Reid, Kuczinski Officially Join School Board Tonight
• Ken Reilly Expected to Servce As New President
Apr 27, 2010 – Although no official announcement has been made, Ken Reilly, a six-year veteran of the Nutley Board of Education, is expected to be elected tonight as its new president. The reorganizational meeting of the board is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the John Walker Middle School's music room.
The session will also seat two new members, Dr. Robert Reid, a professor at Montclair State University, and Charles Kucinski who has served previously both as a board member and as its president. Reid and Kucinski, along with incumbent James Kuchta were elected this month to three-year terms.
Missing tonight will be Dr. Phil Casale, who served 12 years on the board, nine years as president, and retired high school athletic director Angelo Frannicola; both failed in their reelection bid this month.
Tonight's meeting is likely to be a lengthy one; the agenda distributed yesterday was 23 pages long.
The three winning candidates all will have a chance to address the meeting as will members of the public. But the trustees will be pressed for time as a closed executive session has been added to follow the public session. The three winning candidates all will have a chance to address the meeting as will members of the public. But the trustees will be pressed for time as a closed executive session has been added to follow the public session. One matter for that closed session reportedly concerns a resurfaced $79,000 dispute with DCM engineering that dates back to February 2008 relating to the installation of geothermal units at the Lincoln and Washington elementary schools.
This month's election likely will result in two major power shifts on the Nutley Board of Education. First, there will be a minority of members directly affiliated with the teachers union. And secondly, the new majority says it will work more closely with the superintendent of schools in streamlining board meetings (i.e. avoiding three-hour sessions).
Tonight's agenda also includes the approval of classroom courses that will be taught for all grade levels, elementary thru high school. Superintendent Joseph Zarra will discuss the curriculum including changes planned for implementation in September.
