The Matawan-Aberdeen board opened its meeting with a recognition of the high school marching band’s competitive season and a student performance. Noelle, identified at the meeting as the high-school marching-band director, told the board, “We are so pleased to announce, yes, they got state champs,” and described a season that included high national placement.

The board called forward student musicians and presented state-championship recognitions and varsity letters. Josh Oranowicz, identified at the meeting as the district’s supervisor of athletics, was introduced earlier in the agenda as receiving a sectional award of merit from the Directors of Athletics Association of New Jersey; the board also recognized staff contributions to music and athletics.

The meeting included a tenure recognition for Sam Levine, a Lloyd Road Elementary music teacher. Board members read a brief biography recognizing Levine’s pedagogical work, his continuing graduate study and his contributions to building student musical communities. Levine received a certificate and board applause.

Administrators and board members used the opening portion of the meeting to highlight school and district holiday events, a range of student activities and community fundraisers supported by the district’s PTOs and student organizations.