Board of Ed showers accolades on students and staff
SUSSEX-WANTAGE It was packed house at the meeting of the Sussex-Wantage Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 5.
Awards were presented to one student in each grade 6 through 8 recognized as Sussex Middle School students of the month. Robert Osborne, Jenna Blair, and Maggie Vatalaro were each presented with a certificate and exchanged handshakes with Middle School Principal Kevin Lipton, Board of Education President Thomas Card and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edward Izbicki.
Members of the Sussex-Wantage girls basketball team were each acknowledged by their coach and presented certificates. The team was seeded second in a regional tournament, but was narrowly defeated by the number one seeded team by a mere four points.
In addition, the cheerleading squad was presented with certificates for their first place award in the cheer and cheer/dance categories at a recent competition held at Wallkill Valley Regional.
The accolades continued as district administrators presented Teacher of the Year awards. Each teacher was presented with a certificate and flowers as they were recognized by their peers for their accomplishments in the classroom and for going above and beyond for their students and the local community. The individuals selected as teachers of the year include: Lisa VanOrden, CE Lawrence School- Behavioral Disabilities; Teresa Castrogiovanni, Wantage School - Art; Cathryn Weiss, Sussex Middle School - Math
VanOrden will be representing Sussex-Wantage Regional on the county level as the Teacher of the Year nominee.
CE Lawrence School Media specialist Jennifer Paolucci was awarded the staff member of the month for February. She created the Magic of Reading Program which earned the school a visit from the New Jersey Education Associations Cat in the Hat last week.
Association president voices concerns
As a show of support and solidarity many district teachers and staff wore royal blue Sussex-Wantage Education Association T-shirts to the meeting. Association president Katherine Gomez read from her prepared remarks requesting the board pull the absentee policy from the first-reading. Gomez cited examples in the policy that she said may be exclusionary and urged the board to meet the terms of the existing association agreement.
Gomez pointed out specific items that she believes represent a punitive policy. She further suggested that the board not approve a policy that contradicts terms that were bargained in good faith. Her remarks were met with applause from fellow association members. The board voted to table the attendance policy.
In another contractual matter, CE Lawrence School nurse Pamela Flynn told to the board that she has been working without a contract since June 2011. She went on to say that she is making $200 less per month. Flynns remarks were also met with applause from the audience but no comment from the board.
Other issues voiced from the public included questions about how board policies are voted on and whether public input is sought, the computerized substitute system, and a question about the honor roll system in the district compared to other area schools.
Board member John "Craig" Coykendall raised the issue of school uniforms as a means of eliminating bullying and harassment and making for a safer school environment. The results of a school survey suggested that students and parents might not be in favor of a uniform policy. Board attorney Yaacov Brisman offered to provide research on the subject of school uniforms at an upcoming board meeting.