[{"_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",6522834,"mediaKeyId","5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989","parentId",5066946,"title","Resident criticizes board's choice of outside counsel and raises book‑ban and transgender policy concerns during public comment","audioSeconds",134,"startMs",3294000,"endMs",3428000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989&start=3294&end=3428","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989/thumbnail_3294000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6522834/New-Jersey/Resident-criticizes-boards-choice-of-outside-counsel-and-raises-bookban-and-transgender-policy-concerns-during-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522834-24f5b1d67826e406fe17009ca6af47b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139054&Signature=f5i71yTWESZHhXw3EdJZNeL0YavHHAmjL80tJkTWaA14Xs2PX8cJnD415w0VODLriR1qTr451R0--RFu1hN8yiZSatSd23euBw0PL6iCtUWaqXaZLFoeY1IXf0VHTfrSt3qsU9hptfBOTQc2PN7mSxkIr~7uCdGscvnbFXPALNWnzC3qZv5Cr4VEO41VGQ35EZHdernd3QwYRgjlbUWgeQtDaOgZdHPbHW5il3YpHwnMetb0a9goEyLeUSqOTk2evpLUqkMyZSpMD1k8xZa2QkOX0x1zoO0CVyGOv5tUHnyJ7bl82oxLsu4ezCg4nqbPKCiFRK6c8~GFdC38EC~nQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School Dist","date","2025-06-25T00:49:10.573Z","article","Harlan Ettinger, who identified himself as a longtime resident and taxpayer, used the public comment portion of the June 24 meeting to criticize the board's recent decision to replace the district's long-serving general-counsel firm.

\"It was obvious where the majority was going from the moment we moved to replace the Comigno firm as the district's general counsel,\" Ettinger said, arguing that the change signaled an intent to adopt legal strategies that would make it easier to remove books and change protections for transgender students. He named firms and partners and expressed concern that the new counsel would support policy changes to require parental notification and to rescind the district's existing protections.

Ettinger framed his remarks as public observation and urged the board to explain the committee's selection process for outside counsel. His statements were made during the public-comment period; there was no immediate board action in response to the remarks recorded in the transcript.

Why it matters: the comment ties together three governance items that have appeared in board discussion in recent months: selection of outside counsel, library/course material reviews, and debate over the district's transgender-related policy (identified in the meeting as \"policy 57 56\"). Those topics can lead to formal policy changes, litigation, or AG involvement if pursued. The board did not take action on the public comment itself at the meeting; any administrative or policy response would require subsequent agenda placement and a formal vote.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NHV BOE Meeting - 06/24/2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment, resident Harlan Ettinger accused the majority of the board of seeking lawyers who would support book removals and changes to the district's transgender policy, and urged transparency about the selection of outside general counsel.","taxTitle","North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",72668,"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},6522838,"Board approves contracts, policies and regionalization study steps; one no on NJ Stride membership",5181,157000,5338000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989&start=157&end=5338","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989/thumbnail_157000.jpg","/articles/6522838/New-Jersey/Board-approves-contracts-policies-and-regionalization-study-steps-one-no-on-NJ-Stride-membership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522838-b9638f6d58a5fb3fc6215b07843af499/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139054&Signature=HOQ4w7-zoEuo0KQhLxuGMOmaBW0vr~ug3USsMRsDBMoXmkACNlm3GUBCptpZzxA2YfbZRu6ws4qU22dWAQMB7P0g5PKVL~DPiZdosI3Rys0E2ag-0O74vgFSFY9tK5iGiISEJZwH6avVLJuWWuyFGcpkF63jnL~S9xHcEkRCv4bJgKPU1ORQWY4UrXrgxeV3jPaCakx-Fo6NvrtZxT8z6LSLQ3g8gKEkjFmmhhCmS1PEWBonAejMQc-Pnm7c3u4GKxesAKKsMsUGxIVslZ5yNCtViA7g3eVbyxG8COMLuha4aIJDCovN~Ykb-GSMkO6uT-M-zjuP-hMrqtfvYiNG0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Hunterdon‑Voorhees Regional High School District Board of Education approved a series of routine agenda, policy and finance items at its June 24 meeting, including contract renewals, the district's participation in a regionalization study and a roofing contract; the board also adopted a resolution to enter an executive session. One board member recorded a no vote on agenda item 12.14 (a membership/recruitment consortium).

Key outcomes recorded at the meeting:

- The board approved the agenda items listed as 4.1 (minutes/agenda procedural approvals). The motion was made and seconded (mover and seconder recorded at the meeting) and carried by voice vote.

- The board approved agenda items 10.1 through 10.4 by voice vote after a motion and second.

- Second reading and approval of policies presented under agenda item 11.1 passed on a motion and second; the board completed the second-reading approval at this meeting.

- Finance and contract items listed in the agenda (12.x series) were approved in a single motion. Among those approved were: participation/agreements to support the regionalization/utilization study (including serving as lead agency for the district's regionalization study), authorization related to Bloomsbury's final step to join the region for high school students; renewal items for food-service management; two RFP awards to Hunterdon Health for mental-health/wrap-around services and school physician services; and Lamar Roofing for a district roof project (bid awarded at $115,000). The collective finance motion was moved and seconded and carried; board discussion and roll-call voting were used where required. On agenda item 12.14 (membership in NJ Stride consortium) one board member recorded a vote of \"no,\" but the motion carried overall.

- The board adopted resolution 0624252 authorizing an executive session to discuss personnel/other matters; the board recessed into executive session as indicated on the agenda.

- After reconvening, the board approved agenda item 18.1 (post-executive action item) on a motion and second.

