Residents, teachers and mayor press Hillside board on staffing restorations, budget and potential charter school

During the public‑comment portion of the meeting, residents, teachers and the mayor sharply questioned the board’s agenda items that move to restore several supervisory/administrative positions while the district faces financial challenges and an announced 6% tax increase.

Angela Lawler, president of the Hillside Education Association, said the district “has been told repeatedly that Hillside is experiencing financial distress” and urged the board to reconsider restoring “three instructional supervising positions and a director’s position,” noting the listed salary cost alone for those positions exceeds $450,000 and that pension and health benefits could bring the total closer to $700,000 annually. She warned that a potential charter school could trigger “an estimated $6 million budget cut for the district,” and said the board should prioritize classroom teachers, custodians, secretaries and security staff over additional administrative layers.

Student and resident speakers echoed those concerns. A student commenter described how hiring freezes and staff reductions can reduce electives, increase class sizes and diminish intervention services; another public commenter asked for clarity about the charter‑school proposal and when the board would provide details.

Mayor Hayden told the board the public sees “one pot of money” and pressed officials on where the roughly $1 million in restored appointments listed on the agenda would come from after voters approved a 6% tax increase accompanied by staffing reductions. Multiple speakers said the optics of rehiring administrators while many employees faced separation were poor and asked the board to explain why those specific positions are being restored.

In response, Acting Superintendent Dr. Perez provided two clarifications: first, several resolutions on the finance agenda (motions 12–15) are procedural authorizations that allow the district to designate potential year‑end surplus into reserve accounts (emergency, capital, maintenance) if those funds materialize; the dollar amounts in the motions are a blanket upper limit to provide flexibility and do not mean the district currently has $5 million available. Second, she said many agenda appointments are reappointments of existing employees or certified personnel and not wholesale new administrator hires; she stated the district is not rehiring every previously separated administrator and will follow certification requirements when filling positions.

The public discussion also included an exchange about the superintendent search and a public endorsement for one candidate; board members and the superintendent said the search process would be addressed in new business.

Ending: The board moved to executive session for personnel and potential litigation matters; public commenters were told the district will provide additional documentation and that specific corrective and budgetary actions will be discussed in subsequent meetings.