Young hero Anthony Deltufo was at the forefront of the meeting, lauded for his courageous act of saving a house from fire. This act of bravery earned him the Raider recognition student of the month award.

Additional student support was also a key focus of the meeting, with Tracy Egan, the director of student support and interventions, highlighting the district’s multi-tiered system of supports and programs for student interventions. The board also recognized the efforts of the Superintendent Advisory Committee in refining the elementary bell schedule to maximize time and ensure optimal curricular coverage.

Superintendent Kent Bania shared the outcomes of district’s Hib investigations from January to June, underlining the measures taken to address founded hib matters. Bania also updated attendees on the district’s partnerships, including the ongoing collaboration with Seton Hall University’s Hackensack Medical students, the East Essex leadership conference, and the improvements at Yantac Park, for which the district expressed gratitude to the County Executive and parks department.

Amidst these acknowledgements and updates, concerns were raised by a member of the public, Michael Ganon, about the impact of pandemic-related school closures and mask mandates on student education. The board responded by recognizing the challenges faced during the pandemic and committing to further address these issues.

The meeting also included discussions on various resolutions by academic, administrative, finance, and personnel committees, addressing topics such as student supports, performance reviews, attendance, property acquisition, budget updates, and personnel matters. Notably, the board acknowledged the resignation of a member and paid tribute to his service to the district.

In terms of future plans, the board expressed interest in initiating discussions with St. Peter’s University to explore potential collaborations similar to their current partnership with Caldwell University. Details of these deliberations, along with a resolution on property acquisition, will be disclosed in subsequent meetings.