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After tied ballots, DeCagliaro elected chair; Thomas chosen vice chair; board appoints clerk and superintendent designees
Summary
The school board held multiple ballots for chair, resulting in Sarah DeCagliaro's selection after a tie and recess. Alfreda Thomas was elected vice chair; Karen Tanner was confirmed as board clerk. The board approved superintendent designees.
The Norfolk Public Schools Board conducted its organizational votes Jan. 8 following the swearing-in ceremony for three new members.
After two rounds of balloting that produced a tie between Dr. Adele Martin and Tiffany Moore Buffalo, the board reopened nominations and ultimately elected Sarah DeCagliaro as chair by roll call. Candidate tallies shown on the record: Adele Martin 3 votes, Tiffany Moore Buffalo 3 votes in earlier ballots; the final tally reported for Sarah DeCagliaro was 4 votes, after members changed nominations and roll calls.
Alfreda Thomas was elected vice chair in a separate roll-call vote. The tally reported in the record showed Thomas receiving four votes and Tiffany Moore Buffalo receiving two.
The board accepted Superintendent Birdsong's recommendation to reappoint Karen Tanner as school board clerk for calendar year 2025; that appointment passed by roll call. The board also approved superintendent designees: Dr. Michael Cataldo (Chief Student Safety Support and Information Officer), Dr. James Pohl (Chief Academic Officer), and Dr. Doritha White (Chief Strategy, Innovation and Community Engagement Officer).
Votes at a glance: - Chair: Sarah DeCagliaro — elected after multiple ballots and a recess; final reported count: 4 votes (final roll call on record). - Vice Chair: Alfreda Thomas — elected by roll call; reported count: 4 yes votes. - School Board Clerk: Karen Tanner — confirmed by roll call vote. - Superintendent designees: Dr. Michael Cataldo, Dr. James Pohl, Dr. Doritha White — approved by roll call.
Why it matters: The chair and vice chair set the board's meeting agendas and preside over deliberations; clerk appointment affects official records and public notices. The superintendent's designees are given authority to act on behalf of the superintendent for operational matters.
Ending: The board's organizational votes concluded after a recess and additional roll calls; members then moved to regular agenda items.
