Another Marathon BOE Meeting Reveals Clear Lines Between Board Factions
Laura's Notes on the 06/26/2025 BHPSNJ BOE Meeting
Another marathon BOE meeting underscored the growing divide between Team Stanley/Bradford and Team Akiri/Foregger, while Khanna, Dillon, Joly, and Terrero continued making efforts to work with everyone—balancing collaboration with accountability.
The public portion of the meeting didn’t begin until around 8:45 PM, nearly 75 minutes behind schedule.
Mrs. Bradford opened the session by honoring Coach Roof’s admirable career and his leadership in coaching the GL Boys Baseball team to both their 500th win and a State Championship title this year. Congratulations to Coach Roof!
Committee reports usually fly under the radar, but this time they were packed with information the public should know.
Curriculum
The Curriculum Committee is considering implementing a revised block schedule at CMS for the 2026–27 school year. The idea is to offer more instructional time in core subjects by shortening period lengths overall.
A discussion also emerged around the use of TAPinto as the publishing platform for the GL student newspaper. Questions were raised about why students use TAPinto instead of hosting content directly on the District website or a larger platform like NJ.com and revenue sharing with for-profit platforms. The response: exposure. According to the Superintendent, the District doesn’t pay any fees to TAPinto for student publications. If you weren’t aware, The Highlander Online has a section on TAPinto, but unless you know it’s there, you’d likely miss it. As someone who reads a lot of news, I didn’t even realize there was a space dedicated to student journalism. The committee will revisit this issue and explore better ways for student journalists to gain exposure. (PSA: NJ21st welcomes student and community submissions alike.)
Also discussed: Mr. Kobliska requested a review of the CMS 8th-grade student award criteria to ensure students, families, and staff understand how recipients are selected and to promote transparency and fairness.
Technology
In Technology, the 2025–26 school year will allow families to purchase Chromebook insurance for $35 per student. The program will be a pilot to determine whether upfront coverage reduces year-end costs.
On a personal note: some students weren’t given diplomas this June due to unpaid device fees—some legitimate, some due to District error. Withholding a diploma over a damaged Chromebook—especially when students are expected to carry them around daily with all their school materials—seems deeply unfair. The emotional impact of being denied a diploma stays with students. Is a missing keyboard key really worth that?
Athletic
The Athletics Committee discussed promoting a club to varsity sport status and addressed ongoing plumbing issues at GL—yes, clothing, vape pens, and even airplane liquor bottles have reportedly been found in the pipes. Is this being addressed? Press box repairs are delayed, but fall backup plans are in place. While lights at GL are not currently part of the referendum, the Board reviewed a quote for $1.6 million. Mr. Dillon and the committee were clear: lights aren’t a priority right now. However, they are committed to ensuring that female athletes get locker room facilities equal to those of male athletes.
Policy
On the Policy side, I noticed that none of the policies listed for first reading were actually attached to the agenda. After flagging it to the District and Board, they were posted publicly around 3 PM.
Regulation R2200 sparked robust discussion. Every Board member shared thoughtful perspectives—but therein lies the issue: policies open to broad interpretation, especially around content deemed “discriminatory” or “biased,” are inherently problematic. Without clear definitions, enforcement becomes arbitrary. You can read the regulation here. I encourage anyone with a student in the District to review it and share your feedback. As written, I oppose it. We can’t erase bias or discrimination from history—acknowledging those parts of our past is how we grow. Education shouldn’t avoid discomfort; it should prepare students to confront it with ethics and integrity.
Personnel
The Personnel Committee discussed raises for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, administrative assistants, and lunch/playground aides.
A temporary Business Administrator and permanent Business Administrator (to start late this summer) were approved last night - I’m hoping she has experience as an OPRA custodian because the errors and costs of our current ORPA structure are frivolous and unnecessary.
The Treasurer of Monies was not approved at the last BOE meeting but requested by the District to continue the position for 2 months, which was approved.
Finance & Facilities
In Finance and Facilities, bids for CMS and GL gym floor upgrades were submitted. I won’t pretend to be an expert on gym floors—I come from the “go play kickball with a rubber ball outside” era—but spending this much on gyms while other parts of our buildings are falling apart feels out of step. The District previously reported receiving an $88K recreation grant for playground upgrades at MKM and MP. (Side note: Wasn’t the inability to apply for recreation grants a key argument in the CMS Field Lease debate?)
Separately, the Township corrected sewer billing errors and returned $8,000 to the District. Here’s a weird one: The Environmental Commission wanted to plant 200 trees by GL, which the District agreed to. Then the Township asked the District to supply water for the trees. The District declined and suggested the county take it on. Instead, the county installed a water meter—on school property—without approval or notice. That meter is being removed. The District has made clear that the Township is responsible for the water source.
The Board also discussed the possibility of issuing an RFP for food service in 2026–27, as many families are dissatisfied with Pomptonian’s quality and pricing.
Negotiations
Negotiations are ongoing for the Head Custodians’ contract. I hope for a fair resolution. Our custodians are essential and deserve recognition. The Board will complete its self-evaluation online, and the CSA evaluation was completed by June 30.
Public Comments
During public comment, one resident raised concerns about the referendum—specifically, the lack of details around pricing, scope, and goals. They pointed out that secrecy at the start undermines the possibility of trust and partnership with the community.
Agenda Items
Dr. Foregger asked about qualifications for the Director of Nursing. Dr. Feltre said the role requires an administrative degree. That seems odd—knowing the full responsibilities would help clarify.
Regulation 2200 came up again during the business session, with Board members noting the vague and inconsistent use of terms like “bias” and “discrimination.” The regulation was tabled by a 6–2 vote (Bradford and Stanley voting no) for further revision.
There was also a long discussion about allowing the Superintendent to sign contracts without Board approval over the summer. While meant to keep things moving in the absence of a BA, some members worried it opened the door to unvetted long-term commitments. The resolution passed—but with caution and warnings about oversight.
Mrs. Stanley left the meeting at 10:54 PM.
Dr. Feltre then addressed the referendum, responding to the many concerns voiced by Board members and the public. She explained that the District will submit 19 applications to the state to see what aid may be available. These are not binding; approval simply helps inform the scope of the potential referendum. All Board members—except Mrs. Bradford—shared discomfort with the process but acknowledged that this step is necessary to determine what’s feasible and worth prioritizing. There are no fees for capital submissions, and fees for Educational Adequacy filings were clarified.
In new business, Ms. Akiri requested a public presentation on the collaborative consultative model so families can understand and evaluate its implementation. Several follow-up questions were raised about special education, room access, and service delivery. Dr. Marr’s response—although she’s new—hit the right notes and was likely reassuring to many parents.
The meeting ended shortly after midnight.