THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2024

MEETING AGENDA

of the Metuchen Board of Education

Metuchen High School

400 Grove Avenue

Metuchen, NJ  08840

1. Call to Order

2. Flag Salute

3. Notice of Meeting

I hereby make this statement to indicate compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act known as Chapter 231 of the Public Laws of New Jersey, 1975, which became effective 90 days after enactment, January 19, 1976.

Notice of this meeting was given by providing the location, time and date of this meeting, and posting of the same on the front door of the Board of Education offices, by delivering copies to the Borough Hall and the Metuchen Public Library, The Home News and Tribune, and by filing a copy with the Borough Clerk as prescribed by this law.

4. Roll Call

5. Showcase of Success

❖    MHS Spring Musical

Tonight, senior Katherine Meyer, will give us a preview of the MHS Footlighters’ upcoming spring musical, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Performances are Friday, March 15th & Saturday, March 16th at 7pm and Sunday, March 17th at 2pm. For tickets, visit mhsfootlighters.com. Katherine is playing the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and will sing Part of Your World, which showcases Ariel's dream to live with the humans up on the shore. The Footlighters can’t wait to see you at the show!

❖    New Hires

❖    GEOY and ESP Winners - Tina Huber -Moss, Kelsee Young -Moss, Lindsey Omark -CES, Saadia Rizwan -CES Karen Logan -EMS, Patricia Lewis-EMS, Ann Burnett -MHS, Nicole Benfatti -MHS 

6. Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

7. Presentations 

❖    Athletics/Co-curricular, Line Item Budget and Tax Levy Analysis - Mr. Harvier, Dr. Caputo and Mr. Cathcart

8. Reports

• President’s Report

• Superintendent's Report 

• Committee Reports

• Student Board Member Report

9. Old Business

10. New Business

11. Approval of Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings

12. Meeting Open to the Public (for any topic)

13. Recommendations of the Superintendent of Schools

(at this time the Board will take formal action on the following items – see attachments)

Oftentimes it may appear to members of our audience that the Board of Education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the Superintendent of Schools. If the Superintendent is satisfied that the matter is ready to be presented to the Board of Education, it is then referred to the appropriate board committee. The members of the board committee work with administration and the Superintendent to assure that the members fully understand the matter. When the committee is satisfied with the matter, it is presented to the Board of Education for discussion before any final action is taken. Only then, is it placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting.

1. PERSONNEL

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1. Leave of Absence – Paraprofessional

Move to approve the leave of absence of Joe DiMeglio, Paraprofessional at Metuchen High School, effective approximately April 23, 2024 through approximately September 20, 2024. 

2. Appointment – Head Custodian

Move to approve the appointment of Armando Rojas-Aguilar as Night Head Custodian at Edgar School, effective April 1, 2024, with the additional stipend of $4,870/year, prorated, for the 2023-2024 school year. 

3.    MHS Spring Coaches

    Move to rescind and approve the appointments of the following coaches for the Spring 2023-2024 school sports session at Metuchen High School: (Agenda 7/18/23, Section 13 A7, and Agenda 2/27/24, Section 13 A4):

4.    Revision - MHS Volunteer Advisor

    Move to rescind and approve the appointments of the following volunteer club advisors for the 2023-2024 school year at Metuchen High School (Agenda 8/22/2023, Section 13, A10):

5.    Transfer - Certificated Staff

    Move to approve the transfer of Sydney Rudin, from 5th Grade Teacher at Edgar School, to Science ICR Teacher at Edgar School, effective July 1, 2024.

6.    Appointment - Additional Substitutes

    Move to approve the appointment of the additional substitutes for the 2023-2024 school year, effective March 12, 2024, pending completion of substitute training and criminal history clearance:

----------------------------end of personnel section--------------------------

2. FINANCE

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Professional Development

    Move to approve the following professional development activities as shown on the following chart: 

2.    YMCA Before and After Care

    Move to approve the YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and South Amboy as the before and after school provider for Moss and Campbell pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.1 et seq for the 2024-2025 SY plus extensions as set forth in the request for proposals.

3.    Track Replacement

WHEREAS, the Metuchen Board of Education needs to replace the track at Metuchen High School; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Public School Contracts Law and N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-21.5, the Board may use a cooperative for the purchase of goods and services; and

WHEREAS, the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey conducted a bid and awarded a contract (ESCNJ 22/23-27) for tracks and courts to ATT Sports, Inc. from Berlin, New Jersey; and 

WHEREAS, the Board solicited, and ATT Sports, Inc. provided, pricing for the High School track replacement under the ESCNJ contract in the amount of $497,899.80 based upon specifications prepared by the Board’s design professional; and

WHEREAS, the Board’s design professional and construction manager recommend the award to ATT Sports, Inc.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the above-recitals are incorporated herein,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board hereby awards a contract for the Metuchen High School track replacement in the amount of $488,957.40 to ATT Sports, Inc. in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in ESCNJ contract 22/23-27.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Administration is authorized to take all steps necessary to effect the purposes of this resolution.

