EBOE Selects Jerry Jacobs as President, Rosa E. Moreno Ortega as Vice President at Reorganization Meeting
Jacobs, Moreno Ortega, and Maria Carvalho begin new 3-year terms
The Elizabeth Board of Education held its reorganization meeting on January 7, 2021 on a virtual platform.
For the selection of the new Board President, Board member Stanley Neron nominated Jerry Jacobs, who was unanimously voted in as President. Rosa E. Moreno Ortega was selected for the Vice President seat, voted in unanimously following a nomination by outgoing Board President Diane Barbosa.
New Board President Jacobs shared how proud he is to be given the opportunity to serve his community and its children and knows the challenges ahead may be the greatest of our lifetime but that hope and change are on the horizon. He later stated that returning students safely to their classrooms is the number one priority. Board President Jacobs thanked the citizens of Elizabeth for their support and promised to do everything in his power and work as hard as he can for every child, for every parent, for every staff member, and for every citizen of our great city. Finally, in recognizing he owed a debt to the people before him, he thanked the members of his family, his Board colleagues, the district administration, elected officials, friends, and volunteers for all their support.
New Vice President Rosa E. Moreno Ortega thanked everyone who helped make the occasion possible, including members of her family who have inspired and supported her passion for education, the community that voted for her to serve as a Board member, and her Board family for their friendship and camaraderie in working together for the best of the community.
Board Member Carvalho took time to acknowledge the many people who have believed in and continued to support her, the Board, and Elizabeth’s schools, including her family, Board colleagues, the members of the Elizabeth Public Schools learning community, and greater community.
New Jersey District 20 State Senator Joseph Cryan, 20th District Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, and 20th District Assemblyman Jamel Holley each joined the meeting to offer congratulations to the Board, the members who were reelected, and for the work done by the Board and the district to meet the challenges that have been presented by the pandemic during this past year.
The Board presented a resolution to honor the outstanding accomplishments of former Donald Stewart Early Childhood Center School No. 51 Principal Lourdes Leon, who became the first Hispanic woman elected to the Union County Board of County Commissioners during the November 2020 general election. County Commissioner Leon shared that she was honored to receive this recognition from the great Elizabeth Public Schools and thanked the Board, Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer, and all district staff members. She looks forward to representing Union County and her hometown of Elizabeth as well as to work closely with Board and district staff.
Outgoing Board President Barbosa wished her Board family the best this year, congratulated new Board President Jacobs and Vice President Moreno Ortega, and pledged to work as hard as she can while standing by her Board colleagues, district staff, her community, and Elizabeth’s children as we enter this new year.
