Meeting of 10/5/09 – Minutes Attendees: Ken Martell Seaview Beach Steve Rabbitt Barnegat Light Peter Trainor LBT 10 Lena Nerrie Harvey Cedars Richard Jeffries Surf City Pat Moran North BeachTPA Tom Day Barnegat Light TA Charlie Gaver Harvey Cedars Trish Monaco Loveladies Harbor Sarah Lambert Barnegat Light Bob Monaco Loveladies Property Owners Scott Sharples Barnegat Light Lynn Hickerson Loveladies Harbor Bill Hutson Holgate Charlie Farrell Loveladies Property Owners Bob Irvine LBT10 Charles Kisselman Ship Bottom Rep. Club
Meeting Called to order at 7:03 PM by President Pat Moran.
Pledge of Allegiance.
Treasurer’s Report – Bob Monaco – Balance on hand $3696.83 – expenses paid incl. state nonprofit filing & liability insurance premium.
New Business: Pat welcomed invited guests, Scott Zoladz and Marilyn Wasilewski, Lbi’s SRHS School Board Representatives. Stuart Snyder was unable to attend due to prior business commitments.
Pat reviewed the reason for the invitation; that the JCTA was beginning to sense a “resistance “ on the part of the administration of Southern Regional to the various information requests and other interfaces. The JCTA decided that it should “reach out” to our representatives to see if this was the case, or whether there was a middle ground.
There followed a question and answer/general discussion around the issues raised in Peter Trainor’s (Education Comm.) letter of September 23rd. , although not much was resolved beyond the comments already received. Ms. Wasilewski did point out that the need for the security guards and resource officers was due in part as a deterrent to what is apparently an increase in gang activity – and the fact that courts in the county may order convicted gang members transferred to Southern. The numbers and impact was not quantified. A discussion followed re gangs, policy on fighting (expulsion) and the apparent discrepancy with no expulsions reported – therefore no fights?
The point was raised that there were apparently no “sign in” procedures for the security officers, even though virtually all other employees had one. Ms. Wasilewski and Mr Zoladz allowed as how it would probably be a good idea to adopt something of that nature.page.
Ms. Wasilewski noted that test scores at LBI Consolidated were well below the norm; that with a $21,000 per student average cost, considerably above the county median (~$11,000). However, she did indicate that Island student apparently did very well in Southern Regional and that ~80% of Southern graduates go on to higher education.
She also indicated that the “Interact Program” had been very helpful.
It was pointed out by the JCTA members that some of the material supplied in response to JCTA requests was useless and presumably incomplete; in one case a many paged report of the teaching staff/assignments showed 60 teachers with no class assignments. Hopefully, going forward we will get more useful responses from the District. With thanks from the JCTA, Ms. Wasilewski and Mr. Zoladz left at 8:05.
Meeting continued with some discussion regarding Ms. Wasilewski’s contention re LBI Consolidated’s test scores and what that may or may not mean. Anecdotally, Island students apparently perform well at Southern Regional.
Old Business: Beach Replenishment – Harvey Cedars moving along; dredge should be in place by 10/31/09. Long Beach Township hoping to get funding to take advantage of the dredge being in the area. Scott Sharples new Barnegat Light Taxpayers Assoc. President was introduced.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.
NEXT MEETING Monday, Nov 2nd