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Interim superintendent Lydia Furnari outlines priorities; Board approves personnel, curriculum, finance and policy items
Summary
At its July 14 meeting, the Caldwell-West School District board heard from Interim Superintendent Dr. Lydia Furnari about district goals and transparency measures, approved multiple personnel, curriculum, finance and policy motions unanimously, and agreed to run a freshman girls soccer team with a coach to be appointed at the August 11 meeting.
At the Caldwell-West School District Board of Education regular meeting on Monday, July 14 at Harrison School, Interim Superintendent Dr. Lydia Furnari described early district work and transparency steps and the board approved several motions on personnel, curriculum, finance, facilities and policy by unanimous roll-call votes.
Dr. Lydia Furnari, introduced at the meeting as interim superintendent, told the board she has visited each school, observed the district summer program at Harrison School and met with administrators and staff since her May introduction. “I just wanted to say thank you to the board for allowing me to become part of the Caldwell West Caldwell school community,” Dr. Furnari said, adding that the district will provide periodic updates on a five-year plan focusing on academic excellence, student wellness, equity and inclusion, and family engagement.
The superintendent noted that the New Jersey Department of Education’s 2023–24 school performance reports for the district have been posted and are intended to support community conversations. She also said the district will begin listing staff names on personnel agenda motions going forward, except where medical leaves require confidentiality.
The board approved the minutes and multiple consent items by unanimous votes recorded as 4–0. Votes included approval of curriculum and technology items (agenda items a–b), certificated personnel items (8 a–f), finance items (f–n) and facilities item a, and a policy item (policy a). Each of those motions was carried 4–0 on roll call of the four voting members present.
Board members recorded by name in the meeting roll calls who voted in favor were Miss Demartini, Miss Mac, Mister Dimbola and Miss Grosso. The board president indicated a quorum of four voting members was present at the start of the meeting.
On extracurricular athletics, Dr. Furnari and athletic staff said there is community interest in a freshman girls soccer team. Athletic Director Mister Romano worked with athletic directors in surrounding communities to assemble a schedule, and the district received multiple applications for the coaching position. Romano will interview candidates and the board expects to appoint a coach at its next meeting on August 11.
During the president’s report the board also noted local community events, including National Night Out on Aug. 5 at Caldwell University. With no members of the public present, the board moved to close public comment and then voted to return to executive session at approximately 7:13 p.m. The next regular meeting was scheduled for August 11 at Harrison School.
The meeting opened with formal notice that the board had met in an advertised executive session at 6 p.m. in the Harrison School conference room to discuss personnel and litigation matters, and that those discussions will be made public when confidentiality no longer applies, in accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act (NJSA 10:4-6).
