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New Providence Board previews 2,305 students, timelines for HVAC fixes and starts year with safety plans
Summary
The New Providence Board of Education approved start-of-year plans Aug. 26, reporting district enrollment of 2,305 and confirming HVAC work at three schools is expected to finish by Summer 2025; the board also approved school safety, traumatic-loss and critical-incident plans.
The New Providence Board of Education met Aug. 26 and approved a suite of start-of-year operational and safety measures as the district prepares to open school.
Superintendent Dr. Lauren Zirpoli reported total enrollment of 2,305 students for 2024–25: New Providence High School 656, Middle School 399, Allen W. Roberts School 636 (including 67 kindergarteners), Salt Brook School 585 (including 80 kindergarteners) and 29 out-of-district students. "We wish all of our students, teachers and families a wonderful Labor Day weekend," she said.
Dr. Zirpoli summarized staff Opening Day activities and professional development, saying the district will focus on the Belonging and Community Initiative, training on artificial intelligence, trauma-informed classroom management, personalized learning and multilingual strategies. "Teachers will engage in professional development specifically around the Belonging and Community Initiative as well as Artificial Intelligence," she said.
On facilities, Dr. Zirpoli gave an update on HVAC work across the district. At Allen W. Roberts School the district is awaiting delivery of switchgear and expects air conditioning to be operational in Spring 2025; Salt Brook School will receive unit ventilators staged on campus before further installation; most unit ventilators at the High/Middle School have been installed. James Testa, the School Business Administrator/Board Secretary, will hold regular construction meetings to track progress. The district expects the remaining HVAC and air-conditioning work to be completed by Summer 2025.
The board approved several safety-related documents for 2024–25, including the School Safety and Security Plan, the Traumatic Loss Response Plan and the School Critical Incident Plan. Dr. Zirpoli also noted coordination with the New Providence Police Department on security reviews and thanked Assistant Superintendent Joseph Uglialoro for his role in that work.
The board set a retreat for Oct. 2 to focus on governance, strategic planning and board-superintendent relations. The meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
What's next: routine construction meetings and ongoing implementation of approved safety plans; the board will reconvene as scheduled and hold follow-up meetings on progress.
