BOE Approves Closing Schools on Election Day

At its Thursday meeting at Brooklawn Middle School, the Parsippany Board of Education easily passed a measure to change the school calendar to allow educational buildings that house students to shut down on election days.

The move will be in place for the next school year, said BOE member Fran Orthwein; schools will be closed on Nov.5, general election day, and June 3, 2014, primary election day.

Under the plan teacher orientation and development will be offered Sept. 1, teachers will have Sept. 2 and 3 for preparation days and students in grades 6 and 9 will report for their orientation Sept. 4.

"We took away Dr. Martin Luther King day—for this one year only—while we look at whether we'll permanently adjust our calendar," Orthwein said. She suggested that the district identify specific schools that have security issues when considering whether to consider future school closings.

Acting Superintendent of Schools John T. Fitzsimons said the district is negotiating with election officials to see what would be the best approach for the future.

"All in all, this is a win for our students and faculty," he said, adding an instruction to teachers to ensure, given the loss of the holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader in 2014,  that lessons covering Dr. King's accomplishment be reinforced with students. 

"We want to make sure Dr. King received his rightful recognition," Fitzsimons said.