001United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Can we get one more big round of applause for Mr. Rusin and the members of the Pine Brook Jazz Band? Are they not absolutely amazing? And every year their performance gets better and better. Having singers this time was absolutely wonderful. To the singers, you were fabulous. Great job. Take a bow. One more time. Thank you for being here tonight and helping us celebrate. So welcome to our evening of appreciation. We usually have a very established routine for this, but due to some scheduling conflicts, we have to break routine for a minute. So we're going to break the agenda up a little bit, and I am going to ask Ms. Dr. Siri to
002please join me on stage for a second. This evening, I have the honor of presenting the Janine Leahjee Memorial Award on behalf of the Foundation for MERS. The Janine Leahjee Memorial Award was created in her honor by the Foundation for MERS for her service to the school district. This award recognizes a community member for their dedication to the district and their service to the community. This award serves as a way to honor and remember a remarkable woman and ensure her legacy will continue to live on throughout the district. Janine left this world way too soon and left a mark on all that had the pleasure of knowing her. When one thinks of Janine, one thinks of a few things immediately. Her smile, her laugh, and her genuine kindness. She was truly a role model to
003all of us and was an example of how we should live our life on a daily basis. The impact she had on students, staff, and parents is not surprising, yet remarkable. She greeted every single person every day with a smile and modeled the mantra, choose kind in everything she did. She truly went above and beyond. Like the cheering squad she was for her two sons, Chris and Nick, she was the cheering squad for all of us here at Webrock-Brook. She taught students to be proud of who they are and it was clear to see the impact she had on the Webrock-Brook community, although her impact expands far beyond this building. She volunteered for Menaliband baseball and offered the same enthusiasm to that organization that she showed at Webrock-Brook. She was constantly cheering from the sidelines
004for every baseball player in town, not just her two boys, and was truly a champion for every student and quite honestly every child in Menaliband English town. So in choosing a recipient for this award, we look for someone who exemplifies the same traits as Janine. The Janine Liagi Memorial Award recognizes an outstanding individual each year for their service. The recipient of this award exemplifies dedication to the district and personal sacrifice. They are committed to the community and a model of integrity. Their actions demonstrate the belief that all students can and will succeed. When I was asked to present this award, I thought about what to say about the winner. This is really fun for me because it's the only award in the room that the recipient does not know they are here to receive the
005award. We may tell a little lie every once in a while to get them here. And I was thinking about how to announce this specific recipient, I thought about the individual's legacy. What will people say about them years from now? And without a doubt, they would say that this individual changed the game for our district. He led this district with passion and advocacy for our students, staff, and overall the community. He has made decisions with the number one priority in mind, what keeps our students safe, what helps us flourish, and what makes us the best. There is so much this individual does behind the scenes and did behind the scenes. They don't want recognition or gratitude, but they deserve to be recognized for all of their contributions to our community. Mr. Brian Graham served as
006a board member for our district for over 14 years, 14 years. To give it some perspective, I did a little math, and that's 5,110 days that he donated his time to the district and our community. Not only did he serve as a board member, but he coached Menalibin softball and was as a staple on the field season after season. Mr. Graham, you think you're here to watch, other people receive awards, but you're really here tonight as the Janine Leagy recipient award winner. Mr. Graham, you are truly a champion. He's already coming up. Mr. Graham is truly a champion for our district and our community. I had the pleasure of presenting at the National Blue Ribbon Conference with a few colleagues, and Mr. Graham came to introduce us and the team. As we finished our presentation,
007a fellow educator said, I wish I had a board member like that, one that truly appreciates the work that you do day in and day out. Mr. Graham is a true role model, and his contributions have made a positive impact within our school district and the community at large. I have had the great fortune to meet and create a very long and lasting friendship with the entire Graham family. Over the years, not only has this friendship gone strong and stronger, but we've flourished into a joint passion for the advocacy of our pre-K through 8 students. Your endless hours of dedication volunteering for the greater good of the students of Manalapan and English Town is just outstanding. Many people have wonderful ideas and suggestions for change, but so few dedicate their time to put those ideas
008into an action. You, like our very missed and amazing friend Janine, dedicate their time to make this vision a reality. I know this award holds an extra special place in your heart, as we were personal friends to Janine. I know she is smiling down right now as she watches you accept this award. Mr. Graham, you should be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference that you made to our district and the town. And for that, you are the recipient of the Janine Leahjee Memorial Award. Please come and accept your award. Thank you. Thank you. Can I get the talk? Sure. Well, I mean, everybody wanted to come in here and see a grown man cry, so I'm sure you do. No. It's an honor. Thank you. I'll drop it.
