Regionalization: Henry Hudson Tri-District

  The Parents

Less time spent on  math and science class hours, and less access to resources that can aid youngsters in their studies seem to be a few of the major complaints which concern parents of children in the Henry Hudson Tri-District.

But now it appears if these parents are truly concerned about their children’s education, and teachers are truly frustrated and going into their classrooms with less esteem and even lower morale, then the educators and parents appear to have a lot more to worry about now.

The Boards

The boards of education have already proven they do not take action or give any sign they even look into legitimate complaints of a single parent. One BOE Member has gone on to say that by Beams paying taxes in Oceanport, she has no conflict in the Regionalization question.  No referral to the full board, investigation, or public comment.  So it would seem the parents, as well as disgruntled and unhappy faculty members, have to rise up in force and show a united front in demanding that their complaints be at least heard and investigated before further action is taken renewing, extending, or adding more years to a new contract with Superintendent Dr. Tara Beams, who heads up the Henry Hudson Tri-District.

Venividiscripto is devoting considerable space to this matter because of the lack of Board concern and the frustrations of  teachers, employees and parents alike. Many have contacted me, and identified themselves with the assurance Venividiscripto will not reveal their names. They are all saying Dr. Beams as superintendent of the Tri-District, is a far cry from the years before she took on the leadership two years ago. And it by no means has been a change for the better.

  STEAM vs. STEM

Parents liked the longer math classes, as well as all the attention made to science education. Both have been shortened, they say, since Dr. Beams took control of the curriculum and  STEAM became the accent.

STEAM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, has replaced STEM, the program in place under the prior superintendent. STEAM seems to be a great program with some benefits, parents say. However,  including the “A” part, ARTS, has resulted in a reduction in emphasis  and attention on the STE and M classes.

STEAM is  an emerging field of theory, research, and practice incorporating Arts in the curriculum in math, science and technology, and has friends and enemies of the new program on both sides of the educational world.

Many educators praise it, seeing it as a real approach in engaging children as an inclusive and authentic approach to engage  children in the science, technology and math sections of education.   They believe STEAM offers significant promise through its focus on multiple ways of knowing new pathways to learning.

Others say it is ambiguous or potentially problematic. They said there are no clear-cut guidelines for educators to follow, many elementary teachers are not qualified to teach math or science and it requires no teacher certification. Nor are there are any national standards set.

Parents in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands  seem to be struggling over that change, and teachers seem to be less enthusiastic about teaching in the local schools because of it, which includes their own inexperience in teaching some classes for which they do not feel prepared as adequately as they would like.

  Regionalization

At the same time, Dr. Beams is devoting considerable time and energy to the regionalization question on whether Sea Bright, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands should become one PreK-12 school district. That matter will now be before the governing bodies of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands who are finally meeting with a mediator at the end of March to determine  the costs, savings, and sharing of both so, the matter can hopefully be brought before the voters in November.

At the same time, the boards of education remain silent on regionalization, turning to Dr. Beams for answers, and telling a parent who has complaints against the superintendent’s actions … to take them up with the superintendent.

Parents have gotten no response from their boards of education, and teachers are fearful of making their complaints about their situation knows for fear of retaliation.

  The Contract

Many are voicing their angst now that  the Superintendent responsible for the unrest and unhappiness Tri-District is near the end of the second year of her three year contract.

Under that contract, and unbelievably, also under state law, if the boards of education do not plan to continue Dr.Tara Beams at the termination of the current contract, which, they say, ends June 30, 2024, they MUST notify her ONE FULL YEAR in advance! That means if the boards chooses not to continue Dr. Beams beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, they must let her know that no later than June 30 of this year, 2023.

One can only wonder how a person who knows she’s going to lose her $180,000-plus job in 12 months will spend those 12 months. It is difficult to believe she would spend her time in improving the school program. Even more difficult to imagine is that she would go above and beyond her contract simply to make life a bit better for the boards of education, the teachers, or the students.

IF rumors can be believed at all, the situation is even more dire. Not only does Dr. Beams want to continue, the school gossip mills are pumping…but she is soliciting for a five year contract, rather than another three years!

