February 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

1. NOTIFICATION OF MEETING
Welcome to a public meeting of the Alexandria Township Public Schools under the Open Public Meetings Act of 1975, also known as the “Sunshine Law.” The District hopes that you will find this meeting informative and instructive, and that citizens are afforded an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the District’s operation and functions.

Under the Sunshine Law, the District must provide notice of all open meetings to allow citizens to attend and observe the deliberations of the District.  This meeting was properly advertised according to the Open Public Meeting Act (P.L. 1975:31) in the Hunterdon Democrat, January 9, 2025, and NJ.com, to begin at 7:00 PM at the Alexandria Middle School Media Center, 557 County Road 513, Pittstown, NJ.

2. ROLL CALL
April Abelman
Ann Marie Austin
Renee Bagley
Caterina Dobak
Eric Joseph
Marybeth Madlinger 
Wanda Quinones
Michael Small
Doug Walker 

3. FLAG SALUTE

4. PRESENTATIONS

  

5. CORRESPONDENCE
Email from A. Kushner

6. BOARD PRESIDENT'S REPORT

7. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
District Update
HIB
Chronic Absenteeism Action Plan

8. SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/BOARD SECRETARY'S REPORT

 

9. 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.  Public participation at board meetings is intended to allow individuals of the public to address the Board on issues of public concern, and is not intended as a forum for extended conversation or two-way dialogue with the Board members and/or District officials.  The Board has set aside a specific section of the agenda, titled Board Discussion of Public Comments, whereby the Board can discuss the public comment topics in open session.

Thus, the Board shall set aside two twenty-minute periods for public comment at each meeting. In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comments, 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 5 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.
5. An individual cannot give his/her time to another individual.

The Board President is responsible for maintaining a respectful environment during public participation, so that public comments can be heard and considered by the Board. The President, therefore, may interrupt or terminate any individual’s speaking privilege if the speaker’s comments are excessively loud, disruptive, obscene, or otherwise in violation of applicable law. Further, an individual may be cautioned that a personally directed statement may be slanderous or defaming and that the individual may be liable for his/her statement.

Examples of unacceptable behavior that will not be permitted include, but are not limited to:  naming District employees and engaging in personal attacks, racial slurs, excessive loudness, calling out, yelling, generally disruptive behavior, attempting to disrupt the meeting or inciting others to do the same.  

Any disregard for the rules of decorum stated above will not be tolerated and may subject the individual or group to removal from the meeting.  If necessary, the board meeting will be adjourned temporarily or until the next scheduled meeting.

10. OLD BUSINESS
Referendum

 

11. NEW BUSINESS
Board discussion of Public Comments
 

12. 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 ____ Austin ____Bagley ____ Dobak ____ Joseph ____ Madlinger ____ Quinones ____ Small ____ Walker  ____

12.A. Finance

12.A.1) Bill List
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Ed approve the following Bill List:
January 17, 2025 - February 20, 2025
Check #   A12896 - A12975
Check #   B 00264
Total - $861,238.02

12.A.2) Donation of Equipment to Non-Profit Entity
Motion to approve the donation of 2 unneeded soccer goals (Asset Tag Number 2898) to the Delaware Valley Youth Soccer Club.

12.A.3) Alexandria Township Education Foundation (ATEF)
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board accept the following ATEF Grant:
Grant 2025-13 RVCC Theater Show - $440.00

12.B. Approval of Minutes
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following meeting minutes:
Meeting Minutes January 16, 2025
Meeting Minutes February 6, 2025
Executive Session Minutes February 6, 2025


 

12.C. Travel and Related Expenses Reimbursed
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the attached list of requests for employee/Board Member travel in accordance with the School District Accountability Act. Only overnight stays are eligible for meal reimbursement. Mileage, meals, and lodging reimbursements shall be in accordance with NJ Statute, Code, and NJ Department of Treasury Guidelines. OMB Mileage Reimbursement Rate is $0.47.

12.C.1) Motion to approve Travel Expenditures February 20, 2025 in the amount of $1,844.82. 

