Being mindful of privacy rights regarding students and board employees and to avoid any potential liability on the part of the speaker, the board discourages references to specific individuals. While directing your comments or questions to the board president, please understand that the public comment portions of the meeting are not structured as question and answer sessions but rather are offered as opportunities for you to share your thoughts with the board. The board president may need to refer an issue to the superintendent if the particular issue has not been handled through the appropriate chain of command with the school district. However, responses may be provided at the end of this session. There are times when comments and questions will require additional fact gathering before a response is provided.
● Philip Jones, WTEA Vice President - congratulated the award winners of the Governor’s Educator of the Year recognition. Also thanked the board for its work with the Planning for Growth Working Group work.
On motion by Mr. Brotspies to close public commentary, seconded by Ms. Keller, the motion was approved by a 5-0 voice vote.
XIII. Items for Board Consideration/Action
On motion by Ms. Keller, seconded by Mrs. Dalton the consent items A.1., B.1., through B.8., and C.1., through C.21.,were approved by a 5-0 roll-call vote.
The Superintendent recommends that it be:
A. Education
A.1. HIB Report
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts the HIB Report submitted by the Superintendent for the period ending on April 27, 2026.
B. Finance/Operations/Transportation
B.1. Payment of Bills
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the payment of bills for the month of May 2026 in the amount of $3,171,525.39.
B.2. Tax Payment Schedule for 2026-2027 School Year
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following tax payment schedule for 2026-2027 from the Township of Warren:
|
Tax Payment Schedule 2026-2027 |
||||
|
Wednesday, July 01, 2026 |
$1,500,000 |
Monday, January 04, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 |
$1,500,000 |
Monday, February 01, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Monday, August 03, 2026 |
$1,500,000 |
Monday, March 01, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Monday, August 17, 2026 |
$1,500,000 |
Thursday, April 01, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Tuesday, September 01, 2026 |
$3,000,000 |
Monday, May 03, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 |
$3,000,000 |
Tuesday, June 01, 2027 |
$4,431,622 |
|
|
Thursday, October 01, 2026 |
$4,863,245 |
|||
|
Monday, November 02, 2026 |
$4,863,244 |
|||
|
Tuesday, December 01, 2026 |
$4,863,244 |
|||
B.3. 2026-2027 Custodial Charges for Building Usage
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following rates for the billing of custodial charges for the groups that use our buildings:
|
Custodial Time |
Amount |
|
Straight time |
$35.00 per hour |
|
Time and a half |
$52.50 per hour |
|
Double time |
$70.00 per hour |
B.4. Sale and/or Disposition of Obsolete Textbooks
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the sale and/or disposition of obsolete textbooks as determined by the Assistant Superintendent.
B.5. 2026-2027 School Year Tuition Rates
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following as the 2026-2027 tuition rates.
|
Grades |
Tuition Rates |
|
Kindergarten |
$26.415 |
|
Grades 1-5 |
$27,645 |
|
Grades 6-8 |
$27,319 |
B.6. 2026-2027 School Year Tuition Rates for Employees’ Children
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following as the 2026-2027 tuition rates for children of staff members.
● Kindergarten to Grade 8: $4,781.00
B.7. Acceptance of Donation
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts, with sincere gratitude, a donation from Chevron via Ms. Elizabeth Fradkin in the amount of $2,500 for the purchase of special education materials for Central School.
B.8. Acceptance of Donation
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts, with sincere gratitude, a donation in the amount of $5,000 from Mr. Kumar Bhavanasi for the purchase of cafeteria tables at Angelo L. Tomaso School.
