New Regional School Board Leadership Not First of Its Kind; An Apology to Readers

At the West Morris Regional High School District Board of Education reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, nine representatives voted to appoint a president and vice president for 2015.

Those chosen were Gary Lakritz and newcomer Rob Strobel as president and vice president, respectively. After a completed data request from the school district, Patch reported this was the first time in at least 18 years the board’s leadership did not include a Washington Township representative, with Lakritz representing Chester Township, and Strobel representing Mendham Township.

And we were wrong.

In July 2012, then-board president Cristen Forrester resigned her post. At that meeting a new president and vice president were chosen by the remaining board members – Chester Township’s James Johnston became president, and Mendham Borough’s Jacke Schram was chosen to serve as vice president.

The duo served in those roles until the reorganization meeting in Jan. 2013, when Johnston retained his position and Washington Township’s Joe Galayda was chosen to serve as vice president.

This article serves two functions: first, to clear up incorrect information published on Tuesday, Jan. 6; and to apologize to Jacke Schram for not recognizing her volunteer service to the five sending districts included in the West Morris Regional district.

Schram served nine years on the board, many of them as the finance chair who helped craft the annual budget. Her last meeting was in December of 2013.

Patch apologizes for the incorrect information.

Pictured: Jim Johnston thanks Jacke Schram for her service on the board in December 2013.