WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education kicked off the new year with its reorganization meeting on Jan. 8, swearing in new BOE member Ken Alper, unanimously electing new President Ron Charles and Vice President Mark Robertson, and approving 2018 BOE liaisons.
In addition to joining the board, Alper was designated as the delegate to the New Jersey School Boards Association, with Charles serving as the alternate. BOE member Sandra Mordecai is the liaison to the Essex County School Boards Association, while BOE member Irv Schwarzbaum is the alternate.
Alper will also serve as the legislative chairperson of the BOE, with Charles as the alternate. The Negotiations Committee is made up of Robertson and Mordecai, who will also be co-policy chairpersons. Alper and Schwarzbaum will serve as the township and Township Council liaisons, and Alper and Robertson make up the Public Relations Committee.
“I want to thank my colleagues, all four who have reached out to me separately between November and now so that I could, if not hit the ground running, at least at a decent jog,” Alper said at the meeting, addressing the public and the other BOE members. He also thanked Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Rutzky and board secretary John Calavano who, he said, “were all fantastic getting me everything I needed to get moving, so I’m happy to be here and I look forward to working with everyone.”
Charles thanked the BOE members for electing him president.
“Thanks to my colleagues for their support and selecting me for president,” he said at the meeting. “I look forward to working with everyone on the board and in the administration, and Mr. Robertson as vice president. I think we’re off to a good start, a good year. I look forward to hearing from the public this year and including the community in a lot of the decisions and a lot of the policies and ideas that work for us a board.”
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
Charles to helm WOBOE in 2018 added by Amanda Valentovic on
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