Cristin Adinolfi Mendham Borough School Board Candidate

MENDHAM, NJ — The Mendham Borough Board of Education has a contested election on Nov. 2, with four candidates who filed to run for three available, three-year seats.

One of those candidates is Cristin Adinolfi.

The other candidates on the ballot for a three-year seat include:

• Sean Havey
• Deborah D'Urso
• Anne Marie Hornyak

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.

Below are Adinolfi's responses:

Name: Cristin “Crissy” Adinolfi

Town of residence: Mendham Borough

Position sought: Mendham Borough Board of Education, 3 year term

Family: Husband, Anthony; two sons: Patrick is a 6th grader at Mountain View and Luke is a 1st grader at Hilltop

Education: University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Arts, Economics

Occupation: “Retired” from Nissan North America, Inc.; Currently a Student pursuing a Masters in Psychology.

Previous or current elected appointed office: N/A

Why are you seeking to run for school board?
I am running for three main reasons: I believe in strong education; I am passionate about serving my community; and I want to be the voice of parents on the school board.

Besides a loving home, I think the greatest foundation we can give our children is a strong, well-rounded education. As a California native, I saw firsthand the troubles of an under-resourced, crowded and unsafe educational system. When my husband and I were looking to purchase our family home, the school system was my #1 priority. Mendham Borough simply provides the best educational "bang" for the taxes. My family and I have invested in this community, and I am deeply committed to the long-term success of Mendham Borough Schools.

For me, the success of the Mendham Borough Schools is personal. I am the only candidate for school board with children in the school district. At the end of next school year, I would be the only parent on the board. So, this isn’t just about taxes or housing value to me--though those things are important for a thriving community. Being a parent is hard, demanding work; I want to represent the voice of both parents and committed community members in the critical discussions that affect our children.

I love our small town, and I want to make it the most extraordinary place it can be.

What is your stance on masks in schools?
I miss the kids’ smiles, but masks are necessary right now. The New Jersey Department of Health and our local health department have required their use in school settings; the science currently supports their use as well. It is my opinion that the use of the masks continues to be a huge reason the Mendham Borough Schools have been able remain open without interruption due to in-school spread of COVID-19.

Should schools offer a virtual option?
The best place for students to learn is in a classroom with their peers and a well-qualified teacher. I don't think that's truly up for debate. Learning to work in groups, solve conflicts, and be creative cannot be achieved on a screen. I think virtual should be an option in extreme circumstances when the best option is unavailable. But I think it is important that our schools work to keep the in-person learning environment as safe and healthy as possible for all students.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district?
As a parent of two students, I talk to parents every single day and ask what they think are the big issues. There are three specific topics that come up the most frequently: teacher turnover, a learning environment equal for all students, and curriculum.

Teacher turnover in the Mendham Borough Schools has been a topic of discussion over the past few years. I think it is important that the BOE analyze the source of this turnover to determine if there is a way to improve either the culture or the benefits for our teachers. A top priority of any administration should be hiring and retaining talent. Our children deserve the best, most dedicated, and most enthusiastic teachers we can find.

All children regardless of ability deserve a great education. It is important that the BOE supports resources for every student, whatever their gifts or special needs. We as a community need to make it a priority to find creative, cost-effective solutions for adaptive learning across all ability levels. From conversations with parents, there exists an opportunity for improvement in this area. As a member of the BOE, I am committed to challenging our administration on this topic.

Finally, it is no surprise when you read the headlines, that curriculum is on parents’ minds. The lessons in the classroom ultimately end up at our dinner tables, and parents should be well-informed of the content of those lessons. I do not support the villainization or favoritism of any particular culture or group of people--topics like inclusion, state-mandated lessons, and critical race theory seem to have taken on a life of their own. No political agenda can replace the simple wisdom of teaching citizenship, critical-thinking (not to be confused with CRT), and tolerance. I stand for transparency in education and an opportunity for parents to ask questions and have some choice in exposing their children to mature and controversial topics.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?
I am the only candidate with students in the school district. I have 7 years of experience as an active parent in this district and another 8 ahead of me. No candidate has a more vested interest in the success of our schools.

Additionally, I love kids and love to support youth development in the community. Currently, I sit on the Mendham Borough HSA Board - an organization that raises over $40,000 a year to support our schools. I am also a member of the Mendham Basketball Association’s board, I teach catechism, and I coach cross country and tee-ball. These interactions bring me joy and to become a member of the BOE would give me another opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of our community’s children.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?
My dedication to education and children does not stop at volunteer activities. In 2020, I was fortunate enough to have the ability to “retire” from Corporate America after over 18 years working for Nissan North America, Inc. The automotive industry taught me a lot about management, poise, and steering continuous growth and process improvement. I am now pursuing a master’s degree in psychology and will transition to a career focused on mental health. My dream job is to work with middle schoolers in either a school or private clinical setting.

I am not running because I think our school district is broken or has a laundry list of problems. I am running because I believe in continuous improvement and parent involvement in our education system. Once elected, I will always be open to hear from parents and community members about what areas need attention and how we can make Mendham Borough School District an extraordinary place to learn and grow.

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