Rutherford Board of Education

Page 15 of the Regular Meeting Minutes of December 9, 2002October 2, 2000

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING

OF THE

RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION

DECEMBER 9, 2002

A regular meeting of the Board of Education was held on Monday evening, December 9, 2002 at the High School Cafeteria. Meeting was called to order by President Willis at 7:30 P.M. with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

On roll call the following members were present: Mrs. Ahmed, Mr. Brancato, Mr. Casadonte, Mrs. Cevasco, Mr. Gibney, Mrs. Monahan, Mr. Novosielski, and Mrs. Willis. Mr. Ferguson was absent for the entire meeting. Also present were Mrs. Conlon and Mr. Brown.

N.J. OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS LAW

The New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advance notice of and to attend the meeting of public bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this Act, the Rutherford Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having the date, time and place thereof posted on the bulletin board outside the Borough Clerk's Office, mailed to the News Leader, Herald, South Bergenite, and the Record newspapers, and filed with the Borough Clerk.

TAPING AND BROADCASTING OF MEETINGS

As approved by the Rutherford Board of Education, we are taping and broadcasting our worksessions and regular meetings. These meetings will be broadcast without editing during a two-hour time segment on Tuesday evenings at 8:00 PM on the Comcast public access channel. At the conclusion of the two-hour segment, the broadcast will end regardless of what part of the meeting is currently being viewed due to the Comcast time constraint. Any member of the public who wishes to view the two-hour tape should make a written request to the Board Secretary who will have a copy of the tape made available within two weeks of the request. There will be a nominal fee charged for this tape reproduction. We welcome comments from residents viewing the broadcast.

Ø SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Student/Staff Recognition – Mrs. Conlon presented awards to the following students and staff members:

Award Recipients:

David Dyson – Bergen Record Athlete of the Week

Philip Zaorski – Third Place, Cartoon & Story – “The Three Mousquetaires” – American Association Teacher of French

Holly Kim – Fifth Place, Book Cover – “The Man in the Iron Mask” – American Association Teacher of French

Beverly Walker – Distinguished School Nurse Alumni Award – New Jersey City University

Retirees:

Ann Marie McCarthy – 31 years Lincoln School Grade 4 Teacher

Richard Wilke – 18 years Maintenance Department

Myrna Frazier – 13 years Sub Caller

The Board took a short recess at 7:40 P.M.

TAPING AND BROADCASTING OF MEETINGS

As approved by the Rutherford Board of Education at the March meeting, we are in a trial period of taping and broadcasting our worksessions and regular meetings. We are continuing our trial period broadcast, pending receipt of the evaluation of trial period. These meetings will be broadcast without editing during a two-hour time segment on Tuesday evenings on the Comcast public access channel. At the conclusion of the two-hour segment, the broadcast will end regardless of what part of the meeting is currently being viewed due to the Comcast time constraint. Any member of the public who wishes to view the two-hour tape should make a written request to the Board Secretary who will have a copy of the tape made available within two weeks of the request. There will be a nominal fee charged for this tape reproduction.

MINUTES APPROVAL 1. Resolution by Mrs. Cevasco, seconded by Mr. Brancato.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION that the minutes of the Worksession Meeting and Executive Session of December 2, 2002 be approved as recorded.

Roll Call Vote:

Mrs. Ahmed – aye / Mrs. Cevasco – aye / Mrs. Monahan – aye
Mr. Brancato – aye / Mr. Ferguson – absent / Mr. Novosielski – aye
Mr. Casadonte – aye / Mr. Gibney – aye / Mrs. Willis – aye

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT: Pres. Willis announced that the next meeting will be a worksession to be held on Monday, January 6, 2003 at 7:30 PM in the High School Cafeteria.

MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: (Agenda Items Only) 7:53 P.M.

Mrs. Harriet Saxon, Language Teacher, passed out brochures related to the French trip to Quebec.

Meeting was then closed to the public at 7:56 P.M.

NEW BUSINESS (Action to be Taken)

PERSONNEL: Motion by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mr. Novosielski to move the following resignations, retirements, salary adjustments, reassignments, appointments, etc., pending approval from the State Department of Education, subject to the New Jersey Criminal Background Check and other legal requirements.

Approved.

Motion by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mrs. Cevasco to adopt Personnel Items #1-16.

MARY FRANCES CALOCINO 1. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to adjust the salary of Mrs. Mary Frances Calocino effective 1/1/03 due to a longevity change:

From: $79,060 (step 16, level 5)

To: $79,960 (step 16, level 5, longevity 1 $900 pro-rated)

BERNADETTE FARINA 2. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to adjust the salary of Mrs. Bernadette Farina effective 1/1/03 due to a longevity change:

From: $79,060 (step 16, level 5)

To: $79,960 (step 16, level 5, longevity 1 $900 pro-rated)

STEFANIE KAUP 3. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Ms. Stefanie Kaup as a teacher assistant at Union School effective 10/17/02 for 19.5 hours per week at the hourly rate of $12.50.

DEBORAH MINGAY 4. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Ms. Deborah Mingay as a teacher assistant at Sylvan School effective 12/2/02 for 15 hours per week at the hourly rate of $15.25. This is a new position.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS 5. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ the following as substitute teacher(s) at the per diem rate of $70.00 and in accordance with law:

Genevieve Boshra Riad – effective 12/3/02

Dana Truskowski – effective 12/3/02

Dennis Wagner – effective 12/3/02

Teresa Thompson – effective 12/10/02

Christine Falcon – effective 12/10/02

Thomas Lancaster – effective 12/10/02

GENEVIEVE BOSHRA RIAD 6. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Ms. Genevieve Boshra Riad as a substitute teacher assistant effective 12/3/02 at the hourly rate of $8.50.

