State rep urges Secaucus to adopt strategic planning after board earns county certification

Jean Clearary, a field service representative with the New Jersey School Boards, presented to the Secaucus Board of Education and congratulated the board for earning board certification through the New Jersey School Boards Academy — described in the meeting as the first board in Hudson County to achieve that certification.

Clearary described strategic planning as a proactive, multi-year process to create district vision and mission, align stakeholders (parents, teachers, administrators, community partners and students) and set three to five goal statements with measurable objectives that guide annual board and administrative work. She recommended a three-meeting community engagement model (state of schools; visioning; goal statements), logistics planning to avoid quorum issues, targeted outreach to encourage broad participation, and a timeline that avoids summer scheduling or that runs February–April with a final board adoption by year-end.

Clearary emphasized that after community meetings, the superintendent and administrative team convert goals into actionable plans and that the district would post meeting outcomes and the final plan for community transparency. The board acknowledged the value of the process and the recent board certification; no vote was taken on beginning a strategic planning process during the meeting.

Also recognized during the meeting were three teachers who completed Wilson reading certification (Sam Ferris, Anna Mongello and Lisa Bartletta) and students who supported their practicums; the board and presenters described these staff certifications as part of a broader push on literacy interventions.