Kenilworth School Board Elects New Leadership Amid Public Concerns Over School Safety and Construction

The Kenilworth School Board’s recent meeting was marked by the election of new board leadership and an engaging public feedback session that highlighted community concerns over school construction, safety, and facility management. Newly elected board members took their oaths, and Michelle Panichi was appointed as the president, with Ryan Haberthur serving as vice president. The board also engaged in ethics training and addressed numerous resolutions related to bylaws and financial matters.

The meeting began with the administration of oaths to newly elected members Suzanne Crincoli, Joseph J. Hrdina, and Dr. Michelle Panichi, whose terms will run through December 2027. Each member took the oath affirming their commitment to their roles, met with applause from attendees. The subsequent election for board president saw Dr. Michelle Panichi securing the position with eight affirmative votes, while Ryan Haberthur was unanimously chosen as vice president.

In the public comments section, community member Randy Lechuck voiced concerns over the construction of a new field and track, particularly the absence of adequate lighting, which he noted posed safety risks. Lechuck stressed that lights should be programmed to provide visibility without disturbing local residents, emphasizing the importance of community safety during evening hours. His observations about parking violations, particularly the blocking of fire lanes at school facilities, underscored ongoing safety issues, as he reported multiple cars parked illegally, potentially obstructing emergency services. Lechuck urged the board to address these safety concerns, recalling past measures such as traffic cones that had been effective but were no longer in use.

Lechuck also raised questions about the ongoing school construction, challenging the alignment of current plans with prior community expectations. He expressed confusion about the integration of middle and high school facilities, questioning the need for additional administrative offices and whether the separation of students was being effectively managed. His remarks reflected broader community sentiment.

In response to these concerns, a board member assured that social media comments are not deleted but may be hidden for technical reasons, and promised to investigate the issue further. The board member highlighted ongoing communication efforts with parents regarding the middle school plans.

The board also participated in its annual ethics training, focusing on the New Jersey School Ethics Act and the School Board Member Code of Ethics. This session reinforced the principles of ethical governance, emphasizing adherence to laws and regulations, prioritizing educational welfare, and maintaining confidentiality. Board members were reminded of their roles in policymaking and planning, and the importance of consulting with affected parties before implementing policies. The training underscored that board members should not have financial interests that conflict with their duties or use their positions for personal gain.

During the ethics session, the doctrine of necessity was discussed, relevant for boards when conflicts of interest arise among members. The board emphasized proactive communication about potential conflicts and encouraged members to seek guidance when needed, particularly regarding recusal obligations.

Following public comments, the board addressed twenty resolutions, covering bylaws, financial matters, and appointments, including legal counsel and curriculum reviews. The board expressed confidence in the financial assessments and thoroughness of educational material reviews. The resolutions were approved unanimously.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Superintendent:
Jeremy Davies
School Board Officials:
Dr. Michelle Panichi, Ryan Haberthur, Robert Beiner, Suzanne Crincoli, Gregg F. David, John Ferreira, Joseph J. Hrdina, Anthony Laudati, Nancy Zimmerman, Vincent A. Gonnella (Business Administrator/Board Secretary)

Receive debriefs about local meetings in your inbox weekly:

Trending meetings
across the country:

