001Good evening and happy new year. Um, the Monroe Township Board of Education organization meeting is now called to order. This is a unique board of education meeting where it begins without a board president as chair. As board secretary, it is my role to chair the meeting until such time as the board president is elected. Please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [clears throat] >> In accordance with the provisions of the New Jersey open public meetings law, the Monroe Township Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published and electronic notice provided by having the date, time, and
002place thereof posted November 28th, 2025 and December 23rd, 2025 at all schools on the district website, published in the Home News Tribune and Cranberry Press, and filed with the clerk of the municipality. Moving right along on the agenda, item number four, election results. The election results have been certified by the Middle Sex County Clerk of Elections. Copies of the election results are available in board docks and on the bookcase in the back of the room. It is now my duty to administer the oath of office to the following individuals who are requested to join me at the table up front. Vanessa Forest, Eric Marazine, Kate Ratner, and Amanda Pek. >> [applause] >> Um, [clears throat] yes. have you read this if you'd like your family to >> All right. I, Kate Ratner, do solemnly swear
003that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the government established in the United States and the state under the authority of the people. So help me God. I, Kate Ratner, do solemnly swear that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of member of a board of education and I will faithfully, impartially, and justly perform all duties of that office according to the best of my ability. So help me God. I, Kate Ratner, do solemnly swear and declare that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to RS19 col4-1 and that I am not disqualified to hold this office due to a conviction of a crime or offense
004listed NJSA18A12-1. So help me God. Okay. Um, [clears throat] I, Eric Marazine, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in this United States and this state under authority of the people. So help me God. I Eric Marazine do solemnly swear or affirm that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of member of board of education and I will faithfully impartially and justly perform all duties of the office according to the best of my ability. So help me God. I, Eric Marazine, do solemnly swear or affirm and declare that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to RS19
005colon 4-1 and that I am not disqualified to hold this office due to a conviction of a crime or offense listed in NJSA182-1. So help me God. >> [clears throat] >> I got your pets. Ian do solemnly swear or affirm that [clears throat and cough] I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and this state under the authority of the people. So help me God. I, Vanessa Forest, do solemnly swear or affirm that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of member of a bo of a board of education and I will faithfully and partially and justly perform all duties of
006the office according to the best of my ability. So help me God. I, Vanessa Force, do solemnly swear or affirm and declare that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to RS19 colon 4-1 and that I am not disqualified to hold this office due to a conviction of a crime or offense listed in NJSA18 col 12-1. So help me God. >> [applause] >> I, Amanda Pek, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the constit Constitution of the State of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and this state under the authority of the people. So help me God. I Amanda Peek do solemnly swear that I possess the qualifications prescribed by
007law for the office of member of board of education and I will faithfully impartially and justly perform all duties of that office [clears throat] according to the best of my ability. So help me God. I, Amanda Pek, do solemnly swear and declare that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant of RS194-1 and that I am not disqualified to hold this office due to a conviction of a crime or offense listed in NJSA 18A12-1. So help me God. [applause] Welcome [clears throat] to the board of education. Congratulations and [applause] Buddy's Halloween costume. Okay. >> Okay. So, we will now proceed with the roll call. Okay. Miss [clears throat] Alvarez here. Mr. Depay >> here. >> Miss Forest. [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> Sorry. Sorry. >> Here. Okay. Mr. Marazine >> here. >> Dr. Peek >>
008here. >> Mr. Piro >> here. >> Miss Ratner >> here. >> Miss Chararma >> here. >> Mr. Tufano >> here. >> Mr. Dyer >> here. >> We have a quorum. Okay. So, next on the agenda is the election of the board president. I will open up the nomination process at this time. Is there a nomination for board president? Mr. Tufano. >> I'd like to nominate Kate Ratner for president. >> Second. >> Okay. Mr. Tufano nominates Kate Ratner is seconded by Mr. Merit. >> Um, Miss Allen. Yes, I I do. I genuinely appreciate it and I would love to serve in in this role at some point. Um, but with some ex extenduating family circumstances right now, I would just I need to withdraw my name from consideration. >> Okay. Thank you. I really do appreciate
009it. Thank you. Are there any Miss Miss Alvarez? >> Oh, okay. Are there any other nominations for board president? Miss Alvarez, >> I would like to nominate Gilda Payne. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. Okay. So, Miss Alvarez nominates Gail Depay and Mr. Mr. Piro seconds the motion. Are there any other nominations for board president? Okay. Seeing no more nominations, I will close the nominations for board president. I will now have a call for board president. A yes vote will be for Miss Depay to be president of the board of education. Okay. Miss Alvarez, >> yes. >> Miss Forest, >> yes. >> Mr. Marazine, >> yes. >> Dr. Peek, >> yes. >> Mr. Piro, >> yes. >> Miss Ratner, >> yes. >> Miss Chararma, >> yes. >> Mr. Tufano, >> No. Mr. Zikner, >> yes.
