Board advances first reading on policy changes as members debate splitting special services from education

The West Milford Township Board of Education advanced a first reading of a policy change on Jan. 30 that restructures committee responsibilities, prompting a substantive debate over how the district should handle special-education and support-services issues.

During discussion, Trustee Kate Romeo (functional label used in transcript as Missus Romeo) urged the board to create a liaison to the Highlander Education Foundation and to consider a separate support-services committee to give more time to topics such as counseling, nursing and special-education matters. Other trustees said they preferred experimenting with ad hoc committees or moving the education committee to another night so the issue could be tried before formally changing bylaws.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Furnari (identified in the meeting as the interim superintendent) and other administrators said first and second readings are part of the policy process and that the first reading was appropriate tonight, while more substantive discussion about committee structure could occur in committee meetings. Trustee Will Seidwitz (as recorded in the transcript) and others noted committee discussion and administrative follow-up could address many concerns without immediate bylaw changes.

Public speakers during the meeting's public-comment period later urged the board not to separate special education from general education. Parent Caitlin Babcock said splitting the committee could fragment oversight and recommended trying a different night for the education committee instead. Courtney Weiss Gromack noted that roughly 10% of New Jersey districts have separate committees and questioned whether a separate body could drift toward being a special-education committee rather than a broader support-services group.

The board approved the policy item for first reading without objection; further committee-level discussion about creating a liaison and the scope of any support-services committee was scheduled to occur before a second reading.