Board of Education
For more than 200 years, the tradition of excellence in the Summit Public Schools has been supported by an involved community and strong and effective Boards of Education. The Board operates under the guidance of a mission statement and shared values as well as the Summit Public Schools mission statement, developed with input from the entire school community and Summit residents. The Board's mission is "to set and uphold the standards by which we provide the students of the Summit Public Schools with a superior educational experience, in a way that is equitable, financially responsible, and free of political influence."
Board Meetings
Minutes: Minutes of all board of education meetings are available to the public, even those of closed sessions when the reasons for privacy no longer exist.
About the Board
Summit operates under New Jersey Statute Title 18A as a Type I board of education. This statute mandates that members of Type I districts' boards of education be appointed by the mayor rather than be elected by popular vote. The selection process for board members begins with the volunteer application forms, available from City Hall, which are submitted by individuals who wish to nominate themselves or someone else for appointment to the board of education or other community boards. The mayor first seeks the advice of community leaders in narrowing the list of candidates and traditionally makes the final decision in April with the advice of Common Council. In making appointments, the mayor looks for a balance of talents among board members and for representation from all areas of the city. Members are chosen for their experience, expertise, and ability.
The seven members of the Summit Board of Education are appointed by the mayor for three-year staggered terms, with two or three of the seats up for appointment or reappointment each year. As mandated by law, the board holds its annual reorganization meeting each year on May 16. (If that date falls on a weekend, the meeting is held the following Monday.) At the meeting, new board members take office and board officers are appointed for the following year. Board of Education members are also members of the New Jersey School Boards Association and attend its annual conference where they have the opportunity to participate in two days of workshops on current educational topics. Board members attend other NJSBA sponsored workshops on relevant topics throughout the year. Board of education members also act as liaisons to the Union County School Boards Association, the Union County Education Services Commission, the Garden State Coalition, and the Summit Education Foundation.