Friends Start S.M.A.R.T Tutoring Services From The Heart

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A recent fire may extinguish all hopes in saving a historic structure in town.

On May 9, Ye Olde Mill Shoppe located on the corner of Rt. 206 and Flanders-Netcong Rd. in Flanders was in flames. Privately owned, the building was not being utilized in recent years, but was formerly a gift shop and in its earliest years a grist mill.

The fire has resulted in the arrest of a 29-year-old Budd Lake man, as well as questions from some who wonder whether more historic buildings should be saved and restored before their structures turn to ashes and dust.

“It’s an unfortunate thing,” says Mt. Olive Planning Board Chair Howie Weiss. “This old mill may be sentimental,” says Weiss, but it is “privately owned. The township doesn’t own it.”

After this building caught fire, some criticized the township for not playing a greater role in preserving historic buildings. Bottom line is these buildings are “awfully expensive to restore.”   

Explains Weiss, “We try to preserve where we can. I don’t believe there’s anything we can do.”

Since the building is privately owned, it is up to the owner to decide what to do with the damaged structure.

The building is owned by AVR ENTERPRISE LLC, a computer programming services industry in Budd Lake. The owner did not return phone calls to "Mt. Olive Online" to provide any details on any restoration plans with the building. 

Unlike some other historic buildings in town, like the Seward Mansion at Turkey Brook Park, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church and one-room school house, the township has no “obligation” to restore old buildings in town unless it owns them, explains Weiss.

One reason why the township never owned Ye Olde Mill Shoppe was because of the waterway and no septic at that building.

“It’s useless; what do you do with it?” says Weiss. “It’s an unfortunate thing.” There was “not a lot of use for the building. They can’t preserve it.”

Adds Weiss, “It’s a shame: I’ve lived here my whole life. It was a beautiful building. It’s unfortunate it burned. It’s historic, it’s 100 years old.” But again, “it’s private property.”

Weiss says “one guy blamed the town for not protecting it.”

In Mt. Olive, “We don’t have historical regulations” to protect all of the old buildings, he explains.

There is talk that the old Cherokee Trading Post on Route 46 will be condemned soon too.      

Weiss says he lives in an old house but the “town has no obligation to make my house right. If we had rules that protected these buildings,” it would be a different story.

Old Flanders does have an historic zone that provides architectural guidance to maintain a certain character of the town, says Weiss.

Building History

According to Thea Dunkle, Mt. Olive Twp. historian, the historic building was a grist mill. 

“It was built prior to 1853 but the exact timeframe is unknown,” she says.  “It has had several owners throughout the years.”  

It was owned by A. Drake, Mrs. Hoffman, Charles Lade, John McClain, James and Sandy Zellers to name some, she says.  The mill was a gift shop

from circa 1983 to 2010.  The mill had four floors and sits on 2.68 acres.

“Route 31 and then 206 did not exist when the mill was built and

Flanders-Netcong Road down to Main Street was the main road to transport the feed the mill produced,” says Dunkle.

“Yes, the mill was historic, but it was also privately owned,” says Dunkle. “There was some discussion as to possibly the township owning the mill but due to

its location on a very busy intersection and the fact that there were costly updates it didn't seem feasible.  The lack of an area to install septic 

or sewer updates to update the water system in the mill was another concern.

“It would only be able to serve as a possible small office 

for a smaller business with limited water use,” adds Dunkle. “The mill was on the market for many years.  Now that the insides have been burned the cost

to renovate retaining the outside stone walls would be very costly.

“Also the cost to get a historic building on a historic register for the state involves

hiring experts to research the history on material used to build the structure,” adds Dunkle, who has been quite involved with getting other local historic buildings placed on the National Register of Historic Places. “The structure needs to meet specific criteria.

“Often grants are secured to help with the costs,” continues Dunkle. “It involves expenses and a long step by step process through historic preservation offices within the state.  

“A private owner of the structure might not be willing to go through the expense or long process,” says Dunkle.  “The only hope is that someone who owns an older structure maintains its character and historic value.

“At this point it seems inevitable that the stone structure of the mill will have to come down,” she adds. “The entire community is very upset that we have now lost this beautiful mill.  It was such an important part of the history of Mt Olive as it supplied grains to many of the local farmers in the township for their livestock and livelihood.

