Glen Ridge Public Schools

Board of Education

For further information, contact:

Elisabeth Ginsburg at (973) 743-0729

BOARD VACANCY

It is with great regret that we announce the resignation of John Cable, effective Tuesday, August 26, 2008. John has served on the Board since 2006 and has been on the Finance, Negotiations and Personnel Committees. He has also served as liaison to the Ridgewood Avenue Home & School Association. John and his family are moving from the area and we wish them well. We are grateful to him for sharing his gifts of intelligence, common sense and humor and we will miss him.

New Board Member Selection Information

By law, the Board has sixty-five days to appoint a new member, who will serve until the April 2009 election. Anyone interested in applying for the position should send a cover letter, resume and names/contact information for three references to: Glen Ridge Board of Education, 12 High Street, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028, Att.: Board Vacancy. Those wishing to submit the documents online should e-mail them to eginsburg@glenridge.org. Every application will be reviewed by the full Board. The deadline for applications is Monday, September 15, 2008.

Candidate interviews will take place on Monday, September 22, 2008, during the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, which begins at 8PM. The candidates will be interviewed individually during Public Session with an audience present. During the individual interviews, candidates who have not yet been interviewed will be seated in a nearby room. Each candidate will be asked the same set of questions, and we expect each interview to last approximately ten minutes. After all the interviews have been completed; the Board will adjourn into Executive Session, confer and decide which candidate to appoint. Please note that neither the Interim Superintendent nor the district Business Administrator/Board Secretary will be present during this Executive Session.

Candidates will be interviewed in the order in which they submitted their completed applications and will be notified in advance of individual interview times.

Board members will check all candidates’ references in advance of the meeting, so that the Board will be in a position to announce the appointment when it resumes the Public Session on the 22nd. The successful candidate will be sworn in at the regularly scheduled Board meeting on October 13, 2008.

Attached is a “Board of Education Q&A,” which contains answers to frequently asked questions about Board service. Please e-mail any questions to eginsburg@glenridge.org.

CANDIDATE Q&A

The following are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Board of Education service.

Q: What are the Board’s responsibilities?

A: The Board’s normal responsibilities include oversight of the district’s budget, discussion of and decisions pertaining to district policies, and regular communication with the public. The Board’s power is collective, therefore no individual member can act alone on matters that come before the Board. Board members are not involved in the day to day running of the schools or in normal administrative decisions. The New Jersey School Boards Association summarizes the Board’s role, saying, “The Board of Education does not run the schools; it makes sure that they are well run.”

Q: What is the term of office?

A: The normal term of office is three years, except when members are elected to serve out the unexpired terms of those who have resigned. Board members may run for and serve additional three-year terms. There are no term limits.

Q: Are Board members paid?

A: Board members serve voluntarily, without compensation.

Q: How long is a normal Board meeting?

A: Normal Glen Ridge Board meetings, including Executive and Public Sessions usually last 1½-2½ hours.

Q: What is the total time commitment?

A: In addition to attending approximately 22 regular Board meetings per year, members spend about 30-45 minutes reading background materials provided before each meeting. Board members also serve on one or more standing committees (Finance, Curriculum, Personnel or Negotiations) and/or as a liaison to groups such as the Home & School Association. The Board and Superintendent communicate regularly by phone and e-mail, and many Board members receive various forms of communication from constituents. On average, Board of Education service requires a commitment of about 1.6 hours per week, but that time is rarely evenly distributed over the course of a month or a year. Some members spend significantly more time on board-related matters.

Q: How much training do Board members receive?

A: Newly elected Board members must attend State-mandated New Jersey School Boards Association training within one year of their elections. This training can be done in either a one or two-day format. All new members receive an orientation binder, in addition to face-to-face orientation sessions with the Superintendent and one or more current Board members. In addition, re-elected Board members must also receive New Jersey School Boards Association training, which can be done in person or online.

Q: What about confidentiality?

A: Confidentiality is essential. Matters pertaining to litigation and/or personnel can be discussed only in Executive Session and cannot be divulged to anyone other than fellow Board members or the Superintendent. Breaches of confidentiality can have serious consequences including exposing the district to costly and damaging litigation. In some situations Board members who breach confidentiality may be removed from the Board.

Q: Are there any other ethical constraints on Board Members?

A: Board members and their families may not derive financial or other gain from any entity that does business with the district. All members must complete and return financial disclosure forms every year. Board members are not required to provide copies of their tax returns or similar documents.