The New Jersey State Board of Education convened for a brief meeting on Wednesday, August 7th, 2019. Outgoing President Arcelio Aponte was honored for his service as President and time spent at the helm. The Resolution was not on the agenda and was a surprise to Mr. Aponte, who was humbled and grateful.
New President Kathy Goldenberg addressed the importance of the role of committees, and her goal of reestablishing some that already exist or have in the past, and adding some brand new committees. Mentioned as possible new committees were Early Childhood, Special Education, Charter, and Social and Emotional Learning. President Goldenberg called on members to email her their committee preferences/requests within the next two weeks.
The 2019-2020 Permanent Student Representative Sahil Ganatra presented his first official report to the Board in which he shared information about the NJ State Student Councils (NJSSC) charity, the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF). The ECF provides comfort and support for New Jersey families faced with pediatric cancer through three pillars of support: in-home professional counseling, material assistance, and emergency financial aid.
Tonya Vreeland presented a Power Point showcasing the highlights of the NJDOE Statewide Equity Conference on July 31st. The keynote speaker, Dr. Tyrone Howard of the University of California, Los Angeles, was extremely well received by the at-capacity crowd. They were trending on Twitter! Vice-President Andy Mulvihill spoke about the importance of a focus on equity. Immediate Past President Arcelio Aponte noted the importance of data in examining equity issues.
The Board had a brief discussion about Executive County Superintendent positions. It was reported that the positions are approximately 95% full at this time.
There were no appointments today, and no public testimony following the meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for September 4th. There will be public testimony following the September meeting. The topic is “open” (meaning registered members of the public may speak on any educational topic of their choice). Registration for the September 4th public testimony session will open on August 15th and will close on August 29th at 12 noon. Registration is on-line.