Meeting Date
Filter by bodytypes
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Airport Advisory Board
Art and Culture Board
Beach Committee
Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Board of Elections
Board of Health
Building Committee
Cannabis Control Board
Cemetery Commission
Charter Revision Commission
Child and Family Services Board
City Council
City Identity Committee
Code Enforcement Board
College Board of Trustees
Community Appearance Board
Community Preservation Committee
Community Redevelopment Agency
Congressional Committee
County Council
Disability Advisory Committee
Economic Development Board
Elderly Affairs Board
Electric Advisory Board
Environmental Commission
Financial Oversight Board
Historic Preservation Commission
Housing Authority
Human Relations Committee
Human Resources Committee
Insurance Fund
Land Use Board
Library Board
Licensing Board
Mental Health Commission
Municipal Alliance
Open Space Commission
Oversight and Review Committee
Parent Advisory Board
Parking Authority
Parks and Gardens Commission
Parks Commission
Pension Board
Planning Board
Police Review Board
Port Authority
Property Assessment Board
Public Safety Committee
Recreation Commission
Redevelopment Agency
Rent Control Board
Rent Leveling Board
School Board
Sewerage Authority
Shade Tree Commission
Special Magistrate
State Legislative Committee
State School Board
Taxation & Revenue Advisory Committee
Tourism Board
Trails Committee
Transportation Board
Utility Board
Value Adjustment Board
Veterans Committee
Water Control Board
Women's Advisory Committee
Youth Advisory Committee
Zoning Board
Filter by County
AZ
Maricopa County
CA
Alameda County
Los Angeles County
Orange County
San Bernardino County
San Francisco County
CO
Adams County
Arapahoe County
Boulder County
Denver County
Douglas County
El Paso County
Elbert County
Garfield County
Jefferson County
Larimer County
Mesa County
Montezuma County
Montrose County
Pueblo County
Teller County
Weld County
FL
Bay County
Bradford County
Brevard County
Broward County
Clay County
Duval County
Escambia County
Gulf County
Hendry County
Highlands County
Hillsborough County
Indian River County
Lake County
Lee County
Leon County
Levy County
Liberty County
Manatee County
Marion County
Martin County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County
Okaloosa County
Orange County
Osceola County
Palm Beach County
Pasco County
Pinellas County
Polk County
Putnam County
Santa Rosa County
Sarasota County
Seminole County
St. Johns County
Taylor County
Volusia County
Walton County
IL
Cook County
Kane
Kane County
Mchenry
Sangamon County
IN
Elkhart County
Gibson County
Hamilton County
Hendricks County
Johnson County
Marion County
Marshall County
Miami County
Porter County
St Joseph County
KS
Wyandotte County
MA
Barnstable County
Berkshire County
Bristol County
Essex County
Franklin County
Hampden County
Hampshire County
Middlesex County
Norfolk County
Plymouth County
Suffolk County
Worcester County
MD
Montgomery County
MI
Berrien County
Genesee County
Grand Traverse County
Ingham County
Kent County
Macomb County
Oakland County
Washtenaw County
Wayne County
MN
Anoka County
Becker County
Beltrami County
Benton County
Blue Earth County
Brown County
Carver County
Cass County
Chippewa County
Chisago County
Clay County
Cook County
Crow Wing County
Dakota County
Dodge County
Fillmore County
Freeborn County
Goodhue County
Grant County
Hennepin County
Isanti County
Itasca County
Kanabec County
Kandiyohi County
Koochiching County
Lac Qui Parle County
Lyon County
Mcleod County
Morrison County
Mower County
Nicollet County
Norman County
Olmsted County
Pine County
Pipestone County
Polk County
Ramsey County
Rice County
Scott County
Sherburne County
Sibley County
St Louis County
Stearns County
Steele County
Wabasha County
Waseca County
Washington County
Winona County
Wright County
MO
Jackson County
nan
Collin
Dallas
Denton
Ellis
Erath
Hood
Hunt
Johnson
Kaufman
Navarro
PaloPinto
Parker
Rockwall
Somervell
Tarrant
Wise County
NJ
Atlantic County
Bergen County
Burlington County
Camden County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
Essex County
Gloucester County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Monmouth County
Morris County
Ocean County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Sussex County
Union County
Warren County
NY
Bronx County
Kings County
New York County
Queens County
Richmond County
PA
Allegheny County
Philadelphia City County
TN
Madison County
Montgomery County
Rutherford County
Shelby County
Williamson County
TX
Collin
Dallas
Dallas County
Denton
Ellis
Erath
Harris County
Hood
Hunt
Johnson
Kaufman
Navarro
PaloPinto
Parker
Rockwall
Somervell
Tarrant
Tarrant County
Wise County
VA
Albemarle County
Fairfax County
Loudoun County
Filter by sourcetypes
Minutes
Recording