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Metuchen board appoints Najla Alsuel to fill vacant seat after public candidate interviews
Summary
After interviewing three candidates in public, the Metuchen Board of Education voted unanimously on May 12 to appoint Najla Alsuel to the vacant board seat; Alsuel took the statutory oath and the board discussed next steps for onboarding.
The Metuchen Board of Education on May 12 appointed Najla Alsuel to a vacant seat after public interviews of three finalists and a closed-session deliberation. The board president moved the appointment and, after a roll-call vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Alsuel, an assistant professor and clinical lab director at Rutgers who said she has two sons in the district, told the board she wanted to "give back to the community and the school district that's given my children so much." She highlighted science education, community engagement, and mentorship as priorities and proposed hands-on steps such as a "Scientific Method 101" workshop to boost middle‑school participation in the science fair.
The board president said the district conducted an open call, sent standardized questions to candidates, and evaluated responses in real time before deliberating in executive session. After the vote, district officials read the required oath referenced in the transcript as NJSA 18A:12-2.1 and NJSA 41:1-1.3; Alsuel recited the oath and was congratulated.
Board members praised the quality of the finalists and welcomed Alsuel. The board noted it will complete onboarding and required training before Alsuel assumes full duties. No formal motions or policy changes tied directly to the appointment were recorded beyond the vote and oath.
