New Jersey School Boards Group Has New President

The New Jersey School Boards Association has a new leader.

Donald Webster Jr. was elected to a two-year term as the association's president during its bi-annual meeting, which was held Saturday at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor. He succeeds John Bulina of Tabernacle Township, who will continue to serve on the NJSBA executive committee as immediate past president.

The married father of three adult children, Webster has served for 17 years on the Manchester Township Board of Education and is currently its president.

Webster has served as the NJSBA's vice president for finance since 2010. During his tenure, he co-chaired the association's Safe and Secure Schools Task Force, which recently issued 45 recommendations on ways to improve school security. He also holds the "Master Board Member" designation through the association's Board Member Academy, which provides training and professional development to the state's local board of education members.

Webster said he will continue the NJSBA's efforts in areas such as advancing student achievement, as well as the organization's focus on the importance of local governance of public education.

"It is my belief that those who know what's best for our kids' education are the citizens of our local communities and the educational professionals we have hired to run our schools," he said.

Besides his school board work, Webster is also a licensed U.S. Soccer Federation referee, a PTA member and a former adjunct faculty instructor at Ocean County College.