001I'd like 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 engaged 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,
002indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Can I get a roll call? Mr. >> Deasby, Mr. >> Here, Mrs. Lambert >> here. >> Mrs. Mr. Williams >> here. >> Mrs. O'N >> here. >> Thank you. May I get a motion for the approval of the June 24th, 2025 regular meeting minutes? >> A second. >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> One extension. Caramel. >> Can I get a motion for the approval of the July 22nd, 2025 special meeting minutes? >> Second. >> All those in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Guess uh one of Were we all there for that one? Okay. Everyone came to the retreat. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good. Excellent. Uh communications. >> The only communication we have is enrollment of 2546
003students. We had the exact same number and you compare that to June of 2024. That's all I have. >> Excellent. Uh president's remarks. I'll keep it short. Um, I hope everyone's having a nice summer and I've been watching all of the hiring, all of the uh things going on at central office Tuesday through Friday and uh I thank you for all your hard work. Um, I also uh during new business I'll go over maybe some of the goals that we went over with the retreat. I'll save that for later. Um, and with that we'll go to the the administrative report. >> Thank you. Uh we are in the middle of our extended school year program. For the community and those that may not be aware, we do run an extended school year program as required
004six uh weeks. Um our program has grown each year from its inception. We have over 300 I want to say 50 students 342 this year 342 students attending our summer program. We've extended through the years um into the Barklo hallways further and further and further. Um, so, uh, I just wanted to let you know that that was going on and I am very grateful because, um, while we do pay staff to work in the summer, many people use their summer to go away or be with their families. And we have staff, um, not only who have given their time to work with children in the summer, but other staff who are acting as substitutes, so those staff can take some time to be with their families or when they're ill. So we have not had
005coverage issues in the summer because our own staff are the substitutes for our own staff. We're out um during extended school year. So it's a wonderful program for students who qualify and um yep that will go for 6 weeks. It ends mid August. >> 342. It used to be 100 maybe years ago. So it's increased significantly. Um, and just so you know, that is a program exclusively for students who have IEPs. And there's criteria to be in the extended school year, which is that the student will regress so much that would they would not be able to recoup the skills lost over the summer in a reasonable amount of time compared to their grade level peers. Um, also pleased to share, uh, our county superintendent had shared, um, Becky and I met with our county
006superintendent and county ed specialist to review our district improvement plan for CQAC. If you recall, I went on about the lack of fairness in the um, knowing that they were using a new formula for instruction and program, but only starting that formula for districts that were going into it the next year. Um if we remember if you recall we would have been we would have been successful at the 80% in instruction and program if they ran that formula but they refused not our county the state refused to allow them to do that so we were at a 78%. Um the reason behind that was we there was a lot of advocacy work done across the state by administrators to share that they um they um unfairly weighted science that's only given to two grade levels
007uh at the same weight as language arts and math that is administered to grades 3 through 8. Um and they did fix that and acknowledged it but wouldn't do wouldn't go back and do that. So um a district improvement plan was created. It was our six-month review. We had that in the summer. Um we met all our goals in the district improvement plan or we were on well on our way with the data that we had which was I ready data um and then some other um professional documentation of professional development that we said we would be doing because there is no science achievement data provided to us. Um so I am pleased to share that we received notification from the um state department of education that our new placement as of July 2025 is
00880%. Um and it says I'm pleased to inform you your district has satisfied at least 80% of the weighted indicators in each of the five areas of the New Jersey QAC review process and has been designated as high performing. So we are no longer um we successfully remediated the initial review and are now um out of improvement and identified as high performing. That's all I have. All right. Um I have to report the sale of the bonds. Um, as you may or may not recall, when we >> when we passed the resolution a few months ago to sell the bonds, it gave my position the authorization to accept the bids. And so, this was done last week. We had uh six different investment banks submit bid proposals and it's a very easy bid process where