“The events of this fire are still very puzzling and upsetting and why someone was even in the building is cause for concern,” concludes Dunkle.  

Fire Details and Arrest

According to a post on the Flanders Fire Co. Facebook page: 

“Just before 5 a.m. members were alerted to the building on the corner of Flanders Netcong and Route 206 for the smoke condition. Within minutes police had confirmed a working fire and the first arriving chief struck the second alarm. Mt. Olive Fire units as well as multiple mutual aid agencies operated against heavy fire conditions for a majority of the morning. The fire was placed under control and hot spots were hit for a good portion of time after due to multiple collapsed areas inside the building. Investigation crews came in after the fire was extinguished and all fire crews released shortly after 2 p.m.

In a May 11 press release prepared by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Chris Kimker, and Mt. Olive Police Department Chief Stephen Beecher announce the arrest of Anthony Rondan, 29, of Budd Lake, on charges related to a fire that occurred on May 9 in Flanders.

At approximately 4:46 a.m., an officer on patrol in Flanders observed smoke at a vacant, historical business known as Ye Old Mill Shoppe on Route 206, and requested fire and first aid respond to the scene. Upon further investigation, it was determined that Rondan allegedly discarded a lit cigarette while inside the building.

Rondan has been charged with one count of Failure to Report a Dangerous Fire, a crime of the fourth degree in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1(c), and one count of Criminal Trespass, a disorderly person’s offense in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2(a). The defendant was charged by way of a summons-complaint, and was released on his own recognizance.

The investigation was conducted by the Mt. Olive Fire Marshal, Mt. Olive Police Department, Morris County Sheriff Crime Scene Investigation Unit, the Morris County Sheriff’s Department, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Arson and Environmental Crimes Unit. Flanders Fire and First Aid departments and Budd Lake Fire and First Aid responded, with additional support from surrounding jurisdictions including Roxbury Fire Company, Long Valley and Chester Fire Engines, Long Valley and Roxbury EMS, Fairmont Fire and Hackettstown Intervention Crew.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this defendant is presumed innocent until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A tree planted last month at Mt. Olive High School intertwines branches that raise awareness of the environment, sustainability, preservation of rural heritage and connectivity between the township and the school district.

Township and school officials gathered with students at MOHS on Thursday, April 22, at 11 a.m. for the Mt. Olive 150th Anniversary-Earth Day Tree Planting Ceremony. The event was sponsored by the MOHS Environmental Club.

The ceremony was a celebration of Earth Day, Mt. Olive Twp.’s 150th year anniversary and its recent Sustainable Jersey Certification and the school district’s efforts to be named a Green Ribbon School.

“Our tree planting is symbolic of the growth of the township while preserving its rural heritage and connection to environmental sustainability,” says Karen Sterling, science teacher and MOHS Environmental Club advisor. “Additionally, it will serve as a symbol of the connection between Mt. Olive Township and its schools.

“The Mt. Olive Township community has been incredibly supportive of the schools' programs and helped us to build an amazing school system for its residents,” says Sterling.

Joining in at the ceremony were MOHS Environmental Club members, some Mt. Olive Township Council members, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Zywicki; MOHS Principal Kevin Moore; some Mt. Olive Board of Education members and other school leaders.

In an effort to commemorate Earth Day 2021 and to mark the 150th Anniversary of Mt. Olive Township, the MOHS Environmental Club planned the ceremony.

The club, works to create awareness of issues related

to the environment and the interconnections between biology and sustainability. The club, which currently attracts 30 student members, works together in trying to make Mt. Olive more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

“Protecting the environment, advocating for change, and educating others on key issues are all important to our club’s impact on the town,” writes Sterling in a press release.

“Earth Day is the anniversary of the start of the modern environmental movement,” she writes. “Every year this day is celebrated around the world through a myriad of activities that serve to remind us that we need to be good stewards of the earth.”

Out of the wide variety of trees that could have been selected, the environmental  club decided on the dogwood tree “as a symbol of many efforts to rekindle our connection to our environment and to help us decrease our carbon footprint,” explains Sterling.

“The tree we decided to purchase is a Stellar Pink disease resistant flowering dogwood tree,” she notes. “The dogwood tree is the Official State Memorial Tree of New Jersey. This tree is expected to grow to a height of about 25 feet with a width of 15 feet. The MOHS buildings and grounds department helped prepare the site for the tree.”

