Use the Right Garfield BOE Meeting, 2026–27 Calendar, Registration or Parent Resource
Garfield Board of Education searches cover much more than the Board office. Families may actually need the 2026–27 school calendar, a BoardDocs agenda, new-student registration, current-student re-registration, PowerSchool, transportation, HIB reporting, Special Services, school health contacts, a transcript or an employment application.
This guide organizes those tasks around the way Garfield Public Schools currently operates and highlights older or conflicting district information that deserves an extra verification step before a family travels, pays, submits private documents or plans student pickup.
What Garfield families should know right now
First student day
September 3, 2026. Garfield identifies it as a one-session day.
Next adopted BOE meeting
August 31, 2026. Executive session at 6:00 p.m.; regular meeting follows at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting location
Garfield Middle School, 175 Lanza Avenue—not the central office at 34 Outwater Lane.
Registration
New students and currently enrolled students use different registration processes.
Dismissal-time conflict
Two official district pages currently display different one-session times.
Older-year resources remain
Meal applications, handbooks, HIB contacts and candidacy pages include older-year wording.
Garfield Board of Education address, phone and leadership
Use Garfield School District as the final source for current notices, forms, calendars, policies and school information.
Open official Garfield School District →Garfield BOE meeting dates, time and location
| Date | Meeting | Before attending |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | BoardDocs + current notice |
| Sept. 28, 2026 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current agenda |
| Oct. 26, 2026 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current agenda |
| Nov. 23, 2026 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current notice |
| Dec. 14, 2026 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current notice |
| Jan. 25, 2027 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | BoardDocs |
| Feb. 22, 2027 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | BoardDocs |
| Mar. 22, 2027 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current notice |
| Apr. 26, 2027 | Work Session / Regular Meeting | Current notice |
Do not rely only on this table. A special meeting, reschedule or legal notice can alter the adopted calendar. Verify the current official posting before traveling.
Check the district’s live meeting-date page immediately before attending.
Verify Garfield BOE Meeting Dates →BoardDocs, meeting dates, recordings and OPRA are different resources
| You need | Best official resource | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming meeting date | Meeting Dates | Base Board calendar |
| Agenda / resolutions | BoardDocs | Item-level meeting material |
| Older agenda | BoardDocs archive | Searchable archived documents |
| Watch Board discussion | Recorded Meetings | Video context |
| Public district record | OPRA Request | Public-record process |
| Current Board rule | Bylaws & Policies | Adopted rules, not summaries |
Garfield uses BoardDocs as its paperless meeting and agenda system.
Open Garfield Board Meeting Resources →Current Garfield Board of Education members
Arlene Patire
President
Larrisa Ihsan
Vice President
Adrian Diaz
Board Member
Allan B. Focarino
Board Member
Alban Gaba
Board Member
William J. Oddo
Board Member
Julio Quiles
Board Member
Sean D. Redzio
Board Member
Daniel A. Taylor, Jr.
Board Member
The Board hub also currently provides 2026–27 BOE school committees, the 2026–27 User Friendly Budget and the March 30, 2026 budget presentation.
Check the official Board page immediately before citing current officer roles.
Open Garfield Board of Education →Garfield school calendar dates families should plan around
Staff return
Sept. 1–2, 2026
No students
First student day
Sept. 3, 2026
One session
Calendar total
180 student days
183 staff days
Last day
June 22, 2027
High School graduation
| Date | School-calendar item | Family action |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 3–4 | One-session student days | Confirm pickup time |
| Sept. 7 | Labor Day — no school | School closed |
| Oct. 9 | GFT one-session day | Early dismissal |
| Oct. 12 | Staff PD — no students | Childcare planning |
| Oct. 28 | Half-day / staff PD | Check school schedule |
| Nov. 3 | Schools closed | No regular classes |
| Nov. 5–6 | Schools closed | No regular classes |
| Nov. 25 | One-session day | Early pickup |
| Nov. 26–27 | Schools closed | Thanksgiving period |
| Dec. 2 | One-session students / staff PD | Early pickup |
| Dec. 23 | District one-session day | Early pickup |
| Dec. 24–31 | Holiday recess | Schools closed |
| Jan. 1, 2027 | New Year’s Day | Schools closed |
| Jan. 18 | MLK Jr. observance | Schools closed |
| Jan. 27 | One-session students / PD | Early pickup |
| Feb. 15–19 | Winter Break | District closed |
| Mar. 3 | One-session students / PD | Early pickup |
| Mar. 19 | One-session students / GFT half-day | Verify dismissal |
| Mar. 26 | District closed | No school |
| Apr. 5–9 | Spring Break | See emergency-day rule |
| May 31 | Memorial Day | All schools closed |
| June 16–22 | One-session student days | Final-week early pickup |
| June 22 | Last day / High School graduation | Recheck emergency-day use |
Emergency make-up order: after the two allotted emergency closing days, Garfield says additional days would be added in the order April 9, April 8, then April 7, 2027. The Superintendent may adjust the calendar as necessary.