009you take the lowest interest rate as long as they submitted their good faith uh deposit and the if anyone wanted to put a premium on the bonds, it doesn't go above $1,000. Those are the rules for schools. And so, uh, we had to go out to the fifth decimal point and we awarded it to Jeff and the rate was 4.059602. Um, it's five basis points higher than what we projected during the referendum uh, discussion. So, it's about two, they the bond council and our uh, financial advisor estimates about $2 more than what we had anticipated. But the good news is that we're going to do this all over again for our last issuance of bonds um that we refinanced in 2017. We they're callable and so when they become callable, we have the opportunity to
010refinance them. And because rates have come down versus where they were in 2017, we're going to refinance them. And by refinancing, they're estimating it's about $100,000 year of savings. So at the end of the day, this will probably come back to a wash for what we thought it was. Um, but you know, the bond market had backed up a little bit. So, yields were slightly higher. Um, but I think we did relatively well versus what I saw some of the other issuances come in over the last couple of weeks. So, I said we're reporting here. We're done. Um, Mr. Amaros and I signed all the documents tonight. I'm going to have those courier coming to pick them up tomorrow. Um, on about August 14th or 19th, I can't get the dates confused. the bond proceeds
011will hit our bank and I will wire those funds over to Ocean first uh that we have a motion on the agenda to award them because they won our RFP for investment management firm and then they will manage those proceeds for us and then when we need them to pay bills I'll just wire the money back into our general accounting. So there was a lot going on but this is what happened with the bonds. We were very pleased given what we had seen other municipalities districts do in the last two or three weeks. I think manaling came in a month or two ago at 4%. So a little bit higher than we wanted, but overall when we refinance the other set of bonds in the fall, uh we should be good. We might actually come
012out a little bit ahead of the game where we projected, but um that's what I have to report. Any questions on that? There's no action the board needs to take. The action was already taken. We passed the initial resolution. JP less I know it's a little bit more expensive like what was the the thought process there to go with a higher premium JP >> they're allowed to again up to it's a low number if you're a municipality or or a county I don't know what the limit is but it's much greater than ours sometimes they offer uh we had this discussion with the with the council they'll offer a slight premium to get a better coupon on the bonds for the investor um they were right at the maximum. It's just the way the math
013worked out. That's where their rate came. That's what they offered us based upon offering that slightly higher premium. >> When you do all the numbers though, >> Jeff came in to do all the math. >> Yeah. The only reason >> Yep. So yeah, that that's again they had we have to disclose what the premium is and again their limit was $1,000. So they're right at that they're $34 cents below what the maximum is. But it helped them get that fifth decimal point better than what JP Morgan did. just looking at this >> bond council decides that anyway, right? They analyze it, tell us, >> we all look at it together. And so if you go and read this same report in Manalapin's uh minutes from a month ago, two months ago, I can't remember the
014date, they had a lot of errors. It wasn't their fault. It was some of the banks um didn't double and triple check their wires. The wires were never received. You have to give 2% of the value of the bonds as a good faith deposit. So, their lowest, I believe, if I'm remembering the story correctly, their lowest bidder had to be rejected because their good faith deposit was too high. I'm sorry, didn't exist. They also then had a couple of companies who were next in line who they didn't read the rules and they thought were that an alipin was a municipality or a county and their premium was more than $1,000. They had to reject those as well. So, they still came in at four. Um, whenever they went out, the bond market was a little
015bit more attractive in terms of lower yields. Um, but otherwise, we had six successful companies send the money. Um, there were eight or nine that we were told might send the money, you know, but these are the six that submitted their bids. So, um, you know, we're happy. It could I saw like 41 42 with some other people. Um but we're happy with the 4.05. It'll it'll work out well. So we're just about done. Again, this paperwork goes back tomorrow to our financial advisor and the bond council and then they get prepared for the sale and we the proceeds come to us in the middle of August. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Bob. First opportunity for public participation. Do we have anybody that would like to approach. Okay, seeing none, we're going to go to
016personnel policy and communication. >> Good evening. Um, we did the meeting today and we discussed um the policies that were this is the second reading, right? Or it'll go in the next one and it was just um same as last time. Thank you. Um, I'd like to see the following items and move them. Sorry. Resignations as listed. >> Am I missing one? >> Thank you. I knew I was number four. >> Oh my gosh. Thank you. New employment. That's a long list right there. As listed. Number five, revised leaves of absence as listed. Number six, leaves of absence. Thank you. Number seven, change of assignments as listed. Oh, I think I did it again. Hold on. Uh ch number eight, change of assignment salary adjustments as listed. Number nine, salary adjustments as listed. Number 10,
