[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6122026,"mediaKeyId","2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d","parentId",2695654,"title","Somerville Board approves settlement, personnel items and tentative budget in consent votes","audioSeconds",45,"startMs",190000,"endMs",235000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d&start=190&end=235","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d/thumbnail_190000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6122026/New-Jersey/Somerville-Board-approves-settlement-personnel-items-and-tentative-budget-in-consent-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122026-e8741d728feaaaec8ff76e708f15c58e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193135&Signature=MBIxLI6vtpmKwVtAAkJfyVCwo99Ax9rot9Lg~iSJWJa-AHp0SlKZI9Bu-Ixoo6M89OA3g2zrpjkS~qYTlBc-EUL3LgPW-zdJj2NZEPvorrKkXs5Nc8Po26YkRW1nn7o-YINzPjcXsPqnUKCRcxudy8fU~KQ8u1DDgP-P2Zq81JDTwYHcIjOSPlvLN-PdWFlrvKUxuwms~yHZ4~YHkDUyiPV6BxzdWQcJfDFMOgykn~t7Y6ldFS8q5urKsyQ8Z40QCHAHGnktoiEPR03-SSjLAf6Bxwq0q6AcdvLeYOPb3vMA0AGdsU4Fj8qcr~JckZ33NhWrhxNJOXCNEESu5PfSgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville Public School District","date","2025-03-19T10:59:04Z","article","The Somerville Board of Education on March 18 voted to approve a settlement agreement that was discussed in executive session, along with routine minutes and a set of personnel and budget items grouped on the consent agenda.

Following the closed session, the presiding officer read a resolution: \"Resolved that the Board of Education approve the settlement agreement and general release for employee number 5985.\" The board then held a roll‑call vote and recorded unanimous yes votes by the members present.

In other business the board approved the minutes of the Feb. 11 regular meeting and adopted two grouped consent motions covering personnel, appointments and other routine items. The second consent motion (items 26–52) included the district's tentative 2025–26 budget; the board president and finance committee noted the tentative budget will be submitted to the county superintendent for review and a public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 29.

All motions listed below were approved by roll call with the members present voting yes as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Settlement agreement and general release for employee number 5985 — Approved (roll call: Missus Van Horn; Mister Carlson; Missus Sherwin; Missus Kraska; Missus Dale; Mister Kinnick; Mister Garcia; recorded as yes)

- Approval of minutes (Feb. 11 regular meeting) — Approved (roll call recorded as yes by the members present)

- Consent agenda (items 1–25; personnel/appointments contingent on verified documentation) — Approved (roll call recorded as yes by the members present)

- Consent agenda (items 26–52; includes tentative 2025–26 budget submission to county) — Approved (roll call recorded as yes by the members present); public hearing on final budget scheduled for April 29

Why it matters: The settlement approval concludes a personnel matter that the board handled in executive session; approving the tentative budget starts the county review and sets the April 29 public hearing where the final budget will be adopted or amended.

The board adjourned at 6:51 p.m.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/18/2025 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After an executive session the Somerville Board of Education approved a settlement agreement for an employee, approved meeting minutes and passed consent agenda items including appointments and a tentative 2025–26 budget submission to the county; roll calls were recorded for each motion.","taxTitle","Somerville Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",38700,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6122031,"Board hears update on curriculum audit, intervention programs and teacher training",1350,855000,2205000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d&start=855&end=2205","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d/thumbnail_855000.jpg","/articles/6122031/New-Jersey/Board-hears-update-on-curriculum-audit-intervention-programs-and-teacher-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122031-f845b0f2514a1f32d6f416c5e8e3afac/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193135&Signature=B~1DPtHOrMtFIbvGX325PwuezT~lBDxof1~1e4ZLzTXo9UDHUIYV2K3tEBKvoC1Nn-VhwcmCqfmhi8UXzlC8Sj4gPiIgyLj06u2fGmsJn9der3fJs3LhahQ~vll7h-rACj759DxLyOz2u1g9EFJ7YR-vRul5m7zgvhiT~hXKYOrBVnc1o7QSm3QbjF0~kCAt8PKIX5HoSplhHMIHpanWvXB29nsmjmD-pgPXS-pjQJ6FfNsAqe4RAYXstyjIP2uRcE314LSsxJ0F~eCpWc9eRPa~FB5zqA9iDgznYroO9477SGQRKjXtpvM2AMYzkn4epyX8Tvk7fRZVtEYcJhECuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board members and district staff on March 18 outlined a multi‑step plan to implement recommendations from a curriculum audit adopted by the Somerville Board of Education in October and to strengthen classroom instruction across the district.

\"I have yet to hear a clear plan of what's happening with the curriculum,\" said Sharon Werk, a Somerville High School English teacher and president of the Somerville Education Association, urging the board to move from audit to concrete classroom changes.

Superintendent Levisco described actions administrators and teachers are taking: building‑level data deep dives using I‑Ready and other diagnostics, a six‑week extended‑day math program launching in April at the elementary and middle schools, a Rutgers online reading program to strengthen literacy, and use of Lincoln assessments for eighth‑grade Algebra I students. Levisco said the district has begun sheltered English instruction (SEI) training with Dr. Negrin and Ms. Ochoa and that 89 staff members have started that training.

