001like to call this meeting to order. The mission of the Freel Township School District is to honor and support every learner every day on the journey to become curious and engage members of a diverse global community. A notice listing the time, date, and place of this meeting was posted on the public bulletin board of all Freel township schools on the entrance door to the administrative offices of the board of education on the district website at the office of the Freel Township Clerk published in the Asbury Park Press on January 11th, 2025 and sent to the Star Ledger on January 8th, 2025. Please join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with
002liberty and justice for all. >> Can I get a roll call? Mr. Devito, Mrs. Brand, >> Dr. Casey, >> Miss Crosby, >> Mr. Ro here, >> Mrs. Lambert. >> Mrs. Spieler >> here, >> Mr. Williams >> here. >> Mrs. O Sullivan, >> Mr. Chair Maroso >> here. >> Thank you. Can I get a motion for the approval of the August 26th regular meeting minutes? Welcome. >> Thank you. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Anybody absent last week? >> No. I think everyone was here. Mrs. Spieler was on the call. >> Excellent. Thank you. Can I get a motion for the approval of the August 26, 2025 executive meeting minutes? >> All those in favor say I. Any opposed? One extension. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. President's remarks. Um,
003first I just want to say congratulations to all the staff that's watching online and everyone present for a wonderful and smooth school opening. My phone did not ring and that meant that the day went excellent. Mr. Dixon um we later spoke and he was telling me how wonderful everything went. So, thank you for that. And last night we had our first back to school night and um I was in attendance. Several of our board members were. Thank you very much. It was excellent. We had a wonderful turnout. Lots of parents came out. It was really great to see. I mean, we really they were still coming in 10 minutes after people pouring in. Always great to see um excited parents coming back for the back to school nights. We have many others to come this
004week. So, kudos to everyone. And uh with that, I'll turn it over to the administrator. >> Thank you. Uh we did in fact have a wonderful opening. Uh thank you to all of our administrators, transportation, uh property services, all our uh district staff who contributed to an outstanding opening. Um very few issues. An update on the media center at Laura Donovan School. I did share with the board, but to share with the community, um promptly after discovering the issue, we had a service come in and do a deep cleaning in the media center. Uh they did it over Labor Day weekend. We had a the air sampling or the environmental consulting company come out and they did an air sample prior to that work starting and then an air sample after the work was completed.
005That air sample uh we paid extra for a 6h hour I believe turnaround time for that air sample to be processed because we really wanted that media center available as soon as our staff returned and that was as you know the board knows it was um clear the room was clear and subsequently reopened. So um we do believe as I said at the prior meeting that it was residual from the last time and now that is remediated. Um we did have our first back to school night. We have a series of back to school nights that are coming. Um again if you have any changes to the uh back to school nights that you will be attending if you can just keep that sheet updated. Our administrators especially our middle school administrators who still do
006um a general session and typically uh note who is there. Um, and ECLC also still does general session. Um, keep that updated so that they introduce you if you're present. Uh, and we did, and when I say we, I just uploaded files with Ally, but um, our property service team, Steve Turley and Nick Bao, put a great deal of time into working with the vendor and collecting data um, that was necessary and inventory for us to submit. Ally and I like we just uploaded the files and pushed submit to the state for that water grant. So if successful and we receive all the funds for which we applied um any drinking fountain or sink that had any level of lead at all whether it was acceptable levels or not would be replaced with a new
007outlet and filtration system. Um it depends how much they fund, but we applied for all for all of them to be replaced if they had any level what detectable level whatsoever. So our hope is that that that's approved. Uh we did have a question from a parent that they haven't heard anything since. Um the initial report came home about the lead in the drinking water and those that exceeded um acceptable levels. Those are all either remediated or off um just in case anybody else had that same question. either it was remediated um or it's not accessible to students and staff. I'm going to go into the SSDs. Um we are reporting for reporting period 2 which is January through June. I'll go by school that number and type of incidents. Um so for reporting period
0082, Kina had five incidents. um five HIP confirmed, three other incidents leading to removal and two HIP alleged. Applegate had six incidents. All six were HIP confirmed, three other incidents leading to removal and one HIP alleged. Barlo had seven incidents total, one of violence, six HIP confirmed, nine other incidents leading to leading to removal and four HIP alleged. Eisenhower had 18 incidents total, three of violence, 15 hip confirmed, 22 other incidents leading to removal and two hip alleged. Erikson had four incidents total, one of violence, three HIP confirmed, 10 other incidents leading leading to removal and one HI alleged. Donovan had three incidents total. All three were confirmed HIS and three HI alleged. West Freehold had one incident. It was uh one HIB confirmed, five other incidents leading to removal and no HIV alleged and