009It is an honor. You know a person special when your own child has them, has that person in their phone as mom number two. And that's what Janine was to my oldest. And my second, I don't know what she was in your phone, Max, but you're stuck with Chris and Nick, so it's amazing. I'm honored. I somehow want to get, do I get compensated for 5,000 days of giving up time? Is there any room in the budget for that or no? Was that part of the? Oh, that wasn't part of the referendum. Okay. No, seriously, thank you, everybody, Vito, Chris, Nick. You guys know how I feel about you and Janine. So to have an award like this given to me with her name on it, it's amazing, it's emotional, and thank you. I will
010take it. Where's Gina? No, evening of appreciation is truly one of my favorite nights. You're probably aware that New Jersey consistently ranks among the top states for education. I think this year we were number one. And our district consistently is recognized as one of the best districts within the state. So it's pretty straightforward. We are the best district in the nation, and this is most certainly due to our phenomenal staff who we're celebrating tonight. I consider myself extremely fortunate, and I hope you feel the same, to be part of a district with such an exceptional staff. They go above and beyond to ensure our students receive the best education possible in a safe and nurturing environment, and that's what I think is so meaningful about our staff. They value the academics as much as they
011value the whole child. The evening of appreciation is just an amazing occasion. Tonight we celebrate the dedication of our retired colleagues who have served us with generosity for many years, and we also recognize those staff members nominated by their peers who have truly exemplified excellence as educators and with support staff. So at this time, we are going to go into public comment and agenda items D only. Miss Orlando, do you have anything that you would like to add? Please come up. As the recipients come up, we ask that you walk around that way, and you be careful of the wire over here. Good evening, everyone. Tonight I am here to recognize three very special Clark Mills retirees. First, Mrs. Patty Kavanaugh. Patty, throughout your career, you have been a beacon of support, helping students and
012staff navigate life's challenges with compassion and expertise. You have empowered students to overcome academic struggles, emotional setbacks, and social conflicts by fostering resilience, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Your dedication to creating a supportive environment has inspired both students and staff and has allowed them to thrive. Congratulations on your 26 years of service. You will be missed. Next, Mrs. Sandy Kozlowski. We honor your remarkable dedication as a primary teacher. Your patience, flexibility, and passion have nurtured countless young minds. Thank you for inspiring growth, fostering curiosity, and making learning joyful. You have not only taught the fundamentals of reading and writing, but have also instilled a love of learning that will stay with your students throughout their lives. Thank you for your 32 years of service. You will be missed. This is a very special moment
013for retirees, and I thank the two of you who came up quickly. But if you'd like to sit down and listen to everything everyone's saying, please feel free because I want you to appreciate the moment and not be worried about tripping over wires. So for those that are coming up now, please take your time, please listen to the speech, and then you can come up. Our third retiree, Mrs. Monica Tobio. We celebrate your remarkable years of service as an educator at Clark Mill School. Your dedication and inspirational teaching have enriched countless lives. Your involvement in every aspect of our school has been invaluable. You bring sunshine to our school community with your warmth, enthusiasm, and excitement. Thank you for being a beacon of joy and academic excellence, leaving a lasting impact on students and staff
014alike. Thank you for your 25 years of service in Manalapan English Town and your 34 years as an educator. We will miss you. Ms. Floyd, do you have anything you'd like to add? Come on up. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to start with our first ELC retiree, Mrs. Diana Brutelli. Diana, you have encouraged and supported so many students through the years. You began as an instructional assistant at Taylor Mills back in 2000, yes, 25 years ago. And for the past three years, the preschool students at the ELC have been lucky to have you supporting them and introducing them to school with your upbeat personality, kindness, and a big smile. Enjoy the time with your family, wishing you many years of health and happiness in your retirement. Congratulations. And next, this message is for Rose Cruz.
