August 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

1. NOTIFICATION OF MEETING
This meeting was properly advertised according to the Open Public Meeting Act (P.L. 1975:31) in the Hunterdon Democrat on January 12, 2023 to begin at 7:00 PM to be held at the Alexandria Middle School New Gym, 557 County Road 513, Pittstown, NJ or via Zoom.
Link:  https://alexandriaschools.zoom.us/my/kevinmcpeek
or dial in by phone:  1-929-205-6099  Meeting ID # 851 804 0845
 

2. ROLL CALL
April Abelman
Caterina Dobak
Eric Joseph
Marybeth Madlinger 
Marci Nardone
William R. Prouty
Wanda Quinones
Michael Small
Doug Walker 

3. FLAG SALUTE

4. PRESENTATIONS
 

5. CORRESPONDENCE

6. BOARD PRESIDENT'S REPORT

6.A. Referendum Update

7. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

7.A. District Update

7.B. HIB Report

8. SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMIN/BOARD SECRETARY REPORT

9. COMMITTEE REPORTS

10. PUBLIC INPUT (CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ONLY)
The Alexandria Township Board of Education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters. Thus, the Board shall set aside two twenty minute periods for public comment each meeting.  In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, public participation shall be governed by the following rules:

1.  A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface comments by announcing his/her name, place of residence, and group affiliation, if appropriate.
2.  Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to 3 minutes in duration.
3.  No participant may speak on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
4.  All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address Board members individually.

11. OLD BUSINESS

12. NEW BUSINESS

13. CONSENT AGENDA
Motion made by __________, seconded by __________, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools that the Alexandria Township Board of Education approve the Consent Agenda as follows:

ROLL CALL VOTE:
Abelman____Joseph____Madlinger____Nardone_____Quinones____Small____Walker____Dobak____Prouty___

13.A. Finance

13.A.1) Financial Reports
 

13.A.2) Bill List
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Ed approve the following Bill Lists:
June 30, 2023 - check #s: 11421 - 11423
July 19, 2023  -  August 17, 2023
Check # A11424 - A11504
Check # B00202 - B00204
Total - $729,751.98

13.A.3) Itinerant Services
Motion to approve a contract for Itinerant Services, for the 2023-24 school year, for a student whose name is on file, at a cost of $1,800.

13.B. Approval of Minutes
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following meeting minutes:
July 20, 2023 - Regular Minutes

13.C. Personnel
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following:

13.C.1) New Teacher Orientation
Motion to approve the following staff for New Teacher Training Orientation on August 21, 22, and 23, 2023 at a rate of $35 per hour, not to exceed 18 hours:
Lynette Stone
Danielle Lindsay
Lisa Mackinnon
Kelsey Nemeth
Autumn Terhune
Kaitlin Arduini

13.C.2) Assignment Change
Motion to approve Lisa Gossett to move to Second Grade for the 2023-24 school year.

13.C.3) Team Leader
Motion to approve Lisa Gossett as the 2nd Grade Team Leader for the 2023-24 school year.

13.C.4) Intermittent Leave Request
Motion to approve the request by Employee #ST121 for an Intermittent Family Leave beginning August 28, 2023.

13.C.5) New Hire
Motion to approve Kaitlin Arduini as a First Grade Teacher at Step at a salary of 1-BA $60,455 for the 2023-24 school year.

13.C.6) New Hire
Motion to approve Sarah L. Kurcin as a Paraprofessional at a salary of $28,479, for the 2023-24 school year.

13.C.7) 10 Month School Secretary
Motion to approve Hope Johnson as 10 Month School Secretary, effective September 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 at a salary of $33,000 for the 2023-2024 school year.

13.C.8) Mentor Plan
Motion to approve the 2023-2024 Mentor Plan.

13.C.9) Mentors
Motion to approve the following teachers as Mentors for the 2023-2024 school year:
Tanya Drake
Tracy Pawlowski
Danielle Hoffman

13.C.10) Head Custodian
Motion to approve a revised salary for Floridalma Melendez-Hernandez to be $46,006 plus $5,000 for the Head Custodian position, for the 2023-2024 school year, retroactive to July 1, 2023.

13.C.11) Business Office Stipends
Motion to approve the following staff members to receive a stipend of $1,000/month for assistance to the Business Administrator, retroactive to August 1, 2023:
Doreen Penge
Jennifer Myers
 

13.C.12) Revised Salaries
Motion to approve the following staff member's revised salaries:
Erin Durborow - $116,075
 

13.C.13) Advanced Math Program
Motion to approve a stipend of 4 hours each at $45/hour for program development of the Advanced Math Program for the 2023-2024 school year, for the following staff members:
Michael McGarry
Gretchen Savacool

13.D. Travel and Related Expenses
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the following mileage reimbursement requests in accordance with the School District Accountability Act.  Only overnight stays are eligible for meal reimbursement.  Mileage, meals and lodging shall be in accordance with NJ Statues, Code, and NJ Department of Treasury Guidelines.  OMB Mileage Reimbursement Rate is $0.47.

