today's date is January 2nd 2024 uh would everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible liy and welcome to a meeting of the Board of Education of the buau of WatchON please be advised that this and all meetings of the board are open to the public and media consistent with the open public meetings act chapter 23 1 laws of 1975 and that the advanced notice required therein has been provided this is a regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Bureau of Wang at which formal action may be taken this meeting is being live streamed on the district website where a recording of the meeting also will be posted the public will have an opportunity to be heard as shown on the agenda at points in the meeting provided for the public to address the board recording or photographing other than for private personal use requires the consent of parents Guardians whose children may be included in the image I will now announce the results of the election the annual school election of the Wong burough school district county of Somerset was held on November 7th 2023 number of registered voters 5,231 number of votes cast 4,327 the official results of the school election for the three three-year terms were Jennifer agilo 780 Danielle Amadeo 796 Gail odonnell 611 Fatima Santos 749 samita saraswat 683 Kya usle 691 and there were seven uh 17 writings we will now administer the oath of office to the newly elected members Jennifer agero Danielle Amadeo and fanous Santos if you would please stand and raise your right hand see that up there I was just going to take a picture all right okay please repeat after me I state your name I do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and Allegiance and that I will bear true faith and Allegiance to the same and to the governments to the same to the government to the governments established in the United States established in the United States and this state and this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people so help me God so help me God I state your name I do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law that I profess the qualifications prescribed by law for the office a member of the board of education for the office of a member of the Board of Education that I am not disqualified as a voter that I am not disqualified as a voter pursuant to rs1 1941 pursuant to rs41 nor disqualified due to conviction of crime or offense nor disqualify due to conviction crime or crime or offense listed in njs 18a 12-1 listed in njs 18a col 12-1 121 and I will faithfully and I will faithfully impartially and justly perform all the duties and justly perform all the duties of that office of that office according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God help me God [Applause] congratulations yeah you should have something to sign and return attorney okay I will now do a roll call uh Santos here Amadeo here agero here jet here Ang Gracia here Harvey here Gonzalez here freeze here and bucarelli absent all right we have have a quum okay as part of the reorganization meeting now I will uh I will entertain and receive nominations for office of president of the Wong bough Board of Education I'd like do I have any nominations I'd like to nominate Phyllis jwet do I have a second I do I second are there any other nominations I'd like to nominate myself Manel Gonzalez do I have a second I second okay are there any other nominations all right hearing no additional nominations the floor is now closed and we will um we will take a vote the way that we will receive the the um the votes for the position of President as I call out your name if you would please indicate the person that you wish to vote for for the office of President okay all right Mr Freeze Manuel uh Mr Gonzalez Manuel Gonzalez uh uh M Harvey Mr Gonzalez Mr Gracia Mrs jet Mrs jet Mrs trette uh Mrs EG Arrow Mr Gonzalez um Mr Amadeo Mr Gonzalez and M Santos Mrs the vote is one two three four five for Mr Gonzalez and three for Mrs jat Mr Gonzalez uh you have been duly elected as the new president of the board of education for the watch on B [Applause] congratulations two we will now nominate the elect the board vice president the floor is now open to receive the nomination for the office of the vice president of the watchong Board of Education I nominate Phyllis jet is there a second second to it we the second nomination can ask ask for a second okay is there a second nomination is there a second nomination for vice president I nominate Muhammad F second I'll seconded that is there a third nomination seeing that there's no third nomination we're now the um hearing no oblig no no further nominations the floor is now open to a motion to close the nomination I move forward the nomination to be closed we will now vote the office of Vice President we need a second oh she second oh okay yeah we will now vote the office for vice president Mr Turner roll call please okay uh Santos Mrs jat Amo f agio freeze Jet Jet and Gracia Mrs jet Harvey Mr fge Gonzalez Muhammad fge fge myself two four five by a vote of five for Mr free and three for uh Mrs jet uh Mr free you are now duly elected vice president of the board of [Applause] education for today mrr I think you need to switch seats it's okay for I'm happy to do it okay seats that's why I said it doesn't matter okay thanks you guys okay at this moment we're going to go into comments of the public we welcome input from the public there are two times during this meeting when the public is invited to speak the first opportunity to comment on agenda items only the second opportunity for the public comment is towards the end of the meeting total allotted time for the public comments is 30 minutes before you make your comments please state your name Municipality of