Tabernacle Township Board approves financial reports, personnel actions and two policy second readings

The Tabernacle Township Board of Education on Nov. 18, 2024, approved routine financial reports and a slate of personnel and policy actions after reconvening from an executive session.

Board President Colonel Stephen Henske called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. and the board moved into a closed session under N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 to discuss safety tactics and pending litigation or contract negotiations before returning to public session at 8:04 p.m.

On the Superintendent’s recommendation the board certified the September 2024 financial reports — including the Board Secretary’s and Treasurer’s reports, the cash flow and bond referendum cash reports — approved line-item transfers and authorized check runs of $250,603.01 and $419,032.81. The board also approved payrolls dated Oct. 31 ($374,322.36) and Nov. 15 ($380,479.49) and a cafeteria check run of $33,217.15. The board authorized the business administrator to use interest earned on bond referendum proceeds to pay down bond principal and interest for the 2024–25 school year. Dr. Kevin McCloy moved the financial package and Mr. Jonathan Grubb seconded; the vote was recorded as unanimous, 9-0-0.

The board approved two policy items on second reading: P & R 5330.04 (Administering an Opioid Antidote) and P & R 9180 (School Volunteers). The motions were moved by Dr. McCloy and seconded by Mr. Dean Dodaro and passed 9-0-0. The minutes record adoption but do not include the full text of the revised policies.

Under Education recommendations the board approved the 2025 Annual Board of Education meeting schedule, which lists regular meeting dates, a retreat on June 7 and the reorganization meeting set for Jan. 5, 2026.

The board accepted a donation of thirty computer monitors from the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department and approved an eighth-grade field trip to Amazing Escape Room in Cherry Hill scheduled for Dec. 12, 2024 (moved by Mr. Jonathan Grubb; second Mrs. Lauren Fanti).

Personnel actions approved included reimbursement for coursework for special education staff member Danielle Hare (Rider University), a lateral salary movement for Kristin Lange to MA effective Feb. 1, 2025, acceptance of the resignation of custodian Aron Benko effective Nov. 18, 2024, and the hire of Zachary Phillips as custodian, Step 1 ($42,388, prorated). The board also approved a revision to an employee’s FMLA dates (new start Nov. 11 with return Dec. 2, 2024). Mr. Steven Mosser moved the personnel package; the motion to remove one volunteer list item was also made and seconded and recorded in the minutes.

The board approved the Oct. 21, 2024 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) report and accepted the Nov. 18, 2024 HIB report on the Superintendent’s recommendation (motion by Mr. Jonathan Grubb; second Mr. Dean Dodaro), recorded 9-0-0.

Enrollment figures presented during the meeting showed TES at 412 students (including two tuition students), OMS at 305 (including four tuition students), OOD 2, for a district total of 719.

During new business Mrs. Amy Lepsis asked about the district’s afterschool tutoring program and Mrs. Lauren Fanti inquired about the sixth-grade hallway; the minutes record these questions but do not include substantive follow-up or decisions. The meeting adjourned at 8:58 p.m. on a unanimous vote.

The board’s minutes identify multiple motions, seconds and unanimous votes for the items above; where the minutes do not print full text (for example, Resolution 25-010 and the full language of the adopted policies), the record notes approval but states the text was not specified in the minutes.