Thursday, July 5, 2012
Freeholder says he wants to put issues in past
When the Ocean County Board of Freeholders voted on Tuesday on a list of new staff members working in the county, it seemed like a routine matter. And when Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari abstained from the vote, most people in attendance at the freeholders' meeting probably didn't even think twice about it. Until Vicari explained the reasons for his abstention. "Because of the ongoing controversy, I want it on the record that I did not vote, and why I abstained," Vicari said. "Jason Varano has nothing to do with (the county). The election board is not a part of the county, it is a state agency. But every time I vote on something there are continuous OPRA requests, and differing opinions on this." "I will support Jason Varano but I will …
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Is the 42-year-old traditional trip to the outdoor education program in Sussex County going to happen this year?
March 2011. The nonprofit Berkeley Township Education and Environment Foundation is born. The group has a sole purpose — to raise money for the elementary school students' traditional trip to Stokes State Forest in Sussex County. James J. Byrnes — who was Berkeley Board of Education president at the time —takes over as chairman of the foundation. The group's board of directors consists of Byrnes, board member Dawn Parks and Michael Hill, with more members to be added. "It's a great environmental trip," Byrnes said back then. "For some kids, it's their only trip out of Bayville. They get to share a lot with their friends, learn a lot about the environment and learn a lot about life. That is something you can't put a monetary value on. I …
Friday, February 24, 2012
School board president says choices were his to make, denies there was any political retaliation
Wednesday Berkeley Board of Education member Dawn Parks was a member of the board's education committee and sat on two other board committees. Today she is a member of one committee. "I have been thrown off every committee I have been on, except for policy," she said. "I am sitting on one committee. Every school board member should be treated equally and be given the right amount of committees." Board President Steven Pellecchia -who replaced former longtime board president James J. Byrnes when Byrnes was appointed to a seat on the Township Council on Jan. 1 - reshuffled the committee appointments. Board members were notified of their new committees by e-mail Thursday, Parks said. Pellecchia said today the committee assignments were his …
Friday, February 10, 2012
Berkeley Board of Education members approve a resolution requiring parents to pay $150 for the outdoor education program
The 42-year-tradition of sending Berkeley students to Stokes State Forest as part of the district's environmental education curriculum will continue this year, but will come with a price tag for parents. The Board of Education passed a resolution at the Feb. 9 meeting that will require parents of sixth-graders to pay $150 per child to attend the outdoor education program in Sussex County. Board Vice President James Fulcomer offered the board several options to keep the program going. "Obviously, we will have to transfer funds to supplement the money from parents," Fulcomer said. "We don't know how many people are going to sign up for this at $150 a head." The Stokes trip is still part of the elementary school curriculum, he said. "For …
He plans to step down on March 31, cites political interference
He's done. Berkeley schools Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari announced tonight he will step down on March 31 and told the school board to begin a search for a new superintendent immediately. "I will not be serving as superintendent because of some controversy," Vicari said at the Feb. 9 board meeting. "I will be leaving at the end of next month." Vicari said he had received stellar evaluations from all of the board members in February, with the except of Dawn Parks. He said he could not continue without the full support of all board members. "I will not entertain any kind of extension of my contract," Vicari said. "The evaluation by Mrs. Parks was not what I expected." Vicari said earlier this year he would be stepping down before the April…
Friday, March 25, 2011
School officials hope to save number of positions that are slated to be eliminated
Berkeley Board of Education members unanimously approved a 2011-12 budget that calls for a negligible decrease in what property owners will pay in school taxes and the elimination of nine staff positions. Interim Superintendent Arlene J. Lippincott told the audience of about 100 at the Berkeley Township Elementary School last night that the budget was still not "cast in stone." "We've had to make some serious adjustments," Lippincott said. "This was not done lightly. Exactly what positions will be cut are not cast in stone. We do know there are nine positions to be cut. There are programs that may be modified." The proposed budget tentatively calls for the elimination of nine staff positions, including two gifted and talented teachers, …
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Berkeley Township Education and Environment Foundation is seeking to raise $80,000 to keep popular program in the curriculum
The fledgling Berkeley Township Education and Environment Foundation - formed to save the annual school trip to Stokes State Forest - now has a board of directors. Paperwork for the nonprofit organization has been filed, and the first meeting of the group will be held soon, said Berkeley Board of Education President James J. Byrnes. “If we want to save the program, it is going to take a commitment from everyone to get it going,” he said. The foundation will try to raise the $80,000 needed to fund the outdoor education excursion, a 40-year-old tradition in the Berkeley school district. The board of directors includes Byrnes, board member Dawn Parks and Michael Hill. More members can be added in the future, but a minimum of three was needed…
Friday, February 18, 2011
Former Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari and Interim Superintendent Arleen J. Lippincott are the two choices
The Berkeley Township Board of Education may finally be ready to decide on a superintendent — at least for the near future — next week, nearly two years after district head Joseph H. Vicari stepped down when his contract was not renewed. The decision could come at the Feb. 23 workshop meeting, when action may be taken, board Vice President John A. Bacchione said. "It's possible," Bacchione said Board members went into closed session on Feb. 10 after a stormy two-hour public hearing to discuss "personnel and negotiations," but took no action that night. Chances are, interim Superintendent Arlene J. Lippincott thought she had a good shot at a permanent position when the board voted 7-0 at the Oct. 7 meeting to authorize board Attorney John…
Friday, February 11, 2011
Insults fly between audience members at rowdy school board meeting
Berkeley Board of Education members retreated behind closed doors Thursday night after a stormy special meeting over who should be the district's next permanent superintendent. "We have a commitment to the taxpayers, the children and to our staff," board President James J. Byrnes said, after listening to nearly two hours of public comment. "There's a lot of weight on this board's shoulders. Like I said when I took office, leave the politics out. There will be no action taken after the executive session." Although the agenda listed an executive session to discuss personnel and negotiations as the reason for the meeting, Byrnes opened the meeting up for public comment first. At issue is whether the board should accept former superintendent …
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Board of Education slated to discuss matter at special meeting tonight
It's been a tumultuous year and a half since Arlene J. Lippincott was appointed to serve as interim superintendent of the Berkeley Township school district. And she may find out whether she can or cannot add the word "permanent" to her job description soon. The answer could come at the Board of Education's special meeting slated for 6:30 p.m tonight at the Berkeley Township Elementary School. There are two names on the list for discussion — Lippincott's and former Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari. "I'm not saying we are hiring either one of them," board Vice President John Bacchione said Wednesday. It's been a complicated path to the selection of a permanent superintendent, marred by what is described by some to be political infighting …
foggyworld
5:27 pm on Friday, July 6, 2012
I think he has one of those, too. more ›