009ECLC had no incidents. Thank God. Um some of you might be wondering, I see some thinking of it's not totaling. That is not meant to be a total. There are other things that we're reporting. Um so other incidents leading to removal aren't always something that is an incident. It's just another data category. Um, so it's not it's not necessarily a total, but I read you every category that's on there. >> Um, violence t it can be a fight. It can be what I don't want to use the police like a term like assault, but not um it could be assault, but those are examples, not necessarily what happened in our district. Typically, uh, violence is typically a like a traditional what you would think of as a fight. I don't know them all by heart,
010but that is a that's our primary example of what violence would be. >> That was attached for every board member to view. So, if you have any questions, you can either myself, Mr. Dixie. >> Shall I go into the hearing on that? >> Okay. So, um the first part of public participation, I'm going to open um the floor to a public hearing on this report. Now therefore, be it resolved that the board of education shall open a public hearing on the SSDS report period two for the school year 2024 2025. Do we have any public comments on the SS DS? Okay. Seeing none, therefore be it resolved that the board of education shall close the public hearing on the SSDs reporting period 2 for the school year 2024 2025. So, at this time, this would
011be the first opportunity for public participation on agenda items only this evening. If anyone wishes to address the board, please write your name and address on the sign-in sheet. State your name for the record. Statements are limited to 3 minutes. Should not be abusive, obscene, or defamatory in nature. Do we have any participants today? Okay, seeing none, we will go into personnel policy and communications. Uh, Mrs. Good evening everyone and welcome back to school right so we all get settled in and I'm glad to hear everything went smoothly uh our committee meeting meeting did meet tonight uh was myself uh Dr. Casey Dr. Brethower and Jeff Williams uh we got together and we discussed our board goal action plan for personnel and policy and um The objectives we came up with two objectives. They were
012to institutionalize on um an onboarding process for new board members and the other objective was ongoing professional development to support and encourage highly effective boardmanship. and um the outline that we worked on for the activities were attached and submitted to most right and uh I'm going to start to read from um excuse me I'd like to move the following items Number three, the FTA contract as listed. Number four, the FTEA sidebar agreement as listed. Number five, the second reading of policies and regulations as listed. Number six, the second reading to abolish uh policy 1648. 15. Number seven, resignations as listed. Number eight, new employment as listed. Number nine, adjust start date as listed. Number 10, salary adjustments as listed. Number 11, change of assignment salary adjustment as listed. Number 12, leave of absence as listed.
013Number 13, >> SSDS report for reporting period 224 to 25 as listed. >> Thank you. >> Number 14, district mentors as listed. Number 15, additional compensation safety care trainer reertification as listed. Number 16, additional compensation safety care initial training as listed. Number 17, additional compensation back to school night as listed. Number 18, additional compensation prek and kindergarten teachers as listed. Number 19, summer IEP meetings as listed. Number 20, student teacher practicum observation placement as listed. Number 21, affiliation agreement Bay Path University as listed. Number 22, certified substitutes as listed. Number 23, non-certified substitutes as listed. And that's it. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Um, questions and discussion. >> Okay. And Jeff, you're going to abstain from that. I'm just looking at the old memo here from Michael Gross and it says
014if your spouse is not a member of the current union um that you can vote to ratify the contract in absence of any other conflict. >> What about >> she's fine too? >> Okay. So then everyone can vote >> correct. Y everybody's clear to vote. >> So uh do we have any other discussion before we take that vote? >> Okay. Can I get a roll call, please? Mrs. Brand. Yes, >> Dr. >> Casey. >> Miss Crosby. >> Yes, >> Mr. Garulo. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Spieler. >> Yes, >> Mr. Williams. >> Yes, >> Mrs. O. Sullivan. >> Yes, >> Mr. Amaroso. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Okay. >> Congratulations on uh ratifying the FTEA agreement. >> Have some members out back. >> All right. So, we're going to move on now to the curriculum
015committee. Mrs. the brand. >> Okay, thank you. And uh yeah, I did go to the Applegate school back back to school night. It was a lot of fun. Really a lot of fun. Um I'd like to So we did have a committee meeting this evening. In attendance was myself, Miss Crosby, Mr. O Sullivan, and Miss Montgomery. The committee meeting uh discussed the items on the agenda as well as the ESA and title one updates which include uh title one monies from the federal government. Then we had high impact tutoring monies which are being used for ESL reading and math and we'll be uh there's going to be the goals will be set in October and we'll have uh monies being test for increasing literacy for 3 to four weeks for uh for those in uh
