A month of weekday blogging

Today is the last day of August and I've been blogging about school board stuff every weekday this month. Bottom line: after the first 2 weeks or so, it was difficult to think of topics to write about. So, going into September (yay! that's tomorrow), I am going to take a blogging break and work on my responses to the various questionnaires that hit my email box.

Let me leave you with a summary of the board's main responsibilities: policy, planning, appraisal and communication, plus negotiations with the collective bargaining units, as well as, in my opinion, the board's absolute most important role which is hiring and evaluating the superintendent.

Best wishes for an awesome 2022-2023 school year!

Executive Session

As I discussed in the post on NJ's Open Public Meetings Act, the board is required to conduct its business work in public. Sometimes, the board adjourns to go into executive (aka closed) session. There are very specific and limited reasons for going into executive session, such as personnel matters, legal matters, negotiations, etc. Prior to going into executive session, the board must state the general topic(s) to be discussed, and only those listed topics may be discussed.

Board members don't have the keys to the building

Here's another by the way, and you likely already know this, so this is just a reminder: school board members don't have the keys to school buildings. Building administrators have the keys, but we don't. Board members don't run the school district, our job is to ensure the district is well run.

My opinion on endorsements

The Board of Education election is a nonpartisan race.

I can understand why various organizations might be interested in who is elected to the school board. I think it's great when those organizations invite candidates to respond to questionnaires and then share candidate responses with the public. This is a public service because voters can better understand a candidate in their own words.

However, I am uncomfortable seeking endorsements because I believe the public perception is that I will be somehow more favorable to that organization's position on an issue. For that reason, I have and will continue to decline organizational endorsement opportunities.

On the other hand, I do appreciate when individuals who support my re-election campaign share their reasons why with Hillsborough and Millstone friends and neighbors. Thank you.

Open Public Meetings Act

New Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act (also known as the Sunshine Law) means government bodies (like the Board of Education) must conduct their business work in public except in very limited circumstances. Whenever a quorum* of the board meets, even if no official action will be taken, 48 hour written notice of the meeting is required. This keeps the public informed so they could attend if they want.

Noted: The board publishes its annual meeting schedule after its January reorganization meeting.

*In Hillsborough, a quorum is 5 board members because we are a 9 person board.

Municipal Alliance

Are you A.W.A.R.E.* ... that Hillsborough provides information and events regarding substance abuse prevention?

The Hillsborough / Millstone Municipal Alliance meets monthly (2nd Friday of the month at 9AM, unless schools are closed) in the Municipal Building. The Municipal Alliance committee is a partnership between the Township, the Board of Education, parents and community members. You may be familiar with Alliance supported school programs, such as Life Skills, Babes, Red Ribbon Week, Every 15 Minutes and more. Please consider attending an upcoming meeting: www.boroaware.org 

*Advocating Wellness through Addiction Resources and Education

Somerset County NJ Resources

You are not alone.

 
It's important to be aware of community resources. These are free calls. No judgment. Get the help you and your family need.

Family Crisis Intervention Unit (FCIU): 908-704-6330, immediate intervention, assessment, short- term family counseling, case management, and court intervention (after all other interventions have been exhausted) to address youth/family conflict, runaway behavior, truancy, human trafficking, or any serious threat to the well-being/safety of a youth. Youth must reside with their parent/guardian in Somerset County, referrals can be made by family, providers, police, school.

Board Meeting Tonight

In the summer, the board meets once a month, and August's public board meeting is tonight at 7:30PM. The meeting is held at Auten Road Intermediate School in the cafeteria. There will be an executive session starting at 6:30PM which is where the board discusses specific topics as specified by the state's Open Public Meetings Act (also known as the Sunshine Law). Some highlights: the board will welcome and thank Senator Andrew Zwicker, Assemblyman Roy Freiman and Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer; interim superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein will be appointed.

School Board Code of Ethics

There's a lot covered in the School Ethics Act enacted in 1991. The Department of Education website has a good summary with links to the law. The School Ethics Act N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 et seq. holds school officials (board members, school administrators and NJSBA employees / officers) to a higher standard. This is all good. School board members are specifically reminded to follow the Code of Ethics N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1 (a) through (j) which applies only to school board members, also good. 

As an addition, I think all school board members should periodically review the entire School Ethics Act, and especially Findings, declarations N.J.S.A. 18A:12-22:

2. The Legislature find and declares:

a. In our representative form of government it is essential that the conduct of members of local boards of education and local school administrators hold the respect and confidence of the people. These board members and administrators must avoid conduct which is in violation of their public trust or which creates a justifiable impression among the public that such trust is being violated.

b. To ensure and preserve public confidence, school board members and local school administrators should have the benefit of specific standards to guide their conduct and of some disciplinary mechanism to ensure the uniform maintenance of those standards among them.

L.1991,c.393,s.2.

Curious about New Jersey state laws? You can find general information here and search statutes here.

School board members don't get paid a salary.

By the way, and you likely already know this, so this is just a reminder: school board members don't get paid a salary. It is an elected volunteer position. There are some states that pay school board members, but not New Jersey.