THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2025

MEETING AGENDA

of the Metuchen Board of Education

Metuchen High School

400 Grove Avenue

Metuchen, NJ  08840

1. Call to Order

2. Flag Salute

3. Notice of Meeting

I hereby make this statement to indicate compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act known as Chapter 231 of the Public Laws of New Jersey, 1975, which became effective 90 days after enactment, January 19, 1976.

Notice of this meeting was given by providing the location, time and date of this meeting, and posting of the same on the front door of the Board of Education offices, by delivering copies to the Borough Hall and the Metuchen Public Library, The Home News and Tribune, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.

4. Roll Call

5.    Showcase of Success

❖    New Teachers

❖    Student Advisory Board 

❖    Winter Sport Champions

MHS Girls Track Team 

Blue Division Relay Champions

Blue Division Team Champions

Central Jersey Group I Sectional Champions 

Ella Andersen

Kadijata Bah

Olivia Barry

Makenna Bruns

Sophia De La Cruz

Gianna Hernandez

Kaitlyn Hsueh

Sarah Hyman

Carol Johnson-Fish

Sabrina Kandel

Julia Kelly

Sally Kelton

Lucy Ongteco

Lola Petro

Ella Regan

Rose Surgan

Jordana Woods

Taylor Zaneto

GMC Champion

1600m

Gianna Hernandez

GMC Champion

800m

Ella Andersen

GMC Champion

3200m

Sally Kelton

NJSIAA Sectional Champion

High Jump

Ella Regan

NJSIAA Sectional Champion

800m

1600m

Gianna Hernandez

GMC Champions

4x400m Relay

Ella Andersen

Makenna Bruns

Gianna Hernandez

Rose Surgan

NJSIAA Sectional Champion

3200m

Sally Kelton

NJSIAA Sectional Champion

55m Hurdles

Sarah Hyman

NJSIAA Sectional Champion

400m

Rose Surgan

MHS Boys Track Team 

Blue Division Relay Champions

Central Jersey Group I Champions

Sectional Champions

Hunter Aldinger

Tariq Alisammond

Brady Allen

Myles Bourne

Savion Camano

Nasir Chaplin

Nicholas Davis

Kai Englert

Dylan Fricke

Asher Greenbaum

Lucas Klabonski

Arturs Krumins

Jayden Medina

Tyler Nicholson

Tristan Ochoa

Luis Pirrone

David Rivas

Kacper Ruszala

Eric Schleif

Shayan Terse

Ishan Ullal

Lucas Valera

Mark Vechnyak

James Vissichelli

Allen Zheng

GMC Champion

800m

Eric Schleif

Group I Champion

1600m

Eric Schleif

Sectional Champion

800m

1600m

Eric Schleif

Sectional Champions

4x400m Relay

Hunter Aldinger

Savion Camano

Kacper Ruszala

Eric Schleif

MHS Girls Basketball Team

Blue Division Champions

Julia Armour

Ava Barasch

Kaitlyn Connors 

Josephine Gray

Leah Honig

Charlotte Murphy

Lucie Pallotta

Claire Polakowski

Samantha Powers

Grace Van Leeuwen

Victoria Zaniecki

MHS Girls Swim Team

White Division Champions

Ashley Chen

Isabella Cosenza

Callie Hanbridge

Abigail Hogan

Emma Hogan

Mirabella Hom

Emily Jelleme

Mira Karwowski

Eloise Koscs

Elizabeth Lau

Chelsea Lu

Janhavi Malik

Riva Nagvekar

Paxton Sullivan

Gina Yip

GMC Champion

50m Freestyle

100m Breaststroke

Gina Yip

6.    Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

7.    Presentations 

8.    Reports

• President’s Report

• Superintendent's Report

• Committee Reports

• Student Board Member Report

9.    Old Business

10.    New Business

11.    Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings

12.    Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

13.    Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools

(at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items – see attachments)

Oftentimes it may appear to members of our audience that the Board of Education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the Superintendent of Schools. If the Superintendent is satisfied that the matter is ready to be presented to the Board of Education, it is then referred to the appropriate board committee. The members of the board committee work with administration and the Superintendent to assure that the members fully understand the matter. When the committee is satisfied with the matter, it is presented 

to the Board of Education for discussion before any final action is taken. Only then, is it placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting.

1. PERSONNEL

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1. Additional Volunteer Robotics Coaches - Edgar School

Move to approve the following additional coaches for the Robotics Team at Edgar Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year, pending completion of criminal history clearance (Agenda 01/23/2024, Section 13, A8):

2.    Appointment Revision - Paraprofessional

    Move to approve the revision of the appointment of Cal Harkness, .6 Paraprofessional at Edgar School, to full-time Paraprofessional at Edgar School, at a salary of $23,695/year, prorated, effective May 12, 2025 through June 30, 2025 (Agenda 9/24/24, Section 13 A5).

3.    Leave of Absence - Extension

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Ilana Kurtin, Supervisor of Guidance, through approximately June 10, 2025 (Agenda 5/28/24, Section 13 A9).

4.    Leave Replacement - Extension

    Move to extend the appointment of Heather Mills-Pevonis, Interim Guidance Supervisor for Ilana Kurtin, Supervisor of Guidance, through approximately June 12, 2025, at a per diem rate of $500/day (Agenda 9/10/24, Section 13 A8).

5.    Appointment of Substitutes

    Move to approve the appointment of substitutes for the 2024-2025 school year as listed on the chart below, effective March 26, 2025, pending completion of substitute training and criminal history clearance: 

6.    Appointment – Lunch Aide

    Move to approve the following lunch aide in the Metuchen Public Schools for the 2024-2025 school year, effective March 26, 2025:

7.    Multilingual Learners Parent Council

    Move to approve the following certified staff to facilitate a Parent Advisory Council for parents of Multilingual Learners during the 2024-2025 school year, at the rate of $50/hour, paid through Title 3 funds, not to exceed a total of 8 hours. 

8.    High Impact Tutoring - 2025 Spring Tutoring

    Move to approve the following staff members to provide services through the High Impact Tutoring Grant for the Spring 2025 at the rate of $50/hour. Tutors will receive .5 hours of planning for every hour of tutoring, not to exceed $2,250.

9.    Staff Training

    Move to approve the following staff to attend training, Beyond Academics: Strengthening Student Success through NJTSS, on March 31, 2025 and April 1, 2025.  Registration fees are covered in payment to Magnolia Group Consultants (Agenda 1/28/25, Section 13 B5). 

MARCH 31

APRIL 1

10.    Salary Adjustment - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve a change in base salary for Kelsee Young, Teacher at Moss School, from Step 1E, $59,675/year, to Step 3E, $62,659/year, as a result of her earning her Master's Degree, effective April 1, 2025.

11.    MHS 2025 Spring Musical Stipends

    Move to approve the following staff for the below assignments related to the Footlighters Production, Footloose. All payments will be reimbursed from the MHS Footlighters account:

----------------------------end of personnel section--------------------------

2. FINANCE

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1. Treasurer of School Monies and Board Secretary’s Reports

Move to approve the Treasurer of School Monies’ Report, and Board Secretary’s Report as of January 31, 2025.

2.   Payment of Bills

a)  Board Secretary’s Certification

Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6:20-2A.10(d), the Board Secretary has certified that as of March 25, 2025 no budgetary line item accounts have obligations and payments which exceed the amount appropriated by the Board of Education.

         ________________________________________                  _______________

Michael A. Harvier, Board Secretary                         Date

b)  Approve the Following Items Submitted by the Board Secretary

Payment of bills and claims, as shown on the attached list(s) that have been certified by the Board of Education and filed in the Business Office.

3.    Budget Transfers

Move to approve budget transfers effective January 31, 2025.

4.    Professional Development

    Move to approve the following professional development activities as shown on the following chart: 

5. Crown Castle

Move to approve Crown Castle as Internet Service Provider for the 2024-2025 school year, for $100,200 annually.

----------------------------end of finance section--------------------------

3. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1. Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

    Move to affirm the findings of the previously reported case.

• CES021325001

2.    Suspensions

The Board hereby acknowledges receipt of the suspension report summary for March 10, 2025 - March 21, 2025. 

3.    Policies and Regulations for 1st Reading 

Move to approve the first readings of the following policies and regulations:

❖ P&R 7441    Electronic Surveillance In School Buildings and On School Grounds (M)  

❖ P 5111    Eligibility of Resident/Nonresident Students (M) 

❖ P 8500    Food Services (M)  

4.    School Bus Emergency Evacuation Drill Reports

    Move to accept the following reports on the completion of the School Bus Emergency Evacuation Drill:

• 3/19/2025 7:36 – 7:52 AM, Edgar School, back bus circle for all big buses and front school loop for Special Education Van. E1, E4, E8, E5, E6, E2, E3, E7, and Van 12 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Neyda Evans and Marissa Plancher.

• 3/19/2025 8:12 – 8:30 AM, Campbell Elementary School, Locations for the drill were staff parking lot curb on Talmadge Ave, Durham Ave bus drop off lane. C4, C1, C8, C9, C7, C2, C5, C6, C3, Van 14, and Van 24 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Kathy Keers-Nolde, Panos Tzetzos, Brooke Kirschner, and Vincent Costanza. 

• 3/19/2025 8:58 – 9:35 AM, Moss School, front of school in Simpson loop. Van 14, Van 24, Van 16, and Van 12 assisted for AM Preschool and AM Kindergarten students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Jen Asprocolas, and Jen Korpon.

• 3/19/2025 12:50 – 1:30 PM, Moss School, front of school in Simpson loop. Van 22 used for all PM Preschool and PM Kindergarten students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Karen Calantoni, and Jen Korpon.

• 3/19/2025 8:30 – 2:30 PM, Metuchen High School, front of building. Full School Evacuation Practice during Physical Education or Health Classes, Bus 21 was used for all. Supervised by Brian Stike / Teachers Leading the drill were Bob Ulmer, Nick Zaneto, Mark Mooney, Beth Abbott, Julie Youngman, and Drew Bandola.

5.    SEMI Action Plan

Move to approve the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI) Action Plan for the 2025-2026 school year. 

6. Resolution to Approve a Cooperative Sports Program

WHEREAS, the Metuchen Board of Education does not sponsor a Boys’ Lacrosse Program at Metuchen High School because it currently has an insufficient number of students to participate in a Boys’ Lacrosse Sport Program; and

WHEREAS, there are students enrolled in the Metuchen High School who have expressed an interest in participating in a high school Boys’ Lacrosse Sport Program; and

WHEREAS, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association permits cooperative sports programs between two or more member schools where those schools have an insufficient number of students to participate in a sport; and

WHEREAS, the Edison Board of Education has a Boys’ Lacrosse Program and has agreed to accept the Metuchen High School students into the John P. Stevens High School Boys’ Lacrosse program; and

WHEREAS, the Metuchen Board of Education and the Edison Board of Education have negotiated the terms of an agreement whereby the Metuchen High School students would be permitted to participate in John P. Stevens High School Boys’ Lacrosse Program, at no cost to the Metuchen Board of Education; and

WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Schools recommends that the Metuchen Board of Education approve the Cooperative Sports Program to permit Metuchen High School students to participate in the John P. Stevens High School Boys’ Lacrosse Program for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Metuchen Board of Education hereby: 

1. Approve the Agreement for the Cooperative Sports Program between the Metuchen Board of Education and the Edison Board of Education for the Boys’ Lacrosse Program for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years;

2. Authorize and acknowledge the Edison Board of Education’s role as lead agency in charge of the John P. Stevens High School Boys’ Lacrosse program, including the supervision of the program participants; and 

3. Authorize the Metuchen Board of Education’s administration and Metuchen Board of Education’s Board Attorney to take all necessary and appropriate steps to carry out this action of the Metuchen Board of Education.

 ----------------------------end of policy section--------------------------

4. CURRICULUM

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Field Trips

Move to approve the following field trips for students in the Metuchen School District  as shown: 

2.    Field Trips - Revisions

Move to approve the following revised field trips for students in the Metuchen School District as shown: 

3.    New Textbook

    Move to approve the purchase and implementation of textbook STATS: Modeling the World, AP Edition, 6th/7th Edition for the class course AP Statistics to begin use in the 2025-2026 school year at the Metuchen High School.

4.    Professional Development

    Move to approve Guzman Educational Consultants, LLC to provide additional professional development and coaching for the 2024-2025 school year, to support the needs of multilingual learners through Title III Immigrant funds, not to exceed $618.

----------------------------end of curriculum section--------------------------

14.    Meeting Open to Public (for any topic)

15.    Announcements

16.    Motion to Go Into Executive Session (when applicable)

Resolution to Close Meeting

BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant to the Sunshine Act, N.J.S. 10:4-12 and 13, that the Board of Education will now meet in executive session to discuss _____________________________________ and that matters discussed will be disclosed to the public as soon as the reason for confidentiality no longer exist.

17.    Adjournment