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

Nine Earn Designation of ‘Master Board Member’ by NJ School Boards Association

TRENTON, November 25, 2008 — Nine board of education members have earned the Master Board Member award through the New Jersey School Boards Association’s Board Member Academy.

Only 197 school board members have earned the award since NJSBA created the Board Member Academy in 1992. Statewide, 4,800 men and women serve on New Jersey’s local boards of education.

“The recipients of the Master Board Member award show exceptional dedication to their responsibilities as board members, a sincere commitment to their communities’ public schools and a firm belief in effective governance of the public schools through local school boards,” said NJSBA President Harry J. Delgado.

“They receive the honor after completing an advanced course of study designed to enhance their knowledge and competence in key areas of school board responsibilities, including strategic planning, negotiations and leadership,” he explained.

Candidates for the rank of Master Board Member must also pass an NJSBA-administered exam.

• Michael R. Bertram of the Denville Board of Education


• Ellen C. Connors of the Deptford Board of Education


• Joyce A. Miller of the Gibbsboro Board of Education


• William H. Motley of the Linden Board of Education


• Richard Schaefer of the Ringwood Board of Education


• Helen Sigel of the Mount Laurel Township Board of Education


• Daniel T. Sinclair of the Wanaque Board of Education


• Linda J. Taylor of the Deptford Board of Education


• JoEllen L. Wernikowski of the Monmouth Regional Board of Education

Master Board Members first must attain the Academy's designation of Certificated Board Member, an award that requires recipients to complete 20 credits of training time. To achieve the rank of Master Board Member, he earned 20 additional credits in core areas such as school finance, school law, labor relations, board member ethics, strategic planning, group dynamics and school-community relations.

The NJSBA Board Member Academy provides training to New Jersey's 4,800 local school board members. The implementation of the Board Member Academy in 1992 was underwritten in part by a grant from the Prudential Foundation.

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.