residents and if you are representing an organization in the event it appears that the public comment portion of the meeting May exceed 30 minutes the presiding officer May limit each statement made by the participant to 3 minutes duration our public forums are not structured as question and answer sessions but rather are offered as opportunities to share input with the board in instances where the board feels response is needed the presiding officer or superintendent will address the comment New Jersey statutes do not permit the board to discuss Personnel or hiring in any public session names of students should not not be used members of the public should consider their comments in light of legal rights of those affected and identified in their comments and be aware that they are personally legally responsible with potentially liability for comments that they make in the board the board shall not be held liable for comments made by members of the public are there any comments from the public at this moment hearing that there are no comments we will move in action to action items Mr fr can you please move action items one I moved to adopt the New Jersey school board members code of ethics um whereas it is recommended that each year Boards of Education review and endorse the New Jersey School Board Association code of ethics thereby affording individual members the opportunity to declare themselves willing to abide abide by these principles the following action will renew this commitment need a second is there a second second any discussion are we going to read them out individually yes great thanks oh there's more than so yeah do you have okay with no further discussions Mr Turner will facilitate reading the code of ethics and then roll call please okay uh Mrs Harvey if you would please read uh code of ethics number one please sure I will uphold and enforce all laws state board rules and regulations and court orders pertaining to schools desired changes should be brought only through legal and ethical procedures thank you if you would re number two please I will make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children and will seek to develop and maintain public schools which meet the individual needs of all children regardless of their ability race Creed sex or social standing thank you I will confine my board action policym planning and appraisal and will help to frame policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be affected by them I will carry out my responsibility not to administer the schools but together with my fellow board members to see that they are well run I will recognize that Authority rests with the Board of Education and will not make any personal promises nor take any private actions which may compromise the board I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the schools for personal gain or for the gain of friends I will hold confidential all matters pertaining the schools which if disclosed were needlessly injured individuals or the schools in all other matters I will provide accurate information and in con concern with my fellow board members interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its School okay I will vote to appoint the best qualified Personnel available after consideration of the recommendation of the superintendent and Mrs Harvey If you would do number we're on nine right I will support and protect School personnel and proper performance of their duties I will refer all complaints to the superintendent and will act on such complaints at public meeting ing only after failure of an administrative solution any further discussion any further any further discussion Mr Turner roll call please uh joet approve number 10 you number you're voting on to adopt the code of AD us all of them all 10 all 10 okay approve continuation New Jersey School Board Association membership no that's number two you're just we're just action item one um is the code of ethics that's what we did you read it but now we're voting to accept it I accept it Amadeo yes Harvey yes hego leral yes Ang Gracia yes s yes Gonzalez yes and F yes motion passes misso can you please move actions 22 through through 22 just number two right two all the way through 22 two through 22 okay so approved continuation of New Jersey school boards Association membership three establish time and place of board meetings I'm not reading all that right just a justl four designate official newspapers five adopt parliamentary procedures six approve annual appointments seven approve depositories eight approve authorized signatures nine authorize agents for requesting federal and state funds 10 authorize implementation of budget 11 designate petty cash accounts custodians 12 designate School funds investor 13 adopt uniform minimum chart of accounts 14 approve disability insurance plans 15 approve tax shelter annuity companies 16 designate claims approver 17 designate line item transfers approver 18 continue current contracts 19 authorized procurement of goods and services through State contract 20 approve Cooperative pricing system participation 21 authorize the interim and permanent business administrator to invest funds in the New Jersey asset and rebate Management program and 22 approve affirmative action grievance procedures second second any further discussions Mr Turner roll call please uh Mr free yes uh uh Mr Gonzalez yes uh Mr agio yes uh Mr Ang Gracia yes uh Miss Santos yes uh Miss Amadeo yes um Mrs duet yes and uh Miss Harvey yes motions pass is there any new or old business from the board are there any additional comments from the public seeing that there are no further comments may I have a motion to adjourn so moved do I have a second second all in favor say I hi hi hi meeting adjourned congratulations