MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE

NORTH HUNTERDON-VOORHEES REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF EDUCATION - HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ

Meeting Location - District Administration Office, 1445 Route 31, Annandale, NJ 08801

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

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At 7:00 p.m., Board President, R. Kirchberger called the meeting to order and led the opening activities.

1. Call to Order and Open Public Meeting Act Statement
2. Roll Call

Also present: J. Bender, Superintendent of Schools, R. Bergacs, Assistant Superintendent,

S. Press, Business Administrator / Board Secretary, Z. Baharev, Director of Special Services,

A. Broan, Director of Curriculum, Articulation and Student Achievement, M. Squarcia, Director of School Counseling Services, L. LaMonte, District Comptroller, G. Vargas-Dellacasa, Technology Coordinator, M. Smagala, Communications Coordinator, G. Cottrell, Principal, North Hunterdon High School, R. Peterson, Principal, Voorhees High School, F. Cousland, Board Attorney, Riker Danzig, Scherer, Hyland, Perretti and approximately six members of the public.

5. Flag Salute
6. Motion by J. Melick, second by F. Goger to approve agenda item 6.1.  The motion carried unanimously.

1. Minutes of the February 19, 2019 board meeting

7. Superintendent’s Report - J. Bender reported the following:

1. Report on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB)
2. Motion by F. Goger, second by T. Hintz to affirm the determinations on the HIB incidents reported at the February 19, 2019 board meeting.  The motion carried unanimously.
3. Monthly reports 
4. Provided the status of the 2019-2019 school calendar, due to closures the last day of school is now Wednesday, June 12, 2019 and graduation remains scheduled on Thursday, June 13, 2019.
5. The NJ Student Learning Assessments (formerly PARCC) is scheduled on April 11 and 12 for Math units and April 15, 16 and 17 for English Language Arts units.
6. Student recognition - Lewis Fernandes, member of the Voorhees wrestling team, who for the second year in a row won the State heavyweight title in Atlantic City.  Lewis is also the Skyland Conference and NJ.com Wrestler of the Year.
7. Voorhees High School Drama Club is performing Big Fish on April 11 - 14, 2019
8. North Hunterdon High School is hosting a community program, about vaping and the impact on adolescent health on March 28, 2019 at 6:30 p.m., presented by Patty McDonnell, the Prevention Program Coordinator for Hunterdon Drug Awareness Program.

8. President’s Report - R. Kirchberger reported the following:

1. April 30, 2019 - Board meeting, public hearing and adoption of the 2019 - 2020 budget - 7:00 p.m. - District Administration Office
2. May 21, 2019 - Board meeting - 7:00 p.m. - District Administration Office
3. Action Needed - Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:17-20.3a, and in preparation for the June 18, 2019 Board Goal Setting Meeting, Board members are requested to complete the Board Self-Evaluation and Chief School Administrator Evaluation now  available online at New Jersey School Boards Association.    

9. Board Committee Reports

1. Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Committee Chair, F. Goger reported that the members discussed academic summer camps; upcoming math department staff professional development sessions; establishment of an Affirmative Action Team to develop a new comprehensive equity plan; upcoming use of technology survey; 2019-2020 establishment of 9th grade student / staff academic teams;  87 students earned the Seal of Biliteracy; 2019-2020 implementation of Linkedin an online professional development tool; the State updated graduation requirements for juniors and seniors; and the State issued guidance on S1569 for 2020-2021 requiring boards of education to include instruction that accurately portrays political, economic and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
2. Policy Committee Chair, T. Roll reported that the committee did not meet.
3. Personnel Committee Chair, S. Crisologo reported that the committee met and discussed the personnel agenda recommendations.
4. Facilities, Finance and Transportation Committee Chair, J. Melick reported that the committee reviewed the status of referendum projects and discussed the capital reserve withdrawal presented on the Board agenda, and advised that the committee reviewed the preliminary budget and further comments would be made later in the meeting at the time the preliminary budget is moved.