015It is a message from Mike Vaccarino, the director of technology, who could not be here tonight. Tonight we celebrate the retirement of Rose Cruz, one of the original members of the Manalapan English Town Technology Department. She started back when clouds ruined beach days, not stored your entire photo library like some kind of digital sorcery. Rose, we wish you endless days of unplugged peace, zero alarm clocks, and all the time in the world to enjoy life with your kids and grandson. You've earned it and we're really going to miss you. Congratulations and thank you for 25 years of dedicated service to the technology department and MERS. Mr. Duffy, would you have anything you'd like to add? First, Mrs. Kim Bransfield. Well, if you walk into Mrs. Bransfield's class, what you're going to see is excellent in
016reading, education. You are also going to see students writing and conducting book talks all by themselves with the teacher acting as a facilitator. But although known as a reading teacher, if you're the principal of that school, you will walk into the room and you will be given an equation or other math problem. And in that math problem, somehow you will end up doing push-ups. And Mrs. Bransfield has accumulated enough time here in the Manalapan English Town Regional School District, 28 years, 29 for me, so I've done a lot of push-ups at Lafayette Mills since 2008 when Dr. Marchante created the 1-5 system. And I thank him for that. Anyway, Kim, great job. Come on up. Awesome. All right. I'm in for it tomorrow. Billy Quinn joined Lafayette Mills this past year. It has been an
017honor to work with Mrs. Quinn. When you walk into her classroom, you see station rotation or small group rotation happening each and every day. You see it in reading, you see it in writing, and you see it in mathematics and all our special subjects that she touches on. Most recently, I saw book shopping, and during those book shopping moments, I saw excellence in education as students discussed the books that they selected with each other. She facilitated that lesson, and I cannot tell you the number of walk-throughs where she was doing exactly what I saw from the first day of school here at Lafayette Mills this year in 2024 until today. I thank you for, and I'm honored to have gotten to know you and to have worked with you for this year and for your
01819 years in education and 15 in the Menilope and Englishtown Regional School District. Thank you, Billy. David Gelsch. Where are you at? All right. Mr. Gelsch. I've known Mr. Gelsch for all of my time in Menilope and Englishtown, but for 21 years as either music supervisor, assistant principal, math supervisor, music supervisor, or principal now for the last few years. He has taken on every challenge. He explains music to children in a way that is an exemplar for other music teachers. Students leave his program knowing how to read, play, and enjoy music. It's an honor to have worked with him for all of these years, and I wish him much luck in his future endeavors after 33 years at the Menilope and Englishtown Regional School District. Ms. Tice, do you have anything to add? Tonight I
019am here to honor Ms. Diane Giganta, our wonderful lunch assistant from Milford Brook. Diane Giganta has been a lunchroom assistant, also known as a lunch mom, at Milford Brook School for 26 years. Throughout her time in the MB cafeteria, Diane has touched so many students' lives, in many ways from simply buttering a bagel or comforting a kindergarten student who is crying on their first day in a very large lunchroom. I know many of her special friends will miss seeing her welcome them to the cafeteria each day. Diane will be so very missed, and the MB cafeteria will undoubtedly never be the same without her bright smile and kind spirit. Thank you so much for helping our children through lunches, day after day. Congratulations on your retirement. It is so well-deserved. Dr. Fiorillo, do you have
020anything to add? Good evening, everyone. On behalf of the MEMS staff and students, I would like to congratulate Karen Wenger on her 25 years of service. As an instructional assistant, her compassion, dedication, and calm presence have made a lasting impact on some of our most in-need students. Apropos, this year she was our MEMS support staff member of the year. A well-deserved honor. Thank you for your years of service. You will be deeply missed and always remembered with gratitude and respect. Thank you. Ms. Suskowitz, do you have anything to add? This evening, I have the honor of thanking three very important staff members from Pine Brook School whose absences for the 25-26 school year will be greatly felt. I'm going to start with Marcia King. Thank you to Marcia King for your 16 years of dedicated
021service and innovation as a language arts teacher at Pine Brook, where you have been a champion of literacy, nurturing curiosity and encouraging thoughtful discussion in every lesson. Your quiet strength, kindness, and unwavering support have profoundly impacted Pine Brook School. Your classroom has been a haven for students, and your grace and professionalism have inspired colleagues. We will definitely miss the birthday treats you leave for every staff member. As you retire, we wish you continued happiness in the next chapter, and thank you for making Pine Brook a better place. Come on up, Marcia. Next we have Barry Moss. Congratulations to Barry for your distinguished career and unwavering dedication as both teacher and colleague. Those of you who know Pine Brook well will understand when I say that Ursula may miss you most waiting by the door each