010>> Mr. Depay, >> yes. >> Okay. And congratulations, Mr. Board President. And take your seat. Congratulations. >> Thank you. I now would like to [clears throat] um request any nominations from the floor for vice president. >> Mr. Piro, >> I'd like to nominate Carmen Alvarez. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Zikner. Are there any other nom Mr. Tufano? >> I'd like to nominate Charles Zner. >> Is there a second? >> Seeing none, we'll take a roll call. That's just as good >> for uh Miss Alvarez as vice >> just ask if there's any before you close it. >> Any other nominations for this position? >> Okay. Okay. Seeing none, take a roll call, please. >> Yes. For Miss Alvarez. Miss Alvarez. >> Yes. >> Miss Forest. >> Yes. >> Mr. Marazine. >>
011Yes. >> Dr. Peek. >> Yes. >> Mr. Piro. >> Yes. >> Miss Ratner. >> Yes. >> Miss Chararma? >> Yes. >> Mr. Tufano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Zikner. >> Yes. >> M. Depay. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, we have 10 yes votes. [applause] >> I know. >> Congratulations. Congratulations. >> [clears throat] >> Before the public forum, I would just like to welcome back Miss Ratner to our group. Um, and um, [applause] so glad you're here and acknowledge your uh, in investigative abilities legis into legislation. it keeps us a breast of everything and you're very good at that and I'm glad you're back with us. I'd like to welcome Mr. Marazine and Miss Forest to this board of [applause] education. I know you've all read um all the information that was sent to you, the
012code of ethics, and you signed it. I just want to make note of number four and five. I have it highlighted so I don't know if you want me to read it. Should I read them or not? [clears throat] totally >> um these two items are not included in the school ethics act and are not legally required but they are here for uh Monroe Township and it was I will behave toward my fellow board members with the respect due their office demonstrating courtesy decorum and fair play at public meetings and in all public statements and five I will refrain from inappropriate conduct of public meetings. when making public statements, I will refrain from disparaging my fellow board members or others on a personal, social, racial, or religious basis. And I just wanted to reiterate that
013for the I'm not going to say old board members because Mr. Zikaru and I would be offended, but for the former board members who are here and new board members that we are here to make sure the policies and procedures are run, not run the district ourselves and we are here to make sure that we give the best education to the children of Monroe Township. And I think this group uh is going to be a very top-notch group and be being able to perform that this year. So I thank you all and I welcome you all again. Right now it's public forum time. If anybody from the public wishes to come up and speak, please come up to the uh Oh, we have some little ones coming up. Okay. Can you go up to the
014microphone over there and speak? >> That's so wonderful. And you have to state your name and where you're from. >> Okay, you go first. >> Hi, my name is Joseph Ratner. >> And I'm from Mil Lake. [laughter] Hi, my name is Cadence Marazine and I'm from New Jersey and I go to Mil Lake. >> Hi, my name Hi, my name is Connor Marine and I go to Mil Lake. >> Oh, very nice. >> And I'm from New Jersey. >> Okay. >> Me, too. >> Okay. >> Did you have anything you would like to say? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Go right ahead. I love I love my school, but there's only one tiny problem. >> Okay. [laughter] >> There is not enough paper for the teachers to make all the amount of copies they want to
015make. >> Okay. For example, our teacher used to give us um optional packets for extra practice, but now they are trying to save paper. So now she can't print them. >> That's a problem because I really like math. [clears throat] Plus, some kids need extra practice. >> All of us. >> We would really appreciate it if you board can help us fix this problem >> so our teachers can make more puppies. Thank you and remember Mil is great and all the other M schools. [applause] >> That was that was wonderful and very brave of the three of you to come up there with your issue and we'll see if we can try to take care of the issue for you. Okay. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time. Anyone else willing wishing to come up
016and speak this evening? No. Okay, we'll close this portion of the meeting. The uh the code of ethics. It is recommended that members of the Monroe Township Board of Education acknowledge receipt of and acceptance of the New Jersey School Boards Association code of ethics. Can I have a Yes, Miss Rner. >> Oh, I I can make a motion. And I also just wanted to share something, but I can do it after we do motion and second. >> Motion. >> Okay. Second. >> Second. >> Well, those Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Um, I did just want to share at our last legislative committee meeting for New Jersey school boards, they brought up that they're working on a civility program for school boards throughout the state of New Jersey. And it came up that there's actually
017no mandatory um civility in the New Jersey school board code of ethics for board members. And so then I had shared that at our last reorganization meeting we had these two optional clauses and so Dr. Pernell and the other um top people at New Jersey school boards asked for me to share that with them what we had done and so I did just want to share that we might be saying this with other school boards around the state >> pretty soon. >> Very good. >> Yes. >> Thank you very much for all that you do there. >> Anyone else have any questions? All those in favor I >> opposed >> abstain. Thank you. Organizational items. >> Now Dr. Lane, do you do this? >> I'm sorry. >> Okay. Oh, I see. >> What they do?
