Christina Gouraige

The meeting included a recess into Executive Session to discuss exempt matters concerning the Superintendent's Report of Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying, and Personnel. Key actions taken upon reconvening included passing resolutions of appreciation for Board Member Anita Bagdat's service and recognizing the completion of three renovation and addition projects at Fieldstone Middle School. The Superintendent's report summarized 2025 achievements, district enrollment figures, and noted a physical security assessment at Fieldstone Middle School. Board business covered affirming HIB decisions, approving nominations for the Bergen County Teacher Recognition Program and associated project funding, approving the 2026-2027 school calendar, and approving the updated district organizational chart. Education Committee actions involved approving new contracts for a Facilities Manager and a Teaching Assistant, approving employment for substitutes, revising several annual contracts for additional class periods or compensation adjustments, approving co-curricular advisor appointments, rescinding a leave without pay, approving leaves without pay, approving compensation for professional development work, approving chaperone compensation for winter concerts, approving salary guide advancement, approving tuition reimbursement, and authorizing employee/board member travel expenditures. The Finance Committee approved voucher payments, numerous appropriation transfers related to various construction and service line items, certified the October 2025 financial reports, approved a maintenance/software contract renewal, approved Special Education out-of-district placements, accepted the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, and approved naming an additional vendor for tax-advantaged retirement savings plans. The Facilities and Transportation segment approved architectural/engineering services for Memorial Elementary School STEAM Lab renovations and approved several change orders for the Memorial Addition Project, Fieldstone Renovations Project, Memorial Partial Roof Replacement, and Fieldstone Mechanicals Project. Additionally, the Board approved the use of permitted appliances (mini refrigerators) in specified classrooms. Policy addressed the second reading approval of Policy 5337.1 regarding Therapy Dogs.

The meeting commenced with a work session that included a motion to enter Executive Session to discuss exempt matters, specifically the Superintendent's Report of Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying, and Personnel issues. The Board reconvened into public session, after which no members of the public wished to be heard. Key business included the discussion and approval for placement on the subsequent Board agenda of the minutes from the November 17, 2025 meeting. Further discussions involved the proposed 2026-2027 school calendar and a preliminary outlook for the 2026-2027 school budget.

The meeting included recessing into Executive Session to discuss the Superintendent's Report of Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying, Personnel, and a Hearing. Upon returning to public session, key discussions included the Superintendent's report on recent school events, parent-teacher conferences, Board of Education elections, Teacher of the Year selection, and Veterans Day activities. Enrollment figures were updated, showing a total district enrollment of 983 students. Board business included affirming Superintendent's decisions regarding harassment, intimidation, and bullying reports, and proclaiming November 17-21, 2025 as American Education Week. Education Committee items involved approving a new contract for a World Language Teacher, approving revised and new job descriptions (including for a Therapy Dog Handler), approving mentor teacher fees, awarding contracts for the Montvale Child Care Program, rescinding a previous motion, approving a stipend for a substitute teacher, approving leaves without pay, approving compensation for winter concert chaperones, and authorizing educational travel expenditures for professional development. The Finance Committee approved voucher payments, certified financial reports for September 2025, approved appropriation transfers for the 2025-2026 budget year, and authorized the submission of an ESEA Amended Application for Fiscal Year 2026 rollover awards. The Facilities and Transportation section approved change orders for the Fieldstone MultiPurpose Room Renovations Project and the Fieldstone Fieldhouse Project. A first reading was conducted for Policy 5337.1 concerning a Therapy Dog. New business included a request for school closures on Eid and Diwali holidays for the 2026-2027 school year, which will be reviewed in the next worksession.

The meeting agenda included several key areas of business. The Board planned to enter Executive Session to discuss the Superintendent's Report of Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying (HIB) instances, trainings, programs, and personnel matters. In the public session, the Superintendent's report covered district events, HIB instances, trainings, programs for Report Period 1, and enrollment figures for FMS and MES. Board Business included approving the minutes from December 2025 meetings, approving employment calendars for custodial/maintenance and clerical/office personnel for 2026-27, increasing the maximum annual contribution for dependent care flexible spending accounts to $7,500, and recognizing January 2026 as School Board Recognition Month. The Education Committee addressed employee retirements, revised annual contracts, approved in-house substitutes, revised substitute rates, approved chaperones for a Washington, D.C. trip, approved leaves without pay, approved stipends for camera installation and additional business office responsibilities, and authorized educational travel expenditures. The Finance Committee approved voucher payments, appropriation transfers for the 2025-26 budget, certified financial reports for November 2025, approved charter school placements and tuition costs, authorized submission of an ESEA Amended Application for rollover awards, authorized application for a Local Recreation Improvement Grant (LRIG) for playground replacement, approved the disposal of old trophy cases, and accepted several grants from the Montvale Educational Foundation. The Facilities and Transportation Committee approved change orders for the Fieldstone Mechanicals Project, approved the submission of a project application for the Memorial Elementary School Classroom Renovation Project, and approved an amendment to the Long Range Facilities Plan to include this renovation project.

The meeting included a Superintendent's report covering various themes and events such as the Week of Respect, School Violence Awareness & Prevention Week, Red Ribbon Week, Fire Prevention Week, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The annual assessment report for the 2024-2025 school year was presented, highlighting improvements in district areas of focus. The board discussed and approved several motions related to minutes from previous meetings, affirmation of decisions regarding harassment, intimidation, and bullying, authorization to hire new staff, and the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement between education and law enforcement officials. Additional topics included new contract awards, resignations/retirements, co-curricular/interscholastic advisors, substitutes, leave requests, job descriptions, field trip destinations, compensation for instructional support, educational travel, voucher payments, out-of-district contracts, shared services agreements, appropriation transfers, board certifications, professional services agreements, acceptance of a FOCUS grant, and a donation of a drum set. Approvals were also given for change orders related to renovations and roof replacements at Fieldstone and Memorial schools, school bus emergency evacuation drills, and the Comprehensive Maintenance Plan.