016I say in strength situations. The NJSLA adaptive field testing is being is also being changed from the testing that we have to an adaptive field test and we'll be administering uh we as a school district will be administering a field test for the NJSLA. Title one monies went down for an interventionist. Title two monies went up for professional development and then we have uh title three money which we are using as a we miss Rebecca is using uh to administer for the consortium of schools that are under $10,000. I'd like to move the following in the agenda. Number three, course reimbursement as listed. Number four, home instruction as listed. That's it. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Do we have any questions for curriculum? >> Um, I just just want to make
017sure. So, the grant money that we got, I thought it was for the high impact learning. Are we now instituting >> the high impact tutoring money we received? That was not a grant. That was an additional uh allocation of state funds. that. Okay. >> So, the RFP that you all are going to be approving tonight in the finance section, >> okay, >> is to award a contract to a tutoring company so that we can use those funds to implement high impact tutoring. We'll be doing high impact tutoring for our ESL students, reading students, um, and math students. We're going to use the same model we used this past year, which is tutoring during the school day. Okay? >> Um, as it yielded much better attendance and impacted student last year. We saw that already. That's
018awesome. >> And the company that that you are approving is the same company that we have partnered with. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Any other questions or curriculum? >> All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? >> Excellent. >> Finance, facilities, and transportation is uh we need a pickup here. Can you do it, Mr. Thank you. Finance Committee did not meet tonight. The members are Mike and also Michelle and Robert Dvita. I'd like to move the following items bills and claim the bills. Mr. Williams, >> thank you. Yeah. Um, we have bills of uh 3,419,910.88. I'd like to uh move uh travel and related expenses as listed. Number four, transfers as listed. Five, transfer ratify as listed. Six, donations as listed. Seven, disposals as listed. Eight, consultant as listed. Nine, nursing services
019as listed. Out of district contract as listed. Out of district transportation contracts, M O S as listed. Number 12, contract with uh Neielson Ford for 2025 20 26 as listed. Lease purchase 256 as listed. 14 physical year 26 title 1A grant as listed. 15 physical year 2026 ESA grant update as listed. 16 renewal of memorandum agreement prevention first as listed. 17 acceptance and approval of RFP for high impact tuy for 25 to 26 and then it says 26-07 as listed 18 legal depository as listed 19 contract with Phoenix Advisor LLC 2025 referendum and Subsequent issuance of bonds as listed. 20. Contract with Phoenix Advisors LLC. Refunding of the 2016 issuance of bonds as listed. 21. Contract with Phoenix Advisor LLC. 25-26. Lease purchase as listed. 22. Contract with Wentz Goldman and Spitzer PA. as listed.
020>> Thank you. Do we have a second on that? >> I'll second. >> Do we have any questions for finance facilities? >> Have we heard anything back from >> uh No, we're still working on it. So the um first on site was a company that came out just before um the school year started and they were in the process of writing the report for us to be submitted by our broker. So as soon as I find anything I will let everyone know. >> Great. >> Any other questions? Finance >> about the lease of the board trust that >> replacement or it's replacement. Up until about three years ago or two years ago, we hadn't added anything in our fleet for a long time and um they started to fall apart. Unfortunately, when most of those
021trucks were used to sand uh and plow and so that the you know the bodies tend to rot out and other things. So it's just yeah it's built we have a set amount that runs through the budget annually for lease purchasing so it fit into that between buses and the other equipment we're buying. But but these are replacement ones. These are not new ones. some of the vehicle someone's driving an old school bus and it's uh not conducive to what they're doing. >> Excellent. Any other questions on finance facilities? >> Okay, seeing none, uh all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? No abstensions. We'll move into old business. Do we have any old business? Any new business? Okay. uh president's remarks. I just want to remind everyone we have um a
022lot of back to school nights coming up. So uh please remember I think by now we have the list pretty much carved out. >> Um so uh I look forward to seeing everyone um administrators and staff alike and uh again on behalf of the board we wish everybody a happy September. We'll see you all again on the 30th. Um, with that, I'm going to call for a motion for a journal. >> Oh, public participation. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. I almost just blew past it. Thank you. Uh, do we have anyone interested in public participation? >> Okay, seeing none, then we'll move for a motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. Any opposed? >> 25 minutes. 25 minutes.