[{"_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",6240756,"mediaKeyId","3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0","parentId",3318732,"title","Somerville board votes to authorize settlement in special-education dispute","audioSeconds",98,"startMs",2583000,"endMs",2681000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0&start=2583&end=2681","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0/thumbnail_2583000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6240756/New-Jersey/Somerville-board-votes-to-authorize-settlement-in-special-education-dispute","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240756-ded3694e6ae18614b7ea5f541303a378/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202144&Signature=JoVNfcbtX6EKRbY6V9Hu5yQx1qZlzB4h8KearRsijEcPaPPsGFXQuU4a6FsM4gxoktxHBNwQKXP1Vv7LVhuQ3uxZGc4fzF790krDnZLRTBrtdWmBCrYFnk8WpY~Wx5NE2OxVxRlsxbqHVstJldOpaKNCdqGhLUNzR6Pxwj4f4VAsTKiycGeH96wmJPa9I95vgIUoDPzDgA73slvQvU2EdVi7XlFlGIOBYr89GZEObeLsh9Y5JbJ0FAl3nNx1Qk7iIhjNwe5FrZacyIRbtau~ghCDdAjkBU0W30ibAfeH6jX4S64glxIw3xcSZliRVSsmsMmVqzTZOpmOPqv6xr-EgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Somerville Public School District","date","2025-05-15T16:15:06.337Z","article","Following an executive session, the Somerville Public School District Board of Education on May 13 approved a resolution authorizing district leaders to finalize a settlement in a dispute with a student eligible for special-education services.

The resolution, read into the public record by the board president, said in part that the parties “have negotiated in good faith and have entered into a settlement agreement ending the litigation with prejudice” and authorized the board president or his designee and the superintendent of schools or his designee “to do all things necessary to sign and honor the terms of the settlement agreement which is on file in the board central office.”

A motion to approve the resolution was moved and seconded during the public session after the executive session. The board then took a roll call vote. The recorded votes were: Ms. Van Horn — yes; Mr. Carlson — yes; Ms. Sherwin — yes; Ms. Kraska — yes; Ms. Dale — no; Mr. Kimmick — yes; Mr. Garcia — no; Ms. Shaw — yes. The motion passed.

The board president said the settlement agreement is on file in the board central office. No additional terms were read into the public record during the session; board members indicated the matter had been discussed in executive session and that further public discussion was not appropriate because the topic was personnel and litigation matters rendered confidential under statute.

The board announced the action in public session and recorded the roll call vote; minutes for the executive session were not released at the time of the meeting. The board indicated it anticipated further action might follow the executive session as appropriate but provided no immediate additional details.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/13/2025 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After an executive session, the Somerville Board of Education authorized district leaders to sign a settlement agreement ending litigation with prejudice in a dispute involving a student eligible for special education services; the board approved the action by roll call.","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},6240761,"Somerville district to adopt corrective action plan after CUSAC review; special-education audit clears district",257,2181000,2438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0&start=2181&end=2438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0/thumbnail_2181000.jpg","/articles/6240761/New-Jersey/Somerville-district-to-adopt-corrective-action-plan-after-CUSAC-review-special-education-audit-clears-district","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240761-023c724f18e8acad05a1f55f9703ebb4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202144&Signature=aO8YT0t~LhWtiyJJ9cUNiKamt514Oqk-h6Te1zoaff9X237l24h4LuAHNqQ6ha4rMwjaVYgZa5sx0HyOymprEcronAfyEXNrlXesNAhhcezd9ML92rI-mAcQ2es~MY8jiqKCV8jYCiR90Q~~9GqIUpQW-OPliiJnMVBMPuiVFY0i27dW4dwJr4gIdTRDxMw82JQcmRiV5P6vkEsTaX9e7fbQcvwQ114z8TvlJ5IJPgQiKO4WRoiSrOH2vo3Fub6e3PNAqzEyIxloIwtBu3hvRzEFOcrNCmAYszPkO8b4xP67rAfKt2DZ7dnlZuV2J~qAk69CSAXbHzLZwMFr3K4YTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Levisco updated the Somerville Public School District Board of Education on May 13 about state and district audits, corrective action steps for attendance and ongoing curriculum work.

Levisco told the board that, following a CUSAC review, two schools — Vanderveer and the middle school — “did tick right above” the allowed threshold for chronic student absenteeism and the district has prepared a corrective action plan. He said the plan is intended to address the attendance rates that exceeded the threshold.

In the same update, Levisco announced the district’s special-education review “was passed … without any indicators that have to be addressed,” and he thanked the audit team by name: Lisa Mulhern, Michelle Turnbull, Sarah Ligori and Michelle Trainor. The superintendent said the district also underwent a broader curriculum audit; he described several steps already underway to address academic needs.

