001Good evening and welcome to the Ball Township uh business meeting of the board of education for November 18th, 2025. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Mr. Smith, sunshine announcement and roll call, please. >> Yes, this is the Wall Township Board of Education meeting for which adequate notice under the open public meeting act was provided by notice to the co-star Asbury Park Press. All township schools township clerk's office and in the board administration office on January 9, 2025. Take a roll call. Miss Adams >> here. >> Mr. Adenezio >> here. >> Miss Barbieier >> here. >> Mr. Burton. >> Mr. Buffa >> here.
002>> Miss Gavani >> here. >> Mr. Smith >> here. >> Mr. Wander. >> Mr. Mal >> here. At this time, I'm going to ask for a motion to go into executive session for those items indicated on the agenda. >> Mr. Giovani made the motion. Mr. Buffer. Uh, all in favor? >> We anticipate that we will return at 700 p.m. Good evening and welcome to the November 18th meeting of the Wall Township Board of Education. At this time, we welcome the Wall High School NDCC color guard to present the colors and then we will have our pledge. Color guard, please stand. I pledge allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America and to Republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Forward. >> Okay. Resuming uh
003public session. We have a roll call. Mr. Smice, >> take a roll call. Miss Adams >> here. >> Mr. here. >> Miss Barbier >> here, >> Mr. Berton, >> Mr. Buffa >> here, >> Miss Diovani >> here, >> Mr. Smith >> here, >> Mr. Wandra >> here, >> Miss Sophia Coping >> here. >> Mr. Mouth >> here. >> Thank you, Mr. Smite. There are there is not a student showcase tonight. So, I'm going to go right to uh Sophia Keeping who will give us our uh student representative report. Sophia. >> Okay. Good evening. Hazel and I are so grateful for the opportunity to share some updates from Wall High School this month. Throughout the fall, numerous colleges and university representatives has visited our school to meet with students and provide information about their programs, application
004process, and campus life. These visits have been a great way for students to explore potential paths after graduation and start planning for their futures. Tomorrow I will be attending the Rucker presentation. It's been an exciting fall season for Wall athletics. In cross country, Cali Bucksbomb placed sixth in the group 2 cross country championship and placed 17th with a new personal record in the New Jersey meet of champions. What an incredible accomplishment. In addition to the success, our boys soccer, girls soccer, and football teams advanced deep into the wall into the Central Jersey group 2 state tournaments. The boys soccer team defeated Manisquan in the semi-finals and advanced to the finals against Robinsville. The girls soccer team also had an outstanding performance defeating Rumson Fair Haven in penalty kicks during the quarterfinals. A special shout out
005goes to goalkeeper Maddie Peterson who earned co-star student athlete of the week for her dominant PK saves. And the football team continues its impressive run as well, defeating Rumson Fair Haven in the semi-finals. Boys soccer head coach Mr. Lindstra recently earned his 300th career win this season. Mr. Lintra has led the boys program for the past 25 years beginning in 2002. Under his leadership, the Crimson Knights have captured state sectional titles in 2004, 2019, and 2022, as well as overall state title in 2004. With this milestone, Mr. Lindstra is the fourth soccer coach in the Shore Conference history to achieve 300 or more career wins. Our Wall Business and Finance Academy food drive served as a bonus event for Battle of the Classes with the freshman taking first place. Current standings are juniors in the
006lead with 80, freshman close behind with 70, and seniors and sophomores tied with 60. The Wall High School fall drama this year is Uritysy. The shows are November 20th at 7 p.m., November 21st at 7 p.m., and November 22nd at 1 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. All shows are in the Wall Intermediate School Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased in advance, online, or at the door. [clears throat] Tomorrow kicks off our fall spirit week, which will include themed dressup days, sorry, and fun evening activities. Wall volleyball is tomorrow night and takes and hallway decorating will be held next Tuesday. We're also looking forward to our annual Thanksgiving football game against Manquan, which will be at home next Thursday. Always a great tradition. Thank you for your time and continued support. I look forward to sharing more updates
007and celebrating more student success at our next meeting. Okay, thank you very [clears throat] much Sophia and good luck with your when you're going your trip to Ruters. >> Yes. >> Okay, good luck with that. Okay, thank you very much for your report and as always you're welcome to stay but you're seems like you're a very busy young lady. >> Go and you can watch from here. You don't have to leave. You can you're allowed to stay. You can stay absolutely as long as you would like. All right. Uh at this time, we're going to open up the floor for our first public comment. The board requests those individuals seeking uh speaking will be courteous and mindful of the rights of other individuals while making comments. Specifically, comments regarding individual students and school personnel are
