Citing the meaningful contributions that boards of education make to public education and to the quality of life in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy has proclaimed January 2022 as School Board Recognition Month in New Jersey.
“New Jersey’s 5,000 local board of education members devote countless hours, without remuneration, to the oversight of school district operations, including finances, policy, curriculum and staffing,” the governor said in his Dec. 14, 2021, proclamation. “New Jersey’s local boards of education endeavor to meet the challenges facing public schools and to help students attain the education necessary to excel in college and in the workplace and to enable them to compete in a global economy.”
“By making meaningful contributions to public education, the dedicated members of local school boards have greatly enhanced the quality of life in our state,” the governor’s proclamation stated.
“The state’s local boards of education set the goals and provide oversight for the entire school district,” explained Irene LeFebvre, president of the New Jersey School Boards Association. “The hard work and dedication of school boards have a direct impact on the classroom, and their efforts have helped make New Jersey’s public schools a national leader in student achievement.”
“No other public official, elected or appointed, has a greater impact on the lives of children than the local school board member,” said Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director. “This year, boards of education in New Jersey overcame unimaginable challenges in continuing to provide instruction to students during the pandemic. We thank the governor for recognizing the dedication of our state’s local school board members and the central role that they play in the governance of public education.”
The New Jersey School Boards Association initiated the state’s first School Board Recognition Month in 2002 to honor the dedicated local school board members who oversee the education of the state’s nearly 1.4 million public school students.
NJSBA has posted a copy of the governor’s proclamation. You can also find resources and information on celebrating School Board Recognition Month in New Jersey.