001I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. Good evening. Thank you for attending the South River Curriculum Fair this evening. We hope you enjoyed your evening and learned about the great things being done by our students, staff, and community. Have a great evening and a fabulous Memorial Day weekend. Good night, everybody. Okay, thank you and uh welcome to the South River Board of Education regular meeting of Thursday, May 22nd, 20125. In accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act, chapter 231, laws of 1975 of the state of New Jersey, adequate notice of this meeting of the South River Board of Education was provided in the following manner. On January 15, 2025, the notice was delivered
002to the office of the South River Burough Clerk and posted at the Board of Education Administration building. On January 15th, 2025, the notice was faxed, mailed to the following newspapers. The Home News Tribune, the Star Ledger, and on January 15, 2025, the notice was posted at the South River Federal Clerk's Office. Mr. Mr. Rosa, would you pull the role? Yes. Mr. Basak has been excused. Mr. Budson here. Mrs. Bush. Mrs. Bush has been excused. Mrs. Lao here. Mr. Nielsen here. Mrs. Saddowski here. Mrs. Young here. Mrs. Urbanic here. Calvin Sabidi. She's looking behind us. Hello. We have a call. Thank you. And we have our student rep. All right. So, um, on tonight's agenda, our first order of business is the appointment of our new board member, Buch. Repeat after me. I I do solemnly
003swear or affirm do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and to the government establishing in the United States and this state and this state under under the authority of the people under the authority of the people. So help me God. So help me God. I I do solemnly swear or affirm do solemnly swear or affirm that I possess the qualification prescribed by law that I possess the
004qualification prescribed by law for the office of member of a board of education for the office of member of the board of education and that I am not disqualified as a voter and that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to pursuant to RS RS 19 colon 19 colon 4-1 4-1 nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime nor disqualified due to conviction of a crime or offense listed in or offense listed in NJS NJS 18A 18A colon 12-1 col 12-1 and that I will faithfully and that I will faithfully impartially and partially and justly and justly perform all the duties of that office perform all the duties of that office according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability. So helping God. It's a helping God. [Music] [Applause]
005[Music] like to welcome into you to the board and I'd like to turn the meeting over to you for any comments that you may have. Uh thank you very much everyone. um pleasures to be here and uh look forward to uh supporting you all and the company as well. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. Excuse me. All right, moving on with our meeting. Mr. Rosa, would you please hold the role? Mr. Basak. Mr. Basak has been excused. Mr. Budson here. Mrs. Bush. Mrs. Bush has been excused. Mrs. La here. Mr. Nielsen here. Mr. Anudaway here. Mrs. Saddowski here. Mrs. Young Ga here. Mrs. Banic here. Thank you. Okay. So, the first item on business for our meeting are the minutes. Mr. Rosa. No additions. Board members, what is your pleasure on the minutes? Move the reading
006of the minutes into the record. We have a motion by Vice President Nielsen. Is there a second? Second. Second by Mrs. Saddowski. Any questions on the minutes? All in favor? I. Thank you. The motion passes. We have some use of facilities, Mr. Rosa. So we have an addition of 678, revised 738 and electro act of 778. Okay. Board members, what is your pleasure on the use of facilities? Move the use of facilities in accordance with board policies. We have a motion by Vice President Nielsen. Second. Second by Mrs. Saddowski. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Thank you. The use of facilities is passed. Our next item on the agenda is our financial report. Mrs. L. Thank you. Be it resolved that the board of education hereby certifies that it is in receipt of
007the financial report which indicates that no major account has been overexpended and that sufficient funds are available to meet the district's financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year. The finance committee recommends that the reports of the board secretary and the treasurer of school monies for March 2025 be approved and I so move. We have a motion by Mrs. L. Is there a second? Second. Second by Miss Young. Any questions on the financial report? All in favor? Financial report passes. Thank you. This time they're now going to turn the meeting over to our superintendent of schools, Dr. Zer. Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Ormanic. There are two items um on the agenda today under my report. Uh one, and the first one I'd like to speak about is the update and progress towards the district
008goals. We did have um four goals for the 2425 school year. One in instruction and learning focusing on multi-tered uh support systems. um to physical, social and emotional health and really having a systematic approach um to assess and also to support students in social emotional learning. Uh our goal three was human resources which was really about increasing recruitment and retention efforts for our staff. And goal four which was uh focused on safety and security and continuously evaluating and monitoring uh what we have in place our resources um and supports in safety and security and updating them and modifying them as needed. And so throughout the year, we worked on several activities towards these goals, including the development of a multi-tered system of support guide um which we will be posting for the 2526 school year.