017resend district honorarium as listed. Number 11, district honoraria as listed. Uh number 11, number 12. Um ptl honoraria as listed. Number 13, affirm bullying investigation bindings as listed. Number 14, student teacher practicum as listed. Oh my gosh. 15. You guys can't do this. You got to move. No, I'm just kidding. Number 15. What's that? No, that's okay. I'd rather you can serve on the paper. You know how I feel about that. Number 15, evaluation uh tools for 202526 school year as listed. Number 16, remote instruction plan as listed. Number 17, translator interpreters as listed. Number 18, ESY 2025 stamp as listed. Number 19, summer work as listed. Property services. Number 20, summer band volunteers as listed. Number 21, safety care instructed instructors as listed. Number 22, additional compensation safety care trainer reertification as listed. Number
01823, PBS summer committee as listed. Number 24, additional compensation Google classroom training as listed. And that's it. Oh, 25 curriculum. >> Keep going. >> I'm sorry. Curriculum. That's me off right there. 25 curriculum committee as listed. Number 26, ES uh summer ESL high impact tutoring as listed. Number 27, summer IEP meetings as listed. Number 28, job revised job description as listed. Certified substitutes. Number 29 as listed. Number 30, non-certified substitutes as listed. And that's it. Sorry, summer rain. do have a little bit of a headache. I'm sorry. I want to shut this. >> Do we have a second? Do we have any questions, comments, concerns? >> Nothing. Roll call. >> Mrs. Brand, >> yes. >> Dr. Casey, yes. >> Miss Crosby, >> Mr. Roa, >> yes. >> Miss Lambert, >> yes. >> Mrs. Speer, >>
019yes. >> Mr. Williams, >> yes. >> Mrs. Sullivan. >> Yes. >> Mr. Amarosa. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Good evening. So, the curriculum meeting uh the curriculum committee did meet this evening. In attendance was Mr. Sullivan, Miss Crosby, Dr. uh Miss Becca, and Montgomery, and myself. We discussed items on the agenda. We discussed the uh high impact tutoring summer update and the uh QAP DIP update and we discussed the summer curriculum committee updates. I'd like to move number two committee uh the committee meeting and number three course reimbursement as listed. Number four, resend course reimbursement as listed. That's it. >> Questions for curriculum? I do actually. Um, with regards to I guess I have to skip towards the RFP that's in the back. >> Oh, sorry. Better. >> There we go. Um, did
020a little bit of research here on the the the I want to pronounce this correctly. Hen Henman. >> Hinaman. Thank you. Um program and some of the reviews or a lot of the reviews I I saw it almost looks it almost appears and again I'm reading I read articles so I I want to hear your take on all this or someone from the committee. >> Um it actually seems like a step back from foundations. >> It has nothing to do with foundations. Okay. >> Has nothing to do with foundations. It's a independent reading assessment. Um I shared with u my committee this evening. It is um this is an updated version of a tool we already use the FMP benchmark assessment. Um however the current tool that we are using is out of date. We've
021been using it for upwards of 15 years now. This is the new publication of it. It's been out and on the market for several years. It's time for us to put it in place. >> This is the only reading assessment um formal reading assessment that we do as a district that requires teachers to listen to kids read. and um myself and the instructional leaders in the district and the teachers in the classrooms feel like it's really important that that's a way that we measure kids reading not just by assessments that they take on paper or assessments that they take on the computer. Um this new FMP benchmark assessment also includes components of foundational reading that didn't exist in the previous model. So teachers are measuring kids phonics and phmic awareness, fluency and comprehension all in
022one assessment. Thank you. Welcome. High impact tutoring. Do you feel you'll have enough to use it? >> Are you planning on >> um candidates to do the tutoring? You mean >> like do you have enough students that actually need you have 100,000 that just came in? >> Yes. So yeah, it's Isn't that so exciting? Just >> the state just gifted us an extra $100,000. Yeah. It's um uh so the past two years the high impact tutoring grant that we received initially in the 2324 school year we received um upwards of $200,000 and then in the 2425 school year we got an extension of that that was about $75,000. Um this is sort of a the sweet spot in the middle. That money was um helping us close gaps for those postcoid kids. As I shared
023in my I Ready report um last month, we are significantly closing that um that gap for kids in the red, our kids who are two and three years below grade level. Our MTSS process and this high impact tutoring as well as um you know curriculum and instruction changes that we've made in recent years are are having a significant impact on that. So I'm confident that this amount of money will be used um for the identified kids that need it. Can you also share what we learned at the beginning of why students weren't and um engaged in the high impact tutoring although eligible and what you changed? >> Yeah, so our initial model was scheduling tutoring before and after school and I had shared with the board that when I reported out uh in previous years
024we only got about 50% of the kids that we identified actually attending. We were monitoring and adjusting along the way, but um we really had no way to compel kids to attend because it was before and after school hours. Parents who struggled to transport kids or sometimes in all fairness just forgot forgot to pick up their kid, forgot to drop their kid off early, those kinds of things. So this past year we um with the remaining funds we implemented a model where kids receive tutoring during the school day. Um teachers scheduled, you know, we we organized with teachers to schedule tutoring sessions during the school day when kids were engaged in station rotation time. Anyway, teachers were working with small group instruction. Kids were working on their I Ready My Path. Other kids who are
025were identified as needing tutoring were putting on their headphones and logging into their tu into Lata and working with their tutor during that station rotation time. So, they weren't missing whole class instruction. Um our our attendance rate went up to over 80%. Um I shared >> we I remember we talked about that >> that strap also and other board members I shared with my committee this evening um we saw a significant impact in in kids who actually attended those tutoring sessions what the impact was on on their student achievement. So we will be continuing that model next year um because it worked. >> No I remember we talked about that >> participation is very high during back to school night. So, we want to give messaging apps the same thing. >> Exactly. >> Have them
026capable. >> Exactly. >> Use the timeline. >> Right. >> That's where I was headed. I was just trying to figure out if we're being using the funds we're getting. >> We We most certainly are. We've also we've also figured out I mean, we've narrowed the gap of the number of kids who need this service, number one. And number two, we've also, having been doing it for several years, figured out the best formula for identifying the kids who need it and and making them available and present for tutoring during the school day. >> No, I'm so glad because I remember we did talk about that when I was on the committee. We were going to switch that up and I'm glad we got the results we were we were looking for >> at that time. So,
027it's awesome. It's it's been great and um very excited and proud that the state acknowledged the work that we're doing and is giving us some extra funds to continue for kids. >> Even better. [Music] >> All right. Thank you. I think we have to take a uh all those in favor say I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Excellent. And we can move on to uh finance and facilities. Mrs. Lambert in attendance were sorry in attendance were myself, Mr. Dvida, Mr. Amaroso, and Mr. Gulo, I came in a little bit late. So, with regard to our committee items, the first couple of items, I'm going to have Bob uh give the summary to the board. >> All right. So, the first topic we read about was uh a medical claims audit that we had budget approved
028a year ago. Um the firm got back to us with the final result of the audit in beginning of May. Took us some time to read it. Um we met in June and then again in July. The first um first time we met it was just myself and the company that we had did the audit and our insurance broker. Um and then we the second time we met with the same group of people plus Horizon was in the room. So the audit took and I I apologize I don't know the total number of claims but they took 200 random claims were reviewed which total about $2.4 million of claims. So it's a pretty big number. Um overall that year we're about 156 million in claims. It was a a a you know stat statistically accurate
029uh sample what they needed. So they tested for two items in the report. One was for financial accuracy and we came back at a 99.61% for being accurate. The in industry benchmark is 99%. So we were better than the benchmark. The test for claims process uh uh processing accuracy was 98.67 versus the industry benchmark of 95. So overall we did rather well. Um for the board members who were here for a few years, you remember when we first went to self insurance we said every three to five years we'll be doing audit. Um so there were two errors that were discovered in this process. Both of them were minor. One was a $750 error. Another one was another error of like $124. So in $16 million worth of claims, not a big number. Um, the
030other good thing was that they were both manual errors, which meant that a human being did it and it wasn't just the computer reading the data coming through and saying, "Oh, this is wrong." Because if that would have happened, they would have had to go back and pull a larger sample based upon that information. So, it was good to know that the error was found where the human beings made mistakes. So, you know, I don't know if AI is going to take over their jobs, but they're, you know, so we're in a good shape. Um there were a couple other issues um that we're still going to resolve with Horizon. One is in the past Horizon would send out a letter every year to our members um who were enrolled in health insurance and they
