At the Teaneck Board of Education reorganization meeting on January 7, 2025, Jennifer (Jenni) Levy was sworn in by Board Secretary Dr. Victor Anaya as a new Teaneck Board of Education member.
Following her swearing in, Levy, who received the majority of votes in the November election with 9,838 ballots, thanked her parents, grandparents, and the educators and mentors who inspired her along her journey. Additionally, she thanked her husband and children for supporting her through the election process and the Teaneck community, which helped strengthen her and helped her grow as a leader. Levy concluded her speech by stating that her “… focus will always be on the success of our students, the strength of our schools, and the well-being of our community. Leadership is not about personal accolades; it’s about lifting others up and working toward a shared vision of greatness. Together, we can create a brighter future for all our children.”
Nadia Hosein and Jonathan Rodriguez were also sworn in for new terms on the Board. Hosein, a first-time board member who received 8,248 votes in the November election, thanked her supporters for giving her this opportunity, her mother for being her pillar of strength, her husband and kids for their love and support, and the Teaneck community.
Rodriguez, who was reelected to the Board with 8,659 votes, thanked his family and the Teaneck community and congratulated his fellow board members on their election victories.
The Board then proceeded to vote for its new president and vice president. In a 5-4 vote, Edward Ha was elected as the new president of the Board. In another 5-4 vote, Cassandra Reyes was elected as the new vice president of the Board.
After opening the floor for public comments regarding agenda items, the Board read through the code of ethics and discussed the agenda. Ha then thanked previous board president Clara Williams for her leadership and lauded the great achievements of the students in the Teaneck public schools. Ha emphasized: “We don’t work as individuals, we work as a collective. Our strength lies in the unity of the Board. … We must focus on the big picture, setting the vision and empowering those leading the charge in our school.”
Reyes, speaking after Ha, discussed the importance of the decorum of the Board, making the Board more efficient and ensuring unity among all Board members. She concluded by stating, “In education, as Board of Education members, we get a lot of opportunities to attend different courses and different conferences to be more informed members which will make us more effective board members.”
The Board unanimously voted that starting at the next Board meeting, public comments, both at the beginning of the meeting and at the end, will be limited to a total of 30 minutes each. The meeting concluded with public comments as many congratulated the newly elected Board members, president and vice president and wished them luck in their upcoming roles.
