Former Oakcrest Principal Files Lawsuit Against Superintendent and Regional School Board

Joseph Carruth

Former Oakcrest Principal Joseph Carruth has filed a lawsuit against the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board and Superintendent John Keenan. 

Carruth was hired by the District in November 2014 and placed on leave in May 2017. At that time over 250 students of Oakcrest held protests against the school for the Board placing Carruth on administrative leave. 

On July 5, 2017, the Regional School Board held a Donaldson Hearing on the employment of Carruth and after several members of the public addressed the Board, the Board did not reinstate Carruth.

According to the lawsuit filed by Sebastian Ionno, Esq. of Pitman, Carruth alleges several counts of discrimination, racial discrimination, retaliation, falsification of records and wrongful termination.

Greater Egg Harbor School Board Issues Response to Accusations of Releasing Paraprofessionals

On May 18, 2017, the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board issued the below press release in response to the Greater Egg Harbor Education Association's accusations of releasing paraprofessionals in the Regional School District. On behalf of the Board of Education, our administration notified our Association on March 8th that we would be considering contracted services for our aides (paraprofessionals) which we estimated would result in a savings of $350,000. This savings from contracted services would largely come from employee benefits.

As an example, the Board of Education's costs for a paraprofessionals family health benefit plan is approximately $30,417. The Board and administration was challenged with 4.7 million dollars in cuts in preparing the 2017-2018 budget. The Board of Education continues to seek ways to save the $350,000 in other ways in order to re-employee our paraprofessinoals and asked for the assistance of the Association in exploring other cost savings measures to make up this amount.

Greater Egg Superintendent & School Board Cut 33 Jobs; Consider Privatizing Paraprofessionals in Absegami, Oakcrest and Cedar Creek

In a letter sent to the 33 paraprofessionals employed in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District dated May 11, 2017, Superintendent John Keenan informed the paraprofessionals that due to declining enrollment and program changes, they would not be offered employment contracts for the 2017-18 school year. 

Mr. Keenan further stated that the Board of Education was considering contracted services for district paraprofessionals and should the Board contract with a particular vendor, they would be offered an opportunity to apply for a position with the vendor. 

Keenan also said in the letter that the district was pursuing various ways to effectuate cost savings and reallocate funding to staffing priorities which might allow the district to offer a new contract to the paraprofessionals.

In order to contract the services with a private outside company, the Board must advertise a Request for Proposals from interested vendors and then review the proposals and award the contract.  The Board has not yet advertised for any proposals.

Greater Egg Harbor Superintendent Notifies Staff of Budget Cuts; Layoffs Anticipated

Superintendent John Keenan notified the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Staff today of major budget cuts which includes cuts in staffing, equipment, supplies and professional development. 

Email from Superintendent John Keenan:

"Preparing our 2017-2018 school budget presented us with many challenges.  We are not immune to the economic hardships facing Atlantic City and Atlantic County.  In various degrees, all Atlantic County schools are caught up in this regional economic turmoil. 

Adding to our difficulties is our declining enrollment.  In the last five years, we have lost 13.4% of our enrollment or 508 students.  This year alone, we dropped by 107 students.  This further affects us because we have lost tuition revenue from our sending/receiving relationships with Port Republic and Washington Township.

For many years, our state aid has remained flat, and the state has not followed its own funding formula.  This essentially amounts to a cut in state aid because state funding has not increased in relation to our rising expenses. This year we have been shorted $2 million dollars.  Each year, we have cut our budget to fit in with these many restrictions, and we are forced to approach each budget year with an already lean budget.  The rallying cry for years is for the governor to fully fund schools instead of passing the burdens on to others.

Our residents face similar challenges and hardships.  We are only permitted to increase revenue on the tax levy by 2%.  For us, this amounts to $620,833.  While many of our residents see this amount as a burden in increased property taxes, the 2% simply does not keep pace with the millions of dollars in increased expenses.   $1.3 million in increased salaries, utility expenses, tuition for special education placements, and transportation costs for regular education, special education and homeless students far exceed our allowable 2% tax levy increase.  Lastly, our proximity to the Atlantic County Institute of Technology presents more of an issue for us than for other high schools.  Payment for students attending ACIT for next year amounts to $4.1 million dollars.  All of these factors affect our economic condition and we are forced to make $4.7 million dollars in cuts.    

