Bloomfield Board Of Education Candidates Answer Questions About Transparency, Good Governance

The seven candidates running for three seats on the Bloomfield Board of Education are participating in a survey that will be published in four installments, which started with a section on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This installment covers Transparency and Good Governance in Bloomfield Schools.

Other topic areas include:

• Superintendent Search and Oversight– October 24
• Policy Issues– October 31

Six of the candidates are running in two slates: 1) Stronger Schools Now Slate, including Deanna Wilson, Kerri Joyce, Jelani Jeffrey; 2) For the Students Slate, including Andrew LoMonte, Quan R. Miller, and Thomas Heaney. Ben Morse is running as an independent candidate, listed on the ballot as One for All.

The three members of the board elected on November 4 will be one-third of the nine member board that will select a new Superintendent after the recently announced retirement of current Bloomfield Superintendent Sal Goncalves on June 30, 2026.

Transparency and Good Governance in Bloomfield Schools

Bengals Connect gathered input and developed two questions on Transparency and Good Governance:

• As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

• School board rules allow for issues to be discussed in private workshops/working groups. As a result, many issues are not debated in public, and community members do not know what factors into board decisions. Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

(More information about how school boards function and the workshop structure can be found on the New Jersey School Board Association website).

Deanna Wilson
Stronger Schools Now

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

As a board member, I will prioritize timely and transparent communication with the public. Once information is confirmed, I will ensure it is shared promptly through appropriate channels such as social media, email, or mass text. Transparency is essential to building trust. If we want to remain united as a community, we must be open and honest. Keeping residents informed shows that their interests are at the forefront during times of change.

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

Certain issues should absolutely be discussed publicly. While the board member’s role is to vote on policies, not necessarily to write them; the community’s input is still incredibly valuable. Public discussion allows board members to hear a range of perspectives before casting a vote, which leads to more informed and balanced decisions. When key issues are debated only in private, it can create a disconnect between the board and the people it serves. Open dialogue builds trust and ensures that decisions reflect the broader interests of the community.

Kerri Joyce
Stronger Schools Now

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

Transparency is one of my biggest concerns. I believe there should be more community accessibility of Board-related happenings. For example, I am in favor of some sort of mailing/publication, whether print or digital, that would include things like calendars of upcoming events, Board meeting Minutes summaries, upcoming meeting agendas, ‘hot topics,’ etc.

You already can watch the meetings live, and watch replays as well. A google search can show you how: "You can watch Bloomfield, NJ Board of Education meetings online via WBMA-TV's website or its Roku channel, which streams and archives programs."

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

I am in favor of both sides here. I think there should be an option for private workshops/working groups, but I do think in these instances there is a responsibility for the Board to put out some sort of memo, summarizing the reasoning for having a closed-door meeting, what the issue/issues were, and what the outcome of the meeting was.

But generally speaking I think there is an argument for most issues being debated in public. The Board is elected to represent the community, so the community voices should absolutely be taken into consideration.

Jelani Jeffrey
Stronger Schools Now

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

I would be intentional about keeping our community informed, explaining what’s already in place, and educating residents on how decisions affect our schools. I welcome open and honest feedback—even harsh criticism—because meaningful dialogue leads to real solutions. By working together, we can build policies that truly reflect our community’s needs.

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

I believe the answer is multi-pronged and not entirely black and white. Of course, any issue that impacts the broader community should be discussed openly so residents can have a voice. However, when the public isn’t consistently engaged or represented at meetings for whatever the reason, it becomes challenging to ensure that every perspective is fairly considered.

There are also rules, procedures, and parameters that board members must operate within. Whether everyone is present or no one attends, the work of the board must continue responsibly.

That’s why I believe in building an interlocking partnership among teachers, parents, students, and community members. When communication is strong and ongoing, transparency becomes part of our culture—not just a meeting format. Still, community participation is essential; if we don’t show up and engage, we can’t hold the board solely accountable.

Andrew LoMonte
For the Students

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

Transparency is a core value of mine and has been at the center of the For The Students platform. Families, staff, and students deserve clear communication from their Board of Education representatives, and if elected, it would be a top priority of mine to keep residents updated. I fully support live streaming meetings through WMBA, and will maintain an active social media presence so people can directly communicate with me.

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

If elected to the board, I will undergo training from the New Jersey School Board Association, where I will learn what information I can legally share with the public. Any information that I as a board member am legally allowed to share with the community, I will.

