The Kearny High School Band performed various holiday selections at the meeting.
The Hudson County School Boards Association held a meeting Dec. 13 at the newly renovated Kearny High School in Kearny.
HCSBA thanks the staff members at Kearny for hosting the meeting, including Flora Encarnacao, superintendent; Aliki Bieltz, assistant superintendent; Juan Faciolince, business administrator; Mark Bruscino, director of operations; and Curtis Brack, Kearny High School principal.
Lorenzo Richardson, HCSBA president, welcomed the nearly 40 attendees in person and virtually, including the seven newly elected board of education members who attended the 3Rs training before the meeting.
The Kearny High School band and choir members performed a musical interlude before the meeting, along with a few songs and the national anthem. The culinary arts students of Kearny High School made a delicious dinner and dessert for the attendees, which included sliced pork loin, roasted pear salad, pan roasted chicken and more.
The Hoboken Dual Language Charter School was awarded its 2023 NJSBA School Leader Award for “AP Spanish Program at HoLa Middle School.”
Robert Acerra, NJSBA county activities coordinator, recognized the five “retiring” board of education members from Hudson County who represented 32 years of service to the students and districts in Hudson County. He also congratulated and thanked Lorenzo Richardson for his service as Hudson County SBA president as his position will expire Dec. 31. During Richardson’s farewell message with the members of HCSBA, he shared, “We have to always make sure we put children first!”
Jose Soares (Kearny) was elected to fill Richardson’s unexpired vacancy as HCSBA president and Christopher Tisdale (Jersey City) was elected to fill Soares’s unexpired vacancy as HCSBA second vice president for legislation. The first vice president position remains vacant.
Barry Fitzgerald, NJSBA vice president for county activities, shared greetings from the NJSBA officers. Hector Gonzalez Jr, a board of directors delegate to the NJSBA, delivered an update to members; and Patti Rees, an NJSBA field service representative, presented a program titled “Back to the Basics.”
A variety of other important business was also conducted at the meeting.