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Board approves personnel and contract items; recognizes student winners and votes to suspend one student long term
Summary
The board recognized multiple student achievements and approved committee-recommended personnel, contracts and bid awards (including bills totaling $4,706,008.90); it also voted to place student number 1781309002 on long-term suspension through 06/30/2026 and moved into executive session on superintendent contract and TWU negotiations.
The Freehold Township School District board opened its meeting with a series of student recognitions before moving into committee reports and board business.
Student recognitions: Administrators and teachers highlighted district competition results. Staff recognized a national winner in the Great Reading Games (third grader Isabella Padilla) and multiple middle-school winners in debate and geography competitions. Staff also noted local essay and academic-team successes — Marina Fanueli won at the Monmouth County level and several students advanced to state finals in essay and SA competitions.
Personnel and committee motions: Mrs. Crosby, speaking for the personnel policy and communications committee, moved a slate of personnel items including a memorandum of agreement, retirements (named in the agenda), resignations, revised job descriptions, ESY staffing lists and substitute appointments; the motion was seconded and approved on roll call. During the finance, facilities and transportation committee report, Mr. Gargiulo said the committee reviewed referendum-related contracts, several bid awards for school additions/alterations and HVAC upgrades, and grants and purchasing items. He reported bills and claims totaling $4,706,008.90.
Contract and funding details: During questions about food-service contracting, staff said the Sodexo renewal reflects a 2.9% increase from the prior year while maintaining the guarantee within allowable renewal limits. Board members clarified IDEA grant accounting: Davida explained remaining percentages are being charged to the general fund largely because staff positions previously charged to the grant are out on leave or departed and some costs are therefore not grant-funded.
Discipline action: The board moved and approved a resolution to place student number 1781309002 on long-term suspension and in an alternative education program through 06/30/2026; a roll-call vote was conducted and the motion carried.
Executive session: The board then approved a resolution to enter executive session under NJSA 10:4-12(b) to discuss the superintendent's contract, pending or anticipated litigation and TWU contract negotiations; the resolution estimated the session could last up to 120 minutes and said action may be taken publicly afterward.
What the minutes show: multiple routine committee motions and consent items were approved on the agenda; the recording shows votes and roll-call confirmations for personnel items and the long-term suspension, and that the board moved into executive session at the end of open session.
