January 16, 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
 

6. AUDIT PRESENTATION
BKC Audit Report

7. BOARD PRESIDENT'S REPORT

8. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
District Update
HIB
Student Safety Data System Reporting
2025-2026 ATS School Calendar

9. SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/BOARD SECRETARY'S REPORT

 

10. COMMITTEE REPORTS
 

11. PUBLIC INPUT - (Agenda Items Only)
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.

12. BOARD DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS

13. OLD BUSINESS
Referendum

 

14. NEW BUSINESS

 

15. 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  ____

15.A. Finance

15.A.1) Bill List
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Ed approve the following Bill List:
December 17, 2024 - January 16, 2025
Check #   A12833 - A12895
Check #   B 00262 - B 00263
Total - $1,200,179.13

15.A.2) Financial Reports
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Board approve the transfers for the month ending December 31, 2024 as submitted by the Superintendent, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:22-8-2.

to accept the monthly financial reports of the Board Secretary and the Treasurer of School Moneys for the month ending December 31, 2024 and in compliance with N.J.A.C.6:20-2.13(3) that the Board of Education certify that no major account or fund has been over expended and that as of this report sufficient funds are available to meet the District's financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools that the Board accept the certification of the School Business Administrator, as required by N.J.A.C.6:20-2.13(D), that no line item account has been over expended as of December 31, 2024, and that as of this date sufficient funds are available to meet the District's financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year.

15.A.3) Alexandria Township Education Foundation (ATEF)
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board accept the following ATEF Grant:
Grant 2025-9 Go Big BMX Show - $2,294.00 divided between ATEF, PTO and ATS

15.A.4) Donation
Motion to approve a donation to the ATS Library from the Milford VFW in the amount of $125.00.

15.A.5) ACFR/Financial Audit
Motion to approve the annual ACFR/Financial Audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, as prepared by BKC, and acknowledges that there were 4 audit recommendations which are addressed in the attached Corrective Action Plan.

15.B. Approval of Minutes
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following meeting minutes:
Meeting Minutes December 18, 2024
Executive Meeting Minutes December 18, 2024
Reorganization Meeting Minutes January 2, 2025

 

15.C. ATS School Calendar 2025-2026
Motion to approve the ATS School Calendar for School Year 2025-2026.
 

15.D. 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.

15.D.1) Motion to approve Travel Expenditures January 16, 2024 in the amount of $1,524.06. 

15.E. Personnel
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent the Alexandria Township Board of Education approves the following:

15.E.1) Student Teacher
Motion to approve Whitney Reynolds as a Student Teacher for the time period January 29, 2025 through May 9, 2025.
 

15.E.2) Substitute Teacher
Motion to approve Sandy McKeown as a Substitute Teacher for the 2024-25 school year at a rate of $140.00/day.

15.E.3) Lunch Duty
Motion to approve Kelly Hazko for lunch duty, from November 2024 to June 2025 at a rate of $5,000/year, prorated.

15.E.4) Salaries paid by Federal Grants
Motion to approve the use of IDEA Grant funds to pay the partial or total amount of the following staff member's salaries:
Nadine Boetsch
Isabel Braddock
Joanne Glennon
Mckayla Blazure

15.E.5) Payroll and Benefits Specialist
Motion to approve Marisa Preston to the position of Payroll and Benefits Specialist at a rate of $68,000, prorated, pending completion of required documentation, effective February 18, 2025.

15.F. Finance and Facilities

15.F.1)  Payment Applications
Motion to approve the following Payment Applications:
 

15.F.2) Change Orders:
Motion to approve the following change orders:
Sunnyfield Change Order # 3 - $8,429.33 - Conduit Relocation
Sunnyfield Change Order #4 - $2,495.73 - Conduit Relocation

15.F.3) 2024/2025 Delaware Valley Regional HS Special Education Joint Transportation Agreement
Resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve an additional Special Education Joint Transportation Agreements as indicated below:

High Bridge Elementary   Route ASE05       $ 24,922.00
 

15.F.4) Art Goes To School
Motion to approve Art Goes to School to present to PreK-5 students on February 21, 2025 at no cost to the district.

15.F.5) 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.
 

15.F.6) Shared Services Agreement - Technology Services
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Board accept the Technology Shared Service Agreement with Delaware Valley Regional High School for the 2024-2025 school year in the amount of $7,316.71.  Agreement on file in the Business Office.

15.G. Education

15.G.1)  Policy and Regulation Revisions
RESOLVED upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the 1st reading of the following Policies:
P 2431 - Athletic Competition
P 5308 - Student Health Records
P 9270 - Home Schooling and Equivalent Education
 

16. 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.

17. BOARD DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS

18. 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 __________.

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

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