School Board Notes
New Jersey's weekly education report offers up-to-date information on legislation, court decisions and other developments affecting school districts.
February 8, 2022 • Vol. XLV No. 25
Articles
Legislative Update: Education Committees Hold First Hearings of New Session
On Thursday, Feb. 3, the Senate Education Committee held its first meeting of the 2022-2023 legislative session, which was also the first one presided over by its new chair, Sen. Vin Gopal.
Salem County Gets Details on Feasibility Study on Unifying School Districts
Salem County residents recently heard the results of a feasibility study on the unification of the Salem County school districts.
School Board Member Spotlight: Smita Nadia Hussain
Smita Nadia Hussain, who won a seat on the Bloomingdale Board of Education in Passaic County in 2020, shares what she’s learned on her school board member journey and more.
State Board Acts on Numerous Items at February Meeting
At its February meeting, the New Jersey State Board of Education heard updates and acted on numerous items.
A Conversation with the Sussex County Teacher of the Year
In a segment titled “Successfully Integrating Music into the STEM Curriculum,” Shawna E. Longo shares how she made the leap from being a secondary and middle school teacher to teaching elementary students, how she takes an integrative approach to weaving music and arts education into science and math instruction and much more.
LEAs Invited to Take Advantage of Rapid Antigen Tests
Local educational agencies interested in rapid antigen tests from the federal government to support in-person learning are invited to take a weekly intake survey developed by the New Jersey Department of Health.
School Leader Spotlights Board Member Advocacy Efforts, Strategies
With the beginning of a new two–year legislative session in Trenton, the latest issue of School Leader magazine looks at the power of board member advocacy, strategies for making an impact and other topics of interest.
NJSBA 2nd Annual Spring Symposium Slotted for April 26 to April 27
The New Jersey School Boards Association will host the second annual Spring Education Symposium from Tuesday, April 26 to Wednesday, April 27.
USDA Issues Transitional Nutrition Standards for Coming School Years
USDA previously updated the school nutrition standards in 2012. Schools were largely successful in implementing the standards, which had a proven, positive impact on students’ diets.
Second Notice: Delegate Assembly Resolution Deadline
Resolutions stating proposed policy positions may be submitted by local boards of education, county school boards associations, the New Jersey School Boards Association’s Board of Directors and standing committees for consideration at the NJSBA’s meeting of delegates on Saturday, May 14.
Winslow Township Resident Honors Board of Education
At the Jan. 26 Winslow Township Board of Education meeting, board members received a surprise when township resident Joseph Thomas presented them with a plaque, green ribbon and letter showing his appreciation for the work they do.
Volunteer to Help the NJSBA Advance its Mission
The New Jersey School Boards Association is expanding its pool of member volunteers to serve on committees, task forces and as professional learning small group leaders.
16 New Jersey Schools Earn ‘Schools of Character’ Designation
Sixteen New Jersey schools have earned the Character.org “National Schools of Character” designation, according to a news release from the New Jersey Department of Education.
Department of Agriculture Seeks Agencies to Sponsor Meals for Summer Nutrition Program
The federally-funded program reimburses participating organizations for meals served to children who live in areas in which at least 50% of the children qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.
Black Voices in Education Research Series
The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans and the Institute of Education Sciences are excited to launch a new joint speaker series “Black Voices in Education Research” on Feb. 15th.
Virtual Roundtable Seeks to Provide Support for Black Student Mental Health
The White House initiative on advancing educational equity, excellence and economic opportunity for Black Americans housed at the U.S. Department of Education will hold a virtual roundtable titled “Breaking Barriers: A Systemic Approach to Support Black Student Mental Health” on Monday, Feb. 28.
Notice: Change of Meeting Date for NJSBA Legislative Committee Meeting
This meeting will now take place on Saturday, Feb. 26 and commence at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held remotely and is open to the public.
Position Open: NJSBA Seeks Legislative Advocate
The NJSBA is seeking a legislative advocate to represent the interests of the Association before the state legislature, the governor’s office, the state’s congressional delegation and all other governmental bodies and agencies on public education matters.