What Berkeley Heights Residents Should Know About “the Line”
What is “the Line”? The Line refers to an inherent Ballot design structure unique to NJ that lists candidates according to an endorsed slate versus according to the office they seek. A typical primary ballot design in other states lists candidates according to the office they are seeking, for example, Nevada and Delaware: This is what a NJ Primary Ballot...
Dr. Foregger’s Response on Transportation Policy & Process
Will the Committee Chair Change Course Before it is too Late? A third Berkeley Heights Board of Education member has replied to BHCW’s questions about the Policy Committee’s transportation policy and the process surrounding its development with concerns. As indicated in prior articles, BHCW emailed the BOE the following questions: Are there plans to share the rubric and data driving...
Second Berkeley Heights BOE Member Expresses Serious Concerns on Courtesy Busing
Closed Door Meetings with No Supporting Data A second BOE member indicated that the Policy Committee still has not released the data driving the decisions related to streets designated as ” hazardous” in the transportation policy and continues to make decisions in closed-door sessions. This is important as the lack of criteria is the main criticism of Courtesy busing, which...
BHPSNJ BOE Policy Committee Holding Closed Door Meetings without Data on Transportation Policy
BOE Member Sai Akiri’s Response to Questions on Transportation On 03/28/2024, I emailed the Berkeley Heights BOE The following questions: Are there plans to share the rubric and data driving the scoring that led to the hazardous road designations by the consultants-with the public? Will there be a period of time when public input is sought on those designations? Can...
Re-framing the BHPSNJ Transportation Discussion
In 2023, all Chatham Public Schools pushed their start times forward, allowing students to get more rest. The following start and end times were implemented September 2023: Early Childhood Centers 8:55 am – 3:25 pm Elementary 9:00 am – 3:30 pm Middle 7:55 am – 2:30 pm High School: 8:20 am – 3:00 pm In Ridgewood, the Board recently approved...
Easier Way for BH to Reach Out to Representatives
We are happy to announce that Berkeley Heights Residents have an easier way to contact their Government Representatives. We are publishing our Town Council, BOE, and State Representative forms. These forms allow you to contact every member of each body at once and allows BHCW to create an inventory of issues residents are communicating to government representatives about. We created...
BHCW Position on the Berkeley Heights BOE Selection of Robert Nixon as the Acting Superintendent of Berkeley Heights Public Schools
We are cautiously optimistic in the selection of Mr. Nixon as the Acting Superintendent of Berkeley Heights Public Schools. Our community is seeking stability and leadership from someone who knows our schools, has had the time to develop personal relationships with students and staff, and is looking to run the District well rather than making a name for themselves outside...
Team Notes on the 03/18/2024 BOE Meeting: The Courtesy Busing Controversy Continues
So, we have three items we wanted to point out about the vote on the transportation policy. The Transportation Coordinator and Ms. Stanley both held the routes determined as hazardous by the consultants as the final word on the matter. Given the consultants ‘ expertise, they argued, we did not need to see the rubric or data. Here is a...
A More Transparent and Substantive Discussion on the BHPSNJ Budget is the Next Step to Calmer Waters
John’s Notes on the 03/18/2024 Budget Discussions There were two disturbing discussions during last night’s BOE Meeting. One related to transportation, where the policy committee expects the Board to accept a policy on the highly controversial and secretive practice of Courtesy busing without the rubric or data to support a new policy. This article will focus on the Budget. I...
Shauna’s Notes on the 03/18/2024 BOE Agenda- The Lack of Clarity on Courtesy Busing Continues
Why is getting straight answers on Busing so difficult? Following the presentation of the transportation consultant at the last Berkeley Heights Board of Education meeting, Berkeley Heights Community Watch requested information from the district. The request was for 1) all reports and analysis provided by the transportation company, 2) the rubric (mentioned multiple times during the meeting), and 3) the...
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