C. Personnel/Student Services
C.1. Employment for the 2026-2027 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 |
Location |
Degree |
Step |
Salary |
Effective Date |
Tenure |
Discussion |
|
Casey Cupelli |
Principal |
CS |
N/A |
N/A |
$158,000 |
July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027 |
Yes |
Replacing Employee #3106 |
|
Danielle Lader |
Special Education Teacher - Leave Replacement |
MTH |
MA |
5 |
$76,100 |
August 31, 2026, through January 26, 2027 |
No |
Replacing Employee #2691 |
C.2. Long Term Substitute
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following Long Term Substitutes for 2025-2026 school year:
|
Name |
Dates |
Employee # |
|
Isabella Lembo |
On or about May 14, 2026, through June 30, 2026 |
#3649 |
|
Maureen Schroeder |
May 6, 2026, through June 30, 2026 |
#3214 |
C.3. Substitute Teachers
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following to be appointed as substitute teachers for the 2025-2026 school year.
|
Names |
|
|
Jennifer Rizzo |
Isabella Lembo |
|
Zorica Gooding |
Haylie Billerman |
C.4. Employment Contract - Business Administrator
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the contract of employment dated May 11, 2026 between the Warren Township Board of Education and Mr. Christopher Heagele for the position of Business Administrator for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A copy of this contract is on file at the Board of Education office.
C.5. Employment Contract - Assistant Superintendent
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the contract of employment dated May 11, 2026 between the Warren Township Board of Education and Mr. William Kimmick for the position of Assistant Superintendent for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A copy of this contract is on file at the Board of Education office.
C.6. Employment Contract - Director of Operations
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the contract of employment dated May 11, 2026 between the Warren Township Board of Education and Mr. Michael Pate for the position of Director of Operations for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A copy of this contract is on file at the Board of Education office.
C.7. Employment Contract - Director of Special Services
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the contract of employment dated May 11, 2026 between the Warren Township Board of Education and Mrs. Molly Lange for the position of Director of Special Services for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A copy of this contract is on file at the Board of Education office.
C.8. Leave Request
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following leave requests:
|
Employee ID |
Paid/Unpaid |
|
#3599 |
FMLA - September 14, 2026, through October 21, 2026 (Paid) FMLA - October 22, 2026, through November 6, 2026 (Unpaid) NJFLA - November 9, 2026, through February 5, 2027 (Unpaid) |
|
#2276 |
FMLA - August 31, 2026, through September 11, 2026 (Paid) NJFLA - September 14, 2026, through December 4, 2026 (Unpaid) Extended Leave - December 7, 2026, through January 1, 2027 (Unpaid) |
|
#3247 |
FMLA - August 31, 2026, through September 18, 2026 (Paid) NJFLA - September 21, 2026, through December 11, 2026 (Unpaid) |
|
#3214 |
FMLA - April 14, 2026, through May 15 (AM), 2026 (Paid) FMLA - May 15 (PM), 2026, through June 30, 2026 (Unpaid) NJFLA August 31, 2026, through November 20, 2026 (Unpaid) (This motion supersedes the previous motion approved on March 23, 2026) |
|
#2041 |
FMLA - May 5, 2026, through May 15, 2026 (Paid) |
C.9. Appointment of WTAA, WTEA-eligible and Unaffiliated Staff 2026-2027 School Year
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the list of WTAA, WTEA-eligible and Unaffiliated staff employment, dated May 11, 2026, for the 2026-2027 school year.
C.10. Appointment of Summer Fun 2026 Staff
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the list of Summer Fun 2026 staff, dated May 7, 2026.
C.11. 2026-2027 Summer Transportation Staff
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves transportation drivers and monitors at their 2026-2027 hourly rate, as needed during the Summer 2026 for transportation department needs (student transport and mail).
C.12. Multi-Duty Paraprofessional Extended Work Schedule Summer 2026
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves an extended work schedule, to a maximum of five days total per school during Summer 2026, at the employee’s per diem rate, as follows:
|
Name |
Position |
School |
Amount |
|
Carmella Motyczka |
Multi-Duty Paraprofessional |
CS |
Not to exceed $1,020 |
|
Maureen Holland |
Multi-Duty Paraprofessional |
MTH |
Not to exceed $895 |
|
Susan Francione |
Multi-Duty Paraprofessional |
WS |
Not to exceed $910 |
|
Gabrielle Alirangues |
Multi-Duty Paraprofessional |
ALT |
Not to exceed $770 |
C.13. Summer Work - Special Services Department
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves district staff to conduct summer evaluations, therapy hours (in-district), scheduling and IEP meetings at a cost not to exceed $96,000.
