Nutley board announces 6th-grade move to middle school; parents and state monitor press for details

The Nutley Board of Education’s superintendent announced the district will lease a town‑owned building at 777 Bloomfield Avenue to house 10 preschool classrooms and the district office and said the district plans to move 6th graders to John H. Walker Middle School beginning in September 2026.

The plan, described in the superintendent’s report, includes opening an expanded state‑funded preschool program at the Bloomfield Avenue site in fall 2025 and forming a transition stakeholder committee; the superintendent said the committee’s inaugural meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19. Parents and advocates at the board’s public‑comment session called for more detail on physical space, special‑education support, staffing and the financial impact on the district and families.

Why it matters: the change will affect the current 4th‑grade cohort and will shift the district’s grade configuration. Parents at the meeting said the timetable, build‑out needs and staffing plans must be clarified before the move is finalized.

Superintendent Bania said the Board of Commissioners…