24:44In addition to academic matters, the board received updates on various personnel changes and staffing requirements for the upcoming school year. The superintendent recommended approval of several personnel items, including resignations, leaves of absence, and new appointments. A notable change involved Brook Hannenburgg, whose title shifted from “supervisor of early childhood and special services” to “supervisor of special services and principal,” recognizing her dual role at Washington School. The board approved the addition of a new Spanish teacher at the middle school level to address the shortage impacting seventh-grade instruction, allowing consistent world language education and enabling students to advance to Spanish 2 in high school.

The board also reviewed the condensing of teacher salary steps from 28 to 21, a measure that may cause confusion as it no longer directly correlates with years of experience. New hires include a teacher of English and special education, as well as a power professional employed by ESS. Discussions extended to stipended positions, with several coaching roles newly filled or revised for the upcoming year in sports such as soccer, tennis, cheerleading, and cross country.

01:20Community engagement was a focal point, with the board highlighting successful events like Washington School’s “Muffins with Mom” and the SBA’s Mother’s Day tea. The board noted the impressive community turnout for these gatherings. In athletics, the boys’ lacrosse team’s recent success was celebrated, having achieved a 3-0 record in their last games, with Jonathan Schnapper recognized for surpassing 300 career saves. Community members were encouraged to vote for the team and Schnapper on northjersey.com in a bid for Team of the Week and Player of the Week honors.

16:00The meeting also included updates on referendum projects, such as the installation of electric power at Coolidge School, which is set to become the future board offices. Renovations at both the middle and high schools were discussed, including window replacements and preparations for front entrance renovations at the high school. The athletic field project has been completed, featuring artificial turf and lighting, with the field soon to open for use. Budgetary matters were addressed with the approval of the 2025-2026 budget, alongside solid waste removal bids and food service management contracts, which require periodic re-bidding.