Bernards Township board approves personnel cuts to close $2.5 million budget gap, music and some elementary arts programs affected

The Bernards Township Board of Education voted April 24 to approve an 18-item personnel report that administrators said is intended to close a roughly $2.5 million gap in next year’s budget.

Superintendent Mr. Markarian said the reductions arise from “reasons of economy” and stressed they are not performance-based: “These reductions are about reasons of economy in order to make the budget work, not about the performance,” he said, adding that the district is trying to help affected staff find new employment.

The vote follows weeks of public comment. Dozens of students, parents and alumni urged the board to preserve arts and music programs. “These programs aren’t just electives or extracurriculars, they’re essential,” said Cole Marshall, a student at William Annin Middle School who testified during the public-comment period. Other speakers described the arts as vital to social support, mental health and long-term student engagement.

Nut graf: District officials say a mix of rising costs and lower revenues left them with limited nonpersonnel savings and forced a choice between larger class sizes or staff reductions. The personnel package the board approved reduces staffing across multiple areas and buildings rather than concentrating cuts in a single department, administrators said.

Board members and administrators described the scale and some specifics. Mr. Markarian said the preliminary budgeting process showed the need to reduce personnel expenditures by about $2.5 million. Board members and the superintendent confirmed the personnel report includes roughly 33.1 full-time equivalent positions overall. The administration also noted specific adjustments elsewhere in the plan: two certificated administrative positions will be reduced, one administrative assistant position will not be replaced, and instructional coaching positions will be cut from two to one.

Curriculum committee notes and public testimony cited program-level changes that parents and students highlighted: elementary Spanish will be eliminated at the elementary level; the district will remove third-grade strings; eighth-grade photography will be discontinued (though high school photography will remain); and the district plans reductions in some middle- and high-school elective cycles. The personnel agenda itself listed one music position among the reductions.

Board members sought to explain the process and legal constraints for layoffs. The superintendent described how reductions in force follow certificate areas and, when necessary, non‑tenured staff are considered first; if tenured staff must be reduced, state statutes and seniority rules determine placement and order. “You have to look at the certificates that the teaching staff have,” Markarian said during the superintendent’s report, explaining the statutory process for reductions in force.

Public commenters pushed alternatives. Parents and alumni asked whether more administrative consolidation, voluntary early-retirement incentives, debt refinancing or modest tax increases could reduce teacher job losses. “If you truly care about the kids, you will keep this in mind as you are making your headcount decisions,” said Jamie Fiore Higgins, a resident and parent who urged the board to prioritize classroom staff.

Board members described a difficult balancing act. Several members said the administration tried to spread reductions so no single school would shoulder the entire burden and reiterated that similar budget pressures are affecting districts statewide. “It’s not possible to have a $4,000,000 budget deficit and expect to close that gap without having a noticeable impact,” said one board member during discussion. (The board and administration used figures in public comments to explain context; the personnel report and committee minutes provided the basis for the vote.)

Formal action: The board approved the personnel report (18 items) by roll-call vote. The board also advanced routine finance, policy and curriculum items earlier in the meeting. The personnel motion passed on a unanimous roll call of members present.

Ending: Board members and administrators said they will continue to search for additional savings, pursue community input and explore long-term adjustments as enrollment and state aid trends evolve. Several speakers asked the board to revisit decisions if revenue conditions change; board members said they would consider options if future funds become available.

Votes at a glance: The personnel report (18 items including reductions in force and administrative adjustments) was approved by roll call with all voting members recorded as "yes." Other routine finance, policy and curriculum agenda items were also approved during the meeting; the minutes and committee reports include details on those items.