Superintendent Dirk Phillips Announces Retirement as Board Grapples With Spike in Bullying Complaints

Superintendent Dirk Phillips told the board he will retire effective June 30, 2024, ending 29 years with the district, including service as a teacher, coach, department leader and building administrator before becoming superintendent in August 2015. Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg read Phillips' full retirement letter aloud, and the board said it will begin a search for his successor with the help of attorneys experienced in superintendent searches. Four other longtime employees are also retiring: special education teacher Janet Dobbs and Linden Avenue School teacher Jodie Schnack, both effective June 30, 2024; science teacher and bowling coach Sharon Tully, effective December 31, 2024; and 25-year bus aide Bonnie Rothenberger, effective December 31, 2023.

Director of Student Services Mr. DeWitt's twice-yearly student safety data report drew pointed questioning after resident Phil Johnson noted that alleged Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigations have jumped from roughly nine in the prior year to 49 this year — nearly a 400% increase — while Glen Ridge substantiates only about 6% of those complaints, compared to roughly 50% in Montclair and 60% in Verona, by his count. Board attorney Jennifer Osborne explained that New Jersey law requires a strict four-part test to formally substantiate an HIB complaint — including that it be motivated by a protected characteristic and cause substantial disruption or harm — meaning a serious incident can still result in discipline as a code-of-conduct violation without meeting that legal threshold. DeWitt attributed part of the increase to students still catching up socially after pandemic isolation and to the district investigating more thoroughly since a legal change last year. Phillips added that in his career here, the high school's biggest recurring discipline issue has been lateness to school. For the January-through-June reporting period, DeWitt said the district logged five total incidents of violence, vandalism or confirmed HIB, 15 incidents resulting in a suspension of more than half a day, 40 alleged HIB investigations, and one physical restraint of a special-education student that was reviewed and found to have been handled appropriately. The board separately voted to close out three individual HIB investigations — Incident #251944 at Central School and Incidents #251765 and #251579 at the high school — finding none of them substantiated.

The district celebrated a strong fall sports season: the marching band won the Group I state championship and placed third nationally, and the boys' and girls' soccer, field hockey, football and volleyball teams all reached the playoffs. The girls' tennis team, introduced by coach Elizabeth Krauss, won its sectional championship and advanced to the state semifinals before falling just short in the Group I state final.

The board approved payroll and bills totaling more than $2.14 million along with $590,197.46 in additional bills and claims, and accepted roughly $25,000 in community donations, including $12,850.60 in playground equipment from the Ridgewood Avenue Home & School Association and $8,668.74 for Chromebooks, licenses and a charging station from the Forest Avenue Home & School Association.

Resident Ryan Doyle used public comment to argue that kindergarten-through-second-grade class sizes have become lopsided, with some second-grade sections now 15 to 26 students larger than others, and urged the board to consider reassigning two extra teaching positions to address it in next year's budget rather than leaving them in their current schools. He also questioned whether the district's growing investment in AP courses — which saw enrollment roughly double — could come at the expense of intervention programs like the summer Boost program, which is losing federal pandemic funding. Phillips said AP courses are funded as fixed graduation requirements and would not draw funding away from intervention programs, though he acknowledged the coming budget will be "challenging" given expiring grants. Phillips also confirmed that the district's High Impact Tutoring program, delayed by a state-required request-for-proposal process, will not launch until January instead of its original October target, and that its Link It data platform does not currently have a parent-facing component.

The board approved the second reading of a dozen revised or abolished policies — including on Right of Privacy, Examination for Cause, homeless children's education, and food services — and approved submitting the state-mandated NJ Quality Single Accountability Continuum District Performance Review.

Action items

• Accepted the retirement of Superintendent Dirk Phillips, effective June 30, 2024, after 29 years with the district
• Accepted retirements of teachers Janet Dobbs and Jodie Schnack (June 30, 2024) and Sharon Tully (December 31, 2024), and bus aide Bonnie Rothenberger (December 31, 2023)
• Found three separate HIB investigations (Incidents #251944, #251765, and #251579) not substantiated
• Approved payroll of $2,146,786.02 and bills/claims of $590,197.46
• Accepted donations including $12,850.60 in playground equipment and $8,668.74 for Chromebooks and a charging station
• Approved second reading of a dozen revised/abolished board policies and submission of the QSAC District Performance Review

Watch key moments

• 52:48 — Board President Ginsburg reads aloud Superintendent Dirk Phillips' full retirement letter after 29 years with the district.
• 1:38:45 — Resident Phil Johnson challenges the district over a nearly 400% jump in alleged bullying investigations and a substantiation rate far below neighboring districts; the board attorney walks through the strict legal test for HIB findings.