HIGHLIGHTS

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education Public Meetings

April 2016

Open Agenda Meeting

April 21, 2016 EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT: Mrs. Bauer called the public meeting to order and reported that the Board met in Executive Session to review legal matters, the Suspension/Detention Reports, letters to the Board, the HIB Report and the Personnel Agenda. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Finance Dr. Clancy reported on the recent Finance Committee meeting, which included the following updates:

• The county approved the 2016-2017 school budget. The public hearing on the budget will be on April 28th, 2016.

• The committee is asking for the board’s approval of the following: o Environmental Remediation Management, Inc., to prepare bid documents and conduct air

monitoring for the summer asbestos abatement projects. o Paving projects at the following schools: Evergreen Elementary School recreation

area/playground $55,455.30, Evergreen Elementary School/High School shared parking lots $134,819.17, McGinn Elementary School recreation area/playground and door #9 $113,364.47, Coles Elementary School parking lot $107,267.63.

o Acclaim Inventory, LLC to perform an asset inventory update at a cost of $2,400. Included in the fee is: auditing a portion of the assets to ensure they are still in the district, verifying and labeling all assets purchased during 2015-2016.

o Authorize payment to Mr. John DiSanto, a musician who performed in the Rep theatre production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Facilities Mr. Murray gave an update on the items discussed in the Facilities Committee meeting. Items reviewed included:

• The building additions at McGinn School and Evergreen School are progressing well and expected to be completed on schedule. The exterior brick installation is underway on McGinn School. The steel has been installed and the exterior block is underway at Evergreen School.

• The Park Middle School parking lot project application has been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection. The approval process is two to three months, which provides T&M Associates time to prepare bid documentation.

• The summer asbestos project planning is underway for the High School, Terrill Middle School and Coles School.

BOARD BULLETIN BOARD BULLETIN

Mrs. Winkler reported on the Union County School Boards Association meeting she attended last night. She meet with elected officials and reported on various resolutions that are coming up for adoption. Mrs. Winkler added that the Association has an updated website https://www.njsba.org/counties/union/. Letters to the Board: Receipt of email dated April 4, 2016 from Dennis Hoag, K&D Contractors, LLC regarding water testing for lead, and an email received April 6, 2016 from Judy Joshua regarding the broadcasting of board meetings on the district website. Mrs. Saridaki is responding to these emails. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT Dr. Hayes reviewed agenda items for approval on April 28. In addition, the Board approved the following, as recommended by Dr. Hayes:

• Two out-of-district placements for the remainder of the 2015-2016 school year. • Approval of Field Trips:

o Terrill Middle School’s sixth grade Italian class will visit “Fire Me Up” Studio in Cranford on May 16, 2016.

o School One: Four students, their parents and school staff will attend the New Jersey State Board of Education meeting in Trenton, NJ on May 18, 2016. School One’s “It’s Cool to Be Kind” program is being honored as Union County’s recipient of NJ State Board of Education Student Recognition for 2016.

PERSONNEL AGENDA: The Board approved the Superintendent’s recommendations on the April 21 Personnel Report. BUSINESS FUNCTIONS: The Board approved the following as presented by Business Administrator, Mrs. Saridaki. All other business items were reviewed for approval on April 28, 2016.

• Staff Training on the report dated April 21, 2016 • 2016 Extended School Year (ESY) special education transportation with Amaker & Porterfield

for the following summer routes: Route Cost ESY3 (Brunner) $217.28 per diem (incl. aide) ESY4 (Brunner) $217.28 per diem (incl. aide) ESY6 (Brunner) $217.28 per diem (incl. aide) ESY-HS (School #1) $217.28 per diem (incl. aide)

• Authorize payment for John DiSanto, professional musician, who was retained as part of the pit orchestra for the 2016 SPF Musical, Mystery of Edwin Drood in the amount of $750.

• Award contract to Environmental Remediation and Management, Inc., for asbestos tile removal during summer 2016: Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, 2nd Floor; Terrill Middle School, 2nd Floor; and Coles Elementary School. The total cost is not to exceed $45,000 includes plans, bid specifications and project management (including air quality testing).

• Award contract to EKA Associates for Professional Engineering Services to conduct a Structural Steel Survey of the additions at Evergreen and McGinn Schools for a total cost of $6,135.

Good of the order Dr. Kulikowski shared how she and five Allied Dental Education (ADE) students from Rutgers visited Mrs. Joslyn’s second grade class at School One on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. The students discussed the importance of regular dental visits and explained how to keep their smiles healthy by demonstrating oral health care techniques to the second grades. Dr. Kulikowski played the "Whose Smile is it?" game with Mrs. Joslyn and her students. She thanked Mrs. Joslyn for requesting the visit.

