June 8, 2011 A Regular Public Meeting of the Board of Education of the Township of Teaneck, County of Bergen, New Jersey, was held in the 3rd Floor Cheryl Miller-Porter Student Center at the High School, 100 Elizabeth Avenue, Teaneck, New Jersey, on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, at 8:06 p.m. Dr. Ardie Walser, President of the Board, presided. FLAG SALUTE PRESIDING OFFICER’S MEETING NOTICE STATEMENT “I hereby call to order the Regular Public Meeting of the Teaneck Board of Education, held on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, in the 3rd Floor Cheryl Miller-Porter Student Center at the High School, 100 Elizabeth Street, Teaneck, New Jersey. Adequate notice of this meeting has been sent to The Record, The Suburbanite, filed with the Municipal Clerk of the Township of Teaneck and posted inside the Teaneck Board of Education, One Merrison Street, on Friday, June 3, 2011.” ROLL CALL Board Members Present: Dr. David Diuguid Mrs. Margot Embree Fisher Dr. Henry Pruitt Mr. Sebastian Rodriguez Mr. Howard Rose Mrs. Clara Williams Mrs. Gervonn Rice Dr. Ardie Walser Absent: Mr. Herbert Burack Others Present: Ms. Barbara Pinsak, Interim Superintendent of Schools Mr. Robert Finger, Business Administrator/Board Secretary Please Note: It may be necessary, from time to time, to remove or make changes in a motion(s) between the time this agenda is prepared and when the Board takes action. This will be accomplished by an actual removal or change in the motion and noted on the Errata and Change Sheet, or will be announced by the Board President at the start of the meeting. 1 Superintendent’s Report June 8, 2011 Due to the severe heat predicted for Thursday, June 9th, and in response to the county’s severe weather alert, the district will conduct half-day sessions in all of their schools. Parent/guardians were advised of this via a Global Connect call and information will be posted on the district website. Despite the heat, some wonderful end-of-the-year events have been occurring and are scheduled to occur in our schools. This week, I’ve toured the Outback and tasted regional cuisine from Australia, courtesy of Ms. Rudy’s class at Whittier School. I have joined the audience for orchestra, band and choral performances at Whittier and Hawthorne School. Well attended events that I’ve had to miss include a wonderful choral performance at Thomas Jefferson and a superb band-orchestra concert at Benjamin Franklin. This time of year, our calendar is chock-filled with exhibits and performances—the products of students’ year-long work. Too, during May and June, we celebrate our students who have excelled in athletics and academics. This week began with our Senior Athletic Awards banquet, where our athletes received recognition for their team and individual efforts. Congratulations to Boys’ Basketball Coach Jerome Smart and Girls’ Basketball Coach Shenee Clarke for being selected by their peers as Teaneck Coaches of the Year. Last night, I was privileged to attend the Community Awards/Scholarship event at Teaneck High School. At that time, scores of awards and scholarships were presented to our deserving students. The message to the student was that their community has confidence in their abilities and wants to invest in their futures. The Community Scholarship Fund committee is comprised of a number of individuals who work tirelessly throughout the year to raise funds for our students. Its membership includes former Board members, retired teachers and administrators and caring community members. On behalf of the district, I want to sincerely thank these individuals for volunteerism which goes on all year. Tonight we have a presentation from TJMS students. The Artists-In-Education (AIE) program is carried out through a partnership between the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and a consortium made up of Arts Horizons and Young Audiences New Jersey. This program provides New Jersey schools with long-term artist residencies. The program is made possible through state appropriations to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts as well as funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. JUNE 8, 2011 PRESENTATION - by Thomas Jefferson Middle School students – Artists in Education program presented by Alma Morell, Vice Principal. PUBLIC HEARING ON MEETING AGENDA The public hearing on matters appearing on this meeting’s business agenda commenced at 8:42 p.m. No one wished to address the Board on any agenda matters and the hearing was then closed. PRESENTATION – to Retirees Giancola, Cummings and Kemp. FORMAL BUSINESS AGENDA The Board of Education took the following actions on the business agenda items for this meeting. 