The Watchung Hills Regional High School District Board of Education approved a series of grouped agenda items, accepted donations and grants, and appointed a candidate to fill a board vacancy during its June meeting.
Roll‑call approvals: The board approved multiple grouped motions (consent and business agenda items) by roll call in separate batches. For each batch the chair called for roll call and every member present voted yes. The motions included: A‑series personnel/administrative items (A1–A6, A10–A11), a second A‑series packet (A7–A9, A12), C‑series items (C1–C25) and D‑series business items (D1–D30, D35–D36, D38–D39 and D31 onwards). The board president announced “Motions carry” after each roll call.
Donations and grant: The board accepted donations for the Ben Watts Watkins Memorial Scholarship (donors named in the agenda) and accepted a $5,500 grant from Special Olympics of New Jersey to assist the 2025–26 Unified Flag Football Team.
Board vacancy filled: After interviews with two candidates, the board moved into executive session to deliberate and then returned to public session to vote. The board appointed Laurie Felzerano Rasmerski to fill the open seat. The motion to appoint Rasmerski passed on a roll‑call vote with recorded yes votes from the board members present; the chair invited the new member to be sworn in immediately.
Why it matters: The approvals complete routine personnel and operational business necessary for the district to function, and the appointment fills an elected‑seat vacancy so the board returns to full membership. The Special Olympics grant provides immediate program support for unified athletics.
Details and outcomes (votes at a glance):
- Motion: Approve items A1–A6, A10–A11 (personnel/administrative). Outcome: Approved by roll call (all present voted yes). No individual nay or abstention recorded.
- Motion: Approve items A7–A9, A12. Outcome: Approved by roll call (all present voted yes). No individual nay or abstention recorded.
- Motion: Approve items C1–C25. Outcome: Approved by roll call (all present voted yes). No individual nay or abstention recorded.
- Motion: Approve items D1–D30, D35–D36, D38–D39. Outcome: Approved by roll call (all present voted yes). Noted donations and a $5,500 Special Olympics grant were accepted.
- Motion: Approve items D31 onward (remaining D items). Outcome: Approved by roll call (all present voted yes).
- Motion: Appoint Laurie Falzerano Rasmerski to the board vacancy. Outcome: Approved by roll call (unanimous yes votes recorded). New member sworn in at the meeting.
Quotes: Board president noted, after the appointment, that both candidates were well‑qualified and welcomed the appointee to the board.
What’s next: The appointee completed an oath of office during the meeting; district staff will provide the new board member with onboarding steps (fingerprinting, schedule, administration contacts). Approved personnel and program items will proceed under their listed effective dates in agenda documents.
Ending: With the agenda complete and the new member sworn in, the board adjourned the meeting.