LaCorte, Singh Returned To School Board Helm; Hopkins, Shaban, Merris Sworn In

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Nancy LaCorte and Ardaman Singh retained their positions on the Board of Education at the January 6 Board reorganization meeting.

LaCorte was re-elected president, and Singh was re-elected vice president.

Newly elected Board members Dennis Hopkins and Sami Shaban, as well as re-elected member Laurie Merris, were also sworn into their positions during the meeting.

Singh thanked her fellow Board members for their votes.

“A big thank-you to the Board members, for electing us, and your trusting us as a team,” she said. “We make a great team.”

“We look forward to a challenging but a fruitful year under the leadership of Dr. Ravally and his administration,” Singh said. “They have tried to reach out to the community and make decisions and keep Board members apprised each step of the way. Their job is commendable.”

“I hope that as a Board we work together to move Franklin forward and keep Franklin strong,” she said.

LaCorte did not attend the meeting, but said in an email that she was “happy to have the privilege of serving as BOE president. Serving with my friend, the talented and very smart Ardaman Singh, is icing on the cake.”

“Congratulations and welcome to Dr. Dennis Hopkins and Sami Shaban,” she wrote. “Congratulations to Laurie Merris. I am confident that this board will continue to work hard for the students.”

Shaban said he will “put my 100 percent effort and diligence in performing to the best of my ability in this office of the Board of Education.”

To his constituents Shaban said, “If I’m ever doing anything that you see me doing better, I want you to come to me. I will come to you with an open ear, an open heart to try to make it as great a community as we can. We’ve done so many great things, and I think we have potential to do.”

And to his fellow Board members, Shaban said, “I promise to be in the trenches with you … let’s go and do some great things.”

Hopkins said that he was on the Board “to work for” his constituents.

“Thank you, Franklin, for believing in myself and Sammy and reelecting Laurie,” Hopkins said. “Hopefully I can utilize my value to help Franklin to forward and become part of a great team that has already been established.”

“I’m honored to sit here, to roll up my sleeves, to fight for Franklin,” he said. “Even through the times that we live in now, trying to help our kids coming through this crippling time of being virtual. I’m here to that advocate for the kids to try to get us to this moment so we can get them the resources and help them becomes whoever they want to be.”

Merris said her Board seat is “a very important position to me, personally. I feel very connected to our community and our kids, and it’s wonderful to have a hand in shaping what goes on Franklin Township public schools.”

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