031would ask for information about coordination of benefits. So, if your spouse, significant other, or your parents uh had other insurance for you, they wanted that information because when they process a claim for you, they'd go back and forth based upon what the rules of the COB are. Um, they stopped doing that. So, during our conversation, they wanted to push it back on us to so our broker said, "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute." He's like, "How about you guys tell us when we come back to report to you that this reported out to the board what you're going to do differently and we'll see what we can do." So, it's something that's still open that we need to rerise and come up with a better way for them to gather this information. I'm going to guess
032there's probably not a lot of people anymore that have because insurance got so costly. Um, I could be wrong. I remember when I first started here before the rules all changed at the state level and here you'd have a married couple both carrying the insurance. Um, you'd have a teacher here and a teacher in another district both carrying the insurance and and the coordination of benefits was a big deal. I remember getting that information every year. Um, so that's one thing we're working on. And another comment they made was that they saw a couple of members who were at high-end out of network doctors or or providers and they said, "Is there anything that you could do about that?" I said, "No." I said, "Unfortunately, um the plans that they're in are mandated by the
033state." I said, "Until those plans possibly can be um negotiated three years from now when chapter 44 sunsets," said no. Our plans are our plans. The rules are the rules. So if they choose to go to someone who it costs us on claims more to go to an out of network provider that's their choice. So, um, just two things to keep, you know, we as a committee, we said that, you know, in three years if the rules are different, it's something to put on our tickler file that may have to be looked at. And then I'm just I'm going to I'll report back if Horizon comes up with a better way to um come up with a way to ask our staff members for do you have other health insurance as well so that they
034can coordinate that on their end and somehow get it to their computer system. So that was that's uh we talked about that that was a year-long process from the uh time they started to getting the report back. Um we'll do it again another three to five years. Then we spoke about the investment manager RFP. Um the results are on the agenda tonight. Um three companies submitted proposals. Um Ocean First Bank. Um another company I know them by NJ ARM and then a third asset manager. And when I looked at the results, I said, "Wow, there's a pretty big spread between Ocean First and the two other companies who are relatively close to one another." Um, so I went through the proposals. I reviewed them with Robbie Actapora, who's our financial adviser from Phoenix. Um, and
035she agreed with my assessment and she said, "Yeah, the numbers you're seeing for Ocean First Bank, they're real." Because they are a bank and the other two companies are just asset managers. They don't have the same economies scale. So the fees they want to charge that come off of your interest rate are less at Ocean First and they have a a money fund that they want to put about 30% of our money in that's liquid all the time. It's like a checking account but it's a paying around 4%. Um that's why the number it's a like a three to4 million difference between Ocean First and what they're estimating our yields could be on the $135 million we're going to invest with them versus what the other two companies are. So >> a money market. It's
036yeah it's and it follows the same rules we have to under Gudpup. It's all short-term treasuries. No security can go out beyond 365 days. Um so and then so um you know what we got the blessing we looked at it they're on the agenda. So those are the two things that Miss Lambert missed. >> Good things. >> Yep. We also discussed the environmental insurance update. I don't know if you remember from previous meetings due to the mold remediation issue at Laura Donovan they were choosing not to renew our insurance. >> Yeah. So do you want to give a more in detailed update? There was a lot involved. They they basically came back and said we need all these things which we had already done. So there seemed to be sort of a miscommunication between some
037of the people on site and the information that got back to the insurer. So, I'll have Bob give you a better update. >> Yeah. So, they through through our insurance broker through Latana Brennan, she came back with a list that Beasley wanted. And I said to her, the beginning part said, "Yeah, we want you to hire an indust I'm sorry, an environmental engineer to come out and look at what the root cause of the problem." Whoa, wait. We did that already. You know, Udica sent out their approach. We discussed Udica provides minimal or no coverage for mold. Um but they still had skin in the game. So they sent out an engineer, an HVAC gentleman. He was spent the entire day in the building. He gave a report. He also walked myself um Steve Turley
038and Nick Bado, our two facility managers. He showed us things that he was seeing. Um and then we corrected 99.9% of them. Um so we did a lot. I said, "Listen, I can't see spending the board's money on something we already did." So I put down in bullet points. These are things we did. Um, one of the big things from Bizu was replace your equipment. I said, 'Well, we're ahead of you. The board went forward with a referendum. The equipment will be replaced. I said, unfortunately, there's not a UV RS store, and I can't buy them off the shelf. They we have to put out a bid, which takes time to do. We have to >> I'll be here all week. Take your take your waiters or waitresses. So, uh, so it's gonna it's going
039to take two to three years to get all this equipment in places, but we also we implemented protocols over at Donovan where we had a professional company come in and they they steam cleaned and cleaned out all the UVs. We're doing the same thing over at Eisenhower this year. We're going to continue following that until we have all brand new equipment. And then at some point in time, and it better not be me sitting here doing this, that time, you know, five, six down the road, they'll start the cycle again, right? So, yes, I'm tired tonight. >> This will be the defamation. >> It's okay. >> But, so, but we've done a lot of what they said. I mean, we went in and we cocked all all the um the spaces. We can see there's
040piping out there. It was letting in extra air. We cked what we could. Um at some point, we've talked at the committee level um through our capital reserve funds. We're going to pro we're going to try to replace the windows at the same point in time that the UVs are replaced where they just pop out the fronts of all the schools. Um, the windows are old. There's some air coming through them. You could see if you go by the building, some of the windows have condensation inside of it. So, we're uh, you know, we're working on these things. So, we're going to meet in the middle of August. I just, as I was sitting here, a couple dates came out. It looks like it's probably going to be the 19th of August. U, it's going
041to be myself, the insurance broker, a bunch of people from Gallagher, who's our insurance brokers company, as well as, uh, some people on their team that are environmental consultants. So, we're going to try to work through this, craft some letter back to Beasley, and see where we stand. I mean, they can't expect I mean, >> I know they're underwriters. They want new equipment. They can't expect the stuff to get replaced overnight. It doesn't work that way. >> Some of the things that they requested is uh a process and we already implemented that as well. I know that's come up in prior meetings. What are we doing? Um Bob explained each uh custodian that's responsible for a certain room so to speak has to go in assess the room. Is there anything odd? Is you know
042the air, you know, there's a whole process that we have changed in district as well to hopefully identify a potential problem very quickly. >> I basically I said it's been 90° with 700. We have a process. >> We want to make sure we're we're on target. Everything's being looked at. >> Yes, that's Steve. >> Internally, we're doing everything we could be doing. >> That's what they start to do every day. What's your section that you normally clean during the school year? Start off there. If you see anything unusual, report it. Talk to Lee. Lee would then call Steve or Nick or Jack Fernandez now, who's now the custodial supervisor. And Jack is in the buildings almost all the time, which is helpful because now with Steve and Nick sitting in um construction meetings with me
043as we start to go through the development phase and we're spending five, six hours at a clip some days doing that. It's it's so we've got that extra set of hands and eyes is helping out. Um I think I we reported out the last meeting we closed all the dampers. Um so there's not an excess amount of fresh air coming in which was we believe was a big part of the problem last year. you had the 90 degree days even though the units aren't running because we're a school system. You've got 10 to 20% fresh air coming and so we closed them manually um as best we could and but we're monitoring it. So again >> was it was right around this time last year maybe a week or two before this time. >> Yeah.
044>> Later I think it was like beginning of >> it start it start I got my report it was July 17th or 18. Oh yeah. >> Yeah. Unfortunately, the weather doesn't much different than it was this time last year. >> No, but >> although thanks. >> So, so we're working on it and then I'm hoping that by the end of August to have more information. It could just be we met. We're discussing with Beasley. I I'm just not sure. Let's get you if we get through the summer. Um and again, >> I think that'll be helpful. >> Mrs. Lamar had asked this question months ago like when we're done with refer like we talked about where the deductible is and it's right now it's based upon the age of your building we get to reset
045that once all this new equipment in place so that'll be you know depending on the school two to three years down the road where we'll have that conversation and we will hopefully be able to abandon what the date stamp was on the stone for that part of the building and move say now we have modern equipment you know give us a better number >> hope so long Okay. >> Will we get any efficiency rebates like from the electric and gas company because we have new efficient equipment? They don't do that for government. >> There are some I have to talk to between Epic and um Speasel. It's not been a big part of our conversation, but we'll take >> they give you some >> sometimes they don't if you have it's coming through referendum funds.