018I >> Okay. >> Um, [cough] under number 11, items A through F. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Yes, Miss Ratner. >> I did just want to ask a quick point of inquiry regarding letter F. Um, I know it says for the 2526 school year. I just wanted to confirm because I know we've sort of been moving our reorg meeting in the last few years. Um, is that for ending in June 30th or is that go until our next reorganization meeting and then we need to do it again in July? I feel like this kind of came up last year. So, I just wanted to get clarification. >> Yeah, I I'll um turn that to to Miss Allen. Um my recollection is that when we changed the reorg date um I'm sorry when we changed the
019elections from April to November there would have otherwise been a time where the board would not have had legal counsel and so I believe that this is being put in now to >> bring it up to the end of um >> June 30th and then there would be another appointment for an attorney not necessarily ly me um running from July 1 through June 30. >> Okay. >> So, it's just to get it kind of in line with the new election cycle. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Any other questions? >> Miss Miss Allen, you take a roll call. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Um Miss Alvarez, >> yes. >> Miss Forest, >> yes. >> Mr. Marazine, >> yes. >> Dr. Peek, >> yes. >> Mr. Piro, >> yes. >> Miss Ratner, >> yes. >> Miss
020Chararma, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Tufufano. >> Yes. >> Mr. Zikner. >> Yes. >> Mr. Payne. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Other board of education business. Do we have anything else or is this public? >> No, this is for members. You have >> any other board members? Yeah. Yes. Mer. [laughter] >> Welcome back. >> You guys weren't going to go three years without me. Um I just I have something I just wanted to say real quick. I'll I'll try to make it fast. Um, but I just want to say good evening and thank you everybody for being here. Um, I'm really grateful to be sitting up here once again um and reelected for a second term by our community. I want to thank the voters for placing your trust in me. Um, that confidence
021really means more to me than I can express and I do not take this responsibility lightly. Um, I want to thank my fellow board members. Um, those continuing their service, I look forward to continuing our work together. Um, and I do want to welcome our newest members, Eric. I don't know if 20 years ago when we were working together at a music school, I would have thought you and I would be sitting up here one day with our kids in the audience. [laughter] Um, but here we are. I look forward to you bringing your perspective as an educator and administrator to the board. And Vanessa, while I haven't known you nearly as long, I appreciate all of our discussions over the last several months. I also appreciate the fact that it seems like whatever school
022function I go to, you seem to be there. Whether it's haunted high school or a freezing Friday night football game, you're always there. I really look forward to seeing you equally committed to your work on the board. Um, our teachers, administrators, and staff, thank you for the work that you guys do every single day. Your dedication, professionalism, and care are the foundation of our schools, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue to support you. Um, most importantly, I really want to thank my family. Um, when I asked them whether I should run again, I received mixed reactions. Being up here means missing out on reading bedtime stories, having dinner together, and it puts a lot of extra responsibilities on my husband and my mom to get the kids where they need to be, which
023is why my husband's not even here anymore because he had to drive Sammy to Rosal. [laughter] Um, [clears throat] but ultimately it was your encouragement knowing how much I truly enjoyed this role and reminding me that you would support me no matter what that made it possible for me to do this once more. Sammy, Joey, Benjamin, thank you guys for letting me do this for another three years. And mom and dad, uh, and Dave, thank you guys. You know, I could not do this without you. As I begin my second term, I am mindful that our work's not finished. Among other things, I remain committed to continuing the work of securing full day kindergarten for our students and advocating for a fair school funding formula. These goals matter deeply to our families, among others, and
024I will continue to work collaboratively to move them forward. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve. I am honored to continue to do so. >> Thank you very much. Anyone else from the board that would like to say something this evening? All I would like to say is there is in your packet a list of uh committees. If you could fill it out your interests in the order that you're interested in and hand it to me before the end of the meeting. It's uh kind of rushed, but we have to work on it and make sure that we have our committees together for um the January meeting. So, I'd appreciate that. Other than that, motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Motion. >> Second. [laughter] >> We're good. >> Okay. >> All those in favor?
025I >> opposed. That's really loud. [laughter] And abstain. Thank you everyone for coming tonight and I look forward to seeing everybody back >> for a good year. Thank you.