2022 SPF Board of Education Candidate Interview Answers

On Monday, September 19th, 2022, R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF emailed interview questions to all five SPF Board of Education candidates. 

Below are the unedited responses, including permission to publish this content.

Click here to read our 2022 SPF Board of Education Candidate Endorsement and Election Resources.

Table of Contents:

FANWOOD

• Amy Winkler - ENDORSED
• Gary Morris

SCOTCH PLAINS

• Stephanie Suriani - ENDORSED
• Nancy Norris Bauer - ENDORSED
• John Greenblatt

• Incumbent, up for re-election
• Column #1 on Fanwood Districts 1 and District 2-7 Ballots

Already doing the DEI work we want to see, Amy Winkler has been immersed in the goals outlined in the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan personally and professionally for years, and has the experience, ideas and connections to help achieve them for the district.

On top of that, her natural drive for studying the finer details, fact-checking, and thoughtful review makes her an invaluable asset to the management of district policies, old and new--the foundation our school district builds up and out from as we grow. 

Learn more about why we are endorsing her here.

INTERVIEW ANSWERS

1. What accomplishments, either in your current Board of Education role or in your personal/professional life, demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?

I have lived in Fanwood for over 20 years.  We moved here in part because of the excellent reputation of the schools.  Once my children entered the schools, I joined the local PTA.  I served the Coles PTA as chair of the Earth Day committee, as a member of the Mini-Grant committee, and a member of the Nominating committee, as well as volunteering for various activities such as book fairs, field days, and other roles.  I was also a member of the Terrill PTA and the SPFHS PTA.  While serving on the SPF school board for the last 13 years, I have worked hard to learn everything I can about our schools and our students, as well as about education across the state and the country.  This includes taking advantage of the training offered to all board of education members by the New Jersey School Boards Association, which has honored me with Certified Board Member, Master Board Member, and Certified Board Leader credentials.  For the last 8 years I have served on the board of Social Justice Matters, a local organization that works to eliminate inequity and to lift up diverse voices by fostering positive relationships among neighbors through education and advocacy.  I have also volunteered through my temple as well as other initiatives in the community.

2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

I envision a school district where all students feel welcome and valued and contribute positively to the school community, and where parents are partners in the educational process bringing a broader perspective to the work.  I also envision all of our students graduating with confidence in themselves and with the skills necessary to be productive members of the wider world.

3. The SPF School District’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan’s first goal is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to “increase opportunities to develop a district committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through hiring practices of educational and support staff, curriculum development and student empowerment.” How important is this goal to you? What concrete actions will you take to actively help our district achieve these goals?

I feel that this goal is very important and is closely connected to (though different from) the Educating the Whole Child goal.  Of course, as a board member, it is my responsibility to see that we follow the Strategic Plan.

What concrete actions I will take to move this goal (or any goal) forward is a tricky question to answer since board members do not act alone, but in concert with each other.  Our job as board members is to set the policies for the district and ensure the district is well run, not to administer the schools.  That is solely the job of the superintendent.  Board members do not act as individuals.

[Much of the public does not really understand the job of the board or the responsibilities of individual board members.  This document, particularly the FAQs on the last page, does a good job of clarifying things.  This page also has excellent resources, including 4 videos, that help explain the roles and responsibilities of school board members.]

So in light of the above, please understand that my answer to the question of what concrete actions I will take to help the district achieve these goals may sound somewhat limited.  I firmly believe in this goal and its importance for our students, especially since so much of the community came together to create the Strategic Plan.  I do and will look at all decisions I make as a board member through an equity lens (much as I also look at all decisions through a student achievement lens,  a financial lens, and other lenses).  I do and will ask what effect these various decisions have on different groups of students as well as on individual students, and if the effects are disproportionate.  I do and will make suggestions intended to create a more equitable environment for our students and their families.

As a member of the Wellness and Equity committee of the board I have advocated for and support the district's efforts to examine the use of the "n word" and to create specific guidance for students and staff around this.  I have advocated for and support the district's efforts to review the school calendar and give consideration to all sacred and important dates, either as days off and/or days to raise up with lessons about their importance and significance.  I have advocated for and support the district's efforts to incorporate Black, Latinx/Hispanic, and AAPI history and accomplishments into the year-round curriculum as well as being specifically recognized during the designated months.

4. Which Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity issues do you think are most pressing for SPF students? If elected/re-elected, how do you think you could help improve those for our students?

I believe implicit bias is probably the most pressing diversity issue for our students, followed closely by lack of diversity of staff.  I think there is much good intention here, but many of us do not see beyond our own experiences to understand the perspectives of others, which may be very different from our own.  This is why literary diversity is so important as "windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors."   Implicit bias has wide ranging effects such as teacher expectations of particular students, which students enroll in more challenging courses, guidance counselor expectations of particular students, code of conduct infractions etc.  In terms of diversity of staff, unfortunately the state (as well as the country) is experiencing a shortage of educators.  And as diversity of staff has become widely recognized as a driver of greater student achievement, the demand for more diverse staff has increased in recent years.  These are not easy issues to fix.

I do and will advocate for and support the district's ongoing professional development for our staff around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  I do and will advocate for and support the district's work to "grow our own" future educators, especially the work toward creating a social justice-focused education academy within our high school.  As part of the Wellness and Equity committee I advocated for and supported the expansion of recruitment forums for new staff to include HBCUs and other more diverse venues.  Of course, there is still much work to be done.

