Oakland Board of Education approves personnel hires, grants and contract changes at July meeting

The Oakland Board of Education on July 15, 2025 approved a slate of personnel appointments, contract adjustments and grant acceptances during a 3:30 p.m. regular meeting that ran about 18 minutes and adjourned at 3:48 p.m.

Superintendent Dr. Gina M. Coffaro introduced Travis Hunt as the new vice principal at Valley Middle School; the board approved his appointment with an annual prorated salary of $115,000 effective Aug. 1, 2025. The board also approved a leave-replacement teacher appointment (Ava DeVencentis) at a prorated annual salary of $66,629 and multiple certificated and paraprofessional hires for the 2025–26 school year and summer programs.

The board unanimously approved routine personnel actions grouped in a single motion, including transfers, summer curriculum work, summer learning academy staffing, bus-aide appointments and mandatory NJDOE training for bus aides. The Affirmative Action Team for 2025–26 was also appointed, naming Jacqueline Christiano as Affirmative Action Officer and listing representatives from special services, curriculum, school leadership and parent/teacher ranks.

On special education matters, the board approved a Letter of Agreement and addendum with Good Talking People LLC to provide up to 12 hours of Social Executive Summer Prep and speech/language therapy in an amount not to exceed $2,000, and authorized a nursing-services contract with BAYADA Home Health Care to provide 11 nursing services for one student at a rate of $75 per hour for the 2025–26 school year.

Finance approvals included certification of June 2025 payroll ($2,318,261.05) and payment of two bills lists ($476,138.59 for June 30, 2025; $930,972.00 for July 2025), the Board Secretary and Treasurer preliminary reports, and budget appropriation transfers for the 2024–25 fiscal year. The board accepted a FOCUS grant for $5,310 and approved FY26 IDEA allocations (Basic $342,395; Preschool $20,589).

Citing the School Business Administrator/Board Secretary Annette M. Wells’ Qualified Purchasing Agent certificate and a State Treasurer action increasing thresholds, the board set the district bid threshold at $53,000 effective July 1, 2025, and authorized the QPA to award contracts in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-3 and related provisions.

The board approved change orders for TSUJ Corporation related to electrical upgrades: a reduction of $51,166.00 for Dogwood Hill Elementary School transformer placement (Change Order 002) and an additional $53,544.70 for wiring classroom unit ventilators at Valley Middle School; the board amended a prior capital-reserve withdrawal to authorize $59,902.95 to cover those costs ($53,544.70 for Valley wiring; $6,358.25 for Dogwood switchgear).

Transportation business included approval of an Extended School Year 2025–26 bus route to Orchard School in Ridgewood, N.J., to be provided by First Student for an amount not to exceed $3,780.

The board recorded six affirmed HIB incidents as presented at its April 29 meeting and approved the district’s Emergency Virtual or Remote Instruction Plan for 2025–26 to satisfy the 180-day requirement under N.J.S.A. 6A:32-13.1 and 13.2. The board also approved Valley Middle and Elementary School students’ participation in Mathematical Olympiads with a registration cost of $525.

All motions reported in the minutes carried by unanimous vote of the members present (Ms. Cooper, Ms. Shelkin and Mr. Scerbo). The meeting materials note that approved policies are available on the Oakland Board of Education website.

The meeting was brief and procedural; no contested votes or public comments were recorded.