Woodbridge board appoints Stephon Lally and Vincent Coughlin to fill two vacant seats

The Woodbridge Township Board of Education on June 17 appointed Stephon Lally and Vincent Coughlin to fill two vacant board seats after interviewing five candidates and meeting in closed session.

Board member Ms. Perez nominated Stephon Lally for board seat 1; Lally received a majority of votes cast by last-name selection and was declared the winner. Ms. Perez nominated Vincent Coughlin for board seat 2; Coughlin was the sole nominee and was approved in roll-call vote. The board then administered the oath of office to the appointees.

The public heard brief statements from five candidates before the board retired to closed session to discuss “personal matters that may implicate privacy interests,” the board attorney said. Candidates who spoke included Fozan Amjad, Vincent Coughlin, Dalia Iwais and Stephon Lally; Steven Muscardi was not present. In their remarks, candidates emphasized themes the board cited as priorities: student mental health, academic recovery from the pandemic, school safety, and support for educators.

Candidate Fozan Amjad said AI is already in students’ lives and argued schools should “teach [students] how to use it as a tool.” Candidate Vincent Coughlin called for strong public schools as a community foundation, saying, “Strong public schools are the foundation of a strong community.” Dalia Iwais identified herself as a lifelong district resident and parent and emphasized transparency and collaboration. Candidate Stephon Lally closed his remarks by reiterating a longtime commitment to service: “It’s an honor and a privilege.”

After the interviews and closed-session discussion, the board reopened public session and conducted nominations and roll-call votes. For seat 1 (previously held by Mr. Harris), the roll call produced votes for both Lally and Iwais, with Lally receiving the greater number of board votes and being named to the seat. For seat 2 (previously held by Mr. Velez), Coughlin was the only nominee and was approved by the board. Board secretary/business administrator Mr. Wolferman administered the oath of office to the new members.

The newly appointed members are expected to assume their seats on the dais immediately after being sworn in, per the board’s procedures. The board’s public notice for the meeting said the district published the meeting date, time and place in advance and posted it on the district website and in local newspapers.