Board of Ed Members Sworn In, Layoffs Finalized

The Barnegat Board of Education welcomed a new member at its annual reorganization meeting Tuesday night, and saw a leadership shift. The meeting, which marked the start of the 2011-12 school year for the board, also saw the finalization of nine district employee layoffs.

• Incumbents Lisa Becker and Denise Pilovsky, the top vote-getters in last month’s Board of Education election, and newcomer Alice Olker were sworn in collectively by board Administrator Dean Allison at the start of the meeting. The board voted unanimously to select Becker to serve as board president and Pilovsky to replace Robert Houser as vice president.

• Robert Mahon was introduced as interim superintendent. Mahon, who also filled in as superintendent in 2009, will serve until the board can select and hire a new permanent head for the district.

• Barnegat Mayor Jeffrey Melchiondo led off the public session by congratulating Becker, Pilovsky and Olker on their respective wins and the board as a whole on passing its budget. “From the Barnegat Township Committee’s standpoint, we’re looking forward to continuing the relationship we’ve had over the last few years, which has brought things forward immensely for the children and the residents of Barnegat Township,” he said.

• Among the start-of-the-school-year personnel motions approved by the board were two finalizing the layoffs of nine district employees. They include a teacher each from Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary, Joseph T. Donahue Elementary, Robert L. Horbelt Elementary and two from Cecil S. Collins Elementary; a school social worker from Barnegat High School; a clerk/dispatcher; a software specialist; and a custodian.