— The board rescinded its approval of four overnight field trips: High School North’s Junior Statesmen of America visit to Parsippany from November 20-21 as well as its trip to Washington, D.C., from February 11-13, plus two scheduled Model United Nations trips for North: to Rutgers University from November 10-13 and Boston between February 23-26.
Instead North’s Model UN will make two trips to college campuses: Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore from February 9 to 12, at a cost of $350 per student, as well as Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, between March 7-10, at a cost of $325 per student. Also approved was a trip for North’s Special Olympics to Wildwood from March 31 to April 1, at no cost.
— A STARTALK grant application in the amount of $99,250 was submitted to the state for Hindi/Urdu Summer Immersion Camp. WW-P will serve as the lead district and while Richard Kaye said there would be no cost to the district, the district’s general fund bills list of November 2 includes $1,000 for STARTALK.
— The school board approved a shared services and membership agreement for CJPRIDE (Central Jersey Program for the Recruitment of Diverse Educators) for 2011-’12 at a cost of $50. WW-P will serve as the facilitating district for 13 districts in the area.
— A contract between WW-P and Douglass Outreach at Rutgers University was approved for special education counseling services for $13,050 plus mileage and tolls for a total of 87 hours. The contract is in effect until June 15, 2012.
— The board voted to increase speech therapist Jean Lovejoy from 1.5 days per week to five days a week for compensation of $400 a day between November 1 and December 23.
— The board approved a Capital Projects Bill List run on November 2 in the amount of $285,462.97.
— A contract for $2,288 per bus was awarded to A-1 Limousine for transportation for the High School South band trip to Annapolis, MD. Two buses were used.
— The board voted to cancel a student transportation contract of $5,400 awarded to First Student on September 27 due to changes in transportation requirements.
Change orders enacted included the following:
— Boiler replacement at Wicoff Elementary School will include insulation for new headers and abated pipe in the boiler room by Performance Mechanical Corp. for a cost of $8,675, which will not increase the contract amount of $286,252.
— Authorization of a general construction contract with Halecon Inc. for restoration on the hard surface play area at Maurice Hawk, including investigation of the lime tank for $1,860; installing three hopscotch games for $900 as well as filling cracks on the basketball court at High School North for $2,240.
— An allowance for $1,617 for clock and sound system upgrades at High School North and Millstone River by Open Systems Integrators. North’s two gymnasiums were found to have deficiencies in their paging systems, and work will be performed on each of their remote audio systems. At Millstone River four outside speaker horns will be installed around the perimeter of the building at a total cost of $3,974. A paging microphone which will be installed at Millstone River for $1,760 increases the contract amount to $276,560.
— The Bank of Princeton has been added as a school district depository of funds as the Board secretary and its treasurer of school moneys officially opened a new bank account.
The board voted to appoint Amanda Barclay as a 40 percent elementary teacher at Maurice Hawk Elementary at a prorated salary of $20,000.
Kimberlee Holleran and Hope Gray were appointed as part-time instructional assistants. Holleran replaces Leah Parker Housel, who accepted a 40 percent elementary teaching position. Gray replaces Jennifer Klose, who resigned. Another instructional assistant, Heather Jones, officially started on October 13.
Six teachers are set to return to the district after taking leaves of absence. They include South physical education teacher Beth Fitzpatrick at a prorated salary of $82,050; North special education teacher Gabrielle Biancosino at a prorated salary of $56,945; Grover science teacher Susan Milman at a prorated salary of $76,050; Community Middle School social studies teacher Maria Pyle at a prorated salary of $59,400; Grover special education teacher Sheryl Morro at a prorated salary of $87,170, and Dutch Neck special education teacher Kathryn Koscuk at a prorated salary of $53,990.
Leaves of absence for four other teachers were approved: North special education teacher Jennifer Bard from July of this year to January 2; Town Center first grade teacher Jennifer Knoblock from April 28 to June 30, 2012; Wicoff second grade teacher Gerald Pinner from January 10 to February 16; and Community math teacher Dana Smith from May 5 to June 30.
Other approved personnel items included payments to 24 PSAT proctors at High School South and 25 at High School North at $82.75 each for standard time. Six who worked extended time were paid $128.39 and four coordinators (two at each school) received $260 each.
Speech and language specialist Bonnie Lee has retired.
Supervisor of Special Services Thomas Sullivan was paid $3,555.81 for unused vacation days, per contract terms.
Sidney Friedenberg has been reappointed as a Continuing Education Adult Instructor at a rate of $22 per hour.
For 2011-’12 Erin Conrad, Jennifer Terhaar-Dore, and Heather Orlando will each receive $47.09 per hour (not to exceed 40 hours) for creating new performance-based assessments for biology.
At Dutch Neck Elementary Jeff Elkelberner and Martin Hobaugh will each be paid stipends of $730.50 for their roles as special projects coordinators in charge of Dutch Neck Gardens.
Valentine Barnaby will receive a stipend of $2,895 for the strength and conditioning summer camp at High School North.
Robert Schurtz, the new boys’ golf coach at High School South, will receive $3,555.30, paid in June, 2012.
South’s new assistant swimming coach, Heather Peoples, will receive $4,740.40 to be paid in March.
At High School North winter track assistant coach Gary Leonhardt will be paid $3,318.28.
Four dance chaperones for Grover Middle School were approved for a rate of $49.93 per event.
