A significant portion of the meeting centered around the appointment of Miss Jessica Celosi Hay as the new superintendent. The board discussed the extensive search process undertaken to fill this position, highlighting Celosi Hay’s nearly two decades of experience in education. She has been with the district for five years, initially serving as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction before becoming the Assistant Superintendent. Her notable contributions include enhancing dual enrollment partnerships, expanding magnet programs, developing leadership programs for staff, and improving the district’s ranking, now placing it as the 14th high school in the state. Board members praised her collaborative nature and visionary leadership, expressing confidence in her ability to guide the district toward future achievements. The motion to approve her appointment was passed unanimously.

Following her appointment, Celosi Hay presented the results of the 2024 spring New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJ GPA). This assessment, a graduation requirement, measures readiness in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics for students in grade 11. The new format categorizes students as either “graduation ready” or “not yet graduation ready,” a term that has sparked discussions due to its potentially alarming implications. Despite these concerns, the district performed notably better than the state average, with ELA scores 9% higher and math scores 18% higher. These results prompted discussions about the ongoing challenges students face in mathematics compared to ELA.

The meeting also featured a analysis of student performance across various demographics. Significant disparities in achievement were highlighted, particularly focusing on gender differences and the performance of Black, African-American, Hispanic, and Latino students. Despite improvements, challenges remain, especially for economically disadvantaged students, multilingual learners, and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans.

Concerns were also raised regarding the constantly evolving graduation assessment requirements in New Jersey. The lack of clarity regarding the graduation assessment for the class of 2026 was emphasized, with no specific information provided by the state yet. Various pathways for graduation assessment were discussed, including secondary pathways through scores from PSAT, SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer assessments. Retesting opportunities in the fall were mentioned as a means to provide additional chances for students to meet graduation requirements.

Multilingual learners’ performance and growth were also a focus. A presentation highlighted that literacy in any language is important for growth in English language proficiency. The district uses a Spanish language literacy test to gather data on students, aiding in understanding their English proficiency growth. However, chronic absenteeism and withdrawals among multilingual learners remain persistent issues, although improvements have been noted.

Public comments at the meeting brought forth concerns regarding student transportation safety, particularly the use of car seats on school buses. One speaker, a member of the Joint Transportation Committee, emphasized the dangers of adding excessive car seats to school buses, making emergency evacuations more complex and time-consuming. Joanne Tangi, a driver trainer with decades of experience, echoed these concerns, referencing historical bus tragedies and advocating against having more than three car seats on a bus due to safety risks.

Michelle Hurley, representing the Flemington-Raritan Board of Education, addressed the recent motion by the Hunterdon Central School Board to dissolve their joint transportation agreement. She expressed disappointment over the decision, emphasizing that it would lead to increased costs and operational inefficiencies. Hurley urged the board to reconsider, highlighting the historical benefits of the joint transportation collaboration.

The meeting concluded with the nomination phase for filling a vacant seat from Delaware Township on the Board of Education. Nominations were made and discussed, with board members articulating their support for candidates based on their experience and commitment to public education.