THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2026

 

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

❖    MHS Fall Play Preview

 

The MHS Footlighters will present Cyrano by Edmond Rostand and adapted by Michael Hollinger & Aaron Posner on November 13th and 14th at 7pm and November 15th at 2pm. This classic play tells the tale of Cyrano, a man fierce with a pen and notorious in combat. He almost has it all - if only he could win the heart of his true love, Roxane. There’s just one big problem: he has a nose as huge as his heart. When his rival, Christian, asks for help to woo Roxane, we are left to find out if narcissism will get the better of Cyrano - or can his mastery of language set Roxane’s world alight? Tonight, student performers Daniel Stone, Jordan Cruz, and Nell Massey will present an introductory skit and talk about the play, as well as the Footlighter's upcoming performances.

 

❖    High School Sustainability Champion Award - Ed Porowski, Yoko Kato, Samuel Brown along with Sydney Palter and Kyle Lam Co-presidents of Environmental Club.

 

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

 

7. Presentations 

❖    Highlight on Metuchen High School - Ed Porowski 

❖    HIB Grading Self-Assessment 2025-2026 SY

 

8. Reports

• President’s Report 

• Superintendent's Report 

• Committee Reports

• Student Board Members Report

 

9. Old Business 

 

10. New Business  

 

11. Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meeting

 

 

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.    Leave of Absence - Extension

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Christina Leitner, Teacher at Metuchen High School, through January 12, 2027 (Agenda 4/28/2026, Section 13, A7).

 

2.    Appointment - Leave Replacement

    Move to approve the appointment of Saima Khan, Leave Replacement for Bianca Rodriguez-James, Teacher at Campbell School, at the rate of $332.43/day, effective approximately January 4, 2027 through approximately May 18, 2027.

 

3.    Appointment of Substitutes

    Move to approve the appointment of substitutes for the 2026-2027 school year as listed on the chart below, effective October 27, 2026, pending completion of substitute training and criminal history clearance: 

 

 

4.    Formal Mentor

    Move to approve the following formal mentor to work with the following mentee teacher for the 2026-2027 school year:

 

 

5.    Mentor Makeup Training

Move to approve the following mentor to attend mentor training for 1 hour, at the rate of $52/hour:

 

 

6.    Appointment - Event Staff

Move to approve the following Event Staff for the 2026-2027 school year, at the rate of $56 per event (Agenda 07/21/2026, Section 13, A15):

 

 

7.    Leave of Absence - Extension

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Sarah Jensen, Teacher at Moss School, through approximately February 12, 2027 (Agenda 9/22/2026 Section 13, A2).

 

8.    Leave Replacement - Extension

    Move to extend the end date of Alicia Fernandez, Leave Replacement for Sarah Jensen, Teacher at Moss School, at a rate of $332.43/day, through approximately February 12, 2027 (Agenda 9/22/2026, Section 13, A3).

 

9.    Appointment - Transportation Coordinator

    Move to approve the appointment of Guillermo Paz, Transportation Coordinator for the Metuchen School District, for the 2026-2027 school year, at a salary of $70,000/year, prorated, effective on or before December 8, 2026, pending criminal history clearance.  

 

10.    Leave of Absence - Extension

    Move to extend the leave of absence of Nidhi Maurya, Paraprofessional at Moss School, through November 17, 2026 (Agenda 10/13/2026, Section 13, A2).

 

11.    Leave of Absence - Extension

Move to extend the leave of absence of Nga Fizur, School Nurse at Moss School, through June 30, 2027 (Agenda 8/12/2025, Section 13, A5).    

 

12.    Leave Replacement - Extension

    Move to extend the end date of Susan Fackler, Leave Replacement for Nga Fizur, School Nurse at Moss School, at a rate of $332.43/day, through June 30, 2027 (Agenda 8/11/2026, Section 13, A23).

 

13.    Appointment - Leave Replacement

    Move to approve the appointment of Christine Piovoso, Leave Replacement for Ryan Leigh, Teacher at Moss School, at a rate of $332.43/day, effective approximately January 14, 2027 through approximately May 7, 2027.

 

14.    Leave of Absence - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the intermittent leave of absence of Emily Peluso, Speech Therapist at Moss School, effective October 26, 2026 through approximately December 9, 2026.

 

15.    Appointment - Leave Replacement

    Move to approve the appointment of Carlos Hernandez, Leave Replacement for John Flynn, Music Teacher at Campbell School, at a rate of $332.43/day, effective November 12, 2026 through December 23, 2026.

 

 

----------------------------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.  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 October 27, 2026 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.    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 July 31, 2026.

 

4.    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 August 31, 2026.

 

5.     Budget Transfers

Move to approved budget transfers effective August 31, 2026.

