Voters go with Wyluda, England, Turner-Smith
BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer

SOUTH RIVER- The Board of Education reorganized this week after voters elected two incumbents and one newcomer to three-year terms.

Also in the April 15 election, residents approved the 2008-09 school budget by a vote of 567-363. The proposed budget brings no increase in school taxes, thanks in part to a significant increase in state aid.

In all, 1,016 voters cast ballots lastweek, representing 13 percent of the borough's 7,443 registered voters.

Four candidates campaigned for the three school board seats. Board President RegisWyluda was the high-vote getter with 602 votes, and fellow incumbent William England alsowon re-electionwith 570 votes.

England ran alongside Shenetta Turner- Smith, who won her first termon the board with 587 votes. Turner-Smith,who last year lost by two votes to Donna Rafano, is now the first African-American school board member in South River history.

"We never had anAfrican-American candidate before," Turner-Smith said. "… The voters realized that our Board of Education needs to better reflect the diversity of our community."

IncumbentGregory Palaski received 545 votes, 42 short of winning another term. Wyluda, who ran alongside Palaski, offered words of appreciation for Palaski's service to the district.

"The board has lost a valuable member who has experience and foresight and a forward thinking person who was on the board,"Wyluda said.

While noting that the election was close, Wyluda wished England and Turner-Smith success on the board.He said the board will continue tomove forward with the students in mind.

He also thanked his supporters.

"I do want to thank them all for their confidence in me," he said of the voters.

The board will continue to make the school systemas comprehensive as possible through its Blueprint for Excellence and Parent University programs, he said.

"There is a number of projectswithin the school district that we are moving forward on,"Wyluda said.

The Board of Education held its reorganization meeting Monday, during which Turner-Smith, England and Wyluda were sworn in. The board chose CynthiaUrbanik to take Palaski's role as vice president and electedWyluda to continue serving as president.

Turner-Smith said the voters wanted a new voice with different ideas on how to best educate their children.

"I think that they voted for a change," Turner-Smith said.

She said she wants to generate additional funding through corporate sponsorships and other alternatives in order to offset costs to the district. She added that she will continue to be involved in Parent University in order to open the lines of communication between the school system and parents, and to increase parental involvement in the district.

Turner-Smith said she and England ran a strong door-to-door campaign to inform voters of their platform.

"Iwould just like to thank themfor their continued support," she said. "… We are committed to increasing the student achievement and doing it in the most fiscally responsible manner possible."

England agreed the voters decided that it was time for a change in the leadership roles. He expressed gratitude to Palaski for his service to the district.

"Greg has done an excellent job as a board member and former president, and I knowthat hewill continue to be a supporter of the South River school system and the community of South River," England said.

He thanked voters for their support.

"I am very happy that Shenetta and I won," England said. "We ran on a platform focusing in on improving academic achievement in the schools, and I think that focus resonated with the voters."

One of his top priorities this termwill be to define what good teaching is, assess where the students are receiving it, and to award teachers who are improving student accomplishment, he said. Problems related to evaluating the correlation between teaching and student progress can be found in school districts across the nation, he said, but he wants to make the matter a priority in South River.

"I want to focus in on improving accountabilitywithin the school system," England said. "… I would like to see an improvement in our evaluation systems."

England said that test scores, such as the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, should be a part of the evaluation process. The boardwill consultwith the teachers' union and administration on this process, he said.

"I don'twant to dictate it," England said. "The unions have got to agree. The administration has got to agree. But I do think that is something that has got to be looked at."

"We have made good progress, we just have to keep it up," England added.