Vacancy on the Greenwich School Board

[BillTaggart]

Greenwich Township School Board seeking eligible candidate for vacant seat

Published: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 4:20 PM Updated: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 6:40 PM

Sarah M. Wojcik

The Greenwich Township School District school board has had a rough couple of months -- a defeated tax levy, the municipal government's forwarding of the school budget to the state and the New Jersey Department of Education's ordered $475,000 worth of cuts to the 2010-11 spending plan.

Despite all of this, the township school board hopes to find a resident, willing to weather the storm of the world of New Jersey education, to fill a vacant board seat.

Former school board member Lois Shaughnessy, first appointed to fill another vacancy in March, is moving out of the area and the seat needs to be filled, according to School Board Administrator Victoria Stevens.
The school district is accepting proposals from eligible candidates until Monday and plans to conduct interviews and select a new board member by the end of the month.

The person appointed to the school board post would serve until the April 2011 school elections.

According to requirements posted on the school district's website, school board candidates must:

•Be able to read and write
•Hold citizenship and one year's residency in Greenwich Township
•Have no interest in any contract with or claim against the township school board
•Not be employed by the school district
•Be registered to vote in the school district

A resume and letter of interest should be sent to Victoria Stevens, Business Administrator, Greenwich School, 101 Wyndham Blvd., Stewartsville, N.J. 08886.
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With all the discussion about what's right or wrong with the school district on this message board, I'm sure there must be a real interest among several of the members in stepping up to the challenge.

[aurelia]

Just curious. Anyone on this message board apply for the job?

[concernedcitizen]

The silence is deafening, aurelia, isn't it? It should be a wake up call that those on this board who bitch and complain really don't want change, they just want to complain. How many times have I asked anyone on this board to come into the school and volunteer a day or two BEFORE they put forth their uninformed opinions? Just like the typical party of "no" - complain, say what is wrong, yet offer no solutions or volunteer their time to help. C'mon Steve, Bulldog, Wizard, Chas, 7Foot, Eugene, Grizzly, cynosure....let's get on the board. I know who some of you are and you are citizens of the township, have kids in the school and have A LOT to say that is negative. Put some actions in your wild statements. Get out there, clean things up if you think they need to be fixed, or SHUT UP!

The board of education in our district is a fine group of people, volunteering their time, learning complicated things like budgets (the TC couldn't do this!), and offering possible solutions to shortfalls that were no fault of the district but merely a reflection of the sad economic times. I applaud you, BOE, your are doing a job that no one on this board obviously wants. Thank you for your service!

[Copperlad]

Well said, CC.

[cynosure]

Or maybe it's just that no one wants to publicly admit that they have sent in a letter of interest.

Party of "no" making "wild" statements who doesn't volunteer at the school? Don't know why you included my name there, cc, since I have stated in various posts that I did volunteer in the classroom (as an unpaid aide) for several years while my kids were in Greenwich schools.

[steve447]

ConcernedCitizen: What I volunteer for, where I work, what I do, where I spend my money, etc. is none of your business. It never has been, and it likely never will be.

I disclose here what I choose to disclose here, and I respect everyone else's right to do the same.

[RINKERv230]

Originally Posted by steve447

ConcernedCitizen: What I volunteer for, where I work, what I do, where I spend my money, etc. is none of your business. It never has been, and it likely never will be.

I disclose here what I choose to disclose here, and I respect everyone else's right to do the same.

My job does not allow me to be involved in any politics, BOE, Twp Committee, or boards. As an administrator we are to be above the political scene.

[Greenwich_Wizard]

I’d rather donate my time to writing checks for Chris Christie’s re-election campaign. He’s accomplished more to straighten out these blood sucking NJEA parasites then anyone so far.

[concernedcitizen]

Again Wiz...you make me smile! You are so closed-minded...it is not the teachers who are suffering right now, it is the schools. The lack of funding causes local taxes to be raised. The PROGRAMS are cut, young teachers are cut and the kids suffer. Keep writing checks to an election campaign, and pass the buck...literally. Be proactive in our local district to help us. Christie does not care about Greenwich township, we are too small to even be on his radar, in the meantime our schools go downhill, good teachers leave and go to higher paying districts or districts that are not RIF-ing, and our taxes go up to make up for the shortfall.

Time is way more valuable than a check. I can see your selfishness.

Steve...a personal note to you. You spend a lot of time writing letters to the editor of the paper and on this site, but I have never seen you try to help in a positive way around school or town. You don't have to disclose if you are running for the board, but I know for a fact that you aren't.

In fact, no one needs to disclose if they are interested in the board, but I would lay a big Christie-supporting campaign check that no one here is.

Sorry Cyno...I am happy to hear you have gone into the school and volunteered...kudos.

[Vic Ferrari]

Christie should not care about Greenwich. He has an entire state that is on the brink of financial collapse. I think that we (Greenwich) are pretty capable of taking care of ourselves. I have met a lot of great, intelligent and generous people around town and those that stick around will continue to keep Greenwich a great place to live.

"concerned", how would you balance the state budget. What great ideas do you have? Please share.