The Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education’s October 13 meeting highlighted student achievement and district accountability, high Advanced Placement (AP) results and top scores in the state’s quality-assurance review.
The evening opened with recognitions of Timberlane Middle School’s nationally honored “STEMpathy” project and student author Aarna Desai, whose writing won the American Writers Museum’s John Estey competition. From celebration, the board shifted to fiscal matters and academic outcomes that reflected steady gains district-wide.
Bond refunding to save taxpayers money
Business Administrator Robert Colavita presented a refunding bond ordinance authorizing up to $21.9 million to refinance 2016 school bonds at a lower interest rate.
“The term of the bonds remains the same, but we’ll see savings through reduced interest,” Colavita said.The public hearing drew no comments, and the measure passed unanimously. Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece thanked the finance team for what she described as responsible stewardship that benefits taxpayers.
QSAC review confirms district compliance
The board also approved submission of the district’s New Jersey QSAC (self-assessment) for 2025–26, the state’s monitoring process covering five performance areas. Hopewell Valley self-scored 100 percent in Fiscal Management, Governance, Operations, and Personnel, with Instruction & Program temporarily listed at 40 percent pending statewide assessment data.
Dr. Pam Lilleston noted that the partial score reflects missing state data, not local deficiencies. Dr. Vicky Pilitsis added that the figure will be updated once NJDOE releases test results early next year.
Board President Anita Williams Galliano said that the review was a good accountability check making sure that all the systems in place are working.
High AP performance and rising SAT averages
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Vicky Pilitsis presented the district’s Achievement Report, showing Hopewell Valley Central High School students earned high results on Advanced Placement exams and continued to outperform peers statewide.
- 97 percent of AP exam scores were 3 or higher (up from 95.8 percent).
- 34 percent earned a 5, the highest score.
- The district celebrated three National Merit Semifinalists and more than 170 AP-level award recipients.
Pilitsis credited strong vertical alignment and collaboration among teachers for preparing students to take on rigorous coursework.The report also showed Hopewell Valley’s mean SAT score (1243) exceeded both the state average (1062) and the national average (1009), continuing a five-year trend of steady improvement.
Focus on math and equity
Board members Dr. Pam Lilleston and Dhruv Kapadia asked about closing math achievement gaps on state NJSLA exams. Pilitsis said the curriculum team is analyzing standards by course and increasing opportunities for practice with complex problem types.Superintendent Treece added, “We’re proud of these results, but we also know that sustained excellence requires attention to the gaps. Equity and achievement go hand-in-hand.”
Community questions on AP access and enrollment data
During public comment, parent Luis Martinez asked whether the district would expand AP offerings to include subjects such as Computer Science Principles or Environmental Science for additional sections. Pilitsis said new courses are reviewed annually “based on interest, scheduling, and available staff.”
Pennington resident Sylvia Costas requested more public information on student-enrollment trends related to PILOT-funded housing, citing community interest in how growth in the new developments affects class sizes. Treece responded that a demographic analysis is underway and will be released when finalized: “Transparency matters — we’ll share accurate numbers as soon as they’re verified.”
District Earns High Marks in Anti-Bullying Review
Supervisor of Counseling Corrine Rutt presented the 2024-25 Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights (ABR) self-assessment, a state-mandated review of prevention programs, training, and incident reporting. Each Hopewell Valley school again scored well above the state’s threshold of 50 points, with most buildings earning ratings that exceeded requirements in multiple categories.
Rutt explained that school-based safety teams meet several times each year to review data and that the district’s high marks reflect an emphasis on character education, staff training, and student relationships.
Board members discussed public understanding of what constitutes harassment, intimidation, or bullying under New Jersey law and emphasized the district’s policy of reviewing all reported cases for consistency and follow-through.
Special-Education Services Drive Budget Presentation
Director of Pupil Services Paulette DiNardo presented the 2025-26 Pupil Services budget. Treece described it as part of the administration’s ongoing effort to show residents how education dollars are allocated.
The report detailed both the scale of student needs and the rising costs of mandated services.Key figures include:
- 784 students receive Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and about 250 have Section 504 plans.
- 47 students are educated in 20 out-of-district programs, an increase over last year.
- Out-of-district tuition totals about $3.53 million for in-state private programs, $297,000 for out-of-state schools, and $226,000 for the Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf.
- Federal IDEA funding will offset approximately $892,000 of those tuition costs.
DiNardo said the district continues to invest in bringing students back in-district by expanding multiple-disabilities classrooms and preschool special-education sections and by maintaining partnerships that support inclusion, such as Unified Sports and Best Buddies.
Board Member Mark Peters noted that the growth in specialized programs underscores the need to plan for classroom space and long-term facilities needs.
Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece added that while these services are both legally required and educationally essential, they create “real budget pressure” for future years.
Health-Insurance Costs Expected to Rise Sharply
As part of the broader budget overview, board member ADr. Alex Reznik also flagged employee health-insurance premiums as a major cost driver for 2025-26.
Business Administrator Robert Colavita said early projections from the district’s carrier show double-digit percentage increases that could add millions of dollars in expenses to the operating budget.
The administration is reviewing options within its health-benefit consortium but cautioned that most New Jersey districts are facing similar hikes driven by medical inflation and higher claim activity.Treece noted that personnel and benefits together make up more than three-quarters of the district’s total budget, emphasizing that even modest percentage increases in health costs have significant fiscal impact.
She said the goal of these monthly presentations is to give the community a transparent picture of where funds are spent and how those pressures shape next year’s budget proposal.
Treece said the administration will continue presenting detailed reviews of major budget areas as the board develops their next budget
Accountability and achievement
Williams-Galiano noted that the evening’s reports reflected strong connections between the district’s financial stewardship and its academic performance.