How board members voted: most consent and approval items were carried by voice vote or roll call as noted in the minutes. Where individual roll-call tallies were not read into the transcript, the meeting record shows the motions carried; the transcript records at least one explicit \"no\" vote recorded against item 12.14.

Why it matters: the finance approvals authorize vendor services (mental-health and physician services), a capital maintenance project (roofing), and continued district participation in a state-supported regionalization/utilization study. Some items (such as the membership in a recruitment consortium) generated dissent and will likely be reviewed by the board and administration in future meetings.

","At its June 24 meeting the North Hunterdon‑Voorhees board approved agenda and policy items, multiple finance/contract renewals (including mental health and physician services and a roofing contract), and authorized regionalization-study steps. One board member recorded a 'no' vote on a membership item (12.14).",{"_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},6522843,"North Hunterdon‑Voorhees board reviews 2023–24 NJ school performance report, flags chronic absenteeism",2576,213000,2789000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989&start=213&end=2789","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5066946-7bc2989c16aa1ea2a62887ed5aaa6989/thumbnail_213000.jpg","/articles/6522843/New-Jersey/North-HunterdonVoorhees-board-reviews-202324-NJ-school-performance-report-flags-chronic-absenteeism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522843-367841905376b0c8b58ab44d479bd895/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139054&Signature=mMKcKLqPcG2RkSEgEdB~VmXILRNwEZAUik82ariI0SdbupXrUHuDkTrhQQaOW4n6RNmJeFmh6Z87QKUFLaTX~YIKJy0sRQUA8AiQUH2mM6h44qteuiXyTfEA9Cpxn2qPJ-fp4NP2CIQ0BeY-YvnhpSspwkEPv6lAAF-A4q4SCQL4T3Iq~QAr~OSxlMqFRvWyEOh42C0X8ALaV0gT-D05T7bwpSGKogGHjiFBk9MKgPMaHVQdj939mqQPatZFr2Tu~NPef4vkO3didswUcEheXuBhD-cp~9kjhDbtYP57vmKMwUqIAEnhaRhFXmRN8kMTLKWooxX4qFaOynQzM5azzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richard Groan, the district's director of curriculum, articulation and student achievement, presented the North Hunterdon‑Voorhees Regional High School District's New Jersey School Performance Report for the 2023–24 school year at the June 24 board meeting.

Groan said the state reports exclude students who attend Hunterdon County vocational programs and the Hunterdon County Academies, which is why the district's reported enrollment in the state report is 1,924 while the district actually educates about 2,400 students. \"The students who are part of the academy and or full time vocational school district students are not included in this because they're part of the Hunterdon County vocational school district report,\" Groan said, explaining the difference.

The presentation summarized statewide-report figures and district highlights. Graduation rates for the district were shown in the mid-90s (four- and five-year rates in the 95–98% range), above state averages. Participation and course-taking were strong: 85% of seniors took the SAT and about 70% of juniors and seniors were enrolled in one or more Advanced Placement courses, both well above state averages. Visual and performing arts participation was reported at 64.5% districtwide versus 51% statewide.

But board members pressed Groan on measures that concern district leaders. The district's chronic absenteeism rate in 2023–24 was 17.7% (defined in the report as students absent 10% or more of school days), above the statewide rate of 14.9%. Groan highlighted grade-level differences: roughly 10% of ninth-graders in the district were chronically absent vs. 15% statewide, while senior-year chronic absenteeism was 27% in the district compared with 21% statewide.

Groan and board members discussed limitations in the state templates used to generate the public report. He said templates sometimes hide or conflate details and that the district reviews the embargoed state data line-by-line to correct reporting errors before publication. Groan said the district expects to post additional results next month, including NJGPA results, and will follow up with school-by-school breakdowns.

Board members pressed several related issues: the influence of sending (K–8) districts on student preparation, whether including vocational and academy students would materially change district results, and how the district's common assessments correlate with state tests. Groan described internal steps the district takes after results are released: standards reports that identify weak standards, correlation studies comparing local common assessments with NJSLA results, and professional development targeted to standards or schools with weaker performance.

The presentation also highlighted demographic and support metrics the state report includes. The state template showed a mismatch between student and teacher demographics: roughly 82% of students were identified as white while the teacher workforce was about 98% white in the display Groan reviewed. He noted the state commentary that teacher diversity improves outcomes for all students, and board members discussed recruitment and district comparisons to similar districts and to k–12 systems.

Course offerings and co-curricular programs drew specific discussion. The report listed drama and dance curriculum requirements; Groan said drama has been on the books but has not run consistently and dance has never been offered as a full program in the district. He said the drama course last appeared on the course list in 2023–24 (three students from one building signed up; none at the other), and that district staff will survey students and families and improve communications about offerings. Groan and board members also noted that opportunities for students to attend vocational programs (for example, Somerset County vocational programs) remain an option for students seeking specialized arts instruction.

Why it matters: board members and administration said the state report is one tool among many for evaluating instruction and programming, but they emphasized that reporting conventions (which exclude vocational/academy students) and template limitations can change the apparent performance picture. The board requested follow-up materials that will include school-level results and the NJGPA data when it is released.

The district took no formal action on the presentation itself; the session was an informational report and board members asked staff to circulate additional school-level data and to post relevant results and narratives to the district website.

","District director Richard Groan presented the New Jersey School Performance Report for 2023–24, noting strong graduation and AP/SAT participation but higher-than-state chronic absenteeism and a teacher–student demographic gap. Board members asked for school-level breakouts and further review of reporting methods.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident criticizes board's choice of outside counsel and raises book‑ban and transgender policy concerns during public comment

Board approves contracts, policies and regionalization study steps; one no on NJ Stride membership

North Hunterdon‑Voorhees board reviews 2023–24 NJ school performance report, flags chronic absenteeism