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Union Board approves temporary move of Hannah Caldwell students to Kean University, authorizes $1 million from reserves
Summary
The Township of Union Board of Education approved agreements with Kean University to temporarily house Hannah Caldwell Elementary School students at 1085 Morris Ave., authorized $700,000 from Capital Reserves and $300,000 from Maintenance Reserves to cover emergency costs, and submitted an emergency project to the NJDOE; the Board anticipates students in Kean by Nov. 18, pending state approval.
The Township of Union Board of Education on Nov. 12 approved a package of emergency measures to relocate students from Hannah Caldwell Elementary School (HCES) after the building was temporarily closed. The Board voted unanimously to enter agreements with Kean University for temporary use of space at 1085 Morris Avenue and to authorize $700,000 from Capital Reserves and $300,000 from Maintenance Reserves to cover related emergency expenses.
Dr. Gerald Benaquista, the district superintendent, told the Board that administrators “are working very hard and have shifted students to our schools but the space is not adequate and we do not want virtual learning.” He said Kean has unoccupied space the district can use, that the plan includes 39 classrooms plus multipurpose and lunch space, and that officials “anticipate that the students will be in Kean by November 18th,” while the district awaits approval from the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE).
The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding, Licensing Agreement and Affiliation Agreement with Kean University to govern the temporary use. The affiliation agreement also allows Kean students to do practicums with district students, a point Mr. Michael Cohan noted during discussion.
As part of the fiscal package the Board also approved contracting Graham Behavior Services to provide behavior technician services up to 320 hours at $80 per hour (not to exceed $25,600). Dr. Benaquista said the Boys & Girls Club is serving as a drop-off hub while the district is short on bus drivers.
During public comment, residents pressed the Board for more information about the building closure and remediation. Virginia Jeffries said mold is a health threat and criticized how speakers are treated, saying the “Board is prohibited from hiring a public relations firm because it is in violation of statutes and Board policy.” Ann Margaret Shannon asked for a status update on receipt of the report and remediation plans; the Board did not provide a date for the remediation report during the worksession.
All motions related to the Kean agreements, the reserve transfers, NJDOE submission and associated fiscal items were approved unanimously. The Board noted the submission to the NJDOE for review and approval as required for the temporary educational use and for amendment of the district’s Long Range Facility Plan (LRFP) as necessary.
Next steps: the district will submit the emergency project to the NJDOE, complete required agreements with Kean University and, if state approval is granted, begin occupancy at the Kean site on a schedule the superintendent said would aim for Nov. 18.
