New Members, Leadership For Moorestown School Board

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Three new board members were sworn in, and a new president and new vice president were elected during the Moorestown Public School District’s Board of Education meeting Tuesday night.

Mick Weeks will succeed Caryn Shaw as the Moorestown Board of Education President following a vote by the board members during the annual reorganization meeting.

He defeated Mark Villanueva by a vote of 6-2 by members of the 9-member board. Villanueva was not present at the meeting.

“I feel like we have among the most talented boards I’ve ever seen, and I think we have a lot of potential,” Weeks said after taking the oath of office. “I’m really looking forward to working with you all to improve Moorestown’s schools and keep things moving in the right direction.”

Mark Snyder was elected by a unanimous 5-0 vote to serve as Board Vice President. It was Snyder who nominated Weeks to the position of Board President.

“The most important thing to him is the students,” Snyder said. “That is essential in this context. He is capable of weighing different viewpoints.”

Snyder also described Weeks as “decisive.”

“I always know where Mick stands, and it always comes back to what’s best for the students,” Board Member Sandra Alberti said. “He’s creative. He sees solutions where others might not be able to see them.”

Weeks, Snyder, Alberti, Jack Fairchild, Lauren Romano and new board member Melissa Arcaro Burns voted in favor of Weeks.

New board members Jill Fallows Macaluso and Cheryl Makopoulos voted for Villanueva. Macaluso had nominated Villanueva for the position, based on his passion for in-person learning as opposed to remote learning.

“We need a clear, decisive leader,” Macaluso said. “He understands board policy. He’s clear and transparent, and he contributes in public sessions. He’s very creative and innovative, and he challenges the status quo. He’s forward-thinking.”

Previous Board President Caryn Shaw had been up for re-election, but opted not to run. Board Member David Weinstein was also up for re-election, but opted not to run. The third seat belonged to Alexandria Law, but became vacant last year when she resigned from the school board for personal reasons.

In November’s election, Macaluso collected 3,762 votes, followed by Burns with 3,372 and Makopoulos with 3,300. David Vosbikian had 3,200 votes, followed by Billie Danielle Thomas with 3,061, and Joseph Horwitz with 3,019.