The resignation of Gloucester County School Board member Deborah McDonough was announced at the end of the board’s February meeting held last Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the T.C. Walker Education Center auditorium.

School board chair Leonne Arsenovic read aloud a written statement from McDonough on her departure at Gloucester County Public Schools.

“This is not a decision I’ve made lightly,” McDonough wrote about her resignation. “My parents are elderly and unwell, and last week I moved them to an assisted living facility. I am their primary caregiver and they require the majority of my time at this point, leaving me little time to perform my responsibilities on the board.

“The students, teachers and parents of GCPS deserve a board member who is able to devote the necessary time to this very important work, and I currently do not have that time. It has been my great pleasure and privilege to have served in this capacity, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity,” she wrote.

McDonough was elected in 2023 to serve the remainder of former at-large board member Kellie Lockerby’s term, which is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2025.

The board will announce the procedure for how it will fill her position during next Wednesday night’s budget work session, which will begin at 6 o’clock in the TCWEC auditorium. This meeting was rescheduled from tonight due to inclement winter weather.

Let’s Talk

During the meeting, superintendent of schools Dr. Anthony Vladu introduced “Let’s Talk,” a platform that allows parents, staff, students and community members to contact the division directly on the GCPS webpage.

Through the platform, people can select particular categories to have their questions or concerns addressed by department. These departments include athletics, budget and finance, communications, elementary curriculum and instruction, facilities and operations, food services, grounds services, health services, human resources, secondary curriculum and instruction, Section 504, special education, technology, and transportation.

Division staff members can also be reached at one of three categories, which are the superintendent’s office, deputy superintendent and division leadership.

“We want to close out every single communication that comes to us,” said Vladu.

In the first two weeks of using this system, the district has received 42 emails that required action.

“Our goal is to get back to them within 48 hours,” said Vladu, “and to close it out.”

“I have two concerns,” said board member Troy Andersen. “One is I’ve tried to use it twice, and it’s failed both times. Two, if you look at the number of responses or requests in a month period, 42, that’s small. That’s one day in my day job life.”

Andersen said that he is for technology and making processes more efficient, but the system has to be worth the cost.

“I think six months in we should take a look at it as a board and figure out if that’s a yearly contract that should extend past the first year or whether it’s cost efficient,” continued Andersen.

The individual schools will be reachable through Let’s Talk beginning in July.

Recognitions

The school board recognized several individuals during its February meeting.

Madilyn Kadel and Trevor Burke were recognized as Gloucester High School seniors of the month. Kadel is vice president of the Student Council Association and president of the Spanish Club. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and varsity field hockey team. She would like to study criminology in college.

Burke has been involved in both the football and track and field programs at GHS. During his senior football season, Burke was captain of the offensive line. This spring, he will throw shot put and discus for track and field. After graduation, Burke plans to study business health career administration at Bridgewater College and also play football at the school.

Eddie Washington was celebrated as community volunteer of the month for his work with the All Pro Dad Breakfast program. These breakfasts invite students and their positive male role models to have breakfast together. Washington facilitates three All Pro Dad Breakfast sessions at each school every school year.

Jennifer “JJ” Brazil was also recognized for School Board Clerk Appreciation Week, which is ongoing this week.

Vladu also recognized February as Black History Month and School Board Appreciation Month.