Freehold Township school board honors students and staff, approves routine personnel and finance items and moves to closed session over residency appeal

At a meeting of the Freehold Township School District Board of Education, trustees recognized dozens of students and staff for music and athletic honors, updated enrollment and safety-reporting figures, approved routine personnel and finance items and voted to move into a closed executive session to consider a residency appeal.

The recognitions opened the meeting. The board and administrators honored students who earned places in the All Shore Intermediate Band and the Central Jersey Music Educators Association (CJMEA) Region 2 bands, and the Barcelo Middle School girls basketball team for winning the 2025 Santa Scamper Hoopstuffer Tournament (seventh/eighth-grade division). The band director described the blind-audition process for regional honor bands and listed awardees including Megan Brooks, Henry Calder and Sofia Porcelli. "There are sometimes we have great playing days, sometimes we make one little flub and it just throws the rest of the audition," the band director said, describing the audition pressure.

Coach Kevin Somati, who introduced himself as the Barcelo girls basketball coach, praised his team’s winter-break tournament run and credited district support for the opportunity to compete. "We had a tremendous season," Somati said, thanking the board and school administrators.

Staff awards were presented school-by-school. Nancy Faceda, recognized as Applegate School’s governor’s educator of the year and identified in the meeting as the building’s speech therapist, thanked colleagues and family: "I just like to extend my sincere thanks for nominating me for teacher of the year." Erickson School’s governor’s educator winner identified herself during remarks as Rita Bellwanger and reflected on a 30-year teaching career.

Administrators reported basic district business: enrollment was listed as 3,343 students in December 2025 and 3,345 in January 2026, down from 3,430 in January 2025. A safety and discipline (SSDS) reporting-period summary covering July–Dec. (reporting period 1) listed incidents by school (Katina 5; Applegate 2; Marco Lowe 5; Eisenhower 16; Erickson 1; Donovan 0; West Freehold 2; ECLC 0) and district totals presented as 1 incident of violence, 0 vandalism, 0 substances, 0 weapons, 30 HIB confirmed, 21 other incidents linked to removals and 6 alleged HIBs. The presenter also noted that since the last meeting two HIB reports (a different, shorter timeframe) were found to be founded; the board did not take public action on individual cases during the open meeting.

On routine business, the personnel, policy and communications committee moved a consolidated slate of personnel and policy items, including first readings of listed policies, resignations, retirements, recognition of long service, new hires and employment rescissions, salary and start-date adjustments, leave requests, position-control items, honoraria and substitute lists, acceptance of the SSDS report for reporting period 1, and affirmation of bullying-investigation findings. The motion was seconded and adopted by roll call (names were read in the transcript; no numeric tally was recorded).

The curriculum committee moved items including course reimbursement and home-instruction approvals; the motion was seconded and approved. The finance, facilities and transportation liaison presented bills and claims totaling $4,104,051.78 and noted travel, transfers and PTO honoraria updates; the board approved the finance report.

Before adjourning to closed session, the president opened a second public-participation period; there were no speakers. The board then adopted a resolution under NJSA 10:4-12(b) to conduct a closed executive session to discuss a residency appeal, stating the session was expected to last about 60 minutes and that no public action would follow immediately.

The board recessed to executive session; no further public business or votes were recorded in the open meeting minutes.