Board Confirms Two Substantiated Bullying Findings, Hears Plea From Teachers Union on Staffing

The Board of Education accepted the superintendent's recommendations on two separate Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying investigations at its April 4, 2022 meeting, finding that both Report 21-22 HS #4 (at the high school) and Report 21-22 RAS #7 (at Ridgewood Avenue School) were substantiated.

The board accepted, with regret, the resignation of GRHS teacher Jill Johnson, effective June 30.

During public comment, Glen Ridge Education Association president MaryLynn Savio read a statement thanking the board for adding positions in the preliminary budget but urging it to go further, saying the high school saw "an unprecedented three core academic teachers resign mid-year" this year, forcing existing staff -- many already carrying extra teaching assignments due to chronic understaffing -- to take on courses they had never taught with no time to prepare. Calling the current approach "nothing short of negligent" if left unaddressed, Savio asked the board to add teaching positions or, failing that, to develop and share a contingency plan for handling unexpected vacancies next year. Resident Tricia Akinwande separately asked how the district decides which students are placed with certified Orton-Gillingham teachers and what the district is doing to recruit more diverse teaching candidates; Superintendent Dirk Phillips said OG services are assigned through the IEP process and building-level decisions, and that more than 30% of this year's new teacher hires were diverse candidates -- the highest share he can recall in his tenure -- aided by participation in the CJ PRIDE and William Paterson job fairs and outreach to about eight colleges.

The board recognized two winter athletic teams for capturing sectional titles: the girls swimming team, coached by Sarah Melnick, won the Super Essex Conference Liberty Division and the North 2, Group C sectional championship -- the program's first-ever sectional title -- with swimmers Margaret Sawa, Kaitlyn Lees, captain Kaylee Ross, Skylar Ross, Emma Walker, Sofia Giuliano, Eva Walton, Jamie Lees and Alex Weckler recognized by name. The boys basketball team, coached by Rich Kennedy, won the Super Essex Conference Independence Division and the North 2, Group 1 sectional title -- the program's first sectional championship since 1988, when assistant principal Tim Liddy was a senior on that team. Seniors Brian Musaco and Carter Koenig were named to NJ.com's all-state teams, and the team finished ranked third in Group 1 statewide.

The district also highlighted its Orton-Gillingham reading program, funded by the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation, with FDU Center for Dyslexia Studies instructor Elizabeth Kenny Foggin presenting an overview. Eight Glen Ridge teachers are completing the graduate certification this spring, bringing the district to ten certified OG teachers by fall. Foggin cited national data showing only 35% of students in grades 4, 8 and 12 read at a proficient level, only 24% of general-education high school graduates write at grade level, and just 5% of classified special-education students do. Kindergarten teacher Lisa Petruzzi, one of the eight teachers in the program, told the board that a student who knew only 11 consonant sounds when he entered her class now knows 17 because of the one-on-one techniques she learned through the program.

The board approved bills and claims of $959,807.98 and payroll and related disbursements of $2,218,318.92, and accepted an $890 donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation for the Virtual High School program and a $3,035.39 donation from the Linden Avenue Home & School Association for three picnic tables and ten folding tables. Phillips also outlined summer facility work, including a refurbishment of the lower gym and a partial roof replacement at Ridgewood Avenue School and a partial HVAC replacement at the high school; the board's public hearing and final vote on the 2022-23 budget is scheduled for April 25.

Also during public comment, resident Ryan Doyle asked whether the board had had any offline communication with a group called Citizens Defending Education, which he said had mailed a townwide flyer; Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg said the board as a whole has had no discussions with the group and that any such contact would be disclosed in public session. Doyle also voiced support for the district's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, saying Glen Ridge's diversity of race, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic background, gender and family structure "all deserve to have representation."

Action items

• Accepted findings that Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying investigations Report 21-22 HS #4 and Report 21-22 RAS #7 were both substantiated.
• Accepted, with regret, the resignation of GRHS teacher Jill Johnson, effective 6/30/22.
• Approved bills and claims of $959,807.98 and payroll/related disbursements of $2,218,318.92.
• Accepted an $890 donation from the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation for Virtual High School and a $3,035.39 donation from the Linden Avenue Home & School Association for picnic and folding tables.
• Approved the second reading of eleven revised/new policies, including a new anti-hazing policy.

Watch key moments

• 30:52 — The boys basketball team's sectional title is its first since 1988 -- when assistant principal Tim Liddy was a senior on that team.
• 1:00:13 — GREA president MaryLynn Savio tells the board an "unprecedented" three core academic teachers resigned mid-year at the high school, calling for more staffing.
• 1:27:53 — A resident presses the board on whether it has had any contact with the group "Citizens Defending Education"; Board President Ginsburg says there have been none.