A New School Board
Now that a preK-12 regional district has been approved by voters, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands board members have to work quickly to determine who will be the first to serve on the new school board of education. That nine-member board will replace the current three boards of education at Highlands and Atlantic Highlands elementary schools and Henry Hudson Regional School.
It also means that the new regional district will begin its first days without any school board of education.
In a letter released today to the Henry Hudson Regional Education community signed by the presidents of the current three boards of education, October 16 is the official date when the new regional school district becomes effective.
However, the three existing school boards will not begin the process of selecting the first Board of Education for the new district until after that date.
The new transitional board, which will remain in effect until a new board is selected for staggered terms in a November 2024 election, will be selected by members of the current three boards from among themselves.
That action is expected to take place next week when each of the three boards holds their regular meetings. Highlands meets October 16 at 6P.M. Atlantic Highlands October 17 at 7 p.m. and Henry Hudson October 18 at 7 p.m.
Each of the boards, at their respective meetings next week, will go into closed session and members will express their interest in serving on the transitional board. If the number of interested board members equals the number that the board can seat on the transitional board, their intentions will be discussed again in closed session followed by a vote at the regular open session. Should there be more board members interested than there are seats on the transitional board, each of the interested candidates will be interviewed by their fellow board members and a decision made and voted on in open session.
For the new regional nine-member school board, there will be three each from both the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands boards of education, and three from the Henry Hudson Board, of which two will be from Highlands and one from Atlantic Highlands to comprise the entire board.
Between now and their respective meeting, each of the interested candidates for the new school board must submit a letter of interest to its president and secretary as well as to school superintendent Dr. Tara Beams.
The votes will take place at the October 16, 17 and 18 board meetings. A meeting next month, at a yet unannounced date, will be the organization meeting to appoint the members approved by their respective boards of education as well as action on other approvals and legal requirements of the new board.
The present boards will remain in place until the date is set for the new regional district to take control of the facilities, a date currently set at June 30, 2024, but which could be sooner. During this time, the transitional board members will also continue to serve on their current boards.
After the November 2024 election, the transitional school board will continue to serve until the re-organization of the elected board sometime in early January 2025. In the meantime, new stationery and at least one new e-mail address have been prepared. Superintendent Beams e-mail is now tbeams@henryhudsonreg.k12.nj.us
