Minutes for November 27, 2006History icon Archived Minutes

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A regular business meeting of the Board of Education was held this day in the Board of Education Administration Building, Mt. Horeb Road. The following is a record of that meeting.

I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by the Board Vice-President, Mrs. Spiller. .

OPEN PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT – Mrs. Spiller read the following statement:
In accordance with the provisions New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law, the Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be posted in the Board Office and in the Township Office, mailed to the Courier News and Echoes Sentinel, and filed with the Clerk of the Township of Warren.

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Mrs. Spiller led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.

III. ROLL CALL

Present: Susan Burman, Roberta Monahan, Dr. Gregory Przybylski, Mildred Spiller, Patricia Toubin, Gina Voorhees, and Kathleen Winter
Absent: Dr. Ellen Zimmerman arrived at 7:06 p.m.
Pamela Coley
Also Present: Dr. James Crisfield, Superintendent, Peter Daquila, School Business Administrator/Board Secretary, members of the public and press

IV. RECOGNITIONS
None

V. MINUTES
Mrs. Winter moved the following:
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the minutes of the following meeting as distributed:

November 13, 2006 public and private session

The motion was seconded by Dr. Przybylski and approved by 7-0 voice vote.

VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION
None

VII. PRESIDENT'S REMARKS
Mrs. Spiller reported that Pam Coley is out of town and left no comments.

VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Communications Committee
Mrs. Spiller reported that Mrs. Burman has resigned due to schedule conflicts. Arrangements are being made for coverage. Mrs. Monahan reported that the district survey will be discussed this evening.
Finance
Mrs. Monahan asked that the members gather at the end of the board meeting to discuss the budget process and choose a meeting date.
Personnel Committee
Dr. Zimmerman reported on the principal search at Mt. Horeb. The district is leaning towards an interim principal and to re-advertise with a start date of July 1, 2007.

IX. DISCUSSION
· Assessment of Kindergarten Program
Curriculum Supervisor Sondra Markman, ALT Principal Kathryn Bond, and Kindergarten Teacher Marlene Roth, presented the Kindergarten Assessment Program report. The BOE discussed the assessment through questions and answers with the presenters.

X. PUBLIC COMMENTARY
Patricia Zan asked about the district’s potential to look at the kindergarten cut off date and making the cut off earlier, perhaps August 31st.

X. ITEMS FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION/ACTION (CONSENT AGENDA)
Mrs. Voorhees moved, and Dr. Przybylski seconded, the following as a consent agenda:
The consent agenda was approved by unanimous 8-0 role-call vote.

A. Education

A.1. Outside Evaluator
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves Saint Barnabas Pediatric Developmental Center, Pediatric Specialties, as an outside evaluator, at a cost of $600 for an initial evaluation, when needed, for the 2006-2007 school year.

A.2. Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the Annual Update to the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement.
(The Agreement between education and law enforcement officials is approved on an annual basis. No changes to the original Agreement dated 1999 have been made.)

B. Finance/Operations/Transportation

B.1. Payment of Bills
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the payment of bills for November 2006 (023398-023560) in the amount of $1,612,309.80.

B.2. Somerset County United Way Grant
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts, with appreciation, the Somerset County United Way grant money awarded to Susan Cooper, Middle School, for an 8th grade E2 Service Leadership Program, in the amount of $400.

B.3. Acceptance of Watchung-Warren Rotary Club Donation
RESOLVED, the Board of Education accepts, with appreciation, the donation by the Watchung-Warren Rotary Club of dictionaries for all Warren third grade students in the amount of $1,280.

B.4. Acceptance of Woodland School PTO Donation
RESOLVED, the Board of Education accepts, with appreciation, the donation by the Woodland School PTO of the current school year's United Streaming contract in the amount of $1,196.

B.5 FirstEnergy Corporation NJ Mathematics, Science & Technology Education Grant
RESOLVED, the Board of Education accepts with appreciation the FirstEnergy Corporation's NJ Mathematics, Science & Technology Education Grant awarded to Debra Tambor in the amount of $350.00.

