SOMSD BOARD OF EDUCATION NEWSLETTER

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 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 / Notice of Meeting

• Pledge of Allegiance

• Performance by: South Orange Middle School Small String Ensemble

• Approval of Board Minutes: Executive Session and Regular Meeting Minutes - February 23, 2023

• March 2023 Board Recognitions

• BOE Student Representative Report

• Regular Public Board of Education Meeting - Agenda and Attachments

• Watch the Superintendent's/ Business Administrator Update (cued to begin at 1:53:10 minute mark): https://youtu.be/FuEi0qRxyKk?t=6804

• Watch Board President Wittleder's Monthly Update (cued to begin at 4:05 mark): https://youtu.be/FuEi0qRxyKk

• A full list of action items and associated resolutions is available here.
• Nomination of former Board Member Johanna Wright to fill vacant board member seat for the 2023 school year.

Approved Resolutions:

• 4428: Personnel Resolutions
• 4429: Substitute/Stipend/Volunteer Resolutions
• 4430: 2022 ESY OOD Placements | B) 2022-23 SY OOD Placements
• 4431: Financial Reports
• 4432: New/Revised Curriculum
• 4433: Field Trips
• 4434: Affirmation of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Investigations for the Month of February 2023
• 4435: Special Education Settlement Agreements
• 4436: Abolish and Adopt Board Policies
• 4437: Confidential Settlement Agreement
• 4438: Amended School Calendar for the 2023/2024 SY

• 4439: Approve: Non-Resident Student(s)

• 4440: HAND CARRY - Approve: Residency Hearing Appeal A) Student ID # 7810217172; B) Student ID # 9483742072

• 4441: HAND CARRY - Affirm: HIB Appeal #237471_SME_11022022

• 4442: HAND CARRY - Appoint Board Member to Fill Vacancy

1. 0152 Board Officers
2. 0161 Call, Adjournment, and Cancellation
3. 0162 Notice of Board Meeting
4. 2423 Bilingual and ESL Education
5. 3321 Acceptable Use of Computer Network(s), Computers, and Resources by Teaching Staff Members
6. 5200 Attendance
7. 5440 Honoring Student Achievement
8. 5516 Use of Electronic Communication and Recording Devices (ECRD)
9. 5701 Plagiarism
10. 5710 Student Grievance
11. 8140 Student Enrollments

There were first readings of 2 policies:

1. 155.1 Board Member Participation at Board Meeting Using Electronic Device
2. 5512 Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (M)

• Thursday, April 27, 2023: Board of Education Monthly Public Meeting & Budget Hearing @ 6:30pm

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

Kaitlin Wittleder
Board President
Term: 2022 - 2024

email: kwittled@somsd.k12.nj.us

Elissa Malespina (1st Vice-President)
Term: 2021 - 2023
email: emalesp1@somsd.k12.nj.us

Nubia DuVall Wilson (2nd Vice-President)

Term: 2023 - 2025
email: nwilson@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

Qawi Telesford

Term: 2022 - 2024

email: qtelesfo@somsd.k12.nj.us

Arun Vadlamani

Term: 2022 - 2024

email: avadlama@somsd.k12.nj.us

Courtney Winkfield
Term: 2021 - 2023
email: cwinkfie@somsd.k12.nj.us

Johanna Wright

Term: 2023

email: johannawright2@somsd.k12.nj.us

Student Representatives to the Board of Education

Noah Morros
Term: 2022 - 2023
email: boestudentrep1@somsd.k12.nj.us

Vanessa Previlon
Term: 2022 - 2023
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, USA
Phone: (973) 762-5600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somsdk12/
Twitter: @SOMSDK12