East Brunswick Schools Welcome Back Students, Spotlight New Strategic Plan

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — East Brunswick Public Schools welcomed students, families and staff back for the new school year on Wednesday, with district leaders spotlighting the launch of the district's 2026-2030 strategic plan, titled "Ready for What Comes Next."

In a message to the district, Superintendent Evelyn Mamman and Board of Education President Marianne Tanious welcomed students, families, teachers, staff and administrators back for the new year.

Mamman said teachers and administrators spent the summer "learning, planning and defining their practice" to provide the best experiences for students. She said the district stayed active over the summer with extended school year programs, summer camps and enrichment opportunities, while facilities and operations teams worked behind the scenes on projects to ensure safe and welcoming learning environments.

Mamman first announced the strategic plan on July 24, saying it "was not written for our community; it was written by our community," according to a previous Patch report.

The plan was developed over the past year through a community engagement process that included listening sessions for students, surveys and forums for families and community members, virtual sessions for educators, counselors, paraprofessionals and other support staff, and sessions for principals, supervisors and a steering committee of Board members and central office administrators.

Mamman said the strategic plan "is more than a document" and represents a shared vision shaped by the voices of students, families, staff, community members and the Board of Education.

Six themes emerged consistently across every group involved and now serve as the plan's core values: care, trust, relationships, belonging, communication and excellence. Each value is paired with an overarching goal, including ensuring every student, staff member and family is seen, known and responded to with urgency, and ensuring every student has equitable access and a sense of belonging in the district's schools and programs.

The district serves more than 8,150 students across 11 schools, with 57 languages spoken among the student body, according to the plan. The district reports a 96 percent graduation rate and more than 50 percent AP participation, and says it ranks in the top 1 percent for school diversity in New Jersey and in the top 20 percent in the state for science proficiency.

The plan will be implemented over a five-year horizon, with each year assigned a distinct focus: establishing systems and launching key initiatives in 2026 ("Foundation"); expanding proven strategies in 2027 ("Acceleration"); driving student outcomes in 2028 ("Growth"); scaling successful programs in 2029 ("Innovation"); and embedding long-term success in 2030 ("Sustainability"). Progress will be reviewed regularly by leadership teams, cabinet offices and the Board of Education, with updates shared publicly through presentations, dashboards and annual reports.

In their message, Tanious called the start of the school year "special" and full of new opportunities, experiences and goals for students. She thanked teachers, staff and administrators for their work preparing for the year and encouraged students to challenge themselves, try new things, support one another and enjoy the school year.

Tanious said student success and experience are "the heart of everything the district does" and said she looks forward to the school community's accomplishments in the year ahead.

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