The Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education has a new president at the helm of the school board.
Anita Williams Galiano was nominated and chosen by fellow board members to lead the school board as president for 2023 at the Board of Education’s (BOE) reorganization meeting on Jan. 2.
There were no other nominations made for the election of president.
“Thank you all for the honor. I want to thank you for the honor of this opportunity and also to let you know how important it is to me to do the work that we do on this board,” Galiano said. “I have your back. We have a team we are working to develop, and we are here for the community.”
Galiano was first elected to the school board in 2020 and represents Hopewell Township.
Her three-year term runs until the end of 2023. This is Galiano first time serving as school board president.
She replaces former President Deborah Linthorst, who resigned from her position as a school board member in December.
Linthorst served as president from 2019-22 and cited personal and professional reasons for her early resignation. Linthorst’s second term runs through 2024.
For the election of board vice president, Galiano nominated board member Andrea Driver to position. With no other nominations, a voice vote was taken, which selected Driver as the 2023 school board vice president.
Driver, who also represents Hopewell Township, is serving in her first term on the school board. She was elected in 2020.
The BOE swore-in two members – Ou Liu and Mark Peters – who won open seats in the November 2022 election to serve three-year terms on the board.
Robert Colavita, Hopewell Valley Regional School District (HVRSD) business administrator and board secretary, administered the oath of office and swore-in Liu, who represents Hopewell Township, and Peters, who represents Hopewell Borough.
Michael Wilson, who also won an open seat will represent Hopewell Township, was not present for the swearing-in at reorganization meeting.
During the 2022 November general election, Wilson received 4,826 votes, Peters secured 667 votes and Liu earned 443 votes.
The board currently consists of eight members – Galiano, Driver, Liu, Peters, Wilson, Alex Reznik, Jacquie Genovesi and Adam Sawicki.
The board is expected to make an appointment to fill Linthorst’s unexpired term and vacancy.
According to the school board, the appointment will run until December 31, 2023. The remaining year of the term will be placed on the ballot in the November 2023 general election.
Applicants for the vacancy must be available to attend a special meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the District Administration Building for an interview.
