001Pledge of Allegiance 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. >> Adequate notice of this meeting of the Longill Township Board of Education was given as required by the Open Public Meeting Act as follows. Notice was sent to the Echo Sentinel on daily record on October 14th, 2024. Notices were posted on the bulletin board in the first floor entrance hall of the school district administration building, Gillette, New Jersey. Notices were filed with the township clerk and notices were mailed to all persons who have requested individual notice pursuant to the open public meetings act. Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Butler, Mrs. Dailyaly, Mr. Jamos, >> here. >> Mr. Foster, >> here. >> Mr. Groskoff, >> here.
002>> Dr. Maher, >> here. Mrs. McClennon, >> here. Mrs. Aquist >> here. >> Mrs. Casease >> here. >> We're going to start with the reason that you guys are all here tonight. So, I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Alexis. >> Oh, thank you, Mrs. Casease. We're very pleased to have our championship girls soccer team joining us. I love your sweatshirts, by the way. You look like a real team out there. So, thank you for being here. and and girls, I just want to say congratulations um on an accomplishment you'll remember for a long time. All right, we're very excited about that. Your your talent as soccer players was obvious on the field all fall, but even more impressive was the level of teamwork you demonstrated and the respect you showed not only for
003your teammates, but for your coach. So, we're really proud to have you here and I'm going to turn it over now to Mr. V and Coach Hawkmire. Okay, good evening everyone. We're very excited and happy to recognize the girls soccer team for their amazing undefeated season, undefeated champions. The students have worked so hard this year and we're very proud of this outstanding accomplishment. the last game, if anybody was there, which probably everybody in the crowd was, took it right down to the wire, overtime, and then into a shootout. I was there with my 5-year-old son. He barely knows soccer. He was on edge following the end of the game. I was keeping him updated, but it really displayed grit and perseverance as a team. You stayed focused and you helped pick each other up throughout
004the game, and it was amazing to see. I would also like to acknowledge some of our students who are not only involved in this team but other athletic teams and extracurricular activities outside of school and in school and they also balance their academics. It's a huge commitment time commitment to do that. So it really shows your fortitude, your dedication and your organization skills in balancing all that time. I would also like to thank our board of education, superintendent Alexis, all central office administration, um all of our coaches, Mr. Hawkmier, uh Jennifer Clark, our athletic director, for putting everything together because it really takes everyone to make the athletics, all the athletic programs work. I'd also like to thank our coach, Mr. Hawkmire. He always works diligently to set the bar high and really prepare everyone
005for each game. And last, I want to thank our parents in the crowd for everything that they do to support our school and our student athletes. You're the cornerstone of our students. You get them ready every day. You support them by taking them to practice. You take care of them. And you're always on them to make sure that they're not only putting their best on the field, but also in their education, too. So, we really value you so much. So, thank you for everything that you do. And last, but not least, girls, you're all excellent role models as well. So, we're very proud of you and we're very fortunate to have you at our school. So, we want to take a minute now and call you up one at a time to recognize you. >>
006So, Katarina Ferrer and if you can stay up, we'll take a picture. So, maybe if you guys line up. Jenny Fizerati Selena Jizwaldo, Annabella GM Bron, she couldn't be here tonight. And Amelia Gua could not also be here tonight. Oh, she is. Oh, you're here. I'm sorry. You must have snuck in late. Hadley Hurt. Sophie King, Riley Chrys, Juliana Lang, Cameron Lawrence, Sienna Lower, Maggie Lucas, Alexandra Miller, McKenzie Miller, Elizabeth Nicholson, Reagan Pavilitis, Sailor Simo, and Kira Vanderreet. Congratulations again. Let's see if we can get a quick picture with everybody. >> If you can see over someone's head, go in the back. >> So funny. I was telling all the shapes down the tall one. >> Is that good? >> Yeah. Make sure Mr. Hawkmire's in it. We going to take one for the paper.
