What Happened at the March 13th Board Meeting?

Celebrating Inclusivity, Competitive Clubs Approved, Budget Presentation Retirement Recognition, Personnel Motions Removed, Minutes Voted Down, and More

Here’s my quick recap of the March 13 Board of Education meeting for those who were unable to attend. As always, the video of the full meeting is available on the district website.

Items I thought were of interest:

1) Thank you to Dr. Dionisio for recommending a 2023-2024 district calendar that recognizes Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, as a day off. I’m proud to be part of a community that promotes this inclusivity. The recommendation for the calendar was passed by the Board unanimously.

2) Thank you to Dr. Dionisio for recommending the addition of a Competitive Dance Team and a Mountain Biking Club (both subject to RIHEA negotiation for coach stipends). The recommendation was passed by the Board unanimously.

3) Dr. Dionisio recognized and thanked Ms. Kathleen Whaley, a long time English teacher who is retiring.

4) Dr. Dionisio reported that his Strategic Plan work is nearing completion. The committee work includes looking at the impact of potential Block Scheduling and later school start times.

5) Agenda items P4 and P11 (personnel motions regarding coaches and substitute teachers) were removed from the agenda on the Superintendent’s recommendation.

6) Year to date, a majority of the Board (Sullivan, Ansh, Emmolo, Bogdansky, Mariani) had overturned 6 of 9 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (“HIB”) cases. On March 13 those members reversed course and the Board unanimously supported all 3 of the Superintendent’s HIB recommendations on the agenda. As always, we are not privy to any details of these cases which would indicate why the Board supported the recommendations tonight and did not support so many of the Superintendent’s previous recommendations. Someone asked me what does this mean for the cases that were overturned by the Board majority earlier in the year? Those cases will not be re-heard, the Board decision stands unless or until the parties involved appeal the decisions.

7) THE BUDGET - the Business Administrator gave a tentative budget presentation. The overall tax increase for the FLOW district is suggested at 3.3% increase, using the health care waiver and some banked cap to go over the 2% cap. The impact on each FLOW town will be different depending on the state allocation formula. In the presentation, the current projection is that Franklin Lakes taxes may decrease slightly, and Oakland and Wyckoff may increase slightly (exact percentages for each town were not given). The final budget vote is expected to be done on April 24. The Board had only one question for the Business Administrator regarding State Aid, and the recommendation was passed unanimously. The actual presentation can be found here: Link to Budget Presentation.

8 ) The Board majority (Sullivan, Ansh, Emmolo, Bogdansky, Mariani) voted to approve a second reading of Board policy 0164. This is interesting mainly because at the previous meeting the Board voted for a walk-in motion to approve Policy 0164 “on a one read only which is tonight” (in violation of their own policy 0131 which requires two readings of a policy with appropriate notice to staff, board members and the public). So, this "second reading" appears to be an attempt to correct the actions taken on February 13 (which was in itself an attempt to correct the actions taken on January 5th when they walked in the same policy change on a single reading). The walk-in motions for policy changes continue to disrespect and surprise the Superintendent and other 4 Board members and represent the ongoing Board Policy violations taking place under President Judy Sullivan. On the surface these may appear to be minor technicalities, but they demonstrate a lack of regard for rules and process by the majority of this Board.

9) For the second time this year, the Board majority (Sullivan, Ansh, Emmolo, Bogdansky, Mariani) voted not to approve the minutes of their Public Meeting (in this case February 13th). Changes to the minutes must be discussed in public. There was no discussion, the minutes were just voted down. The previous time the minutes were voted down, we learned that Board Vice President Kim Ansh was trying to force changes into the minutes behind the scenes, via emails to the Superintendent and Business Administrator. We should all be concerned about what this Board is hiding.