[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6380436,"mediaKeyId","2131923-b2e1eda0cc5d0419d0688de6605c17d7","parentId",2131923,"title","Votes at a glance: Woodbridge board approves committee recommendations, accepts audit, notes construction progress","audioSeconds",573,"startMs",697000,"endMs",1270000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131923-b2e1eda0cc5d0419d0688de6605c17d7&start=697&end=1270","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131923-b2e1eda0cc5d0419d0688de6605c17d7/thumbnail_697000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6380436/Woodbridge-Township-School-District/School-Districts/New-Jersey/Votes-at-a-glance-Woodbridge-board-approves-committee-recommendations-accepts-audit-notes-construction-progress","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380436-be0cea0a59592668fa54dafacb628eeb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143835&Signature=bkIRvD1LSBa~wvNU9t7bdVOm8u5wuJ~JHxK2P4Es85y-6tY89Xhe2cu6Gvwdxt7Bk~CURMcFd4ZmYMK02jBB0FjyBwsGRZHUXWtncwtqarz~lMrQ9kJPhbJ7n0Sv-9jMIdCS1FSkstbiu0KwHAHru-~Mqv~ViomVj8vJb9azbYTJ0lWYTEkcWjjRIasPNqm3CB0xTdW7KdQ9cAXXzKnxu7b6KNa4OOWa-1LZIklncOuKSBsqqe0ZGt1a5Fyf-HWH~l5oAYfHr5XINWt7djX~y2b8JSeF30Wo7AwfDWafuJNqgrpi11FAikeED00YJiewqzVMmbJ8hStQgJkNYIf2Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-20T15:57:20Z","article","The Woodbridge Township Board of Education on Jan. 16 approved a package of committee recommendations across communication, curriculum, finance, dining and transportation and personnel, and accepted the district's annual independent audit with only minor clerical findings.

The board took multiple roll-call votes. Highlights:

- Superintendent's recommendations: The superintendent presented 28 items; the board adopted the slate by roll call. Board member Mister Mohammed and Miss Perez recorded abstentions on item 28 (identified in the agenda as involving Rutgers University). No other objections were recorded.

- Communication Policy & Planning: The board adopted seven recommendations from the Communication Policy and Planning Committee by roll call after a motion by Mister Mohammed and a second; members were told the policy labeled item 7 is under revision and will return for further reading.

- Curriculum, Extracurricular Activities & Technology: The board adopted three recommendations from that committee by roll call (motion by Mr. Sadana).

- Finance and Insurance: The board approved 13 items presented by the Finance and Insurance Committee. During the discussion the board acknowledged a required independent audit for the fiscal year; Business Administrator/Board Secretary Mr. Wolferman and his team received praise for a \"clean audit\" with only minor clerical errors to address.

- Dining and Transportation: Ten items from the Dining and Transportation Committee were approved by roll call.

- Personnel: The Personnel Committee brought 43 items, which the board approved by roll call (motion by Miss Borden, second Miss Perez).

- Minutes and Notices: The board approved minutes of the previous meeting and noted no bids were received this cycle. The meeting opened with the board secretary's Sunshine Law notice and concluded after public comment and a motion to adjourn.

Roll-call details recorded in the meeting indicate several individual abstentions on specific agenda items (noted above). The board discussed construction and facilities: a replacement building for School 4 (referred to as Avenue Street School / School 45) has receiving structural steel, remains on schedule and is projected to open for the 2026-27 school year, pending weather and routine construction contingencies. The planned Hope/Lawrence (Hope Lawrence) school awaits state approvals and work tied to Green Acres review.

