Board committee reports: sixth-grade schedule change, DEI curriculum steps and special-education placement data

Committee reports at the Tenafly Board of Education meeting described several instructional and programmatic updates: a sixth-grade schedule change that will provide a 44-minute lunch/recess block, adjustments to high-school athletics stipends that the committee said are projected to be budget neutral, DEI-related curriculum additions at the high school, and a district review of special-education placement metrics from the New Jersey Department of Education dashboard.

The education committee summarized changes to the sixth-grade schedule that reduce an extra literacy block in order to provide a dedicated 44-minute lunch/recess period for sixth graders; the committee said the change was made possible in part by referendum work (cafeteria expansion) and described the change as improving students’ daily experience. The committee also discussed stipend changes for high-school athletics tied to student enrollment demand and said those adjustments would be budget neutral.

The district’s DEI committee report included an overview of curricular changes that district staff said add diverse course offerings at the high school, expand girls flag football as a spring sport, and move toward a full-day integrated pre-K at Stillman. The committee heard an overview from Christina Quattrone about how DEI policies and regulations apply across grade-level social-studies curriculum.

A liaison to CPAC reviewed special-education placement data available publicly on the NJDOE dashboard and reported that Tenafly places a higher percentage of classified students in general-education settings compared with the state average; meeting participants described this as evidence of the district’s approach to least-restrictive-environment placements. The CPAC and HSA reports also noted that programs and services are expected to remain the same for the 2025–26 school year and that professional development and supports for general-education teachers are under consideration (including a future review of Orton-Gillingham approaches).

During public comment, a Tenafly resident asked about an apparent increase in resignations, especially in special education; the district responded that it could not discuss personnel matters or the reasons for resignations in a public meeting.

Ending: Committee reports highlighted operational and curricular adjustments for 2025–26 and flagged follow-up items—professional development for teachers, policy and regulation updates, and continued review of placement and service delivery models.