009Really showing parents and community members how we support students in a differentiated format and how we uh provide intervention when students need additional assistance or when they need additional enrichment. Um so that will be available for our teachers and our parents and we do have a district team that has been um developing that guide and that has been developing procedures for this type of support. Um for goal two, we have really been working with our climate and culture team who has uh really put forth a lot of effort into uh resolving chronic absenteeism and reducing it as well as making sure that uh teachers are equipped with everything they need to teach social and emotional um skills as well as academic skills in the classroom. In human resources, we continue to grow our outreach. Um
010we continue to grow our outreach by partnering with various universities by attending more career fairs, holding career fairs. Uh we also have added some programs that support our teachers and staff such as our IDIQ program which gives our staff access to um personal services to help them lead the best personal lives they can so that they can lead the best professional lives as well. And then in safety and security, um we have had additional security equipment installed in all of our buildings that we continue um in that regard. We maintain most of our security upgrades and information confidential in order to um maintain that safety and security. Um but it's one of the areas where the board uh and the administration have really devoted a lot of their attention and time. Um, and moving on
011to my monthly report, I'd like to speak about a new grant that is uh on your board agenda for this evening. It's the uh planting of several trees throughout our campus. um just really making sure we have a good balance of um of course the construction that we have been working on to meet the needs of our students and staff, but then also making sure that we keep our campus green um and healthy. And so this um grant opportunity provides us not just the trees themselves, but a lot of uh learning opportunities for our students um as well. I also uh put in my superintendence report a narrative about the dreams program. This dreams program, it's a partnership. Um and through this partnership, we are able to bring a lot of services to families, to
012students, to staff. Um a lot of professional development for staff as well as just really different support services that our families can get access to. um especially if they need counseling, mental health services and and so on. Um so it just really helps to grow all of the different approaches we have to mental health services and support. I have in my superintendence report a reminder about our day of service. This is a day that we set aside in the district for every single student in the district to conduct a service activity to give back to the community. So on this day, regardless of the grade level, our students will be engaging with their teachers in doing some sort of community service activity. Um I've listed some of the activities that our students will be participating
013in. They're quite varied based on the developmental age of our students, but again, um it's a day to come together, serve the community, and just really sacrifice and and give service to others. So we're very proud of doing that. That is coming up on June 3rd. And I've put a narrative in here about spring standardized assessments. We are finished. That is the good news. We are finished. We have some uh dates for makeups for students who were not present on days that um we had our testing, but we are happy to have successfully finished all of our assessments from grades 3 all the way to 12. Um, just giving the community a budget reminder. Our budget for the 2526 school year is posted and available for the public. It was displayed here at the curriculum
014fair as well. And I encourage the community to please take a look at that budget. And our curriculum fair was successful. And um and regardless of the weather, we were able to um really put aside a good day for parents and the community to come see all of the wonderful things that students have been accomplishing in the district and um great day for the community. And so concludes my report. Thank you. Thank you. Board members, do you have any comments or questions on the superintendent report? And what is your pleasure on the superintendence report? Move the superintendent report as read. We have a motion by Vice President Nielsen. Second, second by Mrs. Low. All in favor? I. Thank you. I just want to comment that this is available on our website as always, your superintendence
015report. Yes. If anybody would like to go to the website, look for the superintendence report. Uh all this information will be there. You can give it a good comprehensive read. Thank you. Okay. At this time, we are going to open up the meeting to the reception of visitors for this public session. The public may address agenda items only. There will be a public session later on toward the end of the meeting for the public to address any other items that they have of interest for the board of education. So, at this time, if there's anyone in the public that would like to speak to any of the agenda items, please step forward, state your name and address, and please keep your comments to a 10-minute time limit for the agenda items. On first call, on
016second call, and on third call. Okay, this public session is closed. Uh at this time we're going to have the reading of the consent resolution by Mr. Rosa. The South River Board of Education by means of a consent resolution adopt various resolution of a routine and non-controversial nature at one time. Whereas the below listed resolutions are hereby adopted by the set order of education and whole as if the same were individually acted upon and those are the superintendent of schools 3.2 2 and the finance 8.1 through 8.38 construction 9.1 through 9.9 the policy and legislation 11.1 the human resources 12.1- 12.24 24 safety and risk management 13.1 through 13.3 on the residency 16.1. Thank you. Do we have a motion on the consent resolution? Neielson. Motion by Vice President Nielsen. Second. Second by Mrs. Saddowski.