Our Board of Education and administrative team has worked to prepare a budget that allows us to preserve our overall programs.  However, almost every area of our budget has been cut.  From supplies to equipment to professional development, we have analyzed and scrutinized all that we do.  The enormity of this cut will affect us all.  We all know that education is a people profession and our human resources make up the largest portion of our budget.  It is most unfortunate that with cuts this deep, we are forced to reduce staffing.  We realize that all staff are anxious regarding their positions for next year and we especially know how vital this information is to each of you.  This week, we will personally speak to each individual affected regarding their status for the next school year.

Our preliminary budget was approved on March 20^th with the final budget due May 1^st.  Throughout the coming months, your supervisors and administrators will share more information regarding various department supply cuts.  As we develop our master schedule for 2017-2018, we may have need to consider transfers and crossovers.  We are unable to finalize those decisions until May.

I am saddened to have to share this news with you, but keeping you informed is a priority for us."

Thank you for your understanding.

John J. Keenan

Superintendent

609-909-2671

Absegami High School Locked Down; Three Teens Charged Creating False Public Alarm

On Wednesday March 8, 2017 at 10:16 a.m., Galloway Township Police responded to Absegami High School for the report of a lockdown due to suspicious pictures on social media of students and weapons that were possibly inside the school. 

Within minutes of arriving the students in question were located and detained by Galloway Police in cooperation with Greater Egg Harbor Regional Staff. All students and staff were fully cooperative while the investigation was on-going. 

Explosives trained K9 dogs from Stockton University Police Dept., Hamilton Twp. Police Dept., Egg Harbor Twp. Police Dept. and  the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Dept. cleared the school for any related weapons. 

The school was clear and no weapons were located on school property. No one was injured during the course of the lockdown which lasted approximately two (2) hours. 

Shortly after lifting the lockdown another student, 18-year old Jil Patel of Galloway Township sent out a group text to students creating another false public alarm which was tended to quickly and he was arrested without incident on school property. Also charged was a16-year old female, named K.S. with Creating a False Public Alarm and 17-year old male named J.A. charged with Creating a False Public Alarm.

Anyone with information on the aforementioned incidents or any incidents at Absegami High School involving potential threats or harm to the school is asked to contact the Galloway Township Police Department at (609) 652-3705 ext 344 and or contact via anonymous confidential tip through our Facebook page and / or Twitter accounts at @gallowaypd. 

As always the Galloway Township Police also receive tips from Atlantic County Crime Stoppers @ (609) 652-1234 or 1-800-658-TIPS.

Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board and Education Association Settle Contract

After 2 ½ years of labor unrest between the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association and the Greater Egg Harbor Board of Education, both parties have approved and ratified an Addendum to the prior Memorandum of Agreement resolving the remaining two issues holding up a final contract. 

Following a dispute regarding 2 provisions of a Memorandum of Agreement reached between the parties in December with the assistance  of a state appointed super-conciliator, the Association voted to ratify an Addendum to the Memorandum last Monday, January 23^rd. The Board, who was to vote on the Addendum that same day at its regular Board meeting, could not do so due to a lack of a quorum. They held a special board meeting on Saturday, January 28 at which time they also approved the Addendum.

Greater Egg Harbor School Board Ordered to Pay Wrestling Coaches After Losing Arbitration Case

There seems to be no end in the continuing labor disputes between the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association and the Greater Egg Harbor Board of Education.

On December 10^th, 2016, Arbitrator Robert Glasson issued an Arbitration Award sustaining the position of the Association that the Board and Administration again violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. 

The arbitrator ruled that the language in the contract was clear and unambiguous and that the Board had violated the contract by failing to compensate three assistant wrestling coaches as prescribed in the contract. The Board was ordered to pay three assistant wrestling coaches $764 each.

Contract Talks Break Down Between GEHR School Staff and Board; Ongoing Bargaining Crisis Continues

In an attempt to reach a settlement in the ongoing labor dispute between the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association (GEHREA), which represents 435 teachers and educational support professionals and the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education, the negotiations committees from both sides met on Monday, November 7th  in an attempt to again resolve the issues that have resulted in the teachers and staff working without a contract since June 30, 2015. After close to 3 hours, the talks broke off. 

According to Stephanie Tarr, President of the Association, the main stumbling blocks holding up a contract still remain to be salaries and the numerous proposals presented by the Board which would basically “gut” the current contract.  

“The Board has continued to maintain its salary offer, which while it has increased very, very slightly, still does not allow for the current salary guide to be maintained.” Tarr said. “We have asked the Board to show us a salary guide and explain how their salary offer would be implemented but to date they have refused to do so. 

