Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Superintendent Evaluation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
NJ School Boards Association trains Ridgefield Park board on superintendent evaluation; internal deadlines proposed
Summary
The board heard a presentation from NJ School Boards Association field representative Melissa Del Russo on the required annual superintendent evaluation, was told the summary conference must occur by July 1, and a trustee proposed internal deadlines (individual responses by May 27; compilation June 3; summary to superintendent by June 12; meeting with superintendent June 17).
The Ridgefield Park Public School District board received a training briefing May 13 from Melissa Del Russo, the New Jersey School Boards Association field service representative for Bergen County, on the statutory annual evaluation of the chief school administrator (superintendent).
Del Russo told board members the evaluation "must be in writing" and that the board and superintendent must meet to discuss the findings before July 1. She emphasized conflict-of-interest rules — board members whose relatives work in the district should not participate — and explained that districts may use the NJ School Boards Association tool but are not required to do so.
The presenter described how the board’s inputs are anonymized and compiled into a majority-opinion summary: individual ratings and comments are randomized, the board president receives a compiled report, and the board prepares a single written summary for the superintendent. "Dissenting opinion may be vocalized" at the summary conference, she said, but it typically is not included in the written summary.
During Q&A trustees asked about practical steps and timing. One trustee proposed a timeline the board tentatively accepted: individual responses due May 27; a special meeting on June 3 to compile responses; a June 12 deadline for the president to draft the summary; and the board meeting with the superintendent on June 17. Board counsel/staff reminded members that any special meeting must be publicly posted and include a public-comment period before the board may go into executive session for the summary conference.
Del Russo also advised custody and confidentiality best practices: keep only necessary personnel copies (board president and superintendent), store the board’s copy securely (for example, with the board attorney), and avoid exposing the compilation to the superintendent because outlier comments can create unnecessary conflict.
Superintendent Dr. Vespignani provided the HIP report and district assessment results earlier in the meeting; Del Russo’s session followed that report and the student representatives’ remarks. The board did not take final votes on policy changes related to the evaluation tool during the session; members agreed to follow the proposed internal timeline and to bring any procedural questions back to committee or counsel if needed.
Next steps: board members were asked to complete individual inputs by the proposed date so the compilation and summary conference can occur before the July 1 statutory deadline.