District staff also described steps to standardize curriculum materials, refine math frameworks and pacing guides, launch a literacy leaders committee in spring, expand data teams that meet at least monthly, and roll out Frontline recruiting systems and standard operating procedures for hiring. Levisco said administrators will continue professional development and teacher recruitment efforts to address staffing needs identified in the audit.

Curriculum committee chair Melissa Dale (committee reports) said a February professional development day drew responses from 225 of 275 staff and that feedback was generally positive; future PD plans include more SEI training and a possible joint PD day with neighboring Branchburg next year. The committee also discussed budgetary effects of a state aid reduction on curriculum plans.

Why it matters: The audit identified gaps in alignment and intervention; the district is implementing early‑stage interventions and professional development intended to affect instruction before spring testing and next school year.

Next steps: district administrators said they will continue monthly data‑team meetings, train more staff in SEI methods, monitor intervention programs' results, and update the board on progress.","At the March 18 meeting the superintendent and curriculum committee outlined steps to implement a curriculum audit: expanded data use, SEI training for teachers, new intervention programs, updated pacing guides and recruitment efforts; teachers urged clearer timelines for implementation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6122035,"Parents decry pre-K lottery after nine 4-year-olds left off Somerville enrollment",284,367000,651000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d&start=367&end=651","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695654-bc692528dc54dbb8d87c6080c9e19c2d/thumbnail_367000.jpg","/articles/6122035/New-Jersey/Parents-decry-pre-K-lottery-after-nine-4-year-olds-left-off-Somerville-enrollment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122035-a07c4e9a0f5a408f9a39c1d97bd301e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193135&Signature=nJCEnxm5zsNaXC1FSPz9ISihWWHB~eoPz-gxmUWbDA61~rTxLd-AVnNePNcFVO0GDTXUKJeWvFvH~5LsKKl3zU2JGXiR4f-KGPtHe0d26QZtmeKwWhUyO6roUdDlHAQQKK5AtVnolz3pZT8OhsENNnS0Buf6nLbTSI7DEB7-HvJn4aOMsrK661h9Ynj6dCBK3wWoDNyBW~Rj64pXXwyaLVlTyJIu3aaGCjhttFETtzPAuG~7nJeQlesDHUttOl8mZgbtPY5KGJLwL5xgO7t4QxZKk7WiK5UuJfYZbfgaOiOb98kq7E7PyU4oiPMgaJbrbdcRbNHotNjo6NKrk8TWOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parents of children who applied for Somerville Public School District prekindergarten told the Board of Education on March 18 they were left without clear answers after a lottery left nine 4‑year‑olds off the enrollment list while spots were allocated to 3‑year‑olds.

\"High quality preschool can change the educational trajectories of young children,\" said Gregory Owens, a Somerville resident and parent whose daughter was among the nine 4‑year‑olds who did not receive a slot. Owens read a Department of Education passage and said he was told district staff \"admitted that they arbitrarily chose the number 9, even though the grant doesn't specify a required amount.\" He called the result \"unfair\" and urged the board to make finding placements for the excluded 4‑year‑olds a high priority.

The matter drew several other parents to the microphone. James Vasilone, whose daughter was on the wait list, said families lacked transparency about how the lottery and wait list were managed and expressed concern that names appeared on a public list. Ashley Kennard said she was told conflicting information about whether a lottery would be held and that parents had been given \"false hope\" about access to preschool seats.

Board members acknowledged the concerns during the meeting. The presiding officer said the board and administration are \"aware of the concerns that are being expressed\" and asked families to contact the superintendent with specific questions so staff can respond directly. Superintendent Levisco told the board the district had already met with one preschool parent, said he would continue conversations with families, and apologized for any miscommunication.

Parents repeatedly asked whether the district could reconfigure slots so 4‑year‑olds would be served; the board and administration said they are reviewing constraints tied to the grant cited by staff and will follow up with families outside the public meeting. Several commentators referenced a district decision to prioritize three‑year‑olds under what they were told was a PDA grant; the district described the grant requirement in general terms during the meeting but did not provide a written grant citation in public comments.

Why it matters: Early access to high‑quality preschool is broadly linked to kindergarten readiness and longer‑term academic outcomes, parents and speakers said; local families said the lottery outcome imposes immediate childcare and financial burdens.

The board asked families to email the superintendent with specific questions; it also said administrators will meet with parents and that the board will take any appropriate follow‑up actions after those conversations.","At a March 18 Somerville Board of Education meeting, parents pressed district leaders over a prekindergarten lottery that left nine 4‑year‑olds without seats while three‑year‑olds were prioritized under a grant; district leaders said they are reviewing the process and will continue conversations with families.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Somerville Board approves settlement, personnel items and tentative budget in consent votes

Board hears update on curriculum audit, intervention programs and teacher training

Parents decry pre-K lottery after nine 4-year-olds left off Somerville enrollment