Board Meeting - August 25, 2020

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Dates: 
Friday, August 21, 2020 - 3:00pm
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS  
METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY
 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020
 
MEETING AGENDA
 
of the Metuchen Board of Education
Metuchen High School
400 Grove Avenue
Metuchen, NJ  08840
 
Please note that due to Governor Murphy’s executive order limiting indoor capacity to a maximum of 25, no more than 10 members of the public will be able to attend in person.  Any one attending in person will be required to wear a mask at all times.  In the alternative, we request the public watch the meeting on Facebook Live. To participate in the public comment portion of the meeting we have set up the zoom webinar below.  Please note the meeting will not air live on Channel 15 and will be available via rebroadcast only starting Wednesday, August 26th.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Passcode: 034832
Members of the public can listen to and participate in the meeting by dialing into the call via telephone, as follows:
+1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 841 6417 9431
Passcode: 034832
 
 

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, The Metuchen Mirror, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.
 

4.Roll Call

Mr. Benderly
 
Mr. Lifton
 
Ms. Cook
 
Mr. Manley
 
Mr. Derflinger
 
Mr. Suss
 
Mr. Glassberg
 
 
 
Ms. Killean
 
 
 
 
 

 

  1. Board Vacancy and administration of required oath to new Board Member

 

6.Superintendent’s Remarks

 

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

 

8.Showcase of Success

 

9.Presentations/Discussions

  1. Equity Presentation – Mr. Cohen

10.Reports

  1. President’s Report
  2. Business Administrator/Board Secretary’s Report
  3. Committee Reports

 

11.Old Business

 
  1. New Business
 

13.Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings

Move to approve the minutes of the following meeting:
August 11, 2020
Special Business Meeting (1)
August 11, 2020
Special Executive Meeting (2)
August 11, 2020
Board Meeting
August 11, 2020
Special Executive Meeting (3)
August 17, 2020
Special Business Meeting (1)
August 17, 2020
Special Executive Meeting (2)
 
 

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

 

15.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
  2. Finance
  3. Policy
  4. Curriculum
 
 

16.Meeting Open to Public

(for anything you wish to discuss)

 

17.Announcements

 

18.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
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
15. Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools
          (at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items)
 
 
  1. PERSONNEL – SEE ATTACHED
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
  15. Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools
          (at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items)
 
  1. FINANCE
 
 
  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 June 30, 2020.
 
  1. Payment of Bills
  1. Board Secretary’s Certification
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6:20-2A.10(d), the Board Secretary has certified that as of August 25, 2020 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
 
  1. 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.
 
  1. Budget Transfers
Move to approve budget transfers effective June 30, 2020.
 
  1. Appointment- Balanced Literacy Coach
Move to approve BDO, Deanne Opatosky, as ESSA Balanced Literacy Coach for the 2020-21 school year using ESSA Title IA funds not to exceed $13,000, and Title IIA funds not to exceed $12,809.
 
  1. Out of District Student Placements – 2020-2021 School Year
Move to approve the 2020-2021 school year out of district student placements on the attached chart:
 
 
  1. Student Agreement
Move to approve the settlement agreement for student: 002025004.
 
  1. IDEA Grant
Move to approve the IDEA grant for the 2020-2021 school year as follows:
Basic allocation
$673,685.00
Preschool allocation total
$17,440.00
Total allocation
$691,125.00
 
  1. IDEA Grant – Paraprofessional Salary
Move to approve a portion of Brian Jeney’s salary as a paraprofessional to be paid from IDEA grant, for the 2020-2021 school year, in amount of $16,201.
 
