Board of Education Members Will be Reimbursed for Background Checks

Members of the unanimously approved a resolution Thursday to allow school board members to be reimbursed for the expense of being fingerprinted and undergoing a criminal background check. Members also amended a board policy to require the checks, which complies with new legislation.

That legislation, which came in the form of Assembly Bill 444, was . It requires each school board member to undergo a criminal background check within 30 days of being elected or appointed. Individuals are disqualified from serving on a board of education if they have been convicted of a crime that would not allow them to work in a public school.

The approved resolution states that "the Westwood Regional Board of Education believes that individual school board members, who are uncompensated, should be reimbursed for the cost of the criminal history background investigations, which are necessary to continue serving in office."

The resolution notes that school board members are not allowed to receive money for their service and that they "devote significant time and substantial effort to the governance of the district's public schools."

Superintendent Geoffrey Zoeller explained that the district is allowed to reimburse board members for the expense. District officials said the cost is $81.25 per person.

The legislation was co-sponsored by District 39 Assembly members Robert Schroeder and Charlotte Vandervalk.

School board members Barbara Gregory and Susan Swietkowski were absent from the meeting Thursday. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25.