FREEHOLD – Paul Jensen, who served as vice president of the Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education in 2019, has been elected by his fellow board members to serve as president during 2020.
The board oversees the operation of the Freehold Learning Center elementary school, the Park Avenue Elementary School and the Freehold Intermediate School.
During the board’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 6, the four winning candidates from the Nov. 5 election – incumbents Paul Ceppi and Tyler Jordan, and newcomers Brent Costleigh and Tomi “Elisha” Carter – were sworn in to begin serving terms on the panel.
Ceppi, Costleigh and Jordan won full three-year terms. Carter won a one-year unexpired term. Ceppi has served on the board since 2014 and Jordan has served on the board since 2017.
After all of the members were seated, the board held elections for the positions of president and vice president.
Jensen was nominated to serve as president for 2020 and was elected in an unanimous vote. He was also elected to serve as the school district’s New Jersey and Monmouth County school boards delegate for 2020.
For vice president, Bruce Patrick was nominated to hold the position for 2020 and was elected in a unanimous vote.
Board member Joseph Santonacita was unanimously elected to serve as the school district’s alternate delegate to the New Jersey and Monmouth County school boards.
A budget for the 2020-21 school year is being developed by the district’s administration. A budget workshop that is open to the public will be held at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Park Avenue Complex, 280 Park Ave.
Board members may adopt a tentative budget for the upcoming school year during their public meeting at 7 p.m. on March 16.
A tentative date of May 4 has been set for the public hearing on the 2020-21 budget and its adoption by the board.