  1. IDEA Grant – FDU Orton Gillingham Teacher Practicum
Move to approve Lindsay Omark to coordinate the FDU Orton Gillingham Teacher Practicum as part of the IDEA Grant, at a rate of $45 per hour, not to exceed $4,050.
  1. Professional Development
Move to approve the following professional development activities as shown on the following chart:
 
Professional Development for Board Approval    8/25/20
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
End Date
Activity title
Last, First Name
Building
Requested
Payment Method
FFPI #
9/5/2020
9/7/2020
Back to School Reimagined
Lopes, Sofia
CES
 $        106.66
FFPI
21-022
9/30/2020
10/2/2020
The Council for Economic Education Annual Financial Literacy & Economic Education Conference
Van de Castle, Karen
MHS
 $          99.00
FFPI
21-024
10/3/2020
10/3/2020
Express Fluency Conference in the Cloud
Vosinas, Nickolas
MHS
 $        325.00
FFPI
21-023
11/20/2020
11/22/2020
ACTFL 2020 Virtual
Vosinas, Nickolas
MHS
 $        185.00
FFPI
21-013
 
 
 
11. Nonpublic Technology
Move to approve the following nonpublic technology for the 2020-2021 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.
Vendor
QTY
Item #
Description
Price
Total
St. Francis Cathedral School
CDW-G
11
16W64UT
HP Chromebook 11A G8 - Education Edition 11.6" A4 9120C-4 GB RAM 32
$220.21
$2,422.31
St. Francis Cathedral School
CDW-G
1
TCOREX36
Bretford CoreX Charging Cart
$1,520.99
$1,520.99
St. Francis Cathedral School
Renaissance
100
NA
Accelerated Reader Subscription Renewal
$7.15
$715.00
 
12. Student Agreement
Move to approve the settlement agreement for Student #2020006.
 
­- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - end of finance section - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
 
 15. Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools
          (at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items)
 
 
 
C. POLICY 
 
  1. Approval of Revised Restart and Recovery Plan
Move to approve the revision to Metuchen School District’s Restart and Recovery Plan, which was re-submitted to the County Superintendent on August 21.  The Plan delays the start of in-person instruction for students until October 1.  A revised calendar is attached.
 
  1. Title IX Policy
 
WHEREAS, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. authorizes and directs school districts receiving federal financial assistance to effectuate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended;
 
WHERAS the Board has previously policies protecting against and authorizing investigation of discrimination on the basis of sex in the District's programs or activities;
 
WHEREAS, on May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, published the final rule amending Title IX regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106;
 
WHEREAS, the amended Title IX regulations are effective on August 14, 2020;
 
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Metuchen Board of Education hereby implements the provisions of the amended Title IX regulations. The Board implements all aspects of the regulations, including, but not limited to, updated definitions of sexual harassment, equal treatment in responding to complaints of sexual harassment, an objective grievance process, and appropriate notice throughout;
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the preponderance of the evidence standard will be applied in determining responsibility;
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board authorizes Edward Porowski as a Title IX Coordinator to coordinate compliance with the amended regulations. The Coordinator may be contacted at eporowski@metboe.k12.nj.us;
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board will approve a permanent policy and procedure implementing the amended regulations.​
 
 
 
 
  1. First Reading of Policies and Regulations
Move to approve the first readings of the following policies and regulations:
 
  1. P 1649               Federal Families First Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Act (FFCRA) (M) 
  2. P 2270              Religion in Schools 
  3. P 2431.3            Heat Participation Policy for Student-Athlete Safety (M) 
  4. P 2622               Student Assessment (M) 
  5. P & R 5111        Eligibility of Resident/Nonresident Students (M)
  6. P & R 5200        Attendance (M)  (Revised)
  7. P & R 5320        Immunization 
  8. P & R 5330.04   Administering an Opioid Antidote (M) 
  9. P 5610               Suspension (M) 
  10. R 5610              Suspension Procedures (M) 
  11. P 5620               Expulsion (M) 
  12. P & R 8320        Personnel Records (M) 
 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - end of policy section - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
D. CURRICULUM
 
  1. Curriculum Guides
Move to approve the revised curriculum guides for the following subjects:
 
Revised Curriculum Documents
Subject
Description
Music
Kindergarten
Art
Photography/Digital Media
Science
AP Environmental Science
Science
Honors Health Science
 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - end of curriculum section - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
 
 
 
Groups audience: