New Milford honors state sectional wrestling champions; board approves calendar revisions and routine personnel, finance and policy items

The New Milford Board of Education recognized the New Milford High School wrestling team’s first state sectional championship and approved several routine administrative items during its regular meeting.

The meeting opened with the board noting compliance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law and reviewing public-comment procedures. Student board representative Emma Grady reported on recent student activities — including language honor society inductions, an inclusive art night and plans for a spring pep rally and school spirit events — before the board presented a special recognition for the wrestling team.

An administrator told the board the program grew to 38 athletes this season and celebrated the team’s first state sectional title in school history; Bergen County officials plan a county honor and the district will present plaques and hang commemorative banners in town. The coach described the margin-driven nature of team scoring in wrestling and named captains Devin Ryan, Jersey Ryan, Sutter Tintaro and Joe Langstrokes, and a roster of contributing athletes. “Those points matter,” the coach said, summing how narrow match wins and small margins delivered the championship.

On district operations, the board approved a revised 2024–25 calendar that establishes blackout days on April 21 and May 23, 2025, and retains one emergency day for unplanned closures. The superintendent’s report also noted that Extended School Year (ESY) program hours were revised to 6.5 hours per day for eligible students and that the district is preparing for an upcoming QSAC review.

Superintendent remarks included two safety-related items: an ongoing investigation into a March 17 incident (no new public updates; the superintendent said she remains in contact with the prosecutor’s office, police and counsel), and an account of a transformer that came down and ignited a vehicle near Berkeley, where staff executed a shelter-in-place and dismissal proceeded without incident.

The board moved and approved multiple consent items and committee recommendations by voice vote. Curriculum and BA (business/administrative) items were approved; the personnel slate (P24-25 series) was approved by roll call, recorded as affirmative votes by board members who answered ‘‘Yes’’ on the record (Mister Albro, Miss Keljot, Mister Luna, Miss Ryan, Vice President Dunne and President Gomez). Finance and Facilities committee motions (F24-25 consolidated items) and policy item AC 24-25 also passed on voice votes.

Board members were briefed on referendum planning: the district met with the architect, intends to collect public feedback via a survey and to form a committee after QSAC. The superintendent thanked the New Milford Education Foundation for more than $20,000 in recent donations supporting programs such as Day in Clay and the sign outside the gym. Student achievements cited included 13 recipients of the New Jersey Seal of Biliteracy and success in mock trial and publishing competitions.

The meeting closed with no public speakers during the agenda comment period and a motion to enter executive session under the Open Public Meetings Act, section 8, to discuss personnel matters; the board moved into closed session and indicated no action would be taken upon return.

What’s next: notes from a recently held athletic-venue meeting will be shared with the board by the end of the week, QSAC review is scheduled for Tuesday and the district will publish referendum outreach and timeline information in coming weeks.