e okay I'd like to call the April 15th 2024 Long Hill Township Board of Education meeting to order please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance Al to the of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible liy and justice for all adequate notice of this meeting of the Long Hill Township Board of Education was given as required by the open public meetings act as follows notice was sent to the echo Sentinel and daily record on September 18th 2023 notices were posted on the bulletin board in the first floor entrance of the School District administration building Gillette New Jersey notices were filed with the Township Clerk and notices were mailed to all persons who have requested individual notice pursuant to the open public meetings act roll call please Mrs Butler here Mrs daily here Mr Foster here Mr grof here Dr Mah here Mrs mclenon here M Nyquist here Mrs rubo Mrs case here on the agenda next is presentation but that's an error so we're going to move on from that next Communications nothing to report okay me neither uh board committee and liais on reports Karen okay um the last Ed Services Commission meeting was last Wednesday and we all know where we were last Wednesday but I did get an update um two things they are they were renewed this year this again as being the sole Cooperative by which school districts could get Apple products it's in New Jersey and what they're looking at I think I mentioned to you that their school is you know their enrollment is going down and the inevitable is coming with it could be in could be next year actually but within two or three years so they're looking at alternatives for the use of the building and one of those Alternatives is an alter alternative school and they're looking into a model of an alternative school run by the somerset ESC so that's just something that's ongoing uh governance met we're continuing our Quest on our mission uh Vision project um I think we had mentioned that the eighth graders were given a a a writing prompt assignment so to speak and they provided us uh information about you know what skills they wanted to have kind of a person they wanted to be Etc we kind of looked those over and very honestly it you know covered everything I mean it literally covered everything so one of the things they wanted to do was um actually get copies of the original things that they wrote up but you know difficult you don't get the names we couldn't get it all together so accordingly we're moving in another Direction and we're looking at um pieces of information or things that samples that Charlene had given us uh we're looking at uh the survey that we took with the superintendent search we might be using that for data but in any case we'll obviously keep you informed and the board will be involved as we go on um there's a board planning calendar online and um we want to like make it more explanatory give more information to the public maybe make it simpler again we got samples from Charlene and one of the samples which I particularly like came from Livingston so that's what we're working at in trying to format our calendar according to the structure that they have and they actually identify things such as executive sessions when you know it and presentations when you know them so that people could see that way ahead of time because there are some things that we do know way ahead of time for instance when we have a retreat that's an executive session um I'm sorry that's not an executive session I apologize talking about the evaluation we know that way ahead of time and that can go on the calendar so people knew um Charlene was we have you'll know that the next meeting May 6th we're going to be having a uh goal review and training session so we're going to be training our ethics training is a half hour and then an hour and a half of our goal review and then it was confirmed with Charlene we're doing it again in November November will obviously be with our new set of goals again it'll it'll begin with a half hour training the subject of which has to be determined and then we'll go on to our goal review we're going to try to have like November and it really should be April but we were too late in scheduling Charlene for April so that's why we have her for May uh we have another uh governance meeting tomorrow um and now finance and I'm GNA you know really hopefully you'll help me with when I missed because it was pretty full uh we had a review of the status uh of and our progress towards the goals and two things that were I identified by Robin uh she had spoken with wung not watang Hills the Watchung School District about uh having a shared services agreement associated with sports Transportation unfortunately right now they're not in a personal situation or in general situation where they could you know go into that agreement but they're going to keep talking about it the other thing too is Robin had been looking at Grants that we could use for our lunch program but the ones that she has so far turned up she'll keep looking have all been written uh for if you have a kitchen already ready and we do not have a kitchen so the grants that she's already looked at to unfortunately don't match um the website presentation on the budget is up um this was I don't know maybe you have a new update as of 410 there were 58 hits uh I know I was one of them but like Robin was not 57 I like uh the RFP was sent out on April 4th for the after CARE program and it's very quick it's a very a 20-day turnaround and once received Robin's going to need a team she's going to get it together a team of three or four people to go through the bids that are received obviously if there's you know one