NJ scolds cash-hungry district for wasting school aid on adult ‘fun’

💲 Event used state educational aid

💲Department of Education investigation demands refund

💲Superintendent Roger Leon called it a learning experience

NEWARK — The billion-dollar school district in New Jersey largest city will refund the state the money it spent on a "fun day" for Board of Education staff and administrators.

The June 1 event at Forest Lodge in Warren Township for 275 adults and 140 children at Forest Lodge in Warren Township cost $43,813, according to the state Department of Education’s Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance. The district used $33,000 in state aid.

The district had justified the expense by saying that it supported the district's strategic plan for the next 10 years. In June, district officials told New Jersey 101.5 the event served a "valuable purpose" to promote employee wellness, fitness, and morale.

According to the OFAC, the district paid for a DJ, four inflatable carnival booths, a police officer, and a rescue squad on standby. There was an egg toss competition, a corn hole tournament, scavenger hunt, limbo competition, hula hoop contest and relay races. Photos of the event also showed volleyball, basketball, and a rock climbing wall.

"The activities held during Fun Day were largely recreational and focused on leisure, competition and amusement. There were no educational lectures, training seminars or other after-action discussions conducted to evaluate or reflect on the outcome of team building exercises," OFAC said in a letter to school superintendent Roger Leon. "The event did not demonstrate a clear connection to the district's strategic objections or organizational development."

Newark's school district, serving more than 57,000 students, has a budget of $1.5 billion and is expected to get $1.25 billion in state aid next year.

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Guidance for future Fun Day events

The Newark Board of Education voted at its Nov. 24 meeting to comply with a directive from the OFAC to reimburse the state $33,000 after finding a “lack of educational or professional development content” with most activities led by the lodge staff.

During the meeting, Leon tried to find the positive in OFAC's findings and thanked them for providing guidance for future "fun" events.

"We appreciate the team from OFAC because what they did was provide us with guidance on how we can actually have Fun Day this year and what they would expect on our selection on a number of activities," Leon said.

Board attorney Brenda Liss said the board by adopting it resolution to pay back the state aid it was not admitting any violation and does not think there was a violation.

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Other districts struggle while Newark parties

The event was criticized by Republican lawmakers who pointed out districts like Jackson which are struggling with state education aid cuts.

"Newark school district is thumbing its nose at the more than 150 school districts that are facing educationally damaging cuts this year, as well as their own students who need air conditioning,"  state Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmoth, said.

Several schools in Newark are over 100 years old and lack central air conditioning, PIX 11 reported

Previous reporting by Rick Rickman was used in this report

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