Three board members sworn in; Matthews elected president, Flores vice president

The Englewood Board of Education swore in three newly elected members, confirmed board leadership for the year and heard brief introductory remarks before moving to committee assignments.

Allison Ross and Rachel Haber took the oath of office during the meeting; each introduced themselves and thanked supporters. Allison Ross said she would prioritize student mental health and community partnerships. Rachel Haber, reelected, told attendees she had a long-term commitment to Englewood and pledged to "put the kids first in every decision I make."

The board then nominated and confirmed its leadership through roll-call votes. David Matthews was elected board president and Jason Flores was elected vice president. In his first remarks as president, Matthews said the board would prioritize improving academics and ensuring the district's finances were "unquestionably excellent." "We have to improve our academics. That should be focus number one," he said. Matthews also emphasized fiscal diligence and competitiveness with neighboring districts.

Why it matters: The swearing-in and leadership election set a governance agenda for the coming year and identified both academic outcomes and fiscal health as top priorities. Members discussed committee assignments and asked colleagues to indicate preferences by the following week.

All quotes and attributions in this article are taken from the board's public meeting transcript.