Glen Ridge Board of Education Adopts 2021-22 Budget, Cuts High School Librarian and Ridgewood Synergistics Posts

The Glen Ridge Board of Education met April 26, 2021, emerging from a closed executive session on personnel, negotiations and confidential student matters to open its public meeting. The board voted to accept, with regret, three resignations: teacher Kyle Concha at Glen Ridge High School, effective June 18; payroll employee Katherine Hiromoto, effective April 21; and Ridgewood Avenue School aide Edmund Myszkowski, effective April 16. Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg also offered condolences to Borough Administrator Mike Zichelli on the death of his mother, Judith Zichelli, and recognized the upcoming retirement of Police Chief Sheila Byron-Lagattuta after 40 years with the Glen Ridge police department.

The board adopted the 2021-2022 school budget, presented by Business Administrator Barbara Murphy, which carries a local tax levy of $31,979,860 -- a 2 percent increase -- within a total district tax requisition of $33,746,614. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $667,163 will pay about $181.61 more for the year, or roughly $15.13 a month. State aid rose by $315,446 over last year, and the district is drawing $192,161 from its capital reserve toward a $430,920 partial roof replacement at Ridgewood Avenue School's gym and nearby offices. To help fund a new full-time principal and full-time secretary at Central School (costing about $149,000 and $51,706, respectively) and a full-time counselor shared among Linden Avenue, Forest Avenue and Central schools ($55,820), Superintendent Dirk Phillips said the district is eliminating the high school librarian position (a savings of $105,609) and a Ridgewood Avenue "synergistics" teaching position ($81,000), which will be replaced by a new STEAM elective developed over the summer. Phillips emphasized the district is "cutting the position, not the individual," noting union seniority and tenure rules mean no current tenured staff member will lose their job, though some will be reassigned. Smaller reductions include cuts to the future educator club advisor stipend, administrative software, supplies, and a shift of the high school athletic secretary from full-time to part-time.

The board recognized Samantha Rooney as Glen Ridge High School's Unsung Hero, an honor sponsored by the Essex County School Boards Association for students who make outstanding contributions but are often overlooked. Members also approved the Class of 2021's senior trip to Six Flags Great Adventure on June 14 and a sixth-grade trip from Ridgewood Avenue School to Fountain Springs Day Camp on June 11 -- the district's first field trips resuming after a long pandemic pause. Murphy thanked community groups including the Art Parents Association, Music Parents Association, athletic booster clubs, the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation and Gas Lamp Players for their ongoing financial support, and Jocelyn Gottlieb reported the Ridgewood Avenue Home and School Association's next meeting is scheduled for April 30.

On COVID-19, Phillips reported the region's CALI risk index has fallen for four straight weeks, and elementary buildings are already seeing high in-person attendance -- 98 percent at Central School, 94 percent at Ridgewood Avenue, 92 percent at Forest Avenue and 90 percent at Linden Avenue -- while the middle school is at 77 percent and the high school at 69 percent. The district expects to move middle and high schoolers to five-day, three-foot-distanced instruction once the CALI index reaches a moderate level, with a full return targeted for mid-to-late May. The board approved a revised calendar using the district's one remaining emergency day to move the last day of school to June 16, freeing up June 17 -- previously both the last day and graduation -- solely for graduation preparations. On equity, Phillips said Olive Branch Educators is compiling responses to a districtwide equity survey and will convene focus groups by the end of May, with a full report due by the end of June; the district is also responding to a parent letter raising concerns about diversity, inclusion and age-appropriateness in middle and high school English text selections by training staff, developing new text-selection guidelines with its literacy consultant, and meeting with representatives of the Glen Ridge Black Diversity and Inclusion Association. Separately, the Madison Institute has been retained to lead a district strategic-planning process, and a committee is this week interviewing three firms to conduct a special education audit. Much of the meeting was devoted to the board debating the topic for its annual summer retreat, eventually reaching consensus to hold two separate sessions -- one on the district's post-pandemic recovery plans for the fall, and a second public meeting focused on the findings of the equity audit once it's complete.

No members of the public spoke during either of the meeting's two comment periods; one resident, Nancy Breslin, raised her hand but could not unmute despite repeated attempts.

Action items

• Adopted the 2021-2022 school budget, including a $31,979,860 local tax levy (2% increase) and a total district tax requisition of $33,746,614.
• Approved a $192,161 capital reserve withdrawal toward a $430,920 partial roof replacement at Ridgewood Avenue School.
• Eliminated the high school librarian position and a Ridgewood Avenue "synergistics" teaching position, while adding a full-time principal and secretary at Central School and a shared full-time counselor for Linden Avenue, Forest Avenue and Central schools.
• Accepted, with regret, resignations from Kyle Concha (teacher, effective June 18), Katherine Hiromoto (payroll, effective April 21) and Edmund Myszkowski (aide, effective April 16).
• Approved the revised 2020-2021 school calendar moving the last day of school to June 16, with graduation remaining June 17.
• Approved field trips for the Class of 2021 to Six Flags Great Adventure (June 14) and Ridgewood Avenue sixth-graders to Fountain Springs Day Camp (June 11).

Watch key moments

• 3:39 — Ginsburg offers condolences to Borough Administrator Mike Zichelli on his mother's death and recognizes Police Chief Sheila Byron-Lagattuta's retirement after 40 years.
• 1:09:02 — Superintendent Dirk Phillips explains the budget's two position eliminations, the high school librarian and a Ridgewood Avenue synergistics post being replaced by a new STEAM course, stressing "we're cutting the position, not the individual."
• 1:21:09 — With a would-be commenter stuck on mute, Ginsburg jokes "it's like the Oscars last night" before closing the comment period with no public comments offered.