Laura’s Notes on the 09/18/2025 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting

The 9/18/25 Board of Education meeting was, for the most part, smooth sailing and ended in record time after two members left at 10:30 p.m., leaving the Board without a quorum to continue business.

There was one citizen who spoke during the second public hearing to thank the BOE for allowing homeschool students to take AP exams at GL.

The agenda has been slightly revised so that Board Committee Reports now occur during their respective agenda items.

The discussion turned heated when the Board addressed outstanding legal bills for OPRA responses. It was reported that an exorbitant amount of District funds had been used to produce responsive OPRA records and review duplicate records.

Finance

The committee discussed a letter from Recreation about the installation of a synthetic turf field, which they concluded was not a reasonable option. The Recreation Commission is instead pivoting to explore a natural turf replacement. Members noted the lack of pre-planning from the Township and Recreation Commission, especially since the Environmental Commission had only just given its opinion at the 9/16/25 TC meeting that synthetic turf was undesirable and would not have been supported. While many members expressed frustration with the process, Terrero noted that Recreation is still working to improve the situation and asked that it be given a chance.

The Committee Chair also noted that BHPS is about $9-14 million over the state’s adequacy budget and said the committee will be doing deep dives to understand why BHPS spending is so high. (This is not the first time Dr. Foregger has raised this concern.)

During Board discussion, Joly questioned the outstanding Bush Law bills for legal services tied to the review and production of OPRA responses. She cited multiple OPRA requests that could have been remitted easily and at no cost, as well as Board inquiries unnecessarily sent for attorney review. In a heated exchange, Joly recalled a comment from Stanley claiming that the (former) BA was being “fiscally responsible” by sending all OPRA requests to the attorney. Stanley denied making that statement.

After reviewing the August 21, 2025 meeting, I emailed the full Board asking for clarification on Stanley’s contradictory statements between the 8/21/25 and 9/18/25 meetings. At the time of publication, no response has been provided.

Terrero moved to adjourn to executive session following Old Business to discuss legal bills and potential next steps. The motion passed, though two members opposed.

Athletics

The press box demolition at GLHS is complete and came in under budget. The new press box is expected to arrive in October. UCVTS students are now set up to receive emails and sports communications from GL.

All community members are encouraged to attend Friday Night Lights on 9/26 & 9/27, but due to scheduling conflicts, everyone is urged to check for updates before heading out.

Personnel

The new Dungeons & Dragons Club at CMS was reported to have 22 members with modest fundraising goals to support its activities.

AP and Honors Physics were discussed in light of both certified Physics teachers being out on medical leave, one expected to return in November. Currently, AP Physics is using an online platform, and the agenda included the appointment of a staff member to help cover. Other Physics classes are being covered by current GLHS staff.

The Board thanked Mr. Nixon for his service and wished him well in his new role at Millburn.

Education

Correction on 09/21/2025 @ 31:12pm: There was not enough budget for both CMS and GL textbooks however the District made the decision to use what was available to purchase CMS textbooks and move to purchase GL Textbooks next year.

The Curriculum Committee reported that French textbooks could not be accommodated this year but will be budgeted for next year. The committee also raised concerns about the lack of measurable goals and metrics in the District Goals presented at the 8/21/25 BOE meeting. These goals will be reevaluated to include measurable criteria.

Akiri asked that enrollment data be made public, and Dissler confirmed there were no legal barriers to doing so. Terrero raised concerns about the number of staff out on leave and asked how the district could better prepare for continuity of learning in those cases.

At this point, Ms. Stanley appeared to rest her head in her hand, seemingly dozing off. I was not physically present, but this was visible via Zoom.

Policy

Policy 0174 (Use of Legal Services) was discussed at length. The new BA announced a change in practice: when legal bills are received, the staff member named must initial to confirm accuracy. New language requires OPRA requests to be sent to attorneys only with the Superintendent’s approval. The policy also designates that the Board attorney will convey all legal business to the full Board.

Ironically, the Recreation Commission Chair’s use of a personal email address came up. Without an official Township email, her correspondence is not subject to OPRA but instead requires a subpoena—resulting in more legal bills. Local groups like the BHEA, PTO, and Scouts all have official emails, raising the question of why a community volunteer conducting official business does not.

Strategic Planning

NJSBA sent a checklist for the five-year strategic plan. PR materials have been distributed and will also be sent to seniors and churches. Each of the three public input meetings will address: Where Are We Now?, Where Do We Want to Be?, and How Do We Get There? Pre-registration is required on the District website.

Negotiations

Talks continue regarding Head Custodian contracts. The Ad Hoc Mountainside liaison committee has drafted dates for both Mountainside and BH committees to meet. The current send/receive contract expires in 2026, so a new agreement will need to be negotiated.

New Business

Ms. Joly raised concerns about the turf field at Columbia, citing a rushed process and pressure from the Township to approve the lease. Stanley criticized BOE members for attending and speaking at Council meetings, calling it unprofessional and a violation of OPMA. Under her breath, she reportedly called the meeting “embarrassing.”

Akiri and Joly both countered that they have every right to attend Council meetings as private citizens. Joly urged the Board to reevaluate the lease to determine whether it serves the District’s best interests, while Stanley repeated that the lease was “for the children.” Terrero read aloud an email from Recreation Commission Chair Debbie Varnerin, expressing optimism that the Commission is trying to improve the fields and should be given a chance.

Old Business

Ms. Stanley began to discuss Policy 0155, but Foregger and Akiri (who had previously announced she would leave at 10:30) exited the meeting. With Khanna and Dillon absent, the Board lost its quorum and had to end the meeting immediately.

Before adjourning, Stanley remarked that “when they have new business, I will just get up and leave.”

The meeting ended at 10:30 p.m.

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