008discouraged and will not be responded to by the board. Students and employees have specific legal rights afforded by the laws of New Jersey. The Walter Board of Education bears no responsibility nor will it be liable for any comments made by members of the public. Speakers should consider their comments in the light of legal rights of those affect affected or by identified in their comments and recognize that they are legally responsible for and liable for their comments and we please ask that you abide by our uh threeminut rule. Thank you. Anyone public comment please uh approach the microphone. Hi. Uh, my name is Leah Bby Wall Township. Um, I have uh some clarification questions regarding the superintendent search information on the B on the website. Um so when you click on the tab for the superintendent
009search all the way to the to the right um on that main page on the right hand side it it shows um a superintendent search timeline. Um that timeline does not match the uh timeline listed in the uh executive uh the search proposal. Um so their their timeline on the search proposal which is also on that website uh on that same page is they are looking to um appoint the superintendent on December 16th um versus the timeline that is on the main page says March April 2026. So I'm looking for clarification on which of these timelines is accurate. We'll just say there is no way that a superintendent will be appointed on December 16th. >> I don't think so. But I it's just that's what you have listed and just looking for whether we should
010be going by this or this. So um do we have an updated timeline? >> That's going to be addressed a little bit later in the meeting. >> Okay. Thank you. Peter Kadelar. I am an English teacher at Wall High School. I also teach journalism. Good evening board members. Dr. Hannerhan, Mr. Smite. We, a couple members of the editorial board and staff of the Wall High School student news organization, the Crimson Courier, come before you tonight to address the misconceptions of last month's canceled homecoming dance, as well as correct the record. As you are no doubt aware, CBS News New York's report set off shock waves through the school and community. What you may not be aware of is the professional and ethical shortcuts that were taken in its production. At the outset of its report,
011CBS News New York stated, "There will be no homecoming king or queen in Wall Township this weekend." Later, it misspelled a student's last name. While CBS's corrections policy does not allow for the correction of a misspelling, it does account for inaccuracies and details that affect the who, what, when, where, and why of its stories. Not only did CBS speak to this year's eventual homecoming queen, Maddie Peterson, on camera, but its reporter acknowledged her candidacy, congratulated, and wished her luck in the homecoming election. What's worse was that she did so in front of two other students. Our deputy assistant editor-inchief, Rob Develin, who could not be here tonight because of hockey practice, pointed this out once the report went viral with over 2.5 million views on Tik Tok alone. On behalf of the students, school, district,
012and community, we, the Crimson Courier, have officially requested a correction. If a major metropolitan TV station cannot accurately report the news, can its assertion that wall students are antisocial and addicted to screens be believed? While we lament the loss of this year's homecoming dance, its place in tradition has been blown out of proportion. Our investigation into it turned up photographic and anecdotal evidence into just four homecoming dances over the last 26 years. Furthermore, we feel the volunteers who organized, funded, and would have chaperoned the dance have been callously devalued in the wake of CBS's story. While students attendance of dances is healthy, if not robust, more students attended last year's senior prom than the entire senior class combined. Fall spirit week starts tomorrow with volleyball night and we expect a strong turnout. The staff of
013the Crimson Courier felt it important to defend students and their involvements and not just social but extracurricular activities as well as community engagement like their first jobs and volunteerism. But don't take our words for it tonight. You can log on to crimsoncourier.com and read our just published investigative report, proper practice of journalism by wall students who are eligible for dual enrollment credit through Stockton University. Thank you for your time and the opportunity to speak before you tonight. >> Thank you very much. >> Do we have anyone else for public comment? [laughter] Betsy Cross. I live in Wall and uh Mr. Keller, fabulous [clears throat] teacher. My son had him. Fabulous. So glad to see him here tonight speaking up. And the fabulous Mr. Hollander. Um I am shocked that you didn't put his name on