3 PERSONNEL JUNE 8, 2011 178. Motion made by Mrs. Fisher seconded by Mr. Rodriguez that the Board adopt the following Resolution in recognition of the retirement of Mr. Charles Giancola, effective July 1, 2011: WHEREAS, Mr. Charles “Chuck” Giancola has indicated his intention to retire after thirty-seven years of service in the Teaneck Public Schools, having started his career at Hawthorne School, in grade five and subsequently teaching at Emerson, Eugene Field and Lowell Schools before transferring to Benjamin Franklin Middle School where he has been a vital member of the staff since 1991, and WHEREAS, he has enthusiastically devoted his career to Teaneck’s youth to reach their full potential, working with students across the academic spectrum; understanding that teaching and learning is a life-long process, and stressing critical and creative thinking skills and a positive sense of independence, while fostering a love of learning, and WHEREAS, during his tenure, he has exemplified the role of teacher, nurturing, challenging and guiding the educational and social development of hundreds of Teaneck students; using a wide variety of instructional materials and techniques to engage and motivate even the most reluctant learner; recognizing the importance of the home school partnership, reaching out to parents to increase their level of awareness and engage them in the learning process, and WHEREAS, “Mr. G” has remained a conscientious and committed professional, attending numerous workshops and serving on a variety of committees including the Writing Committee, Technology Management Team, Language Arts Curriculum Review Committee; and was instrumental in developing and implementing a reading pilot and mathematics program for gifted and high achievers; participating in “Me-Mo”, a Rutgers University project on problem solving which was being field tested; serving as resource, role model, mentor, friend, and resident historian for many novice and student teachers, always willing to share an idea or concept, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education express its gratitude and appreciation to this conscientious and talented educator for his years of dedicated service, and be it further RESOLVED, that we extend our warmest best wishes, with time to “do what he wants, when he wants” with no bells or schedules to dictate his tennis playing, reading and cooking, and simply enjoying his well-deserved free time, and be it further RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be presented to Charles Giancola as a citation of honor and distinction. Roll call on Personnel Motion #178; Motion approved 8-0. 4 PERSONNEL JUNE 8, 2011 180. Motion made by Mrs. Rice seconded by Mr. Rodriguez that the Board adopt the following Resolution in recognition of the retirement of Kathleen Cummings, effective June 30, 2011: WHEREAS, Ms. Kathleen Cummings has indicated her intention to retire after seventeen years of service to the Teaneck Public Schools as a member of the support staff, and WHEREAS, Ms. Cummings began her career in 1994 at Bryant School, where she quickly became part of the office team, demonstrating a pleasant and calming manner when dealing with the district’s youngest students and welcoming new parents into the school system, and WHEREAS, in 2004, Ms. Cummings transferred to the Administrative Offices, first to the Department of Special Services and, in 2005, to the Office of Curriculum & Instruction, where her professionalism was manifested in every facet of her performance, being appropriately discrete when confidentiality was required, completing tasks with minimal direction and proactively anticipating departmental needs while displaying a resourcefulness in meeting those needs, and WHEREAS, Ms. Cummings demonstrated initiative and diligence in using her organizational and time management skills to meet or beat deadlines, and used her excellent people skills to not only good-naturedly assist her colleagues but to handle parental concerns with tact and diplomacy, seeking to resolve issues before they became problems, and WHEREAS, her efforts and friendly demeanor have been greatly appreciated and will be sorely missed by her supervisors, co-workers, staff, parents, and all who have relied on her advice and sense of calm, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Education express to Kathleen Cummings its gratitude and appreciation for her years of dedication and commitment to the students and staff of Teaneck, and be it further RESOLVED, that we extend best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement as she embarks on an exciting chapter in her life: relocating to a new home in North Carolina, with time to decorate, plant, search out new opportunities and friendships, and enjoy her grandchildren, and be it further RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be presented to Kathleen Cummings as a citation of honor and distinction. Roll call on Personnel Motion #180; Motion approved 8-0. 5 PERSONNEL JUNE 8, 2011 181. MOTION made by Mrs. Rice seconded by Mr. Rodriguez that the Board adopt the following Resolution in recognition of the retirement of Joyce Kemp, effective March 1, 2011: WHEREAS, Ms. Joyce Kemp has retired from the Teaneck Public Schools, more specifically, from Hawthorne School which she has considered her “home away from home” for twenty-two years, and WHEREAS, Ms.