Westwood School Board Plans Another Closed Meeting to Discuss Zoeller

The Westwood Regional Board of Education is scheduled to hold another closed meeting this week to discuss Superintendent Geoffrey Zoeller.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday and "immediately enter into closed Executive Session for the purpose of discussion of Personnel/Superintendent of Schools," according to a post on the district's website. The board also held closed meetings before and after their last public meeting to discuss Zoeller.

Board members are not permitted to discuss personnel issues unless the employee waives his right to privacy.

Many Westwood and Washington Township residents were angry that Zoeller had taken a district-owned truck and generator home for Hurricane Sandy and left them there while he was away on vacation in Florida.

Zoeller apologized at the board's last public meeting, but many residents were still upset. Westwood Education Association President Barry Albert also called for Zoeller to step down because the union voted 222-19 in having "no confidence" in Zoeller's ability to lead the district with integrity.

Board of Education President Carol Mountain previously said they would only take action during a public meeting.

Zoeller has apparently been laying low recently, and rumors have circulated that he was forced to take a leave of absence. Zoeller denied the rumors in an email to Patch and wrote that he was "taking some vacation time."

The board's next public meeting is scheduled for December 20. No agenda has been posted for the meeting yet.

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