The Henry Hudson Regional Transitional Board of Education unanimously approved a five year contract with Superintendent Tara Beams at a meeting last night, for a five year term in the position beginning July 1 of this year and continuing until June 30, 2029.
The new contract replaces the superintendent’s current contract with the Henry Hudson Regional School and the two elementary schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands which would have terminated her contract in 2026.
Terms of the contract were not included in the resolution, though a copy of the contract is maintained in the district’s business office.
At the same meeting, the board also unanimously adopted the same resolution (5-28-2024 – HHRS Board Cert of Resolution) the school boards in the district adopted this week amending the revised Settlement Agreement and authorizing principals to sign agreements with Oceanport and Shore Regional under specific conditions. This is the same settlement agreement first proposed and unanimously approved by the Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson Regional boards May 28 and revised after Superior Court injunction request (Verified Complaint) was filed by Highlands Councilwoman Joann Olszweski.
It was a busy night at Henry Hudson Wednesday with a variety of activities and actions: There was no mention of the court date set for June 24 on complaints filed by the Highlands municipal leader against the three boards of education. (Jo-Anne Olszewski-Letter brief in support of order to show cause(7728181.1))
Actions did include:
The public hearing on Beam’s five year contract and another for the business secretary,
A regular meeting and an annual meeting
A sports award ceremony for school athletic teams,
A regular and final meeting of the current Henry Hudson board of education which ceases to exist in hits current form July 1.
All of which took 42 pages in three separate documents for the public to see the agendas for the evening.
The public hearings on the proposed superintendent and business administrator board secretary contracts were early on on the agenda for the first meeting with board attorney Jonathon Busch explaining the contracts are necessary since the personnel will be operating under the expanded district board of education and encompasses duties for the three schools in the new regional district.
No one explained however, why the transitional board, which did not meet in executive session to discuss the matter, extended Beams’ current contract signed last year by many of the same board members ,rather than continue it for the two year period already approved.
That action would also enable the new board of education, the first to be comprised of elected members to the Prek-12 district, to act on a contract when they assume office in January.
