Meet The Morris School District Board Of Education Candidates

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Morris Township and Morristown residents will head to the polls this November to vote on candidates for the Morris School District Board of Education.

Three Morris Township residents are running for two spots, and two Morristown residents are running for one spot. 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. The town the candidate is running in is listed next to their name.

Linda Murphy, Morris Twp

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

There are many things that our Morris School District (MSD) is doing well. We have great teachers, a relatively low student-teacher ratio, and a school administration that is working hard to create more innovative learning experiences for our children and to listen closely to parental feedback. MSD is a member of New Jersey’s Future Ready Schools certification program, was selected as a member of Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools (one of 19 school districts chosen in the United States), and Niche, a national school rating agency, gave our District an overall grade of A in 2017.

That said, I am personally committed to helping MSD continue to evolve and improve. My daughter graduated from Morristown High School and my two grandchildren are currently attending elementary school in the District. In fact, my grandchildren are the reason I felt compelled to push for improvements to the elementary school curriculum as a member of a group of like-minded parents, joined the MSD K-5 Parent Advisory Council (PAC) in 2016, and have opted this year to run for the MSD Board of Education.

While initially involved with K-5, it is my strong conviction that all MSD students should have the opportunity to acquire life skills, learn respect for the value of diversity, and have equitable access to innovative, blended learning curricula that prepares them for success in life.

I would be honored to serve on the Morris School District Board of Education if elected. We need to PUT KIDS FIRST!

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

Academic Achievement is our biggest challenge. We must be committed to continuously improving the level of academic achievement among our students at all grade levels. To me, this means a) providing challenging and rigorous K-12 curricula that is continuously monitored, reviewed, and improved; b) ensuring equitable access to a good education for all students, while preparing them for a variety of post-secondary options such as college or vocational school; and c) supplying our teachers with the support they need to deliver high-quality instructional guidance to students.

Challenging and Rigorous K-12 Curricula

The MSD Board of Education, Superintendent, and school district staff were receptive to the recommendations of the K-5 Parent Advisory Council which were presented to the Board in early 2017, resulting in the formation of a K-5 Curriculum Committee to reevaluate and redesign the entire curriculum from kindergarten through fifth grade. Ultimately, I believe we should have a pre-constructed, classroom-tested, high-quality curriculum ‘map’ at each grade level to provide a consistent foundation for students’ learning and to give teachers a good balance – providing needed structure, while maintaining their ability to be creative and flexible in instruction delivery.

The bottom line is we need to assure that MSD is providing challenging and rigorous K-12 curricula that will: a) allow our children to receive a globally competitive education; b) ensure students have well-developed critical thinking skills and use problem-solving logic; and c) teach them how to be good citizens of their community, our nation, and the world.

Equitable Access

Furthermore, there should be equitable access to a good, high-quality education for every child in the Morris School District regardless of origin, race, or socio-economic background. We have a very diverse student population that mirrors the demographic make-up of the three communities served by MSD, so a ‘one size fits all’ approach to academic achievement does not work.

To me, equitable access means that students who are excelling are provided with advanced placement opportunities that keep them fully engaged and learning at an accelerated pace; giving all our students exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) experiential learning; and ensuring that we make appropriate resources available for children that need additional help due to learning, language, or other differences.

Teacher Support

Since implementation is key, it is important that MSD provides its teachers with cohesive, cutting edge professional development opportunities that complement the evolving K-12 curricula as they are rolled out. In order to meet the goal of higher academic achievement, we need inspired teachers who understand how to add more rigor and challenge to student learning, while having the ability to differentiate instruction based on a student’s developmental level. As any teacher knows, this is no easy task.
Finally, the consistency and quality of instructional delivery should be monitored and managed by Administrators in each MSD school and, for the elementary grades, across schools. This is essential if our school system is to continue to evolve and improve academically.

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

Curious: I credit my Mom, who unfortunately is no longer with us, and my own public-school teachers for inspiring me with life-long intellectual curiosity and a love of learning. These are some of the best gifts that we can possibly give to children as they strive to reach their full potential. There is nothing better than seeing our kids seek out chances to read a book, engage in creative projects and play, and be excited to learn. My love of learning has allowed me to become a strong, independent woman, caring of others and always true to myself.

