Teachers press board over stalled contract and parents allege early dismissal of students with disabilities; board previews student documentary and approves its

At its June meeting, the Lacey Township Board of Education heard public comments pressing for quicker progress in contract talks and raising a complaint about the early dismissal of students with disabilities, and the board previewed an award-winning student documentary.

Jen Bentley, a third-grade teacher at Lanoka Harbor School and vice president of the Lacey Township Education Association, congratulated graduates and retirees and said the union remains without a contract. "We are now entering our second summer without a contract," Bentley said, adding that the district budgeted a 0% raise for 2025 and the only offer so far was 2%. She said fact-finding is scheduled to begin June 30, 2026. The board’s negotiation committee and the LTA will meet with the fact finder on June 30, the transcript shows.

A parent, Ashley Meyer, told the board she has filed a state complaint and said she observed disability vans arriving and loading students significantly before scheduled dismissal times across several schools. Meyer said she observed at Lanoka Harbor Elementary, where dismissal is scheduled at 2:45 p.m., vans arriving at 2:19 p.m. (about 26 minutes early); at Lacey Middle School, scheduled dismissal 2:00 p.m., vans arriving near 1:33 p.m. (nearly a half-hour early); and at Cedar Creek around 2:15 p.m., about 15 minutes early. Meyer said a prior state decision is under appeal and that parents had raised the dismissal concern for years. She asserted that under New Jersey law, disabled students are entitled to the same length school day as their peers and estimated 20 minutes lost per day amounts to a significant loss of instruction.

The board did not engage in Q&A during the public comment portion; the district's public comment rules, read at the meeting, state that the board will not respond during that period and operational matters should be pursued through the appropriate administrative channels.

Superintendent Will Zelinski opened the public portion by highlighting district successes and then introduced a five-minute preview of an Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission–sponsored student documentary about the Pulaski Monument. Zelinski congratulated the student filmmaking team — Paige Tanachio, Gabriella Ruggerio, Alyssa Brooks, Dan Lytle, and Alexander Accusmano — and praised their research and production. Board members applauded and urged the district to make the documentary publicly available (the video was referenced as also appearing on the district YouTube site).

Committee updates covered routine business: curriculum (science standards work, ESSA funding, SeaPerch competition, special education hires and ESY location at Mill Pond), policy (updates to graduation requirements and family leave policies to reflect NJHSEA and NJFLA/FMLA changes), and finance/facilities (discussion of Synergistics contract, Mill Pond solar generation, transportation contracts for special needs students, food-service RFP to appear on the agenda, and a recommended construction management contract). Vice President Gowen reported that Mill Pond and the high school generate roughly $25,000 per month from solar, per the report he summarized.

Votes at a glance: the board tabled A1 (May 22 special meeting minutes); approved multiple grouped consent items across finance, policy, personnel, tuition/transportation, and donations by roll call (with occasional abstentions noted in the transcript); and adopted a walk-on resolution to decline a recommended long-term suspension for student 7299511307 (see separate item). The transcript records at least one abstention by Mrs. Claus on a donation and recorded 'no' votes or abstentions on specific items by Dr. Forney for items indicated during roll call. The RFP for a food services management company remained on the agenda and was discussed by the finance committee as forthcoming for board action.

Next steps and timing: the LTA fact-finding meeting is scheduled for June 30, 2026, and the superintendent and administration will implement the board’s direction on any approved items. Members of the public were directed to pursue operational issues through district administration outside the public-comment portion of the meeting.