The meeting began with Superintendent David C. Mango acknowledging Michael Petrelli’s contributions to the board and the community. Petrelli’s leadership was particularly noted during challenging times, such as navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. A formal proclamation highlighted his dedication and the respect he earned from students, staff, and the community. Petrelli, in his remarks, expressed gratitude towards his family and the community for their support, humorously questioning their decision to re-elect him four times. His wife, Jennifer Petrelli, was also recognized for her support, receiving flowers as a gesture of appreciation. The tribute concluded with applause from attendees.

Following Petrelli’s recognition, a troubling report on chronic absenteeism was presented. The board was informed that absenteeism rates had exceeded 10% across all school buildings, with Stony Brook Elementary slightly lower at 8.7%. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of school days, was linked to poor academic performance, with nearly half of the 206 chronically absent students not considered graduation-ready. The speaker emphasized that attendance is a key indicator of school quality, affecting state and federal funding. Notably, parental caution post-COVID-19, such as keeping children home with minor symptoms, was identified as a contributing factor to increased absenteeism rates.

To counter these issues, the board discussed corrective action plans and emphasized the importance of communication between parents and the school. The presentation also highlighted the need for timely notification of absences and the development of individual action plans for students approaching excessive absence thresholds. A parent survey revealed that vacations during the school year were a notable contributor to absenteeism, prompting concerns about prioritizing school attendance.

In addition to absenteeism, the meeting addressed the performance of Kinnelon’s athletic programs. Various coaches presented summaries of their teams’ fall season achievements. The cross country team, led by Coach Laura Ching, had both boys and girls teams advance to state competitions, with individual athletes receiving all-conference honors. Similarly, Coach Dustin Grande celebrated the football team’s success. Other sports, including soccer and tennis, also reported on their seasons, highlighting individual and team accomplishments.

The meeting also covered updates from various board committees. The Finance, Facilities, and Security committee discussed ongoing district goals, including security upgrades and the acceptance of a donation for improvements to the KHS baseball field. The Education and Student Activities Committee reported on new initiatives, including a social studies pilot class and strategies to address harassment and bullying in schools. The Policy committee reviewed attendance policies.