New Haven’s current school board leadership will remain in place for at least another year, as the Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to reelect OrLando Yarborough as president, Matthew Wilcox as vice president, and Edward Joyner as secretary. The school board took those executi ve team votes during their latest meeting Monday evening at King/Robinson School. While discussing the nomination of Yarborough to serve as president for the second year in a row, new school board member Daniel Juárez thanked him for helping to guide him during his first year on the board. Board members described Yarobrough as helpful, informative, kind, patient, wise, and humble, which fellow board member Abie Benitez said “makes [him] a great leader.” Joyner described Yarborough as a “phenomenal asset” and board member Andrea Downer thanked Yarborough for having “a great deal of integrity,” concluding that she “couldn’t think of a better person to lead the board.” While nominating Wilcox for another year as vice president, Joyner described Wilcox’s years of working countless hours reading, researching, and driving to Hartford to advocate for improvements in New Haven. He described him as the “hardest working man in education” and a finance policy maker who is ethical and humble. Yarborough added that Wilcox, who chairs the board’s Finance Operations Committee, has been a major asset to the board and to him personally by going above and beyond in dedicating his time and energy to his role. Juárez said about Wilcox that, “when voting on something that his committee has put forth, I know it’s been carefully vetted [and] thought about.” In nominating Joyner to again serve as the board’s secretary, Yarborough highlighted that, for the past decade, Joyner has brought knowledge, experience, and wisdom — and is always willing to share with others. “He experienced what is possible in the district,” Yarborough added. Benitez, Juárez, and Wilcox agreed, thanking Joyner for bringing his knowledge of New Haven and the school district to members. Juárez described Joyner as an “incredible resource” for the board. All three leadership nominations were approved in 7-0 votes. Mayor Justin Elicker, who is also a voting member on the Board of Education, noted that school board members besides himself are “unpaid public servants” who each have nearly perfect attendance records and have shown “exemplary commitment” to their roles. At Monday’s meeting Elicker also led the swearing in of Benitez and Yarborough to new four year terms. Elicker and fellow board members also welcomed aboard the district’s new board attorney, Michael Barrera. “Thank you for stepping up,” he said to Barrera. “Attorney Alexiades, thank you for seeing us through many, many years of challenging issues. We appreciate your service. I know that you’re not going anywhere but we are grateful to you,” Elicker concluded when addressing the board’s previous staff attorney, Elias Alexiades. Like Alexiades, Berrera is assigned by the city as assistant corporation counsel to school board affairs. Alexiades told the Independent Monday he will move on to be assigned to new work with the city and pass the baton on to Berrera to be assigned to the school board. After an executive session Monday, the board concluded with a unanimous vote to continue employing four district administrators. They included Chief of School Operations Paul Whyte, Assistant Supt. Keisha Redd-Hannans, Chief of Youth, Family, and Community Engagement Gemma Joseph-Lumpkin, and Human Resources Director Lisa Flegler.  Mayoral appointments Benitez and Yarborough during swearing in Monday. New board attorney Mike Barrera: “Looking forward to learning.” The post School Board Leaders Reelected appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less