A board member, whose identity was not confirmed, announced their resignation, citing dissatisfaction with the administration. The member stated, “I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this board however I can no longer continue in the role where the administration disregards your authority; outside pressures interfere with decision-making; ethical standards are disregarded; and collaboration is lacking.” This resignation was effective immediately, prompting the board to discuss the procedure for filling the vacancy. The board has 30 days to appoint a replacement; if unresolved, the county executive will appoint someone to serve until the next election cycle. One board member noted that the resignation occurring close to the election period added complexity to the situation.

Following the resignation, the state monitor presented a financial report for the month ending June 2024, confirming sufficient funds to meet the district’s financial obligations for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year. The state monitor expressed that discussions regarding the resolutions on the agenda had taken place with Superintendent Joseph A. DeCorso, recommending board approval for all listed resolutions.

Superintendent DeCorso then introduced the new vice principal, Emily Riging, whose appointment was contingent on personnel approvals to be made that evening. He highlighted the central office team’s efforts over the summer in filling teaching positions, noting that the district was nearly fully staffed ahead of the new school year. A new teacher orientation was scheduled for that week, emphasizing a successful hiring process despite recent challenges.

Significant facility upgrades were also discussed. Jefferson School had its gym facade repaired, repainted, and a Gaga pit added. Franklin School received an upgraded camera system linked to the local police department. Washington School’s playground was upgraded, and the high school’s trainer’s room saw improvements including new lighting, flooring, and equipment. Upgrades to the high school field lights, transitioning to LED for long-term cost savings, and the installation of a new fence around the high school field area were also noted. Paving work in front of the high school to improve accessibility, including new sidewalks and an apron for student drop-off areas, was reported.

A significant concern was the need for a new boiler at Jefferson School, which was found to be inoperable. Plans were underway to replace it. The district had worked on landscaping and preparing school grounds for the upcoming year.

The superintendent highlighted the district’s requirement to report on its self-assessment, directing attention to specific pages in the agenda where these reports were detailed. A presentation on the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJ GPA) was moved to the end of the meeting at the request of board members.

Additionally, the district produced a summer newsletter for the first time in many years, distributed to every household in the township. The newsletter highlighted various achievements within the district, including a special education classroom that won a state award, recognition of student athletes, and updates on the middle school schedule. An exciting initiative mentioned was a program allowing seniors from Lyndhurst High School to attend classes at Felician University, with nearly 50 students participating and earning college credit.

In an academic report segment, a detailed presentation addressed the results of state assessments, specifically the NJ GPA and assessments for English Language Learners. The presentation highlighted the requirement for New Jersey students to pass a state assessment to fulfill graduation requirements, with a passing score set at 725. The data showed that 56.6% of students were deemed “graduation ready” in English Language Arts, while 54.5% achieved the same status in mathematics. Comparisons were made between the district’s performance and state averages, noting that the district outperformed the state in English while being statistically tied in mathematics.

The analysis identified strengths and areas for improvement, with English Language Arts recognized as an area of strength and mathematics needing further focus. Specific challenges in mathematics included students’ abilities to model and reason their responses.

A comprehensive presentation outlined the district’s initiatives aimed at improving student performance in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The focus is on increasing student exposure to various question types, particularly model and reasoning questions in math, which are important for the NJ GPA and standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. Interventions include more practice opportunities, the use of software programs such as Delta Math and Head Puzzle, and collaboration with a consultant to refine instructional methods using a concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach.

In ELA, strategies include offering multiple writing assignments and prompts to encourage critical analysis of articles, and collaboration between ELA and content area teachers, particularly in social studies. The performance of multilingual learners on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment was also discussed, with plans to implement Lexia Power Up to assist these learners in language acquisition and content understanding.