Somerset Hills School Board Chooses Kurschus as New Member

The Somerset Hills Board of Education separately interviewed four applicants for a vacant seat on the board before unanimously voting to appoint Paula Kurschus to serve out the last eight months of Bernardsville representative Jerry Dorr's term.

Kurschus was not present when the vote was taken in public. Board members had interviewed the four applicants ahead of time in a closed personnel session.

"We liked the fact that she has students at Bedwell [including one entering Bernardsville Middle School in the fall] and is former HSA [Home School Association] president," said board President Donna Coons.

Kurschus previously had worked in human resources for a finance company, Coons said.

The board had received four applicants — Kurschus, Greg DiGioacchino, Robert Richardson and Doug Smoot — by Monday, the date of an extended deadline to apply. The previous deadline had been set at April 30 following Dorr's resignation last month following nine years of serving on the board.

Schools Business Administrator Nancy Hunter again announced at the meeting that whoever was chosen by the board only will serve out a term that expires on Dec. 31, 2013.

To begin serving a new three-year term, any potential board member must file by June 4 with the Somerset County Clerk's Office in Somerville to be included on the ballot in November, Hunter said. That new term would begin Jan. 1, 2014.

Editor's note: Robert Richardson's name previously was given out incorrectly by the Board of Education office.