Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Board Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mount Arlington board elects Rachel Byrne president, approves organizational appointments and civil‑rights settlement
Summary
At its Jan. 7 organization meeting the Mount Arlington Board of Education elected Rachel Byrne president, named Sheila Studint vice president, swore in two newly elected members and approved a package of organizational policies, professional appointments and a voluntary resolution agreement to resolve an OCR complaint (Case No. 02-23-1465).
Rachel Byrne was elected president of the Mount Arlington Board of Education at the board's Jan. 7, 2026 organization meeting, and Sheila Studint was named vice president.
Robin C. Tedesco, the Interim School Business Administrator and Board Secretary, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Mount Arlington Public School. Tedesco reviewed Nov. 4, 2025 election results and swore in newly elected members Chris D'Amico and Erika Puskas.
The board voted by roll call to elect Rachel Byrne as president and Sheila Studint as vice president; each election passed with five yes votes and two members absent. The newly elected officers assumed their duties immediately.
By unanimous roll call vote of the members present, the board approved a block motion to adopt a set of organizational items (Finance Agenda Items 010726-B-1 through 010726-B-12). The motion to approve the package was moved by Sheila Studint and seconded by Melissa Eckert. The recorded vote on that motion was five in favor, none opposed, and two absent.
The adopted items included formal adoption of the district's written Board Policies and Bylaws and a Code of Ethics required under N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21; designation of Robert's Rules of Order for organizational governance; naming the Daily Record as the official newspaper for legal notices (with the Star Ledger and Roxbury Register as alternates); and a published schedule of regular 2026 meeting dates to be held at 7:00 p.m. at Mount Arlington Public School.
The board also appointed professional services: Porzio, Bromberg & Newman P.C. of Morristown was appointed board counsel for 2026 (contract language in the minutes lists attorney billing at $245 per hour and paralegal billing at $160 per hour), and Nisivoccia & Company, LLP was appointed public-school accountant/auditor for the 2025/2026 year at a fee not to exceed $38,250. The board designated the Board Secretary as Custodian of Records and appointed Robin C. Tedesco as Interim Board Secretary for Jan. 1–June 30, 2026, with Dr. Thomas Ficarra to serve as acting board secretary in her absence.
The board adopted the district Purchasing Manual and the Standard Operating Procedures and Internal Control Manual (documents on file in the Business Office) and approved a Voluntary Resolution Agreement to resolve a U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights complaint (Case No. 02-23-1465); the minutes record only that the agreement was approved and do not include further settlement details.
There were no public comments recorded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:11 p.m. on a motion by Studint, seconded by Mr. Decena, carried by voice vote (Yes: 5; No: 0; Abstain: 0; Absent: 2).
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at Mount Arlington Public School.
