The Alternative Press

NEWTON, NJ -  “We have a lot of good things going on. We are very fortunate,” said Newton Board of Education member Ed Caffrey.

The Newton Board of Education meeting was held Tuesday, September 11, and was started with a moment of silence remembering the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The first discussion was the Superintendent’s Report with Educational Highlights. The new synthetic turf athletic field at Newton High School will have its grand opening on Saturday, September 15, beginning at 9:45 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. There are four scheduled games that day: girls’ soccer vs. Whippany Park, boys’ soccer vs. St. Peter’s Prep, field hockey vs. Wallkill Valley and a football game against Hanover Park. The 1991-1992 girls soccer team, 1998-1999 boys soccer team, 2002-2003 field hockey team and the 1984-1985 football team have all been invited back to the school where they will be honored during the halftimes of each of the aforementioned games.

Also mentioned were that the high school would be replacing their old boiler with new equipment, that the solar energy projects and Merriam Avenue and Newton High School are underway and that, at the next meeting, school principals will be there to give updates .

Regarding The Brave News, the Newton Public School Quarterly Newsletter, which was recently widely distributed, Superintendent Dr. Kennedy Greene said, “The intent of the next three is to focus on each of the three schools in each issue. We’ll also focus on staff and student achievements.”

The second discussion was led by Robin from Jersey School Boards, who is working with The Newton Board of Education on getting them certified for New Jersey. The topics she covered were working styles and consensus building. When faced with hypothetical situations where relying on the team could become an issue and how that issue could be addressed

Greene stated, “We have a culture of communicating well.”

The third batch of discussions included updates on the new lockers at Halsted Middle School, where new numbers are needed, the possibility of charging outside groups for use of the new athletic field, and updating job descriptions for the Accounts Payable Clerk and Head Bus Driver positions. The discussion of hiring an Athletic Site Manager, primarily for night events for nine weeks, was also touched upon and pending approval the position will attempt to be filled.

Throughout the nearly two hour meeting the following motions were approved. A staff member will be attending the Bureau of Child Nutrition Training for a half day per diem, approval of the receipt of homeless students (categorized as either in foster care, youth shelters, having been evicted, or having moved to another municipality), field trips for Calliope, the Robotics Team and Newton High School’s Wrestling Team and Tour Choir, approval of summer personnel and athletic paraprofessionals, approval of the disposal of 98 text books from Halsted Middle School and the approval of bus stops and district travel expenses.

The next Newton Board of Education meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 25 at 7:00 p.m.

The Newton Board of Education includes Ed Caffrey, Ann Marie Cooke, Stella Dunn, Jessica Egner, Stephen Goldschmidt, Rich Heckman, Tina Larsen, Ray Morris, Nanette Thomas, Terry VanAuken, Dr. Kennedy Greene and Donna Snyder.