Superintendent Arlington took the opportunity to reintroduce himself to the Glen Ridge School Community. He mentioned that he had been using an “admiring lens” to focus on what is working well in the district while also staying open to new ideas and innovations. Arlington is currently setting up a series of outreach opportunities, including meet-and-greets to engage with various stakeholders.

In other updates, the board expressed their condolences regarding the sudden passing of Montclair Superintendent Jonathan Pond, recognizing the loss for the Montclair community and the broader educational landscape in New Jersey. The board also touched on the New Jersey task force on teacher evaluations, which is taking a fresh look at the evaluation system for educators.

The board conveyed appreciation to The Ridgewood Avenue Home and School Association and the Glen Ridge Education Foundation for their generous donations, including funds for classroom furniture, collaborative problem-solving training, and virtual high school seats.

The President’s report also included a mention of the New Jersey Legislature’s current recess and the ongoing meetings of the New Jersey task force on teacher evaluations, which is expected to present its recommendations by September 30th.

Furthermore, there was a brief mention of the legal representation change for the board, with the current legal team joining a new firm, Methfessel & Werbel.

During the meeting, various committees reported on their status, with many not having met since the previous reporting period in June. The negotiations committee addressed an unspecified contract issue in a meeting on July 15th, but due to the confidential nature of the work, no further details were shared publicly.

No public comments were made during the designated periods, and routine business items, including approval of minutes, administrative matters, and acceptance of donations, were handled without discussion.