GLEN ROCK, NJ - In somewhat of a rare move, the Board of Education president Dr. Damali Robinson sent a letter to the community outlining “acknowledging” public concerns raised at the September 23 board meeting in which they hired a girls basketball coach from outside the district while passing over a coach that had coached the junior varsity team for more than a decade.
Likely due to the public uproar, the hired coach declined the job and the board ended up hiring the popular girls junior varsity coach, Sara Wolman, for the girls varsity coach position.
The letter addresses the winter track coaches, as well, which was another point of contention at the meeting.
While the letter touts recent successes of the district, it does not directly address the resignation of trustee Elizabeth Carr, who resigned at the Monday night meeting in clear frustration. Carr did not say exactly why she was resigning, just noting “misinformation” and a lack of trust among board members.
Board of Education President Dr. Damali Robinson's Letter to the Community in full:
September 26, 2024
Dear Glen Rock Community Members,
We, the members of the Glen Rock Board of Education, wish to acknowledge the concerns that were raised by parents, student-athletes, and community members at the September 23, 2024 Board of Education meeting. Given the feedback that the community raised, the Board has begun to take steps to address those concerns in order to ensure equity, consistency, and transparency for staff, students, and community members.
Firstly, the Board would like to announce that Sara Wolman has been offered and accepted the position of Head Coach of the Girls Varsity Basketball Team.
Additionally, as Dr. Brett Charleston mentioned in his recent letter to high school parents, the Board of Education authorized creating the position of a second Head Coach for Winter Track & Field. This decision results in two Head Coaches for the Winter Track program–one for the Boys team and one for the Girls team. The two existing assistant coaching positions will remain and will be shared by the teams as deemed necessary.
While the Board recognizes that the District has room for growth–as all organizations do–we think it is important to acknowledge the recent accomplishments of our students and faculty. This past Monday, Hamilton Elementary was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School, as the High School was in 2018. This is an honor regarded as one of the highest a school or district can achieve. Only nine public schools receive this honor in New Jersey each year, and we are proud that two of our schools have now earned this recognition.
This past Monday, our Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Van Nest, and district supervisors presented scores from the spring 2024 NJSLA Assessment. As you can see from the presentation, our scores, particularly in math, continue to outperform the state average and have improved dramatically these past several years.
Further, the students at Glen Rock achieve academic excellence as they prepare for their post-secondary journey. Over the years, graduating classes have been awarded millions of dollars in scholarships based on their performance in their coursework and extracurricular activities. In the most recent academic year, the Class of 2024 received nearly $17 million in college scholarship offers. In addition, district co-curricular and athletic programs excel in nearly all activities and sports.
Finally, one of the Board’s goals this year is to begin the certification process with the New Jersey School Boards Association, aiming to achieve certification within the next two years. Board Certification recognizes the full board’s commitment to effective governance and continuous improvement through training. Areas of focus include, but are not limited to, ethics, goal setting, board roles & responsibilities in the areas of policy development, finance, communications, community engagement, and student achievement. Please click here for more information regarding Board Certification. Much of this training will occur during public meetings and we encourage members of the community to attend and learn with the Board about best practices for effective governance. The Board unanimously recognized the need to improve cohesion and working toward a common goal. Board members believe that achieving certification will strengthen our District and enhance relationships with stakeholders.
In sum, the members of the Board of Education deemed it essential to address these concerns and resolve the issues that have been so passionately raised, all while upholding our commitment to making the right decisions for the District. The Board’s role has always been, and remains, to serve the best interests of our students, families, and Glen Rock as a whole.
Sincerely, Dr. Damali Robinson, BOE President
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