SOMSD School Board Meeting Recap

The District will share a monthly newsletter with the SOMSD community to keep you informed and to provide a recap of key action items discussed and approved by the Board of Education

(BOE) during their monthly regular public session meetings. The BOE meeting recap newsletter will be shared monthly after each regular session public BOE meeting and will only be provided for regular-session Board meetings.

The school board meeting is a business meeting in public and not a meeting with the public. Oftentimes it may appear to members of our audience that the Board of Education takes action with very little comment and in many cases a unanimous vote. Before a matter is placed on the agenda at a public meeting, the Administration has thoroughly reviewed the matter with the Superintendent of Schools/Chief School Administrator (CSA). If the Superintendent of Schools/Chief School Administrator is satisfied that the matter is ready to be presented to the Board of Education, it is then referred to the appropriate Board Committee. The Members of the Board Committee work with Administration and the Superintendent to assure that the members fully understand the matter. After the committee discusses the matter, it is presented to the full Board for discussion before any action is taken. Only then, is it placed on the agenda for action at a public meeting.

• Roll Call

• Pledge of Allegiance

• Student Performance: Seth Boyden AIE Stepping Residency Program

• Student Performance: Marshall Elementary Chorus
  

• Notice of the Meeting

• Approval of Board Minutes: Special Meeting - April 3, 2024

• Approval of Board Minutes: Special Meeting - Superintendent Search - April 13, 2024

• Approval of Board Minutes: Special Meeting - Superintendent Search - April 20, 2024

• Approval of Board Minutes: Regular Meeting - April 25, 2024

• Approval of Board Minutes: Reorganizational Meeting - May 9, 2024

• BOE Student Representative Report

• Regular Public Board of Education Meeting - Agenda and Attachments

• May Board Recognitions

Click on the photo to watch the report.

Click on photo to watch the report.

Click on picture to watch the meeting.

• A full list of action items and associated resolutions is available here.

Approved Resolutions:

• 4610: Approval of Organizational Appointments for SY 2024-2025
• 4611: Personnel Resolutions
• 4612: Substitute Resolutions
• 4613: Out of District Placements For The 2023-2024 School Year
• 4614 A-Q: Financial Reports
• 4615: Approval of New/Revised Curriculum
• 4616: Field Trip Resolution
• 4617: Approval of Tuition Free Students for SY 2023-2024
• 4618: Affirmation of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Investigations For The Month of April 2024
• 4619 A-B: Confidential Settlement Agreements
• 4620 A-C: Adopt Board Policies
• 4621 1-6: Approve Policies For First Read
• 4622 A-B Level IV SOMEA Grievance

There were first readings of the following policies:

• 1140: EDUCATIONAL EQUITY POLICIES/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
  
• 1523 COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN
  
• 2411 GUIDANCE COUNSELING
  
• 3324 RIGHT OF PRIVACY – TEACHING STAFF MEMBERS
  
• 5755 EQUITY IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES (Abolished)
  
• 5842 EQUAL ACCESS OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

There were second readings of the following policies:

• 1530: Equal Employment Opportunities
  
• 1550: Equal Employment/Anti-Discrimination Practices
• 3211: Code of Ethics

On Thursday, June 27th, 2024, 6:30 p.m., the Board of Education is scheduled to hold a regular public meeting at the Central Office Building, 525 Academy St., Maplewood, N.J.

Note: to email all board members, please email boemembers@somsd.k12.nj.us.

Qawi Telesford

Board President

Term: 2022 - 2024

email: qtelesfo@somsd.k12.nj.us

Arun Vadlamani

1st Vice-President

Term: 2022 - 2024

email: avadlama@somsd.k12.nj.us

Nubia DuVall Wilson

2nd Vice-President

Term: 2023 - 2025
email: nwilson@somsd.k12.nj.us

Elizabeth Callahan

Term: 2024 - 2026

email: ecallaha@somsd.k12.nj.us

Regina Eckert

Term: 2023 - 2025
email: reckert@somsd.k12.nj.us

Bill Gifford
Term: 2023 - 2025
email: bgifford@somsd.k12.nj.us

William Meyer

Term: 2024 - 2026

email: wmeyer@somsd.k12.nj.us

Shayna Sackett-Gable

Term: 2024 - 2026

email: ssacket1@somsd.k12.nj.us

Kaitlin Wittleder
Term: 2022 - 2024

email: kwittled@somsd.k12.nj.us

Student Representatives to the Board of Education

Gwyneth Brown
Term: 2023 - 2024
email: boestudentrep1@somsd.k12.nj.us

Asa Glassman
Term: 2023 - 2024
email: boestudentrep2@somsd.k12.nj.us

The mission of the South Orange Maplewood School District is to empower and inspire each student to explore and imagine, to pursue personal passions, and to collectively create a better future by creating a learner-centered environment through multiple pathways; reimagined structures, systems and supports; innovative teaching; partnering with families; and maximizing community expertise and resources.

Email: info@somsd.k12.nj.us
Website: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/board-of-education/
Location: 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, NJ, 07040
Phone: (973) 762-5600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somsdk12/
X (Twitter): @SOMSDK12

Instagram: @somsdk12

LinkedIn: @South Orange & Maplewood School District