Glen Ridge School Board Mourns Custodian's Death, Weighs HVAC Delays to Reopening

The Glen Ridge Board of Education opened its August 17, 2020 meeting with condolences for Franklin Rumiguano, a Ridgewood Avenue School custodian since 2016 who also worked at the board office, following his death. Board President Ginsburg and Superintendent Phillips also offered condolences to board or staff members Dave Majewski and Meredith Batastini on the recent deaths of their mothers.

Much of the meeting centered on pandemic preparations and reopening concerns. Business Administrator Barbara Murphy told resident Cameron Sterling the district has spent $170,000 on personal protective equipment so far and may need to buy more depending on how long the pandemic lasts; separately, the board approved nearly $180,000 in additional reopening supplies, including hand sanitizer, masks, thermometers, disinfectant, and plexiglass barriers from more than a dozen vendors. The district is also receiving $103,000 in federal CARES Act funding and is applying for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant that could reimburse up to 75% of certain eligible PPE costs.

Ventilation was a recurring worry. GREA (Glen Ridge Education Association) president Mary Lynn Savio asked about air filtration standards, and district official Mr. Romano said most classroom unit ventilators cannot handle the higher-grade MERV 13 filters recommended by the NJEA and ASHRAE, so the district is moving to MERV 8 and 10 filters that may vary by building. The board also approved a $47,033 preventative maintenance contract with Binsky Service for the high school's HVAC system and a $6,879.80 purchase of additional filters for all five schools. Superintendent Phillips said the district is still awaiting consultant approval on HVAC systems at Glen Ridge High School and Ridgewood Avenue School, and that in-person opening at those buildings could be delayed if problems turn up. A 2019 GRHS graduate, Rita de Leeuw, raised ventilation concerns based on her time as a student, and Phillips said a prior band room issue had already been fixed.

Staff members voiced fears about returning in person. GRHS counselor Vivian Petrosino, who said she has multiple underlying conditions on the CDC list, asked whether she'd be covered by workers' compensation if she got sick; board attorney Ms. Cornell said any claim would be handled individually through the normal process. GRHS teacher Chris Savio, citing two high-risk health conditions, also said he was afraid to return, and Phillips said accommodations are being arranged for higher-risk staff. Savio, in her role as GREA president, separately asked about notification and contact-tracing protocols if a COVID-19 case were confirmed; Phillips said the community would be notified without naming the individual, with contact tracing handled by the Board of Health. Resident Mark Keefe raised concerns about spacing 10 to 12 desks six feet apart, and Phillips said he'd ask principals to photograph classrooms showing the required spacing. Resident Michele Militello asked the district to consider switching from Google Meet to Zoom, but Phillips said the district will stick with Google Meet as part of its Google Suites setup.

On the personnel side, the board unanimously approved ten staff leave requests for 2020-21, several new teacher and counselor hires effective September 1, accepted two resignations (aide Antonia Ramirez and leave replacement Jackie Levine), and approved a transfer of aide Isabella Badagliacca between elementary schools. The board also unanimously approved applying to the state Department of Education and Essex County Office of Education to create a new autism special education program at Ridgewood Avenue School for 2020-2021.

Financially, the board approved $289,367.39 in bills and claims and ratified $1,594,586.95 in payroll and other bills, with Ms. Ginsburg abstaining from that item; it also ratified an additional $9,027.50 in bills separately. Other approvals included an out-of-district student placement costing over $100,000, a one-year renewal of Study Island math and reading software for $39,934.70, a donated Glen Ridge Educational Foundation package of virtual school and assessment software worth roughly $24,000 combined over two years, a hand sanitizer donation from Glen Ridge Pharmacy, extended-school-year staffing rates, additional summer hours for Lisa Jacobsen, and contracts for neuropsychological evaluations and audiologist services. The board also approved open purchase order reports and July student activity account bills for the high school.

Ginsburg reported that a bill before the state Senate Education Committee could push back in-person school opening to October 31, alongside a separate pending bill that would let districts meet the required 180 school days virtually. She also said the Governor allowed general student sports participation, but indoor sports such as girls' volleyball and gymnastics remain on hold pending guidance from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).

What to watch

• Whether the Senate bill delaying in-person opening to October 31 advances, and whether the companion bill allowing virtual instruction to count toward the 180-day requirement moves forward.
• Pending consultant approval on HVAC systems at the high school and Ridgewood Avenue School, which could affect whether those buildings open in person.
• Awaited NJSIAA guidance on whether indoor sports like volleyball and gymnastics can proceed.