Residents must file by Feb. 25
VERONICA YANKOWSKI Victoria Gonzales, a third-grader at Wilson School, Sayreville, looks over the books at the school’s annual book fair Monday.
to run for local school boards
Potential school board candidates should continue to adhere to the Feb. 25 deadline for submitting nominating petitions, even though the state might delay this year’s annual school election, the New Jersey School Boards Association advised.
At present, the deadline for filing for local school board candidacy in the 2002 annual school election is 4 p.m. Feb. 25. The election is currently scheduled to take place on April 16. However, those dates could change.
"A bill began moving through the state Legislature on Feb. 4 to give the commissioner of education the authority to delay this year’s annual school election. State law ties the deadline for filing nominating petitions for school board candidacy directly to the date of the school election," explained Patti J. Pawling, NJSBA president. "But until that bill is signed into law and the commissioner designates a new election date, potential candidates should adhere to the Feb. 25 deadline for filing nominating petitions."
According to the association’s January newsletter, McGreevey may ask the state Legislature for a longer than normal extension on his budget in order to finalize state aid numbers.
Those numbers, according to the association, may not be released until March 26, giving local districts a problem in finalizing their own budgets for the scheduled April elections.
Pawling encouraged citizens who are concerned about the education of their community’s children to consider school board membership.
"Schools today face unprecedented change, ranging from new technology to higher academic standards," said Pawling. "Our communities need dedicated leaders on their boards of education to guide the schools through this time of change.
"The local school board provides the community’s voice in setting educational goals. It makes important policy decisions that affect curriculum, budgeting and personnel," she explained. "More than $16 billion a year in local, state and federal funds are dedicated to the education of New Jersey’s children. Local school boards have an important say in how that money is spent."
NJSBA has developed a "School Board Candidate Kit" for citizens interested in board of education membership. The kit offers information about the candidacy process, campaign procedures and deadlines, and the role and responsibilities of the local school board.
The School Board Candidate Kit is available at local school board offices or by calling the New Jersey School Boards Association at (609) 278-5202. Information on school board candidacy can also be obtained at the NJSBA Web site, www.njsba.org, by clicking "Board Membership."