Susanne Miskiewicz, Marlboro Board of Education: Election 2023

MARLBORO, NJ — Susanne P. Miskiewicz is one of seven candidates seeking three full-term seats on the Marlboro Board of Education in the Nov. 7 election.

Miskiewicz, of Marlboro, is seeking election to her first three-year term on the board. She is running on the Focus on Education team with Aditi Gandhi and Chad Hyett. The team's campaign link is: https://focusonmarlboroeducation.com.

Other candidates in the race are listed below. No incumbents filed to run for re-election to the school board.

In these profiles, candidates provide voters with background about themselves and their positions on the issues, as they see them.

Miskiewicz cited her professional background in education, including as a school principal, to highlight her knowledge about the issues a school board faces.

She says her focus for the district would be two-fold: to ensure a "superior academic experience for all" and to ensure the "safety and mental health of each child."

Read more from Susanne P. Miskiewicz:

Background:

Candidates were asked to provide their professional or volunteer information, school board experience, campaign links, and personal background.

My career, spanning over four decades in education, reflects a deep commitment to fostering academic excellence and nurturing inclusive learning environments. My extensive experience and unwavering dedication to education make me an exemplary candidate for the board.

As a proud mother of three grown children, a grandmother of six, and a great-grandmother of three, I possess a multifaceted understanding of the diverse needs and challenges faced by families within our community.

Throughout my career, I have held various leadership positions. My last position was as an Elementary School Principal at the Old Bridge Board of Education from 2009 to 2015. During this time, I assumed a broad range of responsibilities, including budget management, curriculum development, faculty observation and assessment, as well as spearheading school improvement initiatives.

Notably, Leroy Gordon Cooper School in Old Bridge received recognition from First Lady Michelle Obama for our Agricultural Initiative, in addition to the National Best Practices Award for Character Education and the distinction of being named a State School of Character.

My expertise extends beyond the PK-12 educational setting. Serving as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, I had the privilege of mentoring aspiring educational leaders within the Masters of Educational Leadership program. Proficient in curriculum development, I have consistently guided students toward becoming effective supervisors, principals, and superintendents.

In addition to my academic and administrative roles, I actively volunteer as a Special Education Advocate, providing crucial support to parents navigating the complex terrain of specialized education. This role has given me invaluable insights into the unique challenges faced by families with children requiring specialized educational services.

My educational qualifications encompass a Doctor of Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, a Master of Arts in Reading Specialization from Kean College, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Newark State College. I hold certifications in School Administration, Principalship, Supervision, Reading Specialization, Elementary Education K-8, and Nursery School.

I take pride in my recognition as a Union County Woman of Excellence in Education in 2004, as well as my active participation in various educational organizations and initiatives, including membership in the Phi Delta Kappa National Honor Society and being Kean University's nominee for the Valdka Mead Scholarship to study the Holocaust and Diversity in Poland, alongside researchers at Yad Vashem, the World's Holocaust Research Center in Israel.

I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my wealth of experience, unwavering dedication, and passion for education to the Marlboro Township Board of Education. I am confident that my expertise in curriculum development, leadership, and advocacy will make a significant contribution to the Board's mission of delivering exceptional educational experiences to Marlboro's students.

Top issues:

Candidates were asked about the important issues in their district, and how the school board can address them.

As a future board member, I see two key elements, which I will focus on during my tenure.

The first is expecting nothing less than a superior academic experience for all. Simply put, children will be able to perform to their best level and find success.

The second point that I will focus on deals with the safety and mental health of each child.

When people ask about Marlboro, the first thing that comes to mind is the school system. The children in the township deserve nothing less than to have excellent teachers and the tools needed to allow them to follow their dreams.

Teachers across the country have been leaving the profession in recent years mainly due to the lack of support from administration and parents and the “teacher pay gap.” To compound the problem enrollment in teacher preparation programs across the nation has decreased.

New Jersey is creating a task force to review the challenges and make recommendations to increase the number of teachers in the state. That takes time. We must get the word out NOW that Marlboro is not only a great place to live and raise our children, but to work in our schools as well. One way we can do that is by constantly publicizing the achievements in our schools both of the students, teachers and staff.

We can work toward having all the schools in Marlboro become Blue Ribbon Schools. Will it be challenging? Certainly, but we can do it by using data to inform instruction and continue differentiating so the students can learn the same content in the way they learn best. With new technology, we can now have students reading content area text on their laptops at their individual readability levels. Thus, every student is being taught the exact same content, but the challenge of interpreting the text has leveled the playing field for everyone by converting it to the readability level of the student.