014the agenda, Tracy. I even clicked on it to see retirees recognition and you had no names there. So, another just embarrassing that every board member, nobody caught that. Uh, you would have had more people show up if his name was actually on an agenda. So, just terrible. But I'm glad I'm here. Um, post by Moms for Liberty. Every time someone posts a nasty comment or tries to shame us for standing up for our kids, they add fuel to our fire. We will not stop. We cannot stop. Our kids and our grandkids are counting on us. So, I keep coming back. I could care less what people say about me on Facebook. I could care less. People tell me, "Who cares?" Um, people get a life. Um, I'm posting on on things that are very important
015for our community and for our children and uh for our grandchildren. Superintendent searches have been what a joke. Um, to have two different timelines. one showing that we're picking the superintendent on December 16th and appointing them that nobody caught that. Kathleen Diovani sat up here telling us this is what we're doing. This is why I didn't vote for her because you know she's lied before and it it's not it's not good. >> Please direct your comments to the chair. Miss Cross I'm I'm Mr. Maliff. She lied. Okay. >> Incorrect. Yep. Thank you. >> Um student count. We now have 3,169 students. 20 years ago, we had 4,415. We're down 1,246 kids. Uh we used to spend 12,762 a student. We're now spending $34,711. Get your act together. Uh two line items, football and uh HVAC,
016we're off 11.5 million. It's just bad business. Brian Smite has been a bad business administrator uh since he was hired back in 2007. Uh what else? State health benefits plan. There's there's no information here. Uh if we're spending $55,000 a family and the taxpayers are funding it. Kathleen, what are you and Ralph are talking over there? Could you let us know? >> Please direct your comments to the chair. >> Okay. I don't like Kathleen Giovani talking to Ralph while he >> Please direct your comments to the chair. >> I'm really happy Ralph will be gone because I think he was the person that put my son's picture uh to you, Miss Athena Cornell. You put his picture in direct your comments to the chair. >> So you can answer that is absolutely not. >> Talk
017about lying. >> Yeah, we're we're glad you're going to be off the board. >> Finally. Glad I don't have to sit here and listen to you. >> Yeah, you'll never be back. I think we can pretty much guarantee nobody ever is. Do we see Adam Napine? No, we don't. >> Do we have anyone else for public comment? >> Angelique Pinto, Wall Township. I want to uh revisit also the superintendent search. Uh I'm sorry. Uh I want to revisit the superintendent search. Um I realized that recently in the last two weeks there's a tab that popped up under the site that um kind of tells us who C is and what they are. Um still not comfortable that um the other two companies that were interviewed were mentioned anywhere because they weren't. Um instead we chose
018a company that actually hired our current superintendent and we chose them to hire the incoming uh which is not a best practice this company um strategic educational advantage when um Dr. Handerhan was hired is now 18 months ago strategic exemplary alliance but um the same individual um it's it's not best practices to hire the same search firm uh anyone can see that you could Google it takes two seconds it it it has terrible optics um conflict of interest inherent bias community trust issues good old boys network especially if a new candidate is internal so um I I I don't know why we went with this company. I guess that ship has sailed and that's where we are. Which brings me to current, which is that survey that was sent out. Um I don't know if
019you guys have heard anything about the the comments related to that survey. Uh it was terrible. It was terrible. No one has anything good. If you ask them about the survey, they say it was a terrible survey. People from all walks of life, all educational backgrounds, terrible survey. It doesn't even had no text boxes. It was a liyker scale. Um, you can't even tell from the survey what the objective of the survey was looking for or what to garner. Um, and then you have this in-person community event that you've arranged for 36 hours before Thanksgiving, Tuesday the 25th. It doesn't say, "Hey community, come join us. We want to hear from you." Absolutely not. Not 36 hours before Thanksgiving. It is also the same week that parent teacher conferences um are happening. Um people can't
020be there for that. They probably want to be there, but it's really tonedeaf to assume that people 36 hours before Thanksgiving parent teachers conferences are going to make an in-person meeting also the same night as the public committee meeting in the town. So, I I beg you to revisit that if you really really truly do want community collaboration and input. And really, honestly, the search firm should have told you that. You know, they should have said, "No way. If if we're looking to get data and input, that's not the day." So, uh I'm hoping that you will reconsider that so more people can come and participate in this process if that is truly what you want. And if you choose not to, then then it'll be apparent um you know that that that you don't
