The Colonial School District Board of School Directors held its annual reorganization meeting Monday, swearing in four newly elected members and filling the board leadership posts for the coming year.

Wendy Rothstein, introduced as a Plymouth White Marsh High School alumnus and Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge, administered oaths to the newly elected directors. Sharon Marino, Gail Plant, Rashida Randall and Thomas Santiago each affirmed the oath of office to support and defend "the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth," and were congratulated after taking their oaths.

The board selected Chris Epstein to serve as temporary president to chair the reorganization portion of the meeting. After nominations for the permanent president, members nominated Beth Petruno and then voted to elect her as president. Gail Plant was nominated and elected vice president; motions to close nominations and the voice/hand votes were recorded on the floor.

The board passed a motion authorizing continued use of existing signature plates until new plates reflecting the newly appointed officers can be prepared, and authorized the financial manager to arrange for their preparation.

During the brief special meeting that followed, the superintendent (identified as Mike) moved to approve the personnel report as presented in agenda items 4b and 4c, noting appointments are contingent on presentation of valid credentials and employment verification; the board approved the personnel changes. The board also approved stipulations to settle an assessment appeal for Parcel 490001786001 after a motion and second were recorded.

No public comments were offered during the allotted public-comment period. Board members offered congratulatory remarks to reelected and newly elected directors before adjourning.

What happens next: the newly elected president and vice president will serve one-year terms, and the financial manager will arrange updated signature plates. Additional administrative and personnel changes will proceed as approved, subject to the conditions noted during the personnel motion.