When a new superintendent arrives in East Brunswick, the community pays attention. And with good reason. The position carries enormous influence over curriculum, staffing, budget priorities, special education, communication, and the long-term direction of our schools. It also carries a salary just short of $300,000, funded entirely by East Brunswick taxpayers.
With that level of responsibility — and that level of investment — the community deserves clarity, measurable goals, and open conversation. That was the most important moment of the December 4th Board of Education meeting, and it didn’t come from the superintendent. It came from members of the board.
A New Superintendent Arrives, But the Real Story Isn’t the First-Week Tour
This was Dr. Mamman’s very first BOE meeting as superintendent. She opened her report with energy, warmth, and a long list of visits, concerts, assemblies, productions, banquets, and community events she attended in her first four days. That’s good. That’s expected.
But being present at schools and events is the baseline for the role — not the headline.
The real headline came later.
Because the most significant issue East Brunswick faces right now is not the number of buildings the superintendent toured.
It’s how her goals will be set.
Who will shape them.
And whether the public will ever get to hear the conversation.
The Retreat Debate: A Turning Point for Transparency
Toward the end of the meeting, the board discussed the upcoming superintendent retreat — the session where board members and the superintendent develop:
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her leadership goals
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the district’s priorities
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the metrics by which she will be evaluated
This is the roadmap for the next year of East Brunswick Public Schools.
This is what drives spending.
This is what drives curriculum choices.
This is what drives special education policy.
This is what drives staffing, innovation, and student support.
And it was scheduled to take place entirely behind closed doors.
That’s when Dr. Wilbur Pan spoke up.
He asked whether portions of the retreat could — and should — be made public.
Not all of it. Not the evaluative pieces. Just the goal-setting conversations that shape the district’s future.
Marianne Tanious echoed that point. She even read directly from State School Board guidance, noting that if a quorum is present and public business is being discussed, the public generally must have access.
Their message was simple:
When the board discusses the superintendent’s goals — goals that shape the entire district — the community deserves to hear it.
And they’re right.
Why This Matters: East Brunswick Has Been Here Before
This moment didn’t happen in a vacuum.
For years, under the previous administration, families expressed frustration about:
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vague superintendent goals
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no measurable benchmarks
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unclear communication
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goals presented as polished slides rather than honest discussions
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a sense that major decisions were made long before the public ever heard about them
The community asked repeatedly for transparency and measurable targets.
Now we have a new superintendent, and taxpayers expect the district to learn from the past, not repeat it.
When a leader earns just under $300,000, public accountability is not unreasonable — it’s essential.
A leader at that level should be able to engage in goal-setting discussions without viewing the public as a threat or transparency as an inconvenience.
The Public Deserves More Than a Finished Product
The argument for closing the retreat was that the board needed “alone time,” or that public discussion might feel “awkward.”
But awkwardness is not the standard for transparency.
Public trust is.
When conversations happen behind closed doors, the public fills in the blanks.
When conversations happen in the open, the public gains confidence.
It’s not complicated.
East Brunswick families are not asking for drama or conflict.
They are asking for visibility.
They are asking to understand the priorities that will affect 12,000 students.
They are asking to avoid the guesswork and frustration of the past.
As one board member said — and it bears repeating:
“The more the public knows and understands, the less the community will jump to conclusions.”
Exactly.
Eyes on EB’s Position
We welcome Dr. Mamman and sincerely hope she succeeds. Her success is our children’s success.
But success requires clear, measurable goals, and those goals should not begin as private documents delivered after the fact.
We appreciate Dr. Pan and Dr. Tanious for raising this issue.
We appreciate the board members who engaged thoughtfully.
And we hope that moving forward, goal-setting discussions include a public component, because transparency is not a gift — it’s a responsibility.
East Brunswick taxpayers fund this system.
East Brunswick families live with its decisions.
East Brunswick students feel the impact every day.
And that means East Brunswick deserves a seat in the room where the future of the district is shaped.
Eyes on EB will continue watching.
Because transparency isn’t optional.
It’s the job.
Watch Dr. Pan and Dr. Tanious discuss the Superintendent Goals & Transparency section.
