Superintendent Arlington Resigns as Board Reveals No Charges Against Former Teacher, Drawing Sharp Public Pushback

Superintendent Kyle Arlington resigned effective July 22, saying in a letter read by Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg that he was leaving for "personal and professional reasons" after a little over a year leading the district. The board said the decision was solely his, praised his focus on school climate and student voice, and appointed Winnie Kievit, currently Director of Curriculum and Technology and a 30-year district veteran, as Acting Superintendent through September 30 while it searches for an interim leader and, eventually, a permanent successor.

In the same statement, the board addressed the case that has dominated recent meetings, saying Arlington had acted swiftly and in accordance with district protocol, including contacting the state's Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit and the Glen Ridge Police Department. The board said it had been advised by the Glen Ridge Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office that neither is pursuing criminal charges against a former teacher, and that text messages between a parent and the former teacher showed the communications were "consensual and contrary to parent claims." Public commenter Michael O'Connor, of 18 Hamilton Road, directly disputed that framing, telling the board that the texts reflected a family's trust in a man "considered to be a mentor and a teacher in this district," not a predator, and repeatedly pressed board attorney Jennifer Osborne on what the district's protocol requires when a family reports sexual harassment and how quickly the superintendent must act; Osborne said she could not comment on confidential personnel or student matters. The exchange grew heated enough that board members twice asked O'Connor to step back from the podium and put further comments in writing.

Public comment ran unusually long and split sharply. Several staff members and parents, including GREA representative MaryLynn Savio, teachers Lisa Petruzzi and Kim Waldron, and parent Erin Ackerman, praised Arlington's leadership and said they were disheartened by his departure. Others pressed for accountability: Rebecca Kim, of 348 Washington Street, said the adults' tributes to Arlington ignored that "our children are suffering" and asked what mandated-reporter training district employees receive; Christina Kozma asked when the district first received the information about the personnel matter; and Ki Soon Griffin Kim, a recent graduate, told the board she had repeatedly witnessed students using slurs, including antigay and racial slurs, without consequence, and asked what would actually change "in light of" the district's failures. Board attorney Osborne and teacher Megan Connolly said staff undergo annual state-mandated trainings covering child abuse and neglect, harassment, and bullying, though Osborne acknowledged she could not say what specific trainings have occurred in Glen Ridge and agreed to follow up in writing.

Ginsburg also offered condolences on the deaths of three members of the school community since the last meeting: Paul Baker, father of Ridgewood Avenue School faculty member Alice Baker Roberts and husband of former councilwoman Elizabeth Baker; Elaine Russoniello, a Glen Ridge pre-K teacher for 32 years; and Bonnie Rothenberger, a district bus aide for 25 years.

The board accepted the resignations of eight staff members: occupational therapist Francesca Roselli, RAS teacher Erica Schwerin Walsh, Central School paraprofessional Maria Zaccardi, GRHS basketball coach Kristina Danella, GRHS teacher Constance Kontos, GRHS paraprofessional Carol Rivera, GRHS assistant football coach Don Sellari, and GRHS learning consultant Arlene Non. Two Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying investigations, one at Ridgewood Avenue School (#293711) and one at the high school (#293654), were found not substantiated.

On the financial side, the board approved June reports including $241,613.82 in bills and claims and $5,884,402.83 in payroll, along with $38,342,670 in open purchase orders for the 2025-2026 school year. It approved a $75,000-a-year agreement with the Borough of Glen Ridge for use of municipal athletic fields, authorized submission of schematic plans for a $408,835 Central School chiller replacement funded through Capital Reserve, renewed the district's School Alliance Insurance Fund membership for three years, and accepted Glen Ridge Educational Foundation donations of $8,250 for additional virtual high school seats and $3,985 for spring mini-grants. Later in closed session, representatives from St. Elizabeth's University presented to the board on the district's School Culture and Climate Initiative.

Action items

• Accepted the resignation of Superintendent Kyle Arlington effective July 22 and appointed Winnie Kievit Acting Superintendent through September 30
• Announced that the Glen Ridge Police Department and Essex County Prosecutor's Office are not pursuing criminal charges against a former teacher
• Found two HIB complaints (RAS #293711, GRHS #293654) not substantiated
• Accepted resignations of Francesca Roselli, Erica Schwerin Walsh, Maria Zaccardi, Kristina Danella, Constance Kontos, Carol Rivera, Don Sellari, and Arlene Non
• Approved a $75,000/year agreement for use of Borough of Glen Ridge athletic fields
• Authorized schematic plans for a $408,835 Central School chiller replacement funded through Capital Reserve
• Renewed School Alliance Insurance Fund membership for three years

Watch key moments

• 30:28 — Board reveals police and prosecutors are not pursuing charges against a former teacher, calling parent-teacher texts "consensual"
• 1:02:46 — Michael O'Connor confronts the board attorney over the sexual-harassment protocol timeline; he is later asked to step back from the podium
• 1:19:54 — Recent graduate Ki Soon Griffin Kim tells the board slurs among students have gone unpunished "for years upon years" and demands change