Reopen the official 2026–27 calendar before making a non-refundable or date-sensitive decision.
Open Garfield 2026–27 District Calendar →One-session and delayed-opening times require an extra check
Garfield currently publishes conflicting one-session information on two official pages. The dedicated School Closings-Dismissal Times page is summarized below, but a second official Closings page shows different elementary, middle and high-school times. Confirm the student’s school notice on the actual day.
| Level | Regular dismissal | One-session page #1 | Delayed opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool | 2:25 p.m. | 12:05 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
| Elementary | 2:45 p.m. | 1:05 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
| Middle School | 3:05 p.m. | 1:28 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
| High School | 2:44 p.m. | 1:15 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
The second official Closings page currently shows: elementary 12:55 p.m., middle 12:54 p.m., high school 1:16 p.m. and preschool 12:05 p.m.; it also shows preschool delayed opening at 9:55 a.m. Because the district itself is inconsistent, the school-specific/current-day notice is safer than blindly choosing either table.
How Garfield announces weather changes
Use the current district closing notice plus the student’s school communication.
Check Garfield Closings & Dismissal Times →Do not send every Garfield school task to 34 Outwater Lane
| Task | Location | Phone / extension |
|---|---|---|
| Central Administration / Board | 34 Outwater Lane | 973-340-5000 |
| Student Registration | 32 Outwater Lane | ext. 2316 / 2308 |
| Food Services | 32 Outwater Lane | 973-340-5000 • by appointment only |
| Transportation | 125 Outwater Lane | ext. 2313 / 2340 |
| Special Services | 541 Palisade Avenue | ext. 2022 / 2013 |
| Technology | 500 Palisade Ave. / 175 Lanza Ave. | ext. 2231 / 2230 |
| BOE Meeting | Garfield Middle School, 175 Lanza Ave. | Check current notice |
Garfield Pre-Registration PreK–12 is only for students new to the district
Confirm the child is new to Garfield Public Schools
If already enrolled, stop and use re-registration instead.
Open Pre-Registration PreK–12
Choose preschool or K–12 instructions as applicable.
Prepare residency and student documents
Use the current district instructions rather than an old checklist from search.
Complete all required fields and uploads
Incomplete registration can delay processing.
Residency verification: Garfield says enrolled students may be subject to residency verification during the school year and warns that families determined ineligible may face removal and back-tuition consequences.
Use the official registration hub rather than a school-level old registration post.
Open Garfield Student Registration →Already enrolled? Use Garfield re-registration instead
Open the current Re-Registration Form
This process is specifically for students already attending the district.
List enrolled children accurately
Complete every required field.
Prepare acceptable documents
The district identifies proof of residency, identification and its acceptable-document / 8-point system.
Submit the complete packet together
Garfield warns incomplete submissions can delay re-registration.
Review before sending
Check names, addresses and uploaded documents before submission.
Use the district’s re-registration process instead of creating a new-student registration.
Open Garfield Re-Registration →PowerSchool, Realtime for SPED, tech support and text alerts are not the same tool
| Need | Use | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Grades / parent portal | PowerSchool Parent Portal | Parent academic/student access |
| SPED portal | Realtime Portal for SPED | Separate Special Education system |
| Student technology problem | Student Tech HelpDesk | Account/device assistance |
| Parent technology help | Parent Tech Support | Parent-facing technology assistance |
| Emergency texts | Sign Up for Text Notifications | District communication |
| 2026–27 changes | Policy Updates for 26-27 | Current school-year policy updates |
| School performance | NJ School Performance Reports | Public school/district data |
Account safety: start from gboe.org before entering a PowerSchool, Realtime, Office 365 or student-system password. Do not send login credentials through an unofficial support form.
The current Parents hub is the safest starting point for Garfield family systems.
Open Garfield Parent Resources →Laptop, Office 365 or school-account problem?
The district describes a 1:1 laptop initiative and maintains student/parent technology-help routes. Use the Help Desk before physically visiting a school for a device problem unless the district directs you to do so.
Use Garfield’s official Technology Department for district systems, devices and account help.
Open Garfield Technology →Garfield transportation office, delayed opening and route questions
Use the department page for current contacts and delayed-opening information.
Open Garfield Transportation →Garfield Food Services still displays a 2025–26 lunch-application label
Do not silently relabel it. As reviewed August 15, 2026, the live Food Services page still says “Lunch Applications for 2025-2026.” Verify that the district has published or activated the correct 2026–27 application before submitting household information.
