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Toms River schools unveil draft district goals, highlight attendance gains and AI in technology plans
Summary
At committee meetings Aug. 5, Toms River Regional Schools presented draft district goals focused on student achievement and culture, cited a 0.77% reduction in chronic absenteeism for 2024–25, and added an artificial-intelligence emphasis to a technology goal; trustees will consider the documents at next week’s board meeting.
Toms River Regional Schools staff presented draft district goals and supporting documents during the curriculum committee on Aug. 5, asking board members for written feedback before the full board votes next week. The goals concentrate on student achievement and district culture and climate, supported by a professional-development plan and an expanded mentoring program for novice teachers.
Curriculum lead Cara told trustees the district intends to adopt “an all-in mindset” to build collective responsibility for student performance across K–12 staff. She said the district continues to press down chronic absenteeism, reporting, “we actually experienced a .77% additional reduction in 2425 in our chronic absenteeism,” a decline staff attributed to attendance initiatives and targeted administrative work.
The technology goal now explicitly mentions artificial intelligence as a tool to "improve the efficiency of tasks at all levels and all departments and all roles," staff said. The draft professional-development plan, linked to the first two goals, lists tentative activities and targeted staff groups that will be refined through the school year.
The committee also reviewed a comprehensive mentoring plan for novice teachers and those on provisional certificates; staff said every novice teacher is paired with a formal mentor and that the program provides ongoing support and periodic professional development.
Curriculum staff reviewed K–2 curriculum documents required annually by the New Jersey Department of Education, and said updated secondary pacing and standards work affected algebra/geometry sequencing and Integrated Math 2. The district announced a new strand in the STEAM Academy: digital media and broadcast journalism, including a podcasting course entering the curriculum this year.
On student-driven options, staff reported 38 Option Two independent-study or credit-acceleration requests this summer—up from 24 the previous year—covering 24 unique courses, with many requests in visual and performing arts, math, career-technical and business subjects. Staff said counselors targeted students needing credit earlier to ensure on-time graduation without relying on summer sessions.
Adrian presented the district’s graduation survey for the Class of 2025. “The class of 2025 represented a total of 1,173 graduates,” Adrian said; of those, 441 (about 38%) planned to attend a four-year college, 333 planned two-year college, 109 planned vocational or technical programs, 50 enlisted in the military, 191 planned to enter the workforce directly and 45 were undecided.
The committee ended by asking board members to submit edits on the draft goals before the next week’s board meeting, when the documents will be presented for approval and posted on the district’s curriculum website following any board action.
Next step: the full board will review and is expected to vote on the draft goals and curriculum approvals at the board meeting scheduled for the following week.
