SOMSD School Board Meeting Recap
January 25, 2024 Public Meeting | Vol. 3, Issue 5
Highlights from the January 25, 2024 Regular Session Board of Education Meeting
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.
Board President's Monthly Statement
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.
Meeting Overview
Acting Superintendent Gilbert's Report To The Board of Education
Click on the photo to watch the report.
Business Administrator Eric Burnside's Report
Click on photo to watch the report.
Board President Telesford's Monthly Update
Click on photo to watch the report.
Key Action Items
- A full list of action items and associated resolutions is available here.
Approved Resolutions:
- 4563: Personnel Resolutions
- 4564: Substitute Resolutions
- 4565: Out of District Placements For The 2023-2024 School Year
- 4566 A: Financial Reports
- 4567: Approval of New & Revised Curriculum
- 4568: Affirmation of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Investigations For The Month of December 2023
- 4569: Approval of the School Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year
- 4570: Approval of Revised BOE Committees for the 2024 Calendar Year
- 4571: Approval of Sidebar Agreement with SOMEA for the 2023-2024 school year
Upcoming Meeting
On Thursday, February 29th, 2024, 6:30 p.m., the Board of Education is scheduled to hold a public regular meeting at the
Central Office Building, 525 Academy St., Maplewood, N.J.
Current BOE Members
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
South Orange & Maplewood School District
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