bid that'll be easy but who knows uh excuse me you'll see on the agenda there's a a series of resolutions dealing with contracts with things such as attorneys uh the bond counsel the auditor Etc these are some things that happen every year you get the contract in place so that when if and when we use their services we have all that's necessary so we can just do that we don't have to worry about uh you know initiating a contract that's already approved uh the there's also a thing a resolution associated with four RT rooftop units associated with the Gillette School Frank was very diligent and jcpnl has a had a great s thing where they're going to provide 70% of the cost we provide 30% uh to replace those units and it could be our our payment could be over five years and it can actually go into our monthly bill 0% interest it's really what's known as a no-brainer I mean it's it's incredible hopefully in December when certain criteria change Frank believes that Millington will be entitled to the same kind of arrangement and believe it or not they have 14 rooftop units which is like really amazing um okay uh S&P rating um the business office fulfilled all the requirements and submitting all the materials we maintained our our doublea rating and we moved from stable to positive which is like a really good thing to do uh you're going to also see on the agenda there were some very nice uh and beautiful donations by two nurseries who Robin said it was a pleasant Frank said it was a pleasure to deal with them they were they really want to support the schools of the community so you can see the trees where they are I mean and the Girl Scouts did a nice job of planting stuff um again there's a suffer a number of agenda items dealing with uh agreements again the rates for services out of Morris County at Services the Morris County and services administering the non-public Services agreement uh tuition rates you know dealing with a tech company again this is to get it in place so that should be used the services we can just go on order um the bid on the fire alarm was out again was that was put out that was for Gillette school and it'll be opening April 30th still April 30th is the opening okay and uh oh and lill will be joining another ESC to obtain a larger network of Co-op pressing any any school District in any County can join an ESC from any County you know so even the mors county one has Sussex it has middle sex it has mommoth members you know it's like you search around for who's get to the best price for what you're going to get and then you join that and you pay a small fee to be a member and so on so um our next meeting will be May 1st and that's it okay any questions for Karen Karen I have a question for you uh I noticed in the paper that there was a legal notice for for um requesting uh Professional Services quotes is that part of what you were just describing okay great thank you any other questions okay Crystal nothing this mon okay Danielle uh yes so um Community Relations Committee met today it was myself George Tom Kim Justin and we just tidy up what we're going to be doing for this Sterling Street Fair um this Sunday and that's going to be uh like I said a April 21st this Sunday 9 to 5ish um a lot of times they start closing around 4 a lot of the vendors so we'll be there um so come and visit us um hopefully everyone got an email to sign up for times and um we'll be right in front of the ACT to Consignment which is um on the west side of the street between union and Essex um so that was that and then let me see here I have some things to say for the PTO um the PTO sponsored Long Hills Got Talent Show and that was on April 10th and that was awesome um it went well thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped produce the show um the Tanglewood marinett held a workshop with our fourth graders today and we'll be performing assemblies for all grades at Millington school tomorrow and Gillette on Wednesday um the Millington book fair is next week and the next PTO general meeting will be on April 24th at 7 p.m. in the Millington Media Center um there are a lot of PTO grade level events coming up in May and June supporting the PTO by or please support the PTO by joining as a paid member and complete the volunteer opportunities form on the PTO website um if anyone has any questions reach out to lht p gmail.com and that's it okay any questions for Danielle I Echo the talent show right was was terrific and just well-run there's a lot going on there and it's it's it's it's a long time but they make time through everything and so um it was great to see um the other thing I think since we last met was they did the Rucker science bus actually came it got cancelled and I know there were rave reviews from the graders on that so that was very exciting um Ann um student achievement was scheduled to meet on April 7th uh but we rescheduled due to a conflict uh with timing um with the administration so we will be meeting on April 17th this week at 4:30 uh the agenda likely went out last week with the April 9th but if not I think it did I'm not sure if it did but we'll double check make sure because it's there uh and then Watchung Hills is uh Contin with their regionalization study they did get approval for that uh you'll recall last year that we had discussed it um and they uh it's it's joint with wat Chung Bureau as well isn't it yes I thought you would be able to verify that for us uh so they had uh their liaison reached out to me because I'm the wung hills liaison uh to see if we would uh send a board member to sit on the the committee uh we're not part of the regionalization study but they still want to have a war a Greenbrook and a