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Agenda:

1. Call Meeting to Order, Flag Salute, Opening Statement

2. Roll Call

3. Correspondence

4. Minutes of November 14, 2006 and Bill Lists; October 2006 Secretary/Treasurer Reports; Certify Financials

5. Public Comment on Agenda Items

6. New Business - Action Items

R-090-07          The Governor’s Initiative on Autism Grant Application

 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 your understanding.

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Minutes:

President Gallant called the meeting to order on December 12, 2006 at 7:32pm. Mrs. Barna read the following opening statement, “I would like to announce and have placed in the minutes that adequate notice of this regular meeting of the Lopatcong Township Board of Education has been provided in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act by publication of the annual notice in the Express-Times.  A copy of this notice has been filed with the Township Clerk and posted at both school locations.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.

ROLL CALL

Present:  Dennis Drake, Robert Edinger, Ernie Gallant, Terry Glennon, Kurt Kessler, Frank Kish, Greg McGann, Jesse Rozycki and Bill Taggart.

Absent: None

Others Present:  Dr. Michael Rossi, Superintendent; Teresa E. Barna, Business Administrator/Board Secretary; Rosemary Kowalchuk, Principal, Stephen Geisel, Asst. Principal, Matthew Eagleburger, Asst. Principal, JoAnn Murray, CST Director; John Comegno, Board Attorney and 6 members of the public.

MINUTES

Motion by Mr. Drake, second by Mr. Edinger, that the minutes of the November 14, 2006 meeting be approved and filed. Motion carried on unanimous voice vote.

BILL LIST

Motion by Mr. Rozycki, seconded by Mr. Edinger, that the bills submitted for December 12, 2006 meeting, to include operating account and food service account be approved for payment. Motion carried on unanimous voice vote.

SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORTS

Motion by Mr. Taggart, seconded by Mr. Drake, that the Secretary/Treasurer’s Report submitted for the month ending October 31, 2006 which agree with each other and the bank be approved and filed. Motion carried on unanimous voice vote.

FINANCIAL REPORTS CERTIFICATION

Motion by Mr. Taggart, seconded by Mr. Edinger, as follows: Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:23-2.11(c)3, the Board Secretary certifies that no line account has encumbrances and expenditures, which in total exceed the line item appropriation in violation of N.J.A.C. 6A:23-2.11(a) and;

Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:23-2.11(c)4, we certify that as of October 31, 2006, after review of the monthly report (appropriation section) and upon consultation with the appropriate officials, to the best of our knowledge no major line account or fund has been over-expended in violation of N.J.A.C. 6A:23-2.11(b), and that sufficient funds are available to meet the district’s financial obligations for the entire fiscal year.

Motion carried on unanimous voice vote.

Motion by Mr. Taggart, second by Mr. Kessler, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve Andrew Quqa and Noreen Stansberry as substitute teachers for the remainder of the 2006-2007 school year.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Kish, second by Mr. Taggart, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve additional volunteers as per the attached list.

Vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Edinger, second by Mr. Drake, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve Linda Taggart, Lynn Cushing, Heather Weidlick and Melissa Roosen to participate in the After-School Homework Program.

Roll call vote:  8 – Yes.  Mr. Taggart – abstain.  Motion carried.

Motion by Dr. McGann, second by Mr. Kessler, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve “Kids Vote 2007” to be held on April 17, 2007 for the purpose of holding a simulated school election for Lopatcong students.

Vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Glennon, second by Mr. Kessler, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to approve travel related expenses for district employees according to district policy and procedure as follows: The Board of Education authorizes employee travel expenses related to attendance at professional development workshops, conventions, conferences, meetings, all workshops and events sponsored by NJSBA, NJASA, NJASBO, NJSPA, HWASBO, Warren County SBA, State meetings and training sessions and all mileage reimbursements related to the everyday function and operations of the school district.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Mr. Drake inquired as to why the above resolution did not include NJEA sponsored functions.  Mr. Drake indicated that perhaps the board should be including such events as the NJEA convention in order to encourage the teachers to participate.  The administration indicated that NJEA convention days are not teacher calendar days and that this would be a negotiable item.  Travel related expenses are more than just mileage reimbursement.  This also includes meals and lodging.  To pay for this for an unknown number of staff members would be very costly to the Board.

Motion by Mr. Kessler, second by Mr. Taggart, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve the placement of two Lopatcong students at KidsPeace National Centers and to approve a tuition contracts with KidsPeace National Centers for the 2006-2007 school year at a rate of $142 per day as follows:

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Drake, second by Mr. Rozycki, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, adopt the following revised policies as read, attached to these minutes and filed in the district policy manual:

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Rozycki, second by Mr. Kessler, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve transfers within the 2006-2007 school year budget as follows:

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Taggart, second by Mr. Kish, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve the K-8 Math Curriculum as presented.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Mr. Glennon asked Dr. Rossi to briefly talk about this curriculum.  Dr. Rossi indicated that this curriculum is consistent with the standards and in concert with the articulation goals.