C.14. 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 |
To |
Base Salary |
Stipend |
Total Salary |
Notes |
|
Linda Hatcher |
May 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026 |
Paraprofessional (30 hours) MTH |
Paraprofessional (30 hours) MTH |
$32,325 |
$2,000 |
$34,325 |
Stipend added |
|
Lindsay Kenny |
June 15, 2026 through June 30, 2026 |
Grade 1 Teacher (MTH) |
Special Education Teacher (ALT) |
$91,424 |
$0 |
$91,424 |
Replacing Employee #3399 |
|
Samantha Hammerton |
June 15, 2026 through June 30, 2026 |
Special Education Teacher (ALT) |
Grade 1 Teacher (MTH) |
78,212 |
$0 |
78,212 |
Replacing Employee #3147 |
C.15. Approval to Create Positions
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the creation of the following positions for 2026-2027 school year.
|
Location |
Position |
Full-Time Equivalent |
|
CS |
1:1 Paraprofessional (32.5 Hours) |
1.0 |
|
WMS |
Special Education Teacher |
1.0 |
C.16. Approval to Abolish Positions
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves to abolish the following positions for the 2026-2027 school year:
|
Location |
Position |
Full-Time Equivalent |
|
ALT |
1:1 Paraprofessional (32.5 Hours) |
1.0 |
|
WMS |
ASAP |
0.5 |
|
WMS |
Special Education Teacher |
0.5 |
|
ALT |
Special Education Teacher |
1.0 |
|
MTH |
1:1 Paraprofessional (30 Hours) |
1.0 |
C.17. Substitute Custodian
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following to be appointed as substitute custodian for the 2025-2026 school year.
|
Name |
|
Nicholas Valenti |
C.18. Special Education Service Provider List
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following Service Provider rate changes for the 2026-2027 school year:
|
Name |
Rate |
|
Pediatric Workshop |
$120/60 minutes, $100/45 minutes, $77/30 minutes - Physical Therapy, $375 per Physical Therapy Evaluation |
C.19. Approval to Create Positions
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby approves the creation of the following positions for 2025-2026 school year.
|
Location |
Position |
Full-Time Equivalent |
|
MTH |
1:1 Paraprofessional (30 hours) |
1.0 |
C.20. Employment for the 2025-2026 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 |
Location |
Degree |
Step |
Salary |
Effective Date |
Tenure |
Discussion |
|
Danielle Lader |
Special Education Teacher - Leave Replacement |
MTH |
MA |
6 |
$75,473 |
June 15, 2026, through June 30, 2026 |
No |
Replacing Employee #3399 |
C.21 Speech Therapist Independent Contract
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves a contract with Susan Bell, LLC, independent speech therapist contractor, to provide compensatory speech therapist services as a rate of $300/day.
XIV. Unfinished Business
● None
XV. New Business
● None
XVI. Public Commentary (any topic)
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;
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).
The Board of Education welcomes and encourages input from the public. Being mindful of privacy rights regarding students and board employees and to avoid any potential liability on the part of the speaker, the board discourages references to specific individuals. While directing your comments or questions to the board president, please understand that the public comment portions of the meeting are not structured as question and answer sessions but rather are offered as opportunities for you to share your thoughts with the board. The board president may need to refer an issue to the superintendent if the particular issue has not been handled through the appropriate chain of command with the school district. However, responses may be provided at the end of this session. There are times when comments and questions will require additional fact gathering before a response is provided.
On motion by Mrs. Granholm to close public commentary, seconded by Ms. Keller, the motion was approved by a 5-0 voice vote.
XVII. Adjourn
On motion by Mrs. Dalton, seconded by Ms. Keller the meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m.
Minutes submitted by,
Christopher Heagele
Board Secretary