Long Hill member available uh to sit on the study uh that's going to start on April 23rd uh so I had uh reached out to Kim and George and said that I am available for it uh since I'm the leason so I guess I'll have updates on that for us uh as time goes forward okay thank you for doing that yeah thank you hopefully it'll be interesting and informative any other questions for Ann I will say I don't have the student achievement meeting on my calendar so I don't know if it got I I don't think it did because Liz was out okay today and she's out tomorrow so I'll try to I'll send something out first thing in the morning okay great um okay Tom nothing to report this month thank you okay Justin nothing to report okay Katie um nothing to report on the uh buildings and grounds we have a meeting I believe next week um to uh so I'll have an update next month um The Long Hill Education Foundation um we just completed our cookie Drive um and that was a huge success so thank you to the um the people who bought cookie packages and uh we're hoping to do it again next year but closer to uh Valentine's Day so keep your eyes out for next year as well um let's see we have this Sunday we will also be at the um Sterling street fair so you can come along and and meet us hear about what we're doing and we might have a robotics robot there for people to check out so hopefully that that's going to work out um and we're also planning in the upcoming weeks to have an event where kids can come out um we're working on the logistics but just FYI um for kids to you know experience um Robotics and you know kind of for them to kind of get a feel for what the program is um they'll be showing them the robots they will I think they're going to construct some and and it'll be a good activity um but more information will be coming in the future on that um we have our um we have our Color Run coming up on May 17th it's at 6:30 at Millington it's open to all schools um and I believe even people in the community if they want to participate they're welcome um there's a waiver that needs to be signed um and it actually went out today in um the kids um school bags but it's also on our website which is Longhill force.org and um people can sign up there um they also can get t-shirts it's not mandatory but you can buy the t-shirts so if you don't want your kid getting you know color thrown on them in their regular clothes it'll be a nice cute white Long Hill uh t-shirt that'll be available um we also will be having um a meeting tomorrow night um at 8:00 pm it's online it's a a Google meet meeting and uh everyone's welcome and finally um we have I think four items on our on the chart tonight um for approval it's the uh fifth grade field trip um to Newark it's a video camera for theater production and walkie-talkies for theater production at the at the middle school and then uh sensory inclusive resources for Millington and um we still have active you know um teachers um and administrators are welcome to submit um Grant requests um on an ongoing basis so that's all for now and for is ongoing and we will have a late spring session this year so thank you okay any questions for Katie the way you said it you didn't have a late spring session before this is that um we have had it in the past we have we we usually have in the past done only two sessions but because B they end normally in November we added a late winter um class and a late spring class so that um parents like the kids to keep in activities so it's nice um and it goes through early June now um to add the other class so it's it's good it's a we really you know beefed up what we we actually provide there's a lot of really fun classes one of the things I'm really pleased with is there's um running they they started these running class and um like my friend was talking to me today and her daughter's going to run a 5k and she wouldn't have done that without that class so it's really great they're getting kids moving and it's really great for kids that might not want to play softball or might not want to play basketball or another sport but to do something where they're getting out and they're moving around so it's great that we have you know the Robotics and the science and the um the cooking and the sewing but it's also nice to have some physical activities as well so I'm really pleased with how we've kind of brought in some of the things that we're doing that's great it's great something for everyone okay um okay uh superintendent report okay great uh this was my first PTO talent show so let me just add to it it really was fantastic uh it was a full house in the Watchung Hills Performing Art Center which is not a small space um it must have been exhausting putting it all together so yes thank you to the volunteers they were wonderful we had Parents teachers and of course students participating there I think there were over 40 acts and it they moved through it very quickly but it still went for over 2 and 1 half hours and it was just highly successful and it was great to see the best part was that the student performers were beaming so I can't believe we're at the point of the Year where we have to administer the njsla again this spring families should look for a letter from Miss backer with more information by the end of this week testing at Central runs from April 29th to May 7th and at Millington from May 9th through the 20th please also look for a message from Miss backer about our summer Institute we're opening up the program to all students at this point and information will be going out this week we're celebrating Autism Awareness Month this week with spirit days and resources that have been shared with our teachers and staff