12.D. Personnel
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following:

12.D.1)  Resignation
Motion to accept a letter of resignation from Jennifer Glaser, effective March 5, 2025.

12.D.2) Student Teacher Observation
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, motion to approve Courtney Janetzko, student from RVCC, Foundations of Education, to observe Tanya Drake for a total of 20 hours over the course of two (2) months.

12.E. Finance and Facilities

12.E.1)  Payment Applications
Motion to approve the following Payment Applications:
Santorini - Pay App #22 $26,638.00
 

12.E.2) Change Orders:
Motion to approve the following change orders:
 

12.E.3) ATS Bus, Fire and Security Drills
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the monthly ATS Bus, Fire and Security Drills as indicated on the attached worksheet.
 

12.E.4) Donation from ATEF
Motion to approve a donation from the Alexandria Township Education Foundation for the teachers' portion of the APEX Fun Run proceeds in the amount of $3,857.84, to be used to purchase a laminator and other teacher supplies.
 

12.E.5) Spiezle Architectural Group Long-Range Facility Plan Proposal
Motion to approve a proposal from Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc. for the following professional services and fees:

Major amendment update to the district's Long-Range Facility Plan (as required by NJDOE on a 5 year reporting cycle): $5,200

Ancillary fees/reimbursables: $800

WHEREAS, it is necessary to incur costs for professional pre-architectural services during the current year to update the LRFP; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board approves the withdrawal of the above amounts from capital reserve effective immediately.

12.F. Education

12.F.1) Curriculum
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the existing curriculum as follows:
21st Century Life and Careers
Comprehensive Physical Education and Health
Enrichment
Guidance
Media
Science
Social Studies
Technology 
Visual and Performing Arts
World Language
Mathematics
Language Arts Literacy

12.F.2) Policy and Regulation Revisions
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the 1st reading of the following Policy and Regulations:
Policy 5350 - Student Suicide Prevention
Policy 0164 - Conduct of Board Meeting
Regulation 9270 - Home Schooling and Equivalent Education

12.F.3)  Policy and Regulation Revisions
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the 2nd and final reading of the following policies:
P 2431 - Athletic Competition
P 5308 - Student Health Records

 

12.F.4) SEMI-Waiver
WHEREAS, N.J.A.C. 6A:23A provides that a school district may request a waiver of compliance with respect to the district's participation in the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI) Program for the 2025-2026 budget year; and

WHEREAS, the Alexandria Township Board of Education desires to apply for this waiver due to the fact that it projects having fewer than 40 Medicaid eligible classified students for the 2025-2026 budget year:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Alexandria Township Board of Education hereby authorizes the Superintendent to submit to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools in the County of Hunterdon an appropriate waiver of requirements of NJAC 6A:23A-5.3 for the 2025-2026 school year.

13. 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.  Public participation at board meetings is intended to allow individuals of the public to address the Board on issues of public concern, and is not intended as a forum for extended conversation or two-way dialogue with the Board members and/or District officials.  The Board has set aside a specific section of the agenda, titled Board Discussion of Public Comments, whereby the Board can discuss the public comment topics in open session.

Thus, the Board shall set aside two twenty-minute periods for public comment at each meeting. In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comments, 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 5 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.
5. An individual cannot give his/her time to another individual.

The Board President is responsible for maintaining a respectful environment during public participation, so that public comments can be heard and considered by the Board. The President, therefore, may interrupt or terminate any individual’s speaking privilege if the speaker’s comments are excessively loud, disruptive, obscene, or otherwise in violation of applicable law. Further, an individual may be cautioned that a personally directed statement may be slanderous or defaming and that the individual may be liable for his/her statement.

Examples of unacceptable behavior that will not be permitted include, but are not limited to:  naming District employees and engaging in personal attacks, racial slurs, excessive loudness, calling out, yelling, generally disruptive behavior, attempting to disrupt the meeting or inciting others to do the same.  

Any disregard for the rules of decorum stated above will not be tolerated and may subject the individual or group to removal from the meeting.  If necessary, the board meeting will be adjourned temporarily or until the next scheduled meeting.

14. 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:

___Confidential Matters by Law or Court Order
____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
_X__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 __________.

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

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