Sara Gruenwald Long Valley Write-In School Board Candidate

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The Washington Township Schools Board of Education has a contested election this fall, with five candidates who filed to run for three available, three-year seats.

Sara Gruenwald is a sixth candidate who has joined the race as a write-in candidate.

The candidates on the ballot include:

• José Lourenço
• Cynthia Field Ruggiero
• Robert A. Waskis Jr.
• Carmine Capogrosso
• Walter Curioni

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.

Name: Dr. Sara Gruenwald

Town of residence: Washington Township

Position sought: Washington Township K-8 Board of Education

Family: I am a single parent to my daughter Jordyn (Flocktown-Kossman School) and Jacob (Long Valley Middle School).

Education: B.A. in Anthropology, Connecticut College; Masters and Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Columbia University

Occupation: Physical Therapist (school-based and private practice)

Why are you running for school board? My reasons for running as a write-in for the Washington Township K-8 Board of Education are simple. Over the past couple of years, our Board has spent too much time and too many resources on things that are outside our purview, which has distracted them from the work of supporting our educators and our children. Our Board of Education is responsible for creating and enforcing policies, goals, and objectives for our district in accordance with state and national laws and regulations – nothing more, and nothing less.

I believe it is critical that the Board of Education listens to its constituents when making decisions and operates in a transparent manner, but recent Board meetings have been taken over with talk about political hot-button issues and this has created division in our community and placed unnecessary stress on our faculty and staff. I want to see the Washington Township Board of Education move past politics and personal agendas and work together on the collective goal to provide the best education for all our children.

What is your stance on masks in schools? My personal opinion on masks in schools is irrelevant. We are obligated to comply with Executive Order 253 which requires masking in schools unless there is a medical exemption provided by a physician; if we do not comply, we risk losing state aid. I do not think we should be spending our limited District resources looking for loopholes in the masking rules when we have much more pressing issues in front of us.

Should schools offer a virtual option? Governor Murphy has rescinded the portions of Executive Order 175 which allowed for virtual schooling, and we are required to provide full-day, in-person instruction to our students as we did prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency. We have no choice but to comply with state rules and regulations.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district? If elected, I will work to bring the focus back to the business of running our schools. Our children are missing out on instructional time because our school buildings are not climate controlled. Our K-8 school calendar is not aligned with the West Morris calendar, causing difficulties for many of our families. Our schools are behind the curve when it comes to supporting students who are suffering with mental health issues. We do not have programs for students who plan to attend trade schools instead of colleges. We need better academic continuity between the K-8 district and the West Morris district, especially when it comes to the mathematics curriculum. Our teachers feel unappreciated, unsupported, and unheard. These are the types of problems that the Washington Township Board of Education can and should solve.

What sets you apart from other candidates? As a school-based physical therapist in a nearby district, I work closely with students and families every day and I understand what is happening in schools right now. As a small business owner, I understand the importance of the bottom line. As a mother, I want my children – and all the children in our district – to feel respected and represented in their classrooms while receiving an outstanding education that will prepare them for life in our increasingly complex and diverse world.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign? I’ve lived in Long Valley since 2014, but I’ve been a member of this community since I opened my equine-assisted physical therapy practice here 13 years ago. From 2008 until 2018 I ran my practice out of a local non-profit facility called Freedom Horse, and I served on their Board of Directors and spearheaded their fundraising efforts from 2010 to 2018.

I come from a long line of educators. My mother was a special education teacher for 30 years, and during her tenure she served as the president of the teachers’ union and was an active member of their grievance committee. I saw first-hand how hard teachers work and I have a deep respect for them and the powerful impact they have in our children’s lives.

Lastly, I am running as a write-in candidate so it is important that if you want to vote for me, you spell my name correctly on your ballot: SARA GRUENWALD for Washington Township Board of Education!

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