School Board

Six candidates – three of whom are running on a named slate – have filed for the three open Board of Education seats. The decision by incumbent Board members Ardaman Singh, Nancy LaCorte and Walter Jackson not to seek re-election paved the way for three new members to join the 9-member Board. Running on the “Choose All Three” slate – …

NEW V-P – Kira Sikorski speaks to the Board of Education after being named the new vice-principal at Franklin Park School on July 24. A 22-year school district veteran was tapped July 24 to be the next vice-principal at Franklin Park School. Kira Sikorski, a 1st Grade teacher at the school, has held many positions during her tenure in Franklin, …

WANTS POSTPONEMENT – School Board member Bill Grippo explains why the vote on the District’s 2025-26 goals should be postponed at the July 24 Board meeting. A normally non-controversial vote took on a bit of drama at the Board of Education’s July 24 meeting when a divided Board approved the district goals for the 2025-26 school year. The goals are …

The school district and a charter school are recipients of state grants designed to improve literacy in elementary school students. Both grants were from the state Department of Education’s Funding for Optimal Comprehensive Universal Screeners, or FOCUS, program, through which $2.3 million was awarded statewide. The district received $20,040, while Central Jersey College Prep Charter School received $2,900. The funding …

The Board of Education at its June 19 meeting approved the following contracts, totaling $2,265,961: A transportation contract with Montauk Transit LLC – Bridgewater, NJ from March 18, 2025 – June 26, 2025, identified as Bid 26-07 awarded on March 18, 2025, Contract SG.900/990 in the amount of $23,625.00. A transportation contract with ABC Transit Corp., North Brunswick, NJ from …

READING IS FUN – Board of Education member Bill Grippo reads to students June 28 at the main branch of the Township Library. About a dozen students gathered in the Township Library’s main branch June 28 for a special reading of a classic book. The book was “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. …

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS – Aaryan Patel, the Franklin High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian, gives his address during the June 26 graduation ceremony in Warrior Stadium. Don’t fear the unknown, but, rather, chase it, was the advice given to the Franklin High School Class of 2025 by its Valedictorian at their graduation ceremony on June 26. “Class of 2025, don’t be …

ADDRESSING GRADUATES – Franklin Middle School – Sampson G. Smith campus principal Rebekah Solomon speaks during the 8th Grade Promotion ceremony at Franklin High School on June 25. Franklin Middle School 8th Graders on June 25 got a taste of what assembling in the Franklin High School gym will be like at the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony. The 470 students …

DELIVERING THE STATS – Nicholas Solomon, the school district’s Director of School Management, reviews the Student Safety Data report for the first half of the 2023-24 school year. Township students are below average when it comes to being “written up” for disciplinary incidents, the Board of Education was recently told. Students in the elementary, middle and high schools received fewer …

NEW PRINCIPAL – Edgar Vazquez speaks to the Board of Education after being named new principal at Pine Grove Manor Elementary School. Edgar Vazquez was named the new Pine Grove Manor principal by the Board of Education at its June 19 meeting. A 7-year veteran of the school district, Vazquez for the past two years has been the Vice-Principal at …