017Any comments on any of the items? Does any board member wish to have any of the items read separately? All right. Seeing none, would you please call the role? Mr. Butson, yes. Mrs. Low, yes. Mr. Nielsen, yes. Mr. Woodway, yes. Mrs. Sabowski, yes. Mrs. Young, yes. Mrs. Bennett, yes. Pass. Thank you. On to our committee reports. We'll start with the athletics and extracurricular. Mr. Bud, there's nothing on the agenda just to wish the teams the state tournament and county town best of luck. And that's all I have. Okay. Thank you. Uh, buildings and grounds. Vice President Neielson. Nothing to report tonight. Madam President, thank you. Finance, Mrs. L. Thank you. Uh, the agenda includes a wide range of approvals for the for this school year and the upcoming school year as we prepare uh for
018budget season. So including grants like the trees for schools grant, articulation agreements for adult education, various service contracts for physical therapy, special education, nursing, home instruction and mental health report. It also covers professional services for legal auditing, insurance, and -ate consulting, cooperative purchasing agreements, facility and equipment maintenance, and infrastructure upgrades such as HVAC systems, fire protection, sprinklers, public address systems, and feature installations. Additionally, multiple um vendor contracts were renewed or awarded for food services, security, custodial services, and telecommunications along with fundraising and employee financial protection programs, which encompasses so much of what Dr. Zer said in her superintendence report. Um so so uh comprehensive. So having uh summarized the finance committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation of the superintendent recommend approval of the items 8.1 through 8.24 and
019additional items 8.25 through 8.38 on the agenda as listed including routine items. And that is all I have. Thank you. Would you please continue with the instruction committee? Under instruction, the agenda includes approvals for professional development, field trips, out of district placements for the upcoming school year and extended school year programs. It also covers um observer intern placements, curricular crosswalks, and submission of a comprehensive equity plan for next school year. So the instruction committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation of the superintendent recommends approval of the items 9.1 through 9.7 with additional items 9.8 through 9.9 on the agenda as listed including routine items. And that is all I have for this. Thank you. Our negotiations we do not have any items on the agenda for our policy and
020legislation committee. Mr. of blue bed. The policy and legislation committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation of the superintendent recommends the approval of the item 11.1 with no additional items on the agenda as listed including two items. Thank you. And human resources vice president Nielson. Thank you, Madam President. The human resources committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation of the superintendent recommends approval of the items 12.1 through 12.12 with additional items 12.13 through 12.24 on the agenda as listed including routine items. That's all I have madam president. Thank you. Our safety and risk management committee Mrs. Sidowski please. Thank you. CP management committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation, the superintendent recommends approval of item 13.1 through
021item 13.2 with additional item 13.3 on the agenda as listed, including the two items. Thank you. And Vice President Nielsen, do you have anything from the school board burrow council leaison committee? Not to report, but he is in the audience tonight. uh he did attend the curriculum fair which was nice to see uh he was here. Um again again it's nice to keep in contact with him. He does reach out to me before his monthly meetings and as you see he does come to uh our festivities. So it's nice to have Mr. Dantis here. Thank you again for coming sir. That's all I have. Madam President, thank you and Mrs. Saddowski for the PTA leaison. Thank you. I do have a couple of updates um for the primary and ELC PTAs. Um last month there