Greater Egg Harbor Teachers Inform District They Are Exercising Their Right to Not Work on Election Day

Teaching staff members at Oakcrest, Absegami, and Cedar Creek high schools have informed Superintendent John Keenan that they are exercising their individual right to not work on Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Election Day, which is a legal holiday. 

The statute, N.J.S.A. 18A:25-3, permits teaching staff to elect not to work on a legal holiday with no loss of pay or disciplinary action. Election Day is a legal holiday as defined by N.J.A.C. 36:1-1.

Greater Egg School Board Meeting Turns Confrontational with "Vote of No Confidence" in Superintendent John Keenan

Photo Credit: Current

The labor strife existing between school employees and the administration and Board of the Greater Egg Harbor School District inched up another notch Monday evening and continues to escalate while morale continues to goes down for the over 400 members of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association who have been working without a contract since June 30. 

The Association represents the teachers and support staffs in Absegami High School, Oakcrest High School and Cedar Creek High School. 

At what began as a normal and calm regular Board meeting Monday evening, quickly deteriorated to a loud and raucous back and forth between the Board members and the staff members. 

At the open session to the public, Myron Plotkin, NJEA Representative and negotiator for the Association made the first statement to the Board. He first addressed the procrastination by the Board in setting a date for face to face negotiations prior to the super-conciliation session scheduled for Nov. 21. 

Superintendent Dishonest on School Safety Issues; Greater Egg Faculty & Staff Speak Out

Photo Credit: The Current

In the wake of a recent loaded gun incident at Absegami High School, Greater Egg Harbor Regional faculty and staff are speaking out about the lack of a proactive approach to security issues by Superintendent John Keenan and his dishonesty about the district’s safety procedures. 

Since the beginning of the school year, there have been 572 disciplinary issues reported at the three high schools. These incidents include dangerous/unsafe behavior, disorderly conduct, threats, fights/physical altercations, and weapons offenses. That’s an average of 26 incidents every day that school has been in session during September of this school year. 

Some of the students involved in these incidents were known to have serious behavior issues at the middle school level. In fact, they were recommended for out of school placement, but the district chose to keep them. 

Gun Incident at Absegami High School Raises Concerns with Effective School Solutions Contract

In March 2016 the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board entered into an agreement with North Jersey company called Effective School Solutions LLC (ESS). The agreement signed by Board President Carol Houck is to provides In-District clinical services for students with emotional and behavior problems.

The services of ESS became a topic of discussion after a serious incident at Absegami High School when on Friday, September 23, 2016, at approx 2:00pm, Absegami High School officials received information that a student was carrying a handgun on the Absegami school campus.

According to the contract with (ESS), Effective School Solutions is to provide therapeutic mental services to students within the school district. The services provided by ESS are for students enrolled in Cedar Creek, Oakcrest and Absegami High Schools for the 2016-2017 school year.

ESS is to provide six (6) full New Jersey licensed mental health professionals who are trained and experienced in adolescent psychiatric treatment. Those professionals work under ESS and in conjunction with staff designated by the school. The professionals must be present at all times when school is in session. 

Parents Greeted at Oakcrest High School with Ongoing Construction and “Practice” Picketing

Oakcrest High School finally opened today, a week after Absegami and Cedar Creek high schools. The multiple delays in the opening of Oakcrest were due to poor administrative planning, according to Stephanie Tarr, president of the 435-member Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association. “With all of the construction, there is no way the opening of school should have been moved to before Labor Day,” she said. 

Oakcrest parents dropping off their students were met by an informational “practice” picket line that highlighted the ongoing bargaining crisis in the district. The picketing included a flyer detailing the history of the bargaining crisis and the fact that staff is beginning their second year without a new contract.  

GEHR Superintendent Delays the Opening of Oakcrest High School Again

The first day of school at Oakcrest High School has been delayed again.  In an email sent by Superintendent John Keenan late Wednesday evening, the day before staff was to report, he stated, "Regretfully, due to continued construction delays and scheduled inspections, we must further delay the start of school for Oakcrest Staff and Students."

Faculty was originally to report on September 1st after the first day of school was delayed for the first time. 

According to Keenan, Faculty and Staff  will now report on Tuesday, September 6th at 7:15 a.m. Students will now report to Homeroom on Wednesday, September 7th at 7:25 a.m.

GEHR Staff Conducts “Practice” Picketing, Educate Parents About Ongoing Bargaining Crisis

File photo

Staff from the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association (GEHREA), which represents 435 teachers and educational support professionals, conducted “practice” picketing on Tuesday, August 30 – the first day of school for students at Absegami and Cedar Creek high schools along with a person in a rat costume. 

