Minutes of Business Meeting of November 20, 2008
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MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING OF DECEMBER 20, 2012 The monthly Business Meeting of the Piscataway Township Board of Education was held on Thursday, December 20, 2012 at the Administration Building. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by the Board Vice President, Mr. Mosier. I. CALL TO ORDER Salute to Flag - Board Vice President Roll Call - Board Secretary P Mr. Connors P Mrs. Lopez P Mr. Okamoto P Mrs. Greeley Vacancy P Mr. Opitz P Ms. King P Mr. Mosier P Mr. Peng II. NOTIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT HEREBY BE IT KNOWN that the Piscataway Township Board of Education has complied with the notification requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act for the announcement of this meeting date and place on June 27, 2012, in the following manner: Posting of the public notice on the posting board for the Board of Education in the Administration Building Mail notification to the newspaper serving Piscataway, The Home News Tribune Notification filed with the Municipal Clerk at the Municipal Building on Hoes Lane This meeting is being digitally recorded. This recording is not an official record or supplement to the minutes and is intended only as a source of information that the public might utilize at a later date to familiarize themselves with the Board's activities. III. EXECUTIVE SESSION BE IT RESOLVED that the Board adjourn to executive session for the purpose of review and discussion of a detailed personnel agenda for action this evening, HIB review of monthly reports and other matters involving individual staff members, as well as numerous outstanding matters in litigation. It is not known at this time when these matters can be disclosed to the public. Motion to adjourn: Moved Mr. Okamoto Seconded Ms. King Yea 8 Nay 0 IV. PUBLIC SESSION BE IT RESOLVED that the Board reconvenes public session. Motion to reconvene: Moved Mrs. Greeley Seconded Mr. Okamoto Yea 8 Nay 0 Public session reconvened at 8:00 p.m. V. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES’ REPORT . Report from Chioma Egekeze VI. PRESIDENT’S REPORT . Grandview musical presentation . Annual Audit Presentation: Wiss & Company VII. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT PISCATAWAY HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE TEAMS COMPETE IN HIGH SCHOOL ETHICS BOWL Is it morally acceptable to use drones to fight terrorism? To what extent should medication be used to improve children’s behavior? These are just a few of the topics presented to student teams in last weekend’s 2012 High School Ethics Bowl as they formulated ethical solutions to today’s scientific problems in debate format. In only its second year of competing, Piscataway High School Group One, comprised of Roma N. Patel, Nick Bushinski, Sajada Comino and Daniel Naumenko, was undefeated in both rounds of competition. PHS Group Two members, Javairia Burton, Julia De Lello, Jamaalah Diop and Tania Atannasova, won their first round and tied the second. A total of 18 teams participated in the competition, hosted annually by Stevens Institute of Technology. PISCATAWAY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTEND PRE-MED HONORS PROGRAM Twenty-five Piscataway High School students graduated from the 2012 Pre-Medical Honors Program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark on November 28th. The program seeks to identify and encourage high school students to consider careers in medicine. Meghana Maratha, grade 9, received honors at the ceremony for an outstanding test score at the conclusion of the program. During the months of October and November, the group attended lectures and other educational presentations, including Basic Life Support and Medical Librarianship, and toured the medical school’s Pathology Laboratory and the Trauma Unit at University Hospital in Newark. EISENHOWER HOSTS A TRIAD OF WINTER CONCERTS Third grade musicians at Eisenhower School performed three concerts last week for classmates and parents, featuring a variety of winter and peace-themed songs from around the world. In addition to vocals, students added hand movements and choreography, and used an assortment of instruments, including maracas, jingle bells, cymbals, drums, and recorders. Other performers were featured as speakers, welcoming the audience and introducing each musical selection. THE PISCATAWAY HIGH SCHOOL – BEIJING CONNECTION The Piscataway High School Mandarin Chinese language program, designated last year as a “Confucius Classroom” by the Hanban/Confucius Institute in Beijing and the Asia Society, will welcome students from Shangnan Senior High School in Shanghai as part of a sister school exchange program next month. Piscataway High School students will travel to China during Spring Break. Last month, Freddy Nunez, Chair of the high school’s World Language Department, joined over 400 