Potential Superintendent Candidates for Berkeley Heights Public Schools
Berkeley Heights Board of Education should look at familiar names nearby in searching for their next full-time Superintendent -Written by an Educator in The Community On December 26, 2023, Dr. Melissa Varley resigned as Superintendent of Berkeley Heights Public Schools (BHPS) effective June 30, 2024, if not sooner. Having said this, a search for a new Superintendent of Berkeley Heights...
Ignorance of Parliamentary Procedure Is Creating Chaos & Harming Our District
Edmund Tom Maciejewski For those of you following Thursday’s Super Chaotic Board of Education Meeting. One thing, regardless of where you stand on Angela Penna forcing this chaotic situation, is that nobody on the board, nor the lawyer nor the administrator understands Robert’s Rules of Order which is what governs the rules of the meeting. Case in point, Sai made...
The Whole Story Behind Agenda Items A and I: Payroll and Ethics
Notes from Laura on the voting at the re-org meeting No Board members voted against agenda item I in an attempt to stop payroll from issuing paychecks on 1/15/24. When the motion to vote was made for resolution I, Board members had an issue with how Agenda Item I was worded. They did NOT have an issue with paying BHPS...
Ms. Penna and Ms. Stanley: Here’s a Compromise
Email John sent to the Board Earlier Today on the President Deadlock: I would be ok with Angela Penna being president if the following occurred: -Committee Memberships need to be approved by a majority vote of the BOE -Committees are taped and provided to the public -The 48 hour rule is removed -The the power of the President is diminished...
Melissa Varley’s Spin on the BOE Reorganization Meeting Highlights How This All Got Started
In the email below, sent to BHPS Staff, Dr. Varley ignores the machinations of her own office in setting up last night’s meeting for failure. She ignores the fact that if ANY member of the Penna bloc (a phrase that I don’t like, but is all too fitting) were honestly interested in working toward solutions, a consensus could have been reached last night....
The Community Voted For Change & BHPSNJ Administration Can’t Seem to Let Go
With A Split Board, The former Majority May Be Resorting to Desperate Tactics on Day One The Board Agenda for the Re-Organization Meeting has been the same for decades. However, it appears the District is attempting to change the rules to prevent the change the community has voted for in the past three years. Multiple individuals have emailed and called the...
01/04/2024 BOE Agenda: Laura’s Notes
BOE Not Voting on New Attorney, New Business Removed, Citizens Hearing Removed, Curriculum Re-Adoption The primary purpose of this Board of Education (BOE) meeting is for the reorganization of the Board of Education. New members Natasha Joly and Sai Bhargavi Akiri will officially be sworn in, and all members of the BOE will take the Oath of Office. Two Board...
How the Number of Berkeley Heights BOE Meetings Compare with Neighboring Districts
Berkeley Heights is in the middle of the pack with an average number of Board of Education meetings over three years. -Written By An Educator In the Community Earlier this week, Berkeley Heights Public Schools posted their Board of Education (BOE) agenda for the reorganization meeting on Thursday, January 4th. Including this reorganization meeting, there will be at least 15...
Dr. Varley Resigns
In an email this morning, Dr. Melssa Varley resigned as Superintendent of Berkeley Heights Public Schools. We will not use the phony and false tactic of positively spinning her tenure simply because she is leaving – this is a welcome announcement for the families and students of this community. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and hope...
Ho, Ho, Ho: Laughing All the Way
The Rules Surrounding Transparency Continue to Not Matter…. I recently wrote about an exchange involving my own OPRA request, and I have received more information about how OPRA requests have been handled by our District from other residents. In short, residents are at the mercy of the Custodian of Records and/or the Business Administrator, and they have little recourse with...
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