Menu

Kenilworth Borough School District board meeting, Sep 14, 2026

51 min · 1 public speaker

Phones in school ▶ 4:04

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 51 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Kenilworth board shortens public comment time from 5 minutes to 3 minutes 36:26

  • The board approved a revision to its public participation policy that shortens individual public comment from 5 minutes to 3 minutes. 8:51
  • The board also approved a resolution honoring the district's school business administrator and board secretary, who the superintendent said has served 38 consecutive years and is retiring effective October 1, 2026. 10:48
  • A presenter from the New Jersey School Boards Association delivered the district's strategic plan to the board and outlined its three goal areas. 18:26
Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and minutes 1:41
    • A staff member read the meeting notice under the Open Public Meetings Act and called the roll, and a quorum was announced. 1:46
    • The motion to receive the minutes and committee notes carried. 3:17
  2. Student report on school opening 3:30
    • A student described the start of the school year at the high school, including a statewide cell phone ban and a shift to pen and paper note-taking. 4:04
    • The student also described a ceremony for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and upcoming events including an activities fair. 4:55
  3. Superintendent's report 6:13
    • The superintendent reviewed second readings of Policy 1636.01 on promotion and job opportunities and Policy 5339.01 on student sunscreen protection, and a proposed change to Policy 0167 reducing individual public comment from 5 minutes to 3 minutes. 6:13
    • The superintendent described the district's 9/11 ceremony, which ended with a commitment to 11 Ways Forward encouraging students to live with gratitude and kindness. 7:05
    • The superintendent listed upcoming dates, including the middle school back-to-school night on September 17th and the high school open house on September 30th. 18:26
  4. Recognition of retiring business administrator 6:13
    • The superintendent read Resolution Number 25, which honors the school business administrator and board secretary for 38 years of service and notes a retirement effective October 1, 2026. 6:13
    • Anthony Laudati and Nancy Zimmerman thanked the business administrator, and Nancy Zimmerman recalled board members working years earlier to keep the business administrator in the district. 30:26
    • During public comment, the business administrator thanked board members, the superintendent, staff and the community. 46:46
    • The motion carried. ~49:56
  5. Strategic plan presentation 18:26
    • A presenter said the board usually takes about another meeting to look through the documents before adopting the final plan. 23:53
    • The presenter said the goal areas were community engagement; student learning achievement and equity; and school culture and climate, health and wellness. 25:17
    • The superintendent said the move away from computer note-taking toward paper and pen came out of the strategic planning process. 28:20
  6. Question on residency checks 29:18
    • A speaker asked whether the district checks residency for about 50 new registrations. 29:18
    • A staff member said a new program started in July helps track residency and that a staff member verifies documentation for new registrations, including affidavits and notarized documents. 29:37
  7. Finance, facilities and negotiations report 30:14
    • Anthony Laudati said there were no line item transfers over the board's threshold. 30:26
    • Anthony Laudati said the soccer field on 14th Street has been lined and sunshades on the middle school exterior have been completed and will be inspected. 31:05
    • Anthony Laudati said the committee reviewed facility use fees, internal financial controls including the potential engagement of an independent outside accountant, and cybersecurity protocols. 31:47
  8. Personnel and management report 33:57
    • Gregg F. David said the HR department continues to onboard new staff members and approximately 20 student teachers and practical students through partnerships with Kean and Seton Hall Universities. 34:03
  9. Curriculum and instruction report 35:38
    • Alison Tears said 12 new staff members attended two days of new teacher orientation on August 26th and 27th. 35:47
    • Alison Tears said a September 3rd professional learning day focused on district instructional priorities and strategic plan goals. 36:40
    • Alison Tears said resolutions 21 through 24 cover curriculum updates, harassment, intimidation and bullying findings for July 2026, two new policies and the public participation policy revision. 37:46
  10. New business comments 39:10
    • Several speakers commented on the district's September 11th ceremony. 39:43
    • A district staff member said the middle school and Harding Elementary School also held commemorations. 41:00
    • A speaker thanked teachers, parent groups, buildings and grounds staff and parents for the opening of schools. 43:58
  11. Public comment 44:36
    • A staff member read the public comment rules, which set a limit of 5 minutes per person. 44:55
    • Motions to open and close the meeting to the public carried. 44:52
  12. Votes on resolutions 48:46
    • A staff member said there were 25 resolutions on the agenda and that resolutions 24 and 25 would be voted on separately. 48:47
    • The motion on Resolution 24 carried. 49:22
  13. Adjournment 49:58
    • A staff member said there was no need for a closed executive session. ~50:02
    • The motion to adjourn carried. 50:11

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

Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “9-14-2026 Kenilworth BOE Meeting”