Seaside Heights Board approves personnel actions, student programs and tuition contracts

The Seaside Heights Board of Education on Sept. 22 approved a slate of routine personnel and administrative items, moved to authorize new student programs and accepted federal grant funding for the 2025–26 school year.

The meeting opened at 5:36 p.m. and concluded at 5:44 p.m. after unanimous procedural votes. On a motion by Mr. Hershey, seconded by Ms. Richardson, the board approved Superintendent-recommended personnel items including an extension of a teacher leave through Dec. 16, appointment of substitutes, and authorization of a morning Sports Program. The program will run two times per week from 7:45–8:45 a.m. for 38 sessions; substitute instructors are listed at $53 per hour.

Board President (recorded in the minutes under 'PRESIDENT’S REPORT') thanked staff and community partners for summer facility work and previewed the new programs. "We are starting a new morning sports program, to allow our students to come in early and exercise and play sports for an hour before their class," the President said in the minutes. Superintendent Dr. James Roselli described recent orientation and in-service dates and noted Back to School Night and a 9/11 remembrance ceremony on the boardwalk.

The board also approved a Student Mentor program: mentors will be paid $53 per hour for one hour weekly on Wednesdays for 16 weeks, with named mentor leaders and aides listed in the minutes. Program dates are scheduled from Oct. 15 through Feb. 25 on specified Wednesdays.

On business matters the board approved minutes of Aug. 4; payment of August bills totaling $278,529.25; bi-monthly payrolls for Aug. 14 ($74,287.83) and Aug. 28 ($32,368.88); and appropriation transfers for July and August. The board certified that, to its knowledge, no major fund was overexpended for the periods ending July 31 and Aug. 31 as required by state rule (N.J.A.C. 6A:23-2.11(c)4).

Federal ESEA grant allocations for 2025–26 were approved as listed in the minutes: Title I — $299,130; Title II — $10,460; Title III — $2,907; and Title IV — $22,179, a combined total of $334,676. The board also approved charging specified salary amounts to the Title I grant account, including $90,000 for Stacy Dionisio as shown in the minutes.

The board authorized multiple out-of-district tuition contracts for the 2025–26 school year, including a contract with Manchester Township (annual tuition $77,500; additional services $51,000; total $128,500), contracts with Berkeley Township (totals $30,537.40 and $37,118.40), Brick Township ($15,988), and Central Regional (total $74,386). Transportation jointures with MOESC were approved for several student IDs with per-diem rates listed as TBD.

Other items approved included the Emergency Operations Plan for 2025–26, the Preschool Handbook for Hugh J. Boyd, Jr. Elementary School, a Bus Evacuation drill scheduled for Oct. 28 at 10:15 a.m., and the 2nd Annual Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 31 outside Hugh J. Boyd, Jr. Elementary School. The Policy Committee reported several policies are presented for first reading after an audit found updates were needed to align with state and federal law.

Votes at a glance - Superintendent items (personnel items 1–4): Motion by Mr. Hershey; second Ms. Richardson; motion carries (minutes record Mr. Boyd — Yes; Mr. Hershey — Yes; Ms. Richardson seconded; full roll-call votes are not transcribed in the minutes). - Other Board Items (Items 1–12): Motion carried (minutes indicate motion carries; roll-call details not fully transcribed). - Business Administrator items (minutes, bills, payroll, transfers, grants, tuition contracts, maintenance plan): Motion carried (minutes indicate motion carries; roll-call details not fully transcribed).

The meeting adjourned at 5:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted minutes are signed by Tyler Verga, Business Administrator/Board Secretary.