TOMS RIVER, NJ – The Toms River Board of Education is seeking input from the community about how to proceed in an era of COVID-19 and in the absence of Superintendent David Healy. The district has created a community survey for residents to take. That survey, the board says, will help guide the future decisions of the district.
In a press release, the district announced it has scheduled a series of virtual meetings and released a survey in order to solicit stakeholder input and feedback with regard to our community’s collective aspirations for the school district as it moves into a new era of leadership.
“It is the board’s hope that stakeholders will use these opportunities to share what they appreciate about our district and to help our leaders understand how they can better serve the community in the future,” the board said in a statement.
A staff-only version of the 2020 Toms River Regional Schools Survey was issued by the board to all TRRS staff members this week. The community version of the survey was shared via email with school families, but can also be accessed here and completed by families with children in the district, as well as other community stakeholders. Through the survey, stakeholders will have the opportunity to register for upcoming virtual community meetings.
The last such survey conducted in 2013 informed the goal-setting process through today and helped spur core initiatives in technology and facilities, as well as develop programs such as full-day kindergarten and Career Academies at each of our high schools. These methods of soliciting feedback will likewise help our next superintendent and the board of education set goals for the coming years.
For the upcoming virtual meetings, stakeholders can participate either by video or phone call, with each speaker receiving three minutes. Each session– with the exception of the one for TRRS staff– will be capped at 45 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. In an effort to hear from as many community members as possible, each stakeholder will only be permitted to speak once. If there is incredible demand, the board will add sessions.
Meetings will be streamed from Conference Room A at 1144 Hooper Avenue and will be available for the public to view on the district’s YouTube channel. Community members interested in participating can, again, RSVP via the community survey or call 732-505-5500, extension 500005 or 500007. The virtual meeting dates are as follows:
- Oct. 15, 3 p.m.: for ALL staff only
- Oct. 16, 3 p.m.: for TRRS families with children in the district
- Oct. 19, 6 p.m.: for TRRS families with children in the district
- Oct. 20, 6 p.m.: for TRRS families with children in the district
- Oct. 22, 6 p.m.: for community members without children enrolled in the district
- Oct. 23, 3 p.m.: for TRRS families with children in the district
