Time to Nominate the 2025-2026 New Jersey School Board Member of the Year
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In recognition of school board members’ service, leadership and contributions to education, NJSBA has established the New Jersey Board of Education Member of the Year Award. Given annually, the award honors an individual board member who: makes significant contributions to public education; exemplifies leadership in the field of education with a strong commitment to the children of New Jersey; demonstrates a strong commitment to their personal and professional development as a board member; and shows active involvement in school governance at the local, county and state levels.
Past Winners
2024-25 Charles Caraballo, Bloomingdale Board of Education
2023-24 Bernadette Dalesandro, Netcong Board of Education
2022-23 Adam Parkinson, West New York BOE
2021-22 Kerri Wright, Chester BOE
2020-21 Irene LeFebvre, Boonton Town BOE
2019 Judith Bassford, Clifton BOE
2018 Sister Carol Adams, Salem City BOE
2017 Bruce Young, Carlstadt BOE
2016 Sheli Dansky, River Edge BOE
2015 Helen E. Kirsch, Berkeley Heights BOE
2014 Peggy Saslow, New Milford BOE
2013 Kevin E. Ciak, Sayreville BOE
2012 Debra Roosen, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional BOE
2011 Diane Holzberg, Demarest BOE
2010 Linda Bond-Nelson, North Plainfield BOE
2009 Dale G. Caldwell, New Brunswick BOE
2008 Cynthia Auberger, Vernon Township BOE
2007 Cathy Moncrief, Lindenwold BOE
2006 Marie Hakim, Clifton BOE
2005 Maria Alamo, Nutley BOE
Nomination Procedure
Nominations for the New Jersey Board of Education Member of the Year must be submitted on the 2025-2026 NJSBA-BMOY-nomination-form Board members, superintendents, business officials, staff and community members may nominate individuals for the award. County Associations may nominate board members from their own counties.
Current NJSBA officers and staff may not nominate candidates for the award nor may current NJSBA officers be nominated for the award.
Criteria for Nomination
- Current member of a local board of education at the time the application is received.
- Served a minimum of 5 consecutive years on their local board of education.
- Certified Board Member through the NJSBA Board Member Academy.
- Demonstrated leadership, service and contribution to education at the local, county and state levels.
All nominations are to:
- Be made on the 2025-2026 NJSBA-BMOY-nomination-form provided by NJSBA. Additional information may be provided; however, no more than three additional pages of data may be submitted with the nomination form including letters of support.
- Include in the application a statement of the board member’s unique and recognized achievements in the areas of service, leadership and contributions to education at the local, county and state levels.
- Be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on July 1, 2025. No late entries will be considered and will be returned to the person entering the nomination.
- All information requested on the nomination form must be provided.
Selection Procedure
All eligible nominations are forwarded to the officers of another state school boards association. These officers review the nominations, select the winner of the New Jersey award and forward their selection to the NJSBA President.
Award
The New Jersey Board of Education Member of the Year will be recognized in the following manner:
- Recognized at an NJSBA’s Workshop 2025 in Atlantic City.
- Presented with a plaque conveying the honor.
- Recognized through a news release sent to statewide and local media.
- Recognized in School Board Notes.
- Featured in an issue of School Leader magazine.
2025-2026 NJSBA-BMOY-nomination-form
Email nomination forms with signature (electronic signatures are acceptable) to:
Ann Marie Smith: amsmith@njsba.org
Subject line: 2025-2026 NJ Board Member of the Year Award
Any questions, contact Ann Marie Smith.