The regular meeting of the Great Meadows Regional Board of Education was held on Monday, April 11, 2005, at Great Meadows Middle School, Independence Township. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Glenn Williams, President. A statement was read that adequate notice of the meeting had been given in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act.
Flag salute.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Helene Armstrong, Susan Cullen, Peggy
Faulborn, Robert Jones, Cynthia Russo (arrived 7:40 PM), Steve Tierney, and
Glenn Williams.
Absent: Amy Dieteman and Joe
Mahal.
There were 40 members of the
public in attendance.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn,
seconded by Susan Cullen, to approve the minutes from March 2, 2005, March 3,
2005, March 5, 2005, March 7, 2005, March 14, 2005, March 15, 2005, March 19,
2005, and March 29, 2005.
Motion carried in a voice
vote.
(Russo and Tierney –
abstained March 2, 2005 minutes)
(Jones and Tierney –
abstained March 3, 2005 minutes)
(Russo and Tierney –
abstained March 5, 2005 minutes)
(Cullen and Tierney –
abstained March 15, 2005 minutes)
(Jones – abstained March 29,
2005 minutes)
Motion by Susan Cullen,
seconded by Peggy Faulborn, to approve the executive session minutes from
February 25, 2005, March 2, 2005, March 3, 2005, March 5, 2005, March 7, 2005,
March 14, 2005, March 15, 2005, March 19, 2005, and March 29, 2005.
Motion carried in a voice
vote.
(Russo and Tierney –
abstained March 2, 2005 minutes)
(Jones and Tierney –
abstained March 3, 2005 minutes)
(Russo and Tierney –
abstained March 5, 2005 minutes)
(Cullen and Tierney –
abstained March 15, 2005 minutes)
(Jones – abstained March 29,
2005 minutes)
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene
Armstrong, to accept the Financial Report of the Secretary and Treasurer for
the month ending March 31, 2005, as per copies attached and to certify that as
of March 31, 2005, after review of the Secretary=s monthly financial reports (appropriations
section) and upon consultation with the appropriate district officials, that to
the best of my knowledge, no major account or fund has been overexpended in
violation of NJAC 6:20-2.12(e) and that sufficient funds are available to meet
the district=s financial obligations for
the remainder of the fiscal year.
Roll call vote - Yes: Armstrong, Cullen, Faulborn,
Jones, Tierney, Williams.
No: None
Cindy Russo arrived 7:40 PM.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene
Armstrong, to approve the bills from March 23, 2005 to April 4, 2005 in the
amount of $180,816.44.
Motion carried in a voice vote – unanimous.
Glenn Williams, Board
President, acknowledged a letter from a sixth grade Great Meadows Middle School
student regarding fundraising.
James Alercia, Interim Superintendent, gave the following Update:
County Champions – Great Meadows Middle School
Eighth Grade Team
Second Place
- Great Meadows Middle School Seventh Grade Team
·
School Elections will be
held on April 19, 2005 from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. All residents of the school district are encouraged to vote on
this day or by means of an absentee ballot.
Listed below are examples of the efforts made to inform voters on the
issues.
· The Wal-Mart Teacher of the
Year is one of our own, Marcia Goralczyk.
Marcia is the technology teacher at Central School. Congratulations to Marcia!
· Linda McClune, Guidance
Counselor, was voted Warren County Counselor of the year. Congratulations to Linda!
Jason Bing gave Curriculum Update about the following items:
1.
Math Curriculum K-5 approval
2.
BSI program: details
3.
Grade 7 Math curriculum map completed/posted on GMMS
web page
4.
Grade 7 SS map completed-to be posted
5.
Grade K-5 Math curriculum map completed-to be posted
6.
Study Island – access for 3rd grade
students/7th grade students to start May
7.
Materials update
Public Comment on agenda items:
Mrs. Friedan, Independence resident, asked if there
are any addendums to the agenda today? She was told no, not today. She asked if
the board could give addendums on the agenda a letter “j” so people know if
there is going to be an addendum so they can ask questions. She was told that
if there are addendums, the public can pick up a copy on the back table in the
meeting room.
Jen Cassini, Liberty resident, said “Dinosaur Rock”
is coming to Liberty for election night and there should be a minimal charge of
$2 to see the show. She was pleased that this was being offered at the school.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Bob Jones, to approve and accept the revised K-5 Math Curriculum.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve the Professional Development Plan (PDP), which was approved by the Warren County Department of Education, for the Great Meadows Regional School District for the 2005-2006 school year.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, motion by
Helene Armstrong, seconded by Bob Jones, to approve the following staff members
as chaperones for the 8th grade Washington DC trip departing on
Thursday, May 19, 2005, and returning on Friday, May 20, 2005 and to pay these
staff members $100 per night as per Great Meadows Regional Education
Association/Great Meadows Regional Board Of Education negotiated contract:
Jim Bechtel Lee Nittel
Marie Consentino Bill
Nutt
Debbie Exley Steve O’Hara
Chris Kohl (Nurse) Tina
Ritchie
Debbie
Lockwood Eric Shuler
Motion
carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve the following Centenary College students to complete their 15 weeks of student teaching in the Great Meadows Regional School District:
Melissa Moran – Liberty School
September 7, 2005 through
December 22, 2005
Nikki Smith – Central School
September 7, 2005 through
December 22, 2005
Motion
carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve our Administrative Team, Mark Ippolito, Ernest Batha, Kathleen Koop, and Lee Nittel to attend the Principals’ Leadership Institute held on the campus of Princeton University for a five-day residential conference, July 18, 2005 through July 22, 2005 at the cost of $1,500 per person.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion
by Bob Jones, seconded by Susan Cullen, to affirm the following budget
transfers effective February 1, 2005:
11-000-291-270
Medical 11-000-291-250
Unemployment Contrib.