The members picketed from 6 a.m. until 7:05 a.m., arriving in classrooms and on job sites before the start of their contractual day. 

The picketing also included providing an informational flyer to parents dropping off students. The flyer detailed the history of the ongoing bargaining crisis and the fact that staff is beginning their second school year without a new contract. 

Ongoing Construction at Oakcrest High School Delays First Day of School

The serious construction kinks at Oakcrest High School have official hit a snag. Oakcrest will have a delayed opening as the school will not be ready to open on Tuesday. 

Superintendent John Keenan notified School District Staff through email Friday afternoon that despite the best efforts of the contractors, the school is just shy of completion.

Serious construction over the past couple months has been the center of attention for parents and staff making some question if the school was safe to even start on time.

Faculty is told to report on September 1st and all students will report on September 6th, according to the Superintendent. Oakcrest will have to use the two emergency days, May 26th and May 30th that were built into the calendar in order to make up for the delay. Students will also have to report on June 14th which is the last day of school and graduation.

It is still unknown whether the teachers who have been working for the past 2-years without a contract will be starting school on August 30th as discussions are being had regarding work stoppage. 

Cedar Creek and Absegami High School staff will still report on Monday. A revised calendar for Oakcrest as released by the Superintendent is below.

2016-17 Ohs Revised_calendar by GallowayTwpNews on Scribd

GEHR Contract Talks Fail; Teachers to Discuss Options Including Work Stoppage

While over 100 staff members with signs protesting their lack of a contract sat in the regular Board meeting, talks held on Monday night failed to produce a settlement between the 435 member Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association and the Board of Education. Representatives met prior to and after the Board’s regularly scheduled board meeting in an attempt to resolve the ongoing contract negotiations between the parties.  

The talks were the result of the Board requesting to meet with the Association to “further explore the Board’s proposal” submitted to the Association on June 8.

The Board’s June 8 proposal rejected almost all of the recommendations made in the 109 page fact-finding report issued by a state appointed neutral fact-finder. According to Myron Plotkin, the NJEA negotiator for the Association, the report rejected almost all of the proposals put forth by the Board to delete economic provisions contained in the last contract which expired on June 30, 2015. 

Oakcrest, Absegami High Schools Under Serious Construction; to Open with Major Delays

Ever hear of the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words?" Well, these pictures may leave the general audience speechless. Staff members of Oakcrest and Absegami High School were notified last night that the beginning of the school year will most likely have some serious kinks in it. 

In an email sent by Superintendent John Keenan he stated, "we are much better off than our general appearance shows right now."

According to Keenan, construction that began in June was not only at Oakcrest but also Absegami High School with the bulk of the work at Oakcrest. It appears in the emails sent by Keenan that "district projects" are being done at the same time as "referendum projects" with no inkling that the projects were being phased throughout the district. 

Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board Schedules Negotiations with School Employees

Frustrations continue to grow as it appears that school employees may soon begin their second school year with no contract. The 435 affected employees, including teachers and support staff personnel that work at Oakcrest, Absegami and Cedar Creek High Schools, are represented by the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association. 

Talks in the District have not resulted in a new contract in spite of numerous negotiation sessions, mediation sessions with a state appointed mediator and fact-finding with a state appointed fact-finder. The 109 page report issued on June 3 by the impartial fact-finder following a nine hour hearing and post hearing briefs contained non-binding recommendations for settlement. 

The Association accepted the recommendations in its totality with only a minor revision to the structure of the salary guide which did not add one cent to the cost. The vast majority of the report’s recommendations were rejected by the Board with the exception of certain recommendations which favored the Board.  

Greater Egg Harbor School Employees Open Crisis Center; Super-Conciliator Appointed

Frustrations continue to grow as it appears that school employees may soon begin their second school year with no contract. 

The 435 affected employees, including teachers and support staff personnel that work at Oakcrest, Absegami and Cedar Creek High Schools, are represented by the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association. 

Talks in the District have not resulted in a new contract in spite of numerous negotiation sessions, mediation sessions with a state appointed mediator and fact-finding with a state appointed fact-finder. The 109 page report issued on June 3 by the impartial fact-finder following a nine hour hearing and post hearing briefs contained non-binding recommendations for settlement. 

The Association accepted the recommendations in its totality with only a minor revision to the structure of the salary guide which did not add one cent to the cost. The vast majority of the report’s recommendations were rejected by the Board with the exception of certain recommendations which favored the Board.