Quan R. Miller
For the Students

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

I will be as transparent as legally possible, my cell number is [provided to Bengals Connect Facebook group- removed for broader publication by author], whatever I can tell you after meetings I will. I believe parents and teachers should know what’s going on because y’all are the ones who are around the kids the most! I will just serve as a liaison for teachers and families. You will have to look long and hard to find a person as sincere as me, you will have to look long and hard to find someone who loves their community as much as me, and you will have to look long and hard to find someone that loves their family as much as me.

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

I’m a law abiding citizen, I follow rules; without them what would we have ? So again as long as I’m not violating any ethics, I will tell everything I can about issues and decision making, I have nothing to hide because every decision I make [will] have the students best interests first! If I can vote to change some school board rules about transparency, then I vote in favor! Parents and teachers should be well informed about our decision making process!

Thomas Heaney
For the Students

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency?

My goal would be to be as transparent as possible under the guidelines of both New Jersey school boards and state statute.

There are certain things that are not allowed to be discussed in public. All public information is available on BoardDocs.

I would be more than happy to show how to access and read the dearth of information contained therein.

Having said all that I can commit to being transparent and open to any questions and I will answer questions to the best of my ability.

Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

We are transparent in what we stand for and what we believe in.

In training we are taught that the BOE speaks through the Board President. We are allowed to comment and discuss before each vote. It is refreshing to listen to BOE members who do wish to comment and discuss before a vote.

Please understand we will not be able to talk about some things once we are on the BOE.

We are here for the Students, and will make our decisions with their best interest in mind. We follow our core beliefs. You can trust us to vote in accordance with these core beliefs.

All committee reports follow guidelines from the state and the Department of Education. The sections of the reports that can be public, and the agenda, are all published on BoardDocs Software.

Ben Morse
One for All

As a board member, how will you personally commit to transparency? Do you believe the board should discuss key issues in public so that the public can understand board members’ positions and the reasons for board decisions? Why or why not?

On a personal level, I am all for transparency and open communication with the public. If folks email me personally, I respond. When asked my view on BOE/school issues, I’m happy to talk about things. My problem is I tend to talk too much and I’m working on that.

I have held BOE Coffee Talks at Skidoo and I’ve put together Pancake Diplomacy sessions at IHOP in an effort to build stronger relationships between me, as a board member, and Bloomfield citizens. It’s important to say that I’m not doing that on behalf of the Board, but for me so I can best represent the wishes of Bloomfielders.

The degree to which Board members make themselves available depends on them. There are Board members who tend not to say anything and prefer to keep a low profile.

But transparency has its limits. As this article from the NJSBA explains, there are many things that cannot be discussed.

We cannot discuss student and personnel matters. Labor negotiations, litigation, and any purchase of land or property should not be disclosed to outsiders.

As for public participation in meetings, the NJSBA offers best practice guidelines.

“What is proper protocol for public participation?”

–Comments from citizens generally go through the chair at the board meeting, usually the board president. Boards use the public comment period as an opportunity to listen to citizen concerns, but not to debate issues or enter into a question-and-answer session or a “cross examination” between the public and individual members. Be aware that not all issues brought before a board meeting will be resolved that evening; boards may respond to public comment by seeking additional information or by delegating the authority to investigate the issue to the superintendent or his/her designee. While public education can be an emotional issue, and understandably so, the board will strive to maintain a certain level of decorum at the meeting….

Also, when there are contentious issues, I recommend the creation of a committee with members of the public and stakeholders in the schools to see if we can reach consensus on the best way forward.

Candidate forum and election details

On October 25, 2025, a Bloomfield Board of Education Candidate Forum will be held at 3:00 p.m. at the Bloomfield Public Library, hosted by Bloomfield Pride, Bloomfield DEI Network, Bengals Connect, Bloomfield for Preschool Expansion, and Bloomfield Restorative Justice Partners. The forum will also include a 45 minute informal meet and greet for community members to meet all of the candidates and ask any additional questions they have.

Election Day is November 4, 2025, and early voting will begin October 25. More information about in-person and vote-by-mail options can be found here: https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/1541/Voter-Information

The author is a part of Bengals Connect: Inside Bloomfield Schools, a Facebook group for residents of Bloomfield, New Jersey who want to be better informed about how our school district operates. Our goal is to engage in discourse on issues in our district and to take meaningful action to advocate for children in our town. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109538377349858/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT