Teachers Detail Financial Strain in Contract Fight as Board Also Faces Spanish Club Vacancy

The board accepted, with regret, the retirement of Assistant Principal Tim Liddy, effective November 1, and the resignation of payroll/bookkeeper V. Marlena Cowan, effective October 26. Superintendent Dirk Phillips and Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg both praised Liddy, a Glen Ridge graduate, teacher, coach and administrator who is leaving to join Clemson University, calling his decades of service to the district and community unmatched. The board also introduced Bob Gomes as the district's new Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds. On a lighter note, Phillips congratulated student representative Colin Pennington and three other seniors — Ryan Hirsch, Ellis Kastenmeier and Avery Kim — on being named National Merit semifinalists.

The board accepted several donations, led by a $61,200 Glen Ridge Educational Foundation gift covering four semesters of Orton-Gillingham certification tuition at Fairleigh Dickinson University for six staff members. The Boys' Basketball Booster Club donated $3,472.56 to the high school's boys' basketball program, and the Educational Foundation separately gave $8,000 for 25 fall and 25 spring seats in VHS Learning and $3,199.99 for two additional spring mini-grants. The board also approved bills and claims of $150,676.25 and ratified payroll of $1,185,238.70.

Board members approved field trips sending Model UN students to the Rutgers Model United Nations Conference at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick in late November, and Ridgewood Avenue School third graders to Ort Farms in Long Valley in October. Committee and liaison reports touched on the return of the TREPS marketplace after a pandemic hiatus, Central School's first Home & School Association meeting of the year, the Educational Foundation's April 15 anniversary party, an Essex County "Cheer for the Cure" fundraiser, and a high school push to raise money to convert an outdated weight room into a fitness center. The board also approved the second reading of a state-mandated Emergency Virtual or Remote Instruction Program policy.

Resident Lauren Johnson told the board her daughter, a junior who had taken Spanish since arriving in the district and hoped to join the Spanish National Honor Society, instead joined the French Club this year because the district could not find an advisor and the Spanish Club and Spanish Honor Society were not running. She argued the two should be treated as separate clubs, as similar pairs like Studio Art Club and the National Art Honor Society are, and warned that losing them would undercut the district's diversity efforts. Resident Tricia Akinwande, who has a child in middle school, asked whether Spanish teachers at the district's other schools might be recruited to advise the clubs; Phillips said he would look into it.

Public comment was dominated by teachers describing the toll of Glen Ridge's chronic pattern of unsettled contracts. Computer science teacher Kevin George, in his 18th year in the district, said that unlike colleagues elsewhere who "just got their contract settled in the nick of time," Glen Ridge has never once started a school year with a signed contract in his tenure, often not settling until March — about 30% of his career spent without one. Lisa Petruzzi, a Pre-K teacher at Forest Avenue School and vice president of the teachers' union, described watching grocery prices climb week to week — a jar of mayonnaise from $6.79 to $6.99, a box of Little Bites snacks from $10 to $13 — and said many teachers have taken second and third jobs to keep up, urging the board to commit to a fair raise. Teacher Chris Savio said none of his seven contracts in 20 years in the district had been settled on time and that his paycheck is now lower than it was in 2014, despite working three jobs. Student Assistance Counselor Heather Kobalinski, in her 25th year in the district, said the outcome of the current negotiations will determine the district's ability to retain the educators who give Glen Ridge its reputation. Central School Pre-K teacher Megan Connelly, in her 24th year, said the district is once again opening a school year under an expired contract, something she said has happened in all but one of her contract cycles.

Action items

• Accepted the retirement of Assistant Principal Tim Liddy, effective November 1, and the resignation of payroll/bookkeeper V. Marlena Cowan, effective October 26
• Accepted donations of $61,200 from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation for staff Orton-Gillingham certification, $3,472.56 from the Boys' Basketball Booster Club, $8,000 from the Educational Foundation for VHS Learning seats, and $3,199.99 from the Educational Foundation for spring mini-grants
• Approved bills and claims of $150,676.25 and ratified payroll of $1,185,238.70
• Approved field trips for Model UN students to Rutgers' Model United Nations Conference and for Ridgewood Avenue third graders to Ort Farms

Watch key moments

• 10:32 — Resident Lauren Johnson tells the board her daughter had to join the French Club instead because no advisor could be found for the Spanish Club and Spanish Honor Society.
• 32:54 — Computer science teacher Kevin George reveals that in 18 years, Glen Ridge has never once started a school year with a signed teacher contract.
• 35:31 — Union VP Lisa Petruzzi walks the board through her rising grocery bill, mayonnaise and snack prices included, to argue for a fair contract.