13.E. Policy
Motion to approve the following updated policy:
School Threat Assessment

13.F. Finance and Facilities

13.F.1) Approve Submission and Accept Award for 2023-2024 Federal Grants 
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the submission, and accepts the award for the following Federal grants: 

PROGRAM NAME: 2023-2024 AWARD AMOUNT
IDEA Consolidated 
Basic             $118,748
Preschool      $    5,579

ESEA Consolidated 
Title I A        $ 18,271
Title II A       $   7,565
Title III         $      735
Title IV A      $ 10,000    
 

13.F.2) Referendum Payment Applications
Motion to approve the following Payment Applications:
Santorini Construction - Payment Application #15 - $51,053.00
DC Building Systems - Payment Application #15 - $48,450.00
Preferred Plumbing - Payment Application #16 - $3,325.00
DC Building Systems - Payment Application #16 - $23,208.50

13.F.3) Change Orders
Motion to approve the following Change Orders:
Santorini Construction CO #12 - labor/material interior wall.  Increase contract $4,757.00.
Santorini Construction CO #13 - labor to reinstall food service equipment.  Increase in contract $27,457.68
Santorini Construction CO#14 - install anti-climbing fence and install flooring. Increase in contract $74,905.
DC Building Systems E-8 - Disconnect, make safe and reconnect kitchen equipment. Increase in contract $2,652.
Preferred Plumbing P-1 & P-2 - Soil removal. Increase in contract $925.

 

13.F.4) 2023-2024 REAP GRANT
Motion to approve the 2023-2024 REAP Grant in the amount of $54,946.00.

13.F.5) Emergency Contract Award

RESOLUTION AWARDING AND CONFIRMING EMERGENCY CONTRACT AWARD FOR SERVICES TO ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION WHEREAS,

N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-7 and Board Policy 6424 authorize a school official to issue a contract without public advertising or bids when an emergency affecting the health or safety of occupants of school property requires the immediate delivery of goods or the performance of services; and

WHEREAS, on or around July 3, 2023, a sewer line in Alexandria Township Middle School suffered several breaches, creating both property damage and health and safety risks; and

WHEREAS, in response to this situation, the Interim School Business Administrator certified an emergency existed and remedial action was required by law; and

WHEREAS, after performing all necessary due diligence, on July 24, 2023, Interim School Business Administrator issued an emergency contract to De Sapio Construction, Inc. to resolve the danger to the health and safety of the Alexandria Township School Community; and

WHEREAS, the Board Attorney, on behalf of the Administrative Principal, notified the Executive County Superintendent of Schools of the need to award an emergency contract.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Alexandria Township Board of Education to approve and confirm the emergency contract award pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-7, and Board Policy 6424

13.G. Education

14. PUBLIC INPUT
The Alexandria Township Board of Education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters. Thus, the Board shall set aside two twenty minute periods for public comment each meeting.  In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, public participation shall be governed by the following rules:

1.  A participant must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface comments by announcing his/her name, place of residence, and group affiliation, if appropriate.
2.  Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to 3 minutes in duration.
3.  No participant may speak on the same topic until all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
4.  All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address Board members individually.

15. EXECUTIVE SESSION
WHEREAS the "Open Public Meetings Act" (Chapter 231 Laws of 1975) authorizes a public body to exclude the public from that portion of a meeting at which specified topics are to be discussed under circumstances where the public consideration of such topics will clearly endanger the public or where the personal privacy or guaranteed rights of individuals whose activities or affairs are to be discussed would clearly in danger of unwarranted invasion; be it

RESOLVED that the Board of Education of the Township of Alexandria now adjourns its public session to reconvene in Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the following:

X  Confidential Matters by Law or Court Order
X_Purchase Property
X_Personnel Matters
__Invasion of Individual Privacy Employee or Student
__Investigation into Violations of Law
__Suspension, Civil Penalty or Loss of a License or Permit
__Disclosure would Impair District's Right to Receive Funding
__School/Public Security
__Collective Bargaining
__Pending, Ongoing or Anticipated Litigation

And be if further RESOLVED that the matters discussed in Executive Session will be made public when confidentiality is no longer required. 

Motion to Enter Executive Session
Motion made by __________, seconded by __________, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools the Alexandria Board enter Executive Session at _____ to discuss __________.

16. OPEN SESSION
Motion made by __________, seconded by __________, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools that the Alexandria Board return to Open Session at __________.

17. ADJOURN
Motion made by __________, seconded by __________, to adjourn the meeting at __________ .