Thank you. Good evening. I'd like to call to order the Highland Park Board of Education hybrid reorganization workshop meeting on Monday, January 5th, 2026. The New Jersey Open Public Meeting Act was enacted to ensure the right of the
public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of the public bodies at which any business affected their interests is discussed or acted upon. In compliance with the open public meetings act, the Highland Park Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting setting forth the time, date,
and location to be submitted for publication to the home news tribute and courier news and posted on the board's website at this 48 hours in advance of this meeting. Members of the public who wish to address the board will be given the opportunity to do so before the board adjourns for the evening.
Let's stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
As I mentioned earlier, tonight is the reorganization meeting and I am Denise D. Rosa, the school business administrator and board secretary will conduct the meeting and will uh the board president is nominated and elected. The election results for the
school board members are as follows. Daniel By with 3,161 votes, Francisco Maldonado with 3,314 votes, and an Gland with 3,170 votes.
If Mr. Mard and please um repeat both after me. >> I do solemnly affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.
I do affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey. >> And I will bear true faith and allegiance the same as the government established in the United States and this state under authority of the people.
>> I will bear the true faith and allegiance the same as the government established in the United States and this state under authority of the people. And I do affirm that I possess the qualifications prescribed by law from the office of member of a board of
education and that I will faithfully and partially and justly perform all the duties of that office according to the best of my ability. And I do affirm that I will test the qualifications prescribed by law for the office of member of a board of education and that
I will faithfully impartially and justly perform all the duties of that office according to the best of my ability. >> Congratulations and welcome to the Highland Park Board of Education. At this time, I'll take call >> here. Mrs.
>> here. >> Dr. Coleman >> here. >> Mr. Maldonado >> here. >> Dr. Miss Bruce >> here. >> Dr. >> here. >> Miss Daniel >> here. >> Here. >> It's an intimidating group.
medical doctor >> and to find out all the people you'll find are the quoted ethics and conflicts of conflict of interest forms. I suggest that you read through them um before signing off on them. But just to
summarize, um the forms are are really to ensure that as a board member and school official that no median or member of their immediate family shall have interest in the business organization or engage in any business transaction or
professional activity um which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of their duties of the public interest. Um that you shall not use your official um school officials shall not use their official position to secure un
unwarranted privileges and shall not act in official capacity in any manner when he or she um or a member of the family or or a business organization in which he has interest as a direct or indirect financial involvement of the work.
And it's important to note that you shall uphold and enforce all the laws, rules, and regulations of the state board of education. So, I suggest that you take the time to read through it and before you sign off on that and just return it to me at your convenience.
Next, um we will nominate a president. Um, are there any nominations for board president at this time? >> Yes. >> I would like to nominate an Vivan as
board president. Second. >> Are there any other nominations for board president? Being that there's no further nominations, we'll go for a roll call vote. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Melta. >> Yes. >> Dr. Coleman. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Maldonado. >> Yes. >> Miss Bruce. >> Yes. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Miss Daniel. >> Yes. Miss Bergman. [Laughter] >> Yes. Thank you, Ann.
We don't waste any time. spread out. >> Okay, so now it's on me. Okay, >> back out now. Uh, so uh, do we have a nomination for vice president?
[Music] >> I nominate Marilyn. >> Oh, second last name. It doesn't count. >> Did you second? >> I did. >> Dr.
>> Yes, >> Mr. M. >> I guess so. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. I can move over now. All right.
Next to me. >> Okay. Um I move that the board of education accept the recommendation of the superintendent to approve the annual board meeting calendar for the 2026 board year as per the attached. >> Thanks.
>> Dr. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. Yes, >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Dr. Pixley. >> Miss Bruce. >> Yes. >> Dr. Smman. >> Yes. >> Miss Daniel. >> Yes. >> Yes.
Um, okay. I move that the board of education elect uh me as delegate and Marilyn Puce as alternate delegate to the New Jersey School Boards Association for the 2026 board year.
Dr. Yes. Mr. >> Yes. >> Dr. Coleman. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Miss Pruce. >> Yes. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. I move that the board of education elect um Marilyn Puce as delegate and
Anne Verdan as alternate delegate to the Middle Sex County School Boards Association for the 2026 board year. Second baby. >> Yes. Salva. Drman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Maldonado. >> Yes. Mr. >> Yes.
