West Milford board reviews district climate survey; leaders prioritize communication, discipline and special-education follow-up

At the August open meeting of the West Milford Board of Education, Superintendent Dr. Kitchen and Assistant Superintendent Mr. Novak presented results of a district climate survey and outlined next steps on communication, discipline and special-education supports. The district received 633 total responses, including 404 from parents and guardians, 117 from staff and 112 from students, the presentation showed. "We had 633 total responses," Dr. Kitchen said.

Why it matters: Board members said the survey confirms several priorities they had already identified and urged that the results be used to set measurable goals. Dr. Kitchen and Mr. Novak said the district will use the survey to inform building- and district-level goals, professional development, and upcoming budget and staffing conversations.

Most important facts: The presentation highlighted strengths (dedicated staff, music and arts, family-oriented atmosphere) and areas for focus: improving district-to-family communication, discipline and bullying prevention, support for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), and monitoring class sizes. "Just improve communication. That was very, very prominent," Dr. Kitchen said when summarizing common free-response themes.

Administrators’ response: Mr. Novak said the district has been meeting one-on-one with principals to review building-level survey results, set goals tied to administrators’ evaluations and prioritize targeted improvements. Those meetings are already underway and district leaders plan to share action plans with the board and public; Dr. Kitchen said the board will embed the proposed actions into the district’s October testing presentation.

Communications detail: District leaders said they are shifting emphasis away from email toward mobile-friendly messages and text links because analytics in SchoolMessenger and the SMART newsletter tool show higher engagement on phones. "Text is the way to go," Dr. Kitchen said, and staff were asked to include direct links in text messages when sending flyers or registration forms.

Class size and budgeting: Board members asked whether class-size concerns would be addressed this school year. Mr. Novak said demographic and special-education scheduling data are used during budgeting to identify where sections may need adjustment; the district will continue evaluating during the year to plan for the next school year.

Special education and discipline: Leaders said the district recently completed a special-education audit and that IEP implementation and professional development remain priorities. Dr. Kitchen noted that overall bullying incidents were down but that some reported incidents included racial undertones, which the district intends to address.

Next steps and timeline: District leaders noted they will continue individual principal meetings through the fall, align goals to administrator evaluations and report back on progress next spring and at the October testing presentation. Assistant Superintendent Novak also said the parent/student portal will open to families at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22; leaders urged families to complete the free-and-reduced-lunch application before the portal opens to maximize Title I and other entitlements.

Ending: Board members applauded the administration’s outreach and asked for continued clarity on how building-level data are weighed; leaders said they will return with action plans and regular updates so the survey does not "go into a black hole."