School District Chooses New Insurance Carrier

The Finance Committee recommended changing carriers from Oxford to Horizon.

The Board of Education voted Monday to change insurance carriers from Oxford to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, effective July 1. According to Board Member Jill Weber, the Finance and Facility Committee's insurance broker advised the committee to switch their carrier. "He's recommending that the district switch to Horizon from Oxford," Weber said. "Horizon's benefits are equal to or better than our current plan, with an extremely short list of exceptions." The plan will include medical and prescription drug insurance policies for all fulltime district employees. Horizon also has four possible tiers of coverage, including a high deductible plan which Weber said is a popular choice for many, and one not currently offered under the district's…

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School Board Moves Meetings to Wednesdays

Tom Belding and Jill Weber voted in as board president and vice president.

The Board of Education of the School District of the Chathams unanimously voted Monday to move their meetings to Wednesday nights — at least for a while. Board member Jill Weber, newly installed as the board's vice president for the second consecutive year, suggested the board "try for a few months" to have the meetings on Wednesdays so they do not conflict with meetings of the Chatham Borough Council or Chatham Township Committee. The issue was proposed as part of the board's annual reorganization activities Monday. Two schedules were proposed, one where the 2013-14 meetings take place on Mondays, as the board has done since 1988, and one where the board meets on Wednesdays. The first vote taken was on the question of having meetings on …

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BOE Unanimously Approves Parking Lot Expansion

Members cite safety and growing population as primary reasons for adding 82 spaces to the lot.

The Board of Education unanimously voted to approve a capital project at Chatham High School which will add four more classrooms and an additional alternative of adding an 82-spot parking lot expansion. The vote came after a presentation from Board Member Matthew Gilfillan, of the finance/facilities committee, and after an opportunity for public comments. Board members also explained their votes to those in attendance. According to Gilfillan's presentation, the expansion of the parking lot will also include some concessions to address residents' concerns. He said the board will install a pedestrian path along Longwood Avenue to make it easier for students coming from that direction to approach the school through the fields in the back …

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Board of Ed Delays Vote on 2012-13 Calendar

Parent protests that year ends too late for seniors; straw poll shows board agrees.

A last-minute discussion with a concerned Chatham High School parent stopped the Board of Education's impending vote on the 2012-2013 school year calendar. Resident Kristyn Shannon brought up the issue during the open public comment portion of the meeting. She said her daughter, a senior, had to miss her college orientation because it conflicted with graduation, and she lost the possibility of two summer jobs because she couldn’t start until school was out. “I think the school year goes too late,” Shannon said. Superintendent Jim O’Neill said the board has previously asked the teachers if they would be willing to start earlier so the students could get out sooner, but the teachers association would not agree to it. O’Neill added he is …

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School Board Hires Warren District Business Administrator

Peter Daquila will be the business administrator for Chatham schools effective July 1.

The Chatham Board of Education announced during its reorganization meeting Wednesday the hiring of Warren School District Business Administrator Peter Daquila, of New Providence, as its district's new business administrator. "The high school does offer some different challenges," Daquila said Thursday, on the move from Warren's K-8 district of about 2,300 students to Chatham's K-12 district of about 4,500 students. Daquila came to Warren in January 2006, after a two-year stint in Maplewood as assistant business administrator. He came to education after a lengthy career in financial management, which ended after a corporate downsizing in 2003 eliminated his job with a long-term employer. "This was definitely a transition for me," he said. …

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School Vote 2011

Enrollment, Finances Top Issues for Board of Ed; Absentee Votes Tallied in Township

The updated numbers show that the budget passed with 66.62 percent of the vote. Over 19 percent of registered voters cast ballots for the school election.

Kim Cronin and Jill Weber will hit the ground running on May 4 when the Board of Education meets for its reorganizational meeting. Cronin said that in the first hours after her election to the board, she has been contacted by numerous residents who want to discuss a concern they have about the schools. "It's already been an interesting day," Cronin said. "It's an amazing first day." For incumbents Lata Kenney and Rich Connors of the township and borough, respectively, another term on the board means they can continue their work on various committees. "We've got some big issues we've got to tackle," Connors said. "We have our work cut out for us." Connors was elected as a write-in candidate for his first term on the Board of Education and …

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School Vote 2011

UPDATE: Budget Passes With 66.1 Percent of Votes

Weber, Connors and Cronin win seats; Routh ousted from Board of Education.

The proposed budget for the School District of the Chathams passed Wednesday with 1,598, or 66.1 percent, of the votes. Board of Education incumbent Alan Routh was voted out of his seat representing Chatham Township with 413 votes. Kim Cronin, who earned 561 votes, will take his place. Lata Kenney, who ran unopposed and earned 815 votes, will keep her seat for one year. In Chatham Borough, Jill Weber and incumbent Richard Connors will represent the municipality on the board, having earned 633 and 526 votes, respectively. Candidates Jeff Truppo earned 445 votes and 177 votes were cast for Albert Bozzo. Township residents voted by 802 votes, or 64.8 percent, to pass the budget and 434, or 35.2 percent, against it. Borough residents voted 796…

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Captain Jack

5:35 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011

Andrew Currin, welcome to Chatham. your concerns are valid.   more ›

School Vote 2011

Meet Board of Ed Candidate Jill Weber

Weber is running for one of two available three-year seats representing Chatham Borough.

Jill Weber is running for one of two available seats on the Board of Education representing Chatham Borough. Weber is a mother of three boys, all of whom are students in the Chatham schools. She works in finance for Meryl Lynch and has been on the PTO of Washington Avenue School and was on the Executive Board at Washington Avenue School for six years. She has been a borough resident for 19 years. Weber will compete for votes against incumbent Richard Connors, Jeff Truppo and Albert Bozzo for one of two open seats. Jonathan Chatinover, who currently serves on the board as a representative from Chatham Borough, will not run again. In the township, incumbent Alan Routh is running against Kim Cronin for a three-year term on the board. …

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