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Moorestown board approves policies, personnel and budget items; adopts new device-use policy on second reading
Summary
At its end-of-year meeting the board approved two policies on second reading including a new electronic device/cell phone policy for K–12, affirmed the remote learning plan for 2025–26, approved multiple finance and personnel motions, and recorded a roll-call approval for employee-relations items.
The Moorestown Township Board of Education approved a slate of routine and policy items during its final regularly scheduled public meeting of the academic year.
The board approved two policies on second reading, including a new electronic communications and smart devices policy (policy 5516) that requires K–8 students to have devices securely stored for the day and sets an "away for instructional periods" approach at the high school, while permitting responsible use during transition times and lunch. The policy includes explicit prohibitions on recording in locker rooms and bathrooms and lists exceptions for instructional purposes and documented accommodation plans (IEPs, 504s, IHPs).
The board also approved routine agenda items across educational program, finance, and operations sections; affirmed the district's 2025–26 remote learning plan; and accepted the superintendent's HIB report as discussed in executive session. In employee-relations business, the board took a roll-call vote to approve personnel items discussed in executive session.
Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (May 20, 2025): motion approved by voice vote. - Policies (second reading): two policies approved, including policy 5460 (high school graduation requirements, no changes) and the new electronic device/smart device policy (5516). Vote: approved by voice vote; no roll call recorded in transcript. - Educational program items 1–3: motion approved; one abstention was recorded on item b2 (abstaining board member not named in transcript). - Affirmation of the 2025–26 remote learning plan: motion approved by voice vote. - Finance and business items 1–19: motion approved by voice vote; items included contract renewals, bids, transportation rehiring, and discussion of lease-purchase RFPs and food-service staffing. - Employee relations items 1–34: approved by roll call; recorded yes votes from board members: Arquera Burns, Rashika Arora, Barnes, Fowles Macaluso, Dr. Myatt, Claudia Moreno, Weeks, Miller, and Villanueva. - Superintendent's HIB report: approved as discussed in executive session.
What changed in practice: The new district device policy clarifies K–8 expectations (devices securely stored away for the day) and sets a different standard for high school instructional time, allowing teacher-designated, classroom-based exceptions and responsible-use periods. Principals will place discipline language related to policy enforcement into each building's code of conduct.
Board and committee context: Claudine (policy committee) said the committee solicited input from administrators, faculty, staff and union representatives and made revisions between readings; the policy was described as an initial iteration, with potential revision planned after one year of implementation. Finance and operations committee members reported discussions about bids, banking services, athletics equipment bidding, and the potential shared hire of an executive-level food-service position with another district to improve quality and efficiency.
The board did not record detailed vote tallies for most voice-vote items in the public portion of the transcript; the employee-relations roll call was the only segment with named yes votes in the record.
