THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 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, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.

4. Roll Call

5. Showcase of Success

❖ Students with Perfect NJSLA Scores Spring 2023

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

7. Presentations 

❖ District Goals 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.    Resolution – Administrative Leave

Be it resolved, employee #102660 was placed on administrative leave with pay on October 25, 2023.

2.    Instructional Stipends

    Move to approve the following Edgar School instructional stipends for the 2023-2024 school year, retroactively beginning October 30,2023, through January 30, 2024 as listed:

3.    Presenter - Parent Advisory Council

    Move to approve Patricia Lewis, LDTC at Edgar School, as the workshop presenter for the Parent Advisory Council on December 6, 2023, at a rate of $49/hour.

4.    Special Services Intern

    Move to approve Dr. Sabrina Misir Hiralall as a professional intern at Metuchen Public schools to complete their BCBA, for the 2023-2024 school year, effective January 2024.

5.    Special Services Intern

    Move to approve Michael Kaiteris as an intern for Speech Therapy at Campbell Elementary School, for the 2023-2024 school year, effective January 2024.

6.    Maternity Leave of Absence - Certificated Staff

    Move approve the maternity leave of Lindsay Kaye, Special Education teacher at Edgar Middle School, effective approximately April 8, 2024 through approximately September 3, 2024.

7.    Supplemental Intervention Services 

    Move to approve the following certificated staff to provide supplemental intervention services for the 2023-2024 school year at the hourly rate of $49/hour (ESSER funded):

8.    Safety Care Training - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the following certificated staff to participate in Safety Care Training at the rate of $49/hour, not to exceed 12 hours:

9.    Safety Care Training - Non-Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the following non-certificated staff to attend Safety Care Training at their hourly rate, not to exceed 12 hours each:

10.    Paraprofessional Mentor

    Move to approve Laurie Toth, paraprofessional, as a paraprofessional mentor, for a stipend in the amount of $250 for the 2023-2024 school year.

11.    Appointment - Confidential Secretary

    Move to approve the appointment of Antoinette Borriello as Confidential Secretary in Special Services at a salary of $49,789/year, prorated, effective on or before January 28, 2024, pending her release from her current position. 

12.    Appointment - Additional Substitutes

    Move to approve the appointment of the additional substitutes for the 2023-2024 school year, effective November 17, 2023, pending completion of substitute training and criminal history clearance:

13.    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 December 31, 2023 (Agenda 10/17/2023, Section 13, A7).

14.    Appointment - Interim Moss Principal 

    Move to approve the appointment of Michael Knoth as Interim Principal at Moss School, from December 5, 2023 through March 15, 2024 at a rate of $600/day.

15.    Appointment - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the appointment of Nicholas Tay, Industrial Technology Teacher at Edgar School, for the 2023-2024 school year, at a salary of $55,775/year, Step 1A, prorated, effective upon receipt of his teaching certificate of eligibility.

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

2. FINANCE

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Professional Development

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

2.    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 September 30, 2023.

3.  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 November 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.

4.    High Impact Tutoring Competitive Grant RFP

WHEREAS, the Metuchen Board of Education (“Board”) desires to contract with a vendor to procure Small Group Intentional Teaching on behalf of the Board for students in grades 3 and grade 4; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.1(b), the Board may use competitive contracting in lieu of public bidding for procurement of specialized goods and services the price of which exceeds the bid threshold, to hire a for-profit entity or not-for-profit entity to operate, manage or administer tutoring programs; and

WHEREAS, the Board desires to use competitive contracting to procure the specialized services mentioned above; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.3(a), the Board is required to pass a resolution authorizing the use of competitive contracting for the aforementioned services; and

      WHEREAS, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.3(b), N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.4 and N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.5, the competitive contracting process, including the preparation of a request for proposal documentation (“RFP”), solicitation of proposals, and award of a contract based upon the methodology set forth in the aforesaid RFP, must be administered by the Board’s qualified purchasing agent.

     NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.1 et seq., the Metuchen Board of Education hereby authorizes the use of competitive contracting to obtain proposals for the provision of a Small Group Intentional Teaching for grades 3 and 4; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Business Administrator, who also serves the Board in the capacity of Qualified Purchasing Agent, is hereby authorized, and directed to take all necessary steps to implement this action of the Board. 

5.    Nonpublic Technology Aid

    Move to approve the following nonpublic technology aid for the 2023-2024 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.

6.    Nonpublic Security Aid

    Move to approve the following nonpublic security aid for the 2023-2024 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.

7.    Behavioral Technician Services

    Move to approve Soliant Health, LLC, to provide behavioral technician services, for the 2023-2024 school year at a rate of up to $65/hour.

8.    Grant Application

    Move to approve the submission of the New Jersey State and Local Cybersecurity Grant application for Fiscal Year 2023.

----------------------------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.

• CES101123001

• METHS102023001

2.    Second Reading of Policies and Regulations

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

❖P 1524    School Leadership Councils (Abolished)

❖P 2270    Religion in the Schools

❖P 3161    Examination for Cause

❖P & R 3212    Attendance (M)

❖P 3324    Right of Privacy  (New)

❖P & R 3432    Sick Leave  (Abolished)

❖P 4161    Examination for Cause

❖P & R 4212    Attendance (M)

❖P 4324    Right of Privacy  (New)

❖P & R 4432    Sick Leave  (Abolished)

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

❖P & R 5116    Education of Homeless Children and Youths

❖P & R 5460.02    Bridge Year Pilot Program (M) (Abolished)

❖P 6361    Relations With Vendors for Abbott Districts (Abolished)

❖P 8500    Food Services (M)

❖P 8540    School Nutrition Programs (M) (Abolished)

❖P 8550    Meal Charges/Outstanding Food Service Bill (M) (Abolished)

❖P & R 5130    Withdrawal from School (M)

❖P & R 5300    Automated External Defibrillators (AEDS) (M)

❖P & R 5306    Health Services to Nonpublic Schools (M)

❖P 5516    Use of Electronic Communication and Recording Devices (ECRD) (M)

❖P & R 5550    Disaffected Students (M)

❖P 5752    Marital Status and Pregnancy (M)

----------------------------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 - Retroactive

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

3.    Curriculum Documents Writer

    Move to approve the following curriculum writers and amounts:

4.    Curriculum Documents

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

5.    Student Observers

    Move to approve the following Student Observers in our school district for the 2024 Spring semester: 

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