046>> That's what I mean. I'm not sure about the rules. >> Yeah. If we do it directly, it's it's like a direct install program. If you do it directly through BPU, >> there's money. I don't know if we're going to get rebates on this >> or through the referendum. >> Um, okay. So, that was your environmental insurance update. >> Um, we uh talked about the year end financials. As we know, our school fiscal year ends on June 30th and they have to wrap up all the open items, the financials. uh this year. Um I didn't write it down. I'm gonna if I say the wrong numbers, just tell me. I think we have about 500,000 we can move into maintenance reserve and 200 something thousand into capital reserve. >> 125. Oh well, I was hoping
047for two something. No. >> Um and uh that number will become less and less. What we discussed about earlier is our extraordinary aid um number is not fully funded every year. So for the 2023 2024 school year, we were eligible for $2.1 million of extraordinary aid. The state only sent us about 1.2. And for the 2425 school year, we were eligible for 2.4 million. they actually sent us 70,000 less than they sent the year prior. So, as the state is not funding our extraordinary aid and our expenses are going up there, that will impact our year-end uh financials and what we are able to put into either maintenance or capital reserve going forward, combined with the fact that our health insurance trend is going to be a 10% increase minimum. And that, you know, when
048you have a 2% cap on your on your uh tax levy, I will remind you that 8% has to come from somewhere because there's only one bucket, right? So, >> an empty one and it's an empty bucket right now. So, anyway, uh that uh wraps up year end financials. The additional state aid of $100,000 we got is nice, but it doesn't help close the gap of the 1, you know, the 1.2 2 million of extraordinary aid that we are not getting. Um the sale of bonds we discussed in the administrative section that Bob explained the 135 million was awarded to Jeff at at the 4% rate about five basis points higher than we anticipated during the RFP process but it looks to be about as good as it's going to get. Um and it'll be
049it should be okay. when we refinance the other bonds, we'll save about $100,000 a year on those bonds. So, that extra couple of basis points. What the combined net effect will be on the taxpayer, we don't know yet till Bob gets all the numbers and we can put that all together. Um, and we discussed the items on the agenda. And with that, I'd like to move the following items. Um the bills and claims for a total of 6,393,22121 approved by >> me, >> Ms. O Sullivan. >> Three boxes. >> Uhhuh. Three box. That That's a big three boxer. Um travel and related expenses as listed in item number four. Uh the transfers that are listed in item five. and you all had the uh handout or whatever the the link to see where all those
050transfers went. Ratifi ratified the transfers in item number six. Approve um the PTO honoraria which was donated by the PTO's of Clifton Barlo in the amount of $5,000 and $6,000 from Eisenhower School which is able to fund the honoraria as listed. So, we'd like to approve that. Uh the disposals as listed. Um approval for uh integrated care concepts and consultation as listed for homebound instruction. The outofd district contracts listed in item number 10. The outofd district contract update listed in item number 11. Out of district transportation contracts with as listed in item 12. And uh you know that these are uh paid on these routes are done on our behalf by MOESC and MOESC pays their outside contractors. So any wrership may change these rates. Ridership being students that we are using MOEC to transport.
051Um, item number 13, rescending approval of the RFP for Wilson Foundation's training and corresponding materials and approving a different RFP for Wilson Foundations training and corresponding materials. And that was because after we approved the previous RS RFP, um, we were notified that they were no longer doing this program. So, we had to go move to a new program. So, you have a new RFP to approve. >> Yeah, there was no bid bombing, right? The uh it's it's the same training, but we couldn't use that lower bid anymore, and they were the next bid that came in. Um acceptance and approval of the RFP for the reading assessment system listed in item 15, which we also discussed during curriculum. Investment manager for bond proceeds. um as listed. Item number 16, the award of the investment manager
052RFP as listed. Item number 18, the contract with core BTS. And item number 19, amend the contract with HD Supply. Item number 20, resolution to increase the bid threshold. It does anybody need that explained? Bob's a qualified purchasing agent as you know. So anything above a certain threshold has to go through our fee and board approval. Below Bob can make the decision and this increases the bid threshold from 44 to 53 effective July 1. Um the change order for interior renovations at the Kina Elementary School, it actually is less. So I was very happy to see that. Um, we did not use all of the contract allowance. Go us. Um, item number 22, IDA fiscal year 26 grant approval and accept of that. I'd like to move item number 23, the maintenance reserve account as
053listed. Item number 24, appropriation of additional 2025 2026 state aid for high impact tutoring as listed and as we discussed. and uh signatory to approve um Ocean First Bank for the referendum account and Bob is the uh signer on that. Promise you we won't run off with our money. He's ethical. And uh that is it. So, do we have any other questions? >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Have a second. Do we have questions? >> No. >> Concerns? >> Everything is clear to everyone. >> Yeah, we all understand it all. Not on the finance me. We have to understand it. >> It's going to be bigger. >> Yeah. Our finance reports are going to be lengthly get used to >> and complicated. So, yes, >> we still have a little while. >> All right. All
