Middlesex Board of Education swears in members, elects Parente president and Schuler vice president; adopts ethics code and meeting schedule

The Middlesex Borough Board of Education administered oaths to newly elected members and chose its officers in an organizational meeting, electing Danielle Parente as board president and Sharon Schuler as vice president, adopting a code of ethics and approving the board's 2025 meeting schedule.

The actions set the board's leadership and basic operating rules for the coming year following the Nov. 7, 2024 school election that produced new members whose terms were read into the record.

Business administrator and board secretary K. Giordano announced the election results and read the list of those elected in the annual school election: Danielle Parente, Sharon Schuler and Thomas Thornton were identified as members elected to three-year terms; Patricia Reynolds was identified as elected to a two-year term; and Libet Jeffrey as elected to a one-year term. Giordano also administered the oath of office; Patricia Reynolds read the oath and swore to support the U.S. and New Jersey constitutions and to possess the qualifications prescribed by law, saying, "I, Patricia Reynolds, do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey..."

Board members then opened nominations for president. Board member Danielle Parente was nominated and elected by board ballot. Board members announced their votes aloud during the tally: "Missus Reynolds, vote for Missus Parente; Mister Thornton, vote for Missus Parente; Miss Jeffrey, vote for Missus Parente," with other members likewise recorded. The board announced Parente as president. The board subsequently nominated Sharon Schuler for vice president and elected her by ballot; members confirmed their votes aloud and Schuler was declared vice president.

The board adopted the New Jersey School Boards Association code of ethics. Giordano read a resolution for adoption, stating in part, "Be it resolved that the Middlesex Board of Education adopts the New Jersey School Boards Association code of ethics, and that each board member shall abide by these principles..." The board also approved the calendar of regular meetings for 2025, scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the media center of Middlesex High School, 300 John F. Kennedy Drive, Middlesex, N.J. The meeting record shows the board approved organizational action items (bylaws, official newspapers, custodians of funds and related items) and a roll call where the voting members present were recorded as voting yes.

The organizational items and officer elections were handled during the board's organizational portion of the agenda and were recorded in the meeting minutes for the district.

The meeting concluded after the board handled routine organizational business and opened and closed a public-comment period.