Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pennsauken Board of Education installs new members, elects Eckel president and Alves vice president
Summary
At its Jan. 6 reorganization meeting, the Pennsauken Township Board of Education administered oaths to newly elected members, elected Lisa Eckel president and Osvaldo Alves vice president, adopted a Code of Ethics and approved the 2026 meeting calendar, committees and several routine personnel items.
The Pennsauken Township Board of Education on Jan. 6 administered oaths to newly elected members and reorganized its leadership, selecting Lisa Eckel as board president and Osvaldo Alves as vice president.
Board Secretary John Ogunkanmi opened the meeting at the district administration building, confirmed that legal notice was posted, and announced the official results of the annual school election for three-year terms: Jeffrey Carey (8,110 votes), Osvaldo Alves (7,912 votes) and Jibril Smitherman (7,737 votes). The Board Solicitor, Mr. Li, then administered the oaths of office to Carey, Alves and Smitherman.
During nominations for board leadership, Mr. Alves nominated Eckel for president and Ms. Johnson nominated herself; following a roll-call vote, Eckel was elected president. For vice president, Mr. Bennett nominated Alves and Mrs. Hutton nominated herself; the board elected Alves to the vice-presidency by roll call.
The board considered and recommended adoption of the Code of Ethics for School Board Members, citing New Jersey statute 18A:12-24.1, and recommended approval of the district’s 2026 meeting calendar, which schedules monthly business meetings at the administration office. Trustees also reviewed and approved a slate of standing committees covering district business and operations, communications, negotiations, policy, education and superintendent evaluation.
The meeting included routine governance items recommended for approval: staff travel and professional development (including a $215 registration for Norma Rosario-Muñoz to a NJASA webinar and a no-cost School Law & Policy Symposium), a Pennsauken High School JROTC trip to Moorestown on Jan. 9 to present colors and hear a guest speaker, and a recommendation to approve a "Last Chance Agreement" for employee ID#2125. A motion to strike agenda item #4 was made by Mr. McDevitt, seconded by Mr. Alves, carried by the board, and the agenda was approved as amended (approve items 1-3, strike item 4, approve items 5-8).
Public comment was brief. Matt Sax, identified as PEA president, congratulated new and re-elected board members and incoming leaders. The board read the standard executive-session resolution language under N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 but recorded that no executive session occurred.
The meeting concluded with members offering congratulations and Dr. James Bevere, superintendent, requesting a new board photograph for the district website. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
