Rumson‑Fair Haven board approves 2024 calendar, personnel and finance items and appoints Kevin Grant to open Rumson seat

The Rumson‑Fair Haven Regional High School Board of Education convened Dec. 12 in the RFH Learning Commons and approved a package of routine calendar, personnel and finance measures, authorized submission of the district’s New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) District Performance Report and appointed Kevin Grant to fill a vacated Rumson seat.

Board President Mrs. McGinty called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and read the notice of compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. Superintendent Darren Groh presented the superintendent’s report, including a QSAC presentation and district safety drills; enrollment was reported at 860 as of Nov. 30, 2023.

On a motion by Mr. Page, seconded by Mrs. Whitehouse, the board approved Action Items 1–2, including adoption of the 2024 Rumson‑Fair Haven board meeting calendar and approval of recent meeting minutes. The vote recorded Mrs. Halcrow Yes; Mrs. Kiley Yes; Mr. Page Yes; Mrs. McCabe Yes; Mrs. Thompson Yes; Mrs. McGinty Yes; Mrs. Whitehouse Yes; Mrs. Hickey n/a.

The board approved Personnel items 3–8 on a motion by Mrs. Kiley, seconded by Mrs. Whitehouse. Approved staffing actions included the pending appointment of Kathleen McMahon as a paraprofessional (Step 5, $31,550; effective Jan. 2, 2024) pending completion of required paperwork and criminal history review; extensions or amendments to several sixth‑period assignments; and the appointment of Timothy Duggan as a long‑term chemistry teacher substitute at a per diem of $309 for work between Dec. 20, 2023, and Jan. 23, 2024, pending criminal history approval. The board also approved a slate of substitutes and extracurricular coaches/advisors (including Steven Heath as girls basketball assistant coach and Danon Robinson as volunteer paddle tennis advisor) and rescinded the Jazz Ensemble advisor appointment for Zachary Lorelli.

Finance approvals came on a motion by Mrs. Whitehouse, seconded by Mr. Page. School Business Administrator/Board Secretary Sean S. Cranston certified, per N.J.A.C. 6A:23A‑16.10(c)3, that no line item had been overexpended and that sufficient funds were available. The board approved bill lists dated Dec. 8, 2023, showing: General Fund $635,517.19; Special Revenue Fund $12,319.44; Capital Projects Fund $317.30; Food Services Fund $99,208.82; for a bill total of $747,362.75. Payroll (11/30/23) was listed at $823,606.10, bringing total expenditures for the period to $1,570,968.85. The board also approved routine financial reports, budget transfers for October 2023, conference attendance requests and a Senior Prom contract with Battleground Country Club for May 17, 2024; the board declared specified instructional materials surplus under N.J.S.A. 18A:18A‑45.

Under education items, the board approved numerous field trips for music, AP and mock trial programs, fundraising activities (including an SGA candy‑gram sale Dec. 19–23) and home instruction arrangements specifying hours and hourly rates for individual students. The board also approved revisions to the 2023–24 school calendar and first readings of multiple policies and regulations (including Policy 1581 Domestic Violence; policy updates on attendance, privacy and electronic funds transfer) and affirmed the superintendent’s recommendation on an HIB investigation (HIB Investigation FY2023‑2024‑2).

On an addendum motion moved by Mr. Page and seconded by Mrs. Whitehouse, the board approved submission of the NJQSAC District Performance Report for the 2023–24 school year.

The board moved into executive session at 7:21 p.m. to consider matters permitted under the Open Public Meetings Act, including student matters and attorney–client privileged matters, and reconvened in public at 9:28 p.m. Upon reconvening, School Business Administrator Sean Cranston opened nominations for the vacated Rumson board seat. Mrs. Thompson nominated Kevin Grant, seconded by Mrs. Kiley; with no additional nominations, the board conducted a roll call vote and approved Mr. Grant 7–0. Board members expressed appreciation for all applicants.

With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m. The board published its 2024 meeting calendar (Attachment A) and the district’s 2023–24 school calendar (Attachment B) as part of the meeting materials.