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A long-running teachers’ contract dispute has apparently been resolved. Class 3 special police officers are headed, eventually, to local schools. Despite those positives, the contentious undertones continue in the Middlesex Borough school district as the 2025-26 academic year gets under way.

Initiatives continue to draw questions from a group of community critics as staff members and students return to the classroom this week.

Dissatisfaction tends to center on the district’s administrative leadership. The decisions and actions of Superintendent Dr. Roberta Freeman can spark lengthy, pointed debate on Middlesex’s community Facebook pages.

It was one year ago that a rocky 2024-25 school year got started. Then, Middlesex Education Association members headed back to work after their union’s contract had expired during the summer and popular Hazelwood School Principal Rich Gianchiglia found himself reassigned to a safety-related principal on assignment position.

Gianchiglia’s reassignment spurred “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”– type questions and comments throughout the year from parents and staff. Seemingly every hiccup that occurred in Hazelwood School operations came under scrutiny in the wake of Gianchiglia’s reassignment.

It remains to been seen if the controversy will ease, or amplify to a new level, a year after the popular principal’s departure from Hazelwood.

Another issue as the new year begins is the mandatory reregistration of students that occurred this summer. As recently as mid-August, officials acknowledged that more than 300 pupils who attended the district during the past school year had yet to reregister. It was anticipated, however, that the number would decrease as pupils pressured their parents to find out their new classroom assignments.

Some community members suspect that a large number of non-resident students have attended Middlesex schools in recent years. The reregistration was seen as a method of potentially weeding them out and lowering costs.

Instead, it could lead to an administrative tug-of-war. Parents of any suspected non-resident student would have the ability to challenge a district decision to remove them. The final decision on appeals would rest with the state’s Commissioner of Education.

The potential scenario exists in which the state backs the continued education of a non-resident student or students in Middlesex schools, despite local efforts to remove them.

A recent event held in conjunction with the Bound Brook school district stoked the already simmering criticism within Middlesex. Freeman’s husband is superintendent of the Bound Brook school system.

Billed as “Stronger Together,” the event included speakers. Vendors distributed free backpacks and other school supplies to students from both districts.

“Are we together? If so, in what respects?” asked one Facebook poster. “What are we partnering with or in?”

The comment spurred replies both pro and con regarding the event.

“Free items for our struggling residents. What’s the issue?” went one reply.

Some commenters asserted it makes more sense to partner Middlesex educational efforts with Dunellen.

“Maybe you should have gone to the event and asked your questions,” responded one supporter of the event.

The post devolved into a criticism of Freeman and her husband. A commenter noted that Middlesex parents’ emails and board meeting questions sometimes receive no reply.

It continued. One commenter claimed the two superintendents had engaged in a “publicity stunt” by staging the event.

The district’s leadership figures to be a prominent issue in the coming months as six candidates are vying for three, three-year Board of Education seats in the Nov. 4 general election.

Former board members Jeanette DeJesus and Kelly Giardina are running as a team. An opposing slate comprises Republican Councilman Jeremiah Carnes, former GOP Councilman Martin Quinn and running mate Justine Decker. The sixth candidate in the race is Natasha Rouse.

One district-related matter, however, will not make it to the November ballot. An envisioned petition effort has been shelved, It would have sought a ballot question on giving the mayor board appointment power. Organizers found many voters wanted to retain the right to directly elect the school board.

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