022morning to open it before sunrise, and our halls will feel a little emptier without your routine walks. Since joining Wembrock in 2011 and later Pine Brook in 2020, your unmatched organization, generosity and passion for mathematics have inspired students and staff and left a lasting imprint on Pine Brook and our community. As you retire, we extend our gratitude and wish you continued happiness in the Florida sunshine. Come on up, Barry. And to the one who's already been enjoying retired life, congratulations to Michelle Morgan, affectionately known to Pine Brook staff members as Mama Morgan. She had a remarkable journey in the Merge District from parent to lunch assistant to instructional assistant to beloved science teacher. Michelle's passion, rigorous lessons and care have inspired generations of students and colleagues. Her nurturing spirit, dedication and warmth have left a
023lasting legacy. Michelle as you enjoy retirement with your family, please know you will always be a cherished part of the science department and of Pine Brook School. Come on up, Michelle. Ms. Camuto, do you have anything to add? Good evening. On behalf of the Taylor Mills family, I am proud to recognize Sue Shepsko who has dedicated 25 years to our school district. Starting as a lunch assistant to spending the past 20 years and as instructional assistant, primarily in self-contained classrooms, Sue's unwavering positivity, warm smile and deep commitment to students and staff have left a lasting impact. Congratulations Sue on your well-deserved retirement. You will truly be missed. Mr. Lascoe, do you have anything to add? Good evening, everybody. The first employee I would like to honor tonight is Tadeusz Zembrzycki. Tadeusz was hired in 2010
024and spent 14 years in the district as a night custodian in numerous locations but finishing his career at the John Dawes Early Learning Center. His hard work behind the scenes ensured our spaces were left safe and clean every day. Thank you for your service, Tadeusz. Your hard work is not going to notice and I hope you are enjoying your retirement. The next employee I would like to honor tonight is Proxades Puello. Proxades Puello has been a custodian in numerous locations throughout the district. I had the pleasure of being his custodial supervisor for eight years at Lafayette Mills. Proxades was always willing to help when asked or when needed. It truly is a pleasure to see him tonight. I hope you are enjoying your retirement and I would like to thank you for your 23 years
025of service. The next employee I would like to honor tonight, Anna Oginski. Anna started her career with us in 1990 as a night custodian. She worked her way up to a day custodian in 1998 and was promoted to the custodial supervisor of Taylor Mills in 2004. Anna is also being honored tonight as the support staff person of the year for Taylor Mills. To work in one place for 35 years is amazing and I would like to thank Anna for her dedication and loyalty to the Menalpan English Town Regional School District. You have truly left a lasting impression at Taylor Mills and you will be missed. Thank you Anna for all your hard work and I wish you all the best in your retirement. The final employee I would like to honor tonight, Joseph Pellegrino. Joseph
026was hired in 1996 as a custodian and was quickly promoted to a custodial supervisor in 1998. Joseph has dedicated 28 years to the Menalpan English Town Regional School District, working in numerous schools and finishing his career right here as a custodial supervisor of Wemrock Brook. His commitment and dedication to the district has left a lasting impression and I would like to thank Joseph for his 28 years of service. I sincerely hope you are enjoying your retirement. And Ms. Festano, do you have anything to add? Great. Good evening everyone. I'm here to honor Ed Logal. I had the pleasure of working with Ed for the past seven years. Ed has extensive knowledge of all the district roads and I could be counted, he could be counted on to cover any route, anytime, no question. As my
027department upgraded the technology to streamline its operation, I enjoyed our conversations and the valuable feedback that Ed gave to the department. Ed, if you ever want to come back as a substitute bus driver, my door is always open. Until then, enjoy your well-deserved retirement. Ms. Festano just said to him, I'll see you in September. He doesn't get away that easy. Tonight is truly special. When you look at our district and what makes it so wonderful, you look at the people. And I look out tonight and not only do I see those of you who are retiring, I see those of you who are current employees, who are in the community, and who have also retired that are here to support you as one sneaking out. Mr. Kyber, I was talking about you. That's what I
028think makes this district so special, is that once you're part of the MERS family, you are always part of the MERS family. And I hope that you remember that. And into your retirement, you think of us because we will think of you often. And if you need anything, we are always here to help you because you were part of our family and we appreciate everything that you did for us. At this time, I would also like to thank Ms. Natal, Felicia, for orchestrating tonight and making sure that everything was just perfect. So thank you for all your hard work to make this tonight happen. And now I'd like the board to take their vote on agenda items D. Mr. Ferber? Yes. Mr. Green? Yes. Mrs. Hurd? Yes. Mr. Cain? Yes. Mrs. Parisi? Yes. Mr. DeCetti?
