Sussex County Celebrates a Successful School Year, Honors the County Teacher of the Year

Dr. Tom Connors, NJSBA vice president of finance (far right), joined Ronald Hoffman, SCSBA first vice president (far left), as he presented a certificate of appreciation to Tara Scrittore, 2023-2024 Sussex County Teacher of the Year. Those pictured from left to right in the middle are Dr. Gayle Carrick, Sussex County executive county superintendent; Tara Scrittore, 2023 - 2024 Sussex County Teacher of the Year; Dr. Kimberly Sigman, chief school administrator, Hamburg School District; Marie Bilik, NJSBA board of directors' delegate.
Dr. Kimberly Sigman, chief school administrator of Hamburg School District, was honored to introduce the 2023-2024 Sussex County Teacher of the Year.
Tara Scrittore, a kindergarten teacher at Hamburg School in the Hamburg School District and the 2023-2024 Sussex County Teacher of the Year, shared a powerful message with the SCSBA members.
Dr. Scott D. Ripley, superintendent of schools for the High Point Regional School District, shared his thoughts on "Educational Apartheid: Harming Student Self-Efficacy by Denying Access."
Dr. Tom Connors, NJSBA's vice president of finance, attended and offered warm greetings on behalf of the NJSBA.
Kelly Mitchell, field service representative at NJSBA, presented an update on behalf of the NJSBA field services team.
Marie Bilik, NJSBA board of directors' delegate, provided a comprehensive report of the NJSBA board of directors meeting.
Sussex County Board of Education members are recognized for their New Board Member Boardmanship Certification, which they received through the NJSBA Board Member Academy. Also pictured are Ronald Hoffman, SCSBA first vice president; Kelly Mitchell, field service representative at NJSBA; Marie Bilik, NJSBA board of directors' delegate; Dr. Tom Connors, NJSBA vice president of finance; and Raymond Morris, SCSBA second vice president for legislation. The board members in the photo, from left to right, are Maureen McGuire, Green Township BOE and Debra Cook, Kittatinny Regional BOE.
Ronald Hoffman, SCSBA first vice president; and Kelly Mitchell, a field service representative at NJSBA, present certificates to Sussex County Board of Education members who were recognized for 10 years of service. Also pictured are Marie Bilik, NJSBA board of directors' delegate; Dr. Tom Connors, NJSBA vice president of finance; Raymond Morris, SCSBA second vice president for legislation. The board Members in the photo, from left to right, are Danuta Carey, Hardyston Township BOE and Robert Jones, Hamburg BOE.
Ray Pinney, lead director of member training and engagement at NJSBA, shares a few words about Dennis DeGroat, Stillwater Township Board of Education, who has served on his board for 35 years.
Ronald Hoffman, first vice president of the SCSBA, calls the meeting to order and welcomes the members to the final SCSBA meeting of the 2023-2024 school year.
Dr. Gayle Carrick, executive county superintendent for Sussex County, delivered updates from the New Jersey Department of Education.

The Sussex County School Boards Association met on May 8 at the Newton Country Club in Newton. SCSBA First Vice President Ronald Hoffman (who is the vice president of the Hardyston Township Board of Education) called the meeting to order and welcomed all the attendees, virtually and in person, to the year’s final Sussex County SBA meeting.

He introduced Dr. Gayle Carrick, executive county superintendent, who delivered updates from the New Jersey Department of Education. The update was followed by an update from Kelly Mitchell, field service representative at the New Jersey School Boards Association, and an NJSBA Governmental Relations Update from Jonathan Pushman, director of governmental relations at NJSBA.

Dr. Kimberly Sigman, chief school administrator of the Hamburg School District, had the honor of introducing Tara Scrittore, the 2023-2024 Sussex County Teacher of the Year. Scrittore shared an appropriate and timely message to the SCSBA members on how collaboration between stakeholders improves public education. Dr. Scott D. Ripley, superintendent of schools for the High Point Regional School District, shared his thoughts on “Educational Apartheid: Harming Student Self-Efficacy by Denying Access.”

Dr. Tom Connors, NJSBA vice president for finance, attended and offered warm greetings on behalf of the NJSBA. Connors was accompanied by Marie Bilik, NJSBA Board of Directors delegate, who provided a comprehensive report of the NJSBA Board of Directors meeting. Ray Pinney, lead director of member training and engagement at NJSBA, and Robert Acerra, county activities coordinator at NJSBA, presented the milestone awards and all NJSBA board member academy certification recognitions, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the board of education members in Sussex County.