10. Opportunity for Public Comment

1. Several members of the public commented about school security.  Board President, R. Kirchberger requested that the Administration compile a report on school security.
2. Mary Obermair, of Annandale, Trustee of the North Hunterdon Education Foundation invited Board members to participate in an upcoming fundraising event at Beaver Brook Country Club.  She also requested that the District consider including Board updates in the Principal’s newsletter.

11. Motion by F. Goger, second by H. Richards to approve action item 11.1.  Superintendent, J. Bender reported on key budget items and several Board members commented.  Upon a roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously.

1. Resolution F31919 -1 authorizing adoption of the 2019 - 2020 preliminary budget  

12. Motion by F. Goger, second by T. Roll to approve agenda items 13.1 - 15.11.  A brief discussion ensued and the motion carried unanimously.  
13. Curriculum, Instruction and Technology

1. Home instruction and out-of-district placements
2. Addition of Dr. Jacob Jacoby of Bayonne, NJ to the professional consultants list at a rate of $1,200 for the provision of conducting psychiatric evaluations
3. Pursuant to Board Policy 1140, establish an Affirmative Action Team to conduct a needs assessment and develop a new three-year comprehensive equity plan 
4. Spanish immersion summer camp
5. STEM summer camp    

14. Policy

1. Second reading of board policies

15. Finance, Facilities and Transportation

1. Resolution F31919-2 authorizing a withdrawal from the capital reserve fund
2. Resolution F31919-3 authorizing competitive contracting
3. Agreement with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc. of Hamilton, NJ, for classroom alterations at North Hunterdon High School
4. Payment, in the amount of $1,140.15, be made on behalf of student #20200144 for instructional services provided to the student for the period of 2/20/19 through 3/6/19
5. Participating addendum to WSCA-NASPO Cooperative Purchasing Organization for copiers, printers and related devices
6. Agreement with Dr. Eric Milou of Sewell, NJ, in the amount of $3,500, for the provision of two mathematics professional development sessions
7. Declare district property as damaged and / or obsolete and grant authorization for disposal
8. Check journals
9. Treasurer and Board Secretary report February 2019
10. Transfer report February 2019
11. Staff training and travel requests                    

16. Motion by T. Roll, second by H. Richards to adopt the resolution for executive session.  The motion carried unanimously and the Board adjourned to executive session at 7:40 pm.

Resolution read by the Board President:  Whereas, Section 7 of the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 authorizes a public body to exclude the public from that portion of a meeting at which the Board discusses topics falling within certain specified exceptions to the requirement for open public meetings, and Whereas the matters to be discussed fall within one or more of those exceptions, now therefore be it Resolved that the Board of Education of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District now adjourns from public session to executive session for the purpose of discussing the following:

12. Personnel - recommendations for appointments, separations, changes in salary,  changes in assignment, and leaves of absence
13. Pending and threatened litigation and matters falling within the attorney-client privilege
14. Executive session minutes February 19, 2019

17. Motion by R. McLaughlin, second by F. Goger to reconvene public session.  The motion carried unanimously and the Board reconvened in public session at 8:05 p.m.
18. New Business

1. Board President, R. Kirchberger called for the Facilities, Finance and Transportation Committee to review policies relating to school security.
2. R. McLaughlin commented that the job posting section of the District website requires review and updating; and requested that the Policy Committee review the Athletic Handbook.
3. J. Melick requested consideration of the order of the monthly Board agenda regarding New Business.

19. Motion by H. Richards, second by R. McLaughlin to approve agenda items 19.1 - 19.2  

Upon a roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously.

4. Personnel agenda P03192019
5. Executive session minutes February 19, 2019  

20. Motion by F. Goger, second by H. Richards to adjourn.  The motion carried unanimously and the meeting adjourned at approximately 8:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Press

Susan Press

School Business Administrator and Board Secretary