Engaged: I take on new challenges with gusto, never run away from problems/issues that may be encountered, and try to analyze each situation to ensure informed decisions are being made. Having lived in Morris Township for nearly 30 years, I am passionate about my community and our school system. With this passion comes a commitment to actively contribute my time and talent as a volunteer. My current volunteer positions include:

• Member, Morris Township Planning Board
• Member and Secretary, Morris Arts Board of Trustees
• MSD K-5 Parent Advisory Council (elevating early grade learning)
• AARP Tax Counselor (serving low-income/elderly in Morris County)
• Volunteer in Service, Global Volunteers (teaching conversational English internationally)

If elected to the MSD Board of Education, you can expect that I will be ‘all in’, representing our taxpayers, parents, and children to the best of my ability

Persistent: It is against my nature to do a job halfway, as there may be many pathways to the achievement of expected outcomes. There is an old saying from W.E Hickson, “If at first you do not succeed, try, try, try again.” You could use that saying as my personal mantra. I am not easily discouraged from the pursuit of desired results, am willing to try many different approaches to get there, and am dedicated to always doing my best. You can count on me to stay with it until the task at hand is completed.

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

Over the course of my professional career, I have had the opportunity to work both domestically and internationally in the private sector including in corporate executive positions and as a small business owner. I have also worked in the public sector as a coordinator of shared services opportunities for Morris County and its thirty-nine municipalities. Along the way, I gained skills and experience in business transformation, customer operations, service line management, and professional consulting services. My forte is building collaborative teams that can deal with evolving and sometimes ambiguous work environments, while maintaining focus on desired results.

I am very proud of the work done by our MSD K-5 PAC and know it is having a real effect on elevating early grade learning. Resulting new initiatives include, but are not limited to, a consistent K-5 homework policy across all MSD elementary schools; improved communication with parents about student learning progress and how to support academic achievement at home; and the redesign and adoption of new K-5 curriculum components associated with English Language Arts (ELA) with more to follow in the areas of Math and Science.

The MSD Board of Education has a dual role. It represents the concerns of taxpayers and parents to school administrators and also represents the needs of the students and MSD to the community. While the BOE does not operate the school district on a day-to-day basis, it does sets the policies, goals, and objectives for the District and holds the Superintendent responsible for implementing them. If elected, I’d like to bring my professional expertise, perspective as a parent and grandparent, and my skills as a collaborator to the Morris School District Board of Education.

The residents of Morris Township have my commitment to represent our community’s interests to the best of my ability; to enable a rich learning environment for all public-school children from kindergarten through high school; and to ensure that your tax dollars supporting our local school system are spent wisely. Please join me in the effort to address MSD’s Academic Achievement challenge. Let’s PUT KIDS FIRST!

Please vote on November 6th. I would be honored to serve on the Morris School District Board of Education if elected.

Ann Rhines, Morris Twp

Why are you running for BOE?

I am running for the Morris School District (MSD) Board of Education (BOE) because I am committed to ensuring that students of our District develop a life-long passion for learning. I have dedicated my entire career to this cause, impacting the lives of thousands of students and families in our community both as a teacher, neighbor, and BOE member. As a current member of the BOE, I share in our school district’s goal to build an adaptable and sustainable environment where all students develop the social and educational skills necessary to thrive successfully in our global twenty-first century. I want to continue to work with my colleagues on the BOE and with my former colleagues in the classroom to ensure that the MSD is a good steward of the trust placed in us by our community. I do not believe our work is ever done. We must work collaboratively each and every day to ensure that all students benefit from an education that will prepare them to achieve their greatest ambitions and inspire them to enjoy their educational experience as well.

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

Our biggest challenge is to ensure that all students ascend academically to their greatest potential in a positive, safe environment. While our school district has demonstrated its ability to achieve remarkable successes in and out of the classroom, there are always challenges that we must face in order to be the district we aspire to be. Technology is advancing at a pace we have never seen before. We need to continue to creatively find ways to incorporate and infuse this into our schools. In addition, our students deserve to learn in a safe environment, and by safe I mean safe to express their individuality without suffering bullying and safe from the random acts of violence that we see all too often. Engaging our community (our district community, our parent community, our township community) will continue to be our greatest asset. With all of this said, identifying the challenges is only the beginning. An effective board member has the commitment to address and see these challenges through. This is what I have done and hope to continue to do.

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

The first word I would use to describe myself is educator. I have served as a responsible, innovative educator and have dedicated my entire career to creating life-long learning opportunities for all our students. The second word is advocate. I champion the needs of our students and teachers to ensure that they have the resources they need to be successful in life and career. The third word is passionate. I am incredibly committed and passionate for learning and for the Morristown area, our schools, and the diverse, vibrant community in which I live, have raised my family, and to which I am dedicated.

