Board hears student achievements, test‑score gains and operational updates; superintendent search, calendars set for February
Loading...
Summary
Board members heard student recognitions, a district assessment update showing ELA growth to over 50% and math nearing 40%, and committee briefings on safety software, calendar adoption and the superintendent search committee to be assigned in February.
At its meeting, the Lacey Township School District board heard student recognitions and operational updates from administrators and committee chairs, including a summary of state assessment gains and next steps on the superintendent search and calendar adoption.
Mr. Zielinski reported that the district’s most recent state assessment results show measurable gains: “Lacey increased its ELA proficiency rate from 45% to over 50%,” and math proficiency rose from about 37.5% to nearly 40%, placing Lacey fourth among comparable Ocean County districts in the dataset he used. He credited focused instructional work, targeted interventions and staff dedication, and said the district also saw positive AP and SAT growth.
Curriculum and policy committee reports previewed a Feb. 13 professional development day covering advanced IXL training, NJSLA data review, trauma‑informed classroom practices and an “AI teaching assistant” demonstration. The curriculum report also referenced special‑education needs (expanded nursing support at Cedar Creek Elementary, program development for self‑contained and multiple‑disability programs), a pilot paraprofessional evaluation at Mill Pond Elementary, and an upcoming out‑of‑state field trip for the high‑school fishing club.
Policy committee members described updates to the nepotism policy and the Chief School Administrator employment policy to align code citations and preserve State aid eligibility, and noted safety and security software upgrades that enable human review of questionable Chromebook content. The committee also discussed replacement options for Remind Hub after its acquisition by ParentSquare.
Finance committee items included a facilities warranty follow‑up, 2026–27 budget planning that anticipates possible additional special‑education staff, preparations for a Department of Agriculture administrative review of food service every three years, and work to obtain pricing for a superintendent search consultant. The committee also described referendum financing plans and a move from S&P to Moody’s for the district’s rating agency — a change committee members said would yield an estimated savings of roughly $16,400.
What’s next: The board will consider calendar adoption and assign a superintendent search committee at the February Board of Education meeting as discussed in committee reports.