Fundraising Efforts

The MOHS Environmental Club held a fundraiser from Feb 22 to March 14, through Boon Supply (boonsupply.com/1169814

MOHS Environmental Club Boon Supply. Beautiful items that are good for you, good for the planet, and good for your cause.boonsupply.com).

“Our club held a fundraiser by selling sustainable products such as reusable straws and water bottles, shopping bags, and other ecologically friendly products,” says Sterling.

“Although the official fundraising period has ended, 40% of any purchases made through the club's page before the end of the school year will still be given to us,” says Sterling. 

Through the club’s efforts, it was able to raise more than $500, she adds.

“About half the money is going towards the purchase of the tree for this event,” she says. “The remaining money will be used for future club events once we can be in person together.  Additionally, a portion from this and future fundraisers may go towards a sign near the tree that memorializes the event on Thursday.”

MO Grows Stronger With 150 Years, Sustainable Jersey Certification and Green Ribbon School Efforts

“With this tree planting, we also want to congratulate Mt. Olive on 150 years and their recent Sustainable Jersey Certification,” she continues. “Municipalities that achieve certification are considered by their peers, state government, and civic organizations in New Jersey, to be among the leaders in the

state.

“The anniversary symbolizes the long history of the township and how it has flourished over the years to become a welcoming and attractive place to live,” she says.

Sterling continues: “The MOHS Environmental Club is following in Mt. Olive Township’s footsteps and working to be recognized as a Green Ribbon School. Green Ribbon Schools work to reduce their environmental footprint, improve the health of students and staff, and provide environmental education opportunities.

“U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a public engagement initiative structured as a federal recognition award for school sustainability,” according to a fact sheet. “It helps to facilitate state and local

collaboration around school facilities, health, and environmental education. By highlighting schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions’ cost-saving, health promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices, ED-GRS celebrates these schools and brings more attention to their work. The

schools are invited to a summer ceremony in Washington, D.C. where they receive a sustainable plaque; are the subject of media attention; and feel their efforts celebrated. Other schools, in turn, learn about and adopt their practices.”

Sterling explains that the Green ribbon school award recognizes schools that (1) reduce environmental impact and costs, (2) improve the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff; and (3) provide effective environmental and sustainability education. 

“The club will be working on projects in some of these areas,” says Sterling. “This week we have been hosting a virtual Earth Day week (which is culminating in the tree planting); helping to create a native plant pond in the new Geodome; looking to participate in the 2021 Clean Communities Grant for Schools Program - students would do a litter cleanup of school grounds in the district and in turn receive a grant to purchase recycling and/or trash containers for school grounds or reusable water bottle filling station.

“This one is still in the planning stage - but hopefully will happen this spring or early fall.”

By Cheryl Conway

Wearing masks outdoors, changing signage for enforcement, freedom for public speech, and cannabis sales were some topics raised at the council meeting held May 4.

Council Vice President Alex Roman questions whether the signs at Turkey Brook Park, that say persons should stay 6 ft. apart and wear masks, should be changed. Tatarenko explains that masks are only required outdoors when one can’t socially distance.

“The fear that I have is if we’re not going to enforce it, it makes other laws have less of an impact,” says Roman. “I think there’s a lot of contradictory information out there.”

It’s like having a speed limit and residents know we are not enforcing it, says Roman. “It has a bleed over effect.” He says instead of saying masking is required, it should say “masking is encouraged.”

Mt. Olive Twp. Mayor Rob Greenbaum interjects and suggests not changing the signs as he’d rather be overprotective rather than under protective.

“We do very little enforcement,” says Greenbaum. “People are going to do what they are going to do anyway.” He says there are people involved in sports at the park and are not wearing masks, same story with those walking around.

Mt. Olive Twp. Business Administrator Andrew Tatarenko says he would look into changing the signs as suggested by Roman but Greenbaum put the red light on that.

“Alex, I disagree with you,” says Greenbaum, adding that the administration runs the parks and not the council “and that’s the direction I’m going, Andrew.”

Budd Lake resident Irene Sergonis chimes in at the public portion of the meeting: She thanks Greenbaum for keeping the signs up about having masks worn at the parks.

“As long as you tell them what the rules are they will try to follow them,” says Sergonis. “That’s what living in a community is.”

