Glen Ridge board reorganizes, approves routine business and districtwide security, PA upgrades

The Glen Ridge Public School District Board of Education on Jan. 7 swore in newly elected members, reorganized its leadership and approved a series of routine administrative, personnel, curriculum and business items — including a districtwide door-access upgrade (Central School excluded) and a public-address system upgrade at the high school.

The board installed Betsy Ginsburg as president by unanimous show of hands and selected Jocelyn as first vice president. After a tie for second vice president between Anthony Bonnet and Kristen O'Neil, Bonnet withdrew and the board approved O'Neil as second vice president. The board also formally swore in Anthony Bonnet, Kristen O'Neil and Ray De Lorenzo, whose election results were read aloud at the start of the meeting.

Why it matters: The approvals clear contracts and purchases the district listed under its business agenda and set the board's leadership and committee assignments for the year. Board members also flagged budget uncertainty from the state, noting the governor's Feb. 25 budget speech and the district's receipt of state aid figures within 48 hours of that announcement.

At the meeting the board approved the minutes of its Dec. 10 meeting. The motion to approve minutes was moved by Anthony Bonnet and seconded by Jocelyn; the roll call recorded eight ayes and one abstention by Ray De Lorenzo. The board then approved administrative items (A1–A7) moved by Jocelyn and seconded by Bonnet, which included reaffirming the Star-Ledger as a designated newspaper despite the paper moving to an online-only edition in February and formalizing NJSBA delegate and alternate appointments (Kristen O'Neil as delegate; Jocelyn as alternate).

Personnel items (P1–P5) were moved by Bonnet and seconded by Jocelyn and approved on roll call; the board noted that personnel matters were not discussed in public session. Curriculum items were moved by Heather and seconded by Tricia and approved; one trip date raised earlier in the meeting was not verified at the session and the superintendent said any necessary corrections would be made at the next meeting.

During the business portion of the agenda the board approved multiple items including upgrades to the district’s door access system and to the public-address system. In response to a board member question, staff clarified the door-access upgrade covers all buildings except Central School, which received a different system when it was built; the PA upgrade applies to the high school. Those projects were part of the packed business consent agenda and were approved on roll call.

The board heard brief comments from the superintendent about forthcoming budget work; members said the finance committee will meet with district business staff as state aid numbers arrive and as the district prepares a fiscal-year 2026 budget aligned to district goals. The board adjourned after a second public comment period with no additional agenda items raised.

The district’s next regular meeting was listed by the superintendent as Jan. 28; the board also scheduled a short planning/mini-retreat for Jan. 14.