Check the school year printed on the actual application before completing it.
Check Garfield Food Services →Child Study Team, intervention, evaluation and IEP pathway
Concern about progress
A parent or school identifies that a student is not making expected progress.
Intervention may occur
Garfield describes support through Intervention and Referral Services (IR&S).
Child Study Team referral
The team reviews records, school performance, teacher input, parent concerns and prior interventions.
Evaluation decision
If evaluation is warranted, parent consent is obtained.
Eligibility and IEP
If eligible, an IEP is developed and implemented with parent consent.
The district’s Special Services page describes the identification-to-program-implementation process as subject to a 90-day time limit. Use the student’s actual CST/Special Services team for case-specific timing and requirements.
Privacy: IEPs, evaluations and disability/medical details should go through secure Special Services or school channels—not a public BOE comment or unofficial form.
Use Garfield Special Services for the current department pathway and resources.
Open Garfield Special Services →How Garfield says parents, students and employees should report possible HIB
Parent
Contact the building Principal. A parent may also complete the online initial form but is not required to under the posted instructions.
Student
Tell the Principal, Anti-Bullying Specialist, teacher, paraprofessional, security staff or another trusted school employee.
Anonymous
The district allows anonymous reporting by students or parents, but says district employees may not use that route.
The district homepage currently identifies Jessica Piskuloski as District Anti-Bullying Coordinator at 500 Palisade Avenue, phone 973-340-5010 ext. 2150.
School-level contact freshness: Garfield’s separate District HIB Contact List is still labeled 2024–2025. Verify the individual school’s current Anti-Bullying Specialist before sending confidential information to a named staff member from that old list.
Use Garfield’s official reporting page for parent, student, employee and anonymous instructions.
Open Garfield HIB Reporting →School nurse, transcript and OPRA requests use different routes
Student health
District Nurse Coordinator Donna Adamo is listed at 973-340-5039 ext. 3035, while individual schools have assigned nurses.
High-school transcript
Garfield High School Guidance directs transcript inquiries to the Guidance Secretary at ext. 2122.
Public record
Use the district OPRA Request route when requesting an applicable public Board/district record.
Garfield High School transcript checklist
Health privacy: medication, diagnosis, immunization and health-plan information should go only through the nurse/school method requested by Garfield Public Schools.
Garfield Public Schools directory
🧸 Garfield Early Childhood Learning Center
241 Ray Street • 973-253-6600
🧸 Garfield Public Preschool Annex
464 Outwater Lane • 973-253-6600
🧸 Garfield Public Preschool Annex 3
541 Midland Avenue • 973-253-6600
🏫 Washington Irving School #4
12 Madonna Place • 973-340-5034
🏫 Woodrow Wilson School #5
205 Outwater Lane • 973-340-5035
🏫 Abraham Lincoln School #6
111 Palisade Avenue • 973-340-5036
🏫 Theodore Roosevelt School #7
225 Lincoln Place • 973-340-5037
🏫 Christopher Columbus School #8
147 Cedar Street • 973-340-5038
🏫 Thomas Jefferson School #9
62 Alpine Street • 973-340-5039
🏫 James Madison School #10
55 Lincoln Place • 862-306-7190
📚 Garfield Middle School
175 Lanza Avenue • 973-272-7020
🎓 Garfield High School
500 Palisade Avenue • 973-340-5010
School-first tasks: daily attendance, classroom communication, pickup, school nurse questions, teacher contact and local events usually belong with the student’s building rather than Central Administration.
NJ School Performance Report is not an individual student report card
NJ School Performance Reports
Use them for public information about school/district performance, staffing, discipline, credentials and other state-reported indicators.
Individual student progress
Use PowerSchool, teachers and the student’s school for personal grades and academic progress.
The district provides direct links to NJ School Performance Reports for its schools and district.
Open Garfield School Performance Reports →How to verify a current Garfield school job
Open Employment Opportunities
Use the district route rather than an old third-party job listing.
Open current positions in AppliTrack
Confirm the vacancy is still accepting applications.
Check qualifications
Certification, experience and required documentation depend on the position.
Use HR if status is unclear
Contact ext. 2323 if district pages and the applicant system appear inconsistent.
Use the district’s current employment system instead of an indexed old vacancy.
Open Garfield Employment Opportunities →Current budget resources vs an already-completed Board election cycle
2026–27 User Friendly Budget
Current Board navigation links the district’s 2026–27 budget resource.
Budget presentation
The Board page currently links its March 30, 2026 budget presentation.
Board candidacy page
Still describes the completed 2026 cycle: March 2 filing deadline and April 21 election.
