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Regular Meeting Minutes, December 15, 2011
WESTWOOD REGIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 15, 2011
Present: President Mountain, Vice President Liddy, Trustees Blundo, Gregory, Hanlon, Koch, Mandeville, Schaadt, Superintendent Dr. Geoffrey W. Zoeller, and Board Secretary Keith A. Rosado. Also present Student Representatives Janelle Commerford and Nicole Gioe and Brookside School Representatives Kaitlyn Anderson and Ryan Fitzgerald.
Absent: Trustee Swietkowski.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M. in the Hurley Theatre, Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School, by President Mountain who led the salute to the flag and read the New Jersey Open Public Meeting Law statement.
Mrs. Gregory, seconded by Mrs. Hanlon, that approval be given to the Regular and Executive session meeting minutes of October 6, 2011.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Zoeller:
· The Westwood Regional High School has won a national award for the improvement of our AP scores. We have gone up 15% in terms of our passing rate. The administrators, supervisors, teaching staff, and hard-working students at the High School are to be commended.
President’s Report
Mrs. Mountain:
· None
Business Administrator’s Report
Mr. Rosado:
· The district will be participating in a new anonymous calling program called “We Tip.” This is a national “1-800” program that a citizen can call anonymously regarding all types of criminal issues. The district will be focusing mainly on any bullying issues. Dr. Gorman will be the lead person for this program.
· The district auditor will be presenting the Annual Audit Report for the 2010-2011 school year.
Student Representative’s Report
Janelle Commerford reported:
· Peer Pals, GSA, and Alternative Education students participated in a program called Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a foundation created for children with terminal illnesses. Jaclyn Dell’Olio collected over 573 handmade holiday cards.
· The Gay-Straight Alliance is requesting students to bring in new pairs of socks which will be donated to a New York City shelter.
· The food drive organized by Cristina Hywel will continue through December. All goods will be donated to the Englewood Center for Food Action.
· Ms. Ondrof’s English class used the computer lab to work with the web-based program Superflix. The class is currently studying memoirs and used the program to create their own digital memoirs.
· The 8th grade Brain Busters hosted Waldwick, Ridgewood, and Cresskill in their first home competition. In the last round Westwood lost to Ridgewood by only one question. The Brain Busters are traveling to Ridgewood tomorrow for another meet and are looking forward to the rematch.
· Practice for winter sports began Monday, November 28th. The bowling team has participated in two tournaments and two matches with winning records for both the girls and boys squads.
· The Westwood/RiverDell ice hockey team takes the ice tomorrow night against Waldwick in Jersey City.
Nicole Gioe reported:
· The eighth grade class is requesting gently used coats, hats, gloves, and scarves which will be donated to NYCares.
· Ms. Brazofsky’s child development classes are sponsoring a diaper drive to benefit the Paramus Children’s Aid and Family Services.
· Teachers and students continue to utilize interactive technology inside and outside the classroom.
· Mr. Piskadlo’s forensics classes traveled to New York City to see the BODIES exhibit. Students observed the interior composition of the human body up close.
· The girls and boys basketball teams play their opening games tomorrow night against Ridgefield Park. The girls team will play in the upper gym at 7 P.M. The boys team will travel to Ridgefield Park.
Kaitlyn Anderson, Brookside representative, reported:
· Fifth graders just completed a social studies project on explorers. Students researched with a partner and put together a keynote presentation including a video or podcast the group made about the explorers.
· Mr. Wilson met with the 5th grade to discuss Peer Leaders and expectations to become a Peer Leader. Peer Leader responsibilities include helping new students become familiar with the school, working with younger students, and being role models for the other students.
· Fourth and fifth graders have been working on mini autobiographies in Spanish. They include information on our family, favorite sport and things we like or dislike. We will be presenting them to the school at our next Spirit Assembly.
· A junior Girl Scout troop introduced a project called Operation Quiet Comfort. Students created jean squares and wrote uplifting messages to soldiers who were hurt. The troop collected over 120 squares and they were sent to a company that makes them into quilts to send to the soldiers.
Ryan Fitzgerald, Brookside School representative, reported:
· Students have been learning about worms and how they are helpful and important for plants. They make passages that allow water and air to get into the soil and travel to the plants’ roots. We have also learned how important plants are for life and that they take in sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce the oxygen that we all breathe. Mr. Adkins, our science teacher, allows us to use microscopes to look at interesting specimens such as the crayfish heart and mouse intestine.
· Brookside recently had an assembly about Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. This kicked off the idea to put paper and plastic recycling buckets in every classroom. Our environment would be a lot cleaner if we all would recycle.
· The fifth grade class traveled to Fairview Lake Environmental Center. Students went on a swamp walk, walked on a bridge which went over the swamp, learned about sinkholes and how to avoid them, and learned all about survival. We learned that you could live up to three minutes under water, three weeks without food, and three days without water. We also went deep into the woods to build a fort suitable for living.