Amount:
$11,500 Reason: Fourth quarter claims
11-000-291-270
Medical 11-000-261-420
Maintenance Contracts Amount: $ 5,000 Reason: Mold Tests-Central
11-000-270-515 Spec
Trans 11-000-100-566 Spec Ed Tuition Amount:
$30,000 Reason: New placements
11-000-240-105
Secretarial 11-000-218-105 Guidance
Secretary Amount: $ 5,616 Reason: Correction to salaries
11-000-251-103
Bus.Off. Sal. 11-000-270-107
Transportation Salaries Amount:
$10,000 Reason: Correction to salaries
11-000-270-519
Nonpub.Tr. 11-000-223-500 Teacher
Workshops Amount: $ 3,000 Reason: Additional workshops
Total
Amount: $65,116
Motion
carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion
by Bob Jones, seconded by Peggy Faulborn, to affirm the following budget
transfer effective March 1, 2005:
From account: To account:
11-000-262-620
Utilities 11-000-261-420 Maintenance
Contracts Amount: $6,000 Reason:
Middle School water meter
Motion
carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, motion by Bob Jones, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve the following stipends for Deborah Exley, teacher at Great Meadows Middle School:
After-School GEPA PREP Program – Math
January 25, 2005 through March 3, 2005
10 hours @ $30 per hour = $300
NJ Math League Coordinator – Testing
February 28, 2005 through March 8, 2005
16 hours @ $30 per hour = $480
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Two quotes were received for transportation of one student to Hunterdon ESC Mountain Farm School in Port Murray as follows:
Snyder Bus Company -
$160 per day with
adjustment cost $1.90 per
mile
A. Morris Scott Bus - $ 119 per day with
adjustment cost $1.89 per
mile
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve a contract to A. Morris Scott for the transportation of one student to Hunterdon ESC Mountain Farm School in Port Murray, NJ beginning January 31, 2005 for the remainder of the 2004-2005 school year (93 days) at $119 per day and mileage adjustment cost of $1.89 for a total contract cost of $11,067.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Two quotes were received for transportation of one student from Warren County Vo-Tech to work-study at WRNJ, Hackettstown as follows:
Snyder Bus Company - $ 65 per day with
adjustment cost $1.90 per
mile
A. Morris Scott Bus - $ 47 per day with
adjustment cost $1.89 per
mile
Motion by Helene Armstrong, seconded by Peggy
Faulborn, to approve a transportation contract to A. Morris Scott for the
transportation of one student from Warren County Vo-Tech to work-study at WRNJ,
Hackettstown, NJ two days per week beginning February 22, 2005 for the
remainder of the 2004-2005 school year at $47 per day and mileage adjustment
cost of $1.89 for a total contract cost of $1,363.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Susan Cullen, to approve a decrease addendum to Vo-Tech Route #1 with Snyder Bus due to a decrease of 7.5 miles with a per mile adjustment of $1.90 for a final route cost of $15,399.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Susan Cullen, seconded by Peggy Faulborn, to approve Veena Nayak of Great Meadows as a volunteer with AnneMarie Latimer, Liberty School nurse, for the 2004-2005 school year.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, motion by Steve Tierney, seconded by Peggy Faulborn, to approve Mary Ann Zino as substitute teacher for grades K through 4 and Elaine Chasmar as substitute teacher for all grades for the remainder of the 2004-2005 school year.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, motion by
Steve Tierney, seconded by Helene Armstrong, to approve Diane Little as
substitute nurse in the Great Meadows Regional School District for the
2004-2005 school year.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Diane Morris, New Jersey School Boards Representative, arrived at 8:30 PM.
Motion by Peggy Faulborn, seconded by Bob Jones, whereas, the Board must consider matters involving personnel, the deliberation of such matters may be held in private under the Open Public Meeting Act NJSA 10:4-6, the Board will adjourn to Executive Session at 8:30 PM to discuss the above mentioned matter, to the exclusion of all others. If any action results, it will be taken following the re-entry into regular session.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Bob Jones, seconded by Steve Tierney, to re-enter regular session at 9:50 PM.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Motion by Steve Tierney, seconded by Bob Jones, to adjourn at 9:55 PM.
Motion carried in a voice vote - unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Christina Sharkey