Dear Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District,

Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.

To the extent the records custodian requires the certifications set forth in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(k) or related provisions of law, I certify that:

I have not been convicted of an indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I will not use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I am not seeking these records in connection with any legal proceeding.

I am kindly requesting the following records from January 1, 2022, to the present:

1. Contracts and Purchasing Records
Records related to the purchase, lease, licensing, maintenance, or operation of:
Security camera systems
AI-enabled video surveillance systems
Facial recognition technology
Biometric identification systems
Gun-detection, vape-detection, behavioral-analysis, or other video analytics systems
Please include contracts, purchase orders, invoices, RFPs, bid specifications, vendor proposals, board resolutions, amendments, and renewals.

2. Policies and Procedures
All policies, procedures, guidelines, training materials, administrative regulations, and parent/student notices governing:
Video surveillance of students
Facial recognition technology
Collection or use of biometric information
Data retention and deletion
Data sharing with vendors, law enforcement, or third parties
Student privacy protections

3. Parent and Student Notification
Records showing whether and how parents, guardians, students, or staff are notified that they are being recorded or subject to automated surveillance, including notices, consent forms, handbooks, website postings, and board policies.

4. Biometric and Personal Data Storage
Records describing:
What biometric or personal information is collected
Where such information is stored
How long it is retained
Who has access to it
Whether vendors maintain or access such data

5. Funding Sources
Records sufficient to identify all funding sources used to purchase, maintain, or expand these technologies, including but not limited to:
Federal grants
COVID-relief funds (ESSER, ARP, CARES, etc.)
State school security grants
Bond proceeds
Local capital or operating funds

I am an investigative reporter with NJ.com seeking these records for the purpose of gathering information and reporting on matters of significant public interest concerning the use of surveillance, biometric, facial recognition, and artificial intelligence technologies in New Jersey public schools. Accordingly, I request a waiver of any fees that may otherwise be charged for the production of these records. The requested information is sought for news-gathering and public-information purposes and not for any commercial purpose. If the custodian anticipates any charge that cannot be waived, please notify me in advance and provide an itemized estimate before fulfilling the request.

I request that all responsive records be provided electronically whenever possible. To the extent records exist in electronic format, I request that they be produced electronically to avoid duplication costs.

My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. If any portion of this request is denied, please identify the specific legal basis for the denial and produce all reasonably segregable non-exempt records. As required by OPRA, I look forward to your response within seven business days of receipt of this request.

If responsive records are voluminous, please provide records on a rolling basis as they become available.

Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.

Yours faithfully,
Nicole Rosenthal
Investigative Reporter
NJ.com