Those curriculum actions include: intervention teams meeting to adjust schedules and expand intervention opportunities at elementary and middle grades; work on high-school course options to support struggling students; implementation and monitoring of pacing guides; creation of a districtwide literacy-leaders team with grade-level cohorts; and continued SEI (Sheltered English Instruction) training. Levisco said roughly 90 staff members will receive SEI training to support English-language learners and students behind grade level, and ESL teams are examining intake and screening procedures for newcomers.

The superintendent also described efforts to align pacing guides across grades “to make sure that everything is covered for our students by the end of the school year” and said the curriculum work is led by Mary Kane. Levisco credited staff for the special-education audit result and noted that CUSAC findings require focused follow-up at the two schools identified.

The board did not vote on a new policy in this session; Levisco said corrective action work and curriculum adjustments will continue and be reported back to the board. He asked the public to consult the district calendar for upcoming events and thanked audit and curriculum staff for their work.","Superintendent Levisco told the board the district will submit a corrective action plan after two schools slightly exceeded chronic absenteeism thresholds in a CUSAC review; a separate special-education audit was passed with no indicators requiring follow-up.",{"_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},6240766,"Somerville High robotics team showcases outreach, awards and a $50,000 operating budget",1226,752000,1978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0&start=752&end=1978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3318732-a7c9f16bd190fcb02be9e4580d6fd4e0/thumbnail_752000.jpg","/articles/6240766/New-Jersey/Somerville-High-robotics-team-showcases-outreach-awards-and-a-50000-operating-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240766-50f97e29e0e865936a5ac5435de444ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202144&Signature=SwB-zGmdiTVqDI~oBiIDXXquMSprnBlQ098q64KN3LraInk6Vv5q2tTDHpquk2TrXcIhBo4dm~f9QeAiYmapL5-W7POH1jU5AmK-oPhQILAplGFGQsgv4ixJf3S2GniANMibXsagDHYAbg-4KMKH9SOA1mt9NsGn~zDI38e2~X5Z406MmwdtgBbc1aTllPX-e6463YUcYaig7trCAbVYTj-e3~PobrDPp3sceQnpfCIn2o8OI87VbfGgomLXQbD4BOulJDd-R5xfPoDazqCrbXhZgDahngb9X7qtv0TZigJVlBKE4x9DzTXOyi9p4oMkY1yRP5RYOrSUW~~2Opxcjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Somerville High School students from Team 102, the Gearheads, presented their program, recent awards and outreach activities to the Somerville Public School District Board of Education on May 13.

The students described a season that included three competitions (Robbinsville, Montgomery and the district championship at Lehigh) and two awards: the imagery award at Robbinsville and the district engineering inspiration award at Montgomery. “It costs, expensive. It costs, we have a budget of around $50,000 to operate every year,” a team presenter said, noting district and sponsor support.

The team outlined technical features of this season’s robot — a funnel intake for PVC pipes, a three-stage elevator, a shooter mechanism and a vision tag system — and listed outreach work that the board called out as a community asset. Students said the team mentors and members lead events such as Triple Con and a two-day Robocon event that draws other FIRST teams; they also mentor a FIRST Lego League team that received a Breakthrough Award.

Student leaders described a mobile scouting app their group developed called ScoutRadios and said nearly 10% of FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) teams register with it; the students said the app is used by teams in about 30 U.S. states and 10 countries and has language translations. “It allows us to connect with teams from all over the world,” one student said.

Board members asked about middle-school outreach and cost barriers; students said they try to visit middle schools when possible but noted scheduling and funding limit visits. The team also credited a recently purchased CNC machine with saving time and helping reduce robot weight: “our CNC take our belly pan and kind of strip out… non useful parts,” a student explained, saying that capability helped the team meet the competition weight class.

Students also recounted an out-of-state trip to the Houston world championship, where they met industry representatives and described internship and sponsorship opportunities they encountered; the students said the experience was “life changing” and expanded their view of career pathways.

Superintendent Levisco and several board members praised the team’s presentation and community impact. The board’s public comments included recognition of the way Gearheads members assisted another team at Montgomery by diagnosing and repairing a broken part so that team could continue competing.

The presentation included a schedule of upcoming public events the team will run or attend, including a 3D-printing and combat-robotics demo at the mall on May 17 and the Robocon event Sept. 27–28. Students repeatedly emphasized the program’s emphasis on outreach, mentorship and sustaining alumni involvement.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation itself; members thanked the students and encouraged continued outreach.","Students from Team 102, the Gearheads, presented to the Somerville Public School District board about competition results, community outreach, an app used by other teams and the team’s roughly $50,000 annual budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Somerville board votes to authorize settlement in special-education dispute

Somerville district to adopt corrective action plan after CUSAC review; special-education audit clears district

Somerville High robotics team showcases outreach, awards and a $50,000 operating budget