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Residents urge follow-up on testing results and offer community proposals during Ridgefield Park board meeting
Summary
Residents asked for test-score comparisons and intervention plans; Dr. Mercedes Haines requested prior NJSLA slides and confirmation that interventions will be research-based. A community member offered educational materials on 'emotional brain' approaches and agreed to share them with district staff.
Public commenters used the Aug. 27 meeting's public‑comment periods to request more information about assessment results and interventions and to offer community resources.
Dr. Mercedes Haines (206 Christie St.) asked whether multilingual learners take the NJSLA in separate settings and how the district manages accommodations. The supervisor and administrators confirmed ML students are typically tested together with ESL staff and receive accommodations such as extended time. Haines asked for last year's NJSLA presentation materials to compare results; administrators said they would email slides and present intervention plans grounded in best practices at an upcoming meeting.
During off-agenda public comment, a community member (Mr. Khan) delivered an extended presentation on a method he described as "emotional brain shunting" and said he had written books and materials. Board members invited him to email materials to the superintendent for follow-up; the chair said the district would engage via email rather than in the public-meeting forum.
What to expect: Administrators agreed to share previous NJSLA slides and promised a future presentation on intervention plans and next steps.
