Kelly Ellis-Foster v. Salvatore Giordano, Board of Education of the Township of Old Bridge, Middlesex County, 8/7/2023, (#239-23SEC)

239-23SEC
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
Kelly Ellis-Foster,
Complainant,
v.
Salvatore Giordano, Board of Education of the
Township of Old Bridge,Middlesex County,
Respondent.
Synopsis
Complainant alleged, inter alia, that respondent, a member of the Old Bridge Board of
Education, violated a section of the School Ethics Act, N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 et seq when he sent
correspondence from his Board email address to members of the State Legislature and a member of
the public that expressed his personal views, an action that had the potential to compromise the
Board. The School Ethics Commission (SEC) determined that the respondent’s actions violated
N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1(e) of the Code of Ethics for School Board Members, and recommended a
penalty of reprimand.
The case was forwarded to the Commissioner for final determination of the appropriate penalty
in this matter. Upon review, the Commissioner concurred with the penalty recommendation of
the SEC. Accordingly, the respondent shall be reprimanded as a school official found to have
violated the School Ethics Act.
This synopsis is not part of the Commissioner’s decision. It has been prepared for the convenience of
the reader. It has been neither reviewed nor approved by the Commissioner.

SEC Dkt. No. C88-21
OAL Dkt. No. EEC01269-22
Agency Dkt. No. 176-6/23
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
Kelly Ellis-Foster,
Complainant,
v.
Salvatore Giordano, Board of Education of the
Township of Old Bridge, Middlesex County,
Respondent.
The Commissioner has reviewed the record of this matter and the June 27, 2023
decision of the School Ethics Commission (Commission). The Commission found that
respondent Salvatore Giordano, a member of the Old Bridge Board of Education (Board),
violated N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1(e) of the Code of Ethics for School Board Members. The
Commission recommended a penalty of reprimand for the violation. The Commission’s
decision was forwarded to the Commissioner for final determination on the recommended
penalty pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-29(c). Respondent neither filed exceptions to the
recommended penalty nor instituted an appeal, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:4-1 et seq., of the
Commission’s underlying finding of violation.
Upon review, the Commissioner concurs with the penalty recommended by the
Commission for respondent’s use of his Board email address to send correspondence to
239-23SEC

2
members of the State Legislature and a member of the public that expressed his personal
views, which had the potential to compromise the Board.
Accordingly, respondent is hereby reprimanded as a school official found to have
violated the School Ethics Act.
IT IS SO ORDERED.1
ACTING COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision:
Date of Mailing:
1 This decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-9.1.
Under N.J.Ct.R. 2:4-1(b), a notice of appeal must be filed with the Appellate Division within 45 days from the date
of mailing of this decision.
August 7, 2023
August 9, 2023