Marlene Somerville, a BCSBA executive committee member and Hackensack Board of Education commissioner, and Denise Villani, BCSBA first vice president and Cresskill Board of Education president, greet the members attending the BCSBA meeting and 3Rs training.
The Bergen County School Boards Association held a meeting Dec. 5 at Hackensack High School.
BCSBA thanks Hackensack School District Superintendent Robert Sanchez, Jim Montesano, Hackensack High School principal; Patty Lozano, high school assistant principal; and various staff for serving as hosts for the meeting.
Michael Jacobs, BCSBA president, welcomed the nearly 100 attendees in person and virtually, including over 40 newly elected board of education members who attended the 3Rs training before the meeting.
The Hackensack High School band entertained the attendees during dinner with holiday tunes and a member of the Class of 2024 led the attendees in the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem.
Jacobs and Matt Lee, a New Jersey School Boards Association field service representative, recognized the 82 “retiring” board of education members from Bergen County who represented 456 years of service to the students and districts in Bergen County. This included a special presentation to retiring Denise Villani, BCSBA’s first vice president (Cresskill – 15 years of service); and Rona McNabola, a past BCSBA president (Glen Rock – 38 years of service).
Robert Acerra, an NJSBA county activities coordinator, conducted the installation of Dr. Letizia Pantoliano, BCSBA’s new first vice president (Cliffside Park); BCSBA executive committee member Laura Genovese-Behrmann (Ramsey); and BCSBA NJSBA board of directors alternate Bruce Pasdar (Emerson).
Chanta L. Jackson, NJSBA’s vice president for legislation/resolutions, shared greetings from the NJSBA officers. Michael Sprague, a board of directors delegate to NJSBA, delivered an update to members; and Jackson and Alix Hayes, second vice president of the Monmouth County School Boards Association, presented an interactive program titled “School District PR: Planning and Managing Effective Communications.”
A variety of other important business was also carried out at the meeting.