Westwood School Board Elects New President Amidst Debate on Transparency and Leadership

At the latest gathering of the Westwood School Board, key developments included the election of Jason Garcia as the new board president, the formation of new committees, and discussions on transparency, particularly concerning the elimination of live streaming for the meetings. The session was marked by the administration of oaths to newly elected members, debates on the board’s leadership, and the public’s strong appeals for ethical conduct and unity within the board.

Jason Garcia emerged as the new board president after a series of votes and considerable debate. His election brought forth a call for unity and the restoration of trust among the school community. Garcia outlined his plans, which included the establishment of four committees to address various aspects of board governance. He requested his fellow trustees to express their preferences for these committees, signaling a move towards a more structured and participatory approach in board operation.

The debate over the live streaming of board meetings proved to be a issue. Community members voiced their concerns about the decision to eliminate live streaming, a tool many believed was crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability. The public’s demand for the reinstatement of live streaming was met with reminders from board members that such operational decisions fell under the superintendent’s purview. Despite this, the issue remained at the forefront of the community’s concerns, with repeated calls for action to be taken to address the matter.

The meeting also involved the public forum, where district residents and staff had the opportunity to express their views. The forum highlighted the community’s mixed reactions to the board’s conduct, with some congratulating the new leadership, while others criticized the time and manner in which the board elections were conducted. Concerns were raised about the role of the acting superintendent, with questions regarding the timeline for the superintendent’s full return and the process by which the board was notified.

An official addressed the attendees, acknowledging the community’s concerns but clarifying that they could not comment on personnel matters. They assured those present of their commitment to the district and its educational mission. A resident emphasized the importance of the board working collaboratively for the benefit of the children and educators, urging the newly elected members to provide fair and equal leadership.

This act of reaffirmation was a response to the underlying tone of the meeting, where the board’s ethics and past actions were called into question by both community members and fellow board members.

The discussion of annual motions saw Miss Andrea Peck motioning to move annual motions A through J, which were seconded and approved without incident. However, the conversation took a turn when a board member questioned the inclusion of certain items in motion F, prompting a broader discussion on the appropriateness of the pre-printed content and the perceived pettiness in board decisions.

The appointment of the new vice president also unfolded during the meeting. Andrea Peck was nominated and elected to the position amidst conversations surrounding the election process.

Additional topics of interest during the meeting included the process for interviewing candidates for board president and the discussion of a motion concerning the election of various board and district positions.

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:
Dr. Jill Mortimer
School Board Officials:
Jason Garcia, Andrea Peck, Loni Azzolina, Laura Cooper, Douglas Cusato, Nicole Martin, Kristen Pedersen, Heather Perin, Jorge Pertuz, Frank Connelly, Bronwen Calderon (Director of Secondary Education), Denise Velez (Director of Elementary Education), Keith A. Rosado, Glen Becker (Director of Buildings & Grounds), Shelley LaForgia

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
Borough Council
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Olmsted County
Pipestone County
Polk County
Ramsey County
Rice County
Scott County
Sherburne County
Sibley County
St Louis County
Stearns County
Steele County
Waseca County
Washington County
Wright 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
TN
Shelby County
Filter by sourcetypes
Minutes
Recording