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Agenda:LOPATCONG TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION 321 Stonehenge Drive Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING: The Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 7:30pm at Lopatcong Township Middle School located at 321 Stonehenge Drive. The meeting will be held in the Cafetorium. To gain admittance, please use the entrance at Stonehenge Drive. The meeting will be open to the public at 7:30pm. AGENDA
R-141-04 Adoption of the 2004-2005 School Year Budget R-142-04 Reorganization Meeting R-143-04 Accept Custodian Resignation R-144-04 Approve 2004-2005 School Year Calendar
An Executive Session will be called at the end of the regular session Public comments are invited on any educationally pertinent subject. All participants will be given five (5) minutes to state their issue. In addition, the subject matter may be discussed by the Board for an additional five (5) minutes. All audience participants must state their name and address before speaking. Thank you for understanding.
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Minutes:MINUTES OF THE LOPATCONG TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC HEARING President Kish called the meeting to order at 7:30pm. Mrs. Barna read the following opening statement, I would like to announce and have placed in the minutes that adequate notice of this special meeting of the Lopatcong Township Board of Education has been provided in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act by publication in the Express-Times. A copy of this notice has also been filed with the Township Clerk and posted in two school locations. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present. ROLL CALL Present: Donna Drake, Ernie Gallant, Joe Kennedy, Frank Kish, Greg McGann (arrived at 9:00pm), Mr. McGuinness (Arrived at 9:45pm for Executive Session), Jesse Rozycki, Raisy Stammherr, and Bill Taggart. Absent: None Others Present: Albert V. Purdy, Superintendent; Teresa E. Barna, Business Administrator/Board Secretary; Rosemary Kowalchuk, Principal; and approximately 30 members of the public. CORRESPONDENCE None MINUTES Motion by Drake, second by Gallant, that the minutes of March 9, 2004 be approved and filed. Vote: 7 - Yes. Motion carried. PUBLIC HEARING Mr. Kish turned the meeting over to Mrs. Barna and the Finance Committee for the public hearing on the 2004-2005 school year budget. Mrs. Barna gave a power point presentation on the enrollment projections, revenues, appropriations and the tax impact. Mr. Gallant gave a presentation on the reasons for an increase in the tax impact. Mr. Taggart gave a presentation on the staff positions and items that have already been cut from the budget in order to come within the state requirement spending limits and to reduce the tax impact. Mr. Rozycki presented information and statistics indicating Lopatcongs educational and financial performance compared to the state averages. The budget that is being presented to the voters on April 20, 2004 does not include any increase in staff and programs. This is a maintenance budget. Mrs. Barna also informed the public that the school board is proposing a withdraw in the amount of $35,000 from the Capital Reserve Account to continue roof repairs on the elementary school building. After the power point presentation, the Board opened the floor up to questions and discussions regarding the budget. A lengthy question and answer session took place. Many residents presented questions to the Board regarding issues such as the increase in health benefits, grant funds and whether the board tries to apply for grants through private sources, High school tuition costs, the procedure for a defeated budget, the impact of reassessment in the township, class size, and several other items. Hearing no further the comments or questions, the Board adopted the 2004-2005 school year budget as follows:
Motion by Gallant, second by Taggart, that be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, having duly advertised and conducted a Public Hearing on the proposed 2004-2005 School Year Budget, hereby adopts said budget for presentation to the voters of Lopatcong Township on Tuesday, April 20, 2004. Budget is approved as follows:
Roll call vote: 8 Yes. Motion carried.
Motion by Taggart, second by Gallant, that be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education set the date for the Annual Reorganization Meeting for Tuesday, April 27, 2004 at 7:30pm. Vote: 8 Yes. Motion carried.
Motion by McGann, second by Gallant, that be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, accept the resignation of Brian Marinelli from his position as custodian effective March 18, 2004. Roll call vote: 8 Yes. Motion carried.
Motion by Rozycki, second by Kennedy, that be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent and the Education Committee, approve the 2004-2005 school year calendar as presented and attached to these minutes. Vote: 8 Yes. Motion carried. Mr. Kennedy gave a short explanation that the calendar that was presented and approved reflects the first day of school to be after Labor Day with a shortened Spring Break. PUBLIC COMMENT How many snow days are in the school calendar? Three. What does the charge of $5 for a replacement ID go towards? The cost of the ID badges and the lanyards is costly and the fee goes to help offset these expenses. Mr. Kennedy mentioned that the Education Committee will be presenting a proposal to the full board regarding the Education Forum. The Committee or the Administration will then be reaching out to the PTA. The first meeting will hopefully be scheduled in April. The Education Committee will look into the establishment of an Education Foundation. The Board took a five minute recess. EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion by Drake, seconded by Gallant, WHEREAS, Section 7 of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975 (R.S. 10:4-13), permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting or portion of a meeting of this public body in certain circumstances; and WHEREAS, the Board of Education must consider matters involving legal issues and personnel, the disclosure of which could constitute and unwarranted invasion of privacy; now THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education adjourn to executive session at 9:45pm to discuss the above mentioned matter to the exclusion of all others. Matters discussed may or may not be made public this evening. Any resulting action will be taken after re-entry into regular session. Vote: 8 - Yes. Motion carried Motion by McGuinness, second by Taggart, that the Board of Education return to regular session at 11:07pm. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Mr. Kennedy presented a proposal to the Board regarding eighth grade graduation. A discussion took place regarding changes that have been presented by the Education Committee for the eighth grade graduation ceremony. Mrs. Stammherr read a detailed letter regarding how involved the PTA has been with the graduation ceremony and the community to make it a warm and friendly place to live. Mrs. Stammherr would like the graduation ceremony and the scholarship awards ceremony to be combined. Mrs. Stammherr was disappointed that she did not have the opportunity to read her letter while the public was still present. The graduation ceremony has been admired by surrounding districts for many years. The evening of Graduation will contain the following: Graduation Ceremony will be held in the Cafetorium beginning at 6:45pm. A reception and photo opportunity will follow for graduates, family members, and faculty/staff in the lobby at approximately 7:30pm. A Graduation dance will follow in the Cafetorium from approximately 8:00pm to 11:00pm. The Education Committee recommends that the pre-graduation dinner be discontinued. A Leadership Awards evening will be scheduled for another evening.
Motion by McGuinness, second by Drake, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent and the Education Committee, approve the procedure for Eighth Grade Graduation as presented. Roll call vote: 5 Yes. 4 No. (Gallant, Stammherr, Taggart, and Kish) Motion carried. The Education Committee presented a proposal to the Board regarding the initiation of an Education Forum. The Forum would consist of Administrators, Two Parent Facilitators, Staff Members, and all parents of students enrolled in the school district. The Forum would meet the first Thursday of the Month for the months of October, December, February, April and June. The first meeting may be held in April or May since the first Thursday in April will have passed.
Motion by McGuinness, second by Taggart, that be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent and the Education Committee, approve the establishment of an Education Forum as presented and discussed. Vote: 9 Yes. Motion carried. Hearing no further business, the Board adjourned at 11:40pm on a motion by Gallant, second by Rozycki. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Teresa E. Barna, RSBO Business Administrator/ Board Secretary
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