MILLSTONE – Melissa Riviello has been recognized for her service on the Millstone Township K-8 School District Board of Education as she prepares to depart the panel.
The board’s Dec. 14 meeting, which was held virtually during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, marked Riviello’s final meeting on the dais.
Riviello joined the board in 2013. She served as vice president from 2017-19 and as president during 2020. Riviello did not seek re-election this year and has concluded her current term.
“In the past seven years, you (Riviello) have tirelessly dedicated your time and energy to this district and to helping this community grow,” Superintendent of Schools Christopher Huss said.
“You have not only been a devoted member of the board, you have served on numerous committees, including the full-day kindergarten exploration committee, the math committee, the mindfulness committee, the policy committee … and you served as vice president and president during the most difficult of times,” the superintendent said.
“There is no fitting way to thank those who volunteer their time to serve others, other than letting them know their work has been valued and appreciated. And so, I thank you for all you have given for the past seven years for nothing in return, other than the reward of knowing you were helping children and your community,” Huss said to Riviello.
“It has been my privilege to serve this community,” Riviello said. “Although I have been a part of many significant educational advances that haven taken place in Millstone itself, it is the people I call friends and have respect for who stand out the most.
“Some of the endeavors that really stand out are student choice. Dr. Huss was part of the initiation of middle school electives and making students have a bigger voice and a bigger choice. I’m proud of those electives,” Riviello said.
“The other thing I’m proud of is the hiring and promoting of quality staff. I think in those seven years, we have hired such quality people and did our best to recognize those talented individuals, trying to help them along with their career and keeping them in-district as long as we could because they were valuable to us.
“I’m also very proud of working with Upper Freehold (Regional School District) to align our programs and, over the past seven years, seeing real progress made on that front. It’s wonderful to see.
“I’m proud to be part of Millstone, proud to be part of Upper Freehold Regional (where Millstone residents attend Allentown High School) as well, and I see good things coming for the future that are going to make it better. It helps for us to be one district together as much as we can.
“Lastly, our district now provides (social-emotional learning) in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. That makes me so very proud. Again, I would just like to say thank you for everything. It’s been wonderful,” Riviello said.
School board members in New Jersey serve without compensation.