029Yes. Motion passes. Thank you again for all of our retirees. We are now going to move into presentations. So I welcome to the stage Ms. Jody Pepchinsky for the teachers of the year and support staff of the year presentations. Thank you Dr. Santora and good evening everybody. In the Monalapan English town regional school district, we pride ourselves on having a dedicated, committed and outstanding staff who stand to give the best of themselves each day and who remain focused on our why, which are the children, who remain our central purpose and focus always. We are very grateful to our staff, those here and those not here, who strive day in and day out to ensure that our students receive a quality education premised on a tradition of excellence which occurs in a safe and nurturing learning
030environment. Our staff really are top notch, determining the persons to be recognized each year for titles of educator services professional or teacher of the year or support person of the year for each respective location in our district is by no means an easy decision. It is a title that is awarded however with great honor as the recipients are first nominated by their colleagues or an administrator and then the final selections are made by a committee of staff members who then vote based on eloquently drafted nominations about each individual. To be named as person of the year from an already exceptional staff, it's truly an extraordinary honor and it is a momentous occasion as the whole school comes together to cheer on one of its own. The exalting cheers of students emanating from classrooms as the
031winners are announced on the PA system is truly heartfelt and there's more than likely not a dry eye throughout the building. It's a rewarding moment for careers that are premised on dedication. We now begin the next part of our ceremony by recognizing those individuals that were awarded teacher of the year or educator services personnel professional of the year. At this time I would like Mr. Ryan Greene and Ms. Jamie Herr, two of our esteemed Board of Education members up to the stage to assist with handing out the certificates. First as we're getting organized I'd like to welcome up from Clark Mills School, Allison Massimillo. From the Early Learning Center, Samantha Weinhofer. From Lafayette Mills, Jamie Locus. From the Monalepin English Town Middle School, Robert Schreck. From Milford Brook School, Brittany Morton. From Pinebrook School, Teresa
032Pecorero. From Taylor Mills School, Kendra Porta. From Wemrock Brook, Owen Kessler. Since our pupil personnel services person is not present but I'd like to acknowledge Andrea Fennell. Thank you Ms. Herr, thank you Mr. Greene. I'd like to now invite Mr. David Kane and Mr. Jesse Tosetti, two more esteemed members of our Board of Education up to the stage. You too will assist. And our support staff of the year recipients for the 24-25 school year. From Clark Mills School, Sherry Montorosso. From the John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, Rosa DeBarry. From Lafayette Mills School, Gina Hoppock. From the Monalepin English Town Middle School, Karen Wenger. My husband just said the picture of you to Caitlin. I had her daughter my first year. Just saying. It's been a long time. From Milford Brooks School, Denise Byrne. From
033Pinebrook School, Angela Kacela. From Taylor Mills, Anna Osinski. From Wemrock Brook, Kyle Rizzolo. Representing Pupil Personnel Services, Susan Shepsko. Representing Main Street, Felicia Natal. Physical Plant, while they're not here, you guys are welcome to stay while I announce them anyway. They deserve their recognition. Physical Plant, Dennis Schmidt. And Transportation, Valerie Cassell. Congratulations to all. Let's give one more big round of applause for everybody here this evening. It is not an easy task to be recognized among such amazing individuals. They have not only earned their respective titles, but they have earned the respect and admiration of many, including their students, parents, and all of their colleagues, and of course you, their family. You each have made a difference and continue to do so. Thank you for everything you do each and every day. At this time,
034I would like to welcome Mr. David Ferber, our Board of Education President, to the stage. Good evening, everyone. So tonight, I would like to recognize and say thank you to our PTA, PTO, and Booster Club and Foundation members for all your outstanding service to our district. In particular, we're going to recognize Sarah Akron. Please come up. You can never cheer too much. And Erin Lissy. This time, I would like to welcome to the stage a fellow board member, Ms. Christine Parisi, who will be presenting an award. Thank you. This truly is an exceptional evening, and it is extra special for me tonight because I get an opportunity to honor someone very special. It is both an honor and a deeply emotional moment for me to stand before you tonight to recognize someone who has not
