JACKSON – School Board members and administrative staff welcomed some new hires and promoted current employees during a recent Board of Education meeting.
The Board voted to approve the hiring of Kristopher Soto as interim transportation director.
Former Transportation Director John Griffiths resigned as director of transportation in Jackson effective June 1. He had previously headed the Edison Township School District Transportation Department. His resignation was approved at an April 28 board meeting.
Board members congratulated Anthony Bruno, who took over as director of buildings and grounds from Edward Ostroff who retired earlier this month.
Bruno previously served as that department’s Maintenance Foreman and was approved at a June 23 Board meeting to replace Ostroff.
Lori Henry was also congratulated during the session. She was approved as the school district’s supervisor of Math and Science. Henry had served as the school district’s Math Interventionist at McAuliffe Middle School. She replaces Tina Topoleski, who retired in June.
Masks In School
Also during the meeting, school officials discussed whether children will be wearing masks in school come September. Gov. Phil Murphy had already decreed that there would be no virtual learning for the next school year.
COVID-19 variants have been in the news and discussed by federal and state health agencies, particularly the Delta strain that is much more contagious. Parents, students and school staff are pondering whether concerns of these strains will result in reinstating mandatory protective masks at the beginning of the new school year next fall.
No decision has yet been made for students or staff to wear masks and currently it is planned for students to wear them on an optional basis.
School administrators said they are working on reopening plans for next year, and are close to having something to release to the public.
