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Saddle Brook Board approves curriculum, staffing and facilities measures; schedules closed session on confidential matter
Summary
The Saddle Brook Board of Education approved curriculum updates (new course proposal and program of studies), multiple personnel items, budget and facilities actions including the artificial turf project and planned boiler/window bids, and recessed into closed session to consider a confidential matter described in the resolution.
The Saddle Brook Board of Education approved a bundle of curriculum, personnel, budget and facilities measures at its regular meeting and recessed into closed session to consider a confidential matter identified in the resolution.
On the superintendent's recommendation the board approved education and curriculum items including a proposed Advanced Algebra and Financial Applications course as a third-year math option, overnight music trips including a Boston festival, the program of studies for the coming school year and schedules that condense state testing into a one-week window with delayed openings for non-testing students. Board members discussed the testing plan and staffing needs to cover makeup testing.
The business administrator reported progress on referendum and capital work. Highlights: Washington School's elevator is nearly complete and pending inspection; window replacement at the middle/high school is scheduled to start in late December; bidding will begin on ceiling and lighting work at Washington; and the district's artificial turf field project began on Monday, Nov. 11 and "should take a couple months and be roll in before the spring season," Mr. Karate said. Emergency replacement of one boiler was completed in recent weeks; the district plans to bid for nine additional boilers for next summer.
Personnel actions approved included resignation of school psychologist Julia Lee and multiple hires and placements: a high-school Spanish teacher, paraprofessionals, a guidance secretary replacement (to assume an executive-assistant role), and several student observation/internship placements from Montclair State and other local colleges. The board noted that some budget account numbers for personnel items will be added to the December minutes.
On budget and finance the board approved check lists and reimbursements and discussed professional development tied to the New Jersey tiered system of supports (tier 1–3). The district will continue to send staff to Orton–Gillingham and other specialized training; many special-education staff are scheduled for intensive training this year.
During facilities discussion board members reported that work on future board offices is progressing, with elevator installation projected for February–March and staff move-ins planned for spring or summer. A negotiations item was withdrawn and deferred to December pending receipt of final documents.
Votes: multiple motions passed by roll call; several board members recorded abstentions on discrete items (the transcript records specific abstentions linked to line-item numbers). The business administrator read unofficial vote totals for recent board elections for transparency.
Before adjourning the board adopted a resolution to recess into closed session to discuss a confidential matter identified in the motion; the transcript records that the matter was described as "one HIV case" and estimated the closed-session period at about 15 minutes, with no action to be taken during that period.
The board reconvened and closed the public meeting afterward.
