Meet The Mendham Township Board Of Ed Candidates

MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ — Three seats are open on the Mendham Township Board of Education this year, and Patch caught up with the candidates ahead of the general election.

Two three-year term seats are open, and one one-year expired term seat is open. Brian C. Baldwin, Peter Dumovic, and Aadithya Thayyar are running for the three-year term, and Joan Mody is running for the one-year unexpired term.

We asked all candidates the same four questions:

• Why are you running for Board Of Education?
• What is the biggest challenge facing schools in your town, and how will you address it?
• What three words would you use to describe yourself to someone who has never met you?
• What experience in your background has prepared you to be an effective leader?

All candidates were sent the questions at the same time, and were given the same deadline to submit them. They were given no minimum or maximum word count, and encouraged to write as much as they needed, or to keep the answers brief if they wanted to. Answers were submitted by email and are presented here as submitted.

Brian Baldwin, 3 year term

Why are you running for BOE?

Like most who run for the Board of Education, I have children in the Mendham Township School District: Abbey, a rising 3rd grader, Samantha, a first grader, and Nicholas, a kindergartner. I would like to be involved in making sure that they get the best learning experiences that they can by providing my insight and experiences in science and teacher education to the board and the administrative staff.

What is the biggest challenge facing schools in your town, and how will you address it?

There are a number of inter-connected challenges that face our district, so it's difficult to drill down to the one "biggest" challenge. Maintaining a balance between financial efficiency with simultaneously adopting new learning standards and developing curricula to address the new standards so that all students can succeed and thrive is a burden that all districts face - including Mendham Township. This challenge encompasses everything from curriculum development, administrative support, professional support for teachers, financial concerns and parental support.

What three words would you use to describe yourself to someone who has never met you?

Trustworthy, hard-working, knowledgeable.

What experience in your background has prepared you to be an effective leader?

I'm a Professor of Science Education in the STEM department at Kean University, where I'm beginning my 12th year. I've directed grants dealing with math and science teacher professional development for the past 8 years, managing large budgets, developing partnerships with local school districts, recruiting teachers, hiring consultants, and maintaining data collection and analytical procedures for reporting requirements. I direct the STEM education in our department and teach courses in science education and education research methods. I conduct qualitative research in STEM professional development and quantitative research in relationships between District Factor Groups and statewide achievement test scores in the state of New Jersey. I also consult for other universities on external grant evaluations as well as provide in-school professional development support for science teachers.

I'm a product of the public school system in Lancaster, Ohio and earned my BS and MA degrees at Ohio University in Athens, OH. I earned my doctorate in Science Education from Columbia University in 2005.

Peter Dumovic, 3 year term

Why are you running for BOE?

I wish to serve on the Mendham Township School Board to help ensure our students receive a world-class education, where every student has an opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential in an environment that promotes a passion for life-long learning. I also wish to represent the interests of all Mendham Township taxpayers - residents with children in the schools and residents without - to help ensure effective fiscal management of the school district. This is especially important given that the largest portion of our property tax bill - 39% - goes to the local school district.

What is the biggest challenge facing schools in your town, and how will you address it?

Providing every child with a competitive, high-quality education in a fiscally responsible manner. Mendham Township Elementary School and Mendham Township Middle School are great schools, thanks to strong teachers, high expectations for student learning, a rigorous curriculum, and many extra curricular and cultural arts opportunities. But there are significant long-term challenges to the township schools, including increased costs for employee healthcare benefits and the cost of providing necessary special education services. I will work with other Board of Ed members and the superintendent to establish goals for the schools based on student educational needs, parent aspirations and community expectations. I will help ensure our students receive a world-class education, while working to control costs and finding new and innovative funding sources to increase revenues for the school district.

What three words would you use to describe yourself to someone who has never met you?

Collaborative, Practical, Strategic

What experience in your background has prepared you to be an effective leader?

Educational background (BS Honors, Masters, PhD), and professional experience leading teams. I have been a resident of Mendham Township for 22 years and am a longtime volunteer in the community, supporting a variety of initiatives related to education, arts and culture and local municipal services. My wife and I have two sons in their mid-20s who were educated in the Mendham public school system. I am a former Chair of the Mendham High School Parent Teacher Organization, and former Chair of the Mendham High School International Baccalaureate Boosters Club.

I am well aware of what is expected to serve as a member of the School Board and am very familiar with the strengths and challenges of the Mendham Township School District that serves students in grades PreK-8. As a community member, I regularly attend Board of Education meetings, and earlier this year, I participated in a committee to help create the Strategic Plan for the school district. I fully support the 5-year plan that was developed, including the identified goal areas of: Academic preparedness; health, wellness and safety; and community connectedness.

Aadithya Thayyar, 3 year term

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I am currently on the board and my term ends this year. I was previously a write-in candidate. Strong communities are built on citizen participation. The reason families move to Mendham Township is for it’s great schools and I want to ensure that the schools continue to be awesome.

What is the biggest challenge facing schools in your town, and how will you address it?

The biggest challenge continues to be trying to provide a world class education while keeping costs from spiraling. We can address this by being very vigilant and looking for cost effective solutions. Healthcare continues to be an area which contributes to cost increase year over year. By switching to a bigger provider, we have been able to continue to provide great health benefits while keep costs down.

What three words would you use to describe yourself to someone who has never met you?

The three words that would describe me are: Approachable, driven and dedicated

What experience in your background has prepared you to be an effective leader?

I currently manage a diverse technology team for a marquee financial services company. I am actively involved in several governance committees at work ranging from cost reduction & efficiency to an associate program that helps mentors and retain top talent with the firm.

Joan Mody, 1 year unexpired term

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I am running for Mendham Township BOE because I would like to be involved in the decisions that greatly impact our students in order to maintain its excellent educational achievements and ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all.

What is the biggest challenge facing schools in your town, and how will you address it?

The biggest challenge facing schools in our town is maintaining the quality of education while facing the pressures of budgetary restraints, all the while providing the students with a healthy and enriching environment in which they can thrive.

What three words would you use to describe yourself to someone who has never met you?

Three words I would use to describe myself would be: conscientious, compassionate, and an advocate.

What experience in your background has prepared you to be an effective leader?

I am prepared to be an effective leader because, for the past 2 years, I have held a leadership position as the President of the Mendham Township Library Board of Trustees where we maintain the operations and oversee fundraising for our library, "The Cornerstone for Community Enrichment." I have also practiced law in NY and NJ for the past 17 years, owning my own practice for the past 11 years. As a result of this experience, my understanding of legal complexities and regulatory structures will add value to the BOE's work.

Header image via Shutterstock. All candidate images submitted by candidates.