[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6629055,"mediaKeyId","2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc","parentId",2711674,"title","Board member Lisa Byrne to resign effective March 31","audioSeconds",25,"startMs",849000,"endMs",874000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc&start=849&end=874","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc/thumbnail_849000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6629055/New-Jersey/Board-member-Lisa-Byrne-to-resign-effective-March-31","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629055-4cea34a383e64b98bbd4b777126169e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127748&Signature=hP~LNDKwmcT4WVytUuYsmpdg7v7MCvEw2CE2SaWiYQtgPyv2h~J-1dGiahs73sG7V3B4tzDDriBVwbtph8oLgPhrOYzv8dFEZizck0fZIy1aVitB85QRSittvlT3FQv9sAPoApyT2hAis9kruhUelOihOxID~oVQlGvRIMbAXP8pyffSIMjJ2saVvOXIt0a~QPcYxqpfJBC~kJJWHJ3iAwxAkDa3d4YQlgZOd4RQH95gJmXkNsZB73NjwUjOXHJGIbnYBuRp8Fef-n-3qf29XkxHu37bro8MiisQIoLhQbQQaZL81wOCj5t~nyY9tW-2Ibua73VO~5CU289gfcwQJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South River Public School District","date","2025-03-20T13:34:18.487Z","article","Board member Lisa Byrne announced her resignation from the South River Board of Education during the March 17 meeting, with an effective date of March 31.

Byrne said she enjoyed her time on the board and that she hoped the board would find a replacement soon. Board members offered well wishes as Byrne stepped down after four years of service.

The resignation was included among items listed under the consent resolution; the board did not discuss a replacement process during the open portion of the meeting. The board later entered closed session to discuss personnel matters.

Board members and the public will see the formal resignation and any next steps recorded in the official minutes and future meeting notices.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 03.17.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lisa Byrne told the South River Board of Education on March 17 that she is resigning effective March 31 after four years of service; she offered brief parting remarks and the board wished her well.","taxTitle","South River Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",41855,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629059,"Superintendent: chronic absenteeism, vandalism and cell-phone issues are priorities as district avoids staff cuts",389,322000,711000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc&start=322&end=711","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc/thumbnail_322000.jpg","/articles/6629059/New-Jersey/Superintendent-chronic-absenteeism-vandalism-and-cell-phone-issues-are-priorities-as-district-avoids-staff-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629059-1dc41eed0e897eb93076f9d0c5ad0f75/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127748&Signature=CsHd3RSTDsi~B5iTAFyk~GFrImqoJJUDQnNiMpJKziMpswHn53pNgqc0qx5bXlJNABIMIBtPAO41bE5HAZNs0ql8d6mHtf7TUiiIMEmMA~79MgniAUqUtQmTMcKhzaX3DBRl-7oh9fW6b~J384mdbMqcsRD~GJDTj6ud9X37bOecLR~VyNNBcurOUFFYQCpQLDruMflb2TwjsPJhGmtIOWxG9QGmvMbITAlkW43IYYeTZfBwkZOIHDy-vfcR8KkMKlp2R1GqL59MeGyDzcjEzP7qg4sviQ~d3Qxg0wDuk6lCZklUxHEtoKKChlBnlIsWGduxKaX0bOe8uN1YQsXTNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doctor Zurcher, the South River superintendent, told the board March 17 that the district balanced a tentative 2025 budget despite reductions in state and federal aid and that administrators prioritized keeping staff and core student supports intact.

Zurcher outlined several operational priorities. On attendance she said district staff, including climate-and-culture specialists, guidance counselors and social workers, have been working with parents to reduce chronic absenteeism. “Schools can be categorized in need of improvement if chronic absenteeism is more than 10%,” she said, stressing the district is working with parents and a truancy officer, and will file complaints with municipal court when warranted to address ongoing truancy.

The superintendent also described current district practice on student cell phones: teachers have classroom-level discretion and middle-school classrooms use pocket holders where students drop phones during instruction. Zurcher said the high school presents particular challenges — some students carry multiple phones, and placing phones in holders has led to other problems such as students taking others' phones and increased staff responsibility for locating them. The district is monitoring guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education and said it will pursue any available grants for equipment tied to state policy changes.

Zurcher reported multiple incidents of after-hours vandalism, trash and unsafe use of campus spaces. Examples cited included birthday cake and plates left on the ELC playground, spray-painting, dog waste and electric bikes ridden on the turf field; she said benches had been thrown onto the turf and bicycles had been used on baseball and softball mounds for tricks. The superintendent said campus playgrounds are now fenced and locked after hours and that the turf field is reserved primarily for school teams, PE classes and elementary recess; the district is not allowing general public use of the field during team practices or games.

The superintendent also noted the calendar shows three unused snow days remaining (April 11, May 23 and May 27) and told the board there are several confirmed PIP investigations listed in the superintendent's report for the board's review and approval.

Board members responding to the report urged the public to respect district facilities. One board member said the vandalism and damage to the new field may force the district to increase access restrictions in the future.