021want us involved. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else for public comment? [clears throat] Good evening. My name is John Reno and I have three amazing boys at Old Mill. I'm here tonight because our community deserves full transparency regarding the superintendent search. At the October meeting, the board announced the search agency had been approved, but no details were provided about what other firms were considered. Then at the meet the candidate night, a board member stated that the other firm there were other firms interviewed information that was never shared publicly. That inconsistency alone raises concerns. The superintendent is the most important position in this district and parents, staff, and taxpayers need confidence that this search process is fair, open, and free of conflicts of interest. There's also serious issue regarding the chosen firm, Strategic Exemplary Alliance. Public
022filings show that Dr. Michael Cooer, the lead consultant of this firm, also led the prior search with Strategic Educational Advantage LLC, the firm that brought in Dr. Hanahan in 2020. When the same individual is involved in both past and current search, it understandably raises concerns about impartiality and whether the board conducted a true competitive evaluation. These concerns are magnified by the fact that strategic exemplary alliance has no website and no physical office. For a decision this consequential, the public should know which firms were interviewed, when and where those interviews occurred, which firm, what each firm proposed, what the cost comparisons were, why this specific firm was selected. Vendors interviews should follow a fair and open process. The public deserves documentation showing how these decisions were made, especially since New Jersey law requires transparency when a
023awarding contracts. So tonight, I respectfully request the board release the list of the firms interviewed, provide the dates, locations, and criteria used, share the interview questions and responses, explain the rational behind selecting sea, disclose what steps were taken to address any conflict of interest. I requested these details by the board, I mean, sorry, from the board and Dr. Dr. Hanahan via email and was told I need to fill out a lengthy OPER request. Even though this is purely public information that should have been shared in the October Board of Ed meeting, New Jersey OPER law is meant for obtaining government documents such as emails, contracts, internal memos, data and reports, not public information that should have been accessible such which is includes me uh minute meetings, agenda and process overviews. Before this firm moves forward,
024the community deserves clear answers and open process. Our students and staff deserve nothing less. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have anyone else for public comment? Okay, seeing no one else for Seeing no one else for public comment, we're going to close this public comment. At this time, I'd like to introduce Dr. hand or hand for special presentation. >> Thank you very much. Um, Mr. Maliff, those of you that attend our meetings reg uh our board meetings regularly, you know that we recognize retirees in June. Uh it's it's become quite a tradition in the last couple years and it's a night for us to celebrate and uh the board is able to publicly thank and provide a token of appreciation for all the years of service from very very dedicated employees. U this particular summer
025we had some um some retireers retirement that came in probably a little later than we typically have. uh some of our um amazing educators and tireless uh staff members, they retired earlier in this fall, some September, uh some October and some in uh November 1st as well. So we provided we reached out to those that um announced after the um after June to see if they would like to come a little earlier to be recognized for all of their service because it's you know it's closes in on almost a calendar year before formal recognition would take place. Um some individuals requested to uh be recognized uh with the others at the end of the school year in June. Um and uh one person in particular is here tonight because um you know I think that
026probably the timing was just about right for him. So um tonight I'd like to talk a little bit about Mr. Les Hollander. Mr. Les Hollander. Uh you may if you've read the co-star you saw a beautiful article that was really detailing a a celebrated career 55 years uh plus really of of amazing dedication to uh the students and really inspiring musicians uh for over half of a century in this town. And you know you you mention Mr. Hollander's name and you know it evokes a smile. It evokes um you know happiness. It evokes fond memories. Uh one of the um I got to witness this in a in a couple different ways and largely it is um you know during our Crimson Knights Foundation they have an annual spring gala and uh Mr. Mr. Les
