Haddonfield Schools Excel, Challenges Over New Principal Arise

In a recent meeting of the Haddonfield School Board, notable topics discussed included the high performance of Central School, the hiring of a new Middle School principal, discussions on ethics training, and the denial of a student record change request. Central School was lauded for ranking among the top five performing schools in the state, which the board planned to celebrate. However, concerns were raised by a community member over the recent hiring of a new Middle School principal, who is married to the high school principal, highlighting potential conflict of interest issues.

The meeting opened with a presentation by Dr. Jarcho from Temple University about a research project on child and adolescent anxiety, followed by Terry Lewis from the New Jersey School Boards Association discussing ethics training for board members. The ethics presentation stressed the importance of maintaining community trust and detailed mandatory training, disclosure statements, and prohibited acts.

The conversation then shifted to the ethical use of social media by board members, with scenarios presented illustrating potential violations. This included discussions on how board members should conduct themselves online and the implications of their advocacy for specific groups or initiatives.

School business updates touched on reservation from a board member about remaining silent during certain discussions and the need for board members to connect with others. The policy committee reported that voting on policies would be delayed due to timing issues and detailed their process of reviewing policy language for clarity and potential changes.

On the topic of student discipline, the board discussed trends and practices, such as the introduction of Saturday detention and the removal of the open campus policy at the high school. Additionally, the possibility of applying for a grant for behavior management support was mentioned.

Updates from the PTA included monthly events, teacher appreciation, and the Middle School book fair, along with discussions on PTA turnover and the suggestion of two-year terms for board members to maintain institutional knowledge. Announcements were made about upcoming events like the senior trip, a golf outing, and a town dinner.

The board celebrated the high performance reports for Central School and the high school, with Central School notably ranked among the state’s top five performing schools. They also discussed a virtual learning day at Central School and the middle school, which saw attendance rates over 60% and 56.76%, respectively, and focused on enrichment and engagement.

However, a concern was raised by a community member about the hiring process for a new Middle School principal, who is married to the high school principal. Questions about potential conflicts of interest and the consideration of other candidates were brought to the board’s attention.

The denial of a request to change a student’s record was addressed, with a motion made and approved after board discussion. The board also reviewed the agenda for the next meeting, and some members expressed difficulties accessing certain documents, leading to discussions about the need for more detailed financial information, including budget comparisons and tax revenue sources.

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.
Superintendent:
Charles Klaus
School Board Officials:
Michael Catalano, Rachael Brown, Greg Esemplare, Megan Hollingworth, Stephanie Benecchi, Mike Nuckols, Gino Priolo (Assistant Superintendent), Nousheen Sadiq, Jaime Grookett (President), Chuck Klaus (Superintendent), Linda Hochgertel (Vice President), Jessica Drass

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