Dr. Clancy reminded everyone that spring sports are in full swing throughout the district and it’s a perfect time to get outside and enjoy them. Mrs. Winkler attended Beauty and the Beast at Terrill Middle School, complimenting Mr. Kale Thompson and the two talented casts that participated. Dr. Kulikowski attended the District Art Show and thanked everyone who was involved in showcasing all the amazing art from each of the schools across the district. She thanked all the students and the teachers for the wonderful displays. Dr. Hayes congratulated Peter Warren, an eleventh grader, on successfully being selected as the New Jersey representative at the 2016 annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, held in Washington, D.C., from June 18-23, 2016. Only one student per state is chosen for a weeklong all expenses paid conference. Dr. Hayes added that is it an incredible achievement and we are very proud and know that Peter will represent the district and the state very well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regular Public Meeting

April 28, 2016

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Mrs. Bauer welcomed everyone to the Board of Education regular public meeting. After reporting that the Board met in Executive Session to review the HIB report and the Personnel Agenda, Mrs. Bauer opened the meeting for public comment. INSTRUCTIONAL UPDATE: French Exchange Program The French students from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School reported on their trip to Vannes, France. Ms. Monique Gilbert-Hoffman, French language teacher, shared how the students were immersed into the French language and culture by attending school with their host students, visiting local ruins, cultural sites and living everyday French life. Ms. Gilbert-Hoffman gave a presentation showing all the activities and places the students visited.

The students spoke about how it was an incredible experience to see artwork that they studied in class and visit places that they had read about. It was a rich and rewarding experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It opens them up to a global world and these experiences are life changing. Dr. Hayes thanked everyone for their presentations and expressed how it takes a whole community to make these trips happen. She thanked the teachers who made this French trip a reality; without their support our students would not have these experiences. Dr. Hayes commended the students for how they emulated the French culture and added that these are memories that will last a lifetime. Mrs. Cleary said that sometimes being board members means we are removed from our decisions; having the students here tonight to give us their feedback is a wonderful reward for us. Public comment Mr. Seth Richard, Fanwood, spoke about the proposed parking lot at Park Middle School. Mr. Richard asked that the Board of Education look for alternative options. He voiced his concerns over the proximity of the parking lot to the playground and the additional traffic that would result. Dr. Hayes explained that over time the programs at the schools have grown and the need for additional parking has grown with it. She added that this proposal has been in discussion over the past two years and many factors have been taken into consideration. The safety and well being of the students is the priority and the planned parking lot takes that into consideration. Other alternatives need to be reviewed for their long-term feasibility. Mrs. Bauer thanked everyone for their input. Another Fanwood resident asked where do the teachers or staff park now? Mrs. Saridaki said that some are forced to park illegally and have received parking tickets as a result. It is a daily challenge for staff to find parking and the Board is trying to find a solution. Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System (EVVRS) and Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Dr. Hayes introduced Ms. Taggart, District Anti-Bullying Coordinator, noting that she would be reporting on that data from September to December 2015. Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System (EVVRS) Ms. Taggart shared that the data presented is based on five categories identified by the State Department of Education (DOE) and is entered bi-annually into the DOE reporting system. This data is reported publicly to the Board twice a year. The following incidents are for the period of September 2015 to December 2015: Violence – 3 incidents Vandalism – 0 incidents Weapons – 0 incidents Substance – 2 incidents HIB – 5 confirmed incidents Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Report Ms. Taggart reviewed the HIB data for the reporting period of September 2015 to December 2015: Total investigations: 14 Confirmed HIB Cases: 5 Status of Investigations: All cases complete as recorded on BOE Agendas/Minutes. Bullying Based on Protected Categories: 0. Investigators: Denise Palozzola, Maryann Degnan, Jason Cross, Christina Krasovsky, April

Chestang, Cezsari Medley, Cailin Taggart (HS). Additionally, Ms. Taggart highlighted disciplines imposed, remediation, training and programming

that supports the HIB guidelines in our district.

Dr. Hayes thanked Ms. Taggart for the presentation and for her leadership. Dr. Hayes commended all of the school counselors and anti-bullying specialists who support this program as we continue to work to help our students interact appropriately with one another.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT The Board approved the following items as recommended by Dr. Hayes:

• Affirmed the Superintendent’s decisions in the 14 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigations reported to the Board during Executive Sessions on March 17 and 24, 2016.

• Submission of HIB and EVVRS Reports to the NJ Department of Education for the period of September 2015 through December 2015.

PERSONNEL AGENDA: The Board approved the Superintendent’s recommendations on the April 28 Personnel Report. BUSINESS FUNCTION: The Board approved the following as presented by Business Administrator, Mrs. Saridaki.

• Staff Training on the report dated April 28, 2016 • Disbursement Listings dated March 31, 2016 • The district schools’ Security and Fire Drill Reports for the month of March 2016 • Related Services through Private Vendors Related Services Student Vendor Amount One Speech-Language Princeton Speech-language $1,800.00 & Learning center One BCBA FBA First Children $1,000.00 One ABA First Children $17,500.00 One Technology Assistive Tek, LLC $3,840.00 Consultation

One BCBA / ABA First Children $17,550.00 One ABA First Children $1,062.50 • Continuation of the existing subscription busing program at the same rate of $625 for the 2016-

2017 school year. • Acceptance of Education Enrichment foundation (EEF) funding and grant awards:

Courtney Scott (Terrill) – Hands of Tasks for Everyday Life - $549.95 Charlene Hall (Brunner) – The Whole Kit and Caboodle (Osmos) - $1069.90 Matthew Gunther (Terrill) – Geometry Unit (3-Doodler) - $1069.98 Jacquelyn Santos & Jaclyn Tumolo (School 1) – VB-Mapp - $730.00 Michael Hergenhan (SPFHS) – IXL Pilot Subscription - $650.00 Sarah Bennett (School 1) – Reading Recovery Books - $300.00

• Acceptance of the 2016-2017 monthly tax payment schedule for the Township of Scotch Plains and the Borough of Fanwood.

