The board unanimously approved the extension of the superintendent’s contract, covering the years 2025 to 2028. This decision followed a public comment session where a resident praised Superintendent Fran Ciociola for his leadership. The resident, Brian Cop, expressed his gratitude by stating, “I am a yay for Mr. Siciola because of the job he did during that time,” referencing Ciociola’s effective management during the challenging period of 2020. This endorsement was met with appreciation from board members, illustrating community support for Ciociola’s continued leadership.

Following the contract discussions, the meeting shifted focus to the introduction of new staff members, notably Francesca Pittz, who will be teaching high school biology. The board acknowledged her experience and welcomed her to the team.

A comprehensive report on student incidents revealed a decrease in disciplinary issues, with incidents dropping from 242 to 137. The reduction in substance abuse incidents was particularly notable, declining by 46%. This improvement was attributed to the development of strong relationships between staff and students, as well as the implementation of restorative practices and increased presence of administration and security in school hallways. An assistant principal highlighted the positive shift, noting how students were now more engaged with each other rather than being glued to their screens, describing the change as “refreshing.”

Attention then turned to the district assessment results, where significant improvements were noted, particularly in English language arts for seventh and eighth grades. Proficiency increased by 10 and 15 percentage points respectively, with a specific seventh-grade group achieving a proficiency of 70%, up from 39% the previous year. These results were described as a “seismic leap.” The board compared these outcomes to state averages, noting a faster recovery post-pandemic. However, writing skills remained an area for improvement, prompting discussions on expanding a workshop model to enhance these skills at the high school level.

The meeting also addressed curriculum alignment, particularly the transition from eighth to ninth grade. Efforts to strengthen this transition included aligning curriculums in reading and writing, with strategies targeting vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension stamina for seventh graders. Plans to close subgroup gaps through co-taught workshop sections were discussed. The board emphasized the need for consistency in classroom experiences, stating, “If you have twins that go through our school and they don’t have the same teacher, they shouldn’t come home with vastly different experiences and expectations.”

Mathematics performance also saw improvements, with a 9 percentage point increase in seventh grade and a doubling of proficiency in eighth grade math. However, a dip in eighth-grade algebra results prompted discussions among teachers. It was acknowledged that even high-achieving students may require additional support, and plans to address curriculum misalignment, particularly in algebra, were discussed. Teachers were urged to implement spiral reviews to reinforce long-term retention of concepts.

The Advanced Placement (AP) program was another focal point, with an increase in the number of students achieving scores of three or more. Notably, a ninth-grade student achieved a five on an AP exam for the first time. Despite a decline in overall AP participation, those who participated took more tests overall. The board expressed interest in exploring a new AP course in business and personal finance offered by the college board.

Upcoming changes in state assessments, which will be adaptive in nature, were discussed. The implications of these changes for evaluating student performance and teacher accountability were highlighted, with some uncertainty expressed regarding how these new assessments would allow for comparisons to prior evaluations. A forthcoming field test was anticipated.

Personnel changes for the upcoming school year were also approved, including hiring teaching and non-teaching staff. This followed approval of motions related to support staff for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) during extracurricular activities. The board also confirmed the staffing structure for the upcoming school year, all receiving positive votes.

In the budget and finance section, the board certified that no line items had been overextended under state statute. Monthly financial reports confirmed no major accounts or funds had been overexpended, with necessary bills approved.