Woodland Park Board of Education approves revised calendar, personnel slate, contracts and special-education placements

The Woodland Park Board of Education on Aug. 14 approved a package of routine financial items, personnel appointments and contract renewals as the district prepares to open the 2023–24 school year.

Board members voted 6–0 to accept the superintendent’s recommendations on the consent agenda, which included acceptance of the June Secretary and Treasurer reports, account transfers, a bill list totaling $801,780.89, and affirmation of the superintendent’s HIB investigation determinations for case numbers 2023-65 through 2023-68.

Superintendent Dr. Michele Pillari told the board that buildings and staff are on track to open in September, that Pre-K and kindergarten packets would be distributed this week and that a revised calendar on the night’s agenda should be reviewed by the public. She said staff resignations this year reflected “family decisions, career moves, [and] financial decisions” and assured the board and public that the district would “start the year fully staffed with qualified employees.”

Personnel actions approved included acceptance of the immediate resignation of elementary teacher Justine Miranda and rescission of the prior appointment for Jayda Lindsey as a guidance-counselor leave replacement. The board also accepted the resignation of Carmela Triglia, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, effective Oct. 8, 2023 (or earlier if a replacement is identified). The board approved Affirmative Action Officers for the district and each school for the 2023–24 school year.

The board approved a slate of hires and long-term substitutes for the coming school year. Notable appointments listed in the minutes include Kiara Amante (special-education teacher), Jenna Bottiglieri (BSI teacher, to be paid through ESSER funds), Robyn Caruso (special-education teacher), Nicole Ruble (school social worker, to be paid through ESSER funds), and Cara DeAngelis (Pre-K teacher). Several long-term substitute appointments and aide hires were also approved, as were stipend payments and staff class changes reported in the personnel section.

On finance and contracts, the board approved transfers that adjusted multiple salary and benefits accounts and moved funds among instructional and operations lines. The board approved renewal of the transportation contract with Scholastic Bus Services for four routes at $295.69 per diem per route, for a total contract amount listed as $212,895.00. The board authorized multiple out-of-district special-education placements for the 2023–24 year, including a placement at High Point School of Bergen County for $74,570.08 and a BCSS–HIP placement for $81,360.00 (the latter with a $7,000 non-resident fee noted in the minutes).

The board also approved a contract for related services with Phoenix Center (rate stated $98.50/hour, not to exceed 1.5 hours per week for the listed student), and appointed Boswell Engineering as civil/environmental engineer for the 2023–24 school year at the hourly billing rates included in the minutes.

The board approved a revised Pre-K waiver application to the New Jersey Department of Education addressing classroom sizes at the ECC and authorized disposal of damaged or unsafe equipment as listed in the agenda attachments. The minutes record that construction work at ECC, BG and Memorial — including HVAC projects — is ongoing and expected to be completed by the start of school.

The board entered executive session at 7:26 p.m. to discuss personnel, litigation or contract matters and returned to open session at 8:29 p.m. The executive-session items recorded in the minutes included parking at ECC, scheduling a special meeting for Aug. 29, 2023, and personnel matters. The meeting adjourned at 8:29 p.m.

Votes at a glance: approval of the consent agenda (224-25 through 224-36) and the listed personnel and finance motions carried by roll call vote 6–0 unless otherwise noted in the minutes.