The NJSBA Board of Directors met on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at the Association’s headquarters in Trenton and approved the following agenda items:
Consent Agenda Items:
- Open session minutes of the Sept. 14, 2018 meeting
- NJSBA Legislative Committee appointments
- At-Large appointments to the NJSBA Nominating Committee
Roll Call Agenda Items:
- NJSBA 2017-2018 audit
- Second reading of GO/4133 – Travel Authorization and Meal Expense revisions, allowing the Executive Director to authorize expenditures above the travel and meal expense allowance when there is a philanthropic or financial benefit to the Association
- Appropriation of $100,000 from free balance to the building needs allocation fund for future facility upgrades
- Submission of the Bylaws Committee’s recommended amendments to the NJSBA Delegate Assembly in May 2019.
Nominating Committee Elections: Article X, Section 3 of the NJSBA Bylaws requires that the Nominating Committee be established prior to the May Delegates Meeting. In accordance with Bylaws Article X, Section 3, four members of the Board of Directors were elected to serve on the 2019-20 Nominating Committee. This election took place on Friday, Sept.14, 2018. On Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 the County Association Leadership (CAL) elected its four representatives to the Nominating Committee. In accordance with Bylaws Article X, Section 3, a (3), four at-large members of the Nominating Committee were appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors.
The 2019 Nominating Committee includes the following members:
- Northwest Area (Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Warren)
Laurie Markowski, Flemington-Raritan Regional, Hunterdon (Board of Directors)
George Babula, Harmony, Warren (CAL)
Minkyo Chenette, Montgomery Township, Somerset (At-Large) - Northeast Area (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Union)
Sheli Dansky, River Edge, Bergen (Board of Directors)
Helen Kirsch, Berkeley Heights, Union (CAL)
Charles Caraballo, Bloomingdale, Passaic (At Large) - Central Area (Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean)
Jennifer Montone, Burlington City, Burlington (Board of Directors)
Elliot Stroul, Jamesburg, Middlesex (CAL)
Albert Miller, Howell, Monmouth (At-Large) - Southern Area (Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem)
Anne Erickson, Greater Egg Harbor Regional, Atlantic (Board of Directors)
Eileen Miller, Woodstown-Pilesgrove, Salem (CAL)
Gail David, Eastern Camden County Regional, Camden (At-Large)
Executive Director Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, provided an update on Association Activities:
• The Non-College-Bound Learner Task Force rolled out its report on Oct. 2 and again at Workshop 2018, which featured a video presentation summarizing the report. The Task Force delivered an impressive report that goes straight to the core of what is needed to expand career and technical education and prepare students for the 21st century job market.
• The School Security Committee released its updated school security report at Workshop.. The committee reviewed NJSBA’s 2014 school security study, What Makes Schools Safe? While the committee found that the report continues to be an excellent resource, it made 15 new recommendations in several areas, including response and recovery, law enforcement in schools, cybersecurity, after-school security, and the use of schools as polling places.
• In light of the Parkland school shooting and other incidents, it is critical to look at school safety from the perspective of school climate and early outreach to troubled individuals. As a goal for 2018-2019, an NJSBA task force was established on the Delivery of Mental Health Services. The task force held its first meeting on Oct. 17. In the coming months, it will consult with experts in mental health, counseling, school climate and related areas. The task force will issue its report by June 2019.
• School funding continues to be the primary concern among the NJSBA membership – but particularly for the 172 districts that experienced state aid reductions. Three meetings were held in October to give board members and administrators from these districts the opportunity to express their concerns and discuss strategy. The week of Oct. 29, the Department of Education shared the list of districts that applied for emergency funding to alleviate some of the loss of state aid. Of the 47 district that submitted applications, 13 will receive additional funding, totaling $6.8 million.
• The Department of Education’s awarding of emergency funds may give NJSBA a window of opportunity to address strategies to mitigate further losses in aid.
Delegate Assembly Update: On Nov. 17, the Delegate Assembly will include a special program featuring Senate President Sweeney and former education commissioner Lucille Davy. They will address the report of the Legislature’s Economic & Fiscal Policy Workgroup, which is calling for changes to promote cost-efficiency in government. Some of the recommendations NJSBA supports. Others, such as forced regionalization, raise serious concerns. The Workgroup’s report, called “The Path to Progress,” includes recommendations that NJSBA considers critically important. These recommendations address health benefits reform, special education funding and other areas.
Advocacy Update: The Legislature is continuing discussion of bills requiring depression screenings in an effort to control the level of teen suicides. Other issues under consideration are school bus safety; shared services and district consolidation, and certification for mold remediation and removal. $500 million bond question on the November 6 ballot allocates funds for school security, vocational schools and water remediation and infrastructure.
Workshop 2018 Update: Workshop 2018 met all of its programming, attendance and financial goals. Workshop also provided an opportunity for NJSBA to strengthen its relationships with governmental decision-makers on both sides of the aisle, with the administration and the legislature, and within the education community. Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet attended the entire Workshop and was the keynote speaker on Wednesday.
Other Business: The Board of Directors recognized new member Elizabeth Martin, Hunterdon County Vocational Board representing the Vocational Boards
In addition, the Board of Directors:
• Received reports from the Executive Director, President, Immediate Past President, Vice President for County Activities, Vice President for Legislation/Resolutions and Vice President for Finance, and
• Members engaged in a Workshop 2018 debriefing
Information items included legal case summary, NJSBA Delegate Assembly update, and NSBA Delegate Assembly resolutions submitted by NJSBA.