Palmyra Board approves outside IT contract; three district IT staff given termination notices

The Palmyra Board of Education voted at its Nov. 13 meeting to contract with RFP Solutions Incorporated (through Camden County Education Services Commission) to provide information‑technology staff for the Palmyra School District, and approved termination notices for three district IT employees.

The contract, listed on the agenda as beginning on or about Nov. 14, 2024, carries an approximate monthly cost of $21,413. The board approved the vendor as part of its business and finance agenda items; the motion passed during roll call votes recorded later in the meeting.

Why it matters: school staff and administrators rely on onsite technical support for daily instruction, testing and building systems. Several current and former district technology employees and community members urged the board during public comment to keep IT positions in‑house, saying local, in‑building support is critical for classroom operations.

During the public comment section, Chris Adams, identified as a staff member, said he had recently received a Rice Notice and that he disagreed with the proposal to outsource the IT department. Adams said his end‑of‑year evaluation had been largely positive and that he felt blindsided by the outsourcing proposal. Another district employee, Joshua Robinson, identified in the agenda as Educational Technology Specialist, told the board a technician on site matters for immediate problem solving and daily classroom support. Other speakers — including Michelle Trefz and Rene Fusco — voiced concerns about continuity of service, vendor familiarity with district systems, and potential price increases from an outside vendor.

The personnel section of the agenda included termination approvals for Technology Coordinator Christopher Adams, effective Jan. 14, 2025, Educational Technology Specialist Joshua Robinson, effective Dec. 14, 2024, and IT Technology Specialist Aiden Haines, effective Dec. 14, 2024. The roll call recorded nine ayes, zero nays, and two abstentions on specific items noted in the minutes; the minutes show Ms. Celley abstained on one personnel item and Mr. Dickinson on another.

Board administrators placed the vendor proposal and the personnel actions on the meeting agenda as business/finance and personnel items. The minutes do not record extended discussion by individual board members about alternatives to outsourcing or a line‑item cost comparison; public commenters called for more district research and community input before the decision.

Next steps: the contract was listed to begin on or about Nov. 14, 2024. District staff and the vendor will need to finalize transition arrangements and schedule for on‑site coverage and knowledge transfer. The minutes note that additional personnel and hiring actions were also approved as part of the meeting's personnel slate.

The two community comment periods in the meeting record the public's concerns but show no reversal of the board's approvals at this session.