Glen Ridge Board Confirms Bullying Finding, Maps Phased School Reopening and $38.8 Million Budget

The Glen Ridge Board of Education opened its March 15 meeting in a closed executive session on personnel, negotiations and confidential pupil matters before returning to public session at 6:28 p.m. Once back in public session, the board voted 9-0 to accept Superintendent Dirk Phillips' recommendation on a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigation, finding that a complaint at the high school (Report 20-21 HS#4) was substantiated.

The board also accepted, "with regret," two resignations at Ridgewood Avenue School: permanent substitute Jennifer Powers, effective March 15, and paraprofessional Eileen Kelly, effective March 11.

Business Administrator Barbara Murphy presented the preliminary 2021-2022 budget, which carries a 0.88% overall increase. New spending includes $149,000 for a building principal at Central School, $51,706 to move a part-time Central School secretary to full-time, and $55,580 to make a part-time primary counselor covering Forest Avenue, Linden Avenue and Central schools full-time. The budget also funds a $430,920 partial roof replacement over the upper gym, offices and hallway at Ridgewood Avenue School. Offsetting decreases include $313,339 in staff salary and benefit cuts, $20,000 in supplies, $5,757 in high school co-curriculars and $4,233 in administrative software; Phillips said the staffing reductions, which include some full-time positions moving to part-time, will not affect class sizes or the number of sections offered. The local tax levy of $31,979,860 represents a 2% increase, and state aid is rising $315,466 to just over $1.6 million. For a home assessed at the township average of $667,163, the levy increase works out to $181.61 for the year, or about $15.13 a month. A public hearing on the budget is set for April 26. Separately, Murphy told the board that health benefit costs are rising 4.83%, or about $250,000.

Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg also flagged a Chapter 44 resolution addressing an unintended consequence of a state law that lowered health-premium contributions for school employees: while good for staff, it has raised costs for districts. She said Glen Ridge is paying about $27,000 more in the current year and projected $55,000 more next year, rising to roughly $110,000 if every eligible employee switched to the new New Jersey Educators Health Plan; an informal survey of six other Garden State districts found they stood to lose a combined $1.7 million.

Phillips outlined a phased return to in-person instruction. High school seniors were to begin attending daily the following Monday, with juniors added a week later and freshmen and sophomores the week after that. Elementary schools plan an outdoor "social integration" playtime starting April 22, followed by combined cohorts on a half-day schedule with daily recess, and a goal of full days with lunch by May. Temperature checks have already been dropped in favor of daily wellness screening, which the district may move to a weekly requirement. Of 164 staff who responded to a vaccination survey, about a third were already fully vaccinated and 30% had received a first dose; the district also announced a new partnership with Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center to begin on-site staff vaccinations that week.

During public comment, resident Nihal Bhujle, who has children at Forest Avenue and Central schools, urged the board to adopt a clear post-pandemic policy limiting virtual snow days, saying the district's goal should be preparing students for a competitive global job market rather than simply hitting the state's 180-day requirement. Phillips said any such policy will have to wait for state Department of Education guidance. Resident Charlie Breslin asked about the staff cuts and health insurance costs; Megan Larkin asked how aftercare would work once elementary hours shift, with Phillips saying it would run from dismissal until 6 p.m.; and Kim Engel, whose kindergartner attends Linden Avenue, raised concerns about her daughter's lack of social interaction and asked whether daily recess would return, which Phillips confirmed would happen once cohorts move to a half-day schedule. In a second comment period, resident Bernice Clark Bonnett asked whether the high school's return to half days and full days would happen simultaneously; Phillips said the phases are separate and that the remote-only option will remain in place as long as it is mandated by the governor.

The board accepted a roughly $5,200 donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation to fund a Promethean board for the high school's music program. Liaison reports touched on a soup drive that collected 114 items and Valentine's Day baskets for Linden Avenue families, a "Got Sneakers" recycling fundraiser, an upcoming virtual visit from author Doreen Cronin, and Central School's Gertrude Hawk fundraiser. The Glen Ridge Black Diversity and Inclusion Association announced a Women's History Month scavenger hunt open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, focused on contributions by Black women historically. The Gas Lamp Players reported their storage unit at Hurrell Field was vandalized and broken into, though they have since replaced the lock and are planning two outdoor productions this spring.

The board also approved first readings of several revised policies, including new rules on remote public board meetings during a declared emergency and on administration of medical cannabis, along with new maximums for board and staff travel reimbursement and professional-services spending for the 2021-2022 school year.

Action items

• Accepted the finding that a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying complaint at the high school (Report 20-21 HS#4) was substantiated.
• Accepted the resignations of Ridgewood Avenue School staffers Jennifer Powers (permanent substitute) and Eileen Kelly (paraprofessional).
• Approved the 2021-2022 tentative budget totaling $38,777,817, with a 2% local tax levy increase; public hearing set for April 26.
• Approved a $192,161 capital reserve withdrawal toward the $430,920 Ridgewood Avenue School partial roof replacement.
• Set 2021-2022 travel reimbursement at up to $100,000 for staff and board members, and professional-services spending caps (including $159,200 for legal and $388,740 for repair services) at 130% of budgeted levels.
• Accepted a roughly $5,200 donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation for a high school music program Promethean board.

Watch key moments

• 19:26 — District announces new partnership with Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center for on-site staff vaccinations.
• 50:20 — Resident Nihal Bhujle makes an impassioned case against relying on virtual snow days once the pandemic ends.
• 1:08:05 — Gas Lamp Players report their Hurrell Field storage unit was vandalized and broken into.