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Parents press board on LifeWise, arts cuts and student supports during long public‑comment period
Summary
Dozens of community members used the board’s public‑comment slot to praise NJROTC and to raise concerns about LifeWise off‑campus programming, perceived cuts to arts and AVID, and student mental health. Speakers asked the district for clearer policies on off‑campus providers and better communications to families.
A large group of parents, students and community members used the Peninsula School District board’s public‑comment period Tuesday to raise concerns ranging from safety and oversight of off‑campus programming to the future of arts and support programs.
Several speakers urged the board to restrict or more tightly manage LifeWise, an outside organization offering weekly off‑campus classes during the school day. Jessica Gordon said she witnessed LifeWise staff “loiter for over 10 minutes in our parking lot” while students played at recess and called the practice “a serious safety issue and a blatant disrespect for the district.”
Multiple speakers said LifeWise participants have been transported to off‑campus classes and sometimes returned without clear sign‑in procedures, creating tracking concerns. “Parents see a school bus on school grounds with a weekly schedule and they feel safe that the district would not let it happen if they weren't okay with it,” Crystal Weissowski said, asking the district to send a clarifying message to families that LifeWise is not a district program.
Others used the public time to urge support for programs at risk of reduced funding. Riley Mory, an AVID senior, described AVID as “a family of students” and said combining AVID classes and limiting funding threatened students who rely on the program for academic and social support. Several speakers, including Jen Shervin, asked the board to reverse or explain recent decisions affecting levy‑funded arts and music offerings, arguing hands‑on art specialists should not be replaced by volunteer programs.
A broad theme of the comments was a desire for clearer district transparency and policy: speakers asked what the district will do to ensure student safety when outside providers operate during school hours, how off‑campus sign‑in/out is tracked and whether legal counsel meetings with state representatives have been scheduled to clarify district options.
Not all speakers opposed LifeWise. Sarah Garrett (representing a local conservative parents’ group) pushed back against what she called “fear‑mongering” and argued parents have a right to allow off‑campus choices. Others in public comment praised district programs. John Ficka, a parent, offered strong support for the district NJROTC program, saying it had “provided incredible opportunities in leadership development, teamwork, physical fitness, discipline, and academic achievement.”
Board members and the superintendent heard the range of public concerns and indicated the district will continue reviewing legal and operational safeguards for third‑party providers and examine communications to families. The board did not take immediate policy action Tuesday; members asked staff to follow up and provide clarifications in subsequent meetings.
