PROSPECT — Nazih Noujaim has been appointed to fill the seat of former Region 16 Board of Education Chair Lisa DeGoes.
DeGoes resigned from the board July 1 to join her husband in the Netherlands, where he took a two-year position for his job.
DeGoes’ position had to be filled by a Prospect Republican. According to Republican Town Committee Chair Tom Galvin, a nominating committee vetted five candidates and voted unanimously to approve Noujaim for the position.
“He’ll be hitting the ground running,” Galvin said, mentioning the planning for a new elementary school as one of the many tasks Noujaim will be charged with this year.
Noujaim’s position will be up for election in November since DeGoes left after having completed less than half her term. Prospect will elect three candidates to the Board of Education this year; two to a four-year term and one to a two-year term, according to Galvin.
Galvin said Noujaim has lived in Prospect for four to five years and has three children, one at each level of education, at the high school, middle school, and elementary school.
Galvin said Noujaim is a professional business man and very active in the community.
“I think he will bring to it the same dedication and spirit that Lisa DeGoes brought to the position,” Galvin said.
Noujaim said he accepted the nomination to keep supporting the youth and prepare children to become leaders of the future.
“It’s very critical that we’re able to provide them the support they need and at the same time keep an eye on the cost for our taxpayers,” Noujaim said.
He said he will balance students’ needs with the burden to the taxpayers.
“The current board has done a good job in the last couple of years,” Noujaim said, noting the budget increase has been very minimal.
With three children at each level of school, Noujaim said he understands the issues facing students and has a lot of contact with teachers.
He said he will bring his professional experience to the board. Noujaim has worked in software at 3M in Wallingford for 22 years and part-time at Buzzutos Inc. in Cheshire for 24 years. He is also an insurance salesman.
Noujaim has been an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals for over two years, but his seat on the school board will be his first elected position if he’s voted in this November.
Noujaim’s first school board meeting will be Aug. 3. He said he has met with Superintendent of Schools James Agostine to review the goals of the board and its most recent accomplishments.
“I’m looking forward to provide and help the community and help the kids to become the leaders that we need them to be,” Noujaim said.