>> Dr. Spman. >> Yes. >> Yes. I move that the board of education approve the following resolutions. A. Be it resolved that the rules, regulations, and policies of the Highland Park Board of Education adopted for the previous
year shall be adopted for the current year. B. Be it resolved that Robert's rules of order be adopted as the official parliamentary procedure manual to be used to conduct meetings. C. Be it resolved that the official newspapers of the board of education be the home news
tribune of Neptune, New Jersey and/or the corer news of Somerville for the advertisement of meetings and legal ads and all other necessary public notifications. All official notices shall also be placed on the district's website www.hpschools. hpschools.net
D. Be it resolved that the following be designated as depository of school monies uh TD Bank and NJ asset and rebate management program. E. Be it resolved that the general operating account and the payroll agency
account shall bear the signatures of the treasurer of school monies and board secretary together with that of the president of the board of education and that the net payroll account shall contain only the signature of the treasurer of school monies. Uh be it
resolved that the following checking account shall bear the signatures as listed below. Irving student fund principal and business administrator and assistant administrative secretary for student funds. >> Bartle school student fund principal and business administrator and assistant
administrative secretary for student funds. Middle school student fund principal and assistant principal and business administrator and assistant administrative secretary for student funds. High School Student Fund Principal and Assistant Principal and Business Administrator and Assistant
Administrative Secretary for Student Funds. Business Office, Food Service Fund, Board President and Treasurer and Business Administrator, Business Office, SUI Trust Account, Board President and Treasurer and Business Administrator, High School Athletic Activities Account,
athletic programs and sports medicine administrator and business administrator and superintendent. Uh G. Be it resolved that the board of education authorizes Denise D. Roza, the district purchasing agent, to make purchases of goods and services entered into on behalf of the state by the
division of purchase and property utilizing various vendors that have state contracts pursuant to NJSA18A 18A-10. Be it resolved that the board of education acknowledges that Denise D. Rosa, business administrator, board secretary, is a qualified purchasing
agent. Therefore, the current bid threshold is set as $53,000 and the current quote threshold is set at $7,950 subject to the provisions of NJSA 18A18-3
and subsection B of section P of PL1 1971C 198. Um, be it further resolved that the board secretary is authorized to sign board contracts throughout the 2025 2026 and 2026, 2027 school year for goods and
services required for the operation of the school system. Be it resolved that the board of educa education authorizes the school business administrator to pay obligations throughout the year with review by the board of education at the next regular public meeting in the event
that the payment of such bills is required for the district to meet its essential financial obligations. Be it resolved that the board of education authorizes the superintendent of schools to hire new staff in the absence of the board with formal approval being taken by the board of education at the next
regular public meeting. Uh and K. Be it resolved that the board of education authorizes the use of the uniform minimum chart of accounts. >> Second. >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dr.
>> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Miss Bruce. >> Yes. >> Dr. Yes. Um, I move that the board of education accept the recommendation of the superintendent to revise the following appointments for the remainder of the
2025 2026 school year. Uh, A, be it resolved that Kevin Robinson, interim supervisor of educational services, be appointed as the district's homeless liaison. B, be it resolved that Amy Capa, acting director of stu acting executive director of student services,
be appointed as the district's ADA officer. And be it resolved that Amy Capala, acting director of student services, be appointed as the English as a second language program officer. Second, >> Dr. >> Yes. >> Mela,
>> yes. >> Dr. Coleman, >> yes. >> Mr. Mal, >> yes. >> Miss Bruce, >> yes. >> Yes. Okay. And now we get to do um committee appointments. So, uh,
do I have to move this? Is that how it works or do I just announce them? >> I think we >> Okay. So, um, appointments for the 2026 board year for the committee on curriculum and instruction. Uh, that
will be chaired by uh, Dan and we'll also have Sarah and Ethan on the committee. Uh the committee on finance and facilities will be shar uh chaired by Allison and Francisco and
Marilyn will also be on that committee and equity and excellence uh will be chaired by Mon'nique and Nikki and I will be on that committee as well. Um and then we have the
board liaison. So the liaison to municipal drug and alcohol alliance will be Elizabeth Azimoa. Liaison to borrow public information committee will be Sarah Pixley. Liaison to the Highland Park
Education Foundation will be Francisco Maldonado. Lazison to the commission for universal access will be uh Dan. Representative to the public library will be Michelle Rodriguez. Leaison to special education parent advisory
committee will be Allison. Liaison to human relations will be Nikki. Uh liaison to the board of public health will be Mon'nique. uh and with Maryland as an alternate
and delegate to the HP athletic boosters uh will be me and uh the green team which isn't on here uh will be Ethan. Hope everyone enjoys their assignment.
Um, do we have any old business? >> Do we need to do we need to announce the negotiations committee today? Negotiate. We need to do the >> thinking about the negoti Do you have anybody that wants to be on the Do you want to appoint um a couple people for the negotiations committee just in case that's needed?
>> Just in case. >> Or do you want to do like an ad hoc? >> That's one of them. Yeah, >> ad hoc. Okay. I guess for all of this, I just want to thank our outgoing board president. >> We appreciate all of your hard efforts
over the past. >> Two terms. >> Two terms. >> Yeah. Thank you. And thank you, Marilyn, for once again like you need to be reminded. >> Really appreciate it. Thank you. >> And just thank you again for stepping up
this tribute. Denise and I are excited to work with both of you in this capacity. Uh look for a group text that usually stays up in my little pins um available. So that uh we'll we'll come. In addition um information will come out of our offices in terms of next step for committee
work. So what we'll do is we'll reach out to the chairs and make sure the dates um and times of our current um evening meetings still work. They're all on Zoom. Um, so if they still work, we'll continue those and we'll set them up for the remainder of the year. Um,
and and we can then we'll start building our agendas, >> right? >> Uh, you mean business? >> Yeah. >> Mean the new business would be welcome. Francisco >> join. Uh if there's no other new business um
then we can move on to public comment uh portion of our evening. The Highland Park Board of Education welcomes public participation and has reserved this time for your comments board policies uh 0164 and 0167
established and regulating the right of the public to participate in public meetings. Do we have anyone Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yeah. Good. Uh, could you state your name, please? >> Uh, hi. Yes, this is Kristen Springer at 423 Dennis Street. Uh, can you hear me?
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Great. Um, I wanted to follow up on the Kamango special education um, evaluation. Um, as I'm sure that you all remember last November, over a year ago, so November, I guess two November ago,
November 25th, the 2024 board meeting, um, the board of ed, you all approved $50,000 to be allocated for the special education uh, program evaluation, which was um, very exciting. Uh and we heard
at the um last board meeting or maybe it was the December 3rd board meeting uh the report said that Dr. Cesca had met with Amy Capola and they met with Kamango to review the first draft of the report and that the next steps were to dig deeper into the data that came out
of the document review and you were going to have uh PD set later in the spring to address the issues identified. And so I was curious uh when and how uh parents and children were going to be involved. That was a a key point that was brought up in the November 24th
board of ed meeting. Um you know they made a point uh Kamega made a point and you all made a point of saying that you'll have stakeholder meetings live and zoom face toface meetings, you'll have surveys uh you're going to provide every forum um so that voices don't go unheard uh
repeatedly. He said voices don't go unheard and that he'd like to begin by talking with parents. And uh if I remember correctly, the only uh involvement of parents that I'm aware of as a parent of a special education
student was one survey sent late last year sent only once and only in English to parents. Um and I know that CPAC at that point had also suggested that it was sent multiple times into multiple languages. So, I would uh really like if
um the board uh could let the public know um when parents are going to be more involved and how it's going to be more equitable and reach parents who may not want to respond by uh surveys, who might not feel comfortable with that,
who do not have uh English proficiency. um because that was this was a core part of what was supposed to be in the $50,000 Kamango um evaluation and at this point it kind of sounded like it's done and parents aren't involved. So I
think that is really important for taxpayers and parents and the public to know how parents are going to be involved in this evaluation. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else for public comment? >> Okay. Well, in that case, I move that we
adjourn. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All in favor? >> Yes. >> Yeah. All >> right. Just the event.