007>> Congratulations, girls. >> Um, does anybody any comments or anything? Okay. Well, we just going to I'm going to reiterate that we're really proud of you guys and I'll edit a little bit of what Mr. Alexis said. He said you'll remember it for a long time, but you actually just will not forget it. And I have a lot of vivid high school soccer memories. And I probably saw my soccer coach 3 years ago via FaceTime cuz my friend is a teacher at the high school with him and he yelled into the camera, "You still have the record for assist in Lynen High." So you will remember it for a very long time and we're very proud of you guys and we hope you continue to shine. So thank you. >> I am going to ask
008Karen to move us into executive session. >> The board will enter into private executive session to discuss confidential personal personnel and student matters. >> So can I get all in favor? >> I any opposed? Any abstensions? >> Thank you very much. Great job, coach. >> We will return after executive session to public session. >> I owe all my work ones, too. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Tom. >> We executive session. >> Yeah, but it's something we can vote on. >> Yeah, the briefings come later. Sorry, George. All right. Okay. So, we are returning from private session um and uh to public session and now moving to communications. I don't have any. George, do you have any? >> Um, I I have just just two two items real quick. Um, we received an inquiry about the changes.
009I I got a direct email about the changes in the school physician standing orders. Um, by way of background for everyone, we were advised last week by our school physician uh who served several of the local school districts that he had to revise his standing orders which govern the types of permissions our school nurses um have with respect to administering over-the-counter medications. Told us it was caused by a change in his insurance coverage requirements and that it was effective immediately. The regional districts have been forced to take a similar approach. Um, parents now have to consult their own doctors to obtain orders our nurses can honor. Um, and we know this is an inconvenience for families. We feel bad about that. We appreciate the patience and understanding as we deal with the change. We also
010received a few concerns about changes made to schedules of a small group of eighth graders to balance a change in enrollment in one of the math classes. This just arose uh recently. Um despite the uh concerns and perceptions communicated to our administration, the curriculum and the instructional program remain the same. The changes were made in the best interest of the greatest number of students and in an effort to minimize the number of changes to student schedules. >> Okay, any questions? >> Okay, so board committee and liaison reports. I'll start with Karen. >> Okay. Um I attended the uh ed services commission meeting in November and uh the most important thing is the school actually is going to be closing at the end of this their school is actually going to be closing at the end
011of this school year. they put it in writing and notified the state and so they're moving ahead on placements uh for their for their students and actually in October three of the students were placed already in alternate programs. So they still have 10 no uh four five eight students that they have to place. Four students are going to be graduating at the end of this year. So that was taken care of. So, uh, they they work with the local school districts to see if they need an out of district placement or they can handle it in school. But anyway, that's it. So, it is definitely closing. Uh, with respect to governance, we did have a meeting. Uh, we talked about we had a excuse me, we thought it was a good session that we had,
012you know, for the goal review and, um, it was good to have be introduced to our new representative. Um, I think you all got the note that I sent out or the email I sent out regarding the transition report. Um, and uh, hopefully it'll make it a lot easier for you to work on. And I what I didn't identify there and I should have the goals are even up on the west website. So you you can even cut and paste your goals. You don't have to do all that kind of typing and everything. So hopefully this will work well. If not, give us feedback and we can change it. But thank you, Jack, for doing doing this. Um, I did complete a review of the um committee agenda and minutes and I believe I sent
013it to the my my committee and all and um we'll just review it and see what's what. Um, okay. I guess the big thing is you know when we were asking ourselves what should we be working on one of the things that we were concerned about is um some committees you know when they they're not able to meet because of uh you know another conflict came up on a schedule etc. But one of the things we can urge and remind everybody and we're going to go through this again that at least two committee committee members are there have the meeting or if if that's not possible then you should really try to have it as close to the original date as possible versus cancelling the meeting because you lose something in in in not being
014a frequent meeting not having that frequency in your meeting. So, but we'll be looking at that again. Um, finance, we met last week, last Wednesday, and uh, what we did first was a little review of the goal goal progress, and you'll see actually resolution on your in the in the agenda. Robin was in talks with Mendum about bus services and um with Warren about working with their transportation coordinator and um in terms of the goal number three which is assisting with negotiations um I'm sorry goal two I apologize u data has already been collected and I think it was finalized last week so that's supported they excuse me that we previously had a review of our insurance coverage and um if we're going to do anything it said that we have to have an appraisal.
