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Hardyston board adopts 2025–26 district and board goals, forwards superintendent merit goals to county
Summary
The Hardyston Township Board of Education approved five district goal areas for 2025–26 — including academic excellence, attendance, family and community engagement, positive school culture, and a new long‑range facilities planning goal — and forwarded superintendent merit goals to the county for approval. The board also discussed funding and next steps for facilities work.
The Hardyston Township Board of Education voted to adopt district and board goals for the 2025–26 school year and to forward the superintendent’s merit goals to the county superintendent for review.
The board adopted five district goal areas: academic excellence; attendance and engagement; family and community partnerships; positive school culture and staff collaboration; and a new long‑range facilities and finance goal that the board added after discussion about building maintenance, capital projects and funding. Superintendent Dr. Ryder said the long‑range plan should include an asset maintenance plan, a capital improvement plan and a financing strategy. “First you have to find out what you have to fix,” one board member summarized during the discussion.
Why it matters: the district goals will guide the superintendent’s action plans and become the basis for the chief school administrator evaluation in 2026; several of the merit goals are quantitative and tied to a non‑pensionable performance bonus. The board’s discussion repeatedly returned to facilities priorities — roofs, chillers, the new LED sign and playground — and how to pay for them, including grants and, if necessary, a future referendum.
Board and staff context: facilitator Kathleen Hellowatt framed the session by noting the district’s recent performance, saying the board had "focused on your NJSLA scores" and that Hardyston ranked well in the county last year. Dr. Ryder reported a steady decline in chronic absenteeism — from roughly 17% several years ago to about 8.4% last year — and said he is recommending a merit goal target of 5.9% or lower. “Best things happen when students are here,” he said, outlining strategies including parent follow‑up and incentives.
The board discussed measurable approaches for academic goals as well: using classroom observations, teacher coaching and in‑house assessments as benchmarks rather than putting state test percentages directly into district goals. Several members encouraged quarterly progress updates and public committee reporting so the community can follow implementation.
Votes and next steps: the board moved to adopt the district goals and board goals and to forward the superintendent’s merit goals to the county; roll‑call votes carried and the board president said the county imprimatur will be sought and the items formally reapproved as needed at a later meeting. Administrators were asked to produce action plans and to post goal materials on the district website for transparency.
Routine business that followed included approval of minutes and consent items, the personnel slate (with one position pulled because it has not yet been filled), and routine finance and curriculum actions.
