Salem County boards approve $500,000 after‑school grant, multiple contracts and staff changes

The Salem County Special Services and Vocational Technical School District boards met Nov. 21, 2023, in Woodstown and approved a slate of grants, contracts and personnel actions intended to support career and technical education, after‑school programming and district operations.

The board accepted a FY2024 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant for $500,000 (year 1 of 5) to support the Salem County Achievers after‑school program and approved related program agreements with community partners, including the Food Bank of South New Jersey, FamCare and Acenda Integrated Health Systems (Riverview Family Success Centers), the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (SNAP‑Ed nutrition programming), Gateway Wellness Center for social‑emotional learning and GEAR UP/College Bound in partnership with Salem Community College. The board noted there is no cost to the district for several of those partner services.

Administrators presented and the board approved multiple contracts and purchases. The agenda recommended purchase of Amatrol Mechatronics (Siemens) equipment in accordance with a previously approved memorandum of understanding with the Mid‑Atlantic States Career and Education Center; the MOU total was listed as $359,394.60. The board approved a contract with GPRS to locate a fiber line between the vocational school and the Regional Day School at a cost of $3,075 to be shared with Salem County Special Services. The board also approved a Realtime food‑service/POS agreement, a three‑year Kaseya automated Google‑backup agreement (total cost listed, $13,079), and a preventive‑maintenance contract for fitness equipment at a rate of $1,252 beginning Dec. 1, 2023.

The board approved a speaking‑engagement agreement for author and recovery speaker Brandon Novak for March 20, 2024 in the amount of $3,500 to be paid from ESEA Title I funds. The Culinary Club’s request to lease a refrigerated trailer from US Foods was approved; lease costs were listed as $140 daily or $800 weekly and would be paid from club funds. The board also accepted donations including outdoor power equipment and a planned donation of wood valued at $4,000 and a gluing workbench valued at $500.

On personnel matters the board approved revised 2023–24 salary increases for unaffiliated staff and increased part‑time RN evaluator and instructor hourly rates from $31 to $38. New hires approved included substitute teacher Tazreen Uddin (on‑call rate $125/day), Joseph Alexander as Adult Program Mechatronics instructor (part‑time, effective Dec. 1, 2023) and Morgan Woods as Work Based Learning coordinator (effective Jan. 1, 2023). Stipend positions for athletic coaches and related roles were approved. The board accepted resignations from Natalie Chick (physical therapist), Nancy Bello (paraprofessional), Deanna Latona (paraprofessional) and Felicia Hitchner (speech therapist) and approved various transfers and leaves, including an unpaid leave for Shanna Scott.

The board approved financial reports and warrants on both district sides. Noted payments included SCVTS payrolls of $283,157.13 and $312,331.76 and October payments of $1,766,909.88; the Special Services payrolls were listed as $414,558.20 and $417,294.40 with monthly payments of $1,703,042.37. The board certified that, after review, no major account was over‑expended in violation of applicable New Jersey regulations.

Several policy updates and abolishments received second and final readings and board approval, including P & R 1642.01 (Sick Leave, new), P 2270 (Religion in the Schools, revised), P & R 2419 (School Threat Assessment Teams, new), attendance and privacy policy revisions, and multiple abolishments listed on the agenda.

During the public comment period, several community members and staff addressed the board with updates and remarks. Jason Helder announced a Salem Community College college night and financial aid event; James Helder reported on a Thanksgiving feast and athletics; Brian Quinn criticized the decision to lease the trailer from a sole‑source vendor, saying the lease ‘‘could have been donated’’ and calling the vendor choice ‘‘poor taste.’’ Board members and other attendees offered brief comments and holiday well‑wishes.

The meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m. and recorded that executive‑session topics included personnel and negotiations.