After 17 Years of Service -Technology Coordinator Resigns from BHPSNJ
Another Loss for the District Another note for tonight’s agenda- Mike Skara – Technology Coordinator – has resigned after 17 years with the District. It is yet another departure in what can reasonably be considered a bleed in a District that appears to be in chaos. This resignation occurs amid accusations of a hostile work environment by a former long-time...
BOE Candidate Email Points to Discrepancies in Busing Controversy
Contradiction between public statements by BOE Members and reported numbers to the State on Courtesy Busing If you have yet to pay attention, the issue is that some families with Subscription busing (those that pay for busing because they don’t qualify based on their distance from the home to the school of 2 miles) are having their services canceled by...
Parent Questions to Dr. Varley on Cuts to Subscription Busing
Decision on cuts made by BOE Finance Committee –Margit Pedraza On August 3, 2023, I, along with other parents, received an email informing us that subscription busing is being cancelled for CMS, MKM and MP for the upcoming school year. I was truly disappointed and frustrated by this decision given the added hardship it places on parents especially me as...
08/10/2023 BOE Agenda: John’s Notes
A new Assistant Superintendent is on the agenda tomorrow night for approval, and it is essential to note that this vote comes on the heels of a secretive process with little to no community input. One concern I have about the new Assistant is his recommendation in another township that the BOE ban Town Council members from schools because they...
08/10/2023 BOE Agenda: Laura’s Notes
What’s Important to Know About the Agenda for the 08/10/2023 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting… To save you the trouble of reading through 25 total pages of agenda items in addition to 154 pages of attachments, here is what I believe you need to know to be prepared for the August 10 Board meeting: SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT Dr. Varley will present a...
Additional Thoughts on the 06/29/2023 BOE Meeting
BOE Candidate Sai Akiri Responds to Gale Bradford’s Speech -Sai Akiri At the special board meeting called on June 29, 2023, two key administrative positions were appointed with zero community input while the entire board was not present. This calls attention to the critical need for more regularly scheduled board meetings. According to state laws, bills cannot be approved at...
Parent Questions to Angela Penna on Busing Cuts
Email exchange between a parent and the BOE President on the controversial cuts to subscription busing. -Jessica Lesperance With the recent notice about subscription busing, I thought it would be helpful to share correspondence that I started with administration regarding courtesy busing back in March. As you will see, I eventually got one response but never any follow up after...
BHCW 08/07/2023 Newsletter
What’s Important to Know About Berkeley Heights This Week… Online Version PDF Version See All Newsletters
From Our Inbox: 08/06/2023
Will CMS no longer offer sewing or cooking classes? Recently a Community Member sent us the following message: I am wondering if the middle school parents have been informed that there will no longer be any sewing or cooking classes offered to students? I know Top Chef was a big hit in the past. Based on our sources this is...
Expanding World Language Programs Nearby Leaves Berkeley Heights’ Students Behind
An Educator in the Community Offers Insight into Our World Languages Program At this moment, a seventh grade student taking World Language (Spanish, French, Italian) at Columbia Middle School (CMS) only receives half-year of instruction. Whereas for the remaining half of the school year, CMS students take another elective or in many cases, an unstructured study hall in a noisy...
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