Board renews Decker’s contract

The Board of Education renewed Barbara Decker’s contract as business administrator/board secretary for one year at an annual salary of $185,400 during its meeting Thursday, June 12.

She was hired last fall to work Jan. 1 through June 30 at a base annual salary of $180,000 after Joanne Black said she would retire in December.

Decker had been working as assistant business administrator. She was the district’s business administrator twice before.

The board also approved the renewal of contract for Tara Rossi as assistant superintendent for curriculum through June 30, 2026, at an annual salary of $167,013.

New teachers contract

Board members ratified a memorandum of agreement with the Sparta Education Association. Details of the new four-year teachers contract will be released when they are finalized.

Superintendent Matthew Beck said this is the first time in 25 years that the agreement was approved before the contract expired.

Angela DeLuca, president of the Sparta Education Association as well as the Sussex County Education Association, echoed that and she thanked the board’s negotiations committee for its work.

DeLuca also thanked the board for its support of student activities, including the robotic team and the art gala.

The board approved a total of about $35,000 in grants from the Sparta Education Foundation to fund:

• the purchase of a MedTable to be used by biomedical science students for interactive 3D anatomical visualization.

• the purchase of six Promethean Boards to provide interactive lessons for grades 4-5.

• the purchase of materials and plants to build an outdoor classroom to provide interactive learning for third-grade students.

Drainage issues

Michelle Petriccio, president of the Baseball Booster Club, thanked the board for its assistance in purchasing covers for the pitcher’s mound and home plate, which were especially important during the recent rainy weather.

However, the incessant rains caused serious drainage issues.

She said the booster club wants to work with the board on the purchase of a “turtle,” a movable enclosed cage that can be used to stop foul balls.

On the Sparta field, foul balls often fall into the adjacent swamp and cannot be recovered because of the tick infestation.

“We are spending a lot of money on lost balls,” she said.

Petriccio told the board that a significant number of freshmen players in baseball, softball and lacrosse are expected this year and she would like to start a conversation about installing turf, which would handle the rain better and be usable for several team sports.

“We really want to work together,” she said.