• Award of a contract to PaySchools for annual software licensing, depot hardware service and software support for the QSP system used in the district’s school cafeterias for a total cost of $6,939.84 for the 2016-2017 school year.

• Renewal of PowerSchool Consultation Services with RAS Technology Consultants, Inc., to provide consultation services that will include supervision, implementation and training for all PowerSchool activities related to high school and middle school scheduling and support and training for all district schools during the 2016-2017 school year at a cost of $12,000.

• Acclaim Inventory, LLC, to perform an asset inventory/audit of the district that will include all reports, tagging of all relevant assets and the complete file on disc for a total fee of $2,400.

• Amendment of the Long Range Facilities Plan to include the new parking lot at Park Middle School; and submission of this project and the Long Range Facilities amendments to the Department of Education.

• Award of a contract to Diamond Construction as bid through Educational Data Services, Inc. to repave various areas at different schools at a total cost of $410,906.57. The cost for these projects is funded from the 2015-2016 budget. The following areas at each school will be part of the repaving:

School Cost Evergreen ES Recreation Area/Playground $55,455.30 Evergreen ES/SPFHS Shared Parking Lots $134,819.17 McGinn ES Recreation Area/Playground and Door #9 $113,364.47 Coles ES Parking Lot $107,267.63

• EKA Associates for Professional Engineering Services to conduct a structural steel survey of the additions at Evergreen and McGinn Schools for a total cost of $6,135.

• The purchase of proprietary Apple technology products through Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission (HCESC) for 190 MacBook Air at a cost of $192,280.00

• Submission for a New Jersey Department of Education Grant, Building Teacher Leadership Capacity to support beginning teachers, year 2, to create a partnership between Kean University, Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Plainfield Public Schools.

• The Budget Adjustments, the Board Secretary’s Report, and the Treasurer of School Monies Report for the month ending March 31, 2016.

• The Bill List for the period of March 22 to April 22, 2016 in the amount of $3,923,353.60. • The following construction change orders:

Contractor School Project Amount Bennett Contracting McGinn Roofing over Kdg Classrooms $119,000 • The services of Potter Architects, LLC, architect of record, to take the following actions: submit

plans and specifications for the paving project at Park Middle School to the State Department of Education; modify the Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) at completion of these projects. The cost for the above referenced professional services will not exceed $5,800 and funds would be transferred from 2014-2015 Excess Extraordinary Aid.

OTHER BOARD BUSINESS: Dr. Hayes attended Garden State Coalition of Schools Trustee Board meeting yesterday. The primary topic discussed was school aid and budget hearings. There was an update given on lead testing and a very robust discussion on PARCC testing. Buses for Project Graduation The board accepted the donation of seven Vogel buses to be used to transport high school seniors to Project Graduation 2016, and further authorized payment of $195 to each of the seven bus drivers totaling $1,365. Staff Appreciation Week Mrs. Winkler read and moved a resolution (adopted by the Board) designating the week of May 2-6, 2016 as Teacher Appreciation Week. Approval of Retiree Resolutions Mrs. Brody read and moved a resolution (adopted by the Board) recognizing and commending retirees for service and extending best wishes for good health and happiness in a well-deserved retirement.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Board approved the minutes listed below:

1. Special Meeting/Appointment of Board Member – March 15, 2016 2. Appointment of Board Member – March 15, 2016 – Executive Session 3. Open Agenda Meeting – March 17, 2016 4. Open Agenda Meeting – March 17, 2016 – Executive Session 5. Regular Public Meeting – March 24, 2016 6. Regular Public Meeting – March 24, 2016 – Executive Session

GOOD OF THE ORDER Dr. Kulikowski reported that she received lovely thank you artwork from Mrs. Joslyn’s second grade class. She and five Allied Dental Education (ADE) students from Rutgers visited Mrs. Joslyn’s class at School One on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 to discuss and demonstrate oral health care techniques to the students. Mrs. Schirmer and Mrs. Williams shared that they read to students at Coles School for Read Across America. Mrs. Schirmer said it was a delight to see how the children enjoyed the event. Mrs. Williams thanked the students for the lovely thank you notes. Dr. Hayes attended the Education Enrichment Foundation (EEF) 4th Annual Music Fest on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at Crossroads in Garwood. She said the Scotch Plains Fanwood students, staff and parents did a great job. It was a wonderful fundraiser supported by many friends and family in the community. Mrs. Bauer closed the meeting by reminding everyone of the meetings in May, the Open Agenda meeting is on Tuesday, May 10 2016 and the Regular Public meeting is Thursday, May 26, 2016.