Rumson-Fair Haven board approves personnel appointments, contracts, grants and donations at Aug. 23 special meeting

The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Board of Education on Aug. 23 approved a package of personnel appointments, contract renewals, grant actions and donations as it finalized preparations for the 2022–23 school year.

Board President Mrs. McGinty called the special meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. On motions recorded in the minutes, the board approved the July 21 regular and executive session minutes and then moved through grouped agenda blocks by unanimous roll call votes.

Why it matters: The approvals set staffing and service arrangements before the start of classes and secure several funding and service contracts the district says are needed for special education, transportation and extracurricular programming.

Personnel and staffing: The board approved creating a new Transition Coordinator position and a corresponding job description, and accepted a slate of personnel actions (items 2–24) including mentor stipends for new teachers and several appointments. Elizabeth House was approved as the district’s Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant for the 2022–23 school year; Michael DeCotis was approved as a long-term leave replacement school counselor with a specified per-diem rate. The minutes list additional paraprofessionals, substitute teachers and coaches and record stipends and prorated pay as applicable.

Grants and funding: The board authorized the use of $10,500 in ESEA FY22 Title IV funds to support the salary of Lisa Lagala, licensed professional counselor/treatment coordinator. It also approved submission of the FY 2022 IDEA grant application for $172,544 and accepted the grant award funds upon approval by the New Jersey Department of Education.

Finance and contracts: The board approved bill lists dated Aug. 17 totaling $1,101,128.97 and recorded total expenditures of $1,427,134.72. Contract approvals include a nursing-services arrangement with the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission (MOESC) specifying hourly rates ($75/hr for public-school certified nurse, $65/hr for RN, $50/hr for LPN) and a reconciliation-services contract with Panda LLC for $4,440 for the year plus hourly fees for additional services. The board also renewed student-transportation contracts with R. Helfrich & Son, Inc. for the 2022–23 school year at a 1.91% renewal rate (the maximum negotiated CPI), listing per-route costs in the minutes.

Shared services and joint transportation: The board approved shared-service agreements with the Fair Haven Board of Education for the Supervisor of Building and Grounds and the Supervisor of Special Services, with Fair Haven reimbursing 50% of salary and benefits ($89,590.98 and $101,857.04 respectively). The board also approved a joint transportation contract with Middletown Township Public Schools for specific routes (examples in the minutes include $36,750 for Hawkswood School and $42,000 for Shore Center for Autism).

Programs, schedules and policies: The board renewed school lunch prices for the 2022–23 year (student premium $5.25, reduced $0.40, adult $5.50), approved field trips and fundraising activities, endorsed dual-enrollment agreements with Rutgers and Stockton universities, and recommended first readings of multiple policies including a revised policy on the high school student representative to the board and a new student journalism policy.

Donations and extracurricular funding: The board accepted an inversion table donated by the McCann Family (approximate value $200) and a $15,000 donation from the RFH Touchdown Club to be used for football coaching consultants; the Touchdown Club donation will be accounted for in the district’s Special Revenue Fund.

Executive session and settlements: The board moved into executive session, citing the Open Public Meetings Act (N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.) to discuss student matters, personnel and attorney/client privileged matters and returned to public session 9 minutes later. After reconvening the public meeting the board approved Addendum items 60–63, including the resignation of Kimberly Hansen effective immediately and two stipulations of settlement (EDS 01874-22 for student 2400000399 and EDS 01874-22 regarding student 25000347). The minutes state that the board approved an out-of-district placement of student 230121 to K.E.Y.S., Lincroft for 2022–23 at no cost to the district.

What’s next: The minutes record no additional public comment and show the meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m. Several approved items (contracts, grant submissions and personnel hires) proceed to implementation steps noted in the minutes, subject to usual conditions (e.g., required paperwork, grant approval by NJDOE, and contract terms).