THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024

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 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 Champions

MHS Girls Track Team 

Sectional Champions Central Jersey Group I 

Marina Armour

Kadijata Bah

Olivia Barry

Makenna Bruns

Sophia DeLaCruz

Gianna Hernandez

Kaitlyn Hsueh

Sarah Hyman

Carol Johnson-Fish

Sabrina Kandel

Sally Kelton

Lilly Kupersmit

Lucy Ongteco

Lola Petro

Ella Regan

Maggie Rivera

Rose Surgan

Sectional Champions Group I 4x400 Relay 

Kadijata Bah

Makenna Bruns

Gianna Hernandez

Rose Surgan

GMC Champion 800m Maggie Rivera

Sectional Champion 55m Hurdles

Sarah Hyman

Sectional Champion 400m

Marina Armour

Sectional Champion 800m

Sectional Champion 1600m

Sectional Champion 3200m

Gianna Hernandez

MHS Boys Track Team 

Sectional Champions Central Jersey Group I 

Blue Division Champions

Blue Division Relay Champions

NJSIAA Group 1 Champions

NJSIAA Group 1 Relay Champions

Hunter Aldinger

Brady Allen

Jack Benedict

Gianni Ciambotti 

Logan Clancy

Nicholas Davis

Kai Englert

Nico Hidalgo

Praket Jha

Arturs Krumins

Harry Moorman

Vedant Naik

Robert Nawn

Tristan Ochoa

Alex Patelski

Jack Richards

David Rivas

Kacper Ruszala

Eric Schleif

James Vissichelli

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. Appointment - Leave Replacement

Move to approve the appointment of Eileen Kuchar, Leave Replacement for Lindsay Kaye, Special Education Teacher at Edgar School, effective March 27, 2024 through approximately June 19, 2024, at a rate of $301.49/day. 

2. Appointment - Additional Substitutes 

Move to approve the appointment of the additional substitutes for the 2023-2024 school year, effective March 27, 2024, pending completion of substitute certification, substitute training and criminal history clearance:

3.    Leave of Absence Extension - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the leave of absence extension of Deanna Kindler, First Grade Teacher at Campbell School, through June 30, 2024 (Agenda 1/23/24, Section 13 A13).

4.    Leave Replacement Extension

    Move to approve the leave replacement extension of Saima Khan, Leave Replacement for Deanna Kindler, First Grade Teacher at Campbell School, through June 19, 2024 (Agenda 2/13/24, Section 13 A3).

5.    MHS 2024 Spring Musical Stipends

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

6.    Field Experience

    Move to approve Abeera Faizan to complete unpaid, field experience student observation hours at Campbell School.

7.    Mentor Teacher Assignments

    Move to rescind and approve the following additional mentor assignments for the 2023-2024 school year (Agenda 8/8/23, Section 13 A13 and 2/13/24, Section 13 A18):

8.    Safety Care Training - Non-certificated Staff

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

9.    Appointment- Volunteer Edgar Spring Coach

    Move to approve the appointment of the following coach for the Spring 2023-2024 school sports session at Edgar Middle School: (Agenda 7/18/23, Section 13 A7):

----------------------------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, 2024.

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 26, 2024 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.    Professional Development

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

4.    Cybersecurity Grant

    Move to accept the SLCGP Advanced Endpoint Protection Award (cybersecurity grant) from the State of New Jersey for Crowdstrike Overwatch service, valued at $45,990/ year. The Award will include four years of coverage, starting upon acceptance of this grant. For the award the District will pay $0 for year 1, $11,400 for year 2, $17,100 for year 3 and $22,800 for year 4.

5.    Expenditure - Dell

    Move to approve the expenditure of $50,793.99 to Dell for payment 4 of 4 of contract #810-9107313-005 (Chromebook lease).

6.    Authorization - Tech Agreements

    Move to authorize the Administration to execute all documents and agreements (including the attached) in conjunction with the NJCCIC cybersecurity grant award and/or necessary to receive or implement the grant.

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

• EMS022724001

• CES022924001

• EMS030724001

2.    School Bus Emergency Evacuation Drill Reports 

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

• 3/4/2024 10:01 – 10:20 AM, Moss School, in back of school. Van 22 used for all AM Preschool students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Mike Knoth, and Billy Ortman

• 3/4/2024 11:10 – 11:25 AM, Moss School, in back of school. Bus 29 used for all AM Kindergarten students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Mike Knoth, and Billy Ortman

• 3/4/2024 11:55 – 12:03 PM, Moss School, in back of school. Van 20 used for all PM Preschool students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Mike Knoth, and Billy Ortman

• 3/4/2024 12:45 – 12:55 PM, Moss School, in back of school. Bus 29 used for all PM Kindergarten students. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Mike Knoth, and Billy Ortman

• 3/7/2024 7:35 – 7:52 AM, Edgar School, back bus circle for all big busses and front school loop for Special Education Van. E1, E4, E3, E8, E6, E2, E7, E5, and Van 20 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Neyda Evans and Marissa Plancher

• 3/8/2024 8:30 – 2:30 PM, Metuchen High School, student parking lot. Full School Evacuation Practice during Physical Education or Health Classes, Bus 23 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

• 3/15/2024 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, C9, C6, C8, C3, C2, C5, C7, Van 14, and Van 24 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Marissa Plancher, Kathy Keers-Nolde, Panos Tzetzos Brooke Kirschner, and Officer Granato. 

3.    Suspensions

The Board hereby acknowledges receipt of the suspension report summary for March 11, 2024 - March 22, 2024. 

4.    Sidebar Agreement

    Move to approve the attached Sidebar Agreement between the Metuchen Board of Education and the Metuchen Association of Educational Secretaries concerning the Good Friday holiday during the 2023-2024 school year and authorize the Board President to execute the Sidebar Agreement.

5.    Policies and Regulations for 1st Reading March 26, 2024 

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

❖ P 1140    Educational Equity Policies/Affirmative Action (M)  

❖ P 1523    Comprehensive Equity Plan (M)  

❖ P 1530    Equal Employment Opportunities (M)  

❖ R 1530    Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Procedure (M)  

❖ P 1550    Equal Employment/Anti-Discrimination Practices (M)  

❖ R 2200    Curriculum Content (M)

❖ P 2260    Equity in School and Classroom Practices (M)  

❖ R 2260    Equity in School and Classroom Practices Complaint
Procedure (M) 

❖ P 2411    Guidance Counseling (M

❖ P & R 2423    Bilingual Education (M)  

❖ P & R 2431.4    Prevention and Treatment of Sports-Related Concussions and Head Injuries (M)  

❖ P 3211    Code of Ethics  

❖ R 5440    Honoring Student Achievement  

❖ P 5570    Sportsmanship  

❖ P 5750    Equitable Educational Opportunity (M)  

❖ P 5755    Equity in Educational Programs and Services (M)  (Abolished)

❖ P 5841    Secret Societies  

❖ P 5842    Equal Access of Student Organizations  

❖ P & R 7610    Vandalism  

❖ P 9323    Notification of Juvenile Offender Case Disposition  

6.    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:

 ----------------------------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.    Student Teacher Replacement

    Move to approve the following student teacher to complete an Clinical Practice placement for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, through Rutgers Mason Gross School of Arts: 

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