015So the first um in the first round, Robin found five uh an appraisal totaling 5K for the property. And in talking to other districts that had actually gone through the process of changing their getting out is what is called MIG MIG. >> More yeah more Essex Insurance Group. MIG. >> Okay. uh they said first have an estimate made on the appraisal that you have now then if it's beneficial to you based on whatever the rates are etc to make the change to make a change then go for the formal appraisal she's also seeking out other bit um responses on the on a appraisal cost um budget sheets were distributed to all the principles um she also met with those members of the administration um that had not been through the budget process before. So she
016went through all of the uh rules and the regula regulations rules and how they work the process and the forms etc. Um in terms of inputting for the budget I guess uh the goal for December was to have the salaries entered 2026 and um any question regarding uh personnel is going to be taken place there's going to be a review on that to input that into the the process and um moving ahead she's going to estimate the potential revenue venues for 26 27. I guess what came up and I think this was something that Kim found out uh when the with the new governor the the state budget is going to come in a little later not until March 18th. So that's going to affect um well it can't affect our budget line because we
017have to have our date doesn't change but it will change in terms of what will change is when we can finally when we can get to our final budget so it will have an effect on that. Uh, you're going to see a couple of there are a couple amen amendments in the agenda and maybe it would be best if I left that for Robin to to go over. You want to go over those? >> Um. >> Oh, no. All right. All right. I will. Okay. Uh, we had amend September bills list for a small amount, $39.33. It was one of the last items associated with changing the banks. There was obviously an increase. There was this is also a resolution an increase in the uh minimum wage and we had to put that into the
018system and um you saw that also a resolution a request to withdraw money for an HVAC project and security update upgrade excuse me um they did get um a position they needed a u one of the uh food aid I'll call food aid or service aid for Wednesday. They were able they advertised and they were got a good response and they were able to hire somebody for Wednesday's a Gillette and now ads have been placed for both a assistant BA as well as a payroll analyst. Now it doesn't mean that we're going to hire two people. we're gonna hire only one, but based upon what comes in in terms of qualifications, uh Robin and George will make a decision as to whether it's the payroll analyst or the assistant VA. And uh there were two
019bank accounts that are in um that two additional accounts that Robin opened in Carne Bank where she got the uh I guess a premium rate where it's a high yield account where the interest rate is half a percent just less than the federal index. So, right now it's about 3.95 and there's a potential to get $5,000 more in interest and uh some of the insurance payment for the the flood problem with the flood situation in central has been received. And with that, besides a lot of other things, she's going to be able to replace some chairs and shades, but also there was some papers that were damaged and they were reviewed. They were I'll call it out. They passed their they they passed the date at which they could now be destroyed and they got
020approval from both the uh our auditor as well as legal >> state >> I'm sorry >> the state. So that'll free up much needed uh storage space and um that's about it. the next meeting. It'll be January 5th, and it's actually the day of the next board meeting, and we'll only be reviewing the bills because you won't have anything else. And that's right, the bills were reviewed, so they're all ready for you to approve. Okay. >> Any questions for Karen? Okay. All right. Crystal, nothing to report this month. Thank you, Tom. on 11:24 the uh community relations committee met. Uh the minutes are still being worked on. It's so difficult. Uh no, but seriously, uh we're a little behind on getting the minutes out. They'll be out for the January meeting. >> Thank you, Justin.
