Superintendent of Millburn Township Public Schools Summer Update
MILLBURN, NJ – The Superintendent of Millburn Township Public Schools is offering a mid-summer update.
I am interrupting your summer vacation to send you a few updates and reminders.
If you have been by any of our schools, then you know that summer maintenance and construction projects are well underway.
For safety, and to allow the work to continue apace and uninterrupted, we ask that you limit visits to the schools. Please note that the High School will be closed from Monday, July 16 to Wednesday, July 18 due to construction.
Transportation
I would like to welcome our new Transportation Director, Mr. Tom Lauton. Tom is actually returning to Millburn, where he had worked as a driver and office staffer several years ago. He has been working in the district since June, with our interim director Ms. Sandy Hanson. I want to thank Ms. Hanson for her support in the transportation department this year. She has given the department and Mr. Lauton a strong headstart for the coming year.
Mr. Lauton has also been updating our Board of Education Transportation Committee on the Transportation Action Plan for 2018-19. He is busy checking off the many steps in that plan.
- Mr. Lauton has met with our bus companies, and is having ongoing discussions with them regarding planning for the beginning of the school year.
- They have a timeline in place for getting routes to the drivers, having them do dry runs, and informing us of any changes by the first week in August, when routes will be finalized.
- He has learned that the bus companies have increased their pay rates, which should increase the number of available drivers.
- They have agreed upon improved communications between the bus companies and the transportation department, including support for the contractor drivers who need help with directions or routing.
- Bus passes will be sent out to parents around August 17.
We will have further updates on our transportation preparations in the coming weeks. If you have any questions or concerns about transportation, please contact Mr. Lauton at Thomas.lauton@millburn.org.
The Millburn Board of Education Needs You!
I encourage you to consider running for our School Board. Interested candidates must file a nominating petition with the Essex County Clerk by 4 pm on Monday, July 30th to be on the ballot in the November 6th election. There will be 4 open seats (3 three-year terms; 1 one-year term) this year. Find out everything you need to know with the Candidate Information Kit from the New Jersey School Boards Association.
Coming Soon – Back to School Update
Our annual Back to School Update process is almost here! We will be sending more details out next week for parents of returning students about using this electronic method for updating contact and medical information and submitting approval of annual agreements for all of your children. The update site is scheduled to be open this year from July 23 through August 10. It takes about 5 minutes per student to ensure that we have your most up-to-date information. We thank you in advance for your prompt participation.
Enjoy these lazy, hazy days of summer!