Board Clears Bullying Complaint, Unveils New High School Fitness Center as Testing Scores Climb

The board voted unanimously to accept the superintendent's finding that a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigation, Incident #251607, was not substantiated.

Two resignations were accepted with regret: Rich Kennedy, head basketball coach at Glen Ridge High School, effective October 16, and district custodian Amir Mohammed, effective October 12.

The board approved payroll and other bills totaling more than $1.2 million for September, along with $555,001.34 in additional bills and claims, and accepted a run of athletics-related donations: roughly $8,300 in volleyball nets, balls and equipment from the Glen Ridge Athletic Association, a $20,748 monetary donation plus about $3,800 in uniforms from the High School Volleyball Booster Club, and $7,747.10 from the Glen Ridge High School Home & School Association for ten testing tables used during the high school's first-ever digital PSAT administration.

Athletic Director Rob Hill presented on the high school's new fitness center, a project born out of what he called an outdated, cluttered weight room that was so underused many student athletes were paying for outside gym memberships instead. After months of vendor quotes and fundraising through the Home & School Association, Hill, board member Duval Graham, and volunteer Rachel Hogan went to a vendor's warehouse to inspect equipment in person rather than order from a catalog, and the district auctioned off the old equipment to help fund the new space. The renovated fitness center held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting in September; student representative Dylan O'Neil said about 15 students now use it daily during gym class and that football players across all four grades have used it for team bonding.

Superintendent Dirk Phillips presented the district's 2022-2023 testing report, highlighting a record 840 AP exams taken last year with 82% of students scoring a 3 or higher, and announced — for the first time publicly — that the high school has been named an AP Honor Roll school at the Platinum level, the highest tier recognized by the College Board. He also reported the school was ranked 13th among New Jersey public high schools by U.S. News & World Report and 311th nationally, with four National Merit semifinalists, and that SAT and ACT scores remain well above state and national averages. Phillips cautioned that several academic support programs, including the summer boost initiative, are funded by expiring federal ARP grants and may not survive the coming budget process. Separately, Phillips and the board congratulated the girls' tennis team for winning its first sectional title in more than a decade.

Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg opened the meeting by leading a moment of silence for those caught in the crossfire of the Israel-Hamas war, expressing support for Israeli victims of the October 7th attack as well as Palestinian civilians, and reminded residents to vote in the November 7th election. She also congratulated Business Administrator Barbara Murphy on her recent panel appearance on school district finances at the Essex County School Boards Association meeting. No members of the public spoke during either public comment period.

The board approved the first reading of a dozen revised or abolished policies, including eliminating separate Sick Leave regulations and updating policies on Right of Privacy, Examination for Cause, student attendance, homeless children's education, and food services, as well as the district's Safe Return to School Plan and its Comprehensive Maintenance Plan. The board also approved ending an out-of-district student placement at Cornerstone Day School. Student representative Dylan O'Neil reported that last year's contested restroom-access policy, which restricts some bathrooms due to vandalism and vaping concerns, has settled into "the norm" this year despite some lingering student frustration.

Action items

• Found Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying incident #251607 not substantiated
• Accepted resignations of basketball head coach Rich Kennedy and district custodian Amir Mohammed
• Approved donations totaling roughly $40,000 from the Glen Ridge Athletic Association, HS Volleyball Booster Club, and Home & School Association for volleyball equipment/uniforms and PSAT testing tables
• Approved first reading of revised policies including Right of Privacy, Examination for Cause, Attendance, Homeless Children's Education, and Food Services, and abolished separate Sick Leave regulations
• Approved the district's Safe Return to School Plan and Comprehensive Maintenance Plan
• Approved termination of an out-of-district student placement at Cornerstone Day School

Watch key moments

• 56:12 — Board President Ginsburg opens the meeting with a moment of silence for victims of the Israel-Hamas war, offering support to both Israeli and Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict.
• 1:30:29 — Athletic Director Rob Hill describes personally inspecting equipment at a vendor's warehouse with a board member and Home & School volunteers to transform the high school's outdated, underused weight room into a new fitness center.