021>> Yeah, just a quick quick update on the policy committee meeting. We did not meet in December. We had a strong year. We worked our way through more than 100 policies out of the library of almost 300. Um, and we're in good shape for 2026. >> Thank you. Any questions for policy? No. Okay, Alex. >> Nothing to report. >> Okay, Katie. >> Hi. On um November 12th, um the buildings and grounds committee met at the uh learning commons at Central Middle School. Um myself, Danielle Daly, Alex Jamos, Tom Groskov, George Alexis, Robin Bulmer, and Charles Frank were in attendance. Um, it was really exciting to see the new middle school learning commons. Um, it's a really fantastic space. Um, it's bright. It's, uh, it's just an exciting place. You can tell if you've been around
022any middle school students when they're they're near it, which, um, I'm in the building sometimes. Um, there's a lot of buzz about it. Um, I have two students who who rave about it at home. um and one student has a class in there and is just really excited to to be in their their class in that building. So, it's really exciting to hear about it and to see, you know, in the upcoming years how it's utilized. Um but it's really a beautiful space and I I encourage everyone if you're in the building to take a peek because they did a really nice job. Um, with that, um, they were still going to, uh, add a few more bookshelves and some electric that still needed to be installed, but overall it it looks fantastic. Um, let's
023see. We also discussed committee goals. We're actually um changing our um infrastructure evaluation tool um like uh gold to now use that tool as a way to kind of um analyze what preventative maintenance we've done update um to allow us to communicate better with the community with the board with everyone. So, um, when we're telling you that, uh, we've painted three classrooms, it'll be we've paint, you know, we've now in the last five years paint painted 26 of the however many classrooms we've had just to make the, um, information more grounded in context. Um, so that's something that we'll be working on and it'll take some time to kind of iron out how we'll do that. But all in all, it'll allow us to have a better picture and that way we're not just giving
024you a laundry list of what's been done, but actually give it kind of more context and be a little more hopefully briefer, but with more meaning. Um, with that, um, there was storage, um, shelving installed at Gillette. Um, they're going to, um, kind of clean up the courtyard area outside of the superintendent's office. They're um speaking with the Shade Tree Commission because there's some trees that may need to be removed, etc. Millington, the boiler issues were resolved and a new um internal control band was installed. um in central the insurance claim was approved and I think Karen explained the records um they're being the record sorting disposition and digitizing has been approved and the um damaged items are going to be get they have been I think at this point been removed. Um they've done
025some work on um the rooftop top unit and doing some HVAC work and they're um they were in preparing to install a boiler control board um districtwide the Morris County Health Department um performed air quality inspections. Uh maintenance and repairs were done to emergency generators. Um the right to know and a a inspections um have been done and we're waiting for the results. Um and then they're planning on doing some inlaid carpet um repairs um at at doorways to uh that's being done in house and there condensation of refrigeration lines in ceiling plenums to be addressed. I don't know which building that is. Um, but it'll be in it'll be that'll be performed inhouse which will save us a lot of money and it'll be done in the over the off season so there won't
026be any interruption of building. So our next meeting is December 17th. Um, and that's all with that. And then very quickly um for the Ed Foundation, we had a very successful fundraiser. They raised over $10,000. So that was really fantastic. and everyone who attended the event had a really great time. Um the committee did did an incredible job. Um we uh forced for the fall season has concluded. I think there might be one or two makeup classes this week, but for the that has been concluded. They're in the middle of registration for the winter. It's a six week season. It starts in January. Um, and then we, it's not on this month's agenda, but we just approved a grant to, um, to allow for there to be an emotional support dog at Millington. There'll be
027more information at the next meeting. I I don't want to step on that. Um and also uh they have approved a um a process for Central Middle School where there's going to be a reading I mean we have a reading program currently at at uh both Gillette and Millington that the school district is doing but it it has been sponsored a bit by the um Ed Foundation and there's one coming for February read across America month at um Central I believe. So that that'll be exciting and and we're sponsoring some rewards for students. Um so they're excited about that. So that is all and uh thank you. All right. Great. Uh any questions for Katie? No. Okay. All right. So then back to me. I'll just mention that the personnel committee uh met on November
02813th and we discussed uh really all the issues that uh under personnel on this agenda um as well as um uh negotiations. And our next meeting is actually this Thursday, uh, December 11th. So that is it for that. Um, and moving to superintendent report. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, on the agenda, you'll see two faculty retirements. And I want to thank Jane Fragito for her 25 years of dedicated service and Kathy Cunningham for her 14 years of dedicated service. We wish them both only the best in their well-deserved retirements. And um like I said last month, we invite all the retirees at the end of the year to come so we can celebrate them and thank them in person. Uh the 2026 27 district calendar is on the agenda. Labor Day, as you know, is
