Haddonfield School District board elects Jamie Griffin president, names Linda Hochul vice president and approves reorganization slate

Haddonfield — At its Jan. 8, 2025 reorganization meeting, the Haddonfield School District board elected Jamie Griffin as board president and approved Linda Hochul as vice president, while adopting a slate of administrative appointments and a code of ethics that the board said will remain in effect through the next organization meeting in January 2027.

The meeting began with the ceremonial swearing-in of new members and two roll calls to confirm attendance. A board member reading required notices said that the Open Public Meetings Act notice had been posted on Jan. 8, 2025 at the district administration offices and filed with the local clerk and newspaper.

Speaker 2 nominated Jamie Griffin for board president; the board then conducted a roll-call vote. The following members were recorded as voting yes: Miss Panetti (board member), Miss Dress (board member), (unnamed) Miss. (board member), (unnamed) Miss. (board member), Miss Crooked (board member), Miss Hochul (board member), Miss Hollingworth (board member), Mister Knox (board member), Mister Ritter (board member), and Miss Sock (board member). After the vote, the gavel was passed to the new president.

Speaker 2 then nominated Linda Hochul for vice president; the nomination was affirmed by roll-call vote with multiple members responding in the affirmative and offering congratulations to the nominee.

The president read aloud a long list of reorganization items the board recommended to extend through January 2027 unless otherwise noted. The list included the appointment of a coordinator for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a public agency compliance officer, an affirmative action officer, a liaison for homeless children and youth, a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act officer, integrated pest management coordinator, district policy and wellness coordinators, a purchasing agent with authority to award contracts up to the bid threshold, an asbestos management officer, safety and health designee, indoor air quality designee, right-to-know officer, chemical hygiene officer, toxic hazard preparedness officer, custodian and alternate custodian of records, HERA coordinator, DCPP liaison, educational stability liaison, and adoption of board bylaws, curriculum and evaluation models.

The board read and discussed a Code of Ethics for board members that outlines obligations to uphold laws and court orders, confine board action to policy and planning rather than administration, protect confidentiality in sensitive matters, and refer personnel complaints to the district administration before acting at public meetings.

Speaker 2 moved to approve the slate of reorganization appointments, authorizations and the cited policies; the board approved the motion by roll-call vote with multiple members recorded as voting yes.

Board members also discussed scheduling and quorum for upcoming meetings. A speaker noted that approval of a negotiated construction contract at a future meeting will require two-thirds of the board’s full membership (at least six affirmative votes) and asked members to confirm their availability for the next meeting. An executive session was noted to begin at 6:30 p.m. during the next meeting.

In other business, Speaker 2 announced the Lions Park Citizen of the Year breakfast scheduled for Feb. 7 at 9 a.m. at Tavistock and asked members to save the date; tickets were not yet available.

The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn.