Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Hopeful candidates have until June 4 to file petitions at county office.
Residents considering running for a seat on the Warren Township Board of Education, or the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education, have until June 4 to file their nominating petition with the county clerk's office. In addition to completing the petition (which can be obtained online or from the respective board offices), hopeful candidates should also review the helpful New Jersey School Boards Association candidate kit. The kit includes videos on important topics potential board members need to know, as well as forms and documents. In November, voters will fill three seats on the Warren Township board and two on the Watchung Hills Regional board. To appear on the ballot, school board candidates must return their petitions with the …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Approved budget holds increase just below state’s 2 percent cap.
After discussing the fiscal responsibility of having a lower tax levy versus a somewhat higher rate that would allow for “banking” funds for future use, Warren Township Board of Education members agreed to compromise on the tax levy in the tentative 2013-2014 budget, Monday. The tentative budget to be raised in local taxes comes in at 1.95 percent (below the state's 2 percent tax levy cap) and is scheduled for a public hearing at the March 21 meeting. At 2 percent, the budget was estimated to be at $43,141,570, with $1,187,441 coming from state aid and $37,766,740 in taxes. The 1.95 percent tax levy reflects a tax rate of $0.933 per $100 in assessed value (down from last year’s $0.939). But due to increased assessments, will add almost $…
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Warren Township schools Business Administrator Patricia Leonhardt breaks it down.
Ever wonder how tax rates and bills are calculated? At Monday's Warren Township Board of Education meeting at the middle school, Business Administrator Patricia Leonhardt concluded her class in school budgets by showing how the district calculates the taxes...sort of. While the formula isn't too complex for a thumbnail estimate—divide the amount to be raised in taxes by the township's total assessment for the rate—it's a bit more complicated in reality. The school taxes are based on the school year, so it's divided between two calendar years in the middle of which the county redetermines the total assessments, changing...everything. But Leonhardt explains how it's done using a 2 percent increase over last year's amount to be raised in …
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Warren Planning Board, Board of Education to meet Monday night
Two meetings open this week in Warren, with the township Planning Board and the board of education meeting Monday night. The Planning Board convenes at 7:30 p.m. and will continue its hearing on an assisted living residence facility proposed for 53-57 Mt. Bethel Road. The facility will offer a wider range of services, called "congregated care" by Brightview Senior Living, which will operate the center if approved and built. The Planning Board meets in the municipal complex; the Warren Township Board of Education travels outside the administration building tonight, heading to Woodland School for tonight's 7 p.m. meeting. The board will take a look at the school's Science Fair offerings while there, and consider a set of budget goals for …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Change to policy for employee substance abuse doesn't meet board members' criteria.
A revision of the Warren Township School District's policy on employee substance abuse was returned to the board of education's Policy Committee for a second time at Monday night's meeting, as board members seek to find policy language that is flexible, fair and protective. The board had discused the policy in December, but several members believed added language inserted in the policy at the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association did not allow enough flexibility in the possible penalties for first time offenders. After further review and consultation with the board's attorneys, the policy committee recommended changes that included options for the superintendent to apply in cases of first-time offenders. But board Vice…
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Weeks after Newtown incident, local officials are still dealing with aftermath.
Despite nearly four weeks and the winter break after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., school officials are still fielding school security questions and concerns from the community. And it looks like the discussions won't be going away anytime soon. At Monday's Warren Township Board of Education meeting, board members gave tacit approval to a plan to elevate school security as a board priority by making it one of the primary functions of the board's Operations and Finance Committee. "I was thinking we might want to add 'security' to that to show it's more of a priority," board member Tia Allocco suggested. Jim Sena, who has been chairman of the committee embraced the suggestion also, noting the committee is already studying the …
Monday, January 7, 2013
New members Desiree DeNourie and Gregory Steiers join board.
Mildred Spiller moved one chair to her right on the Warren Township Board of Education dais set up in the district's administration building, after she was named board president for 2013 during Monday's reorganization meeting. Spiller was the only nomination from the board, and enjoyed the unanimous support of the members, including just-sworn-in members Desiree DeNourie and Gregory Steier. DeNourie, Steier and Kathy Helewa were elected in November, with Helewa returning after finishing the term Patricia Toubin. The board also tapped Don Huber as vice-president for the coming year. After taking care of the immediate reorganization business at hand, the board moved on to tackle more...mundane...matters, discussing policy, personnel and …
40.62623
-74.501739
Warren Township Board of Education
213 Mount Horeb Rd, Warren, NJ
/articles/spiller-named-warren-board-president
757956
/locations/8548191
Thursday, December 13, 2012
District again sails through check on accounting policies, procedures.
Warren Township Schools accepted an audit report at Monday's board of education meeting that came without any recommendations. "It was nice to see that," Superintendent Tami Crader said. It's not uncommon for auditors to find shortcomings in the procedures in districts, especially in connection with petty cash accounts, but auditor Tim Vrabel was unable to find any issues with Warren school's accounting. When Watchung Hills Regional received a similarly-positive report on its audit, auditor Ralph Piccone said few of the 80 districts his firm audits receive reports with no recommendations. "It's not the end of the world to get a recommendation, but superintendents take pride in not having any," Dr. Crader said. She added the district has …
Monday, November 12, 2012
Plan will add days in January, February and April as well as use up all four snow days.
The Warren Township Board of Education approved changes to the school calendar that make up for the days missed in the last two weeks after Hurricane Sandy, but will keep spring break intact. The board added Jan. 21 (Martin Luther King Day), Feb. 14 and 15 (Thursday and Friday preceding Presidents Day) and April 1 (Easter Monday) to the school calendar. Additionally, the board is using all four snow days built into the calendar. "We can make this plan, and we can stick to this plan...if we have no snow," Superintendent of School Tami Crader said. Board members felt the proposal was the best alternative since it worked around the spring break. "I think people would like, as much as possible, to have their spring break intact," board member …
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Project kicks off next week with school leaders.
Residents interested in helping set the direction of Warren Township schools in coming years will have a chance to join in a strategic plan under development, next month. The public's participation won't begin until a meeting in late October, under a schedule outlined at Tuesday's Board of Educaiton meeting by Superintendent Tami Crader. Crader said the process begins with an orientation meeting Sept. 12, followed by an Oct. 8 session with district staffers. Public input sessions would begin in "late October," Dr. Crader said. She also told board members they will need to determine areas they may be interested in for the process, with some members needed for a steering committee, others needed to observe and provide feedback from the …
40.62623
-74.501739
Warren Township Board of Education
213 Mount Horeb Rd, Warren, NJ
/articles/school-board-set-to-launch-strategic-plan
757956
/locations/7717294
InMy Opinion
7:26 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
This article does a fantastic job of discussing $65k of a $43,000,000 budget. How about the 14% increase in health care costs? more ›