Saying this meeting is stacked is an understatement of epic proportions.
The Report of the Superintendent will include the Audit Presentation, a Transportation Consultant presentation (regarding bussing), the PowerPoint is available here AND Board Member Training from the NJ State Board Association.
Following a third attempt at electing a Vice President, the Business Administrators report will include a presentation (the 4th and final presentation for the evening) from the NJ School Board Association regarding Superintendent search firms.
And, we haven’t even taken a dive into the actual business or agenda items for this meeting!
The following are the Board President’s appointments to Committees:
1) Khanna will chair Finance and Facilities (2);
2) Foregger will chair Negotiations and Curriculum (2);
3) Hyman will chair Athletics/Co-Curricular and Strategic Planning and Technology (3);
4) Stanley will chair Personnel and Policy (2);
5) Akiri will chair Mountainside (1).
Joly and Penna (and Bradford) are the only BOE members who are not appointed to chair a committee.
Overall, we feel the appointments make sense. However, Dr. Foregger, who has a Ph.D. in mathematics, is merely an alternate to the Finance and Facilities Committee. His background and expertise make him most qualified to serve as a full member on this committee.
Ms. Bradford is also recommending the following Liaison Appointments;
1) Bradford will liaise on the Town Council, PTO Area Council, Environmental Commission, PTO Curriculum, and BH Veterans (6);
2) Khanna will liaise on Recreation Commission, Diversity (District), Union County Educational Services Commission, UCSBA, and NJSBA (6);
3) Stanley will liaise with Education Foundation, Truth Community, Healing & Inclusion Committee (Township), and HIB (3);
4) Foregger will liaise on Tech Advisory Board (1);
5) Akiri will liaise on Legislation (1) and the District Evaluation Advisory Committee (only as an alternate);
6) Joly will liaise on the District Evaluation Advisory Committee and Educator of the Year (2).
These appointments also appear to make sense and match the strengths of BOE Members.
While these are solid assignments, there are concerns regarding the process.
Policy 0155, which gives the President the authority to make appointments without a vote or discussion, was NOT approved at the January meeting. The last approval, including several revisions, was approved by the previous Board on 12/7/23.
The last version of this policy, adopted on 12/7/23, did not include the Mountainside Committee on the list of Board Committees. Adding it back will require an amendment to this policy and a vote to adopt it BEFORE any chair or members are appointed to committees.
If policy 0155 is not readopted, BHCW is unclear as to what what this means for the current appointments made by Ms. Bradford reflected in the agenda for Monday, 2/26.
