[{"_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",6498798,"mediaKeyId","5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53","parentId",5597134,"title","Resident presses district on transparency, contracts, OPRA and test scores; superintendent responds","audioSeconds",1119,"startMs",1676000,"endMs",2795000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53&start=1676&end=2795","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53/thumbnail_1676000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6498798/New-Jersey/Resident-presses-district-on-transparency-contracts-OPRA-and-test-scores-superintendent-responds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498798-ea23486d077578261d2a81d218df0175/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145804&Signature=IYcAz7If0z9-Tr8-bL2GLuxDdgy4SRY1jdr3H3rph6LooCUnasFs-~tGA1wrllgmqXZqo9s94XxXcJAjNVRLYHeRqci3KFlByYby-McIzIczlbdvXfLtewg1EifBemBDWJ~kdav31rgRB8DnMY99wD8uUhVSqDjxu1fDH3hbCgFoTocbUFM0J5oeTjHbi891SnY0PmQl46-N5b6-tsECY6OOwcVRJcovZ~SD4RY06AdXn5tJiezAhWV9ObKd4L9Wb0gbHd7S9j5RNdwy7MDedON6j-suP~chfPH~RC~JlKKepkc7xuyyR34HVuiEWvDDWwZCzMQxaIUAc4dVerZ-1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Belleville Public School District","date","2025-08-14T18:59:50Z","article","During the board's public comment periods, resident Michael Sheldon raised a series of transparency and performance questions and requested additional documentation from the district.

Sheldon, who identified his address as 47 Floyd Street, asked for clarification on agenda items including the interim business administrator/board secretary appointment (item 9-11), job-description revisions for security personnel (items 9-37 through 9-40), a new contract for Dr. Talia (item 9-49), an extension of a lease with Mr. Dorso (agenda items related to the district business office), and an emergency repair paid at $1,600 (item 12-27). He also questioned vendor labor rates listed for kitchen-equipment repairs (item 12.38) and asked for the contract details to be posted without an OPRA request.

In response, administration representatives said the security changes were realignments of job descriptions rather than new hires. The district explained the bathroom leak repair did not fall within the lease agreement so the district paid the $1,600 expense. Dr. Alfonso said he has been on the job seven weeks and will follow up on questions about the parking garage bond funds. On OPRA (the state open-records process), Dr. Alfonso said the district corrected the contact and that requests should now go to superintendent@bellevilleschools.org.

Sheldon also pressed the board on academic performance, citing spring NJSLA results. He said eighth-grade mathematics performance placed Belleville near the bottom in Essex County and among the lower-performing districts statewide. Dr. Alfonso replied that NJSLA is one indicator and described multiple data points the district uses to evaluate improvement; he said he had observed improvements in the middle school but that standardized tests are not the only measure.

Sheldon raised a separate governance question about board size, noting neighboring districts have nine trustees and asking whether a historical referendum had authorized any reduction in Belleville's board size. The board did not provide an immediate determination at the meeting and said staff would follow up.

The resident asked the board to make minutes — including redacted closed-session minutes required by law — available on BoardDocs; he said minutes were not posted since January. Board staff acknowledged the OPRA contact error had been corrected and said they would follow up on requested materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Meeting 8-18-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Resident Michael Sheldon questioned the district about interim hires, contract and lease details, emergency repair costs, vendor rates, OPRA contact information, board size and middle-school test performance; Superintendent Dr. Alfonso and other administrators provided responses and said OPRA contact was corrected.","taxTitle","Belleville Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",68124,"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},6498802,"Superintendent outlines summer initiatives: backpack drive, lunch-app push, middle-school upgrades and Aspiring Leaders Academy",262,1267000,1529000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53&start=1267&end=1529","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53/thumbnail_1267000.jpg","/articles/6498802/New-Jersey/Superintendent-outlines-summer-initiatives-backpack-drive-lunch-app-push-middle-school-upgrades-and-Aspiring-Leaders-Academy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498802-fe88054b614cbaa0a1a91129bd5a03fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145804&Signature=VAqy6Lh9lk5ilWBuJAKWgR-NlbapVxyc5kZcbaLiaCUzVgZfmFcjrsDXhWzIY8QCL32EglKWvph~iyCvELTMuswdcMwgmZcFm~dKuZOoEbqvYkt54g4~0fUKjYxoQ~WYFecT~w9Vi5~QHW-Wde0mngjfFy1L4JKrIDqxYu24EBG-Ud1cp5eLDrcFRUEACQ8yYUPfwpm6NHAcdyiV7TnIEUiLaA1F04nGncSAWn0uOkXcCVMNV0TE4L0tNQfKYE2tsof~F0rOyyUrF1FmNcEiQWpMpNurQxq~IhS~0BpMqE2EyFMayvrDvm-f8qnJ~hhIe0se~YpN~6QAqkz8TiBJHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Alfonso, the Belleville Public School District superintendent, told trustees the central office used the summer to plan for the upcoming school year and prepare several initiatives intended to support students and staff.