022were various events that took place um including the book fair, Somerset Patriots game fundraiser and teacher appreciation week. Uh the PTA is looking for parent volunteers for funday that is going to occur on Friday, May 30th. For the elementary school PTA, they are still selling RAM blankets and ordering information can be found in the eam um as well as on their Facebook page. And again, their PTA is looking for parent volunteers for funday to that is going to occur on Friday, June 6th, and also for fifth grade fun night, which will be Friday, June 13th. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. our residency committee, Miss Yangya. And just a reminder that we're still in the process of do conducting uh residency reverification for the current fifth grade students. So if you need to do that you
023can go to parent portal and also the residency committee after review of all items on this month's agenda and upon recommendation of the superintendent recommends approval of the item 16.1 with no additional items on the agenda as listed including routine items. Thank you. Our South River Public Library liaison is on. Mr. The white uh the firehouse will be holding their art contest on June 5th. The summer reading program will kick off on June 24th with the theme in the color of your world. Summer highlighted programs for the summer with eyes of the wild and a bubble uh party. The library teamed up with Rutgers behavioral health and be offering five programs this summer. tie dye to Century Power Haven and they will have a June 13th program at 6:30. That's all I have. Thank you.
024And now our student board representative, Miss Sidi. Um during teachers appreciation week, uh the National Honor Society went around the building giving snacks every single day to all of the teachers. Um the curriculum here today is very successful. They had a petting zoo outside of Denny Stadium. There was like chickens and pigs. I think there was a goat too. Uh that was pretty fun. And senior awards is coming which is pretty exciting. Thank you. I just want to point out uh that there were some members of our national honor society who did participate in the uh spaghetti dinner at the BFW as servers. Uh and they helped out the local Lions Club tremendously by doing that. and we went there and it was very good. Yeah. So, uh I get help all around from the
025schools. Uh and under older new business, I do want to correct a statement that I made um during the interviews of our now new board member and candidates. I was uh mistakenly saying that you needed 25 signatures of any registered voter in the state of New Jersey. I was incorrect. That is not the fact. The fact is is that you need 25 signatures of voters registered to vote in South River, New Jersey on your petition. So, I just want to publicly correct that. And anything else under old or new business? No. Do we have a report from our attorney? I was going to make that same clarification. Oh, but no, no problem. But yes, that is it is 25. Uh there is some differences in other elected offices in the state, but for your board,
026it is 25 in South River. So, we don't make things easy ever. Um and New Jersey recent board meetings I've been at lately. I do want to mention that you guys have your non-bargain unit people done and your super evaluation done. You stand out. You're on time and on time should be the norm. It is not and it's nice to see because I see quite the opposite. Thank you. And under payment of bills, this is the finance committee recommends that all bills presented having been certified by the school business administrator board secretary be paid as listed in my school. We have a motion by Mrs. L. Second. Second by Mrs. Saddowski. All in favor? I. Okay. The bills will be paid. Thank you. Uh so as promised earlier uh we are going to open up
027the meeting again for the reception of visitors and this is so the public may address any concern or comment that they have for the board. And again we ask that you please state your name and address and please keep your comments to a 10-minute time limit. So on first call do want to take this moment to present uh supervisors buildings and grounds Mr. Casey Johnson. Welcome. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson. Uh, greetings all. I'm Jason Johnson. I'm to introduce myself as new supervisor in Browns for South School District. I'm truly excited to be here to join a district known for strong sense of community and commitment to accessing education. Thank you. Welcome, sir. Thank you. Welcome. [Applause] So, thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Rosa. Uh, so that was on
028first call. Anyone else from the public? On second call and on third call. We're going to close this public portion. And we have no executive session tonight. The next motion is for the German Nielsen by Vice President Neielson. Is there a second? Second. Second by Miss Yang Yao. All in favor? I. Thank you. This meeting is adjourned. Welcome. Busy month. [Music]