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Superintendent outlines program expansions, parent survey and Blue Ribbon honor for Deerfield Elementary
Summary
Superintendent Mrs. Wobble detailed planned after-school reading and math staffing, an expansion of mental-health supports with CarePlus to two days a week, recruitment for gifted/STEAM and a curriculum coordinator, and a parent survey to guide renegotiation of the district's high-school contract. She also announced Deerfield Elementary's 2024 National Blue Ribbon recognition.
Superintendent Mrs. Wobble (speaker 4) told the board the community's recent vote enabled restoration and expansion of programs and that the meeting's agenda included approvals for staff to support before- and after-school reading and math offerings.
She said five staff slots for those programs were already filled and that other positions have been advertised or will be advertised shortly, including a gifted-and-talented teacher, a STEAM teacher and a part-time curriculum coordinator whose job description appeared on the agenda.
Mrs. Wobble said the district will expand a mental-health partnership with CarePlus from one day per week to two days per week, "which was also supported by our public question." She emphasized the district will bring staffing approvals to the board as hires are ready.
On high-school programming, Mrs. Wobble said the district is entering the third year of a five-year sending/receiving contract with Berkeley Heights and will prepare for renegotiation of that contract ahead of the 2027-28 school year by issuing a parent survey to gauge high-school needs and preferences. "This survey will be sent to the entire mountainside school community," she said, and it will also be distributed to parents of students at Governor Livingston High School, Union County vocational students, and students on the district's aid-in-lieu list who attend private schools.
Mrs. Wobble also shared that Deerfield Elementary School received a 2024 National Blue Ribbon award; she said the school had been honored in Washington, D.C., and the district had received a plaque and flag. The superintendent discussed options for long-term recognition of the award around the building and possible signage with PTO support, noting she would check town rules on use of light poles for banners or flags.
Next steps: the board will consider staff approvals on the meeting agenda, the parent survey will go out (open for two weeks) and administration will return with hires and any contract-renegotiation recommendations.