027Hollander is always there. He's always there leading our um amazing student musicians to provide you know some entertainment and to showcase the talent. And I have had such um you know such eye opening conversations because at these events you see so many of uh Mr. Hollander's former students. you see so you just um see their in some cases their parents and the amazing things uh that they say publicly and that they've really said to anyone associated with the school district. Um this is my sixth school year at um in Wall Township public schools and you know I I'm I feel that I'm privileged that I got to spend as much time with u Mr. Hollander as I have whether it was in the hallways, whether it was um you know in the auditorium or um
028you know on a cold Friday night at for you know at at a game where um he was um you know so dedicated to the marching band. So uh there were a lot of cold Friday nights Mr. Hollander that um you know that I just had such a wonderful chance to get to know just just to get to know you. Um for those of you that u may have read last month's agenda, you may have seen that um there was a formal dedication to u the music wing at Wall High School. And as of last board meeting, it will forever be known as Hollander Hall. And uh there I just want to really give a preview to what is to come. U the high school has ordered some special lettering to take place uh so
029that um the hallway can be u you know labeled uh in a in a very appropriate and distinguished manner and there will be a reception of which to dedicate the um to dedicate Hollander Hall. So stay tuned. There's going to be stay tuned. We'll be advertising that and it's I think it it's just going to be a beautiful way to celebrate um you know just such an amazing career and for someone who has uh inspired so so many uh student musicians throughout the years. Um, if President Maliff would like to join me, there's a small token from the board of education that we would like to share with you this evening. And also, I would like to give you the opportunity to um say a few words if you choose to. So, with that, I
030think we have a small token for you. Well, I wasn't prepared to speak, but I do want to thank um Dr. Handerhan and the board of education uh for the kind words. Um it's been really um a treat to be able to um introduce music the way we have uh for the past 55 years to students at the school who've been just awesome. I we've had the best students you can imagine who want they're very receptive to learning. They just want to know how to get good and that's what we tried to provide for them. So, um we do thank you and thanks for um the recognition this evening. [applause] I just want to say as somebody who's been around of All Township for for many many years, but apologetically not particularly musical, I've been
031aware of Mr. Hollander's great contributions to the high school for, you know, it's almost unfathomable to think that someone could be so dedicated for 55 years to his craft and to our school and to our community. Uh, I've been to, you know, countless football games and I will always think whenever I hear the Wall Fight song, I'm going to think of Mr. Hollander. It's such a catchy tune, too. It's such a it's it's really great. And I've been to many of the plays and concerts over the years and uh it's been a a tremendous gift to Wall Township, to our students, and to our community to have you as a uh you know, guiding our students for for all these years. So we we greatly greatly appreciate it and you will be tremendously missed. I
032just want to say that. Uh a couple of things. First of all, I'd like to intro to mention our uh students of the month. We have for grade nine, Javier Marberry. Grade 10, Ella Dow. Grade 11, Nicholas Herrera. Grade 12 Sheay Davis. Students of the week for grade 12 John Vellet. Uh, grade 10 Liam Spear, grade nine, Peter Sykes, and also grade nine, Parker Marcus. Uh, Sophia mentioned earlier, and I think she's this left. Sophia mentioned earlier about the the Wall High School drama production that's going to be uh starting this this uh th Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it's going to be uh Uritasy. Now, I had to look that up and to see how to pronounce it and I and I even read a little bit about the uh the story in the
033play and it looks like it's going to be very interesting and I'm going to be there for one of those performances and I know the kids have been working very hard and it will be here at the intermediate school since we're not quite ready uh to have any uh events at our our new high school auditorium, but that is coming uh very very shortly. Couple of things on our agenda tonight that I want to make mention of. uh some thanks that uh uh we need to give. Uh the legacy brick patio at Oldmill School uh has received a donation from the Old Mill Home and School Association. So we greatly appreciate that. Cape the Central Association of Parents and Educators made a donation to Central for this going to be a pretty cool Mr. Manifice.
