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Board approves bills, IDEA grants, special‑education placements and mental‑health contract
Summary
At its July 23 meeting the Closter Board certified financial reports, approved payments of bills, accepted IDEA funding, authorized multiple special‑education out‑of‑district placements, and awarded a district mental‑health services contract to West Bergen Mental Health Care, Inc. for $89,500 for 184 days.
The Closter Board of Education at its July 23 meeting approved routine financial actions and a set of personnel and vendor decisions affecting special education, student services and outside partners.
The Board accepted preliminary financial reports and approved payment of bills: general fund bills for June 15–30 totaled $675,693.43 and for July 1–23 totaled $886,838.12. Trustees also certified transfers and other monthly finance items required by state law.
On federal programs the board approved application and acceptance of IDEA grants for the 2024–25 school year with a total IDEA award listed as $298,297 (IDEA Basic $286,017; IDEA Preschool $12,280). The board approved amendments to grant line items and accepted participation in regional consortiums including the Northern Valley Curriculum Center (district share $101,479) and Region III special‑education services (contributions and estimated costs listed for special education, physical therapy and occupational therapy).
Trustees approved numerous out‑of‑district special‑education placements for the 2024–25 school year; the minutes list placement institutions and per‑student tuition figures, including several six‑figure placements such as $145,190 for a Grade 3 placement to NVRHS with 1:1 support, $102,794 for CTC‑Oakland placements, and $90,342 for Eagle Hill School. The board approved Region III special‑education transportation participation.
On student supports, after a competitive process the board approved West Bergen Mental Health Care, Inc. as the district's mental health support services provider for 184 days in SY 2024–2025 at a contract amount of $89,500. The Board also authorized purchases for proprietary instructional programs (examples listed in the minutes include IXL, Nearpod, Powerschool and Achieve 3000 subscriptions).
Personnel motions included approval of Tenakill paraprofessional appointments (Rosa Kim, Shailajadevi Suva, Stephanie Toscano), the appointment of Rebecca Callahan as a Hillside office paraprofessional, approval of substitutes for 2024–25 (Appendix D) and authorization of parent‑paid paraprofessionals for a named student through Centered Solutions LLC pending background checks.
All listed motions in the finance and personnel bundles were approved by roll call with all present trustees voting yes; two trustees were recorded as absent.