Motion by Mr. Kish, second by Mr. Drake, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve the 5-8 Technology Curriculum as presented.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Mr. Glennon asked Dr. Rossi to speak briefly about this curriculum.  Dr. Rossi explained that the State of New Jersey will be assessing technology skills and this curriculum is designed to prepare students for that assessment.  Grade 5 is the      foundation for technology based skills and grades 6-8 will build on those skills.

Motion by Mr. Edinger, second by Mr. Drake, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approve the 2006-2007 Chief School Administrator Goals as presented.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Mr. Gallant thanked Dr. McGann for developing these goals on behalf of the Board.

Motion by Dr. McGann, second by Mr. Kish, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve the following field trips:

Vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Glennon, second by Mr. Edinger, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approves the submission of a grant application to the State of New Jersey for The Governor’s Initiative on Autism in the amount of $75,000 which would enhance our current program with the establishment of a Behavior Specialist position.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Kessler, second by Dr. McGann, that be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, approve a contract agreement with Employment Pathways, Division of Abilities of Northwest Jersey, Inc. for a transitional program for one Lopatcong student for two days per week beginning January 4, 2007 through June 29, 2007 at a rate of $200 per day.

Roll call vote:  9 – Yes.  Motion carried.

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

The math and technology curriculum will be on the district website for public access.

The Board approved the Kids Vote Program. The elementary school students will be voting on the name for the fire truck. A ballot question for the middle school is still being considered.

The first visit to Avon Avenue School in Newark has taken place and it was a huge success. Students were thankful for the experience. Fifteen staff, twelve students and two board members participated. Students from the Avon Avenue School will be visiting the middle school on January 12, 2007.

In the area of guided reading, Mary Beth Allen will be returning to work with the teachers in grades 3 & 4.

The district will be ordering a program called “Study Island”. This is a program where every student in grades 3-8 will use the program to enhance their test skills. Students and parents will be able to access this program from home and work on it together.

The sending districts to Phillipsburg High School are continuing to work on articulation in the area of Language Arts. The K-8 science curriculum is also being reviewed.

There was a picture on the front of the Express-Times of the Grades 3 and 4 holiday concert.

REPRESENTATIVE INFORMATION FROM PHILLIPSBURG

Mr. Kish stated that the Language Arts Program is being reassessed.

It has been reported that the Phillipsburg School District has not met it’s requirements for Average Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind. Mr. Kish clarified that the information from the NJ Department of Education shows that the Phillipsburg School District has not grossly failed to meet the requirements but has just barely missed the benchmark due to students who have special learning needs and who have a language barrier.

The OP Period, which is a period after school where students can get extra help from teachers, is interfering with Athletics.

Mr. Kish also referenced two newspaper articles that he felt was of some interest. One articled entitled “Schools Rediscover that Good Grammar Plays in Good Writing” and the other article entitled “High School Math Programs are Academic Child Abuse.”

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Mr. Glennon referenced and distributed copies of the findings and recommendations from the four special session joint legislative committees.

Mr. Glennon also indicated that there will be a new school funding formula.

ITEMS OF EMERGENT NATURE

Susan Flanagan, Judy Liptak and Tara Hoey submitted a letter requesting that the Board of Education consider holding a before and after school program in it’s schools. The proposal recommended that this program be sponsored by Catholic Charities. After much discussion, the board directed Dr. Rossi to develop a survey that the Board would distribute to obtain information on the need and/or interest for such a program in the community.

The Board also briefly discussed a letter that expressed concern with parents parking along public roads surrounding the elementary school at dismissal in order to pick up their children. The Board does not have control over parking on public roads.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mrs. Rozycki stated that the online science textbook is great and that when considering curriculum materials in the future to look for this option.

Mrs. Sacelaris asked to have clarification on the budget transfers that were approved. Mrs. Barna stated that there was a student attending a charter school when the budget was prepared that is no longer attending the charter school. Therefore, these funds were available to transfer to another line item where funds were needed.

Mrs. Sacelaris also asked for clarification on the position that would be created if awarded the autism grant. Ms. Murray clarified the position and stated that the maximum amount that the school district could apply for was $75,000. To go into a consortium would not be beneficial to the district.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion by Mr. Taggart seconded by Mr. Edinger,

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 and personnel issues, the disclosure of which could constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education adjourn to executive session at 9:20pm 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:  9 - Yes.  Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Edinger, second by Mr. Drake, that the Board of Education return to regular session at 10:45pm.  Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Hearing no further business, the Board adjourned at 10:45pm on a motion by Mr. Taggart, second by Mr. Drake.  Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Respectfully submitted,

Teresa E. Barna, RSBO

Business Administrator/

Board Secretary

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Last Modified:  Sunday, April 01, 2007

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