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January 27, 2010 • Vol. XXXII • No. 22

New Legislative Session: Bills Resurface, Cuts Possible Christie Transition Team Looks at Changes A Visit from the Commissioner Voters Approve $10.3 million in School Construction Creating 21st Century New Jersey Schools New Laws Lead to NJSBA Policy Updates Youth is an Asset, Say New Jersey’s Youngest Board Members A Message about NJSBA’s Officer Nominations NJSBA Announces List of Applications for Officers New Leaders of Legislature’s Education Committees 2010 Innovations in Special Education Awards Program Announced NJSBA Unveils Streamlined Superintendent Evaluations Boardsmanship in Middlesex Candidate Kits Available, But Online Only Text of ‘Race to the Top’ Online Calendar Click here for a pdf version of this issue of School Board Notes	New Legislative Session: Bills Resurface, Cuts Possible Although the New Jersey legislative session is only two weeks old, NJSBA’s Governmental Relations Department is currently tracking nearly 600 bills.

	Christie Transition Team Looks at Changes A moratorium on the Accountability Regulations and the NJQSAC monitoring system, major labor law changes, and reciprocity of teacher certification with other states, especially in high-demand disciplines, are among recommendations issued last week by the Christie transition team’s Education Subcommittee.

	A Visit from the Commissioner Bret Schundler, center, New Jersey’s new Commissioner of Education, visited NJSBA headquarters on Monday to meet with Association officials.

	Web Extra Voters Approve $10.3 million in School Construction Voters in two of nine New Jersey school districts approved $10.35 million in school construction on Tuesday.

	Web Extra Creating 21st Century New Jersey Schools “Creating 21st Century New Jersey Schools: The Statewide Systemic Model for Continuous Professional Learning and Growth” is a three-year professional-development program offered by the New Jersey Department of Education in collaboration with various professional organizations.

	New Laws Lead to NJSBA Policy Updates During the last few weeks of office, Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation on a number of bills affecting public schools.

	Youth is an Asset, Say New Jersey’s Youngest Board Members Surveys of school board members in New Jersey and throughout the nation tend to find some common traits.

	A Message about NJSBA’s Officer Nominations NJSBA has received 10 applications to fill various officer positions within the Association, according to Cynthia J. Jahn, general counsel/director of Member Services. NJSBA Announces List of Applications for Officers January 6 was the deadline for candidates to submit applications to the NJSBA Nominating Committee for president and three Vice President positions (County Activities, Finance and Legislation/Resolutions).

	New Leaders of Legislature’s Education Committees Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., incoming chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, recently met with NJSBA lobbyist Barbara Horl and Michael Vrancik, NJSBA’s director of government relations.

	2010 Innovations in Special Education Awards Program Announced Entries for the 2010 Innovations in Special Education Awards program are being sought by the program’s organizers, the New Jersey School Boards Association and ASAH, an agency that represents private special education schools.

	NJSBA Unveils Streamlined Superintendent Evaluations NJSBA will hold three training programs to unveil its new, streamlined electronic superintendent evaluation system.

	Boardsmanship in Middlesex The Middlesex County School Boards Association held a program, “How Do You Handle This One?” to discuss legal and practical perspectives of effective boardsmanship.

	Candidate Kits Available, But Online Only Because of the possibility that the Legislature and new governor may change the 2010 school election date from April to November, NJSBA’s Candidate Kit is available online only at www.njsba.org/candidacy.

	Text of ‘Race to the Top’ Online The New Jersey Department of Education has posted on its Web site the full text of its application for Race to the Top grants.

	Calendar

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