Parents urge Glen Ridge to preserve small classes and restore live chemistry instruction after maternity leave
January 28, 2026 | Glen Ridge Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey
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At the Jan. 27 Glen Ridge Board of Education meeting, two members of the public asked the board to protect classroom conditions and ensure hands-on science instruction.
Ally Marshall told the board she had emailed administrators about the first-grade cohort at Forest Avenue School and said "We have about 23 kids per class in the kindergarten class currently, and we're kind of nervous as to keep the class sizes the way that they are." Marshall said Glen Ridge is known for smaller class sizes and said parents worry larger classes will reduce individualized attention.
During the second public comment period, David Kroll of 15 Laurel Place asked why a teacher on maternity leave would be replaced by a remote instructor and warned that "because the teacher is remote, there is no licensed chemistry teacher in the class, which means there will be no labs for them... for the remainder of the school year." He said labs are important for students who otherwise must make up hands-on work outside regular periods.
The superintendent responded that the district values lab work and said staff were arranging to have a certified live teacher in place: "Miss Tully is going to come out of retirement to teach chemistry to our kids," the superintendent said, adding the district used NJCTL as a backup plan in past midyear staffing cases. He told Kroll the district expected to have a live teacher and to continue labs and offered to follow up after the meeting.
Why it matters: Parents pressed for clarity about instructional continuity and equitable access to lab-based science experiences. The superintendent's pledge to secure a live, certified teacher and the offer to follow up are immediate assurances; however, parents may request confirmation in writing and details about lab schedules and qualified staffing for the remainder of the year.
The board offered to review registration and staffing plans with primary principals as it plans for 2026-27; no formal policy action was taken at the meeting.
Ally Marshall told the board she had emailed administrators about the first-grade cohort at Forest Avenue School and said "We have about 23 kids per class in the kindergarten class currently, and we're kind of nervous as to keep the class sizes the way that they are." Marshall said Glen Ridge is known for smaller class sizes and said parents worry larger classes will reduce individualized attention.
During the second public comment period, David Kroll of 15 Laurel Place asked why a teacher on maternity leave would be replaced by a remote instructor and warned that "because the teacher is remote, there is no licensed chemistry teacher in the class, which means there will be no labs for them... for the remainder of the school year." He said labs are important for students who otherwise must make up hands-on work outside regular periods.
The superintendent responded that the district values lab work and said staff were arranging to have a certified live teacher in place: "Miss Tully is going to come out of retirement to teach chemistry to our kids," the superintendent said, adding the district used NJCTL as a backup plan in past midyear staffing cases. He told Kroll the district expected to have a live teacher and to continue labs and offered to follow up after the meeting.
Why it matters: Parents pressed for clarity about instructional continuity and equitable access to lab-based science experiences. The superintendent's pledge to secure a live, certified teacher and the offer to follow up are immediate assurances; however, parents may request confirmation in writing and details about lab schedules and qualified staffing for the remainder of the year.
The board offered to review registration and staffing plans with primary principals as it plans for 2026-27; no formal policy action was taken at the meeting.
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