OLD BUSINESS
· None
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Mr. Koch, seconded by Mrs. Hanlon, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the following resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the Westwood Regional School District would like to recognize Andrea Solimando, eleventh grade student, for being selected as the Senior High School student of the month for November 2011.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Westwood Regional Board of Education hereby congratulates Andrea Solimando for this accomplishment, directs the Secretary to include this resolution in the official minutes of the Board of Education, and directs the Superintendent of Schools to present the student with a suitable certificate of recognition.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
Mr. Blundo, seconded by Mrs. Hanlon, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the following resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the Westwood Regional School District would like to recognize Dan Robertson, ninth grade student, for being selected as the Senior High School student of the month for November 2011.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Westwood Regional Board of Education hereby congratulates Dan Robertson for this accomplishment, directs the Secretary to include this Resolution in the official minutes of the Board of Education, and directs the Superintendent of Schools to present the student with a suitable certificate of recognition.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
Mrs. Hanlon, seconded by Mrs. Gregory, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the following resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the Westwood Regional School District would like to recognize Christian Collignon, eighth grade student, for being selected as the Junior High School student of the month for November 2011.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Westwood Regional Board of Education hereby congratulates Christian Collignon for this accomplishment, directs the Secretary to include this Resolution in the official minutes of the Board of Education, and directs the Superintendent of Schools to present the student with a suitable certificate of recognition.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
Mrs. Gregory, seconded by Mrs. Hanlon, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the following resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the Westwood Regional School District would like to recognize Dominic DeLuca for being selected as the Westwood Regional Middle School seventh grade student of the month for November 2011.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Westwood Regional Board of Education hereby congratulates Dominic DeLuca for this accomplishment, directs the Secretary to include this Resolution in the official minutes of the Board of Education, and directs the Superintendent of Schools to present the student with a suitable certificate of recognition.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
Mrs. Schaadt, seconded by Mrs. Gregory, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the following resolution be adopted:
WHEREAS, the Westwood Regional School District would like to recognize Theresa Abou-Daoud for being selected as the Westwood Regional Middle School sixth grade student of the month for November 2011.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Westwood Regional Board of Education hereby congratulates Theresa Abou-Daoud for this accomplishment, directs the Secretary to include this Resolution in the official minutes of the Board of Education, and directs the Superintendent of Schools to present the student with a suitable certificate of recognition.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY: 8-0
PUBLIC FORUM:
Started: 8:02 P.M.
Ended: 8:07 P.M.
· Joseph Giardina, Washington Avenue, Township of Washington, spoke regarding attempts to set up a meeting with district administration and members of the Board to discuss possible cost savings for the district. Dr. Zoeller stated his assistant had reached out to him by telephone several times and he has sent e-mails as a follow-up to the phone calls to arrange a meet. He further stated that during the break in tonight’s meeting, he and Mr. Giardina could confirm a date to meet early next week and that the Business Administrator and a Board member would also attend.
SPECIAL PUBLIC REPORT:
ESL and Language Learning Programs presented by Mr. Scott Cascone, Supervisor of World Languages/ESL and Director of Personnel.
PERSONNEL/NEGOTIATIONS: Mrs. Mountain, Ch.
Mrs. Mountain, seconded by Mrs. Gregory, that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given to the Personnel/Negotiations Report and the following motions:
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given for administrative coursework for Spring 2012, per the list dated December 12, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a revised child rearing leave with pay under the Family Medical Leave Act for Christine Christie, Grade 6, Westwood Regional Middle School, for use of sick days with full paid medical benefits from November 28, 2011 through January 9, 2012, and a leave of absence without pay for the period of January 10, 2012 through March 30, 2012, with full paid medical benefits, which will include the balance of the Family Medical Leave Act and Family Leave Act.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given an extension of a medical leave of absence with use of sick days for Maria Giombarrese, Kindergarten, George School, for the use of sick days from October 10, 2011 through November 18, 2011, which will include the Family Medical Leave Act.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given an extension of a medical leave of absence for Susan Gallo, Aide, Berkeley School, with use of sick days from September 13, 2011 through September 26, 2011, and an unpaid leave of absence without pay from September 27, 2011 through January 3, 2012.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a medical leave of absence with use of sick days for Patricia Haas, Secretary, Central Office, for the period of November 28, 2011 through January 3, 2012, with full paid medical benefits under the Family Medical Leave Act.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a medical leave of absence with use of sick days for Vito Campanile, Custodian, George School, for the period of November 28, 2011 through December 12, 2011, with full paid medical benefits under the Family Medical Leave Act.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a medical leave of absence with use of sick days for Frank Dykstra, Remedial Specialist, George School, for the period of November 8, 2011 through December 5, 2011, with full paid medical benefits under the Family Medical Leave Act.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a leave of absence without pay for Jill McManus, Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant, Special Services, with full paid medical benefits under the Family Medical Leave Act for the period of November 21, 2011, ½ day p.m. through December 5, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given an extension of a child rearing leave of absence for Patricia McVeigh, Kindergarten, Washington School, for the period of February 1, 2012 through February 4, 2012, which will include the balance of the Family Leave Act and a leave of absence without pay and no medical benefits for the period of February 1, 2012 through April 2, 2012.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given an extension of a child rearing leave of Susan Miller, Grade 3, Washington School, for the period of February 1, 2012 through February 4, 2012, which will include the balance of the Family Leave Act and a leave of absence without pay and no medical benefits for the period of February 1, 2012 through March 26, 2012.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a revised contract retroactive to July 1, 2011 for Rory McCourt, Director of Elementary Education and District Technology, per the list dated December 12, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a revised contract retroactive to July 1, 2011 for Beverly Devens, Payroll/Benefits Specialist, per the list dated December 12, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given the appointment of a volunteer coach, Track, and Cheerleading coaches, Winter sports, 2011-12, per the list dated December 12, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a student observation placement, Grade 6 Math, Middle School, per the list dated December 12, 2011.
· that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, approval be given a student teacher placement, Grade 5, George School, per the list dated December 12, 2011.