educators from throughout the United States at the Chinese Bridge Delegation program in China. Highlights included school visits, cultural activities and educational workshops, all designed to help educators start or strengthen their institution’s Chinese programs through collaborative opportunities. NEW PLAYGROUNDS SPROUT AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS New jungle gyms, slides and other playground equipment have popped up at Randolphville, Knollwood, Eisenhower and Grandview Schools. Installed over the past several months, the new equipment encourages healthy activity and exercise, combined with lots of outdoor fun! Preschoolers, toddlers and infants are enjoying a new fire truck and other age appropriate climbing units at Children’s Corner Pre-school. The equipment was purchased through a grant from the Community Education Office. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS TO PERFORM IN REGIONAL ENSEMBLES Let’s hear a round of applause! Five Piscataway High School student musicians have been chosen to perform with New Jersey Region II performing ensembles in upcoming concerts. Percussionists Christian Lopez and Emmanuel Solano, both grade 11, will perform with the Region 2 Symphonic Band, while Marco Jaimes, grade 11, bass trombone, was selected for the Region 2 Wind Ensemble. A concert featuring both groups is scheduled for Sunday, January 13th at Montgomery High School. Imani Faggan, grade 12, and Tanaea Schmalz Sherin, grade 10, were accepted into Mixed Chorus, the most select vocal ensemble, and will perform on Sunday, January 27th, location to be announced. The competition included students from Region II schools throughout Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Somerset and Union counties. MUSICIANS ON THE MOVE! The Piscataway High School Chamber Orchestra, comprised of thirty musicians, recently performed at the Piscataway offices of Colgate-Palmolive during a program recognizing recent retirees and employees celebrating 25 years of service with the company. The ensemble continued its “road show” with holiday concerts at Grandview, Knollwood, Eisenhower, Randolphville, Arbor and ML King Schools, and the Lakeview School in Edison. ARBOR COUNTRY STORE HITS ALL-TIME HIGH IN DONATIONS A record $1,650 was raised at this year’s Arbor School “Country Store” holiday sale to support the FISH Hospitality Program, an outreach serving homeless women and families. Arbor has hosted the “Country Store” for over 20 years. Students gather contributions of new or “gently used” items, and learn merchandising skills and math while running the sale. Arbor students enjoy shopping for their holiday gift items at the store. SCHOR STUDENTS SUPPORT PWAY HURRICANE VICTIMS Students at Schor Middle School collected over 600 pounds of holiday food donations and gift cards for families impacted by Hurricane Sandy. After sorting and organizing the donations, they were able to deliver 10 baskets and 18 reusable shopping bags filled with groceries to nearby families, just in time for the holidays. SING-A-LONGS AND CONCERTS MAKE A MONTH OF MUSIC Piscataway schools have been filled with joyful music this month, with holiday concerts and sing-a- longs taking place at Conackamack, Schor, Quibbletown, Grandview, ML King, Randolphville, Eisenhower, Knollwood and Children’s Corner Pre-school. Instrumental and vocal concerts were held this week at Piscataway High School, and Arbor families will enjoy a school concert in mid-January. AFTER CARE CENTERS DELIVER HOLIDAY CHEER The aroma of gingerbread is in the air! Over 60 brightly decorated gingerbread houses, hand-made cards, and other holiday decorations, created by children enrolled in the district’s Before and After Care programs at the elementary and middle schools, were delivered to Sterling Village, the Piscataway Police Department and St. Peter’s University Hospital Children’s Center. The children also made treat bags of holiday snack mix, which were delivered in gift boxes ornately decorated by students and staff. The opportunity to create the decorations and extend holiday cheer to the community is an annual favorite of the students in the program. ATHLETES IN THE NEWS Several Piscataway High School athletes have received local and state recognition for achievements during the fall sports season. Hannah Isaacs, goalkeeper for the Piscataway High School field hockey team, was named Greater Middlesex Conference Coaches All-Division, Home News Tribune Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Area First Team by the North Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Association. Chiefs football players Cameron Nash, Nadir Barnwell and Denzel Lockhart were named First Team All-Middlesex by the Star Ledger, and First-Team All-Area by the Home News Tribune. The Star Ledger named Daija Griffin and Kristyn Shea as Soccer First Team All-Middlesex, and Marcus Hatchett was named First Team All-Middlesex Cross Country. Marcus was also selected First