BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE — Despite protest, a popular teacher may not return to the school district next year.
About a dozen parents at the April 11 Board of Education meeting voiced their opposition to the board’s decision not to rehire Millstone Township elementary school teacher Matthew Palace.
Palace, 23, has taught third grade for the past two years. This is his first teaching position.
Mark Sparto, whose daughter is a student of Palace’s, praised Palace and his teaching methods, which he said produced good results with his child.
Another parent, Sergieo Galindo, said Palace was well-liked and that students in his class were happy. He said he wanted to understand the board’s decision-making process for not rehiring the teacher.
Mary Jo Fuordeliso, another parent, said Palace had a unique approach to teaching.
“If Millstone wants to stay at the forefront and offer something unique and challenging, his method is the way to go,” Fuordeliso said. “My daughter appreciates his approach.”
Fuordeliso said she felt the board was making an error in not rehiring Palace.
Parent Jim Neebling told the board he felt very strongly about this issue. He said he had seen his child excel in developing social skills in Palace’s class.
“I’ve really seen a change,” Neebling said. “You have to learn to adapt to new ideas to attract people to your organization.”
Kelly Brown said Superintendent William Setaro came before parents when he wanted a new school.
“We as parents thought, ‘It’s a lot of money and additional taxes, but if it is for the good of our children, we’ll vote for it,’ ” Brown said. “We want you to stand behind us,” she said, “in support of Palace and another teacher who was also not recommended for rehire.
“If you want what’s good for our children,” Brown said, “then you’ll reconsider your decision. You have to start thinking out of the box.”
Lorraine Corbino’s son had Palace as a teacher last year. She said her son enjoyed his class so much that never once that year did he say he didn’t want to go to school.
Palace said he likes to get his classes involved with many hands-on activities. For example, he started a classroom government run by the students themselves.
“They enjoy being here,” Palace said. “It’s a fun atmosphere to learn in.”
Palace said he found out on April 1 that the board would not renew his contract. He said the board did not base its decision on his performance.
“Something is amiss here,” Palace said. “Something is going on in this district. We need to make more people aware of what’s going on.”
Palace said he would appeal the board’s decision through what is known as a Donaldson Hearing.
The purpose of the hearing, according to Setaro, is to permit the staff member to convince members of the board to offer re-employment, contrary to the chief school administrator’s original recommendation of nonrenewal.
“The hearing is informal, and the length of the meeting is set by the Board of Education,” Setaro said.
The employee is permitted to be represented by counsel or one individual of his or her own choosing, according to Setaro. The employee may also present witnesses on his or her behalf; however, the witnesses do not need to testify under oath, nor will they be cross-examined by the board.
“In essence,” Setaro said, “the witnesses are called on behalf of the employee to provide a statement to the board as to why the employee should be renewed.
“At the conclusion of the hearing, the board has three days to notify the affected employee in writing as to its final determination,” Setaro said.
If the board wishes to renew the employee’s contract, according to Setaro, it should do so by formal resolution, which requires a majority vote of the full membership. If there will not be formal action to rehire the employee, written notification may be provided to the affected employee by the superintendent or board secretary.
Board of Education Attorney Michael Gross said certain legal procedures take place when the board reviews a teacher.
Because employees have a right to confidentiality, board members cannot discuss a specific teacher in a public session unless the employee wants them to. At press time, Palace had not waived his right to confidentiality.
The board, according to Gross, could discuss the general review process. He said the superintendent recommends a list of possible employees to the board. Then during an executive session, the board votes on who to hire.
The superintendent makes his recommendations based on classroom observation and input from staff members. By law, the superintendent has the final say on recommendations, Gross said.
Out of 51 teachers, four did not make the list of recommendations, including Palace, according to Gross. The board did not have a minimum number of teachers who needed to be cut, he said.
Gross said district teachers receive tenure after three years and one day of employment.
Setaro said a supervisor observes nontenured teachers in a classroom setting three times a year. The supervisor lists areas of growth for each teacher in a professional improvement plan, or PIP.
Teachers receive ratings based on their teaching ability and lesson design. Supervisors write reports and share them with the teacher. Teachers know the criteria for their ratings and review the areas they need to improve.
At the end of the year, supervisors provide the superintendent with staff evaluations and recommendations.
Deputy Mayor Nancy Grbelja, who attended the board meeting, said she was very upset with what she was hearing.
“Where is the leadership in the building?” she asked.
Grbelja alleged that an individual involved with the Palace situation has “an attitude about Millstone and the people in Millstone.”
“I’ve had teachers come to me and discuss this individual’s disgust with Millstone,” she said.
Grbelja said the board needed to “address the issue as a whole” and make sure its decision is “fair and equitable.”
“People in the building have told me that they were intimidated and berated for voicing their opinion,” Grbelja said.