I’ve noticed inconsistencies in the scores and ratings within the district. Although I don’t have individual data readily available, I am certain it would prove to be quite valuable in determining where the individual differences in schools lie. The district already has a designated Blue Ribbon School. A close look at the adjustments they have made in the delivery of instruction would benefit the entire district. Marlboro’s administration and teachers have multiple levels of data readily available. I have confidence in our students, teachers, staff and administration and if we provide them all the tools they need they will succeed.

The safety and mental health of each and every student is even more important than achieving high test scores. If a child feels threatened or less than his peers in anyway, they can’t function in a school setting. Meeting with various parents, I’ve noticed a trend of bullying. Not every child is being bullied, but when it’s your child it’s not only heartbreaking – it’s scary.

Often times, bullying may go unnoticed to adults or not reported by the student or parent. Yet it can still be there. The most recent HIB Report in our district indicates there was only one reported incident. Although that may be true, it doesn’t mean that children aren’t being quietly bullied throughout the day. Often times bullying isn’t reported until it becomes constant and the child can’t handle it.

There are also the students who may not grasp material as easily as others or the child who is always getting reprimanded for doing something wrong. The children in the class know who that is and sometimes children can be cruel. It doesn’t matter until it is your child that is crying and depressed.

Although we have character education programs in our schools, I know we can do even better. An important component of character education is getting the parents involved. Most parents in Marlboro are involved with their children’s education through afterschool sports and activities, but they have to be more informed about what is going on during the school day.

A major obstacle is presented when children are using social media. Bullies post hateful and hurtful things for the world to see. Thus, children are targeted while at home. It then trickles down to the school. When the child leaves school he is still the target in his safe place- his HOME! Parent workshops or even newsletters sharing ways to keep an eye on your child’s social media can be very helpful.

In addition to character education we have to teach our children to be resilient and to stand up for others when they see something wrong. Teachers can’t do this alone they need the help of parents and the community. Let’s work together to assure that every child feels safe from fear and anxiety so they can focus on their studies each day and leave school feeling happy, accepted and successful.

Policy 5756:

Candidates were asked if they wanted to comment on state Policy 5756, which provides guidance regarding transgender students, including communication with parents. Some districts in the state are repealing or amending the policy.

New Jersey is one of the most progressive states in the nation for LGBTQ+ residents and we are seeing that progressiveness being driven down to the school level, with both positive and negative consequences. “The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) prohibits discrimination and harassment based on actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, and other characteristics.” The law is very clear and I fully agree with it.

Marlboro’s Policy 5756 originally was in compliance with the law and the New Jersey Department of Education Guidelines. According to the Marlboro Board of Education website, the policy was recently changed “not to diminish, in any way, the rights of the transgender students, but to create greater parental involvement in these important decisions.”

I believe their intention was honest. Marlboro is a PreK- 8 district. Parents are held responsible until their child is 18 years of age. We consistently advocate for parents to be partners in their child’s education. If this is so, I agree with their thinking.

I do understand the state's responsibility to protect the transgender child who might not find acceptance within their family. More than 98 percent of parents will be there for their child, but we do have to acknowledge the two percent that won’t be accepting. On a daily basis there are schools in New Jersey that are in contact with the Department of Children Protection and Permanency (DCPP), previously known as Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) because of child abuse and/or neglect. We, as a society have to understand that component of the government’s responsibility.

Regrettably, the changes made by Marlboro’s BOE to the policy led to legal action by the State Attorney General filing a discrimination lawsuit against Marlboro. That put the district in a precarious position. Now the district cannot notify parents and they were told to collaborate with the NJDOE to come to common terms. Another factor that must be addressed is that citizens elected to the Board of Education take an oath to abide by the law. Thus, as of now the district is in limbo.

During a recent conversation with the Superintendent, Board President and a board member I was told there have not been any concerns in the past caused by the original policy and safeguards are in place presently to protect our children.

In conclusion, I advocate for parental involvement in all aspects of especially when those policy decisions are in the best interests of the child.

Marlboro Township Board of Education (Full term; vote for three)

• Dora Zanet: Education Not Indoctrination
• Shamoon Siddiqui: Keeping Parents Involved
• Chad Hyett: Focus on Education
• Craig Marshall: Advocating Family Values
• Aditi Gandhi: Focus on Education
• Cheryl Scuorzo: Education Not Indoctrination
• Susanne P. Miskiewicz: Focus on Education

Freehold Regional High School District

Representing Marlboro: Michael Messinger (vote for one, no contest)Representing Colts Neck: Carl Accettola (vote for one, no contest)

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