Meet The 2019 Mendham Boro Board Of Education Candidates

MENDHAM Borough, NJ — Seats are open on the local and regional board of educations in Mendham Borough, and Patch caught up with the candidates ahead of the general election.

Three candidates are running for three open three-year terms on the local board, one candidate is running for a one-year local term, and one candidate is running for one seat on the regional board. All races are uncontested.

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 asked to keep answers to a maximum of 200 words each. Answers were submitted by email and are presented here as submitted.

Mendham Borough's West Morris Regional Board Member (Three year term, vote for one)

Thomas R. Brooks*

Editor's note: Brooks elected to provide a statement in place of the question & answers.

It has been an honor to serve as Mendham Borough’s representative to the West Morris Regional High School District BOE for the past three years. I feel that the present Board has worked very effectively to address the many factors that affect student achievement, health, safety, and engagement -- factors that include personnel, technology, finances, and infrastructure, just to name a few. Even though unopposed in this election, I take the obligations of Board membership seriously and will endeavor to responsibly represent the interests of students, parents, and taxpayers in decisions that must be made in the coming term.

Mendham Borough Local Board of Education (Three year term, vote for three)

Barry Haines

Why are you running for BOE?

As a long-time resident of Mendham Borough, having raised our two sons in the Mendham Borough schools, and as a former teacher at the Mountain View Middle School, I have a vested interest in the participatory collaboration needed to bring our community together to continue to improve our schools.

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

Recent national issues call for solutions that provide increased safety and security in our schools. Some of the strengths that I can bring to this position include collaborating with our learning community to create a long-term vision to address these safety and security issues. Yet, I also believe that these issues must be addressed while being fiscally responsible and while preparing our students with the skills that they need to be future-ready for their college and careers.

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

• Collaborative
• Pragmatic
• Optimistic

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

Having worked in industry for more than ten years, and having worked as a K-12 administrator for more than twenty years, I believe that an effective leader in our schools needs to model the best and successful practices that are evident in our most vibrant corporations.

My experiences include a BA, MA, EdM, and an EdD in Organizational Leadership Studies. They include experiences instructing in national graduate education programs for more than twenty years. These experiences have provided me with proven leadership ideas for building successful Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and Academy programs. As an effective leader on the Mendham Borough School Board, I would work to create a strong educational vision that supports a culture of shared decision making and that is inclusive of a diversity of stakeholder input. I would continue my ardent advocacy for middle school exploratory programs, and I would work to ensure that our students have experiences that ignite their curiosity, instill a passion for life-long learning, and that build on the longstanding traditions of excellence that are the Mendham Borough schools.

John E. Vitale and James Gillespie did not return Patch's request for comment.

Mendham Borough Local Board of Education (One year unexpired term, vote for one)

Raechelle Raimondo

Why are you running for Board Of Education?

I have lived in this community for 20+ years and have 3 children that have either gone through Mendham Boro schools or currently attending. I am passionate about education and believe in the vision and objectives that Mendham Boro administration , teachers and the community worked together in defining.

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

Budgets continue to be tight due to minimal Federal/State aid, making it difficult to keep up with constant changes in technology and increased requirements by the government. I will continue to listen to our community and work with the BOE , administration and teachers in establishing priorities and allocating the budget we have in the most effective and efficient manner.

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

Three words that characterize me best are: Passionate, Practical and Caring

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

Being a mother and a working professional has allowed me the opportunity to continuously utilize and improve my ability to actively listen, problem solve and multitask enabling positive outcomes and strong/trusting relationships.