4.    Turf Field Replacement

WHEREAS, the Metuchen Board of Education needs to replace the turf field at Metuchen High School; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Public School Contracts Law and N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-21.5, the Board may use an approved cooperative for the purchase of goods and services; and

WHEREAS, the Bergen County Cooperative Purchasing System conducted a bid and awarded a contract (BC-C-23-013) for synthetic fields: repair and replacement to Athletic Fields of America, Montville, New Jersey; and 

WHEREAS, the Board solicited, and Athletic Fields of America provided, pricing for the High School turf field replacement under the Bergen County Cooperative contract in the amount of $853,168.00 based upon specifications prepared by the Board’s design professional; and

WHEREAS, the Board’s design professional and construction manager recommend the award to Athletic Fields of America.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the above-recitals are incorporated herein,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board hereby awards a contract for the Metuchen High School turf field replacement in the amount of $853,168.00 to Athletic Fields of America in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Bergen County Cooperative contract BC-C-23-013.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Administration is authorized to take all steps necessary to effect the purposes of this resolution.

5.    Revision - Healthcare/Nursing Services

    Move to approve the revision of the following Healthcare/Nursing Services for the 2023-2024 school year (Agenda 06/27/2023, Section 13, B33):

• Bayada Pediatric at the rate of:

o     RN & LPN 1:1 $62.00-$70/hour not to exceed $105,000

6.    Revision - BCBA Services

    Move to approve the revision of Brett DiNovi & Associates as a provider of independent BCBA services for the 2023-2024 school year, at a rate of $135/hour and Clinical Associates services at a rate of $60.50/hour, not to exceed $120,000 (Agenda 12/19/2023, Section 13 B7).

7.    Nonpublic Security Aid

    Move to approve the following nonpublic security aid for the 2023-2024 school year. These expenditures are required for the district to fulfill certain legal obligations under state legislation to administer federal or state funds provided to nonpublic schools within our jurisdiction:

8.    Bussing Fee

    Move to approve the partial subscription bussing fee of $550 for the 2024-2025 school year. 

9.    In-district Transportation Routes

    Move to approve the following daily routes for in-district transportation routes with George Dapper Inc. for the 2024-2025 school year:

10.    Athletic Transportation Routes

    Move to approve the following rates for athletic transportation routes with George Dapper Inc. for the 2024-2025 school year:

11.    Adoption of the 2024-2025 Tentative School District Budget

WHEREAS, the Board of Education must adopt and submit a tentative 2024-2025 school district budget for the New Jersey Department of Education review and approval.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Metuchen Board of Education adopt the tentative 2024-2025 school district budget as follows:

The supporting documentation of the budget included an itemization of certain expenditures required under administrative regulations. Maximum travel budget is established at $90,000. Travel includes professional development that takes place outside the District.

WHEREAS, the Board of Education is requesting authority to utilize $278,415 in health care allowance and this allowance will be utilized by the end of the budget year and cannot be deferred or incrementally completed over a longer period of time.

Included in the general fund budget is $5,700,000 to be withdrawn from the board of education’s approved Capital Reserve Account to supplement the approved November 8, 2022 referendum of $84,436,225 for the Moss Elementary School, Edgar Middle School, Metuchen High School and Campbell Elementary School improvements authorized by the referendum.  The additional Capital Reserve funds are needed in addition to the approved $84,436,225  for the capital projects because costs are now higher than expected due to inflationary economic forces since the development of the costs pre-referendum.

----------------------------end of finance section--------------------------

3. POLICY

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

Nothing at this time. 

 ----------------------------end of policy section--------------------------

4. CURRICULUM

Motion/Second/Comments/Roll Call

1.    Field Trips

Move to approve the following field trips for students in the Metuchen School District  as shown: 

2.    ESL Practicum

Move to approve the following student observer to complete an ESL-Practicum placement for Spring 2024, through Western Governors University Program:

3.    Revision - ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Grant Carryover 2023-2024 

    Move to approve the district’s revised ESSA Grant Carryover amounts for 2023-2024 (Agenda 11/14/2023, Section 13, D2):

*Metuchen Public Schools receives $500.00 of the Title I allocation for the Homeless reserve

The Title Public Carryover is managing the Carryover for Multi-District Consortium. Amount to be split between participating districts. 

----------------------------end of curriculum section--------------------------

14. Meeting Open to Public (for any topic)

15. Announcements

16. Motion to Go Into Executive Session (when applicable)

Resolution to Close Meeting

BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant to the Sunshine Act, N.J.S. 10:4-12 and 13, that the Board of Education will now meet in executive session to discuss _____________________________________ and that matters discussed will be disclosed to the public as soon as the reason for confidentiality no longer exist.

17. Adjournment