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Mountain Lakes board outlines long‑range planning schedule and expands integrated special‑education supports
Summary
The board heard a long‑range planning timeline (community sessions with TMI beginning Oct. 22) and a special‑education report describing expanded integrated ('push‑in') related services, co‑teaching, and teacher coaching; trustees asked for family engagement plans and noted coach/vacancy challenges for fall athletics.
The Mountain Lakes Board of Education heard committee reports that outlined a timeline for district strategic planning and described changes to special‑education service delivery.
Dr. Dunn, reporting for the long‑range planning committee, said the board has engaged TMI as an external facilitator and tentatively scheduled three community sessions to kickoff the public phase of strategic planning, with the first session provisionally set for Oct. 22 and additional engagement through February. He said one session on Oct. 28 will be dedicated to students and that staff will present more detailed timelines at the August meeting.
A separate special‑education committee report described a move toward integrated or 'push‑in' related services — occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech, counseling and school psychology — so supports occur in general‑education classrooms where feasible, rather than routine pull‑out. The reporter said the district hired an occupational therapist last year (previously the district relied on contractors), described co‑teaching classrooms, and noted teacher coaching and professional development offered through the Thrive Alliance to help staff implement inclusive strategies.
Board members asked whether 'push‑in' would fully replace pull‑out services; committee representatives clarified that push‑in is being increased where appropriate, but not all services will be moved to push‑in. Trustees discussed family engagement to secure permissions for more integrated services, and the superintendent said the district will pursue family outreach as it pilots the model.
The superintendent also mentioned staffing and athletics: the district continues to recruit fall coaches (noting two Briarcliff vacancies); substitutes and additional volunteers/interns were presented as part of the personnel slate.
The board recorded its approval of the personnel and routine items by roll call during the consent portion of the meeting.
