No resident made any comments during the refunding bond ordinance public hearing at the July 21 WW-P school board meeting.
The ordinance passed 8-0, with board president Tony Fleres away on vacation.
“It’s like refinancing your home, if you see you’d like to make a change,” board vice president Michele Kaish says. “Under the advisement of our bond attorney the net effect of refunding the bonds is a net decline of debt service.”
School bonds from 2005 to 2008 were refunded, in an amount not to exceed $32 million.
The board approved the remaining agenda items on the list, which included the annual submission of the district’s Nursing Services Plan to the County Superintendent of Schools.
A $4,500 donation from the Millstone River School PTA to replace benches for the outdoor pavilion was also approved.
During the public comment period, Bruce Salmestrelli, a teacher at North and president of the teacher’s union, acknowledged the service of Tracey Edwards, who died July 17 and had been a reading specialist in the district since 1992 (see obituary, page 9). Salemestrelli publicly thanked the administration at Millstone River School, where Edwards worked most recently, for its support.
Special Education Programs. For the 2015-’16 school year three classes of students with Preschool Disabilities, one from Millstone River and two from Dutch Neck, will move to Town Center Elementary. Also moving from Millstone River to Town Center is one class, grades 1-2, of students with autism.
Two sections of students in the Integrated Preschool Disabilities Program from Wicoff will move to Village, and a behavioral disorder class at Community Middle School has been eliminated due to insufficient student enrollment.
#b#Personnel.#/b# Lindsey Brooks will transfer from first grade teacher to media specialist at Town Center Elementary School, replacing the retired Nancy Hunter. Dennis Mallen was appointed special education teacher at Millstone River, replacing the retired Elizabeth McCormack. Barbra Callahan-Anderson was appointed secretary at Maurice Hawk, replacing the retired Nancy Roff.
Maurice Hawk ESL teacher Carole Hersheit and Grover Middle School physical education teacher Linda Weingart both retired after nearly 20 years in the district. Secretary Cathy McClenahan retired after 25 years in the district.
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, at 7:30 p.m. at Grover Middle School.
#b#Back to School Events#/b#
The WW-P school district has announced dates for freshman orientation at High Schools North and South as well as back-to-school nights for parents at all district schools.
An orientation session for incoming freshmen only will be held at both high schools on Monday, August 31, from 10 a.m. to noon. The program is for students only, and bus transportation will be provided.
The schedule for back-to-school nights is as follows. Programs start at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Kindergarten: Wednesday, September 9; Kindergarten Extension: Wednesday, September 30; Grade 1: Wednesday, September 9; Grades 2 and 3: September 10; Grade 3 (Millstone River only), Monday, September 21, 7 p.m.; Grade 4: Monday, September 21, 7 p.m.; Grade 5: Tuesday, September 29, 7 p.m.; Grade 6: Tuesday, September 15; Grade 7: Wednesday, September 16.; Grade 8: Thursday, September 17; Grades 9-12: Thursday, October 8, 7 p.m.
