Metuchen board adopts consent items, hears superintendent's "Every Moment Matters" goals and welcomes new teachers

Metuchen 'The Metuchen Board of Education on Aug. 26 heard Superintendent Dr. Caputo present districtwide goals for the 2025' 26 school year under the banner "Every moment matters," welcomed a group of new hires, received construction and committee reports and approved routine personnel and finance items.

Dr. Caputo outlined five goals: classroom and community engagement; "building forward together" tied to ongoing construction and grade realignment; a focus on school climate called "sky's the limit" using SKY survey data; information literacy including an AI plan for staff professional development; and "the best me," which centers tiered student supports. "Every moment matters," he said, summing up the district's approach to daily classroom practice and long-term planning.

The superintendent gave examples of planned actions under Goal 1 such as teaching students about food equity, reducing food waste and partnering with community food pantries. He told the board the district received a $167,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey to support tree planting and related educational activities, saying the funds will support planting "over a 100 trees across our four schools" and that the district must submit planting locations to the grant by November.

Board members asked questions about timing and implementation. Mr. Suss praised including the climate survey in the official goals and sought clarification about how often the SKY survey would run; Dr. Caputo said the district piloted the tool in recent years, intends a wider window for responses next spring and will incorporate state guidance on cadence and analysis.

The board also heard construction updates from the committee chair. Work at the high school and Edgar is largely complete inside, though some exterior site work and switch-gear/electrical items remain. At Moss, kindergarten classrooms and the bus loop are expected to be ready for September 2, while a 40,000-square-foot addition is targeted for late December or early January. Campbell's cafeteria interior and certificate-of-occupancy timing remain dependent on utility work and final inspections.

Before moving to consent business, the board introduced a group of newly hired teachers. Several spoke briefly, thanking administration and expressing enthusiasm; for example Madeline De Varo, introduced as an Edgar school counselor, said, "I'm so excited to meet our students and families and have a great start to the year. Go Bulldogs." Marjorie Rosenberg, an Edgar special education teacher, said she was "super excited" to join the district.

On routine business the board approved minutes from its Aug. 12 meeting and carried a package of personnel items (A1' A34). The board then approved finance items B1' B12, which included authorization to pursue an investment-grade energy audit to evaluate energy-use improvements and potential solar opportunities, and approved curriculum consent items D1' D6. Each motion passed on board roll call.

Announcements noted an open house across schools on Aug. 28 and the first day of school on Sept. 2. The meeting adjourned after committee reports and the consent votes.

What's next: board members said they will report progress on the five goals at midyear and again at the end of the school year; Dr. Caputo indicated a written summary of construction timelines will be circulated to the public following the meeting.