Cerniglia Honored in Last School Board Meeting

Sheryl Cerniglia spent Monday's School Board meeting doing the same things she has done for the last nine years - asking questions, giving her opinions and trying to figure out what's best for the Oak Creek-Franklin School District.

The only difference was that there will be no next meeting.

Cerniglia, who lost the April 5 election to Mark Verhalen, was honored with a plaque Monday commemorating her nine years of service on the board.

But while it may have been her last meeting as a board member, Cerniglia vowed in her departing speech that she will continue to attend board meetings and be active in the school district.

"I still plan to be involved, because there is too much at stake in this district (with) the state budget and how it affects us," she said.

"I’ll just be sitting in a different chair."

Cerniglia challenged the district and School Board to improve communication, survey employees and taxpayers and work on improving the school district website.

"Ask questions and listen to those who are affected by your decisions," she said.

With several friends and family members looking on from the audience, she then choked back tears, adding, "The support I have felt from the community the last two weeks has been overwhelming, and validates that I’ve been a valuable board member."

Verhalen starts his term on April 25. He praised Cerniglia , saying it was a "privilege" to take over her seat.

Steve Scaffidi, an Oak Creek alderman who attended Monday's board meeting, also commended Cerniglia.

"It's no easy thing to serve on the board, " he said, speaking during the public-participation portion of the meeting. "There's a lot of pressure, a lot of things you have to do, a lot of time and energy to put into it. You (Cerniglia) have demonstrated a lot of the values that a member of the School Board has to have."