The Union City Board of Education held its reorganization meeting on May 16 at the Bruce D. Walter Recreation Center. Alicia Morejon, the board’s newest member, was sworn in at the meeting. “My goal is to work with the parents, teachers and school administrators, to set educational policy and to continue to improve the quality of education for all of the children of Union City,” said Morejon.
The Union City Board of Education has been an appointed board since 1982. Each board member serves a five-year term, with one member’s term expiring each year. The mayor appoints a new person to the board each year.
Morejon, who also served as Mayor Brian Stack’s campaign manager in this month’s municipal election, was appointed to replace 18-year board member Carlos Perez.
“I am not a political appointment,” said Morejon, who also sits on the city’s Planning Board and Urban Enterprise Zone Redevelopment Board. “I have my own mind, my own feelings and make my own decisions. My priority is the parents and the children of Union City.”
After she was appointed, Morejon’s residency information was questioned after Robert Osak, the Hudson County Superintendent, received anonymous information that Morejon may not meet the one-year residency requirement for board members.
After board attorney Herb Klitzner interviewed Morejon and reviewed her residency information, Klitzner determined that Morejon had met the residency requirement. Klitzner than forwarded a letter, stating his findings, to Osak, who approved her appointment. (see sidebar pg 6.)
Parent involvement
When Morejon’s son was a student in the special education program in the Union City School District 20 years ago, Morejon said that she had many problems dealing with the board at that time.
“At that time it was hard for me to understand everything,” said Morejon, who was suffering through a language barrier, having recently moved to the United States from Cuba.
After researching a little, Morejon wants to make sure that Union City parents, especially those who may not speak English very well, are not left out of the education process.
Morejon is replacing Carlos Perez, the former Board of Education president, who was criticized last year for not allowing parents to speak at the board’s meetings.
This criticism led a group of parents to file a petition asking that a referendum be placed on the election ballot to make the Board of Education an elected board. However, after the petitions were signed, Stack made a deal with the parents saying that he would seek parent approval of the next person that he appointed to the board.
“The most important thing is to work with the parents,” said Morejon after being sworn in as a trustee to the Board of Education. “I feel it is important to listen to the concerns of the parents in order to help the children who are the future of this city.”
Reorganization
The board’s former vice president, Felina Del Nodal, was appointed president of the board at the meeting last week.
“Becoming the president only adds responsibility,” said Del Nodal last week about being appointed president. “I can’t do anything on my own. We all have to work together.”
Adelaide Leone, who has been a member of the Board of Education for more than 15 years, was appointed to the position of vice president. Lenny Calvo and Tilo Rivas are also trustees to the current Board of Education. Rivas, who was sworn in as a member of the city’s Board of Commissioners on May 21, will have to resign from his Board of Education position.
Stack will then have 30 days to appoint a new member to the Board of Education.