Watchung Hills board approves first reading of revised Policy 57‑56 on records and athletics

An unidentified board member moved that the Watchung Hills Regional High School District board adopt revised Policy 57‑56, and the motion passed on a first‑read roll call vote on Feb. 12.

The revision removes a sentence that read, in the draft, that "there is no affirmative duty for any school district staff member to notify a student's parent of the student's gender identity or expression," a line Doctor Jewett said had been struck from the revised version because "people just didn't love the language of that line." The revised policy also specifies that permanent student records containing a student's birth name will be kept in a separate confidential file that "should only be shared with the student, parent/guardian, and appropriate school staff members," replacing earlier phrasing that limited access to ‘‘appropriate school staff members after consultation with the student." Finally, the district added an explicit line stating it will follow NJSIAA guidelines regarding student participation in sports.

Board debate focused in part on whether to delay the vote until full attendance. One board member urged waiting for absent members; another said prior votes with the same membership carried and that a vote of the present board would be valid. Doctor Jewett clarified procedural details about how the revisions were circulated and read the specific language changes for the record, including a small typographical correction.

Roll call for the motion produced the following results: Mister Decker — Yes; Mister Gallick — No; Miss Lee — No; Miss Potter — Yes; Miss Rexford — Yes; Miss Redente — Yes; Miss Trumper — Yes; Mister Bernberg — Abstain. The board announced the motion carried. Doctor Jewett and meeting participants then noted that this action constituted a first read; the policy will return for a second reading and formal adoption at a future meeting (the administration indicated that the item will appear on the next agenda for second read).

The changes affect how the district handles student records, parental notification language, and how athletic participation will be administered where NJSIAA rules apply. The board did not vote to finalize the policy at this meeting; a second reading is required before it becomes district policy.

Next steps: the administration will publish the revised policy text with the board packet ahead of the second read and the item will return to the agenda at a later board meeting.