C. Personnel/Student Services

C.1. Employment for the 2006-2007 School Year
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the application for emergent hiring for the following positions for the 2006-2007 school year under the requirements of N.J.S.A. 18A:16-1 et seq., N.J.S.A. 18A:39-17 et seq., and N.J.S.A. 6-4.14 et seq., as listed below:
a) Carol Friend as interim principal at Mt. Horeb School for the period March 1, 2007 through the last day of school in June 2007 at a daily rate of $600.

C.2. Change of Assignment
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the change of assignment for Joyce Pekarsky, Classroom Paraprofessional, Mt. Horeb to include an additional 10 hours per week as a one on one aide at the Giving Nest for a total of 27.5 hours per week, effective December 4, 2006 through June 30, 2007.

C.3. Comprehensive Equity Plan Committee
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following Comprehensive Equity Plan Committee to conduct a needs assessment and develop a Comprehensive Equity Plan:

Jane Asch, Community Leader

Sondra Markman, BOE

Kathryn Bond, ALT

Roberta Monahan, BOE

Faye Brady, Middle School

Mary Ellen Roberts, Middle School

James Crisfield, BOE

Helen Scully, Central School

Peter Daquila, BOE

Mary Sfiris, Middle School

Chris Huss, Middle School

Laura Weitzman, BOE

Midge Johnson, Middle School

Jill Zimmer, Central School

C.4. Amendment on Salary Guide
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following amended placements on the teachers' negotiated salary guide effective November 1, 2006:
a) Stefanie Azzari from BA to BA+15 (remaining at step 4).
b) Mary Pat Maxwell from BA to BA+15 (remaining at step 10).

C.5. Extension of Maternity Leave Contracts
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves the extension of the following maternity leave contracts:
a) Sonal Mishra, Grade 4 Teacher, Mt. Horeb School, so that her contract reads September 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. Placement remains the same.
b) Christine Burkhardt, Special Education Teacher, Central and Mt. Horeb Schools, so that her contract reads September 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. Placement remains the same.

C.6. After School Activity/Club Aide
RESOLVED, the Board of Education approves Pamela Schmidt (WHRHS student) to serve as a 1:1 aide for one student (ID#0000248) once per week at the after school Library Club, Woodland School, at a cost of $10 per meeting, retroactive from October 1, 2006 through May 30, 2007. The cost is not to exceed $400 for the school year.

C.7. Substitute Teachers
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the following Substitute Teachers for the 2006-2007 school year:
a) Alyssa Kibaner
b) Kate Murphy

C.8. Home Instructor
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves Debbie Weiner to serve as a home instructor on an as needed basis for the 2006-2007 school year.

XII. PUBLIC COMMENTARY
None

XIII. OLD BUSINESS
  • Guidance/TAP updates from principals - Schedule?
    Dr. Crisfield spoke on the minor changes/enhancements to the discussions on Guidance/TAP programs for the December meeting.
  • Central School Building Plaque - Final Version
    The board approved the plaque as presented.
  • Policies
    Mrs. Winter asked that the three safety policies be reviewed.
  • Nurses Report
    Mrs. Winter asked why there were 50 accident reports at Middle School in October.

XIV. NEW BUSINESS
Dr. Crisfield discussed the 2006 NJ Middle School Risk & Protective Factor Survey. Dr. Crisfield will obtain additional information.

XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION:

At 8:25 p.m. Mrs. Winter 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:

  1. a matter rendered confidential by federal or state law
  2. pending or anticipated litigation or contract negotiation and/or matters of attorney-client privilege
  3. a matter in which release of information would impair the right to receive government funds
  4. material the disclosure of which constitutes an unwarranted invasion of individual privacy
  5. a collective bargaining agreement and/or negotiations related to it
  6. a matter involving the purchase, lease, or acquisition of real property with public funds
  7. protection of public safety and property and/or investigations of possible violations or violations of law
  8. specific prospective or current employees unless all who could be adversely affected request an open session
  9. deliberation after a public hearing that could result in a civil penalty or other loss
    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. Burman and approved by unanimous voice vote.

On motion by Dr. Przybylski and seconded by Mrs. Winter, the Board reconvened in open session at 8:40 p.m.

XVI. ADJOURNMENT: On motion by Dr. Przybylski, seconded by Mrs. Winter, the meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

Minutes recorded by:

Peter Daquila, Board Secretary