No changes to staffing levels were announced during the meeting; Zurcher said mental-health supports, facility maintenance and instructional materials upgrades were preserved in the budget preparations.","Superintendent Doctor Zurcher told the board the district balanced a tentative budget without cutting staff, and described active efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism, manage student cell-phone use and address vandalism and misuse of the district's turf field.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629065,"South River board approves tentative 2025 budget submission, adopts broad consent resolution",1000,227000,1227000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc&start=227&end=1227","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2711674-87edd56d480a043c70c5b6f5299d9acc/thumbnail_227000.jpg","/articles/6629065/New-Jersey/South-River-board-approves-tentative-2025-budget-submission-adopts-broad-consent-resolution","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629065-7ab5d0d77f3ee12f095f4b0bb19c4836/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127748&Signature=WQSdE6~KjmNKfn0jfsYzg-5y7rD49HK20D-FlqlOD1yMujFTv8m0NrTTsc2g~9UbXeLLaPbwL03OhQgZbhUieHN84YhQe09kLsxIAhkdpVxZfLy-yWbdR2Fx9M9~0uGgFN7SBJjEVdpbjRc9GnGVm8EGUq0aJ2tuL731zu-AxoWNU3tgN8mmoHPufay6USX1GkYu0mSZDwvKDwgmmJrExZB-iBpqgoDXdSItpowH5GPNzGXL0aTgX88YO4QkhQiJ8kzhv3CWYhVYvOB6JHrINIYviqp-Tec5yAEY1EJXLm8joeyXKmNM8a1c4kb~FHx1TQwq5WD4CqrCcHuFNHranA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South River Board of Education voted March 17 to submit a tentative 2025 budget to the county and adopted a consent resolution that bundled routine contracts, grant-related purchases and personnel recommendations.

Superintendent Doctor Zurcher said the district balanced the budget despite reductions in state aid and cuts to federal and pre-K funding. “We did balance the budget, and we managed to do so without reducing staffing, without reducing any major programs,” Zurcher said during her report to the board.

The board approved the finance report certifying that no major account is over expended and that sufficient funds are available to meet the district’s obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year. The board set a public hearing on the tentative budget for April 28.

Under the consent resolution the board approved multiple routine items by single roll-call vote. The items listed in the resolution included superintendent recommendations (items 3.1–3.2), a president’s item (5.1), finance items (8.1–8.27), instructional items (9.1–9.4), policy item 11.1 and human-resources items (12.1–12.7). The finance approvals referenced by the board included tentative budget submission, service agreements (nursing, physical therapy, transportation), Internet upgrades, tuition contracts, purchases tied to security and technology grants for nonpublic schools, transfers from capital reserve and several new contracts connected to a preschool expansion grant, a school food pantry donation, chatbot software and storage containers.

Board motions approved at the meeting included a motion to move the use-of-facilities item “in accordance with board policies” (moved by Vice President Nielsen and seconded by Mrs. Sadowski; approved by voice vote), approval of minutes for Feb. 24 and Feb. 27 (moved by Vice President Nielsen; seconded by Ms. Lell; approved by voice vote), certification of the January 2025 finance reports (moved by Mrs. Louth; seconded by Vice President Nielsen; approved), adoption of the consent resolution (moved by Vice President Nielsen; seconded by Mrs. Sadowski; roll-call vote recorded as yes by those present), and authorization to pay the bills as certified by the board secretary (moved by Mrs. Lehi; seconded by Vice President Nielsen; approved by voice vote).

The board also voted to enter closed executive session to discuss personnel matters; the motion to go into closed session was made by Vice President Nielsen and seconded by Mrs. Burn.

No budget line-item reductions to staffing or to major programs were announced during the meeting; the superintendent said the district prioritized maintaining staff, mental-health supports, classroom technology upgrades and instructional materials despite lower aid.

Votes at a glance

- Use of facilities (in accordance with board policies): motion passed (mover: Vice President Nielsen; second: Mrs. Sadowski) — voice vote.
- Minutes (Feb. 24 and Feb. 27, 2025): motion passed (mover: Vice President Nielsen; second: Ms. Lell) — voice vote.
- Finance certification (board secretary/treasurer reports, Jan. 2025): motion passed (mover: Mrs. Louth; second: Vice President Nielsen) — voice vote.
- Consent resolution (items 3.1–3.2; 5.1; 8.1–8.27; 9.1–9.4; 11.1; 12.1–12.7): adopted by roll-call (mover: Vice President Nielsen; second: Mrs. Sadowski). Recorded yes votes in the roll call included members listed by name at the meeting.
- Payment of bills: motion passed (mover: Mrs. Lehi; second: Vice President Nielsen) — voice vote.
- Motion to enter closed executive session (personnel): motion passed (mover: Vice President Nielsen; second: Mrs. Burn) — voice vote.

The board’s formal agenda and minutes will contain the full roll-call details and the itemized list of contracts and vendor amounts approved under the consent resolution.","On March 17 the South River Board of Education voted to submit a tentative 2025 budget to the county, approved routine finance and personnel items in a consent resolution and authorized payment of bills. The district said it balanced the preliminary budget without reducing staff despite reductions in state and federal aid.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board member Lisa Byrne to resign effective March 31

Superintendent: chronic absenteeism, vandalism and cell-phone issues are priorities as district avoids staff cuts

South River board approves tentative 2025 budget submission, adopts broad consent resolution