Chatham School Board Seeking New Member For Township Seat

CHATHAM, NJ — The School District of the Chathams' Board of Education is looking for a new member to become a part of the board from the township, after one of the members, Sal Arnuk, resigned by a letter at the most recent Board of Education meeting.

The school district has indicated on its website that Arnuk’s unexpired term runs through December 2022. Any township resident with interest in filling the spot should contact Board Secretary Peter Daquila at pdaquila@chatham-nj.org by Nov. 19.

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In his Nov. 1 letter to the Board of Education, Arnuk attributed his resignation to his schedule and responsibilities, which he said made it more difficult to be as active as he had been in the past. He decided to send a letter, rather than attending, asking it be read; and feeling as if it would have been too emotionally difficult to attend the meeting.

“In parting, I would like to express how in awe I am over the school district staff from top to bottom,” he wrote.

Arnuk called Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa a “gutsy yet measured leader and an incredible asset to our community.”

He commended LaSusa for prevailing through the pandemic crisis, while focusing on a balanced curriculum with “diverse offerings in STEM as well as American Sign Language.”

“I hope his [LaSusa’s] efforts are never taken for granted,” he said.

Board President Jill Critchley Weber, who read the letter, described Arnuk as a “salt of the earth type of guy,” who was balanced and able to “cut to the moral compass of things and help put us on the right path.”

He had words of praise for other board members as well in his letter. Listen to the full letter read here during the last Board of Education meeting:

The board’s township representatives will be reviewing resumes for the position through Nov. 30, Weber said at the meeting. They plan to then meet with candidates and make recommendations to the full board within 60 days, who they think should fill Arnuk’s seat.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.