Kristin Benner-Prentice

The meeting began with the administration of the oath of office to newly elected and seated board members, including the announcement of election results for three members serving three-year terms expiring in 2028. The board proceeded with the election of a new president and vice president. Key procedural items included the adoption of the annual code of ethics. During public comment, a resident raised serious concerns regarding the high school district's alleged non-compliance with state law regarding bullying investigations (HIV requirements), noting that a required investigation had not been resolved within the mandated ten school days. The board acknowledged the complaint and committed to looking into the matter. Additionally, an announcement was made regarding the upcoming TEF 5K event scheduled for June 7th. The board adjourned into a closed session before returning to open session to conclude the meeting.

The meeting began with compliance notices regarding the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law. Discussions included the Board being informed about an NJA session at the New Jersey Teachers Convention that pushed an anti-Israel bias, with updates to follow as Jewish organizations engage with the NJA. A significant portion of the meeting featured presentations on student activities and performance metrics. Student representatives discussed recent happenings at Tennifi High School, including the successful production of the play '12 Angry Jurors', an upcoming ESO coffee house, and major accomplishments by the marching band, which placed second at states and fifth at nationals. Fall sports reports highlighted the boys soccer team as conference champions and state semifinalists, and the girls tennis team as state sectional champions. The board also heard the annual Class of 2025 report, detailing high SAT scores (1310 raw score, 29 composite ACT), high four-year enrollment (92.3%), and strong academic performance with 50% of students maintaining a 4.0 GPA or higher on a 4.3 scale. The report also celebrated diversity with 17 home languages represented. Finally, a presentation was shown from a fifth-grade student, Colton Harold, proposing a shortened elementary school day starting at 9:30 a.m., achieved by combining reading and writing into language arts and removing five minutes from other academic classes to address concerns about student tiredness and behavioral issues.

The meeting included discussions and updates on various topics. These included updates on Tennifly High School, such as the back-to-school night, PSAT administration, spirit week, freshman class officer elections, and fall play preparations. Updates on fall sports were also provided. A presentation on the NJSLA performance data was given, highlighting student performance in language arts, math, and science. The meeting also featured an update on the referendum, including project planning, completed projects, ongoing construction, and plans for the summer of 2026.

The meeting included discussions on various topics such as the ML students' progress, NJ GPA performance, new elementary school enrollments, and high school attendance. Updates were provided on the referendum projects, including the THS unit ventilator project, Stillman elevator project, and the THS gym and indoor turf field. The committee also discussed the 2026-2027 budget assumptions, potential health benefit increases, the Region 5 service, and the new lunch payment system. Additionally, there was an overview of personnel resolutions, staffing, compliance practices, student activities, district enrollment, and residency matters.

The meeting included discussions on a referendum report, new faculty orientation, and updates on district websites. Summer work across the district was reviewed, including projects at the high school, middle school, and elementary schools. The board also discussed a drainage project for the Little League field and a special education policy change. A public comment was made regarding concerns about starting the school year earlier in August.