The journalism program, led by Miss Hunkley, received accolades for achieving the Snow Distinguished Sites Award earlier than anticipated. This prestigious recognition requires schools to earn six badges that cover a range of journalistic excellence, such as multimedia production and continuous coverage. The Somerset Hills students managed to secure four “Best of Snow” awards, a record for the staff, placing them among an elite group of schools both nationally and internationally. During the meeting, Miss Hunkley expressed her gratitude to the school community for their support and highlighted the collaborative environment fostered within the program. She praised student leaders like Ella Patel and Andrew Tro for their roles in managing the editorial process, emphasizing the independence and trust bestowed upon them. The board also honored Miss Hunkley with the Governor’s Educator of the Year Award, acknowledging her profound impact on students’ journalistic pursuits.

In a development, the board discussed the commencement of a regionalization study, approved in the previous month, to explore the possibility of merging the Somerset Hills School District with the Bedminster School District. The Sweeney Center has been tasked with conducting the study, which will involve a steering committee of nine members from both districts, including superintendents and board presidents. An advisory committee comprising 21 stakeholders, such as school principals and municipal officials, will provide input to guide the study’s focus areas. The timeline for the study extends through the next year, with data collection set for March to June and a draft report expected by Thanksgiving. This report will cover governance, education, demography, facilities, finance, and operations.

The board also addressed several operational and educational advancements within the district. Among these was the announcement of five grants awarded to enhance educational opportunities, including a $5,000 grant from the London Stock Exchange to support the Capturing Kids Hearts program. The board highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Mountaineer branding project and the development of a summer job fair to connect students with local internships. Efforts to improve technology infrastructure were noted, with plans to implement two-factor authentication for staff and transition from Gmail to Microsoft Outlook. Concerns over the reliability of the Verizon fiber connection were addressed with the establishment of a backup connection through LightPath.

In the curriculum sector, discussions focused on the cell phone policy’s impact on classroom engagement, leading to plans for a bell-to-bell cell phone-free policy for the high school by September 2026. The district’s bilingual program, paused due to the pandemic, resumed with the board monitoring student achievement to determine future steps. Three options for first graders in the bilingual program were proposed, with a decision expected early next year. Additionally, the board examined the Genesis system’s accessibility, balancing the need for access during school hours with managing technology use to avoid over-reliance.

Recognition was extended to outgoing board member Bob Baker for his 18 and a half years of service. Board members and attendees expressed admiration for his dedication, mentorship, and contributions to the district’s governance and financial stability. Baker reflected on his family’s legacy in public education and his journey to the board, highlighting the collaborative effort involved in board operations.