Board of Education
BOE to Vote and Fill Board Vacancy Position on 2/11
Date: Monday, February 10, 2020 @ 7pm
What: BOE Special Session Meeting – Candidate Interviews & Vote
Where: District Meeting Room, 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, NJ
Who: Three-candidates will be interviewed by the BOE to fill the District’s vacant Board seat. While four-candidates initially submitted letters of interest and resumes by the February 5, 2002 deadline; as per NJSA statute 18A:12-1, only three were qualified to move forward in the interview process.
The final candidates for the vacancy position are:
- Sharon Tanenbaum Kraus
- Kamal Zubieta
- Susan Lewis Bergin
Interviews with candidates for the board vacancy will be conducted in public on Monday, February 10, 2020 beginning at 7:00 p.m. All applicants will be provided the opportunity to make a brief five-minute statement that elaborates on the letter and resume, reasons for wanting to serve, qualifications, and areas of priority. The board will follow-up with any questions. After all statements and questions are concluded, the board will adjourn to executive session to deliberate. After returning from executive session, the board will make nominations to fill the position and then vote to appoint one of the candidates. The candidate with a majority of the members of the Board present will immediately take the oath of office and be seated
- For more information on notice of the Board vacancy click here.
- BOE Special Session
SOMSD Coranavirus Update & Resources
Guidance and Resources Regarding the Coronavirus
With rising concern over the new coronavirus outbreak that is currently centered in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the South Orange & Maplewood School District continues to carefully monitor the situation and heed guidance that has been provided by the New Jersey Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization and the NJ Department of Education.
Although this virus is understandably a cause for concern, it is important for New Jersey residents to know that the risk to the general public still remains low. For our District, if a student has recently traveled to Wuhan, China (within the past two-weeks) or has been in close contact with others who recently traveled to Wuhan, China, our District physician is recommending that the student stay home for two weeks before returning to school. Therefore, if
any student returns from China, their parent/guardian should call their health care provider (even if symptoms do not currently exist) for a consult and then contact their school nurse.
If a student/parent and/or guardian has symptoms, they should call a healthcare provider immediately and inform them of the close contact with the coronavirus before going into a healthcare provider’s office.
Please take a moment to read and access the following important references regarding the Coronavirus:
- NJDOE Corona Virus Guidance & Resources and Updates
- NJ Department of Health Coronavirus Fact Sheet
- NJDOH Coronavirus Information for K-12 Schools – Managing Students (Travelers) Returning from China*
- CDC Coronavirus Guidance for Prevention (February 1, 2020)
- CDC Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions
- WHO Coronavirus Information
- SOMSD Nursing Services (all District updates will be posted to the nursing website)
The NJDOH recommends that everyone follow the steps below to help prevent the transmission of respiratory infections:
- Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
- Staying home when sick and avoiding close contact with others
- Covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and throwing away tissues
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
The safety and health of our SOMSD students and staff is a priority and we will keep you updated as needed.
* NJDOH: These guidance documents apply to travelers arriving back to the U.S. before February 2, 2020, at 5 pm. New screening and management protocols might take effect on February 2, 2020, at 5 pm. Additional guidance will be made available for those who arrive after this date and time.
Equity In Integration Symposium Presentation Now Available
Notice of Board Vacancy
Due to the resignation of a board member, the South Orange and Maplewood Board of Education has a vacancy. The vacancy will be filled by an appointment made by the remaining members of the Board at a public meeting on Monday, February 10, 2020 beginning 7:00 p.m.
The process for filling a vacancy differs from a typical school board election. The person appointed by the Board will become a full member of the Board and serve in that position until the next reorganization meeting in January 2021. That person and anyone in the community will have the opportunity to file a petition to run for election to complete the remaining one year of this seat in the election to be held on November 3, 2020.
In order to be considered for this appointment, any interested party must submit a letter of interest, resume and any other available information indicating their qualifications. This information should be presented in a form that will assist the Board of Education in making an appointment. Please include reasons your selection to the school board would be of value to the district and the students.
These materials can be mailed to the attention of Paul Roth, School Business Administrator / Board Secretary, c/o South Orange and Maplewood Board of Education, 525 Academy Street, Maplewood, New Jersey 07040.
The deadline for receiving materials is 1:00 p.m. February 5, 2020.
Interviews with candidates for the board vacancy will be conducted in public on Monday, February 10, 2020 beginning at 7:00 p.m. All applicants will be provided the opportunity to make a brief five minute statement that elaborates on the letter and resume; reasons for wanting to serve, qualifications, and areas of priority. The board will follow-up with any questions. After all statements and questions are concluded, the board will adjourn to executive session to deliberate. After returning from executive session the board will make nominations to fill the position and then vote to appoint one of the candidates. The candidate with a majority of the members of the Board present will immediately take the oath of office and be seated.
The person selected to fill the vacancy will have to undergo a full criminal background check.
Qualifications:
Each member of any board of education shall, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-1:
- Be a United States citizen;
- Be a resident of the district for at least one year at the time of election or appointment;
- Be able to read and write;
- Be a registered voter in the district where the person is submitting the nomination petition (or being appointed);
- Not be disqualified as a voter pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:4-1;
- Not have been convicted of any of the crimes or offenses enumerated in N.J.S.A. 18A;12-1 or conspiracy to commit or attempt to commit any of said crimes;
- Not be the mayor or a member of the governing body of the municipality;
- Not have a direct or indirect contract with or claim against the board.
Additional information can be obtained from the New Jersey School Boards Association at https://www.njsba.org/about/membership/school-board-candidacy/ or by contacting Board Secretary Paul Roth.