Glen Ridge Schools Bid Farewell to Librarian, Departing Board Member as Board Closes Out 2021

At its final meeting of 2021, held December 13 at Glen Ridge High School, the Board of Education paused its business to say goodbye to two fixtures of the district community. Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg announced that Jen Breuer, who has served as the Glen Ridge Public Library's librarian for 11 years, is resigning to become a regional supervisor training the next generation of librarians in Tennessee. Ginsburg called the departure "bittersweet," recalling that her late husband, who once served on the library board that hired Breuer, considered it his board's greatest achievement. During public comment, resident Ron Scott Thomas of 525 Belleville Avenue praised the library's programming, from adult education offerings to museum passes and concerts, and asked whether he was allowed to applaud Breuer's tenure — he was.

The board also honored Teresa Boyle-Vellucci, who is leaving after three years on the board, with an emotional round of tributes. Fellow members thanked her for her compassion and attention to detail; one board member said "nobody can cheer you up on this board as much as Teresa does," while Superintendent Dirk Phillips praised her sincerity and feedback through the committee system. The board's next meeting in January will include the swearing-in of newly elected members.

Separately, the board voted to accept, with regret, the resignations of three staff members: speech therapist Alisha Cipollone at Ridgewood Avenue School, effective January 14; paraprofessional Sara Grosfiled, also at Ridgewood Avenue, effective January 3; and paraprofessional Rachel Gitter at Forest Avenue School, effective December 14.

Auditor Kathi Mantell of Nisivoccia LLP presented the district's annual financial audit, reporting no recommendations despite a year complicated by delayed state data and new federal COVID-relief compliance requirements. She noted the district's fund balance stood at $6.7 million as of June 30, including a $1.5 million capital reserve, and that a new state law temporarily allows districts to retain up to 4% of their budget as unassigned fund balance rather than the usual 2% — roughly $1.2 million instead of $600,000 — for the 2021-22 school year only. The capital reserve account grew from $1.4 million to $1,547,000 over the year, and the district still has $223,000 unspent from its 2017-18 referendum. Board member Anthony Bonnett asked how missing state pension data would eventually be reflected; Mantell said it would likely be rolled into next year's report. A resident who gave her name as Tricia Akinwande asked whether the audit would be posted publicly (it was posted online the next morning) and whether the 4% cap could jeopardize future federal aid; Mantell said it would not.

On COVID-19, Phillips reported six cases at the high school so far this year, far below last year's totals, but noted the district's region has moved into the state's "high risk" category, pushing quarantine periods for unvaccinated individuals and their close contacts from 10 to 14 days. Over 400 students ages 5 to 11 have now provided proof of full vaccination. He also addressed a resident's written concern about board members' safety, noting the district has updated school security protocols, including a new panic-button lockdown system and planned spring evacuation drills, as security practices return to pre-pandemic norms.

Students and staff shared several updates during presentations. High School Student Council president Maggie Brown, joined by sophomore class co-presidents Ava Blanz and Grace Petretti, reported on a well-attended club fair and the return of an outdoor homecoming dance coordinated with the police department — the first dance for freshmen and sophomores and the last homecoming for seniors since 2019 — plus a candy-gram fundraiser benefiting the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair. Forest Avenue School principal Matthew Murphy showcased the school's Hour of Code program for pre-K-through-2 students, run with parent volunteers Mike and Chris Elliott, and previewed a March STEAM fair centered on Leonardo da Vinci. Jack DeWitt presented the district's anti-bullying self-assessment, showing all five schools scored 76 or 77 out of a possible 78, with the high school's score improving this year. During public comment, resident Maggie Reed of 960 Bloomfield Avenue asked whether STEAM classes are offered at Central and Linden Avenue Schools; Phillips confirmed they are.

Home and School Association liaisons reported a busy stretch of community giving and fundraising: Forest Avenue collected 700 food items for Tony's Kitchen and coats for Afghan refugees; Linden Avenue held costume and toiletry drives and a goat-yoga fundraiser; and Ridgewood Avenue organized drives collecting socks, hats and gloves for Newark families and teddy bears for pediatric patients at Mountainside Hospital. The Gas Lamp Players are preparing "A Chorus Line," running February 24-27 at the Montclair Studio Playhouse.

The board approved its district goals for 2021-22, including continuing ESSER/ARP-funded projects, advancing and communicating DEI initiatives, completing the district's strategic plan, and acting on the findings of an ongoing special education audit, expected to be presented at the board's January 24 meeting. The board also gave first reading to a new COVID-19 healthcare-safety policy and a revised sexual harassment policy, and — to some good-natured ribbing from board members about approving a trip after the fact — signed off on a field trip that had already taken place: engineering and calculus students' visit to NJIT's Engineering Career Day on December 10.

Action items

• Approved financial reports including bills and claims of $1,183,180.85, payroll of $1,016,000.74, and open purchase orders totaling $1,094,989.05
• Accepted, with regret, the resignations of Alisha Cipollone (speech therapist), Sara Grosfiled (paraprofessional) and Rachel Gitter (paraprofessional)
• Adopted district goals for 2021-22 covering federal relief spending, DEI initiatives, the strategic plan and the special education audit
• Approved first reading of a new COVID-19 healthcare-settings safety policy and a revised sexual harassment of students policy
• Approved the already-completed NJIT Engineering Career Day field trip for engineering and calculus students

Watch key moments

• 9:34 — Board members choke up saying goodbye to departing member Teresa Boyle-Vellucci, with one saying "nobody can cheer you up on this board as much as Teresa does"
• 1:10:02 — Discussion of the district's new panic-button lockdown system and return to pre-pandemic security protocols, following a resident's written concern about board members' safety
• 1:17:19 — Board members joke about "time travel" while approving a student field trip to NJIT that had already taken place days earlier