Ridgewood Avenue School Named Blue Ribbon School as Board Details Superintendent Search Timeline
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Parents Jill Ingle and Susie Carter used public comment to ask the board to move quickly on hiring a new head baseball coach after the district let go of the team's coach, identified in discussion as Coach Dell; Athletic Director Rob Hill's office said the position would be posted the next morning for a minimum of two weeks, followed by stakeholder surveys of parents and student-athletes, candidate interviews, and a student-athlete panel, with an eye toward having someone in place within about a month. The board separately accepted the resignation of assistant football coach Tyrone Mans, effective September 25.
The board voted to switch the district's health coverage to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, terminating its participation in the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program; officials said the move holds this year's premium increase to about 1%, down from a projected 30% increase, with equivalent coverage required by law.
Acting Superintendent Winnie Kievit announced that Ridgewood Avenue School will be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School at the state board of education's November meeting. She also reported the district's latest Quality Single Accountability Continuum scores: 90% for instruction and program, 98% for fiscal management, 100% for governance and 100% for operations, and 94% for personnel, keeping Glen Ridge rated a high-achieving district.
Demographer Richard Grip of Statistical Forecasting presented a districtwide demographic study, projecting overall enrollment to hold roughly steady over the next five years even as it shifts by grade band: elementary enrollment is expected to grow due to families moving in with young children, while enrollment is projected to decline in the middle and upper grades as smaller existing cohorts move through the system. Ridgewood Avenue School, already tight on space, and Central School are both projected to face seating shortages within five years, while the district's other three schools are expected to retain surplus capacity. Grip noted Glen Ridge's population and school-age population have both been essentially flat to slightly declining since 2020, with home values (a median of $731,000, versus $461,000 statewide) and educational attainment well above state averages.
Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg laid out a detailed timeline for the superintendent search launched after Kyle Arlington's resignation: applications close November 10, the personnel committee will conduct first-round interviews from January 6-27, the full board will conduct final interviews including a hypothetical communications exercise, and the board aims to vote on a new superintendent's contract in March 2026 with a July 1, 2026 start date. The board said it opted against hiring an outside search firm, citing the strong applicant pool from last year's search and cost savings, while reserving the right to bring one on later if the resume yield is weak. Kievit's acting superintendent appointment was separately extended from September 30 through the end of the current school year.
The board approved the 2026-2027 school calendar, accepted a $299 donation of wireless microphones from Ridgewood Avenue Acting Principal Dr. Keisha Harris, and approved August financial reports totaling $1,315,986.19 in bills and claims and $1,737,644.13 in payroll.
Action items
- Accepted resignation of assistant football coach Tyrone Mans, effective 9/25/25
- Approved switching district health coverage to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, ending participation in state health benefit programs
- Set a superintendent search timeline aiming for a board vote in March 2026 and a July 1, 2026 start date
- Approved the 2026-2027 school calendar