Swedesboro-Woolwich Board approves personnel slate, payroll and $1.33M in bills; narrow 6-1-1 vote on part-time facilitator

The Swedesboro-Woolwich Board of Education on Feb. 12 approved a broad personnel slate, district payroll and regular bills, but took a divided roll-call on one hire. The board certified the Board Secretary’s and Treasurer’s reports and approved payment of February regular and addendum bills totaling $1,327,469.81 and January payroll totaling $1,575,918.33.

Under a single omnibus motion, the board approved multiple personnel actions including medical leaves, long-term substitutes, paraprofessional hires, retirements and student-teacher placements. Most items in the personnel block (A1–A22 and A24) and related stipends and reimbursements passed on roll call without opposition.

Item A23, a part-time Instructional Facilitator position listed at $46,000 for Dana Teague and presented as a new part-time administrative hire, was taken separately and passed on a 6-1-1 vote. The minutes record six members voting yes, one member abstaining (Julie Dickson) and one member voting no (Gina Azzari). The minutes list the affirmative votes as Natalie Baker, Erin Carroll, Laurie Cecala-Read, Marie Barbara, Alfred Beaver and Kenneth Riley; the no vote was Gina Azzari. Tamara McGovern’s individual vote on A23 is not specified in the minutes; the motion’s overall tally is recorded as 6 yes, 1 abstain, 1 no.

SWEA President Eileen Healey addressed the board during public comment before the vote and raised questions about item A23 and other personnel/finance items. Healey thanked Superintendent Dr. Kellogg for coordination around event attendance, then asked whether the $46,000 figure was an annual salary or a prorated amount for March–June; Dr. Kellogg told the board the salary is annual and would be prorated for the remainder of the school year (about $15,000 for March–June). Healey also asked, regarding a separate personnel/finance line item (letter H), "what services are being rendered outside of the contract." The minutes record Dr. Kellogg explaining that the Business Administrator took on additional full-time responsibilities after the bookkeeper left, increasing workload to ensure payroll and HR tasks were completed. The board voted to approve a $7,500 stipend to Business Administrator Korey Jeffries for services rendered outside of the contract (item H).

The board also approved tuition reimbursement distributions for the 2024–25 year. Korey Jeffries explained that any leftover tuition-reimbursement funds would be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to those who exceeded the cap.

The meeting record shows the personnel recommendations were presented by the Personnel & Finance Committee (chair Marie Barbara) and moved by Natalie Baker. The minutes do not record additional debate or amendment language to A23 beyond the public comment questions and the roll-call result.

The board had convened an earlier executive session to discuss anticipated litigation (a SWEA negotiations update) and personnel matters; the public meeting resumed before the personnel votes and financial approvals.