the individual schools sent more information in their weekly bulletins last Friday the New Jersey school performance reports for 2022-23 are available on the NJ dooe website a range of data is available about all New Jersey districts and schools uh we have a link on our district website uh for easy access for everyone on the agenda tonight we have a revised school calendar for this year it effectively gives back previously planned emergency closing days that went unused over the winter the proposed plan is to close school on Friday May 24th that's Memorial Day weekend and to end the year one day sooner the last day would be Tuesday June 18th also on the agenda is an agreement with the County College of Morris for Purp purposes of reserving the use of the CCM campus as a reunification site the board approved a similar plan last year uh and it does not obligate us to use CCM but it preserves the option but let's just say let's hope we never have to use it last I want to thank ants plants this was mentioned also and and Hall's Garden Center for the generous spring donations but I really want to thank the Girl Scouts because I'm told that they've been planting flowers outside Gillette for a number of years uh when I found out it hasn't been on the board agenda apparently in the past I want to make sure we do recognize them and it was great to see them um land on the front page of the echo Sentinel this week also coming soon uh we have aeds that will be installed at each school's baseball softball field uh I'm pleased to report The Long Hill Baseball Softball Association is going to split the cost with us we're grateful for that shared commitment to safety uh and thank you to the LF for the uh the grants on the agenda and also to the pto's constant support uh and the programs that we've seen recently um I'm looking forward to the assembly tomorrow uh the last it's national school bus driver Appreciation Day the fourth Tuesday of April which also happens to be Shakespeare's birthday and so we are uh thankful for our bus drivers despite the problems we've had with Transportation this year our bus drivers have been terrific and we really appreciate them and I'll turn it over to Robin thank you I have to say I don't have much of a report Karen did an excellent job in going over the agenda um I just want to mention that Rose valer Valley Nursery also donated lovely Pon and tree which Cherry bowering pink both trees are in the front of Gillette school where two trees were taken down in the fall um so we've replaced those I also want to mention that we are uh asking the board to approve the disposal of an old piano at Central School that Mr Vell has identified and other than that I think we've covered everything on the agenda for the business office I'm if I mean can I ask you to just add say something regarding Frank and his involvement in the you know the the bid you know sure sure yeah Frank has been instrumental in looking at the schools to see just what we're lacking and how do we get it um he has a wealth of knowledge um in uh determining where to go um so he was able to go to jcpnl to find this program that is going to be great for us and if you remember we put extra money into our maintenance Reserve last year we got that approved so it's fabulous because now we can use that extra money to really replace things that need to be replaced um he also has been working on the bid uh for the Gillette fire system that and has been instrumental in that um that I can't say enough about him just I think it's just a really great relationship and wonderful for the district when he was talking about the JCP and but he was virtual with the meeting he kept saying referencing you know making sure the classrooms are you know where they can really the kids can really work where the teachers can really work I don't know was this was this it was a little Mark Pristina you know about putting everything about in into the and and Dan you know everything associated with the kids in the it was really yeah it really is wonderful one thing that we've done that I don't I'm not sure that the board's aware of is that um Frank identified that a lot of our buildings were missing screens right either that they weren't there or the frames weren't there and so we um went out and bought a bunch of screens and that and we have them doing like five screens a day and all the screens are being replaced and so it's it's like a little thing but I have to tell you it makes all of us feel very good and Frank comes in every day beaming you know we got another five done that um so yeah so I think by by the end of the year we're going to have almost everything and when they take them down they're actually washing the windows and then putting them back up which I think is a really good thing I'm I teachers are happy I know I know I'm really happy about it so quick question for you on the piano I was going to ask this later but since you brought it up uh is it in any kind of shape to either donate or sell or no it's just it really is yeah we could save a couple bus yeah any other questions okie dokie um any comments from the public on agenda item okay we're going to move to resolutions I think everything was you know all the thank yous went out I don't know if I heard uh just flagging the daisy troops are do collecting donations for Mom's helping Mom so if anybody right has those um that would be great and then the only other thing uh and George I don't know if you mentioned this the summer Institute so that it's coming up so when will people get notices on that by the by the end of this week okay so going that's good okay so then people can plan because I know summer camp gets a little uh