No formal votes to change district policies on DEI or transgender issues were taken at the Jan. 16 meeting; those policy matters were raised during public comment but were not on the board's action calendar.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Woodbridge School Board of Education Meeting | January 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Jan. 16 meeting the board adopted multiple committee recommendations (communication, curriculum, finance, dining & transportation, personnel) and received a clean independent audit; abstentions were recorded on a Rutgers-related item.","taxTitle","Woodbridge Township School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",14265,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6380442,"Board renames DEI post to 'Director of Student Access and Engagement' as public speakers press to rescind transgender and DEI policies",403,1556000,1959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131923-b2e1eda0cc5d0419d0688de6605c17d7&start=1556&end=1959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131923-b2e1eda0cc5d0419d0688de6605c17d7/thumbnail_1556000.jpg","/articles/6380442/Woodbridge-Township-School-District/School-Districts/New-Jersey/Board-renames-DEI-post-to-Director-of-Student-Access-and-Engagement-as-public-speakers-press-to-rescind-transgender-and-DEI-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380442-d2a816089c1bb34b0a14b122080a9e3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143835&Signature=g07sb~8a5eZhxzWmJxSG9LmZerupYy9ipu1MvZPz4M7lPrYL3rdGe-inBElD2eYEN~Y5LJntas~oS8JvZePsHLhEZD1i1sbjDSQIPGcafIgt1cMhnIWF9FasjuKnlHC85I-OP30dFqrksa1dW2DWcVqdztK2xiAGyYwG5CmbtIR46upehiZpg5biVZDxd6MjoHxvPsG-9SXhMfabIx8--Jeda0SfzmoOen1hjiBRadRPz17R6~QdbfVoK2GSpguBRuwJsdQ-0s0hv3s2Xt3oKtyt5MN~44v92ig-z9ygbxd1Q4AryKWpoWINZABFY7vkJy49u5enb2a9T7gIf0wbWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Woodbridge Township Board of Education on Jan. 16 approved a personnel agenda that included renaming the district's DEI director position to \"Director of Student Access and Engagement,\" a change the superintendent said reflects expanded student-support duties.

The action is part of a larger personnel motion that passed by roll call after a motion by Miss Borden and second by Miss Perez. The change and an extended public-comment period on DEI and transgender-related policies drew most of the meeting's public attention.

Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Massimino said the title change is meant to capture a broader set of responsibilities the role already performs. \"We're changing the name today,\" he said, noting the position now oversees programs including high-impact tutoring, homeless-student support under the McKinney-Vento Act, translation services, student engagement initiatives and other student-centered functions. He told the board the role had evolved since it was created after the 2020 civil unrest and that adjustments to job descriptions are common as district needs change. \"My job is to not be political,\" Massimino said, adding the position is intended to serve the district's whole student population.

The board did not take any vote to rescind or amend district policies at the meeting. Multiple public speakers urged the board to remove or revise policies they said permit schools to act without parental knowledge on gender identity. Resident Dan Finney told the board, \"yes, it is indoctrination and grooming,\" and called for rescinding the district's transgender-related policies. Other commenters raised related concerns about parental rights, developmental science, and religious objections; several asked that specific policies be rescinded (speakers referenced policies numbered in the 5145 and 5756 series).

Board members and the superintendent answered procedural and scope questions but did not propose a formal policy repeal that night. Massimino and other board members emphasized the distinction they drew between political definitions of DEI and the district's stated operational responsibilities for student services, saying the renamed title better reflects work such as coordinating food drives, mentoring programs, tutoring grants and homeless-student liaison functions. He cited the district's high-impact tutoring programs (initially grant-funded) and said some duties were not obvious to the public because they involve direct student support rather than public-facing policy work.

The meeting record shows no action was taken to change existing board policies 5145.7 or 5756 (both were discussed by speakers). The personnel slate that included the title change passed as part of a package of 43 personnel items approved at the Jan. 16 meeting.

Looking ahead, board members said they will continue to receive public input and could address policy changes at a future meeting if the board places them on an agenda. The board did not set a timeline for further action on the policies discussed during public comment.","The Woodbridge Township Board of Education approved a personnel slate that includes renaming the district's DEI director post. Superintendent Dr. Massimino said the change reflects expanded student-focused duties; public commenters urged the board to rescind district transgender and DEI-related policies.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Woodbridge board approves committee recommendations, accepts audit, notes construction progress

Board renames DEI post to 'Director of Student Access and Engagement' as public speakers press to rescind transgender and DEI policies