034I think I want to see this BMX. Uh you haven't had it yet, right? When's it coming? >> In January. That sounds invite me. I think uh I'd like to come and see that. That that looks like it's going to be really cool. Someone's going to come to a a BMX bike event. I looked up that and it looks like it's going to be really cool. And somebody gave an anonymous $1,000 donation uh to Central School for for gift cards. And I think that's a uh a great thing. Uh uh lastly, I just like to uh uh wish everybody the uh the happiest of Thanksgiving. If you're traveling, please hopefully you uh uh will travel to and from safely and you will have the opportunity to spend uh some time with your family. So, with
035that, I'm going to turn it over to uh Dr. Hanahan for the superintendent report. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Maliff. Um I would like to extend a great big thank you to the Wall High School color guard and our student representative to the board of education for joining us this evening. Um, I was thrilled that Sophia actually, you know, wanted to stay a little longer, so that, uh, made my night. Um, once again, many congratulations and best wishes to our summer and fall retirees. Please do, um, as I said earlier, please stay tuned for the details regarding the naming reception for Hollander Hall. And once again, congratulations, Mr. Hollander. I would like to express my gratitude and admiration for the journalism students and their teacher, Mr. Peter Kettlear for taking such a proactive role
036in challenging the erroneous reporting regarding our homecoming. Um I cannot thank you enough. Um and I think that it sets such an amazing example for our student journalists and our student body. So, um to really see things through um you know when something is is so uh clearly false to um to you know stand up for what you believe in and to and to write the write the ship write the record and I am so um proud of the the work that was done to do just that. So I thank you for your leadership tremendous leadership. Uh well done. As I look at the Mammoth County election website, it appears that all of the categories of ballots are processed at this point. Congratulations to Mr. Maliff, Miss D. Giovani, Mr. Smith, and to Miss Bby.
037Miss Bby, I look forward to formally welcoming you at the reorganization meeting on January 6th. Throughout the district, on Veterans Day, there were several events honoring our veterans. I was fortunate enough to attend a program at Allenwood School where veterans were able to share their experiences directly with our students. It was fantastic to see the reverence for our veterans from all attendees. Thank you just never seems enough when expressing gratitude for veteran service. Please be reminded that Wall Township Public Schools has a golden access pass for veterans for school events. Veterans, if you still do not have a golden access card, please visit the community tab of our website for details. Also, I would like to add that Wall High School is establishing a military wall of honor. This wall of honor will recognize Wall
038High School graduates from all branches of the US military who have served or are currently serving. Each alumnest will be recognized with their photo, name, graduation year, and branch of service. The goal is to honor as many alumni having served as possible. Please visit our website for details there. Um, in order to um prepare for the first um really the first display of the wall of honor, we will need the I think it's uh February 12th. Does that sound right, Mr. Davis? I think it's February 12th to have our names so that we can um you know get started on our inaugura um presentation for our wall of honor. So, please, if you are a veteran, if you know a veteran that attended Wall High School, if you know someone currently serving, please reach out
039and uh check out our website. There is a very uh straightforward form on uh what we need because we want to round up as many as possible. So, I thank you for your anticipated cooperation and participation. Wall High School and Wall Intermediate School are gearing up for an exciting season of unified flag football, a program that brings together students with and without disabilities to compete as teammates and friends. The mission of unified sports is to pro promote inclusion, understanding, and respect through the shared athletic experiences. For the first time this year, on Monday, November 24th at 10 a.m., the Wall High School Unified team will take on our longstanding rival, Manisquan Unified, in a friendly competition hosted this year at Manisquan. This much anticipated matchup promises to be a celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship, and school
040pride for both communities. come out and cheer on our unified athletes as they showcase what it truly means to play as one. I too hope to see many of you at the high school drama taking place this year at the Wall Intermediate School Auditorium this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Please visit the high school website for details and ticket information. As you know, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. The Thanksgiving Day game, the football game against Manisquan High School will be held at Wall High School this year at 10:00 a.m. Please visit our website for game details, including ticket information. For enrollment figures, please view this evening's agenda under number 18, miscellaneous, end of month reports. Um, it's that time in November with again Thanksgiving's right around the corner. I wish you, all of you that