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

In addition to my experience as an educator, active community participant, and experienced BOE member, there are many experiences that I draw from that prepare me to be the type of effective leader that the District’s Board of Education requires. First, I am very proud that I have been involved with all aspects of the education of my own children in the MSD in addition to my decades of experience leading a classroom. Few understand the history, dynamics, programs, and opportunities that our district presents better than I. I believe in order to be an effective leader, you must know your organization – the ins and the outs, the people and the players, the ups and the downs. Second, I have tremendous experience listening to the issues and concerns that people in our community have expressed about our schools. My availability and my connections to so many families, students, parents, and alumni in this community make me an accessible and strong connector to the schools and the administration. I am very good at consensus-building, finding compromise, and determining the best course of action to benefit the students of the district. Much of my experience has made me a thoughtful and honest communicator, an innovative collaborator, and a confident decision-maker, all traits critical for effective leadership.

Alan L. Smith, Morris Township

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I am running for the Morris School District Board of Education because I want to ensure that all the children in our district have a world class education and are prepared to compete and excel in the global workforce of the future.

My passion for education was instilled in me from my parents, both of whom worked their entire careers as Boston Public School teachers and administrators. They taught me the value of working hard in school to achieve life-long success. They explained that learning does not end with graduation but is continuous. Through their example, I learned that there are many different pathways and routes to getting a good education…both of my parents earned their master’s degrees at night while raising their five children.

A year ago, my step father passed away. As I reflect on his role in our family and his impact on my life, I realize I have a higher calling that goes well beyond making a financial charitable contribution or the occasional basketball coaching I do in the Morristown Recreational basketball league. I am running in part for the Board of Education because I can think of no better way to honor my parents and the years of service they gave over a lifetime in education.

I am also running for this position because as a Human Resources professional, I have seen the transformation of the global workforce over the last 30 years. The nature of work has changed, and the education system and teaching methods need to continue to evolve to ensure that our young people are prepared with the skills required for the jobs of tomorrow. My work has given me the opportunity to hire some of the best and brightest minds from the US, Europe, North and South America, and Asia. I’ve also had the opportunity to live and travel not just in the United States, but abroad as well. These experiences have shown me that while our students are great, the world has caught up to and in some instances has surpassed the US in critical educational areas. For example, in one major emerging economy, the number of college graduates in that country alone is nearly the same size as the entire US population.

When I think about the people I have hired, worked with, and become friends with in my career, a great number of them speak 3 or 4 languages fluently, and have advanced degrees in math, science, engineering, and the humanities. To compete, the need for a superior education is critical.

Finally, I want to ensure that we can continue to attract, develop, promote, and retain the best educators in New Jersey and Morristown to teach our children. We need to continue to empower and enable our Superintendent to invigorate the curriculum through innovation and to introduce teaching methods that empower and enable the teachers and staff.

My goal is to ensure that Morris School District and Morristown remains a destination for families, educators, and business

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

We have a great school district. Superintendent Pendegrast and his team, as well as the dedicated and hard-working teachers of the Morris School District have done an outstanding job educating young people in our community. We are excelling on every metric compared to neighboring towns and even some of the area’s private and independent schools.

That said, our schools must continue to raise the bar and exceed the expectation of students, parents, faculty and staff. We need to ensure that we continually bring innovation to the curriculum and teaching methods. We should introduce foreign language learning in early childhood education. We need to individualize learning as best we can by introducing experiential learning to the traditional classroom. Many schools are augmenting their curriculums by utilizing entire cities and towns as their classroom beyond the traditional school house. We must also recognize that for some of our students college may not be an option, for a variety of reasons, yet we must still ensure they are prepared with life skills and tools to succeed.

We must offer professional development for our teachers, administrators and staff so that we attract emerging talent and retain existing talent in our schools. We must continue to look at the use of technology as a key differentiator and enabler. We must look at infrastructure and the impact of natural light and colors on childhood development and how that can foster learning. We can study collaboration spaces and determine how best to encourage students to learn from each other.

We must also continue to ensure that education is delivered in a fiscally sound manner. The Board has demonstrated fiscal prudence over the years which must be applauded. At that the same time, what trade offs are being made in the short term vs. at the expense of a long term educationally beneficial impact area?

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

The three words that I would use to describe myself would be Approachable, Thoughtful, and Decisive.

I’m an active listener. I seek input from a variety of sources, in this instance I will listen to parents, students, teachers, the Superintendent and other board members, to shape and inform my opinions and ultimately my decisions. Once I have a good understanding of the facts, I then decide a path forward.

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

I have had the good fortune to work and volunteer in a variety of organizations. I have been an individual contributor and I have also led a globally distributed team of over 300 people at a $14 billion global manufacturer. I believe my professional experiences ranging from recruiting and hiring new college graduates, to mentoring and developing seasoned long-term staff has taught me a great deal. I know what skills employers are looking for in new graduates as well as how we continue to develop and nurture talent.

