JACKSON — The seven-member Jackson School District Board of Education has a vacancy and is inviting residents to apply for an appointment to the panel.
Scott Sargent is leaving the school board following his recent election to the Jackson Township Council. Sargent will join the governing body in January.
School board members in New Jersey serve without compensation.
Jackson School District Business Administrator and Board Secretary Michelle Richardson said the process for filling a vacancy such as this differs from a typical school board election.
The individual who is appointed by the board will take the oath of office and become a full member of the board on Dec. 21 and will continue to serve in that position through the panel’s reorganization meeting in early January 2024.
The individual who is appointed this month – and anyone else in the community – will have the opportunity to file a petition to run for election for this seat in the election to be held on Nov. 7, 2023, according to a press release from the school district.
In order to be considered for the appointment, interested individuals must submit a resume and cover letter that outlines the reasons for wanting to serve on the board and the qualifications for being selected.
These materials can be mailed to the attention of Michelle Richardson, Board Secretary, Jackson School District Board of Education, 151 Don Connor Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527 or emailed to jsd@jacksonsd.org. District administrators are asking respondents to put “board vacancy” in the subject line of the email.
The deadline to submit materials is Dec. 19, according to the press release.
During the Dec. 21 closed session portion of the board’s business meeting (which begins at 4:30 p.m.), all applicants will be invited to make a brief (five minutes maximum) statement that elaborates on their resume and cover letter: reason for wanting to serve, qualifications, expectations for service and areas of priority. Board members will ask follow-up questions.
When the board returns to public session to begin its regular meeting, the board members will vote in public to appoint one of the candidates and the appointed candidate will be immediately seated after taking the oath of office, according to the press release.
Qualifications for a board member, established by state law, are as follows:
• Be a United States citizen;
• Be a resident of the school district for at least one year at the time of election or appointment;
• Be able to read and write;
• Be a registered voter in the school district where the person is submitting the nomination petition (or being appointed);
• Not be disqualified as a voter pursuant to state law;
• Not have been convicted of any of the crimes or offenses enumerated in state law or conspiracy to commit or attempt to commit any of said crimes;
• Not be the mayor or a member of the governing body of the municipality;
• Not have a direct or indirect contract with or claim against the board.
