Vineeta Khanna, current president of Livingston’s Board of Education, announced during the Monday, June 12, meeting that she will not seek another term on the Board. Her term ends at the end of this year.
“After much back and forth... I have to make a very hard decision,” Khanna said. “I’m not running for re-election this year.”
A three-year Board seat will be open for November’s election cycle. Prospective candidates filing a nominating petition are required to do so by 4 p.m. on Monday, July 31.
Those interested must meet the legal requirements to be a Board of Education member in New Jersey. Eligible candidates are expected to be able to read and write; have citizenship and one year’s residency in the district; have no contract with or claim against the Board; not hold office as mayor or member of the Township Council; and be a qualified, registered voter in the district.
Petitions can be printed from the www.essexclerk.com website. For more information on candidacy qualifications and information about important election dates, go to the New Jersey School Boards Association’s candidate kit at www.
njsba.org.
“If you feel it, you can serve here. If I could do it, anybody could do it,” Khanna said.
Equity Audit
Auditors from a2z Equity Coaching delivered minor updates during Monday’s Board meeting. The auditors have spent six whole days at Livingston’s schools since work began on May 16. This includes interviewing, meeting with focus groups, sending out surveys, and making general observations as they spend time on school campuses and inside buildings.
Each student from grades four and up was given a survey to complete and was given an opportunity to individually meet with auditors. Outside of that, select groups have been solicited for additional interviewing.
Aparent survey will be forthcoming as the end of the year approaches, and through the month of June, auditors will meet with parent groups and parent and staff affinity groups.
Interviews are anticipated to continue through the summer. Auditors are expected to meet with principals, assistant principals, elementary/K-12 supervisors, secondary supervisors, directors, secretaries, custodians, human resources, business/finance employees, technology department employees, and curriculum writers on July 10 and 11.
To date, 1,307 students in fourth through sixth grades have filled out the survey; 2,578 students in grades seven through 12 have responded; and 761 staff members have answered survey questions.
While the team has not yet analyzed or looked at existing data, a preliminary report of findings will be presented to the Board by mid-August. The group says it will work from collected information once the data is cleaned and parsed through for incomplete submissions. Then, any outstanding research points will be gathered during the fall.
Khanna recommended that auditors speak with prominent organizations and groups within the Livingston community, “especially to address the racial challenges that we faced in our districtnot long ago.”
An email address to which all messages are forwarded to auditors will be generated and listed on the equity webpage: www.livingston. org/Page/38197. Those interested in talking with auditors during their six-month survey may reach them once contact information becomes available.
Campus Constructions
On-site construction for the modular units are scheduled to begin mid-July, according to Allen Barnett of DiCara Rubino Architects.
The unit on Burnet Hill will include a child study team office; occupational and physical therapy room; three small group instruction rooms; two bathrooms; and a storage room.
There will be two classrooms inside the Hillside unit, with four small group instruction rooms and two bathrooms.
The utilities will borrow from the existing building at both sites, including electric, water, sewer, fire alarm, security, and IT.
The projects were sent to the New Jersey Department of Education for review on May 24. After a Planning Board hearing last week, the units are scheduled to arrive in late July and will take approximately six weeks to install, with a final completion date scheduled for October.
Although Barnett estimated that substantial construction would be completed by early September, alternative classroom options were briefly discussed to accommodate the anticipated enrollment increase next school year. Block suggested using media centers, gymnasiums, and sharing classrooms.
“I have personally, as a principal, been through construction before. And I know that when we had that piece of our construction that wasn’t done on time, it’s not the most comfortable thing, but... in the fall when everybody’s rested and happy and the weather’s nice outside, there are things you can make work for a little while,” Block said. “But, of course, the hope is, we won’t need to. But if we do, there is flexibility.”
The total cost of both projects amounts to $1,832,926.
Ceiling, lights, and flooring patchwork renovations inside Burnet Hill, Hillside, and Livingston High School will also take place this summer.
Executive Session
In a closed session, the Board reportedly discussed student matters.
Members of the Board are scheduled to meet tonight, June 15, in an executive meeting to discuss the superintendent’s evaluation.
