Category: Union County

The Early Start Advantage: Seven Local Schools Beginning Before Labor Day in 2025

Starting school before Labor Day allows for more instructional days when it matters –Written by an Educator in our District School is in session for students as soon as Monday, August 25th in one nearby town, and six others have students begin in August (before Labor Day).  The first seven districts listed in the chart at the bottom of this...
EducationMorris CountySomerset CountyUnion County

Fanwood’s Drainage Study Aligns With Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan

The second in NJ21st’s series examining whether towns hit by repeated floods have followed through on the commitments they made in the Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan. Much like Scotch Plains, Fanwood has dealt with flooding issues, especially in low-lying areas like Westfield Road and North Ave. Fanwood provided a Drainage Systems Study, prepared in October 2023, in response to...
FanwoodUnion County

Scotch Plains Meets State Stormwater Rules, Broader Flood Strategy Seems Seems Unclear

Background Scotch Plains sits within the Green Brook watershed, a region that has been the focus of federal flood mitigation planning since 1986 through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The town has been hit by at least three major flood events in the last ten years:. -August 2015 -September 2021- Hurricane Ida -July 14, 2025 Scope of Review The...
Scotch PlainsUnion County

Assigning the Right Person to the Right Role: Rethinking the Library Liaison

Assigning the role to an administrator would be more helpful for student literacy and summer reading assignments. -Written by an Educator in our District At the June 5th, 2025 Berkeley Heights Board of Education (BHBOE) meeting, Personnel agenda item M titled “Approve re-appointment of school district liaison to the library board,” which would have appointed the Berkeley Heights Public Schools...
Community VoicesEducationUnion County

Too Many Bosses, Not Enough Students – A Case for School District Unification in Union County

Consolidating two school districts would save on administrative costs, create curriculum alignment, and keep Mountainside students at Governor Livingston High School. -Written by an Educator in our District School district consolidation is an issue that has been studied at the state level in recent years. Currently, New Jersey has 590 school districts, which is more than the number of municipalities...
Community VoicesEducationUnion County

Murphy’s Berkeley Heights Stop Raises Questions on Housing, Flood Policy

The response to Governor Phil Murphy’s July 15th visit to Berkeley Heights was swift — and overwhelmingly critical on social media. Many residents questioned the value of the visit, calling it an empty gesture in light of the state’s policies on affordable housing and environmental regulation. A recurring theme in local online discussions was criticism of Trenton’s recent policy shifts....
Somerset CountyState MattersUnion County

Governor Murphy Visits Berkeley Heights After Deadly Storm Hits Union County

Governor Phil Murphy visited Berkeley Heights on Tuesday following a fast-moving storm that caused serious damage across parts of Union and Somerset counties. Speaking alongside local officials and first responders, Murphy described the impact bluntly: “We got crushed.” He confirmed that two people died during the storm, including someone in a vehicle that was swept away. Some injuries were reported...
EnvironmentState MattersUnion County

Seven-District Dashboard for Academic Proficiency Shows Mixed Results by Grade Band

Elementary schools continue to rank highly while middle schools and high schools struggle. -Written by an Educator in our District   Earlier this month, NJ.com published a data table for school districts grouped by county in all 21 counties. The article can be found here. This below data lists and summarizes data from NJ21’s traditional seven-district data dashboard: Berkeley Heights,...
EducationMorris CountyUnion County