3 New Members Join Bernards Township School Board For 2026

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Three members were sworn into office to serve the Bernards Township Board of Education at the reorganization meeting on Monday.

Incumbent Keith Molinari, along with newcomers Adam Lefkowitz and Smrithi Mohan, were sworn in to serve the Board.

Molinari, Lefkowitz and Mohan were elected in the November election over Faisal Anwar Chaudhry.

At the meeting, Jennifer White was once again chosen to serve as Board President. The Board members voted almost unanimously in favor of White, with Molinari voting no.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be the presiding president, and with that, I hope we have a wonderful year where we work together as a team," said White.

David Shaw was unanimously chosen to serve as Vice President.

As far as appointed Board Committees, White asked Board members to email her a list of their preferred committees to serve.

The Board also announced a draft of its goals for 2026:

1. Engage in the school community and administration to track the progress of the district's strategic plan
2. Pursue professional development for Board of Education members on the subject of Board governance, the chain of command, communications, the role of the Board, and Board policies and procedures
3. Collaborate with the administration to approve multi-year financial plans addressing enrollment trends, facilities and staffing needs

"We are a board of nine members, and we work together as a team, and no one board member has more voice or more say than anyone else. So I hope going forward with this year that collectively everyone feels comfortable speaking up and sharing their voice," said White. "This district is a great one and it's very important and the children who attend school here and the staff that work here dedicate their lives to our students, and we as a board are equally committed to doing all that we can to support everyone and ensure that our district stays as wonderful as it is."

The next Board of Education meeting will be a BT Connect Meeting held on Monday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. at Ridge High School Cafeteria.

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