054those in favor say I. I. >> Do we have any opposed? >> No obstensions. >> Thank you. Old business. Do we have any old business? New business. Um business. >> Sure. >> Would like to recognize our 11 to 13year-old Free Township Intermediate Little League. California. They did win today. >> Oh, great. >> 42. >> That's right. >> Uh they lost their first game, but you know what? That's usually the hardest game. So now they're, you know, now they're they're got their >> got their way. I would like to um when it's all said and done because a lot of them are still students. I think only a couple of them might have graduated. Would love to have them in. This is a once in a lifetime thing for these kids. If >> we could do
055that, it'd be great. I guess September. >> Yeah. >> Talk about it offline. >> Um, any other new business? >> I do want to thank Angela Russo. So, I forget the gentleman from Little League that reached out to Neil and I um when they found out they were going to California and they said, "Hey, do you think you could find a bus driver to pick up some combination of kids and parents and drop them off at Philadelphia airport at 3:00 a.m.?" I'm like, "Uh" I said, "I can't force anyone to take the run." I said, "We'll post it. I don't think any of the drivers want it." So, Angela, who is our assistant manager down in transportation, said that she would do it. So, she got up, went to the bus short at 3:00, met
056them at the ball field by 3:30, and I haven't had a chance to circle back with her because it was on Friday. I think it was Friday. Friday. >> And uh yeah, so she she dropped them all off and uh >> you know, she she did something good for the community. So, >> right. And we are one community. >> We did uh they also did have a parade and that same gentleman invited us to attend. Uh Ellena and I did attend the parade and I had the opportunity to address the team um as one of the speakers. So I did do that. It was a nice opportunity. So any other new business? Um, my remarks are kind of like old business, new business, and president's remarks all rolled in one because, um, I'm going to
057send an email out to the, uh, committee heads with the results and the summary of our, um, of our retreat and the goals that we created. And then each committee then could maybe start a little action plan. And then maybe at every other meeting we'll under old business I guess at that time I'll bring it up and we can get an update from each committee about how you're doing. So it'll be like professional development board goals to personnel and policies the community engagement piece to curriculum and then referendum and safety committee stuff to the uh committee. So I'll divide that up. I'll send something out this week to our committee chairs and maybe the very next time that you get together, you could spend 10 minutes either before or after. I'll let the committee chairs
058decide the timings. Maybe spend 10 minutes talking to your members, come up with a plan. >> And thank you to you and Elena for the retreat. I I think the best retreats are the ones where we don't look at presentations all night, but talk to each other about >> where we're at, where we need to go, what we need to do. So, thank you for planning that and thank you for the format cuz I personally appreciated it. >> You're welcome. Did everybody like having the condensed presentation on the slideshow? Yes. >> Versus them coming. >> Sometimes I think when they come in it's a little too much. It takes up so much time. >> They take like two hours and it goes on and on and then it's the whole retreat gets eaten up by
059that. So, >> right. >> Maybe we'll >> I liked it. I'm just just me. >> Well, we could tell Tim whoever's in this seat next year that we like that process >> and um >> going forward that might work. Well, that's all I had and I'm going to open this up public participation again, but I don't think there's anybody that's going to approach the podium. So I'll save myself from reading that. We'll uh go into executive session if that's okay. All right. So whereas pursuant to NJA 10 col4-12B, the board of education may exclude the public from that portion of a public meeting at which the board discusses any of the matters described at NJSA 104-12B1-9. Now therefore be it resolved that in accordance with the provisions of the open public meeting act the board
060of education shall conduct a closed session pursuant to the personnel and legal exceptions prescribed by NJSA 104-12 for the purpose of discussing the following matters FTEA sidebar agreement and um sorry >> it was a settlement agreement it wasn't it wasn't it I Don't on Friday. >> We had settlement agreement. We were it today. The settlement agreement was not ready. We thought it would be ready for today. It's not. It's still going back and forth between attorneys. >> So, you're saying we can go home a little earlier >> and there's no action afterwards. Now, there was action now. >> Okay. So, it is anticipated that the length of time of this executive session will be 30 minutes and that action will not be taken in public after the executive session. be it further resolved that said
061discussion may be disclosed to the public when reasons for discussing and acting upon it in close session no longer exist. Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All right. Thank you folks.