At a leadership retreat the district conducted vision-planning sessions, a legal briefing led by NJPSA lead counsel David Nash, and a two‑day “strength finders” workshop. The district team also attended a U.S. Department of Education convening in Washington, D.C., which Alfonso said provided a national perspective and helped “elevate Belleville.”

Alfonso said the district reallocated funds from an earlier federal Fostering Diverse Schools grant and used “over $30,000 of that funding” to cover summer programs, a move he described as saving district funds. He announced a community backpack and lunch-application drive on August 21, co‑sponsored with Assembly member Dr. Morales; the district will host bilingual staff to help families complete lunch applications, which Alfonso said “drive not only free reduced lunch, but our programs and our funding.”

He reported new classroom furniture and new doors have arrived at the middle school, and that the district is conducting a comprehensive audit of programs to “maximize efficiency” and prepare a community report on any savings. Alfonso also announced the Belleville Aspiring Leaders Academy, a “grow your own” initiative for staff with or working toward administrative certification; he encouraged interested staff to apply and said space is limited. He said the administration also recommended promoting an in-house substitute teacher to a middle-school math position.

Alfonso reminded the board that the first day of school is September 4 (pre-kindergarten begins September 5) and urged families to complete lunch applications at the Aug. 21 event. The superintendent said the administration will post policy changes and other notices to families before the school year begins.","Dr. Alfonso summarized summer leadership work including a vision retreat, legal briefing, national convening, a reallocated federal grant covering more than $30,000 of summer programs, a district-wide lunch-application drive at the Aug. 21 backpack event, new middle-school furniture and a new Aspiring Leaders Academy for staff.",{"_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},6498807,"Belleville board approves personnel, curriculum and multiple policy, purchasing and finance items; dress code vote splits",392,2044000,2436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53&start=2044&end=2436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5597134-fc48fb6fd76b302cf89ba1c10d3f2b53/thumbnail_2044000.jpg","/articles/6498807/New-Jersey/Belleville-board-approves-personnel-curriculum-and-multiple-policy-purchasing-and-finance-items-dress-code-vote-splits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498807-8de2bda8a05f3c319c7062a39d2b326f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145804&Signature=ZxDj6bU68Bd5wepOr76AsWq2qBCfVZhpwJliJC9rNM9iTOIYwbb9isNrG~HEmMi9JTfsJEixvdGkdbnDPyhB8uI7kwhGkQ9vgCeDLMH~efy2LRfxtzCJSdYOazTqUz4Q4fmt3gYc44DRjdCNP-lI26hRQjJ-CafgcrGEqcnYAi7tlRKVjSrmM4gKAKeHHRJZw3CA6mJfWJJtyf8Hl9ZeXMk7mwHZgjxnn~5F-2BBe43aHwzNs7kaaYNLPcBHtKAKcCSFKKWRgyJbyN6t-QZPVvIiRS-ZbLClr1C6lYDbwz6G6mgTN0x7W9V9kGeLZ4hVIa1ArmlHtk1J5nFqfb2OEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a meeting of the Belleville Public School District Board of Education, trustees approved grouped personnel, curriculum, policy, purchasing and finance resolutions after several motions to take items in batches and one item split for separate votes.

The board approved personnel recommendations listed as items 9.1–9.55 on the agenda on a single roll call after a motion by Dr. Massaggio and a second by Trustee Leon. The roll call recorded seven votes in favor and no votes against. Curriculum and instruction resolutions were approved in a single vote; the board also approved grouped policy items 11.1–11.31 and 11.33–11.35 on a single roll call after separating item 11.32 for individual consideration.

Item 11.32 contained two policies presented for second reading: an identification (ID) badges policy and a dress-and-grooming policy. The board voted on the two policies separately. The ID-badges policy carried on the roll call; Trustee Muniz recorded a “yes” for the ID policy and a “no” for the dress-and-grooming policy. Vice President Mike Darrow said he voted “yes to both.” The roll call results show the dress-and-grooming revision was adopted by a 6–1 margin (Muniz recorded the lone no). The board clerk confirmed the policies will be posted and distributed to parents.

The board also approved purchasing and business-service resolutions 12.1–12.41 and finance resolutions 13.1–13.9 on grouped roll calls. Trustees noted one clerical correction to an address listed in the agenda (the lease address listed as 34 Ralph Street should read 54 Ralph Street) and the board secretary said the leases themselves were correct.

Motions were moved and seconded by board members as recorded in the meeting record; roll-call votes were taken for each grouped set of items. No amendments to the grouped resolutions were recorded during the meeting.

Board officers present during the votes included President Bennett Meany and Vice President Mike Darrow. The board indicated the separated policy (11.32) would be posted and communicated to families ahead of the school year.","Trustees approved grouped personnel, curriculum, purchasing and finance resolutions and adopted two policies after splitting a second-reading vote on ID badges and dress/grooming; the dress/grooming revision passed 6–1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident presses district on transparency, contracts, OPRA and test scores; superintendent responds

Superintendent outlines summer initiatives: backpack drive, lunch-app push, middle-school upgrades and Aspiring Leaders Academy

Belleville board approves personnel, curriculum and multiple policy, purchasing and finance items; dress code vote splits