Freehold Township board says memorandum of agreement reached with FTA; multiple routine motions approved

The Freehold Township School District Board of Education said it reached a memorandum of agreement with the FTA after late-night negotiations and will present the agreement for ratification at an upcoming meeting. The board also approved a slate of personnel, curriculum and finance items, including bills and claims totaling $3,589,795.50 and a donation from Clear to Close Title Agency.

Board President announced the memorandum of agreement with the FTA and said the deal will keep employees “in house.” The president said the contract covers three years and was negotiated with the district negotiation team, adding, “we do not have to outsource, and that was a decision made by both sides. We came to an agreement where financially, we were able to keep everyone in house.” The board said the agreement will be ratified in the coming weeks.

The board identified members of the negotiation team and thanked them for their work. Board members specifically named in remarks included Michelle Lambert (chair of the negotiation team), Elena O'Sullivan and a negotiator identified as Spethauer; a staff member called “Bob” was also thanked in remarks. Kathleen Rosen, a district staff member with 23 years in the district, was introduced as the board’s nominee for principal at Ericsson; the board said it would vote on that appointment the same night.

In other business the board: - Approved the personnel consent agenda (items 2–18 as listed on the meeting agenda), moved by a member of the personnel committee and approved by roll call. The roll call recorded affirmative votes by board members present: Missus Brand, Miss Crosby, Missus Giorgio, Missus Lambert, Missus Spieler, Mister Williams, Missus O'Sullivan and Mister Amoroso. The personnel package included retirements, resignations, new employment, renewal of non-tenured professional staff, contract renewals, salary adjustments, leaves of absence, unpaid days, affirmation of bullying investigation findings, student teacher placements, an affiliation agreement with William Paterson University, and ESY (extended school year) staff and volunteers for 2025. - Approved curriculum items including course reimbursements and home instruction placements as listed; the curriculum committee reported it is applying for a state FOCUS grant to fund early literacy screening and reviewed district goal data, Wilson Foundations for third grade, and state testing updates. - Approved finance and facilities items moved by the finance committee, including the secretary and treasurer's report, transfers, travel and related expenses, and bills and claims in the amount of $3,589,795.50. The finance motion included a renewal of a professional development services RFP for 2025–26 and renewal of an RFP for a social-emotional learning coach. The board also approved cooperative pricing agreement participation with the Camden County Educational Services Commission and a shared-services agreement for use of a Monmouth County vehicle wash facility. - Approved a resolution authorizing the sale and issuance of bonds “in accordance with the referendum” as listed on the agenda. - Accepted a donation from Clear to Close Title Agency (agenda item 7); that item carried with one recorded abstention.

Attendance, reports and routine items: the business administrator and board secretary, identified in the meeting as Robert De Veeded, certified that as of April 30, 2025, no line item had been overexpended in violation of the cited state procurement/finance rules and that sufficient funds were available to meet the district’s financial obligations for the remainder of the year. The district reported enrollment figures (March: 3,422; April 20: 3,420; compared with April 24: 3,499). The district reported three bullying investigations since the last meeting: two were founded and one unfounded.

The board moved into an executive session under the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, citing NJSA 10:4‑12(b), to discuss personnel matters, central office administrator contracts for 2025–26 and anticipated FTEA negotiations. The executive session was described in the meeting resolution as anticipated to last 60 minutes and that action would not be taken in public after the closed session.

The board president closed public remarks by noting end-of-year events and that the district will hold recognition night for students and retirees June 3 and two business meetings in June. The board also named upcoming retirements and celebrations and reminded members about the superintendent evaluation timeline.

The board did not disclose additional terms of the memorandum of agreement with the FTA during public session; the district said details and ratification would be presented to the board in the coming weeks.