Board Meeting - April 11, 2023

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Dates: 
Friday, March 31, 2023 - 4:15pm

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023

 

MEETING AGENDA

of the Metuchen Board of Education

Metuchen High School

400 Grove Avenue

Metuchen, NJ  08840

 

  1. Call to Order

 

  1. Flag Salute

 

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

 

  1. Roll Call

 

Mr. Benderly

 

Ms. Killean

 

Ms. Cook

 

Mr. Lifton

 

Mr. Derflinger

 

Mr. Solasky

 

Mr. Glassberg

 

Dr. Spigner

 

Dr. Johnson-Marcus

 

Mr. Suss

 

 

  1. Showcase of Success

    EMS 8th Grade Band

    The 8th Grade Band is proud to present music they are working on for their Spring Concert.  Students in the Band participate in school wide events that include Winter & Spring Concerts, Holiday Carols, the Edgar Pep Rally, and Edgar's 8th Grade Promotion. Tonight, they will be performing "Try Everything" from the movie Zootopia.

 

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

 

  1. Presentations 

    Mental Health Initiative Presentation

 

  1. Reports

  • President’s Report

  • Superintendent's Report

  • Committee Reports

  • Student Board Member Report

 

  1. Old Business

 

  1. New Business

 

  1. Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings

 

March 28, 2023

  Special Business Meeting (1)

March 28, 2023

  Special Business Meeting (2)

March 28, 2023

  Board Meeting

 

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

 

  1. 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. Resignation - Certificated Staff

Move to accept the resignation of Magy Naguib, Kindergarten Teacher at Moss School, effective June 30, 2023.

 

2.    Resignation - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the resignation of Gina Kustelski, Art Teacher at Campbell School, effective May 19, 2023. 

 

3.    Appointment of Substitute Teacher

    Move to approve the appointment of the following additional substitute teacher for the 2022-2023 school year (Agenda 8/23/2022 Section 13 A16):  

 

Substitute 

Certification 

Per Diem Rate

Shannon Desch

Substitute w/teacher cert

$110/day

 

4.    Appointment of Substitute Paraprofessional

    Move to approve the appointment of the following additional substitute paraprofessional for the 2022-2023 school year (Agenda 6/28/2022 Section 13 A17): 

 

Substitute Paraprofessional

Rate

Gina Kish

$15/hour 

5.    Retirement - School Secretary

    Move to accept, with regret, the retirement of Jo-Ann Rice, School Secretary at Edgar School, effective July 1, 2023.

 

6.    Family Leave of Absence - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the Intermittent Family Leave of Absence of Stacy Winters, Math Teacher at Metuchen High School, effective April 11, 2023 through approximately April 26, 2023.

 

7.    Edgar School Coaches - Revision

    Move to rescind and approve the following Edgar Middle School Coach for the 2022-2023 school year (Agenda 06/08/2023, Section 13 A27):

 

Name

Assignment

2022-2023 Stipend

Rescind:

 John Butler

Baseball Coach

$3556.00

Approve:

 John Butler

Volunteer Baseball Coach

$0

 

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

 

  1. FINANCE

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

 

1.    SEMI Action Plan

    Move to approve the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI) Action Plan.

 

2.    Home Instruction Services

    Move to approve the home instruction services of Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Princeton Healthcare System, for the 2022-2023 school year at a rate of $65/ hr.

 

3.    Nonpublic Technology Aid

Move to approve the following nonpublic technology aid for the 2022-2023 school year. These expenditures are required for the district to fulfill certain legal obligations under state legislation to administer federal or state funds provided to nonpublic schools within our jurisdiction.

 

School

Vendor

QTY

Item #

Description

Price

Total

St. Francis Cathedral School

Dell

5

492-BCNW

Dell Slim Power Adapter-65 Watt Type C with 1 Meter Power Cord

$32.09

$160.45

St. Francis Cathedral School

Dell

15

AB543620

Google Chrome EDU Perpetual License

$32.07

$481.05

St. Francis Cathedral School

Dell

15

210-BCGK

Chromebook 11 3110

$362.68

$5,440.20

St. Francis Cathedral School

Dell

1

451-BCEV

Dell USB-C Laptop 65Wh-PW7018LC

$86.41

$86.41

St. Francis Cathedral School

Dell

1

A7945593

C2G USB A to Lightning Cable-Charging Cable-Lightning cable 3.3ft

$21.73

$21.73

4.    Professional Development

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

 

Start Date

End Date

Activity Title

Name

Building

Approved

Payment

FFPI Proposal #

4/26/

2023

4/26/

2023

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall

Youngman, Julie

MHS

0

No cost

 

4/26/

2023

4/26/

2023

Opioid Conference

Zaneto, Nicholas

MHS

0

No cost

 

4/27/

2023

4/27/

2023

Autism Connections

Thomas, Kathy

Edgar

$125

FFPI

23-131

 

5.    Resolution

 

BE IT RESOLVED, by the Metuchen Board of Education to approve the submission of the following projects to the New Jersey Department of Education, for review and Department approval of a “school facilities project” with Rod Grant state funding and amendment of the long-range facilities plan to be consistent with the projects. 

 

  • Exterior Window Upgrades at Moss Elementary School

  • Exterior Window Upgrades at Campbell Elementary School 

  • Exterior Window Upgrades at Edgar Middle School

  • Roofing Replacement at Moss Elementary School

  • Roofing Replacement at Campbell Elementary School 

  • Roofing Replacement at Edgar Middle School

  • Replace Rooftop HVAC Units at Campbell Elementary School

  • Replace Rooftop HVAC Units at Edgar Middle School 

  • Replace Rooftop HVAC Units Metuchen High School

 

Further, the Board authorizes Spiezle Architectural Group Inc, to make the submission to the Department of Education on behalf of the district. 

 

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

 

  1. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call-

    

1.    Suspension Report

The Board hereby acknowledges receipt of the suspension report summary for March 27, 2023 - April 7,  2023. 

 

2.    Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

    Move to affirm the findings of the previously reported cases:

 

  • EMS031623001

  • EMS032423001

 

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

 

  1. 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:

School

Destination

Class/Group/

Purpose

Teachers/

Advisors

Date(s)

No. Of Students

Board Cost- Transportation

Number of

Subs Needed. 

MHS

The Rac Rutgers University

Grades 9-12;

Opioid Addiction prevention

Vince Caputo, Mike Harvier, Julie Youngman, Nick Zaneto,

Samantha Rubin

4/26/

2023

18

$150.00

2 subs

Moss

What’s the Scoop

Grade K; Community base instruction to What’s The Scoop to generalize social/emotional/behavioral goals, engaging socially with peers, awareness in the community, and communication goals 0.1.1 Express individually by making independent decisions about which materials to use. Say “thank you,” “please” and “excuse me” 0.5.4 Take turns 2.3.2 Develop an awareness of warning symbols and their meaning

Katie McKenna, Farhana Khan, Margie Clark, Tina Huber, Alicia Haller, Carmela Fogarile, Emily Peluso, Karen Calantoni, Lori Anne DiSerio

4/28/

2023

8

0

No subs needed

 

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

 

  1. Meeting Open to Public (for any topic)

 

  1. Announcements

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. Adjournment

Groups audience: