Two slates of three compete in Bloomfield BOE election – Essex News Daily
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — This election season, Bloomfield voters must choose among six candidates for the three open seats on the Board of Education. The slate of incumbents — Thomas Heaney, Ellen Rogers and Jessica Salinas — is running against the slate of challengers — Kasey Dudley, Nadeisha Greene and Satenik Margaryan.
Dudley has been a Bloomfield resident for 12 years and currently works with SPAN Advocacy as the project director for Parents as Champions for Healthy Schools. She is also a member of the National Center for the Study of Social Policy Brain Trust, where she consults with clinical practices to promote the social and emotional health of young children, strengthen the parent-child bond, and improve kindergarten readiness. She is a recent graduate fellow of New Jersey Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities at Rutgers University.
“My son, who is diagnosed on the autism spectrum, attends Berkeley Elementary School. I am the caregiver for my adult sister, who also has a developmental delay and several underlying mental health diagnoses. She is a 2012 Bloomfield graduate,” Dudley told The Independent Press, adding that she had been active with the Bloomfield Special Olympics teams and Berkeley School HSA, and has served as a class parent for the last four years. “Working across the many projects at SPAN has given me a greater passion and determination to help support the needs and quality of life for children with disabilities.”
Immigrating to Brooklyn from St. Vincent and the Grenadines at age 10, Greene and her family — which now includes two sons at Demarest Elementary School — moved to Bloomfield six years ago. Greene is the director of operations at a charter school; her responsibilities include purchasing and finance, student recruitment, safety, facilities, compliance, and hiring and recruitment.
“My motivation to want to become a board member is so that I can advocate for equity for all children. I have worked in education for almost 10 years,” Greene told The Independent Press. “As a parent in the district, I am an active participant at HSA meetings, volunteer at school events, and support Start with Hello chalking initiatives. In collaboration with two other Demarest parents, we created activities to teach children about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa during a school event. I’m a part of a new group called Voices for Equity in Education, which is part of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network to support the district’s stated DEI goals.”
Running for his second term on the board, Heaney, a certified board member, has lived in Bloomfield for 20 years. For the past 10 years, he has worked independently as an IT specialist contractor and subcontractor. In the community, Heaney has worked with the Morris Canal Greenway Committee, Boy Scouts of America, the Fairview Elementary HAS and the local Democratic County Committee.
“I have four children: one in Saint Peter’s University, one a senior at Bloomfield High School, one in Bloomfield Middle School and one in Fairview Elementary School,” Heaney told The Independent Press. “Not all achievement is high scores in a high-stakes test. I do not believe that the worth of a young adult should be based on their ability to take a test in an artificial environment with institutional bias built into some of the test questions. I believe that a student’s achievement should be based on their ability to function in society and sustain themselves. Each child is unique, and each has different gifts and levels of ability.”
Margaryan, who has lived in Bloomfield for nine years, has two sons who attend Watsessing Elementary School. In town, she has served on the Civil Rights Commission and as president, co-president and currently secretary of the Watsessing HSA.
“I am also a member of parent/resident grassroots organizations such as Bloomfield Families for Sensible Safety and Bloomfield Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network,” Margaryan told The Independent Press. “I am an assistant professor of criminal justice at Borough of Manhattan Community College. I have taught at various institutions of higher education for over 19 years. Having taught thousands of students in New Jersey and New York, I have a unique perspective on student achievement and what makes a successful college student. Also, I am a criminologist by training, a social scientist. I will bring to the board my expertise and skills in data analysis and social science research.”
Running for her third term on the BOE, Rogers is a lifelong Bloomfield resident, having graduated from Fairview School, Bloomfield Middle School and BHS. She has also sent two children through the Bloomfield public schools.
“My career has been in the field of mental health as a clinician and I have done so for the past 25 years. I have been employed for the past nine years at Mountainside Hospital Medical Center in Montclair. Prior to this, I worked many years for Essex County’s Psychiatric Hospital Center in Cedar Grove. Being that I am an incumbent, as well as former board vice president, I have also engaged in several training hours serving on a now certified Board of Education,” Rogers told The Independent Press. “I was involved throughout the years in the Watsessing HSA, districtwise, the William Foley programs and Bloomfield Southern Little League. Also, I have supported many arts education activities: band, choir and the student art shows.”
Running for her second term on the board, Salinas was unable to provide answers to The Independent Press due to health reasons. Salinas has lived in Bloomfield for more than two decades and has six children who have attended and continue to attend Bloomfield public schools. A small business owner, Salinas has owned and operated the Mexi-Flip Taco Truck with her husband for the past seven years. She has been an active member of the Fairview HSA and chose three years ago to run for public office. She is the acting chairperson of the board’s Negotiations Committee and has worked on the Strategic Planning and Finance & Facilities committees. She also acted as a delegate to the New Jersey School Boards for Essex County and as an alternate delegate to the State Assembly New Jersey School Boards Association. In 2020, Salinas was recognized as Woman of the Year by the Bloomfield Police Benevolent Association Local No. 32 for her work in the community. Salinas has stated that she is running for reelection in order to focus on student achievement and the development of the whole child.
When asked what she views as the top issue in the Bloomfield public schools, Dudley cited diversity.
“I think, first and foremost, schools must acknowledge the diversity of the community and student population. Our educators must do away with racial and ethnic stereotypes that all too often cloud true and effective communication. A culturally relevant, inclusive curriculum — one that respects, honors and celebrates our differences — is a great way for schools to meet different cultural learning needs,” Dudley said. “I believe our school district needs to address that we are a diverse community that needs a more creative approach to education, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all mentality. We all come from different walks of life, and our various backgrounds should be celebrated and represented. Our board must do their part to make significant contributions in the areas of improvement across our district and community, especially, in areas that directly impact minorities and children with special health care needs.”
Dudley advocates for the district adopting the Whole School Whole Child Whole Community approach, which gives parents the knowledge, skills and confidence to work with their children’s school to improve health.
“We should have an open-door policy and most importantly ask parents and other community members what they need to address the learning needs — and then listen,” Dudley said. “The community is always appreciative to be a part of the conversation and solution rather than have it imposed upon them. Some stress the importance of awareness, listening and most importantly empathy to foster collaborative relationships. Use the principle ‘People own what they help create.’”
Greene highlighted three issues that she thinks need to be addressed first: providing full-day, pre-kindergarten education; increasing diversity of district employees; and establishing meaningful afterschool programs and academic supports.
“The district should work to increase the diversity of our school faculty, staff and administration, because 73 percent of our student body are students of color, while 13 percent of our faculty are teachers of color. This goal can help to boost academic performance and foster positive perceptions among all children,” Greene said. “I bring to the board my recruitment and hiring experience. I have attended numerous hiring fairs and sat on the hiring committee to interview and hire qualified teachers. I have a relentless determination to do whatever it takes to help our students succeed. I make decisions in the best interest of students and align myself with the mission at hand. My platform not only brings equity to the forefront but also addresses diversity and inclusion, and benefits every child in the district.”
While there are many issues, Heaney identified getting the district through the pandemic as the No. 1 priority right now.
“The immediate, top need is to secure our children and our teachers from the pandemic virus. We must keep our people and our community safe,” Heaney said. “Longer term we need more of our fair share of funding from the state, who shorts us millions of dollars each year. This much-needed funding can help us with new initiatives like universal pre-K or career-and-technical-education programs for the non–college-bound learner. Longer term we need to find more space, as we are a growing district. We also need to budget a growing amount of money on upkeep and repair of our aging buildings, as well as meet the demands of growing energy consumption. Add to this now the growing expenses of COVID-19–related expenses, and the ongoing need for that in the budget.”
Along the lines of her running mates, Margaryan identified inequity as the top issue in the Bloomfield public schools.
“We should strive to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for success in Bloomfield,” Margaryan said. “Our slate proposes three areas where the district can improve to provide such equal opportunities for success: establishing full-day pre-K, developing afterschool activities for elementary school pupils, and increasing the diversity of our school faculty through strategic recruitment and retention of BIPOC teachers.
“I would like the district to make closing the achievement gap the top priority,” she continued. “With that goal in mind, the district will need to invest in data analysis and identification of the existing gaps to pinpoint the problem areas. Then, the district will need to deploy an increase in instructional time and supplemental instruction during school and in after-school, in small-group settings. This is especially important for elementary school pupils. We will need to continuously invest in professional development and deepen the cooperation between schools and parents.”
For Rogers, there are many top issues that intertwine with one another.
