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Watchung board swears in new member, receives ethics training and approves routine personnel and finance measures
Summary
The board administered the oath to Adam Craft, heard ethics training from the New Jersey School Boards Association, and approved consent items including personnel appointments, HVAC contract actions and revised academic calendars; several roll-call abstentions by Mr. Craft were recorded.
At the Jan. 23, 2025 regular meeting, the Watchung Borough School District Board of Education swore in newly elected member Adam Craft, received the required ethics presentation from the New Jersey School Boards Association and approved multiple routine consent items by roll call.
The board administered the oath of office to Adam Craft; during the ceremony Craft repeated the statutory oath and the board applauded as he completed the required signing and paperwork.
Gwen Thoron of the New Jersey School Boards Association gave the board’s annual ethics training, reviewing the School Ethics Act and practical governance requirements. Thoron told members they must file financial-disclosure statements within statutory deadlines (new members: 30 days; others: by April 30) and stressed recusal rules and penalties under the ethics regime. "You will agree to make your decisions in terms of the educational welfare of all children," Thoron said, adding that the ethics framework exists to maintain public confidence in board operations.
After an executive session, the board returned to public session and approved a slate of consent items by roll call. Recorded votes included:
- Minutes and superintendent HIB report (motion moved in public session): the roll call recorded a majority of ayes; Mr. Adam Craft registered an abstention on the minutes item and the motion passed.
- Personnel block (appointments, leaves, extra duties, staffing for district-sponsored activities): motion moved by Dory (recorded on the record as the member asked to move administrative items); Mr. Craft recorded an abstention on this block; the motion passed.
- Operations and finance (payments of bills; transfers; acceptance of financial reports; approval of shared consultant services with Long Hill/Wang Hills Regional; cooperative pricing participation; contract approval for Falcom Management Solutions via an exchange; payment application approvals and change orders for Bayberry and Valley View HVAC upgrades): the board approved these items by roll call; one board member asked for clarification on ThoughtExchange procurement and the vendor’s reporting and training commitments.
- Curriculum: the board approved revised 2024–25 and 2025–26 academic calendars by roll call.
- Policy committee items: the board moved first- and second-reading policies forward as noted in the agenda packet (facility-use policy first reading; honoring student achievement and booster club policies on second reading) and approved them to the agenda for public posting and further consideration.
Board business concluded with a request from a member that committee materials and updated documents be consolidated into the board agenda packet for easier access. The meeting adjourned following a motion and unanimous voice vote to adjourn.
No disciplinary or litigation details were disclosed in public; executive-session items were summarized as confidential student matters, collective bargaining/negotiations and pending/anticipated litigation or contract negotiation.
