Van Ginneken, Hoffman to lead Hardyston school board

Hardyston Board of Education members Ron Hoffman and Dave Van Ginneken exchanged their roles of board president and vice president, respectively, at the annual reorganization meeting Jan. 3.

Van Ginneken will serve as president and Hoffman as vice president in 2023.

Mike Ryder, chief school administrator, said both men have attained the highest credentials possible for board members. They “are servants to children and always have children first and foremost in their decision-making foundation.”

“Mr. Hoffman was an invested president. He didn’t seek conflict but he didn’t hide from it either. He did not allow the board to micromanage but instead focused on the greater vision from the strategic plan created by the Hardyston community,” he added.

Jean Barrett, Ed Reinle and Tony Alfano were sworn in as new board members at the meeting.

Ryder thanked the other board members and past members for being “collaborative, inquisitive and thoughtful as we navigate our way through $1 million in state aid reductions and COVID.”

Among the board’s accomplishments in the past six years were new programs for gifted and talented students, implementing diagnostic assessments and the Otus learning management system for program analysis, and creating intervention teaching positions to target student deficiencies, Ryder said.

Also added were Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Girl’s Circle and Special Olympics Unified Clubs; new service positions to reduce reliance on outsourcing; improved communication with the community by providing weekend updates; and monthly school board recognition of students and staff.

The Hardyston district has increased security at the elementary and middle schools by rerouting traffic patterns; adding security cameras, double-lock vestibules, keyless entry and silent alarms; putting protective film on all first-level windows; and working closely with the police, Ryder said.

Facility upgrades include new boilers at the elementary school; new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in the main offices; new furniture and floors; drainage repairs; water hookups to the municipality; improvements to the middle school’s media center; and shared services with Ogdensburg, Franklin and Hamburg districts.