Dear Holmdel Township School Community,

I trust this message finds you well and having enjoyed a restful long weekend.

In about two months, the administration will present the 2026-27 not-to-exceed budget to the Board of Education for approval. To keep the community informed, I will continue sharing updates, video clips, and resources that provide context on our district’s financial situation and budget decisions.

A short video from the December 10 Education/Public Committee of the Whole meeting offers high-level budget information and may help expand stakeholders’ understanding. Please click here to watch the video.

Upcoming Board of Education meetings will include public discussions on topics such as negotiations (as allowed under confidentiality rules), the budget, and the district’s ongoing review of potential outsourcing of custodial services.

We strongly encourage community members to attend these meetings in person or via live stream. As always, thank you for your continued engagement.

Schools nationwide, including here in New Jersey, have reported several dangerous and disruptive social media trends, many originating on platforms such as TikTok, that have begun to impact student behavior in school settings. These include property-damage challenges, such as variations of the “Devious Licks” trend, which involve stealing or destroying school property; the “Chromebook Challenge,” where objects are inserted into laptop ports, creating serious electrical and fire hazards; and so-called “messy challenges” that result in damage to bathrooms, cafeterias, and courtyards.

Nationwide, these behaviors have led to significant destruction of school property, including clogged plumbing, damaged electrical outlets, and compromised safety conditions. In addition, schools are seeing an increase in other concerning online behaviors, such as mock or impersonation school-related social media accounts used to ridicule students or staff, the sharing of inappropriate or boundary-crossing content, and prank-based actions that can escalate into threat-related incidents, requiring administrative and, at times, law-enforcement intervention.

While thankfully, our district has been largely unimpacted by these trends, we encourage families to speak with their children about responsible digital citizenship, the real-world consequences of online behavior, and the importance of making safe, respectful choices both in and out of school.

Join us for this fun, family-friendly production full of music, magic, and amazing student talent! 

Thursday, January 22 & Friday, January 23 6:00 PM (running time: 65 min) You won’t want to miss it—come support our students and enjoy the show! Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and are available for Purchase Online at Holmdel VPA Tix will also be available for purchase at the door- CASH ONLY- All tickets are general admission. Wear your favorite Disney costume and come meet the cast! 

We hope to see you there!

Kindergarten 2026–2027 registration opens on Friday, January 16th. Please visit the Holmdel School District website, www.holmdelschools.org, to access the Kindergarten Registration Portal. Families may upload all required registration documentation and, if desired, schedule an optional online appointment with the school. In-person registration appointments will take place Wednesday through Friday, February 24–26, at Village Elementary School. An in-person appointment is not required if documents are submitted through the portal.

On the home page, select the “Registration Information” box, then click the “2026–2027 PreK and Kindergarten New Student Registration Only” link to create a portal account and, if documents are not submitted through the portal, schedule an appointment.

Help make Holmdel High School’s Project Graduation Class of 2026 an amazing all-night, drug- and alcohol-free celebration for our seniors—free of charge for every graduate! Your generosity ensures this cherished tradition continues and creates lasting memories for our kids.

👉 Donate now: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/project-graduation-class-of--2026

Key Club and the HTEA, in conjunction with the NY Blood Center, are sponsoring a blood drive at Holmdel High School on Friday, January 30, from 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM in the auxiliary gym, and they desperately need your help.

Though the drive is designed to encourage student donors, we also have many staff members who donate at these drives, as well as community members, and this time they are all needed. The NY Blood Center just sent out a press release on January 6 declaring a blood shortage emergency, which means every donation is vital. 

 

Winter weather, holiday disruptions, and illness have significantly reduced donations, while hospital demand remains steady. All blood types are urgently needed, with O-negative and O-positive especially critical for emergency care. New Jersey's blood supply is less than a two-day inventory, far below what hospitals need to care for patients.

 

The upcoming blood drive at Holmdel High School is even more incredibly important given the circumstances, so please consider donating. 

 

If you are unable to attend the drive, please consider making an appointment at a nearby donor center or mobile drive at nybc.org or by calling 1-800-933-2566. The NY Blood Center press release can be found here (attached) for more information and links. 

Key Club and the HTEA thank you for your time and attention. 

Join the HFEE for an elegant evening benefiting the Holmdel Foundation for Educational Excellence.

The Tillinghouse | Eatontown, NJ

Attire: Black Tie Optional