Dr. Valeski's Current Messages

Good Afternoon East Brunswick Community,

This is Victor Valeski, Superintendent of Schools.

This will likely be one of my shortest messages. 

We have had an impressively successful school opening this year.  This achievement is the result of the extensive planning and preparedness by our talented staff.  I also want to give a huge Thank You to our school community for your continued support.  

Have a great weekend.

 

Good Afternoon East Brunswick Community,

This is Victor Valeski, Superintendent of Schools.

Our teachers are participating in Professional Development today and, as I visit schools, they are excited to welcome their students back for the 2024-2025 school year.

I'm excited too.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone Thursday, September 5th, as our schools come alive with the energy of our students and staff.

By the way, I want to share the following piece that I wrote as a Guest Columnist for the Star Ledger and was published this morning.

Have a great rest of your day!

 

Each step, making this year... Better than the one before.  

By: Dr. Victor Valeski, Superintendent of East Brunswick Public Schools

As educators, we often tell our students that the start of a new school year is a clean slate - a chance to leave behind struggles from the previous year and begin the fall with a positive outlook and an excitement for what’s to come.

And that’s what I would like to do now.

At the end of the last school year, we saw a hurtful divide in our community surrounding an incident involving our yearbook. While an independent investigation found that it happened not out of malice but as a “highly unfortunate error,” we teach our students that we learn from mistakes, and as leaders of the district, we should model for our students what that learning looks like.

Learning begins with listening, which is why over the summer, several school board members, our new high school principal, and I met with Jewish and Muslim religious leaders from the East Brunswick community.   East Brunswick Public Schools has always placed an emphasis on every student’s experience during their educational journey with us.  After our meeting, it was apparent that we need to be more proactive about how we effectively communicate the work we already do to support student life. 

While these meetings won’t erase what happened, they do set us on a path that will enable us to learn from one another and move forward as a unified community.

My intention is to keep lines of communication open as we focus on implementing anti-bias initiatives and character education for our students, staff and families through a variety of Parent University sessions.  These are face to face meetings which will be scheduled during the coming school year.  They provide our school community an opportunity to hear about the on going work of the Board of Education and Administration, as well as a chance to ask questions.

As our healing process continues, we’re continuing to build upon the progress we have made, and I have no doubt that this school year will be better than the last.

Our theme, Each step, making this year... Better than the one before, acknowledges that every step, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in the journey towards a more effective and enriching educational environment. It encourages students, teachers, and the entire school community, including our parents, to view each challenge as an opportunity for growth and to celebrate every achievement along the way.

In practical terms, we hope to inspire innovative teaching practices, enhanced student engagement and more effective use of school resources that leads to better programs. We want our schools to feel inclusive and safe   This year’s theme highlights the importance of reflection and adaptability, ensuring that the lessons learned from past experiences are used to inform and refine our future 

We are working on several critical initiatives that will solidify the excellence that has become synonymous with our school district.

School climate, ongoing anti-bias training and mental health remain top priorities for the Board of Education and Administration.   We have already seen the success that comes when students can be assured that their learning environment is a safe space for them and they are emotionally ready to learn.

We are completing the “master planning” to make sure our high school facilities meet the needs of the future. Whether through a progressive renovation over the next decade or a complete replacement of the high school building on the existing campus, it is critical that we plan for the future and set up our students for continued success.

We plan for a brighter future while simultaneously dealing with the negative impact our school budget faces today as a result of the full implementation of the New Jersey School Funding Formula. It’s no secret this shortfall presents challenges to our organizational structure and personnel. But we are committed to maintaining our reputation as one of the state’s premier and most sought-after school systems.

That reputation also includes the students that prioritize education and strive for the highest level of achievements across all disciplines. It includes the teachers and staff who work tirelessly to instill a genuine love of learning in our young learners and provide them with the tools they need to be successful. And it includes our community that celebrates our accomplishments and supports our students as they prepare for life after graduation.

So, as we begin this new school year, let us commit to a year rich with listening, learning and growth, while we build on the strengths that make our district great.

Our future is bright and full of opportunity. Let’s go get it and make it our best year ever.

 

Good Afternoon East Brunswick Community,

This is Victor Valeski, Superintendent of Schools.

I hope your summer break has been relaxing.  To prepare for the start of the new school I would like to provide a few updates and school opening guidance. 

Our first day of school is Thursday, September 5th.  

• Student forms that need to be completed annually are now available through Parent Access.   

I really need your assistance to make sure all forms are completed this year.  These documents provide important links between the school district and your family.

• All forms need to be submitted no later than Wednesday, August 28th.  If you do not have internet access, please reach out to your child’s school for assistance. 

• On Friday, August 23rd at 3 PM, student schedules and teacher assignments will be available through Parent Access.  Bus passes will be available on Monday, August 26th after 3 PM, through Parent Access. 

I hope you enjoy the last few weeks of summer.