Category: Berkeley Heights BOE

Why Do We Need A Superintendent Anyway?

Maybe it’s Time to Consider a Different Leadership Model for Schools “Ultimately, the authors conclude that when district academic achievement improves or deteriorates, the Superintendent is likely to be playing a part in an ensemble performance in which the Superintendent’s role could be filled successfully by many others. In the end, it is the system that promotes or hinders student...
Berkeley Heights BOEEducation

BHCW 04/09/2023 Newsletter

What’s Important to know about Berkeley Heights, NJ this week…. Online Version PDF Version: There are three ways to get BHCW content delivered to your doorstep: (1) Sign-Up for our weekly/bi weekly newsletter. This is the most popular option so far. Subscribers will get email with articles published for the time period in between. (2) Subscribe to our Substack which will deliver articles...
Berkeley Heights BOEBerkeley Heights Town CouncilBerkeley Heights Town GovernmentEducationElectionsNewsletter

Questions About the Berkeley Heights 2023 School Budget Remain

At the last BOE meeting on March 30th, the Board decided (correctly) not to eliminate supervisor positions. However, Dr. Varley followed the vote with a warning (or threat) that the decision would result in cuts to teaching staff. Not once did the option of reductions in the Superintendent’s office or the Business Administrator’s office ever come up. Later in April,...
Berkeley Heights BOEBHPSNJ Budget

What Teachers, Parents and Students Need to Prepare For

A BHCW Public Service Announcement During the last Night Watch episode, Shauna shared a comment a teacher made after the 03/30/2023 BOE Meeting: “Great…now they are going to pit teachers against Administrators.” The facts connected to the number of positions in the Superintendent’s and Business Administrators’ office discussed publicly, along with public demands at the last BOE Meeting that these...
Berkeley Heights BOE

The Penna Bloc Shows A Crack

Laura’s Notes from the 03/30/2023 Budget Meeting The 3/30/23 Board meeting was a thing of beauty. People were passionate, and the Board majority voted in a way that reflected some glimmer of compassion for those who spoke. Okay, it had some embarrassing and dark moments. But we saw some resistance to the Administration, so I’ll take any movement in the...
Berkeley Heights BOEBOE Agendas and Meeting SummariesEducationSchool Transportation

Community Correspondence to the Board January through March 2023

Last year the BOE stopped reading Board Correspondence at BOE Meetings, robbing the community of important perspectives from parents, students, and teachers. This year the BOE stopped including this correspondence as part of the minutes, only orally reporting on the correspondence and often with a spin on the subject matter.  This is an example of how the Business Administrator is...
Berkeley Heights BOE