PCSBA President Charles Caraballo called the meeting to order at Lakeland Regional High School.
On Dec. 9, the Passaic County School Boards Association convened at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque for its winter meeting.
PCSBA President Charles Caraballo welcomed approximately 40 in-person and virtual attendees, including 10 newly elected board of education members who participated in a 3Rs training session beforehand. This training focuses on the roles, resources and responsibilities of school board members in New Jersey and was facilitated by Kelly Mitchell, field service representative at NJSBA.
Harrison Silver, legislative advocate at NJSBA, joined the Passaic County school board members and gave an update on the happenings in the New Jersey Legislature. Alan Paris, a board of directors delegate for NJSBA, gave an update from the last NJSBA board of directors meeting, and Kelly Mitchell, a field service representative at NJSBA, shared a field services update.
In honor of the late Daniel T. Sinclair, who died July 6, 2024, and served as NJSBA president from 2017 to 2019 and as president of the Passaic County School Boards Association from 2014-2015, the PCSBA hosted its meeting at Lakeland Regional High School, where he served as a board member from 2016 to 2021. He previously served on the Wanaque Board of Education from 1999 to 2015. Before becoming NJSBA’s president, he served as its vice president for county activities from 2014 to 2017.
Ray Pinney, chief membership engagement officer at NJSBA was at the meeting representing Dr. Timothy Purnell, executive director and CEO of NJSBA, who shared a message of gratitude recognizing Sinclair’s commitment to the children of New Jersey. Karen Cortellino, M.D., president of NJSBA, also expressed warm sentiments for Sinclair in a message that was read by Jeffrey Fischer, past president at NJSBA and PCSBA, who also shared memoires. Judith Bassford, past president at PCSBA and a former NJSBA Board Member of the Year, also spoke.
Caraballo, the 2024-2025 NJSBA Board Member of the Year, was also recognized during the meeting. Fischer and Bassford shared congratulatory comments and Pinney spoke about Caraballo and the NJSBA Board Member of the Year Award.
The evening’s program was “Harnessing the Power of Public Relations, Social Media and Technology in Schools.” The presenter was Dr. Jeanene S. Dutt, superintendent of schools at North Warren Regional School District.