 

6.    Nonpublic Security Aid

    Move to approve the following nonpublic security aid for the 2026-2027 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.    Resolution
 

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE  METUCHEN SCHOOL DISTRICT

 COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING RETENTION OF SPECIAL LITIGATION COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE AND PURSUE CLAIMS AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of the METUCHEN Board of Education (the “Board”) is a body corporate organized and existing under Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, vested with authority to govern the affairs of the METUCHEN School District (the “District”), including the power under N.J.S.A. 18A:11-2 to sue and be sued in its corporate name and to employ legal counsel to protect the interests of the Board, the District, and its students; and

WHEREAS, social media platforms owned and operated by Meta Platforms, Inc., Instagram LLC, ByteDance Ltd. and TikTok Inc., Snap Inc., and Google LLC/YouTube LLC (collectively, the “Platforms”) have been designed, marketed, and operated in a manner alleged to be addictive and harmful to minors, and are the subject of coordinated litigation nationwide, including In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3047 (N.D. Cal.), in which school districts and boards of education across the country — including in New Jersey — have asserted claims against the Platforms; and

WHEREAS, the METUCHEN School District devotes staff time and resources to addressing issues associated with student social media use, including counseling and student support services, administrative and disciplinary matters, cyberbullying and harassment concerns, and other student safety and wellness issues;

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that it is in the best interest of the District and its students to investigate, and if warranted to pursue, legal claims against the Platforms to recover the costs the District has borne as a result of the Platforms’ conduct; and

WHEREAS, the Law Office of Robert King, PLLC (“King Law”) and Motley Rice LLC (“Motley Rice,” and together with King Law, “Counsel”) have substantial experience representing school districts and public entities nationwide in litigation against the Platforms, including court-appointed leadership roles in the MDL, and have proposed to undertake this representation on a contingency-fee basis, at no upfront cost or financial risk to the District; and

WHEREAS, legal services, including contingency-fee litigation representation, constitute “professional services” as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-2, and may be procured without public advertising for bids pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-5(a)(1) of the Public School Contracts Law, provided that the Board states its supporting reasons for such action in this Resolution — as set forth in the foregoing recitals — and causes notice of the award to be published as required by law;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Education of the METUCHEN School District, County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey, as follows:

1. Retention of Counsel. The Board hereby retains and engages King Law, Motley Rice and Machado Law Group as special litigation counsel to investigate, evaluate, and, if warranted, prosecute all viable claims against the Platforms arising from harm to the District caused by the design, marketing, and operation of the Platforms, including but not limited to claims for public nuisance, negligence, and products liability. Because Machado Law Group also serves as general counsel to the Board, the Board will not be separately billed for any services performed by Machado Law Group in connection with this matter. Rather, Machado Law Group will serve as co-counsel with King Law pursuant to a separate co-counsel agreement, and any fees payable to Machado Law Group will be paid from King Law’s contingency fee. Accordingly, the Board will incur no additional legal fees or expenses for Machado Law Group’s services in connection with this litigation.

2. Authorization to Execute Contract. The Board President is authorized to execute, on the Board’s behalf, a Contract of Investigation and Representation with King Law, Motley Rice and Machado Law Group, substantially in the form presented to the Board, providing for representation on a contingency-fee basis with attorneys’ fees not to exceed one-third (33.33%) of any gross recovery, with Counsel to advance all litigation costs and expenses, reimbursable only from any recovery obtained.

3. Scope of Authority. Counsel is authorized to associate co-counsel, retain experts and investigators, participate in coordinated or multidistrict litigation proceedings, and take all other steps reasonably necessary to investigate and prosecute the claims described herein, consistent with the terms of the executed Contract.

4. No Obligation Absent Recovery. Nothing in this Resolution obligates the expenditure of any District funds, and the District shall owe no fee or expense to Counsel except as expressly provided in the executed Contract, and then only in the event of a recovery.

5. Publication of Notice. The Board Secretary is directed to cause a brief notice of the award of this contract — stating the nature, duration, service, and amount of the contract — to be printed once in an official newspaper of the District, as required by N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-5(a)(1).

6. Further Action. The Board President and District counsel are authorized to execute any further documents and take any further action reasonably necessary or convenient to carry out the intent of this Resolution.

7. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

8.    Settlement Agreement

    Move to approve the settlement agreement for student # 2027113.

 

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

 

3. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

    

1.    Suspensions 

    The Board hereby acknowledges receipt of the suspension report for October 12, 2026 - October 23, 2026.

 

2.  District Calendar

    Move to approve the district calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. 

 

3.    School Bus Emergency Evacuation Drill Reports

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

 

• 10/13/2026 8:15 AM, Metuchen High School, student parking lot. Van 14. Supervised by Brian Stike and Marissa Plancher 

 

• 10/14/2026 9:30 – 11:00 AM, Campbell Elementary School, Location for the drill was Campbell driveway between Talmadge & Durham. Full school evacuation practice at assigned times in Busses 23 & 29. Supervised by Brooke Kirschner and Marissa Plancher

• 10/20/2026 8:00 AM – 2:02PM, Edgar School, back bus circle. Full School Evacuation Practice during Physical Education & Health Classes, Busses 29 & 27 were used for all. Supervised by Neyda Evans & Marissa Plancher. Teachers Leading the drill were John Butler, Rick Carter, Ryan Corrigan, and Drew Bandola

 

• 10/20/2026 8:40 – 9:00 AM, Moss School, car loop on side of building for Special Education vans and bus drop off lane in front of building for all big busses. Van 12, Van 16, Van 24, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6 all participated in the evacuation practice. Supervised by Jen Asprocolas and Billy Ortman

4.    Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

Move to affirm the findings of the previously reported cases: 

 

• METHS091526001

• EMS093026001

 

5.    First Reading of Policies and Regulations

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

 

• P 5350 Student Suicide Prevention (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.    Work Based Learning

Move to approve Work Based Learning Experiences for students in the Metuchen Internship Learning Experience classes at MHS for the 2026-2027 school year: Walmart

 

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