THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2023

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, The Criterion Sentinel, The Star Ledger, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.

4. Roll Call

5. Showcase of Success

❖    Winter Sport Champs

MHS Girls Track Team 

Central Jersey Group I Champions

Marina Armour

Kadijata Bah

Zoey Brown

Rachel Chen

Tiffany Choi

Sophia De La Cruz

Aarohi Desai

Ameyaa Desai

Audrey Feng

Kaya Gredzinski

Sarah Hausser

Petra Hegedus

Gianna Hernandez

Kaitlyn Hsueh

Sarah Hyman

Johanna Indyk

Rebecca Isler

Carol Johnson-Fish

Sally Kelton

Abby Kozo

Lilly Kupersmit

Irene Liu

Nelagh Matthews

Olivia Miller

Amal Omarzai

Lola Petro

Maggie Rivera

Eva Szap

Group I 4x800 Relay Sectional Champions

Zoey Brown

Nelagh Matthews

Maggie Rivera

Marina Armour

Group I 3200m State Champion

Gianna Hernandez

Group I 55m Dash State Champion

Nelagh Matthews

Group I 55m Hurdles Sectional Champion

Nelagh Matthews

MHS Boys Track Team 

Group I State Champions

and

Central Jersey Group I Champions

Brady Allen

Jack Benedict

Gianni Ciambotti 

Logan Clancy

Nicholas Davis

Kai Englert

Nico Hidalgo

Lucas Klabonski

Nate Kupersmit

Connor Larson

Harry Moorman

Vedant Naik

Robert Nawn

Tristan Ochoa

Alex Patelski

Jack Richards

Kacper Ruszala

Eric Schleif

Brandon Sinclair

4x800 Relay Sectional Champions

Vedant Naik

Nico Hidalgo

Connor Larson

Brandon Sinclair

55m Hurdles Sectional Champion

Vedant Naik

400m Sectional Champion

Brandon Sinclair

MHS Boys Swim Team 

White Division Champions

Jacob Blom 

Andreas Dascalu 

Benjamin DeAngelis 

Chris DeVizio 

Elliot Girin 

Cedric Lee

Mason Liu

Jayden Londono

Jason Ma

Harrison Henry O'Reilly

Thomas Piovoso

Steven Samame

Carsen Tramontin

Mark Vechnyak

Tim Whittington

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

7. Presentations 

❖ District Goals 2022-2023 Update

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)

Often times 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. Appointment - Substitute Home Instructor

Move to approve Sean Brown as a substitute home instructor at a rate of $48 per hour, effective March 27, 2023.

2.    Appointment - Educational Consultant

Move to approve Kathy Glutz as an educational consultant, as needed, for the 2022-2023 school year, at a per diem rate of $500/day.

3.    MHS 2023 Spring Musical Stipends

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

4.    Volunteer Clubs – Additions 

    Move to approve the following additional Volunteer Clubs for the 2022-2023 school year as listed (Agenda 8/23/22, Section 13 A15):

5.    MHS Coach Appointment - Additional

    Move to approve the following additional 2022-2023 Metuchen High School Coach Appointment (Agenda 6/28/2022, Section 13 A27):

Spring Coaches

6.    Appointment - School Secretary

    Move to approve the appointment of Lisa Latham, School Secretary at Metuchen High School, at a salary of $47,913/year, prorated, effective June 1, 2023. 

7.    Medical Leave of Absence - Extension

    Move to approve the extension of the medical leave of absence of Mark Cooper, Custodian at Campbell School, through approximately April 16, 2023 (Agenda 2/28/23, Section 13 A11).

8.    Medical Leave of Absence - Extension 

    Move to approve the extension of the medical leave of absence of JoAnn Rice, Secretary at Edgar School, through approximately April 30, 2023 (Agenda 2/28/23, Section 13 A10).

9.    Appointment - Substitute Secretary

    Move to approve the appointment of Lisa Latham as Substitute Secretary, for the 2022-2023 school year, at a rate of $22/hour, effective April 24, 2023. 

----------------------------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, 2023.

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 28, 2023 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, 2023.

4.    Resolution Authorizing Request to Commissioner of Education

BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Education of the Borough of Metuchen in the County of Middlesex as follows:

The Superintendent and Business Administrator of this School District are authorized to request approval from the Commissioner of Education to calculate enrollment projections pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-38(b)(2) for purposes of the FY 2023/2024 budget.

5.    Technology Purchases

    Move to approve the following technology purchases for equipment and services from the stated companies:

6.    Transportation Jointures and Individual Routes Remainder 2022 - 2023

    Move to approve the transportation jointure and individual route for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year with the Mercer County Special Services School District.

7.    Professional Development

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

8.    Student Agreement

    Move to approve settlement agreement for student #2020610.

9.    Student Agreement

    Please approve settlement agreement for student #2031028.

10.    School Bus Emergency Evacuation Drill Reports

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

• 3/9/2023 8:30 – 2:30 PM, Metuchen High School, student parking lot. Full School Evacuation Practice during Physical Education Classes, Bus 23 & 29 were used for all. Supervised by Brian Stike / Teachers Leading the drill were Bob Ulmer, Nick Zaneto, Mark Mooney, Beth Abbott, Julie Youngman, and Brooke Bandola

• 3/22/2023 7:37 AM, Edgar School, back bus circle and front school loop for Special Education Van. E1, E3, E6, E7, Van 20, E2, E4, E8, E5 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Neyda Evans, Marissa Plancher, William Ortman, and Kathy Thomas

• 3/22/2023 8:34 AM, Moss School, in back of school. Van 20. Supervised by Marissa Plancher and Karen Calantoni

• 3/22/2023 9:05 AM, Moss School, in back of school. Van 14, Van 13, Van 16. Supervised by Marissa Plancher and Karen Calantoni

• 3/22/2023 11:52 AM, Moss School, in back of school. Van 20. Supervised by Marissa Plancher and Karen Calantoni.

• 3/22/2023 12:30 – 12:45 PM, Campbell Elementary School, Locations for the drill were staff parking lot curb on Talmadge Ave, Durham Ave & Campbell driveway between Talmadge & Durham. C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, Van 14, and Van 12 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Vincent Costanza and Brooke Kirschner

• 3/22/2023 Moss School AM & PM Kindergarten classes, bus safety drill in class instruction, letter sent by Rick Cohen (Principal/Asst. Superintendent) 

11.    Approve ABA Services

    Move to approve the services of Brett DiNovi and Associates, not to exceed $98,000.

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

3. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1. Suspensions

The Board hereby acknowledges receipt of the suspension report summary for March 13, 2023 - March 24, 2023. 

2.    Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

    Move to affirm the findings of the previously reported cases:

• EMS022823001 

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

4. CURRICULUM

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Curriculum Documents

    Move to approve the following curriculum documents for the following subjects:

2.    Field Trips

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

----------------------------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