041are here tonight and uh for those in the greater Wall Township community the happiest of Thanksgiving and um I hope it really is a special holiday for you and yours. So with that, I'm going to turn it back to you, Mr. Malith. >> Okay. Thank you, [clears throat] Dr. Hanhan. Uh at this time, we're going to have a board of education update and uh Mr. Buffett, you have some information. >> Thank you, Mr. Maliff. Uh before I proceed with um this evening's uh superintendent search update, uh I uh just kind of want to piggyback on what Dr. Handerhan said. Um knowing last week was Veterans Day, um I wanted to thank all of the Wall Township community members that were veterans for your service. Uh and also kind of put a spotlight on two of
042our very own board members, Mr. Wandra and u Mr. Biden are both uh United States veterans. and I want to thank you both for your service as well. Um, [applause] so, uh, regarding the superintendent search, uh, I'm I'm going to take the timeline that is, uh, posted underneath the, um, superintendent search tab that was posted by the district, not the draft copy, uh, that was in the proposal from SEA. And I'm going to just kind of elaborate on that. um add a few little other points so maybe there's a little bit better of an understanding uh moving forward. So uh July and August uh the board began to solicit proposals from several superintendent search firms in antic in anticipation of Dr. Handerhan not seeking an additional contract. Multiple firms were contacted uh to request proposals
043se moving into September and au uh October after a comprehensive review by multiple committees of the board and with official notice and acceptance of Dr. Handerhan's retirement at the October 14th board of education meeting. The board chose strategic exemplary alliance to assist in the superintendent search process. It is important to note that while news of Dr. Dr. Handerhan's retirement was unfortunate for us. Dr. Handerhan's early notice of retirement will allow us to complete a very comprehensive search and ensure for a smooth transition uh to make sure that takes place with ample time. Uh moving into November, uh the superintendent search survey went out at the end of October. Uh SEA began to set two dates for open community forums. The following are the dates times of those events. The first open community forum will take
044place on November 25th, 7 p.m. in the Wall Intermediate School Auditorium. If you're unable to attend that in-person um forum, uh we invite you to please attend the second community forum, which will take place virtually on December 1st at 1 p.m. At around this same time, SEA will conduct focus groups with the following stakeholders: district parents, teachers, wall high school students, administrators, seventh grade and eighth grade wall intermediate school students. Additionally, in November, a superintendent search ad hoc committee of the board was formed. This committee consists of the chairs from other standing committees of the board, which are Marin Barbie, CNI chair, Kathleen Dia Giovani, policy chair, Mr. Ken Wandra, personnel chair, and myself, Thomas Buffa, FNF chair. I will also be the chair of this committee. We plan in December for this uh uh
045super I'm sorry superintendent of schools position will be advertised and sea hopes to receive and recruit applicants at this point. SEA will also begin their screening process keeping the board informed at all times throughout this process. The superintendent search committee will also meet at sometime during December. Between January and March after the board of education reorganization meeting, we will begin the interview process with candidates that fit both the candidate profile and qualification criteria. Between March and April, our goal is to have a candidate to be appointed by the board of education with an effective start date of around July 1st, 2026. As it stands right now, um we are not aware of any internal candidates. We have not had that discussion and that rumor is not true. Um and for clarification, please follow the schedule
046that was posted on the website by the district, not the schedule that is in the proposal from SEA. In closing, it's our full intent to meet the uh keep the community as updated on this process as we are able to. Please note there will be certain items that we will not be able to discuss orlo disclose due to conf due to the confidential nature of this process and the individuals involved. With that said, I would like to just remind everything of everybody of two things. Please take the time to attend one of our community forums and provide any input you feel will be valuable to the search for our next superintendent. Number two, there is a superintendent search tab on the home screen which we've discussed that contains a wealth of information as it relates
