Board of Education

Tewksbury Board of Education

The Tewksbury Township School District Board of Education is responsible to all the people for whose benefit the Tewksbury Public School District has been established. Each Board’s current decisions influence the course of education in the district’s schools for years to come. By virtue of this responsibility, the Board and each of its members must look to the future and to the needs of all people more than the average citizen finds necessary. 

This requires a comprehensive perspective and long-range planning, in addition to attention to immediate problems. The Board of Education’s primary objective is to establish those purposes, programs, procedures, and facilities which will best produce the educational achievement needed by district students now and in the future. It is charged with accomplishing this while also being responsible for wise management of resources available to the district. The Board must fulfill these responsibilities by functioning primarily as a legislative body to formulate and adopt policy, by selecting an executive officer to implement policy, and by evaluating the results. Further, it must carry out its functions openly while seeking the involvement and contributions of the public, students and staff in this decision-making process.

The role of the School Board member is not to run the schools, but to see that the schools are well run. Boards operate through policy to be effective and efficient, and to avoid appearing to be arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable. All district policies are public documents.

Members of the Board of Education are elected by qualified voters in the communities of Tewksbury Township. Members are elected to three-year terms and normally three seats are up for election each spring. If vacancies occur since the last election, the Board will publicize the vacancies, ask for letters of interest from the Township and then vote on a candidate from the letters. The Board President selects the Committee Chairs. The Board selects a president and vice-president.

The nine-member Board is committed in principle to the objective that all students have an opportunity for learning that is consistent with each individual’s capabilities. It strives to maintain and improve the educational atmosphere in Tewksbury Township so that all of the youth of the community may meet this objective. The Board of Education acts on any school issue only when the board, as a whole, is in official public session.

The public is encouraged to share concerns and comments during the two public discussion portions of the meeting. The operation of the district is strengthened by open communications with the public. Each participant is asked to give his or her name and address prior to making a statement or asking a question of the Board president. There are two public comment sections in the agenda, where the public is invited to address the Board.