035only shaped the heart of our education foundation, but who has also left an indelible mark on our community. Our founding education president, I'm sorry, I'm a little emotional, Ms. Pat Berger. From the very beginning, this foundation has been infused with her vision, her passion, her unshakable belief that every student deserves more, more opportunity, more enrichment, more inspiration beyond the walls of the classroom. I remember so clearly the day she hired me. She believed in me before I believed in myself. She saw something in me, something I hadn't yet recognized, and encouraged me to join her in this mission. That act of belief changed my life, and I know I'm not the only one in this room who can say that. Because of that opportunity, I am now a Board of Education member for 11 years
036and counting. Pat Berger is more than a founder. She is a caring leader, a compassionate friend, and a tireless advocate for our students. Whether it was securing funding for our new technology, championing field trips to expand students' horizons, or creating programs that brought music, science, and the arts to life, she was always driven by one question, what else can we do to help them grow? Her leadership was never about her. It was always about the students, about the teachers, and about the community. She led not with ego, but with empathy, not with authority, but with heart. She reminded us that education isn't just about curriculum. It's about opening doors, creating experiences, planting seeds of curiosity that will bloom for a lifetime. Pat Berger, your legacy will continue in every opportunity you've helped create, every student
037whose world has been expanded, and every person like me who has been lucky enough to serve alongside you. While you may be stepping down for a new title, your impact will never fade. This foundation will always be yours, and your friendship will always be one of my greatest treasures. The district enacted a resolution of appreciation honoring our extraordinary founder and forever president, which I would like to read for you now. This is a resolution of appreciation for Patricia Berger, whereas Patricia Berger established the foundation for Menalopin English town regional schools during the 2009-2010 school year. Whereas Ms. Berger served as president of the foundation through December of 2024. Whereas the foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for the Menalopin English town regional school district to enhance the education of students. Whereas since
038its inception, the foundation has raised more than $1 million in grants, donations, and community partnerships for the district for various educational programs, state of the art technology, teacher training, innovative resources, enriching opportunities, and support for arts that have significantly improved the quality of education and overall learning environment for students. Whereas founder and president of the foundation, Ms. Berger dedicated unparalleled time, effort, and commitment to the students and staff of the district, including fundraising. Whereas Ms. Berger fostered meaningful relationships with local businesses, community leaders, and philanthropic organizations, thereby elevating the visibility and reputation of the foundation and the district. Whereas Ms. Berger's tireless advocacy, strategic vision, and unwavering support for education left an indelible mark on the district, contributing to a legacy of excellence and generosity that will inspire future leaders for years to come. Now
039therefore, be it resolved that the board extends its sincere gratitude to Ms. Berger for establishing the foundation, her leadership as its president, and fundraising for the district. Be it further resolved that the board recognizes and honors Ms. Berger's direct and positive impact on successfully improving the education and futures of a generation of students, the district, schools, and educational opportunities for all. Be it further resolved that the board hereby honors and celebrates Ms. Berger for her exemplary service as president of the foundation and wishes her a fulfilling and joyful retirement, even though we know she's not really retiring. And be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Berger as a token of our gratitude and a recognition of her extraordinary achievements and impact on the Menalapin English Town community. Thank
040you, Ms. Berger. I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. As you can see, it was a truly special night and a special occasion, and just one of those times where we can see why we are such a healthy, strong, and dedicated community. So thank you for being a part of that. Thank you for being a part of tonight. Thank you for those who came to cheer on your colleagues, your family. At this time, we are going to now go into our regular board meeting. There are refreshments in the back. You're welcome to help yourself. Thank you again for coming.