Ann Ciccarelli, Chris Delsandro Chatham Borough School Board Candidates

CHATHAM, NJ — The School District of the Chathams Board of Education has a contested election this fall, for both borough and township candidates.

There is one three-year seat and two candidates running from the borough, as well as one seat and two candidates for a one-year unexpired term.

Incumbent Ann Ciccarelli is being challenged by Lara Freidenfelds for the three-year seat, while Chris Delsandro - sitting in the seat for the one-year unexpired term - faces Brian Hargrove.

Representing Chatham Township, there are four candidates for two, three-year seats, who include:

• Michelle Clark
• Lata K. Kenney
• Kyle C. Roberts
• James A. Nau

Editor's Note: Are you a candidate on the ballot? Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the General Election. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) may contact jennifer.miller@patch.com.

Ciccarelli’s and Delsandro’s joint responses to Patch's questions are below:

Name: Ann Ciccarelli and Chris Delsandro

Town of residence: Chatham Boro (24 and 27 years)

Position sought: Board of Education

Occupation: Real Estate Agent, Coldwell Banker Chatham and Business Owner Delsandro Window Cleaning

Previous or current elected appointed office: Board of Education

Why are we seeking to run for school board?
We have both been residents of Chatham Borough for over 24 years and, collectively, have had 6 children educated through SDOC. Each of our students had different social and academic needs, while extra-curricular interests ranged from Athletics to Art & Music to Academia.
Ann has been a member of the Chatham Board of Education since 2015 and has served on all 4 sub-committees (Policy, Finance, Personnel and Curriculum). Chris filled a vacated mid-term seat in the Spring of 2021 and served on both the Policy and Finance committees, despite unprecedented BOE challenges due to pandemic-related restrictions. The School District of the Chathams has been forced to adapt to these times, but was still able to offer in-person learning for K-5 on a daily basis and provided a hybrid model for grades 6-12, unlike many other NJ school districts. Further, our Board continued to provide full support to our highly dedicated teachers and administrators as they faced extremely challenging conditions.

Some accomplishments during our time on the board collectively:

• Mental Health initiatives to support students, staff and parents
• Tuition based full day Kindergarten
• Security Enhancements in all buildings
• Expanded STEM offerings and curriculum in grades K-12
• Support and funding of new sports: sailing, paddle, fencing, girls ice hockey
• Responsive oversight of annual budget (we support the WHOLE community fiscally and not just those with students in the district)

What is our stance on masks in schools? As Board of Education members we take an oath to follow state and federal guidelines. All executive orders by the governor of NJ must be followed.

Should schools offer a virtual option? We believe that in-person education is the most effective way for teachers to educate our students. Both socially, emotionally and academically it is important that students are with their peers. While as a district we were forced to adapt to unforeseen circumstances we do believe that if students can be safely educated in person it is unparalleled.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district? We feel that we need to continue to support our students, faculty and parents from a mental health standpoint. While we have added many mental health initiatives, we believe this is an are that we cannot focus too much on.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?
We don’t think there is any question that EXPERIENCE MATTERS in today’s unprecedented conditions. In addition, for a student body that has had to continually adjust to changing rules and regulations, we believe that continuity and stability are critical. The current experienced Board of Education is a collaborative, caring, fiscally responsible and inclusive group of volunteers who collectively agree with PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST. The School District of the Chathams is not an exceptional school district by accident.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.