She also requests that a sign on Route 206 be taken down.

“It perpetuates the big lie,” that resulted in the murder of a police officer, she says. “It shouldn’t be representing our town. It’s against our sign ordinance.”

Council President Joe Nicastro says the council and administration will look into any signs that are not properly permitted and “we will get them taken down.”

Argument Continues On Masks  

Roman, meanwhile, refutes Sergonis’ comments bringing up her issue from last month in which she criticizes several council members from attending a public recreation event at Turkey Brook and taking off their masks.

According to Sergonis, four council members were in a huddle without masks on, at the Through the Ages 5K Run/Walk April 17 at Turkey Brook Park in Budd Lake.

Roman says four councilmembers took off their masks at the April event to take pictures; and that the three feet rule at that time was for students. He further adds that the social guidance rules changed on April 27.

Sergonis’ request that the council try to set an example and wear masks when in public only caused more resentment by some council members.

“I really don’t want to hear Mr. Roman anymore,” says Sergonis. “He says things with authority. He spreads misinformation. Four council members should’ve responded to me. If they’d like to respond to me, I’d be happy to hear from them.”   

Despite her request for Roman to remain silent, he says, smirkingly: “It’s time we start using the data….to make judgements moving forward. First it was masks are bad; then masks are good; now it’s double masks; now it’s don’t wear masks. It is high time to turn down the temperature and when we engage in same day conversation and doesn’t want to hear because you disagree with them, that doesn’t help.”

Councilmember Greg Stewart agrees with Roman and says, “being outdoors near nobody, by ourselves…I don’t appreciate an attack like that as being not using common sense.”

Councilman John Ferrante also agrees with Roman and Stewart and says “We were outside, we were away from everybody. We are all vaccinated. We were taking our masks offs to take a picture. I don’t see any harm in that, and I don’t appreciate the shot that Irene just gave to us.”

While the public portion ended, Sergonis did not get to comment after the council members’ remarks about her mask request.

She did offer comments to “Mt. Olive Online.”

“I strongly feel that our government officials should set the example and follow the rules set by CDC and Governor Murphy,” says Sergonis. “We do have the opportunity as citizens to change the laws.  Ignoring the rules and taking down signs at the park is not acceptable. 

“I developed an appreciation for the rule of law when I visited Greece the first time as a high school senior,” she continues. “People there ignore no smoking signs, park their motorcycles on sidewalk, cut in front of you in a line and ignore the speed limit signs.  These rules are formed to protect all citizens and following them shows that you are willing to sacrifice your own desires for the good of the community.  

“My job as a parent and grandparent is to make good citizens,” says Sergonis. “My 4-year-old grandson thinks it's okay to break the rules he doesn't agree with and if "his mom won't find out."  These town council people have a lot in common with my grandson and it's my job as a citizen to remind them of their responsibilities.

“I find it hypocritical that the pictures they took without masks have not been posted but they state that they did nothing wrong,” says Sergonis. “They took pictures without masks standing shoulder to shoulder 20 feet from the sign that states social distancing required.  Also, the rules of the event also stated masks and social distancing required.”

Cannabis Sales

The council unanimously voted in favor of ordinance #10-2021 to prohibit any class of cannabis business in Mt. Olive’s borders.

The ordinance #10-2021 was introduced for first reading on April 6 and passed at the May 4 meeting. Businesses are prohibited from obtaining any of the six licenses in town dealing with the cultivating, selling, manufacturing, distributing, and transporting of marijuana in Mt. Olive.

The N.J. Constitution has legalized the controlled form of marijuana called “cannabis” for adults aged 21 and older; but townships get to decide as to how they will regulate these licenses in their jurisdiction.

Mt. Olive officials had to decide by Aug. 21 on its municipal regulation or prohibition of these licenses. If they failed to act, the law would have permitted the growing, cultivating, manufacturing, selling and reselling of cannabis and cannabis items in all industrial zones as well as commercial and retail zones for a period of five years.

By Cheryl Conway 

Schools in Mt. Olive are back to business, not only with full day in person instruction for nine weeks now since the pandemic, but with so many new programs and ideas brewing.

End of year celebration plans are underway like senior prom to be held at the Skylands on June 3, inviting even junior students to attend if they get asked; one outdoor graduation on June 18 with high school seniors inviting four people to attend; one outdoor middle school commencement on June 16 at the middle school; and even a move up day for fifth graders who will be bussed to the middle school on different dates in June for an orientation and moving up program.

“Things are starting to feel normal,” says Mt. Olive School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Zywicki.

As of the last Mt. Olive Board of Education meeting held Monday, May 10, there were zero teachers and staff in quarantine from COVID 19, reported Rhonda Cohen, BOE member and chair of the Personnel Committee. At the April 19 BOE meeting, she reported that eight staff members were in quarantine, so there has been great progress.

Facilities’ Progress

Chester M. Stephens Elementary School in Budd Lake will be receiving renovations starting in June, reported BOE Vice President John Kehmna, chair of the Finance Operations Committee. The project was awarded, followed by shop drawings and meetings to get going.

Like improvements made at the other elementary schools, CMS was next on the list but the project had been on hold since COVID. And as the largest elementary school, may involve greater improvements, explains Zywicki.

Some details of the CMS project include two phases involving the front half of the school, then the rear, says Zywicki. New flooring, new paint, cafeteria being redone, more secure entranceway are on that list with $1.5 million allocated for the first half of the project included in the 2021/2022 school year budget.  

The Geodome at Mt. Olive High School had its Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting before the last BOE meeting held May 10.

New MOHS Scoreboard

Kehmna also spoke about the plans for a new scoreboard at the MOHS Football Field, being funded eventually by the Education Foundation.

“It will look better than at Giant Stadium,” says Kehmna. “We will give a loan to the Education Foundation and they would pay it back with advertising,” he says.

Not all board members favor the scoreboard idea.

“I’m not on board with the scoreboard,” says Liz Ouimet, BOE member, questioning the use of end of year money.

“Who paid for those drawings?” asks Ouimet. “Why are we using end of year money to purchase a scoreboard? When did it come up initially? Was this a wish list, a bucket list?”

Kehmna criticizes Ouimet for raising these concerns now instead of previously, saying the scoreboard has been discussed for at least 18 to 20 months.

Ouimet responds, “Sometimes it takes time to look over. Who will be paying for those legal fees for the contract to be drawn up” between the BOE and the Ed Foundation?

“This is how the big wheel goes around with the money,” responds Kehmna. “Sometimes there’s money leftover at the end of the year.” 

Zywicki explains that the idea for the score board came up in Oct 2019 first at the finance meeting, and then again in 2020 with the finance and budget committees, as well as numerous superintendent reports and the budget presentation.

“It was a wish list,” says Zywicki, that was put on hold after the pandemic. The Education Foundation had been discussing it as well, he says, for at least 18 months.  

Ouimet also questions the added cost for maintenance that will be required with a new scoreboard.

“We could be on the hook for the whole thing,” fears Ouimet.

Zywicki explains that the scoreboard will bring in $120K in revenue from advertising costs by businesses who will use the scoreboard for promotions. The Ed Foundation will use that revenue to pay the school district back. The money will also be used as a revenue source by the Ed Foundation to offer scholarships.

He says the full mission of the Ed Foundation is to provide scholarships, professional development and innovation within the Mt. Olive School District.

“Everything they do is to support the school district,” says Zywicki, adding that it is non-profit and not able to build a scoreboard on school property. MOSD will build the scoreboard and then the Ed Foundation is projected to receive $120K in revenue from selling advertisements promoted on the scoreboard during games.

“We have people lined up who want to advertise for the scoreboard,” says Zywicki.  

BOE Member Bill Robinson questions the cost of the legal contract between the BOE and Ed Foundation.

“If it dissolves, we will be on the hook for $400K,” says Robinson. “We’d be on the hook for legal fees of the contract.” He suggests a Go Fund Me to pay for all costs.

BOE Member Dr. Antoine Gayles also expresses his concerns for a new scoreboard.

“You’ve been talking about it for 18 months,” says Gayles. “I think a wind turbine,” with wind technology would be a better idea to spend end of year funding as it shows a message that the district is committed to STEAM and green community, he says.

“That’s a more productive use for our end of year funding,” says Gayles. He suggests reaching out to the Mt. Olive Alunni Association for funding of a scoreboard.

Zywicki explains that the district is not able to build a wind turbine on its own and that it would need a third-party entity or contract with an energy provider. He says he likes the scoreboard idea as it supports curricular learning for activities with the marketing and business classes.

