Riverside Township Board appoints new member, approves grants, contracts and personnel slate

The Riverside Township Board of Education on Aug. 14 appointed Dean Potts to the board and carried a series of unanimous votes approving grants, vendor contracts and personnel changes for the 2025–2026 school year.

S. Parker led the flag salute at the start of the meeting. Robert O’Brien, board secretary, announced that public notice of the meeting had been provided. The board resolved to appoint Dean Potts and recorded the swearing‑in at the meeting.

The board approved submission of the Fiscal Year 2026 IDEA application for $430,254 (including $11,961 for preschool) and ESEA (ESSA) grant applications that together listed Title I‑A at $360,185, Title I‑SIA $82,500, Title II‑A $41,885, Title III $73,919, Title III Immigrant $17,155 and Title IV $28,084. The board also approved payment of BCIT tuition ($3,883 for 67 students) and adopted cafeteria prices for 2025–2026 (elementary lunch $3.05; middle/high lunch $3.20; breakfast and adult/milk prices as shown in the agenda).

Contract approvals included a service agreement with VHS Learning to provide the Ram‑V Virtual Learning Program at $380 per semester seat for 40 seats (total $15,200), renewal of sports and field‑trip transportation contracts with First Student, Inc. at $672.87 per trip per bus (a 3.57% increase), and contracts with the State of New Jersey Department of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Delta T Group, Brett DiNovi & Associates, Genesis Counseling Centers, Inflight LLC, TESO Consulting Group Partners, McGraw‑Hill (Wonders), Inspired Instruction, Carnegie Learning and Wilson Language Training Group to provide instructional coaching, consultants and specialized services. Contract caps and service day/hour limits were recorded in the agenda attachments (examples: Inflight up to $32,000; TESO up to $20,000; McGraw‑Hill up to $21,000; Carnegie middle school program support up to $45,500; Wilson Language up to $32,000).

On personnel matters the board accepted the termination of Employee No. 1255; accepted the resignation of Alyssa Johnson, Elementary School Ambulatory Aide (effective June 30, 2025); approved lists of substitutes and a slate of new hires including Katherine Sereduk (High School ESL Teacher) and multiple ambulatory aides and support staff; approved contract rescissions and reappointments (including Mary DiMiero to full‑time CST Administrative Secretary at $57,586 and Kristen Schneck to 2nd grade inclusion special education teacher at a contracted salary of $72,543); and appointed Robert O’Brien as the Riverside Township School District School Safety Specialist for 2025–2026.

The board approved curricular offerings across grade bands, Nursing Services Plans and standing orders, the district Professional Development Plan, coach and activity advisor evaluations, corrective action plans addressing chronic absenteeism for all three buildings, and the July 2025 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) report.

Routine motions were moved and seconded repeatedly by board members B. Winering and R. Wrice and carried unanimously throughout the agenda. The minutes record unanimous roll‑call votes for the motions; the roll‑call lines in several places list D. Graf among the recorded "Aye" votes even though the attendance list at the start of the minutes shows D. Graf as absent (this inconsistency appears in the meeting record).

During public comment Chris McMahon (808 Harrison St.) asked which data would be transferred from Genesis to OnCourse and requested a timeline; Mr. Adams and Ms. Saia answered. Christy Veasy asked why sports registration was pulling incorrect out‑of‑district data; Mr. Adams responded and Ms. O’Halloran said she would follow up.

The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. according to the minutes.