Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Votes Personnel Recognitions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves curriculum, finance and personnel items; honors retirees and student champions
Summary
At the June 9, 2025 meeting the Galloway Township Board approved routine curriculum, finance and personnel motions including a 55-year retirement; the board also recognized multiple student achievements and heard public comments urging candidate transparency ahead of school-board elections.
The Galloway Township Board of Education approved multiple routine agenda items and personnel actions at its June 9, 2025 meeting and used the regular session to recognize student achievements and long-serving staff.
On the consent and action side, the board voted to approve curriculum items 6.1–6.3, finance items 7.2–7.38, personnel items (including the retirement of long-serving GTMS teacher Carol DeRuyter), first readings of policies listed in items 9.2–9.8, affirmation of HIB determinations under item 10.1, and hiring authority under item 11.1. The board also moved to convene an executive session to discuss the superintendent evaluation.
Key votes at a glance (all motions listed passed as recorded on roll call): - Approval of minutes from May 5, 2025: passed (yes: 8; abstain: 1). The transcript records a single abstention but does not name the abstaining member in the minutes excerpt. - Curriculum items 6.1–6.3: passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Finance items 7.2–7.38 (including bills list and substitute rates/reserves): passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Personnel retirement (item 8.1) — Carol DeRuyter, GTMS teacher, 55 years of service: motion passed on roll call (yes: 9). The board observed her retirement and offered thanks. - Personnel batch approval (items 8.3–8.1 as listed/attached): passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Policy first readings, items 9.2–9.8: passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Affirmation of HIB determinations (item 10.1): passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Hiring authority (item 11.1): passed on roll call (yes: 9). - Motion to convene executive session to discuss superintendent evaluation for 06/09/2025: passed (voice vote: all in favor; noted duration "about 15 to 20 minutes").
Several personnel and role introductions accompanied the votes: the board welcomed new or reintroduced staff including Dakota Palumbo (music), Grant Hillebrand (assistant principal, Reeds Road), Ken Berardis (principal, Arthur Rand Elementary), and Suzanne Tasen (director of student services). The board also celebrated multiple student achievements across the district: winners of the LPGA ticket-design contest (Isaac Schwanger and Milana Ravenco), a GTMS student whose artwork is displayed on a community billboard (Adin/ Alden Wayne), the GTMS step team competition members, track-and-field medalists and relay teams, and the GTMS baseball and softball teams’ championship seasons.
Public comment included a Galloway resident, Sherry Kashnick, urging voters to seek candidate transparency ahead of the upcoming school-board elections. “When candidates don't put themselves out there and make their positions known, the voters have no way of making an informed choice,” she said. A second resident, Susan Kalk Geddes, praised administrators and staff and credited the district’s programs and supports with positive student outcomes.
The board’s actions were routine approvals and recognitions; no new policy adoptions or budget increases were announced during the meeting minutes excerpt.
