P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

Sussex County Official Named New Jersey’s “School Board Member of the Year”

TRENTON, Sept. 10, 2008 — Cynthia Auberger, a 15-year veteran of the Vernon Township Board of Education in Sussex County, is New Jersey’s School Board Member of the Year, the New Jersey School Boards Association announced today.

“Cindy embodies the true nature of community service,” said Harry J. Delgado, NJSBA president. “As a school board member, she serves the public without pay or benefits while working for the betterment of public education for the children of Vernon Township and the state of New Jersey.”

NJSBA, a statewide federation of local school districts, established its School Board Member of the Year program in 2005 as a way to highlight the contributions of the more than 4,800 local board of education members in New Jersey.

An independent panel from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association selected Auberger. Nominations could be made by other board members, superintendents, business officials, school district staff or the community.

Auberger was nominated by her superintendent, Anthony Macerino, who wrote, “Mrs. Auberger consistently serves as a positive, committed and student-centered Board of Education member, serving as a role model to her colleagues. Often under stressful conditions, Mrs. Auberger demonstrates the true meaning of service and commitment, supporting what is best for the young people of Vernon Township and for public education.”

Currently vice-president of the Vernon Township school board, Augberger is also president of the Sussex County School Boards Association. On the state level, she volunteers as a group leader who trains first-year school board members at NJSBA’s New Board Member Orientation program, which all school board members are required by state law to attend.

From the state’s northwestern corner, Augerger works to shape education issues in Trenton and Washington, D.C. She is a member of NJSBA’s EAGLE program (Education Advocates Grassroots Lobbying Effort), which consists of board members who form the Association’s front lines of lobbying and outreach to state legislative leaders at the local level. She has also taken part in the Federal Relations Network, traveling to the nation’s capitol to discuss education issues with New Jersey’s Congressional representatives.

Auberger has earned the designation of Master Board Member through NJSBA’s Board Member Academy, a program that recognizes advanced levels of training among school board members. Only 188 board members have achieved the rank since NJSBA created the program in 1992.

Over the years, she has established herself as a community leader in Vernon Township by volunteering as a Girl Scout Leader, and by serving as secretary and curator for the Vernon Township Historical Society. She is currently senior vice president, and is a past president, of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 8441. She is also a member of the Vernon Township Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, and the current president of the Kiwanis Club of Vernon Township.

Auberger attended the Vernon Township schools from kindergarten to her high school graduation. Her father, who had served in WWII, was once a school board member in Vernon Township, and her mother was the first female member of the township committee. Auberger, 49, is married and has three adult children.

NJSBA plans to honor her at its annual conference, Workshop 2008, held in Atlantic City in October.

The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.