Montgomery BOE Committees Review Curriculum Updates, Facilities Projects, Policy Work and Staffing Needs

Nicholas Mistretta

The Montgomery Township Board of Education received reports from several board committees during its June 16 meeting, with updates covering curriculum revisions, special education reporting, food service planning, facilities work, policy review, artificial intelligence, transportation safety and staffing needs for the coming school year.

Member Christina Harris presented the report from the Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction Committee, which included a review of technology usage and a textbook resource recommendation for Grade 11 English. The committee reviewed the addition of The Little Liar, a novel that falls under the Grade 11 English theme “A Thousand Different Ways: Truth.” Harris said the resource will be used first in honors courses, though teachers in other courses and grade levels may also choose to use the book.

The ACI Committee also reviewed initial summer curriculum revision plans for several courses and grade levels, including French II, high school theater arts, speech arts and presentation, English 11 CP, English 9 CP, World Culture at Orchard Hill, Grade 2 literacy at Orchard Hill, German II, and Grade 3 and Grade 4 literacy at Village Elementary School. Harris said the revisions will be completed over the summer and posted on a future board agenda for approval.

The committee also received a special education report card update. Harris said the district was in the 90th percentile and received an 8 out of 8 rating in all but two areas. She said the district received 1.4 points in the Dynamic Learning Maps and alternate assessment category because 1.5 percent of students took the assessment, above the 1 percent threshold allowed by the state. The district also received one point for correcting a non-compliance issue from the 2023-2024 school year, which Harris said is the maximum number of points available for correcting non-compliance.

Harris also noted that Daryl Schwenck, UMS and MHS Supervisor of Special Services,  and Tom Wain, Director of Safety and Security,  were working on a community resource presentation scheduled for June 18 at Montgomery High School. The Montgomery Police Department and Somerset County Sheriff’s Office were expected to participate, with resources geared toward families and those caring for elderly individuals or children with neurological disorders.

Member Franco-Herman presented the Operations, Facilities and Finance Committee report. She said the committee is still awaiting legal review of a GLP-1 program proposal from Brown & Brown before bringing it to the full board for discussion.

The committee also discussed the district’s food service agreement, which will enter its fifth year during the 2026-2027 school year. Franco-Herman said the committee should consider issuing a request for proposals and suggested that the district form a smaller ad hoc committee to assist with that process, similar to the work done in 2021 when the district last considered a new food service provider.

The K-4 realignment proposal was also raised during the meeting, though Franco-Herman said the committee did not have time for a full discussion and would take it up again at its next meeting. Mr. Nunez stated that he is currently opposed to the K-4 realignment plan, while also saying conversations with the full board should move forward.

Franco-Herman said the district faces challenges completing summer cleaning and maintenance work because buildings remain in use and staff vacation schedules must also be considered. Planned work includes HVAC maintenance, routine work orders, kitchen cleanup, systems cleanup and the annual fire suppression system inspection.

The district also received a grant that will allow for the installation of one or two water bottle filling stations with lead filters. District officials also discussed the possibility of sharing supplies with Montgomery Township for pothole repairs, with continued conversations encouraged as a potential shared-services opportunity.

The committee did not reach a scheduled discussion on the facilities use policy and moved that topic to July. Mr. Italiano said comparative data has been gathered, but the committee will still need time to review the information and consider what rates or recommendations should be brought forward. He said any changes would also need to move through the policy committee and then to the full board, a process that could take several months.

Franco-Herman also reported that the state notified the district that Orchard Hill and Village Elementary School have met the 10 percent threshold for students eligible for free and reduced breakfast. As a result, the district is preparing to offer breakfast at both schools beginning in September.

Representatives from Maschio’s Food Services met with the committee to explain what implementation would involve. Students will have a 30-minute window to purchase breakfast before school, with a few minutes after the bell for students who arrive later. Both hot and cold options are expected to be offered at the start, with adjustments possible depending on participation.

District officials clarified that breakfast will be available to all students at Orchard Hill and Village. Students who qualify for free meals would receive breakfast at no cost, while other students may purchase it. The program will be evaluated year by year based on free and reduced meal eligibility data.

The committee also briefly discussed a possible shared-service partnership with Montgomery Township involving a backpack food bank program. The district is expected to meet with the Food Bank Network of Somerset County to determine whether participation would be appropriate.

Board Vice President Maria Spina presented the Policy and Communications Committee report. The committee met virtually on June 8 and reviewed several policies, including Policy 2365 on the acceptable use of generative artificial intelligence. Spina said the policy addresses generative AI tools that create new or original content, such as text, audio, video or computer code, in response to prompts. She distinguished those tools from more familiar technology such as spellcheck or Grammarly. She said the district is working toward adoption of a full AI policy.

The committee also discussed whether additional consent language should be added to the Genesis parent forms in September so families better understand the district’s use of technology and generative AI. Board members also noted that a district AI plan is expected to be developed over the summer and may later go through the ACI Committee for review.

The Policy Committee also reviewed Policy 5561 on the use of physical restraint and seclusion techniques for students with disabilities. Spina said the only change involves state-mandated reporting and that Montgomery was already following the state reporting procedure before the policy update.

Several policies and regulations related to federal grant expenditures, federal awards, internal controls and mandatory disclosures were also discussed. Spina said the policies pertain to auditing of Title I federal grant funds and have been approved by the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance.

The committee also reviewed Policy 8561 on procurement procedures for school nutrition programs and continued discussion of Policy 5756. Spina said Policy 5756 was originally adopted to help ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws, but the legal landscape has continued to evolve. She said the committee will continue reviewing whether any changes are warranted and will meet over the summer to continue that discussion as well as the AI policy work.

Board attorney Vic Lapira said the board may consider clarifying language to help staff, students and parents understand how the district would handle certain situations while complying with both a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination. He also noted that the district is still waiting for updated guidance from the state. The committee also discussed abolishing a COVID-era regulation related to compensatory special education services that addressed time missed during the pandemic. Since that regulation is no longer in effect, it is being removed.

Spina said the committee also reviewed committee norms and plans to adopt the same norms used by the ACI Committee. Those norms include placing students first, seeking clarity, welcoming questions, disagreeing with ideas rather than people, respecting the agenda, allowing all voices to be heard and maintaining a safe committee space.

Board President Todd presented The Human Resources Committee report which included a review of routine personnel agenda items and staffing needs for the upcoming school year. The committee also discussed transportation and traffic safety, including traffic flow and student transportation concerns. District administrators are expected to continue working with local officials to evaluate traffic patterns and explore improvements to student arrival and dismissal procedures.

The committee also discussed items brought forward by the Montgomery Township Education Association, including site supervisor position considerations, Schedule B position review, two student organization name changes and possible compensation for certain overnight student activities.

Todd also noted that all board members are invited to the district’s convocation, which is scheduled for Sept. 1 at 8 a.m.

Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com