Livingston Online® -- Board of Education

General Information

The Board of Education is responsible for the school budget, which is developed through a collaborative process between teachers, principipals, and administrators.

The public may participate in the process by providing comment during Board of Education meetings in the fall of each year. Once the budget is developed, it is subject to a public hearing, and is then adopted by the Board of Education.

In April, the public has the opportunity to vote in favor or against the budget. If the budget is defeated, it is reviewed by the Township Council. If the Township Council recommends budget cuts, the Board of Education may appeal the cuts to the State Commissioner of Education.

School District Policy is set by the five members of the Board of Education and implemented by the school district's administrative staff.

Board members are elected in the non-partison school elections held in April, and serve for three year terms.

The Board of Education meets on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm at the Board's office at 11 Foxcroft Drive. Four types of meetings are held:

• Type One Meetings -- Official Public Meetings
  Meets on the second Monday of the month, except during July and August.
• Type Two Meetings -- Special Public Meetings
  May be called on a matter of specific community interest or to handle business which cannot be delayed until the regular session.
  
• Type Three Meetings -- Open Conference Meetings
  Work sessions for the board to receive information from the administrative staff. Opportunity is provided at the end of the meeting for public comment.
  
• Type Four Meetings -- Closed Session Meetings
  Involve contract negotiations, personnel or legal matters.
  

*The Sunshine Law -- The Township Council and local Board of Education are subject to New Jersey's Open Meeting Act. This law, known as the Sunshine Law, requires public bodies to admit the public to meetings and to give adequate advance notice of meetings. The law also requires that minutes of meetings be kept and to make these records available for public review.
The Sunshine Law does not give the public complete access to meetings, however. The law permits the exclusion of the public from meetings regarding personnel, litigation, and real estate. Also, the law does not require that the public be invited to participate in meetings, only that the public be allowed to observe.
The Sunshine Law applies to any public body that has legal authority to vote on public matters or to spend public funds. Additional information about the Sunshine Law may be obtained by calling the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate at 1-800-792-8600.

Board of Education Members

Sheila Goldklang, President
Charles August, Vice President
Jan Ball, Member
Dr. Anthony Del Tufo, Member
Molly Emiliani, Member