Glen Ridge Board Confirms One Substantiated Bullying Complaint, Greenlights Volleyball Program

The Glen Ridge Board of Education, meeting May 16, 2023, accepted the Superintendent's findings on seven Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigations. Of the seven, four originated at Glen Ridge High School, two at Ridgewood Avenue School, and one at Central School; six were found not substantiated, but one Glen Ridge High School complaint, Report #27, was found to be substantiated.

Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg opened the meeting by remembering Marcela Marc Borgenicht, a 2020 Glen Ridge High School graduate who recently passed away after a serious illness — the second former student she has handed a diploma to who has since died young, she noted. Ginsburg also paid tribute to RoseMarie Cancelliere, an aide at Linden Avenue School who is retiring after many years with the district, calling her "a bright light" who "worked for us for many, many years." The board separately accepted the resignations of second-grade teacher Alyssa Chernego at Central School and custodian Robert Page at Forest Avenue School, both effective in June. The board also approved a new contract for Business Administrator and Board Secretary Barbara Murphy, whom Ginsburg thanked for performing "flawlessly in so many roles that keep the district running."

The board approved April bills and claims totaling $746,541.79 and ratified $2,956,184.14 in payroll and related expenditures for the month. It also approved a revised donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation of $17,480.76 to fund two Rigamajig kits for the STEAM programs at Forest Avenue and Central schools.

Superintendent Dirk Phillips welcomed the Glen Ridge Marching Band, which performed live for the board after being named Best Musical Entry at the Killarney St. Patrick's Festival Parade in Ireland this spring, topping groups from across Ireland and Europe and marching alongside the 300-plus-member University of Florida Gator marching band. Band director Dr. Darren Gage read the award certificate, presented by the Killarney St. Patrick's Festival committee, recognized drum majors Ellis Castenmeyer and Andrew Guardiola, and revealed that next year's field show will be "Pet Sounds," built around the Beach Boys' 1966 album. The band performed "Down by the Salley Gardens," the traditional Irish ballad it had played at the Limerick parade review stand. Phillips also congratulated golfer Emily Randolph, who hit a hole-in-one at a county tournament, and Preston Palm, runner-up in the group one championships; both later qualified individually for the state golf championships.

Phillips announced that after discussion among the curriculum and finance committees and the athletic department, the district will move forward with a girls volleyball team next fall and a boys team the following spring, contingent on student interest and funding. He also updated the board on upgrades to the Glen Ridge High School fitness/weight room, funded by the Home & School Association, and said the high school will close for several weeks after graduation for an HVAC construction project. The board separately approved second readings of a dozen revised or new district policies, including new regulations on the use of corporal punishment and updated rules on board member training and federal grant compliance.

Public comment at both points in the meeting was dominated by concerns over declining enrollment in the district's concert band and chorus programs. Amy Davis, newly elected president of the Glen Ridge Music Parents Association, said the "foundational elements" of the music program were at "critically low" enrollment levels and asked the board to help promote scheduling flexibility for musically inclined students. Parent Bob White and resident Charlie Breslin echoed those concerns, while students Dylan Berutti and Emma Walker described personally having to choose between concert band and other electives; Walker said she now uses a gym exemption to fit concert band into a study hall period and argued the district needs "an individual conversation" with musically inclined students about staying in the program. Resident Alex Meyer urged the board to reconsider its long-standing policy barring students from doing marching band and a fall sport simultaneously, warning that adding a fall volleyball program on top of already low participation could further shrink other programs' rosters. In the meeting's second public comment period, Breslin urged residents to attend the upcoming Glen Ridge Arts & Eco Fair, where he said county and state candidates were also expected to appear.

Action items

• Accepted the Superintendent's findings on seven Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigations; six were not substantiated and one, Glen Ridge High School Report #27, was substantiated.
• Accepted the retirement of RoseMarie Cancelliere (aide, Linden Avenue School) and the resignations of Alyssa Chernego (2nd grade teacher, Central School) and Robert Page (custodian, Forest Avenue School).
• Approved a revised $17,480.76 donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation for two Rigamajig kits for the Forest Avenue and Central School STEAM programs.
• Approved April bills and claims of $746,541.79 and ratified $2,956,184.14 in payroll and related expenditures.
• Approved a new contract for Business Administrator/Board Secretary Barbara Murphy.
• Gave the green light for a girls volleyball team next fall and a boys volleyball team next spring, contingent on interest and funding.
• Approved second readings of revised district policies, including new corporal-punishment regulations and updated rules on board member training and federal grant compliance.

Watch key moments

• 12:19 — Band director Dr. Darren Gage reads the certificate naming the Glen Ridge Marching Band "Best Musical Entry" at Ireland's Killarney St. Patrick's Festival Parade.
• 16:36 — Gage surprises the room by announcing next year's marching band field show will be "Pet Sounds," built around the Beach Boys' 1966 album.
• 37:52 — Student Emma Walker's candid public comment about being steered away from concert band early on and now needing a gym exemption just to stay in the program.