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Rockaway Borough Board accepts SSDS report and approves $1.77M manifest, personnel and curriculum items in unanimous consent vote
Summary
On Feb. 24, 2026 the Rockaway Borough Board of Education accepted the SSDS incident report for Sept.–Dec. 2025 and approved a $1,770,125.99 manifest along with personnel hires, extracurricular advisors and the 2026–2027 calendar via a unanimous consent agenda.
The Rockaway Borough Board of Education met on Feb. 24, 2026, at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and accepted the School Safety Data System (SSDS) report for Reporting Period 1 (Sept. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2025). Superintendent Mr. Grieco presented the SSDS summary and the board approved the acceptance motion (moved by Ms. Jennifer Dahl; seconded by Mrs. Faride Hernandez) by voice vote.
Board President Edward Graf called the public meeting to order at approximately 7:30 p.m. during a session that followed an earlier executive session on personnel and legal matters. Board roll call recorded Michael Dougherty, Faride Hernandez, Vanessa Dorgilles, Jennifer Dahl (vice president) and Edward Graf (president) as present.
Under finance, the board presented a Bills, Claims and Payrolls manifest for Jan. 21 through Feb. 24 with a listed total of $1,770,125.99. That item, along with monthly Board Secretary and Treasurer financial reports and January budget transfer reports, was included in the consent agenda approved by the board.
The consent agenda—moved by Mrs. Hernandez and seconded by Mrs. Dorgilles—bundled a number of personnel and curriculum resolutions. Approved items included a mix of hires, leave approvals, resignations and extracurricular appointments: acceptance of Debra Garris’s resignation for retirement effective June 30, 2026; appointment of extracurricular advisors (for example, Eric Hedlund as girls softball head coach, stipend $2,174); long-term substitute contracts and leave-replacement teacher agreements with prorated salaries; and approval of the 2026–2027 district calendar. The board recorded the consent motion on the roll call with all members voting yes.
The board also listed approval of several professional development and travel requests and the establishment of a Thomas Jefferson Middle School Crochet Club (no teacher stipend the first year, subject to later review). Policies were presented for first reading, and the superintendent’s HIB determination (Tracking Number 302111_TJM_01092026) was recorded as founded in the meeting materials.
Votes at a glance: • Executive session I resolution (enter/adjourn): approved by voice vote (mover: Mrs. Hernandez; second: Ms. Dahl). • Acceptance of SSDS report (Reporting Period 1, Sept. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2025): motion approved by voice vote (mover: Ms. Dahl; second: Mrs. Hernandez). • Bills, Claims & Payrolls List (manifest $1,770,125.99) and consent agenda (personnel, curriculum items, policies first reading): approved on a consent motion (mover: Mrs. Hernandez; second: Mrs. Dorgilles); roll call showed all members voting yes (Dougherty, Hernandez, Dorgilles, Dahl, Graf). • Motion to adjourn at 9:03 p.m.: approved by voice vote (mover: Ms. Dahl; second: Mrs. Hernandez).
Why it matters: Acceptance of the SSDS report fulfills required reporting on incidents including violence, vandalism, weapons, substances and harassment and moves the district toward any follow-up actions required by policy. The manifest approval settles district financial obligations for the listed period, and the personnel actions finalize staffing and extracurricular roles for the remainder of the school year.
The board announced its next regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Thomas Jefferson Middle School cafeteria.
