Saturday, May 2, 2020

Hoboken Board of Education Meeting April 7, 2020: Six Separate Subcommittee Meetings for Business Administration, Curriculum, Facilities, Finance, Governance, and Wellness Take a Total of 108 Seconds to Report to the Public

On April 7, the Hoboken Board of Education held its monthly meeting (see full agenda as well as video of meeting below). What is very noticeable about this meeting is the extreme brevity, lack of any detail, and almost lock step verbatim manner in which committee chairs reported about their subcommittee meetings on a wide-ranging series of district issues such as Business Administration, Curriculum, Facilities, Finance, Governance, and Wellness. In fact, the entire "reporting" of these 6 subcommittees took a total of less than 120 seconds (!) 

 In a time of pandemic- nothing about wellness to report to the public? In a time of 100% home schooling, no update on curriculum to share with the public? In a time of COVID-19 no update on facilities? Subcommittees do much more than simply propose items for the Board to approve. Yet, it seems EACH subcommittee now seems to feel this is the ONLY thing that needs to be reported publicly. At a time when it is difficult for the public to attend subcommittee meetings, this in unfortunate. 

 This post includes the actual transcription of the "reports" that were given at the April 7, 2020 Board of Education meeting. Read them for yourselves. Watch the video for yourself.  

 The Board allowed the first 13-14 minutes of the meeting to be the typical "good news" and celebration of student achievement. That is wonderful. But then the Board elects to spend less than 120 seconds (108 seconds actually) updating the parents, students, taxpayers, and greater community on subcommittee issues for Business Administration, Curriculum, Facilities, Finance, Governance, and Wellness? 
It is disappointing and responsibility for this recent lock step legal but non communicative subcommittee reporting falls on the shoulders of Board President Angley, Board Vice President Kluepfel and compliant Board members. They can, and should, be doing better during this time. 



April 7, 2020- Link to Video 

Business Administrators Report (time stamp 13:25)
 No report (inaudible) 

Board Trustee McGuirk
Curriculum Committee (13:35)
Board Trustee McGuirk (amcquirk@hoboken.k12.nj.us): Good evening the curriculum committee met on Wednesday April 1st. In attendance was Superintendent Dr. Johnson, Assistant Superintendent Ms Rodriguez Gomez, Ms. Angley, Ms. Cademartori, Ms. Khanna and myself. There are no agenda items requiring approval this month and the committee discussed the remote learning plans. Thank you 


Board Trustee Cademartori
Facilities Committee (14:01)
Board Trustee Cademartori (mcademartori@hoboken.k12.nj.us): Thank you. The facilities Committee met on Wednesday April 1st in attendance were Dr. Johnson Mr. Callihy , Ms. McGuirk, Miss Simons and myself.  There was only discussed a few things in one agenda item which the committee recommends for approval. 

Board Trustee Khanna
Finance Committee (14:25)
Board Trustee Khanna (ckhanna@hoboken.k12.nj.us): Yes, The Finance Committee met on Thursday April 2nd at 4 p.m. in attendance from Miss Good,  Dr. Johnson, Miss Angley, Miss. Kurien (?),  Ms. Delatoura and myself. The committee reviewed and discussed all agenda items and recommends for board approval. Thank you 



Board Trustee De La Torre
Governance Committee (14:51)
Board Trustee De La Torre (adelatorre@hoboken.k12.nj.us): Hi everyone, the committee met on Thursday April 2nd in attendance where Dr. Johnson, Ms. Dallara, Ms. Tekirian, and Mr. Kluepfel and myself. the committee recommends all agenda items for approval. 



Board Trustee Dallara 
Wellness Committee (15:12)
Board Trustee Dallara (sdallare@hoboken.k12.nj.us): The committee met on April 1st in attendance where Miss Kanna, Miss Angly, Miss Simons, Dr. Johnson and myself. There are no items on the agenda for approval and that concludes my report. 



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