River Edge School District Wins Top Sustainable NJ Grant for Tree Planting

The River Edge School Board recently convened to discuss various matters affecting the district. At the forefront, the district proudly announced a significant grant win from Sustainable New Jersey, totaling $137,558, designated for tree planting on school campuses. This award stands out as one of the highest amongst K-12 districts in Bergen County.

In-depth discussions took place regarding the success of the Summer Academy and Extended School Year (ESY) programs. The Summer Academy, as presented by Mr. Werner, provided a blend of 43 extracurricular and 24 academic classes. The academy not only included courses ranging from acting and CrossFit to math intervention and English language arts, but it also boasted an impressive 87% student growth rate. Feedback from board members accentuated the importance of not just growth but maintaining skills to avoid the “summer slide”.

The Extended School Year program, elucidated by Dr. Jeffery, primarily supports students at risk of summer regression. The initiative strives to uphold the momentum students garner during the regular academic year. It is worth noting that students in this program, especially from special programs like Building Bridges and Building Connections, enjoy individualized attention, an asset to their continued success.

Various extracurricular summer activities were also showcased, ranging from bubble experiments and food tasting sessions, like “Whip It Up Wednesday”, to field trips designed to emphasize skills like motor coordination. The intertwining of the ESY and Summer Academy was praised by board members for its synchronized schedule and seamless integration.

Logistical challenges, especially around school drop-offs, were broached with urgency. Members shared experiences from other districts and proposed innovative solutions, like a “pop-up coffee stand”, to mitigate traffic during peak hours.

Amidst academic achievements and operational challenges, the district faced a significant hurdle – the lack of a certified Spanish language teacher. Despite ongoing recruitment efforts, finding a suitable replacement has proven daunting. The state mandates Spanish instruction for K-6, putting pressure on the district, especially when considering the broader vision for world language curriculum.

Policy reviews, specifically around HIV and Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB), were highlighted. A parent academy was proposed to bring families up to speed with recent changes in the HIB process and laws.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Not avaliable:

School Board Officials:

Receive debriefs about local meetings in your inbox weekly:

Trending meetings
across the country:

Meeting Date
Filter by bodytypes
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Airport Advisory Board
Art and Culture Board
Beach Committee
Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Board of Elections
Board of Health
Borough Council
Building Committee
Cannabis Control Board
Cemetery Commission
Charter Revision Commission
Child and Family Services Board
City Council
City Identity Committee
Code Enforcement Board
College Board of Trustees
Community Appearance Board
Community Preservation Committee
Community Redevelopment Agency
County Council
Disability Advisory Committee
Economic Development Board
Elderly Affairs Board
Electric Advisory Board
Environmental Commission
Financial Oversight Board
Historic Preservation Commission
Housing Authority
Human Relations Committee
Human Resources Committee
Insurance Fund
Land Use Board
Library Board
Licensing Board
Mental Health Commission
Municipal Alliance
Open Space Commission
Oversight and Review Committee
Parent Advisory Board
Parking Authority
Parks and Gardens Commission
Parks Commission
Pension Board
Planning Board
Police Review Board
Port Authority
Property Assessment Board
Public Safety Committee
Recreation Commission
Redevelopment Agency
Rent Control Board
Rent Leveling Board
School Board
Sewerage Authority
Shade Tree Commission
Special Magistrate
Taxation & Revenue Advisory Committee
Tourism Board
Trails Committee
Transportation Board
Utility Board
Value Adjustment Board
Veterans Committee
Water Control Board
Women's Advisory Committee
Youth Advisory Committee
Zoning Board
Filter by County
FL
Bay County
Bradford County
Brevard County
Broward County
Clay County
Duval County
Escambia County
Gulf County
Hendry County
Highlands County
Hillsborough County
Indian River County
Lake County
Lee County
Leon County
Levy County
Liberty County
Manatee County
Marion County
Martin County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County
Okaloosa County
Orange County
Osceola County
Palm Beach County
Pasco County
Pinellas County
Polk County
Putnam County
Santa Rosa County
Sarasota County
Seminole County
St. Johns County
Taylor County
Volusia County
Walton County
MA
Barnstable County
Berkshire County
Bristol County
Essex County
Franklin County
Hampden County
Hampshire County
Middlesex County
Norfolk County
Plymouth County
Suffolk County
Worcester County
MN
Anoka County
Becker County
Beltrami County
Benton County
Blue Earth County
Brown County
Carver County
Cass County
Chippewa County
Chisago County
Clay County
Cook County
Crow Wing County
Dakota County
Freeborn County
Goodhue County
Grant County
Hennepin County
Isanti County
Itasca County
Kanabec County
Kandiyohi County
Koochiching County
Lac Qui Parle County
Lyon County
Mcleod County
Morrison County
Mower County
Nicollet County
Olmsted County
Pipestone County
Polk County
Ramsey County
Rice County
Scott County
Sherburne County
Sibley County
St Louis County
Stearns County
Steele County
Waseca County
Washington County
Wright County
NJ
Atlantic County
Bergen County
Burlington County
Camden County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
Essex County
Gloucester County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Monmouth County
Morris County
Ocean County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Sussex County
Union County
Warren County
NY
Bronx County
Kings County
New York County
Queens County
Richmond County
TN
Shelby County
Filter by sourcetypes
Minutes
Recording