029very late next year, so school will begin before the holiday weekend. Uh in a more notable change, spring recess will occur in midappril, two weeks after Easter. All of the regional districts are implementing the same uh spring break. And in general with our alignment with the high school, uh Wong Hills starts and ends the year one week earlier than we do, but otherwise our calendars are generally aligned. Uh the next December parent information webinar will focus on technology tips for families. Jack will be joining Lori to host the session. It'll be on Thursday, December 11th at 10:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. and the webinars will be recorded. Uh, I want to highlight um, speaking of literacy, the uh, WOW words literacy initiative focused on schoolwide vocabulary development Millington. The initiative is spearheaded by Danielle Manurva
030and is designed to integrate the use of two new words each week in an environment that embraces vocabulary acquisition with enthusiasm and teamwork. I also want to mention that the town library has started a new practice of visiting the middle school to encourage more students to take out books from the public library. The staff actually brings books to the lunchroom and allows students to check out and return their selections right there in the in the uh in the lunchroom. It's off to a really good start and we appreciate the library staff's efforts. We're hopeful the program will contribute to the development of lifelong literacy habits. I want to thank the township for sponsoring the annual volunteer dinner on Thursday evening last week. It was a very nice affair. Our central student band played last evening
031at the Myersville treelighting ceremony. Uh, and we got some positive feedback on on their performance. I want to wish everyone peace and joy for the holidays and a restful and rejuvenating winter break. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions? Um I will mention the wow words is definitely penetrating brains because um my older son who's in seventh grade said something about somebody being laxidasical and then my fourth grader said is that a wow word? So it's definitely it's and then my seventh grader was confused because they're not doing so anyway it was it was it's getting through for sure. >> I'm elated to hear that. That's one of the >> wow. There you go. >> Okay. So moving on to Robin. Uh, you know what? I think Karen and Katie covered everything in the business
032office very nicely, so I don't have anything to report. >> Oh, good. Really proud of you guys. Okay, so any comments from the public on agenda items? >> Okay, so we are going to move into resolutions. Karen, will you move in the minutes number one? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? Roll call, please. Mr. Did Jamos? >> Yay. >> Mr. Foster, >> yes. >> Mr. Groskoff, >> yes. >> M. Dr. Maher, >> yes. >> Mrs. McClennon, >> yes. >> Mrs. Nyquist, >> yes. >> Case, >> yes. Crystal, will you move in financials numbers 2 through 15? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? Roll call, please. >> Mr. Damos, yes. >> Mr. Foster, yes. Mr. Groskoff, yes. Dr. Maher, yes. Mrs. McClennon, yes. Miss Nyquis, >> yes. But I abstain from number
033six. Resolution six. >> Okay. And Mrs. Casease. >> Yes. Tom, will you move in? >> Wait one second. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh Tom, will you move in special services number 16 through 19? >> So move. Second. >> Any questions? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Jamus. >> Yes. >> Mr. Foster. Yes, >> Mr. Groskoff. >> Yes, >> Dr. Maher. >> Yes, >> Mrs. McClennon. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Nyquist. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Casease. >> Yes, >> Justin. Will you move in personnel numbers 20 through 39? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? Roll call. Uh, roll call, please. >> Mr. Deamos, >> yes. >> Mr. Foster, yes. >> Mr. Groskoff? >> Yes. >> Dr. Maher? >> Yes. >> Mrs. McClennon? >> Yes. >> Mr. Nyquist? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Casease? >> Yes. Alex,
034will you move in curriculum number 40? So moved. Second. >> Any questions? Roll call, please. >> Mr. Deos, yes. >> Mr. Foster, yes. >> Mr. Groskoff? >> Yes. >> Dr. Maher? >> Yes. >> Mrs. McClennon? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Nyquist? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Casease? >> Yes. Katie, will you move in policy numbers 41 through 42? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? Roll call, please. >> Mr. Dejamos? >> Yes. >> Mr. Foster? >> Yes. >> Mr. Groskoff? Yes. >> Dr. Maher? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mlennon. >> Yes. >> Miss Nyquist. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Casease. >> Yes. Karen, back to other. Will you move in numbers 43 through 47? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any questions? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Dejamos, >> yes. >> Mr. Foster, >> yes. >> Mr.
035Groskoff, >> yes. >> Dr. Maher, >> yes. >> Mrs. McClennon, >> yes. >> Mrs. Nyquist, >> yes. >> Mrs. Casease, >> yes. Thank you. Um, any items for discussion? Okay. Uh any comments from the public? Okay. I I want to echo uh Mr. Alexis's happy holidays. Hope everyone has a safe I I almost feel like most importantly healthy holiday season and uh thank you everybody for a great year. Motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Oh, second. Sorry. >> All in favor? Any opposed? Extensions. Thank you. Merry Christmas.