“I feel that some of the biggest issues facing the Bloomfield school system today — with the exception of COVID-19 — are the need for continued school safety measures, greater staff diversity and our aging school buildings,” Rogers said. “Having my own interracial marriage and family, diversity has always been on my forefront. Settling a recent teachers’ contract will aid in offering more competitive salaries to attract more diverse candidates. Also, installing ongoing safety upgrades in the form of security cameras, anti-intruder locks, new lighting, lockdown shades and panic alarms in accordance with Alyssa’s Law have recently improved our older buildings.
“Maintaining a safe school environment is of the utmost importance. Our upgrades in the area of physical safety, as listed, have brought several needed improvements to our buildings,” she continued. “Precautions to protect students and staff from COVID-19 are presently our main concern with our anticipated eventual return to in-person learning. PPE, hand sanitizers, temperature scanners, along with updating univent filters and rechecking HVAC ventilation systems are being addressed. In the area of emotional well-being and student mental health, my background affords me to be a strong advocate in this domain. Often, when warranted, I have been able to provide insight and knowledge surrounding these important topics.”
The Bloomfield School District budget was already tight when COVID-19 hit, and it is only tighter now. Each candidate was asked how they would try to help taxpayers shoulder the growing burden.
According to Dudley, she has the skills from her professional career to balance large budgets.
“One of the things I am proudest about in all the roles I have undertaken in my profession is that I have had to develop the necessary skills at getting the most out of budgets and funding by learning to prioritize well and by being innovative. In my previous career I served as an online marketing director in a previous role. I managed and oversaw budgets exceeding $1 million in revenues. I understand what it takes to manage budgets and allocate them in ways that benefit who I serve,” Dudley said. “I am willing to ask hard questions, to seek out where we can be more efficient and be more creative to benefit students and taxpayers. I am also looking to create more transparency and visibility, so that our taxpayers can see that we are getting a good value for the money we are spending on our education system. I will also look into available funding sources, from state to local grants, donation and fundraising initiatives, to offset small initiatives that can greatly impact taxpayers over a period of time.”
Similarly to her running mate, Greene said her professional experiences will benefit the entire community when it comes to the school district’s budget.
“Another skill set that will contribute to the effective operations of the board is my experience with supporting the annual budget,” Greene said. “In collaboration with school leaders, I work to monitor the budget, so we’re fiscally sound when purchasing supplies, curriculum and equipment. As a board member, I will play an essential role in ensuring the district puts through a fiscally sound budget. That means reviewing the budget carefully and making financial decisions that will translate into student achievement. If elected, I would help struggling local taxpayers by collaborating with the board and the administrators to ensure we’re targeting grants that can support the budget and families.”
According to Heaney, his record on the BSD budget speaks for itself.
“As lead on the budget committee, I twice lowered taxes for the residents of Bloomfield. We now have set up universal free lunch, so that any student in the district can come for a free breakfast and a free lunch from our food service contractor. You do not need to be on the reduced-lunch program to receive food,” he said. “We have also refinanced our debt, which increases our borrowing power and ability to raise money without having to go to the taxpayer for new initiatives.”
Margaryan admitted that the fiscal future for school districts across the nation looks bleak, and Bloomfield will see the devastating financial effects of the pandemic as well.
“The economic impact of COVID-19 on schools budgets is and will continue to be staggering. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, state education budget shortfalls are projected to be about 25 percent in the next fiscal year, 2021, with additional gaps in FY22,” Margaryan said. “When elected to the BOE, I will advocate for investing in proven strategies to increase student achievement, such as investing in teacher recruitment, preparation and support, so all students have access to well-prepared and diverse educators. To relieve the taxpayers’ burden, I will advocate seeking out additional streams of funding from the state and the federal governments.”
Rogers touted recent tax breaks the board has been able to afford for taxpayers, and encouraged working to increase funding from alternative sources.
“Being a Bloomfield taxpayer myself I have approached board decisions in this area with prudence,” Rogers said. “I was instrumental in pushing to vote for a lowered 1-percent and then lowered half-percent tax levy in order to give our taxpayers a break. Working for increased state funding when available, as well as applying for grants, is key to remain fiscally responsible.”
The final day to vote in this election is Nov. 3 by 8 p.m. All residents should have received a mail-in ballot, which can be returned via the post, ballot boxes placed throughout the county or, as a last resort, in person at a resident’s polling place.