Hillside board approves consent agendas; name change, pay-rate updates and staff resignation noted

The Hillside Public School District Board of Education on an omnibus vote approved consent items covering finance, buildings and grounds, education and labor relations and accepted a staff resignation, the board chair said during the meeting.

The approvals included: finance items 1–6 moved by Member Shapiro; buildings and grounds items 1–2 with a correction replacing Deanna G. Taylor Academy with Hurd and Looker School; education line items 1–20; and labor relations items 1–48, which incorporated several hourly-rate adjustments and the addition of motion 48 to accept the resignation of Nicole Borrelli, a second‑grade teacher at Herndon Locker Elementary School, effective Sept. 26, 2025.

Why it matters: The omnibus approvals move routine purchases, personnel changes and contract- or rate-related updates through the district without separate roll-call votes for each line item. The pay-rate changes and personnel resignation affect staffing and payroll calculations for the coming school year; the buildings-and-grounds change corrects which facility is named in the agenda item.

Board action and notable specifics Member Shapiro moved the finance consent items 1–6 and the motion carried on roll-call. During the finance roll call Shapiro said he would abstain “on a number of items on the bills list,” and read a list of purchase-order numbers beginning with 5045 and including 11–26, 32–34, 36, 38 and 39 for the record. The board’s roll call recorded a majority of “yes” votes from named members present; the transcript shows Shapiro registering his intent to abstain on the listed PO numbers.

Under buildings and grounds the board approved items 1–2 after a correction to the agenda language: where the agenda originally listed Deanna G. Taylor Academy, the board changed the entry to Hurd and Looker School before voting. Member Shapiro moved the item; Dr. Howard seconded, and the motion passed on roll call.

On education the board approved line items 1–20 after a motion by Mr. O'Kai and a recorded roll call. During that vote Shapiro indicated he would “abstain from 5,” which the minutes-rolled vote recorded as an abstention on that specific line item.

Labor relations items 1–48 were moved by Dr. Howard “with the necessary corrections,” and the board approved the package. The labor agenda included a set of hourly-rate adjustments: motions identified in the agenda as numbers 15, 22, 23 and 31 were modified from $50 to $51.88 per the changes read into the record. Motion number 8 was assigned an effective date of Sept. 2. The board also added motion 48 to accept the resignation of Nicole Borrelli, second‑grade teacher at Herndon Locker Elementary School, effective Sept. 26, 2025. Dr. Howard moved the labor package and a second was recorded; the roll call returned the motion approved.

Executive session and other proceedings A motion to move into executive session was put on the floor early in the meeting; the record shows the request but does not include further detail in the public transcript about the executive session’s subject or outcome.

Public remarks and closing District leadership offered brief remarks of thanks to community members who attended and a reminder that the first day of school is Sept. 8, with students expected to be ready by 8:00 a.m. In the meeting the superintendent thanked attendees: “So we just say thank you. You did not have to be here tonight and give us 2 hours of your time, but we appreciate you doing that.”

The board adjourned after the consent votes and closing comments.