047to the search and it will continue to be updated as we move along through this process. Thank you. >> Thank you for that excellent report, Mr. Buffer. Anyone else like to any other board members like to to make a comment about anything? Mr. Wandra? Yes. We've been trying to uh set up a program and participate in the VFW Patriots pen program. And this is a program where a student writes a scholarly paper on patriotism based on his age and her age and their capability. And we've been working at this for several years uh between the superintendent, the principles, the teachers trying to put this thing together. Well, we finally made it this year and we have 750 papers that were submitted and on our committee we have a uh retired uh state uh superintendent schools
048to coordinate it. So, this is all being done very professionally. They will get awards. There's scholarships involved. is all kinds of things that could happen with this and we are in competition with the county and then in competition with the state and then in competition nationally. So it's a salute to the students of Wall Township. They did a good job on this. Thank you. >> Did we mention I think Mr. Wandra, you wanted to mention how many of our students actually did participate this year from the high school and intermediate school. Wasn't it over 600? No. >> 750. >> Just 700. Just from our two schools. >> Yeah. >> That's fantastic. Fantastic. [applause] Okay. Anyone else on the board? Okay. Uh at this time we're going to open up the floor for our second public
049comment. This will be on agenda items. Anyone wishing to comment any on any agenda items, please come to the microphone. Hi Leah Bby Township. Um I just wanted to uh touch on item 14. Um policy consent agenda. Uh the second subject approval of the second policy reading. Uh the attachment there file 2422 for comprehensive health and physical education. Um the the I mean I'm not a professional here, but the uh it's not clear as to what is really going on. Um all I know is I click on that and it's got our W Township Board of Ed uh comprehensive health and physical education program [snorts] um that was last updated in December of 22. And there's a lot of lines that are crossed out. So to me that that that looks like a redaction, but
050I'm not seeing any adjustments. Um, is there uh any details or or information that you can provide as to why a lot of this stuff is crossed out um on the 2422 file. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Do we have anyone else for public comment on agenda items? >> Betsy Cross, I live in Wall. Um, just very confused over how we got such a mixup with this superintendent search. It's really just embarrassing. The questionnaire was terrible. There was nothing at the end that you could say. Um, would you like to add any additional comments? It's not there because you don't want anybody's input. Uh, the rumor mill is going around that it's going to be somebody internal. Uh, it's going to be somebody that can keep all the coverups going between the football scandal,
051Florida, um, kids in closets, uh, you name it, you're going to hire somebody that's going to keep the cover up going. Um, so nobody wants anybody internal. Nobody. I have been through Hel who went to jail. Then we had Stephanie Bil Billcker. Then we had Dan Simon. Then we had Stephanie again. Then we had Cheryl. Now we've had Tracy. Enough with hiring people that have not been a superintendent before. Let's get a guy in here that's been a superintendent instead of a woman that is on puppet strings for the union. We've just about had it. board members that are terrible. Nobody is fighting for the kids. Um, so I'll keep coming to meetings. Let me tell you, I wish I could never come back here again, but I I in good faith I I can't
052not because you will ruin this district even more than you have. Um, [snorts] when I look at how much we budgeted for attorneys, $299,000. That's $25,000 a month for coverups because that's all Athena Cornell does. We You're being sued now because you don't have the gym right at the elementary schools. And what do we keep doing? We keep paying her firm to lose in court like how we paid Michael Gross to lose in court over Cheryl's contract. People are sick of it. Just do what you should be doing and you won't keep getting sued. That's your problem. Um, how we have now mismanaged the referendum money like we did for the prior referendum which Brian Smith was walking around in a hard hat on and then got hired. We are doing it again. Um, lighting
053for the intermediate school has gone from like 900,000 to we had to transfer in another 800,000. How could you be off so much in your transfer report? So, you're all approving that tonight. I hope you know why you're doing it. Health benefits. Horizon just got in a whole lot of trouble and I think your self insurance should be looked at by the attorney general. We know you were paying extra payments to Horizon to keep the numbers up when Hel was here who went to jail and when Brian Smith was the business administrator. >> So thank you. >> You were all investigated. >> Thank you, Mr. Cross. >> Thank you very much. >> Anybody Anybody else? Mr. Smite, anything? I'm just asking. Okay. At this time, I'm going to ask for a motion for approval of
054tonight's consent agenda. >> Miss DGA, do I have a second? >> Mr. Wandre. Roll call, please. >> Send a gentleman. Miss Adams. >> Yes. >> Mr. Adnesia. >> Yes. >> M. Barbier. >> Yes. >> Mr. Buffer. Yes, >> Miss Diovani. >> Yes, >> Mr. Smith. >> Yes, >> Mr. Wandra. >> Yes, >> Mr. Mal. >> Yes, >> thank you. >> Uh, at this time again, I wish everybody a healthy and happy Thanksgiving and uh we are journed.