Bergen County School Boards Association Celebrates the School Year and Honors the County Teacher of the Year

The Bergen County School Boards Association met May 7 at the Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights-Meadowlands in Hasbrouck Heights.

BCSBA President Michael Jacobs of the Ridgefield Board of Education called the meeting to order and welcomed attendees, both virtually and in person, to the final BCSBA meeting of the year. He introduced Louis DeLisio, interim executive county superintendent, who delivered updates from the New Jersey Department of Education. The update was followed by an update from Matt Lee, field service representative at NJSBA, and an update from Jonathan Pushman, director of governmental relations at NJSBA.

Brenda Yoo, vice principal of Tenafly High School in the Tenafly School District, had the honor of introducing Gary Whitehead, the 2023-2024 Bergen County Teacher of the Year. Whitehead shared a powerful message on the unofficial topic of “What Every School Board Member Should Know from the Lips of a Teacher.”

Irene LeFebvre, NJSBA immediate past president, attended and offered warm greetings on behalf of the NJSBA. LeFebvre was accompanied by Michael Sprague, NJSBA board of directors’ delegate, who provided a comprehensive report of the NJSBA board of directors meeting. Ray Pinney, lead director of member training and engagement at NJSBA, and Robert Acerra, county activities coordinator at NJSBA, presented the milestone awards and all NJSBA Board Member Academy certification recognitions, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the board of education members in Bergen County.

Michael Sprague, BCSBA nominating committee chair, presented the slate of executive committee members to fill two unexpired terms on the BCSBA executive committee. Acerra installed the two members, Elisa Billis, Franklin Lakes Board of Education, and Laura Genovese-Behrmann, Ramsey Board of Education.