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Millburn board reviews required SSDS/HIB report; district cites small number of incidents and restraints concentrated at program sites
Summary
Administrators told the board the district’s Student Safety Data System (SSDS) report for Sept. 1–Dec. 31, 2025 showed most HIB reports were isolated to a few schools and that 13 physical restraints occurred at South Mountain; officials said HIB requires meeting all statutory prongs before classification.
Administrators presented the state‑required Student Safety Data System (SSDS) and Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) report at the Millburn Township Board of Education meeting on Feb. 25.
John Conley, who delivered the report, said the presentation covered incidents occurring between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, and outlined the district’s reporting and investigative process, including the role of building anti‑bullying specialists. "Harassment, intimidation, and bullying means any gesture, written, verbal or physical act, or electronic communication…as defined by the statute," Conley said, noting that the state definition requires meeting multiple statutory prongs before an event is classified as HIB.
The report listed physical‑restraint counts and other incident totals the district must include in SSDS filings: 13 physical restraints at South Mountain School and two at Hartshorn; the middle school had four confirmed HIB incidents and one alleged report; Glenwood had two alleged incidents and Washington had one alleged incident. Conley also described the types of remediation and discipline the district uses, from parent contact and counseling to lunch detention and suspension.
Board members asked for clarification about the restraint numbers and whether time‑outs are reported as seclusion. Conley said time‑outs are a separate category but are included in reporting in the seclusion sets the district submits and offered to supply comparative trend data for prior years. "I do not have that answer off the top of my head, but I can certainly get that answer and report it back to you," he said.
The presenters emphasized that most cases are handled at the school level and that parents may request an executive‑session hearing at the board if they seek review of a disciplinary recommendation. The board did not take any action on the report during the meeting; administrators said the report fulfills the district’s twice‑annual statutory SSDS disclosure requirement.
The board moved on after a short Q&A and thanked the administration for the report. The district said it will follow up with requested trend comparisons.
