Back to the Table: RBR's Teachers and Board to Continue Contract Talks

Negotiating teams from the high school's board of ed and teachers' union will reconvene negotiations Thursday night.

Rather than wait to hear from a fact finder for recommendations for settlement, Red Bank Regional's board of eduction and its teachers' union will head back to the negotiating table this week. According to RBR Education Association member Katie Blackwell, negotiating teams for both sides will sit down to talk following the March 21 board of education meeting. "The RBREA is hopeful that both sides can reach a fair settlement," Blackwell, who heads the union's negotiating team, said in a statement. RBR Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz concurred, "The board is very hopeful that the two sides will be able to come to a settlement in the very near future."

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Ryan

1:16 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013

MissesM- my only issue with what you are stating is that teachers are not paid over the summer. This is and is not correct. They can have their check divided up so that they receive a check in July- no different than yours or my corporate job changing from bi-weekly pay periods(26 payments) to monthly(12)- they just divide up the total salary differently. And quite frankly, if a teacher can't …   more ›

OMG! Teen Heartthrob Ryan Beatty Appearing at RBR

The 16-year-old singer, who's performing at Count Basie next month, will perform for the freshman class.

He's got an anti-bullying program aimed at teens and wants to promote self-empowerment, using music to share his message. But who cares? Girls think 16-year-old singer Ryan Beatty is totes cute and he's making the rounds at local schools this week, including a stop at Red Bank Regional High School on Thursday. Beatty will perform a free concert for the freshman class on March 21 at 11 a.m., according to RBR Principal Risa Clay. The YouTube sensation, who recently released his first EP Because of You, has brought his anti-bullying performance to a number of schools across the country, according to the singer's Web site. The singer, who's performing at the Count Basie Theater on April 12, had been tweeting earlier in the week that he was in …

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RBR Teachers, BOE 'Frustrated' By Negotiation Process

Both sides spoke of disappointment with delays in contract negotiations and communication issues contributing to the protracted two-year process.

After 25 months of negotiations, there are more parties involved than just the Red Bank Regional Board of Education and the teacher's union in working out a contract agreement for about 150 staff members. There is a board attorney, a representative from the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and now a fact finder furnished by the state to help provide recommendations for the two sides to settle. There are hearings, mediation and impasse to contend with, too. And with these additional participants and hurdles to jump through come more calendars to coordinate and representatives whose schedules already have them stretched thin. Signaling their frustration, about 90 association members hit the sidewalk twice last week in front of the …

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Hazel Kelly

5:00 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013

Two years, that is ridiculous. My former district of Middletown went on strike twice which was a nightmare but because of that a contract can never be imposed by a BOE and we were proud of that accomplishment. Good luck to the teachers and the board, hopefully resolution will occur for you all.   more ›

Grammy Winner, Navy SEAL Among RBR Hall of Fame Recipients

The induction ceremony for the 2013 recipients is April 26.

Batter Up With the Bucs This Weekend

The Bucs Baseball Clinic on Sunday is designed for players between 7-12 years old.

'Sign of Unity': 90 Staffers Gather Outside RBR Tuesday

Staff members stood in the rain during drop off as a reminder that they are "committed to providing an excellent educational opportunity to all despite the lack of a contract," says their union president.

Tuesday's cold, drizzly weather did not deter about 90 Red Bank Regional faculty members from gathering outside the school before classes began as "a sign of unity" as contract negotiations with the board near the two-year mark, according to RBR Education Association President Mary Karlo. "We are gathering more often as a sign of unity and to remind all that RBREA has been committed to providing an excellent educational opportunity to all despite the lack of a contract," Karlo wrote in an e-mail Tuesday morning. Both sides are waiting on a non-binding fact-finder report based on testimony given during a formal hearing in December. The previous contract with the board expired on June 30, 2011. If no settlement is agreed upon following the …

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RBR Makes Contingency Plans for Inclement Weather

The high school's superintendent says HSPA testing will be pushed to Friday if weather calls for a delayed opening on Thursday.

A message from Red Bank Regional Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz:   Dear RBR Parent/Guardian: As I am sure you are aware, our area in currently under a winter weather advisory through 6am Thursday morning. 2-4 inches of wet snow is predicted overnight along the coast, ending by 6am. If there is a need to have a delayed opening tomorrow, you will hear before 5AM. If there is a delayed opening, school will open at 10AM. There will be no HSPA or practice testing tomorrow if there is a delayed opening. Classes will meet in a shortened schedule. Friday will then become the last day of testing. We will have an 11:35 dismissal on Friday for students. In essence, Friday becomes what was originally intended for Thursday. Bus transportation will be…

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End of the Road for Bucs Championship Drive

Red Bank Regional's Varisty Hockey team fell 4-0 to top-seeded Ramsey on Sunday.

It was a "Cinderella story," the team that had to fight its way into the state tournament only to defeat the 8th and 9th seeded teams. But then, it lost its proverbial slipper. That's what happened for the Red Bank Regional varsity hockey team on Sunday when it came up against top-seeded Ramsey in the quarterfinal round of the Public B state tournament, losing 4-0, and ending the team's winning season. "They gave it everything they had," said Sharyn Lynch, whose son Brian is a sophomore on the team. "We could not be prouder of the terrific run they experienced." Senior goalie A.J. Ostrander made 43 saves for Red Bank, according to NJ.com. The game was played at the Ice Vault in Wayne, NJ. Red Bank, seeded 25th going into tournament play, …

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State Aid to Red Bank Schools Up 12.9%

Aid to Red Bank Regional and Shrewsbury flat in 2013-2014.

Red Bank Borough Public Schools will see a 12.9 percent increase in state aid, according to figures released by the New Jersey Department of Education on Thursday. According to NJ Spotlight, Red Bank's increase makes it one of 30 districts in the state to receive an over 10 percent increase in funding from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014. Overall, the $8.7 billion in state aid announced for 2013-2014 marked a $97.3 million increase over last year. Red Bank, which received $2.63 million last year, will receive nearly $2.97 million in 2013-2014. Red Bank Regional's aid remained flat at $995,006, as did Shrewsbury's at $226,157. The full aid numbers are listed below: District: RED BANK BORO K-12 2012-2013 Total Aid: $2,630,332 Equalized Aid: $1,399,…

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