“We have an amazing stadium,” says Zywicki, “but we have a rinky dink scoreboard. The current score board is older, smaller.” A new scoreboard can provide multi-media, videos, advertising promotions, even game highlights, replays and awards.

“Hundreds of districts have this,” says Zywicki, adding that MOSD has identified an architect and a vendor for a state contract. 

As far as contract costs, he explains that the law firm the district is using to draw up this contract with the Ed Foundation “hasn’t been charging the district,” and instead providing the services as a donation.

“If we’re using end of year money to buy things and doing a tax levy, I think it can be used a lot better than purchasing a scoreboard,” says Ouimet. 

The BOE will eventually get to vote on the scoreboard as an action item on the bill list.    

Other News

The school district is also looking into athletic branding, in which they commit themselves into a partnership with a specific athletic brand for promotional purposes and discounts.

Zywicki says it is between Adidas or Under Armour since Nike is not sponsoring schools anymore.

The district can see a 40 percent discount if it agrees to sign on to a specific athletic brand, he explains. Right now the district pays retail pricing for all of its athletic gear for its sports. So instead of paying $10 for a sports jersey, cost could be as low as $6, he says.

Another perk is the “cool logos” like college kids sport when wearing their sports apparel, he says.

“It costs us nothing,” says Zywicki. “You agree to just wear Adidas or Under Armour and also get reward dollars. It’s a money maker.” 

Also new is a program called the Marauders Believe 18-21 program for Mt. Olive High School students to provide academic job placement and training, independent living skills, post-secondary training, social skills, relationship training, self-advocacy and extra activities, describes Gayles.

The program will feature a mini-Shoprite and coffee shop at the basement of the high school, a food services shop at the Geodome and a Visitors’ Center for real estate agents at the MOSD building.

The Marauders Believe Program will also generate revenue from other school districts interested in using the program.

Gayles says the district can get $275K “if we farm this out to other districts on a tuition basis.”

The program “will be a revenue generator for us,” agrees Kehmna, bringing in “huge enrollment, huge interest,” from other school districts sending in their students.  

“We have tons of out of district students lined up to come in as tuition students that will generate revenue,” says Zywicki. “It’s a money maker. It’s not costing anything.”

Local students in this program are already integrated in the district’s Life Skills program for those with IEP’s (Individualized Education Program for those receiving special education instruction), explains Zywicki. This full-time academic program has been offered in the MOSD for more than 40 years. The Marauders Believe Program is an extra program that enhances their learning and will be held after school hours.

Zywicki says there are so many kids in the Life Skills program, “we need to split it.” 

In Mt. Olive, 115 students can benefit from this program; the district can accept 10 to 15 students from other districts, says Zywicki.

Curriculum Changes

Another hot topic in the school district has been changes to curriculum. There has been a switch to provide more AP classes instead of honors classes at different grade levels.

Anne Jarvis of Flanders expresses her concerns at the April 26 BOE meeting.  She questions Zywicki’s statement that AP is for “all people,” and shares her discontent of eliminating some honor’s courses such as English and Social Studies.

“If there are no requirements for be in an honors class, is it really an honors class or is it just like a CP class?” she challenges the board.

“Forcing kids to AP is not about the kids, it’s about ranking,” says Jarvis. She says she hopes the district has more requirements to take honors classes rather than getting as many as possible to take the AP test and AP courses.  

After input from the community and hours of discussion, the district decided it will offer honors humanities for 9th and 10th graders which is a dual honors program combining English and history in one course.

Zywicki explains that MOSD will be replacing ELA Honors 11 and U.S. History II Honors, to an Honors Humanities course for juniors and seniors, combining the ELA and History in one class.

“They’ll still have an honors tract,” he explains, adding that this will not be going in effect until 2026, and only if the BOE votes on these changes in two years.

The recommended changes were brought on through the Equity Task Force as a means to create greater equality and accessibility in course offerings to all students, including those with IEP’s.

The curriculum committee made up of administrators write the curriculum every year and then the BOE votes on the curriculum in August, explains Zywicki.

While he says “I appreciate the feedback,” only five people came to BOE meeting to share any concerns. 

The BOE did something similar eight years ago, says Zywicki, when it eliminated honors calculus and instead offered AP calculus. He says the district is not supposed to offer honors and AP in the same subject at the same grade level “so they are not conflicting with each other.”    