Finally, I am watching and helping my beautiful daughters, 16 and 10 years old respectively, to navigate the educational system (in the US, China and private and public schools). Being a Father is my most challenging and ultimately my most rewarding experience that has prepared me and continues to develop my leadership.

I believe I have something I can contribute.

John Creamer, Morristown

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I’m running for the Board of Education in Morristown because I feel I owe it to this town, which my wife and I moved to 15 years ago and where we’ve had two children progress through district schools over the past 9 years. Now my son and daughter are each starting their first year in new schools in September – at MHS and at FMS. Quite simply – and sincerely – it’s about time I got more involved. I see my participation in the BOE election as core to my civic responsibility, to do what I can to help make Morris District schools the best they can be.

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

The biggest challenge facing this school district is ensuring we are able to continue upholding high academic standards, challenging our students intellectually, while meeting the practical educational needs of all of our diverse student population, much of it new immigrant, much of it low-income. I used to be a teacher of English to speakers of other languages; I would like to look closely at how effective we are in how we go about educating our children recently arrived from other countries, how we help them overcome the stubborn barriers to linguistic and cultural fluency, how we help them gain knowledge and how we help them to become productive, happy citizens of our community.

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

Three words that would describe me to someone who has never met me:

1. Parent
2. Open-minded
3. Collegial

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

I believe I can be effective as a member of the school board, which clearly requires a good deal of collaboration in order to get things done. In my day-to-day strategic communications job for a contract research/contract commercial organization here in New Jersey, our new business developers rely on me to help them respond effectively to requests for proposals from our clients. If I don’t find common ground with these colleagues, if I don’t learn how they like to work, if I fail to collaborate with them to find out what they need to know and what I need to know, we don’t win business and we are not successful. Collaboration means simply “working together,” and I’ve learned its importance over 30 years in the healthcare communications world, experience that should help me work well with others on the board.

Vij Pawar, Morristown

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I have lived and worked in Morristown for 18 years and am a father of two wonderful children who are going into 1st grade and 2nd grade in the Morris School District. The importance of a healthy academic and social environment at school cannot be understated. The decisions made by the Board and Administration impact not only students but parents, teachers and taxpayers. We need to continue to make progress to strengthen communications with parents and the community, encourage teachers and provide opportunities for them to continually improve instruction and overall classroom experience, and maintain a productive yet fiscally efficient school system. The Morris School District Board of Education should reflect the diversity of our community and as a member, I look forward to serving students and their families and our community as a whole.

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

The biggest challenge in this environment is trying to create a balance between the safety of students, teachers and school employees yet allowing the students to flourish in an unrestrictive environment. I commend the Morris School District for the steps they have taken and will be taking to attempt to create that balance. I will support all initiatives that will create a safe learning environment for our students and teachers so that the main objective of obtaining an education is achieved without distractions.

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

Thoughtful, caring and a proud parent. Due to my personal experiences as stated below, I am able to relate to everyone. As a parent of young children, I can relate to the daily challenges faced by parents. As an immigrant who came to this country at the age of 13, I can relate to the many children in our school district, who similarly are faced with joining a new school district in a new country and the efforts by the parents who made that happen. The common objective that joins all parents is our desire for the best for all children.

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

I was born in India and attended school there from pre-K to 7th grade, when my family emigrated to the United States. The importance of education was ingrained in me from an early age and instilled my passion for education. I graduated from a public high school here in New Jersey, then attended college and continued my education by attending law school at Rutgers University. As a parent and community member, I have truly appreciated how our Morristown schools have embraced diversity and emphasized giving all children the opportunities to progress and prepare them for life, something I will continue to support and expand.

I have been a practicing attorney for 18 years. I have also served the Town of Morristown as the Town Attorney for the last 9 years. Prior to being appointed the Town Attorney, I served as Morristown’s Municipal Prosecutor for 4 years.

Another trait that was instilled by my parents at an early age is the willingness to serve your community and be an active member of the community. For several years, I volunteered and served on the Morristown Zoning Board. I am a former trustee and current member of the Morris County Bar Association and served as a member of the District XA Ethics Committee.

Additionally, my passion for education led me to be appointed by the Governor in 2004 as a Trustee for New Jersey City University (NJCU), where I have continuously served. At NJCU, I work very closely with the University President and administration on the affairs of the University and serve on the Board’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee and Personnel and Compensation Committee.

My life experiences and my professional experiences have prepared me for the challenges that lay ahead. As an active member of the Morristown community for many years, I am very familiar with the Town and the families that I will represent on the School Board and would be honored to serve.

All candidate images submitted by the candidates and used with permission.