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Denville Township School District board meeting, Sep 14, 2026

1 h 05 min · 0 public speakers

AI in schools ▶ 0:03

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 05 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Denville school board reviews goals action plan, including AI policy and healthcare advocacy 0:03

  • The board went through a draft action plan for its goals, covering an AI policy, healthcare cost advocacy and community engagement. 0:03
  • A speaker leading the discussion said the comments would be consolidated and sent out so a finalized plan could be voted on at the next board meeting. 31:13

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (14)
  1. Artificial intelligence policy action item 0:03
    • An action item called for researching and formalizing AI policies within the IMP committee, with a policy submitted to the board before June 2027. 1:59
    • James Kim said AI was used to help draft a proposed policy covering student, staff, admin and board levels, and that the draft is 10 pages long. 3:32
    • A staff member said AI built into the district's curricular products keeps data within the product and asked that any policy distinguish that from outside sources. 5:11
  2. Healthcare cost advocacy 8:16
    • One board member suggested building awareness through press releases, letters to legislators and having governance report back to the board at least quarterly. 11:38
  3. Community engagement plan 14:51
    • A speaker leading the discussion proposed a section at the end of each agenda to decide what to share with the public, along with a quarterly message and staff appreciation from the board. 14:51
    • One board member said communication has been difficult to break through but the board should keep trying, and another board member said the board needed to find the right balance and be creative. 18:48
    • A staff member said district staff feel supported by the board. ~21:29
  4. Space considerations planning 23:49
    • A staff member said data was being collected on needs at Valley View and enrollment compared with the demographic study, with a goal of deciding by the end of the year when to start the process. 26:44
    • One board member said the board should keep messaging that Denville is growing and has space issues, and should come up with a strategy now. 30:17
    • One board member suggested engaging with MHRD, Rockaway Township and the Morris County School Board Association on space issues. 33:37
  5. Superintendent's report 38:22
    • The superintendent said Valley View's back-to-school night is Wednesday, September 16th, and Lakeview's is Tuesday, September 22nd. 38:22
    • The superintendent said the district is now in the National Lunch Program in all 3 buildings and is gathering feedback with the vendor. 39:02
    • The superintendent said 1,763 students are currently enrolled, compared with a baseline estimate of 1,823. 42:45
  6. Assistant superintendent's report 43:41
    • The assistant superintendent reported kindergarten enrollment of 105 at Lakeview and 97 at Riverview, for a total of 202. 43:49
    • The assistant superintendent said the district will pilot Singapore math programs in K through 5, starting with Math in Focus, with 24 teacher volunteers. 46:18
  7. Public comment and old business 48:46
    • No one addressed the board during the public discussion period, which opened and closed at 8:19. 48:46
    • Old business listed August 2026 treasurer and board secretary reports and August 17th, 2026, meeting minutes, with no action taken. 49:34
  8. Personnel actions 48:46
    • Dino Cappello moved personnel items 1 through 5 as a block, including new hires, resignations, the master staff list and FMLA leaves. 50:10
  9. Instruction and program items 51:20
    • Christina Astorino moved items 1 through 3 as a block, and a staff member described them as workshops, field trips for the '26-'27 school year and uncompensated placements. 51:30
  10. Comprehensive equity plan statement of assurance 52:09
    • James Kim moved a resolution approving submission of the CEP Year 2 Statement of Assurance for the 26⁠-⁠27 school year to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools. 53:41
  11. School board convention attendance 54:21
    • Michael Andersen moved approval for listed individuals to attend the New Jersey School Board workshop in Atlantic City, October 19th through the 22nd, 2026, at a group rate of $2,200. 54:25
    • Asked whether members listed could vote on the item, a speaker said they could abstain on the individual person. 54:25
  12. Stair repair at River View School 55:44
    • Andrea Zeydelis moved approval of a $10,500 quote from R. Ulrich and Son, paid from maintenance reserve, to repair damaged and collapsing stairs at the River View School APR entrance. 55:56
  13. Committee reports and district website 57:27
    • Michael Andersen said the Denville Education Foundation has a golf outing on October 8th. 57:55
    • A staff member said the new website should be ready for rollout mid-October and offered the board a preview. 58:45
    • Dino Cappello said they had not seen the new website under development and offered to collect board members' comments and questions. 59:23
  14. Closing public comment 1:03:25
    • No one addressed the board during the closing public comment period, which opened at 8:34 and closed at 8:35. 1:03:25

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “9-14-26 Denville NJ BOE Board Meeting”