Future candidate? Do not reuse the March 2, 2026 petition deadline for another election cycle. Wait for the next official Garfield/NJSBA candidate instructions.
Official Garfield pages that still deserve a school-year check
| Resource | Current visible issue | Safe action |
|---|---|---|
| Food Services | Lunch application says 2025–2026 | Verify 2026–27 before submitting |
| Handbooks | Several handbooks labeled 2025 | Check for newer version |
| HIB contact list | Labeled 2024–2025 | Verify school’s current ABS |
| Board candidacy | 2026 filing/election dates have passed | Wait for next cycle |
| Closings pages | Conflicting one-session times | Use current school notice |
| Older preschool pages | Some school pages still reference prior-year registration | Start from current district Registration |
Common Garfield BOE mistakes and the fastest correction
| Problem | Correct next action |
|---|---|
| Going to 34 Outwater Lane for a BOE meeting | Check Garfield Middle School / current meeting notice. |
| Need agenda items | Use BoardDocs, not only Meeting Dates. |
| Sept. 3 is first day | Remember it is also a one-session day. |
| Two early-dismissal times appear online | Use the latest school-specific notice. |
| New student opened re-registration | Use Pre-Registration PreK–12. |
| Current student opened new-student registration | Use Re-Registration. |
| Visiting Registration on Friday in August | Current notice says closed Fridays in July–August. |
| PowerSchool login looks unfamiliar | Restart from Garfield’s Parents page. |
| Need bus help | Call Transportation ext. 2313 / 2340. |
| Lunch application says 2025–26 | Confirm 2026–27 application before submitting. |
| HIB specialist list says 2024–25 | Use current reporting route and verify school contact. |
| Need a high-school transcript | Use GHS Guidance / ext. 2122 rather than assuming OPRA. |
| Old job appears in search | Confirm it in Garfield’s current AppliTrack system. |
| Want to run for Board next cycle | Do not reuse the completed 2026 filing deadline. |
Related Board of Education resources
Clifton Board of Education
Compare nearby school calendars, Board meetings, registration, office contacts and parent services.
Passaic Board of Education
Useful for Passaic Public Schools meetings, calendar, registration, transportation and family resources.
Garfield Board of Education FAQs
What is the Garfield Board of Education phone number?
The main Garfield School District phone number is 973-340-5000. Individual departments use separate extensions.
Where is the Garfield Board of Education office?
The main district and Board office is at 34 Outwater Lane, Garfield, NJ 07026. Registration, Transportation and Special Services operate from different locations.
When is the next Garfield Board of Education meeting?
As reviewed August 15, 2026, the next adopted meeting date is August 31, 2026. Executive session is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and the regular meeting follows at 7:00 p.m. Verify the current notice before attending.
Where are Garfield BOE meetings held?
The adopted 2026–27 meeting calendar designates Garfield Middle School, 175 Lanza Avenue as the meeting location.
When is the first day of Garfield Public Schools in 2026?
The 2026–27 district calendar lists September 3, 2026 as the first student day. It is also a one-session day.
What time is one-session dismissal in Garfield schools?
The dedicated closings page lists 12:05 p.m. preschool, 1:05 p.m. elementary, 1:28 p.m. middle school and 1:15 p.m. high school, but another official district page displays conflicting times. Verify the child’s current school notice before pickup.
How do I register a new student in Garfield?
Students new to Garfield Public Schools use the Pre-Registration PreK–12 process. The district says this form should not be used for students who are currently enrolled.
How does Garfield re-registration work for current students?
Current students use the separate Re-Registration process and submit the required residency, identification and other supporting documents.
How do I report bullying in Garfield Public Schools?
Parents should contact the building Principal. Students may tell the Principal, Anti-Bullying Specialist or another trusted school employee. Garfield also provides an online reporting form and an anonymous option for students and parents.
Are all Garfield district pages already updated for 2026–27?
No. Some live pages still display prior-year wording, including a 2025–26 lunch application, 2025 handbooks and a 2024–25 HIB contact list. Check the year on the actual resource before relying on it.
Final Garfield Public Schools verification checklist
Official-source review: this guide was rebuilt using Garfield School District’s current Board roster, Meeting Dates, BoardDocs resources, recorded meetings, 2026–27 calendar, Administration, Registration, Re-Registration, Parents, PowerSchool, Technology, Transportation, Food Services, Special Services, HIB Reporting, Health Office, transcript guidance, OPRA, Employment, Human Resources, NJ School Performance Reports and current school pages as reviewed August 15, 2026.
Independent-site notice: BoardofEducations.org is an informational guide and is not Garfield School District or the Garfield Board of Education. Current official notices, policies, calendars, school communications and district forms take priority.