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Union Township board affirms HIB findings, holds two executive sessions on HIB, legal and personnel
Summary
The Union Township Board of Education reviewed NJDOE student safety submissions, affirmed several HIB case determinations and entered executive session twice to discuss HIB/legal matters and personnel/superintendent search.
The Union Township Board of Education reviewed the district’s Student Safety Data System submission for Report Period 1 (Sept. 1–Dec. 31, 2025) and affirmed several harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) determinations at its Feb. 25, 2026 regular meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Barbara Popp presented the NJDOE-submitted safety report showing one confirmed incident at Union Township Middle School and no confirmed incidents at the elementary school, with three HIB allegations at the middle school and two at the elementary school during the reporting period. District Anti-Bullying Coordinator and principal Steve Fiedeldey is listed in the submission as the official school contact and submitter.
Board President Lou Palma moved, and board member Heather Eberstein seconded, approval of the meeting minutes and later motions. The board entered executive session at 6:50 p.m. “to discuss confidential matters pertaining to HIB and legal,” and reconvened at 8:03 p.m., per the meeting minutes.
During open session following executive session, the board voted to affirm the determinations on multiple HIB cases. The board affirmed unfounded findings for HIB Case #303726 and #302852. In HIB Case #302440 the board affirmed the finding that one alleged offender’s case was founded and the other alleged offender’s case was unfounded. The motions were made by President Lou Palma and seconded by Amelia Lamonde; the minutes record the roll-call result as seven yes votes with abstentions and absences noted in the official roll-call line and the motion carried.
A second executive session began at 8:24 p.m. to discuss personnel and the superintendent search; the board reconvened at 9:42 p.m. and adjourned the meeting at 9:56 p.m. Minutes note that matters discussed in executive session will be made public “as soon as the need for confidentiality no longer exists,” with no timeline specified.
The board’s actions on HIB cases and its use of executive session reflect both the district’s reporting to the New Jersey Department of Education and the Board’s review of confidential personnel- and discipline-related information. No additional details about the incidents or disciplinary measures were disclosed in the public minutes.