H.S. CO-CURRICULAR 7. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve Rufina Rodriguez as the Mock Trial Advisor for the 2002-2003 school year at the annual stipend of $383.

ADRIAN DOBRE 8. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Mr. Adrian Dobre as a teacher assistant at Sylvan School effective 12/3/02 for 15 hours per week, 2.5 days per week at the hourly rate of $12.50. This is a new position.

ELEM. CO-CURRICULAR 9. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to make the following changes to the Union School co-curricular assignments:

Rescind:

Dara Medoff as the Computer Lab Monitor

Approve:

Janel Braun & Edward Young as Computer Lab Monitors at the hourly rate of $11.75

COACHING ASSIGNMENTS 10. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve the following coaching assignment changes for the 2002-2003 school year:

Rescind:

Frank Stout – Wrestling Assistant

Approve:

Frank Stout – Wrestling Assistant – Half Time $1,782 (1-4)

Jeffry Steidl – Wrestling Assistant – Half Time $1,782 (1-4)

LORRAINE CZAJKA 11. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Ms. Lorraine Czajka as a long-term substitute secretary at the high school effective 12/1/02 through 12/30/03 at the annual salary of $27,100 (11-month secretary, step 8 prorated). This is a replacement for Mrs. Perez.

ABOLISH POSITION 12. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to abolish the position in the district of Custodian/Courier effective 12/31/02.

CREATE POSITION 13. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to create the position in the district of Utility Maintenance/Courier effective 1/1/03.

GEORGE ESSBACH 14. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Mr. George Essbach as the Utility Maintenance/Courier effective 1/1/03 through 6/30/03 at the annual salary of $33,741 (.5 Maintenance Class B, Step 4 $16,964 and .5 Custodian, Step 9 $16,777 pro-rated). This is a new position.

CATHERINE BRUSH 15. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Ms. Catherine Brush as a grade 4 teacher at Lincoln School, effective 1/1/03 through 6/30/03 at the annual salary of $35,689 (step 1, level 1 prorated). This is a replacement position for Ms. McCarthy.

GEORGE TOURIAN 16. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve an unpaid leave of absence for medical reasons for Mr. George Tourian effective when sick/personal/vacation days expire through 12/15/02 or until a disability retirement is approved.

Roll Call Vote Personnel Items #1-16:

GEORGE TOURIAN 17. Motion by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mr. Brancato to accept, with regret, the retirement of Mr. George Tourian, Custodian, effective 1/1/03.

Approved.

BOARD GRANTED 18. Resolution by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mrs. Cevasco.

SICK DAYS BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve eighteen (18) Board granted sick days to Mr. Richard Wilke to take him through his disability leave pending retirement on January 1, 2003 after his accumulated sick, personal and vacation days have been used, to be deducted from his total upon retirement.

Roll Call Vote Personnel Item #18:

Mrs. Ahmed – no / Mrs. Cevasco – no / Mrs. Monahan – no
Mr. Brancato – no / Mr. Ferguson – absent / Mr. Novosielski – no
Mr. Casadonte – no / Mr. Gibney – no / Mrs. Willis – no

SIDE BAR AGREEMENT 19. Resolution by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mrs. Cevasco.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve a sidebar agreement between the Rutherford Board of Education and the Rutherford Education Association to permit a staff member to donate eighteen (18) sick days to Mr. Richard Wilke to take him through his disability leave pending retirement on January 1, 2003.

Roll Call Vote Personnel Item #19:

Motion by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mrs. Monahan to adopt Personnel Items #20-23.

EMERGENT HIRES 20. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ the following applicant(s) under the emergent hiring law as per the State Department of Education:

Catherine Brush – Teacher

Lorraine Czajka – Secretary

Christine Falcon – Substitute Teacher

Daniel Tober – Teacher

DANIEL TOBER 21. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Mr. Daniel Tober as a long-term substitute teacher at the high school effective 12/9/02 through 6/30/03 at the annual salary of $36,533 (step 1, level 3).

RETIREMENT MONIES 22. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to authorize payment of the following monies to staff, upon retirement, in lieu of the unused sick leave, in accordance with the agreement between the Board of Education and the Rutherford Education Association:

Dolores Calcagno – 64 sick days = $1,920.00

COACHING ASSIGNMENT 23. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to employ Mr. Ishmael Falcon as Head Softball Coach for the 2002-2003 school year at the annual stipend of $4,610 (1-4).

Roll Call Vote Personnel Items #20-23:

EDGARDO ARCE 24. Motion by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mr. Brancato to accept the resignation of Mr. Edgardo Arce, Custodian, effective 1/10/03.

Approved.

JUDITH GIOIA 25. Resolution by Mrs. Ahmed, seconded by Mrs. Cevasco.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve an unpaid medical leave of absence for Mrs. Judith Gioia, grade 1 teacher at Washington School, effective approximately 1/31/03 through 5/4/03.

Roll Call Vote Personnel Item #25:

Chairperson Ahmed reported on the Personnel Committee Meeting that was held on December 4, 2002.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION:

HOME INSTRUCTION 1. Resolution by Mr. Novosielski, seconded by Mrs. Cevasco.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve home instruction for Student “I” (name on file in the office of the superintendent of schools) effective 11/19/02:

Roll Call Vote Curriculum and Instruction Item #1:

FINANCE:

Motion by Mr. Brancato, seconded by Mrs. Ahmed to adopt Finance Items #1-7.