District News

On February 10, 2026, the entire eighth grade class at Bernardsville Middle School hosted a Research Symposium. The event was the culmination of a literacy initiative run by Brett Cox, Pilar Medina,  Dawn Russo, Jessica Tynan and Danielle McGovern who were recognized at the February 19th Board of Education Meeting.

Students spent the month of January expanding their repertoire of research skills. As part of a non-fiction reading unit, objectives included understanding and analyzing arguments in a text, as well as making real world connections. Using research questions they wanted to explore, students brainstormed and chose their own topics, beginning with broad ideas and narrowing their focus. Topics such as

AI, health and medicine, freedom of speech, climate change, and economics were of high interest to the 8th graders.

There was high energy and excitement as parents and community members came together to support and engage with the students. They presented their organized information with visuals while enhancing their public speaking skills. “It was an amazing event; it showcased the efficacy of our curriculum, the passion of our teachers, and the strong critical thinking skills of our students,” shared Dr. Coleen Butler, Assistant Superintendent.