BOE Member Resigns

BOE Member Nolan Stephens resigned at the April 26 BOE meeting after admitting to a fourth-degree offense to criminal sexual contact. Found guilty in a court of law for an alleged incident that occurred on August 10, 2020, Stephens is participating in a pretrial intervention program.

Beth Blakey of Flanders had requested his resignation at the April 19 BOE meeting calling for him to step down during the public portion and criticizes the board for not acting sooner.

“It is our local Board of Education’s responsibility to do something about it,” says Blakey. “Allowing Mr. Stephens to continue serving on the Board of Education sends a very dangerous message to young men and women of the Mt. Olive Twp. School District. It normalizes deviant behavior; it diminishes the importance of consent; it undermines our school district HIB policies that are reviewed and approved by the Board of Education and enforced by our teachers and administrators. It contradicts our health education curriculum and demeans our values as a community.

“Mr. Stephens needs to be held accountable and at minimum held to the same standards that we expect of the young men and women in our school system,” says Blakey. “I’m imploring the board to take action including amending the Mt. Olive School District Board of Education Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and participation guidelines to reflect a zero-tolerance policy to any degree or criminal sexual conduct.”

Ouimet thanked Blakey for coming forward.

“I have high ethical standards,” says Ouimet, adding that she could not comment any further. “I didn’t have any knowledge of this until April 5,” she says.

Cohen says “I like to thank Beth for coming forward today as I was extremely disappointed that she is the only member of this community that is here tonight. Although I understand the legal implications of the crime, the punishment and how it is relevant with the respect of the forced resignation of this board member, I find it to be unacceptable. Sexual crimes against women are taken far more seriously today than ever before and should not be tolerated at any level. As a woman and parent of two daughters, I feel strongly against the entire issue.”

Even after Stephens’ resigned, Blakey spoke again at the April 26 meeting, reiterating her suggestion “to amend the code of ethics to better reflect the values of our community,” she says. “What happened tonight is not a cause for celebration. There’s nothing happy about this situation.”

Zywicki says Stephen’s “resignation does not absolve those who knew about this when it happened. Who even knew about it in March? It was held from the board; I’m saddened. You’re right, it’s not a cause for celebration. Systemic and endemic to this whole process was something was missing.”     

The BOE, meanwhile, has been taking letters of interest to fill the vacated seat, with an interview process to follow. Stephens got elected to the school board in the November 2019 election, taking his seat in January 2020. The BOE has 65 days to fill the seat. 

BOE Retreat Planned

After several requests by Gayles, the BOE has decided that it will hold its retreat this summer.

According to Gayles, five BOE members have expressed interest in a retreat, an important step “as we bond with each other to learn to become better board members,” says Gayles. 

“It’s imperative that we focus on the mission,” says Gayles. “It’s the kids. They don’t really know what we do but they know we do something. They are watching. We need to get back to that as folks are watching us.

“It’s always with the kids in mind,” says Gayles. “Whatever initiative or program, does it benefit the kids? Can we afford it? And how does it affect the taxpayers? If we can answer all of those questions in the affirmative, we move forward with it. We need to get back to that. Folks are watching us.”

Gayles hopes the retreat “this summer will help us reset and refocus so that we can reestablish the trust and the transparency and the integrity that our public expects from us, that they voted us into the seats for, because I said it time and time again in closed doors and I’ll say it in public….We need to make the right decisions and the right choices by the people. So it’s important that we do what they put us in these seats to do with the utmost integrity and honor and grace.”

BOE Member Anthony Strillacci disagrees.

“I have a little different perspective,” says Strillacci. “I believe sure we will make mistakes along the way. The proof is our district today, we are rated very well; we have great facilities. We are offering a curriculum that is parallel to none to us. I believe that sure we make mistakes along the way; you bet, I don’t believe that we’ve lost the trust of the people, that they know we are doing the best we can for them. I believe our staff is doing the best for them and I take umbrage with the fact that we lost people’s trust. I just don’t believe that. I’ve been involved in a lot of tough decisions but look at how we are rated in the state and how we’re rated in the country and look at how people are talking about our district.

“We’re going to listen still to people and do everything we possibly can,” says Strillacci, “but I’m telling you right now I’m very proud of this district and what we have accomplished. I’m not going to let anybody put us down.”