East Brunswick School Board Discusses Impactful Student Initiatives and High School Infrastructure
-
Meeting Type:
School Board
-
Meeting Date:
11/30/2023
-
Recording Published:
-
Duration:
78 Minutes
-
State:
New Jersey
-
County:
Middlesex County
-
Towns:
East Brunswick
- Meeting Overview:
The East Brunswick School Board meeting spotlighted innovative student-led initiatives, the Flex program for at-risk students, and the impending challenges of the aging high school infrastructure. Additionally, concerns about the aging high school and its potential renovation or replacement were brought to the fore.
The meeting kicked off with a presentation by tenth-grade student Pers, who introduced the Green Good Guardians program. This initiative, aiming to reduce environmental impact, repurposes underused notebooks for donation. Pers expressed her intent to embed the program in East Brunswick by installing permanent collection boxes in schools and raising awareness among families. School Board members, Heather Guas and Laurie Lachs underlined the importance of sustainability and the program’s potential impact. Mark Csizmar offered to support the initiative by donating notebooks.
Following this, Jamie Gard, who oversees the Flex program at East Brunswick High School, and Jamie Canard presented on the program’s success. The Flex program assists at-risk students in developing social, emotional, and academic skills, boasting a 90% graduation rate and effective transition plans for students. The board members expressed their admiration for the program, with Mark Csizmar, Laurie Lachs, Jeffrey Winston, and Barbara Reiss lauding Gard’s commitment and dedication. Superintendent Victor Valeski also praised the program’s impact and expressed his support for its continued development.
Meanwhile, the aging infrastructure of the high school was a concern. Superintendent Victor Valeski discussed the challenges of the aged high school and the options for renovation or replacement. He also requested community feedback using QR codes. The board debated the financial implications of a recent water pipe rupture at the high school, with some members arguing that the potential risks of renovating an older school building should be considered.
Other noteworthy events included the recognition of the Model UN team and the high school math team for their achievements. The board also acknowledged a potential partnership with Beijing National Day School and the East Brunswick Education Foundation’s recent mini-grant.
Victor Valeski
School Board Officials:
Laurie Lachs, Heather Guas, Vicki Becker, Mark Carangelo, Timothy Cummings, Mark Csizmar, Liwu Hong, Barbara Reiss, Jeffrey Winston
-
Meeting Type:
School Board
-
Meeting Date:
11/30/2023
-
Recording Published:
-
Duration:
78 Minutes
-
Notability Score:
Routine
Receive debriefs about local meetings in your inbox weekly:
-
State:
New Jersey
-
County:
Middlesex County
-
Towns:
East Brunswick
Recent Meetings Nearby:
- 09/05/2024
- 09/05/2024
- 83 Minutes
- 09/05/2024
- 09/06/2024
- 14 Minutes
- 09/05/2024
- 09/06/2024
- 112 Minutes