stressful yeah the the previous notice went out before spring break about the the uh students who were invited and uh since we got those responses we've opened it up to everybody now oh great okay all right so moving to resolutions um Karen will you move in number one minutes so moved second any questions roll call please Mrs Butler yes M Dy yes Mr Foster yes Mr crof yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mclennon yes M Nyquist yes M case yes um Crystal will you move in financials numbers 2 through 30 so moved second questions I only want to say I forgot to say that the bills were approved so okay I apologize okay Tom you have a question on item 23 we're talking about walkie talkies uh of $1,300 roughly uh are these special walkie-talkies um do we do we need a lot of walkie-talkies um just the number just jumps it's not not I mean it's special inhouse for theater production yeah and um yeah I mean that's why they went external for us to do it so they it was very well documented by Mr Vell and we weren't concerned about the the price whatever and the other item would be an item 30 uh we have two new vendors that are over 44,000 uh do we know how much over 44,000 they are is it $100,000 no no no it's not um she is just our vendor for technology supplies and it remember this uh resolution tells you when they're over the $44,000 bid threshold doesn't mean that we did anything wrong about it it's just that it's we have to let you know on that but this is just technology items The Uncommon thread is um the bcba in District support and again that's just just kind of letting you know I think uncommon thread I think was about 80,000 85,000 that okay ecba is behavioral um I don't even know yeah yeah well I just for everyone no I appreciate Ford certified Behavioral Analyst that's um so one is 85 instead of 44 and how much was the technology supplies um you know what I don't have a good number for you on that Tom I can get that for you that would be great that but it's not it's not huge it's not 100,000 over it's it just reads funny because it's over but we're not GNA right good thank you appreciate it any other questions okay roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs daily yes sister Foster yes Mr grov yes Dr Mah yes but abstained from 23 Mrs McCannon yes but abstained from 23 okay Miss nist yes and Mrs yes um Daniel will you move in Special Services numbers 31 through 32 so moved second any questions roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs Daly yes Mr Foster yes Mr uh Mr grov yes yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mclenon yes M Nyquist yes Mrs case yes okay and will you move in Personnel numbers 33 through 37 so moved second any questions questions okay on items 33 and 34 item 33 this person uh goes out for sickle comes back for one day and then goes out on FMLA um is that a standard practice is there a reason I don't know if there's a standard practice but that's that's the orientation day for the return of the teachers makes a lot sense the next one on 34 the person is US utilizing paid sickly even half day increments uh do we have a policy on that is this something I mean I'm sure it's up to your discretion but I don't know if there's a policy that that says that we can do a thing like that I know FMLA says that you can but yeah I I don't know if there's a policy on it but I can look but uh yeah within my discretion and I recommend that that's fine maybe perhaps the policy committee can pick that up for for some if it's by a if it's already in the the law I mean then you don't need a policy on it really have of policies that are also miroring L yeah but you do that when the particulars of the district require you to make an adjustment there wouldn't be any particulars in this unless I'm wrong but let Melissa will I'll double it's probably covered by the the you know the regular policy yeah okay any other questions roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs Daly yes Mr Foster yes Mr crov yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mclenon yes M nist yes Mrs case yes Tom will you move in curriculum numbers 38 and 39 so moved second any questions roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs Daly yes Mr Foster yes Mr Groff yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mclennon yes M Nyquist yes Mrs case yes uh Justin will you move in policy numbers 40 through 44 so move second any questions on policy roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs Daly yes Mr Foster yes Mr grov yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mclenon yes Mrs Nyquist yes Mrs case yes and Katie will you move in other numbers 45 through 49 uh so moved second you can pick Robin any questions please just a one question when we do an evacuation drill does central still go to Hudson way and some way comes to Central uh it depends on what kind of evacuation drill it is I me but yes we we still have that in place I have to tell you the first time that happened Firehouse fre me out because they walk past my house and all if you see like 200 kids walk past your house what's going God okay an introduction to the neighborhood roll call please Mrs Butler yes Mrs Dy yes Mr Foster yes Mr grov yes Dr Mah yes Mrs mcclanan yes M nist yes M case yes okay any items for discussion any unfinished business any new business okay any comments from the public okay Ann will you move us into executive session sure uh the board will enter into private executive session to discuss confidential personnel and harassment intimidation and bullying matters no action will be taken following the executive session have second second all in favor I any opposed any extensions okay