Freehold Township Board approves committee recommendations, reviews $11.88 million in bills and moves to closed session on contract talks

The Freehold Township School District Board of Education on Jan. 11 approved routine minutes and committee recommendations, heard administrative reports on enrollment and programs, accepted finance committee items including bills totaling $11,882,612.39, and voted to go into a 30‑minute executive session to discuss pending contract negotiations with the FTAA and TWU.

Board members approved the Dec. 16 regular meeting minutes (voice vote; one abstention) and the Jan. 6 reorganization meeting minutes. In committee reports, the personnel, policy and communications committee presented a wide slate of personnel actions — retirements, resignations, hires, leaves, substitute appointments and salary adjustments — which the board approved by roll call. The curriculum committee recommended adoption of Wilson Language Foundations for grade 3; that recommendation was moved and placed before the board.

Administrators reported enrollment trends and district programs. An administrator said enrollment stood at 3,344 students in November 2025, 3,343 in December 2025 and 3,417 in December 2024. The district announced its One District, One Book initiative; this year’s title is The Lemonade War and related elementary assemblies are planned for Feb. 9. The Freehold Township Education Foundation’s Harlem Wizards fundraiser is set for March 20, and administrators reported 63 staff and administrators have volunteered to participate.

The school business administrator, Robert Davita, certified that as of Dec. 31, 2025 no line item had been overexpended in violation of NJAC provisions and that sufficient funds are available to meet the district’s financial obligations. The finance committee presented bills and claims with a grand total of $11,882,612.39 and reviewed referendum planning; committee members said the district will appear before the Planning Board on Feb. 5 to discuss four additions at ECLC, JJC, CRAS and WMES and also discussed a West Freehold HVAC issue.

Administrators also reported 11 harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) reports since the prior meeting; the district said 7 were founded and 4 were unfounded. President’s remarks thanked maintenance, custodial and transportation staff for snow‑removal efforts that kept schools open during the recent storm. An administrator noted that, because of the emergency closing, the district will use Presidents’ Day (Feb. 16) as an early dismissal day in order to preserve required instructional minutes and avoid extending the school year past June 19.

Before adjourning the public session, the board approved a resolution, citing NJSA 10:4‑12(b), to hold a closed executive session to discuss pending or anticipated contract negotiations with the Freehold Township Administrators Association (FTAA) and the Transport Workers Union (TWU); the board anticipated the executive session would last approximately 30 minutes and said no public action would be taken afterward.

The board recessed to closed session; no further public action was taken as of the meeting's close.