It’s thumbs up for Daniel Anderson, who was reappointed as Bloomfield Board of Education president earlier this week. Anderson, seen looking at camera, is pictured above in a photo taken last summer.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Dan Anderson has been appointed president of the Bloomfield Board of Education, according to the board secretary, Patti Wilson. The appointment was made by Monica Tone, the Hudson County Superintendent of Schools. This was required after voting for board president ended in a 4-4 tie between Anderson and Jill Fischman, at the reorganizational meeting Jan. 5. Board member Diane Fuller was absent from the meeting and did not vote. Anderson was the board president last year.
In case of a tie, the Essex County superintendent, Joe Zarro, makes the decision. However, there was a conflict of interest since his daughter works for the Bloomfield School District, Wilson said.
“It’s finally decided,” Anderson said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. “I think it was decided last night and I found out this morning when Patti sent a note to me.”
At the reorganizational meeting Anderson had also been elected vice-president.
“Right now, because I wasn’t sworn in as president, I’m vice president,” he said. “The next meeting, we’ll vote for a vice president.”
He had several ideas for the coming year.
“I want to move ahead with more workshops and retreats for the board,” he said. “I’d like to have some authentic assessments for children. They would be project-based assessments, in one elementary school, and move on from there.”
Anderson said he had mentioned his idea for project-based assessments to Superintendent Sal Goncalves and now it was time for the board to show alternatives to standardized testing. The Bloomfield BOE was staunchly opposed to PARCC testing last year, passing a resolution supporting parents who wanted their children to not take the series of tests. At the time, Anderson said the Bloomfield BOE was the first board in the state with such a resolution.
In the coming year, he also said the board should look at what preparations Bloomfield children were being given for their future.
“Everyone can’t be on the same track,” he said. “Some students don’t need need college for careers.”
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