Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Meeting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hardyston school board honors two departing trustees, hears safety, preschool and facilities updates
Summary
The Hardyston Township Board of Education on Dec. 9 thanked two outgoing trustees, approved routine personnel and finance items, heard superintendent updates on safety drills and a radio repeater communications project, and recognized fall student standouts from elementary and middle schools.
The Hardyston Township Board of Education on Tuesday honored two departing board members, approved routine finance and personnel items and heard updates on school safety, communications and facilities before recessing for an executive session and returning to public session.
Board speakers publicly thanked Jean Barrett and Anthony (Tony) Alfano for completing three-year terms. The board read formal resolutions expressing appreciation for Barrett’s and Alfano’s service to students and the community; the resolutions were moved, seconded and approved by voice/roll call.
The superintendent reported on recent safety drills across schools, saying the district completed an elementary fire drill on Oct. 4, a lockdown and a middle-school shelter-in-place on Oct. 18, and another fire drill Oct. 26. The superintendent also described an RPO radio repeater project that will install equipment at each school and the police station so staff and emergency personnel can communicate directly on handheld radios; installation was said to be scheduled for the 17th or 18th of the next week.
On facilities, the superintendent said the middle-school road-facing sign was replaced for the first time since the building opened because one side was badly cracked. He also reported the preschool playground is essentially finished with new equipment, rubberized surfacing and a perimeter fence; staff plan to take final photos after snow melt.
Principals presented fall "student standouts." Elementary principal Jennifer Segnaglia introduced kindergarten through fourth-grade recipients and described qualities for each honoree, including Jason Francois (kindness and helpfulness), Matthew Soltis Moreno (growth and leadership), Quinn Califano (determination in reading), Riley Banta (hard work and compassion) and Lillian Meyer (perseverance and warmth). Middle school principal Meg O'Mara presented fifth- through eighth-grade standouts — among them Gina Campot, Jordan Marte, Veronica Lammy and Jake Babadeck — and praised students for leadership, empathy and academic effort.
On routine business the board approved several consent items and reports. The transcript records motions and roll-call responses approving the HR/Personnel report, finance items (listed as f1 and f5 in the agenda), a facilities/operations item (FO1) and the curriculum programs package (CP4). During discussion of preschool expansion for 2026–27, district staff said projected enrollment means the plan will keep six preschool classrooms for now and not expand to a seventh classroom; funding formulas tied to enrollment figures were cited as the reason to wait.
A board member asked about the district improvement plan tied to QSAC findings; the superintendent said required adjustments focus on organization of curricular materials (pacing guides and accommodations) and a general plan to continue student achievement improvements, noting that state summative ratings weight growth differently than some county comparisons.
The board moved into an executive session for legal discussions and later returned to public session, after which the meeting was adjourned. The board closed the meeting with holiday greetings.
Actions and next steps recorded in the meeting minutes include adoption of recognition resolutions for departing trustees, approval of the listed HR and finance reports, and direction in curriculum discussion to maintain planned preschool capacity while monitoring enrollment and funding.
