Township board of ed welcomes new members

The township board of education kicked off the new year by swearing in its three newest members: Bridget Palmer, Dean Drizin and Kurt Braddock, who were victorious in the November general election. All took the oath of office during the Jan. 2 board meeting. 

Palmer – a Cherry Hill resident for more than a decade – is the director of government affairs for Bancroft, the Haddonfield provider of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her twins currently attend Carusi Middle School. 

Drizin is a physician executive, veteran and father of two township students. He leads the corporate development office of a national home health-care organization and is a flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy Reserve. 

Braddock, who plays hockey throughout South Jersey and trains locally in kickboxing, has 20 years of experience as a teacher and researcher. He is an assistant professor in the school of communications at American University in Washington, D.C. 

When it came time to nominate a new president at the board meeting, Joel Mayer wasted no time in putting forth Gina Winters’ name. But first he acknowledged outgoing president Miriam Stern, who held the leadership position for two years. 

“The last couple of years have been among the most impactful that I can recall, not just on my time on the board, but before I was a board member, going back from the successful bond initiative,” said Mayer. “Now, we’re seeing a lot of that construction come to fruition. The successful transition to our new and highly qualified and effective superintendent, and so many other things that we have done here under the leadership of Mrs. Stern, who has been a stalwart supporter and protector of students and staff, those that need the most protection.” 

“That said,” Mayer concluded, “it’s time for new leadership. It’s time for some new ideas and new passion.”

Winters’ election as board president was unanimous. Then, in a vote of 7-2, Adam Greenbaum was named vice president over Kimberly Gallagher, who was appointed district representative of the Camden County School Boards Association’s Executive Committee and the New Jersey School Boards Association. Renee Cherfane was named to the Camden County Educational Services Commission. 

Also during the meeting, the board announced revisions to its committee structure, a project that was launched by Gallagher under the previous board. A major change involves moving all committee meetings to Tuesday nights, instead of having them spaced out over Monday and Tuesday. The policy and legislation committee, chaired by Mayer, will meet first at 5 p.m.; followed by curriculum and instruction, chaired by Winters, at 6 p.m.; and business and facilities, chaired by Greenbaum, at 7 p.m.

The purpose of the change, Winters explained, is to make it easier for more people to attend meetings.

“Committees will also have three members this year, with a fourth position open, so that members can rotate among committees and they can see what’s happening in the other committees,” she added. 

In the public comment portion of the board session, one resident expressed concern with the meeting restructure, noting that the 5 p.m. start time doesn’t take into consideration those who work, nor does it “bode well for transparency.”