One can understand why any superintendent would love a five year contract in the Henry Hudson Tri-District. After all, the students are great, many of the teachers have been here for many years, indicating they are pleased with their profession here. The students are great, the surroundings beautiful, the morning view from the Henry Hudson grounds is a sensational way to start any day.

  The Attrition

But there are those 33 persons who have either retired or resigned in the two years since Dr. Beams has been at the helm. Thirty-four, by the latest count, and that represents more than 20 percent of the entire staff.  If one of every five persons is seeking out, either for a job someplace else or an early retirement, does it sound like happiness is abounding?

The Boards of Education have a difficult task ahead of them. They have to decide whether Dr. Beams is truly doing a magnificent job, is really so advanced above other superintendent hopefuls that her contract should be renewed,  or whether the teachers and parents who say otherwise are correct. To come to this decision, I would hope board members talk to parents, even answer letters written to them, ask educators for exit interviews, and talk with teachers still on staff.  Might also be nice if they could ask teachers who have left their reasons for it.

 Time on her Hands

Dr. Beams has been spending a lot of time, and apparently an intense amount of energy and study on the question of regionalization, which just happens to coincide with her contract action date. Has all this time taken away from maintaining the excellence of the education program? If she has so much time to spend on the regionalization issue, an issue that should be up to the voters to decide, what has she done with all that time before it started? Or has she been researching the negative aspects of a three town regionalization since she first came aboard? And if that is so, how will she spend all that time in the future, once the question is settled.

It would seem to me the taxpayers have had a lot to say about their frustrations over the delays and changes in the regionalization plans. The boards of Education have remained silent, leaving Dr. Beams to be the spokesperson  not only on the educational aspects, where indeed she should have say, but in the financial side of it, which is no part of either an educator’s nor a school board’s primary function. The school boards are in it for the education of our children, it is the municipal leadership who have to decide whether the taxpayers can afford the high cost of education and how best to provide the best at the most economic means.

One of Many

One letter sent to the entire Atlantic Highlands Board of Education and the leadership of the other two boards, told the elected board members that a person in a leadership position should have “ one of their biggest responsibilities  to look at their staff and push them to do their best by utilizing their strengths and to create an environment of empathy and support  for that to be done.”

The writer, a parent, continued “ Dr. Beams has not done this”.  She said  “ It’s easy to write off the teachers and administrators who have left as just people unhappy with change, or who don’t want to adapt to a more demanding environment.”

It might be easy, but at what concern? She asked the board members “ In doing that, you are dismissing valid concerns and  you are not looking clearly at the whole situation.”

The parent explained that teachers and staff are unhappy as a whole. She explained “we are a very close knit community… we value time and energy teachers put into teaching and nurturing  our children” and even said the staff goes “above and beyond.”

  An Environment of Stress

And that’s what’s most troubling, she continued. “When someone comes in and creates an environment of stress, makes changes for the sake of change and sets unrealistic goals but doesn’t take responsibility for the implications of their decisions-  it affects our community.”  She urged the board to “just examine the changes that Dr. Beams has made in the district… address how any of these are positive for our schools.”  Then she expressed the worry and concern of parents in Atlantic Highlands and Highlands about whether Henry Hudson is a good choice for high school for their child.“ She concluded the increase in turnover at Henry Hudson and the changes in education at the elementary school levels  “are making parents feel that Henry Hudson is less desirable to attend now that Dr. Beams is superintendent.”

Her letter to the elected board officials ended with the pleas to  look at “why Dr Beam’s contract was not renewed in Edison and why there is a strong feeling of so many residents that she should not continue to be the superintendent.”

And it was that letter that the Atlantic Highlands Board of Education failed to give any hope or comfort to the parent.  The board advised the writer to take it up with Superintendent.

Want to voice your concerns?

• The next meeting of the Highlands Board of Education is March 20
• Followed by the next meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Board of Education is March 21
• Finally, the next meeting of the Henry Hudson Board of Education is March 22