Parents press Middlesex board over staffing and safety; administration says counselors present and officers agreement is 'close'

Residents at the Middlesex Borough School District meeting pressed the board on staffing and student safety concerns, citing chronic problems at some schools and a district hiring gap.

Lisa Zaimat of 5 Bridges Drive told the board she counted roughly 27 job postings district-wide and said the situation at Warner School had been "going on for 3 years," alleging instances where children were denied bathroom access and describing students as "distraught". Zaimat urged the board to prioritize class 3 officers (resource officers) at problem sites.

Superintendent and administration responses were mixed: the superintendent said the district's agreement for class 3 officers "is very close to being done," and confirmed counselors were available that day across all schools. When a public commenter described seeing construction equipment five feet from where children were playing and questioned whether workers were cleared, the superintendent replied that background checks are required for workers doing work around school properties.

What remains unresolved from the meeting: specific timelines for placing class 3 officers remain unclear (the public referenced a prior $50,000 barrier), and community members asked for clearer follow-up on hiring numbers and on what interventions will be implemented at the cited schools.

The board did not take immediate additional action at the meeting on these safety concerns but administrators said they would provide requested data and continue negotiations for officers.