Franklin Township Board recognizes Warrior for Life, approves grants, course changes and personnel; discusses health center, pre-K and food bank feasibility

The Franklin Township Board of Education met Dec. 21 and opened the meeting by recognizing the Warrior for Life Scholarship Foundation and its founding volunteers before approving a bundled slate of routine and grant-related agenda items and hearing multiple committee reports on facilities, curriculum, finance and personnel.

The board formally recognized the Warrior for Life Scholarship Foundation, founded in March 2017 by Franklin High School alumni and community members to generate scholarships honoring academic, athletic, arts and service achievement. Founders Darren Plummer and Nicholas Solomon, joined by Rebecca Solomon and Adrian Plummer, accepted the board’s recognition and asked the community to continue financial and volunteer support. "Our work is about the kids," Darren Plummer said during the presentation.

Nut graf: The meeting combined ceremonial recognition with several district business items that the board approved as a single motion — including acceptance of federal- and state-related grant funds, course additions and name changes, and personnel appointments — and included substantive committee reports on the district’s new health center, potential prekindergarten expansion and a feasibility study to host part of the Franklin Food Bank on district property.

Most consequential approvals

Board members moved and seconded a consolidated motion listing R-1 (monthly reports) through P-2 (personnel) items and related contracts and grant submissions. The motion, made by Artemann and seconded by "Sammy" (as recorded in the minutes), carried on the board’s roll call.

Among items identified in committee reports and the consent motion that the board approved or authorized for submission or later action: - Acceptance of a New Jersey High-Impact Tutoring grant award in the amount of $306,000 to provide virtual tutoring for third- and fourth-grade students to support the district’s acceleration objectives (Curriculum Committee report). The board approved the acceptance and use of the funds for the 2023–24 school year. - Authorization to submit an amendment for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency (ESEA) carryover funds to support supplemental and professional-development learning opportunities (Curriculum Committee). - Approval to adopt the sixth-grade classroom text Class Act by Jerry Craft and curricular changes including a new AP United States History 1 course for grade 9 (first half of a two-year sequence) and a set of computer/television production course name changes to align titles with course focus (Curriculum Committee). - Personnel approvals including multiple staff appointments and administrative assignments listed in the personnel report; the board also approved an affiliation agreement with Columbia University to accept speech-language specialist students and authorized implementation of a special-education substitute bonus program ($20/day; $10 half-day; paid as a lump sum at end of school year; qualifying requirement: at least five days in a special-education assignment) effective Jan. 2, 2024 through the end of the school year (Personnel & Negotiations Committee). - Authorization to accept and pursue grant-related final eligible cost determination letters tied to district HVAC work noted in the facilities update; related construction grant and change-order items were listed in the consent motion (Facilities/Finance reports).

Facilities, health center and food-security initiatives

Superintendent Dr. John Ravalli and members of the facilities subcommittee updated the board on multiple partnership projects. The district’s new Franklin Warrior Partnership Health Center (operated in partnership with Zufall Health and the township) held a ribbon-cutting Dec. 5; the district reported the student/community clinic will be constructed on the Hamilton Street campus (near Burger Street) rather than on Hillcrest after space and parking constraints were identified. Dr. Ravalli said a prefabricated building will go out to bid shortly after the holiday break.

Facilities committee chair and liaison reports also described ongoing planning for prekindergarten expansion. The board discussed a potential arrangement with the township concerning the Middlebush building — which the township currently owns — to lease and adapt it for expanded pre-K capacity; administrators said district pre-K enrollment has grown from about 100 historically to roughly 600 students (approximate), creating an urgent space need and driving the search for options to increase free pre-K seats in town.

Board members also reported that the facilities subcommittee approved a feasibility study to examine siting the Franklin Food Bank at or adjacent to the Pine Grove Manor school property — a high-need neighborhood — to improve geographic access for families. The committee described the study as preliminary: the food bank would be responsible for fundraising and construction, and any use of district property would be the subject of subsequent agreements.

Finance and procurement notes

The finance committee reported December payments and year-to-date totals for charter-school tuition and transportation: the district paid $1,681,315 in charter tuition and $198,995 in charter transportation for December; the report listed year-to-date charter costs at $11,435,412 and year-to-date tuition at $11,236,415 (transportation YTD $198,995). The district’s external financial audit remained in progress with remaining footnote work; auditors expected completion in January or February.

Policy and other committee business

The policy committee reviewed revisions including Policy 2270 (Religion in the Schools), which now includes a requirement that the board annually certify to the New Jersey Department of Education that no policy prevents constitutionally protected prayer in public schools, following NJDOE guidance on prayer and religious expression. The committee also revised policies 3161 and 4161 concerning examinations for cause of staff members and corrected a clerical error in a previously adopted policy.

Personnel and appointments

The board publicly celebrated several personnel announcements and transitions. Jen Stein, principal of Franklin Park, introduced Jessica Young as the new vice principal at Franklin Park School; the board approved the appointment. Jackie Schneider, the district HR manager, was recognized as retiring. Miss McGee (previous Franklin Park vice principal) was announced as taking a new district-level supervisor role in elementary mathematics and academic intervention support.

Public comment and recognitions

A small number of public speakers addressed the board; resident Bill Connell praised outgoing members and encouraged parent engagement. The board repeatedly thanked departing members and district staff members for their years of service; several trustees and administrators used the meeting’s closing remarks to urge residents to support local volunteer and fundraising efforts (including the Warrior for Life Foundation and project graduation clothing drives).

Ending: The board closed public comment, adopted the consent agenda, and adjourned after customary good-of-the-order remarks. Most operational items approved on Dec. 21 require follow-up implementation steps (contracts, vendor bids, grant reporting and intergovernmental leases) before benefits such as expanded pre-K seats or construction of the health center are realized.