5. For transparency purposes, we may share quotes of your partial or complete responses. Does R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF have your consent to publish your responses in the mediums we see fit?

Yes

Click here to return to the 2022 SPF BOE Candidate Endorsement and Election Resources page.

1. What accomplishments, either in your current Board of Education role or in your personal/professional life, demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?  

All 4 of my kids have gone through the SPF School System.  That is 52 years of various experiences - much of it was great.  Besides quality teachers, one of the most important factors in the success of students is parental involvement.  As such, I think it is vitally important for children to see a Dad step up to at least try to be on the School Board.  I think it is amazing that Amy Winkler has served for 13 years on the school board and our community has benefited from her service.  

Volunteering is in the DNA of my family - Coaching Soccer, feeding the homeless, Boxes of Hope, Church Youth Group, Love146 (Anti-trafficking), Back to School Backpack giveaways, Children’s Specialized Hospital, free academic tutoring, Fanwood Green Team and short term missions trips are just some of the volunteer opportunities my family has participated in.  My daughter was even volunteering to teach once a week for At-Risk Youth (including teen moms) at the Department of Children and Families Regional School in Scotch Plains. Earlier this year I had the great honor of teaching a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle class at this school alongside my daughter.  It was definitely one of my favorite dad moments.  I work as a Packaging Engineer for a large consumer products company.  Sustainability, Green Initiatives, communication with stakeholders and cost controls are at the center of what I do and would benefit any organization.  My wife, Holly, was an Elementary School teacher for a number of years.  She is currently an aide for a quadriplegic student (an SPF Graduate) that allows him to attend college.

2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?  

I think one of the most important things would be an increased emphasis on Financial Literacy.  All 4 of my children went to community college and then local 4 year schools.  We sacrificed as a family and my kids are all debt-free because they helped pay their own way through college by working part-time.  

We need to do a better job of bringing in Alumni to inspire the students in our schools.  Imagine if alumni like Renaldo Nehemiah (Track/Football) or Todd Robinson (U.S. State Department, Former US Ambassador to Guatemala) came in to speak to the students.  We have a wealth of parents and alumni in our community in various professions and trades that can inspire students to dream big.  Creating mentorship programs with local businesses would be another way to allow students to learn about different vocations. 

My kids have had some incredible SPF teachers throughout the years.  We are facing teacher shortages, so we need to make sure we find ways to attract and retain teachers by staying competitive with the surrounding areas.  Creating a teacher of the month award that provides the winner and their family a free dinner at a local restaurant would be a way to give much needed public recognition to our outstanding teachers.

The reality is that we have quite a few single parent families as well as families with both parents working outside the homes.  We need to do everything possible to make sure we streamline things for parents.  We should create a Parents Helping Parents portal that allows parents to connect for carpools, before care and after care.

3. The SPF School District’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan’s first goal is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to “increase opportunities to develop a district committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through hiring practices of educational and support staff, curriculum development and student empowerment.” How important is this goal to you? What concrete actions will you take to actively help our district achieve these goals?  

We have many remarkable individuals within our own community that would be a great resource for training.  One of the amazing takeaways of the racial healing circles is the  huge benefit to meeting new people within our community.  Learning to listen can be a refreshing exercise. 

We need to do a lot of rethinking about the development of teachers.  My daughter, Emily, is currently student teaching in a private school in California.  I am quite familiar with the hurdles to becoming a teacher.  Public Schools do not pay a teacher in training to student teach as part of their certification process.  This to me creates an additional financial barrier for all teachers regardless of race.  If this law can’t be changed, perhaps creating a community scholarship could help student teachers in need.  The teacher salaries in many minority communities are better than they are in SPF so that really needs to be evaluated as well, if we are going to attract a more diverse faculty.  

A friend of my kids, Divon Pender, was recently elected to the South Plainfield School Board.  I believe it is important to encourage recent grads of SPF to run for the school board.  The example of a young person on the board would make students feel empowered.   I attend a weekly Evangel Church Men’s Life Group.  It is 5 to 10 men from all different walks of life, ranging in age from the 20’s to the 60’s.  I am always impressed and encouraged to see the wisdom of the young people in our group, as we have discussed many of life’s challenges.

Loving your neighbor and treating people the way you want to be treated is not always easy, but it can be done.  Seeing this simple credo lived out in my own children is quite rewarding and I hope to see this replicated many times over for future generations of families.

4. Which Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity issues do you think are most pressing for SPF students? If elected/re-elected, how do you think you could help improve those for our students?  

If we teach about Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller then we should also teach about Madame CJ Walker.  She was the first of her siblings to be born free in the 1860’s and became the first female self made millionaire and literally moved into Rockefeller’s neighborhood!  Her business model for selling her beauty products was copied by Mary-Kay.   I believe there are also many positive stories that need to be told within our own community and I will be sharing some more of those stories on our local facebook pages.  I will be encouraging others to share their stories as well.  One of the reasons I am running this year is because of the lack of diversity on the Current School Board.  Our student body is 51% male students and yet the school board is only 11% male.  There has not been a Fanwood dad on the school board for over 10 years.

Diverse extra-curricular activities like Track and Field need to be fully funded, providing uniforms for each and every participant.  There is nothing more inclusive than a no-cut sport.  Working together on a relay has a way of uniting students more than any textbook or lesson ever could.  

5. For transparency purposes, we may share quotes of your partial or complete responses. Does R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF have your consent to publish your responses in the mediums we see fit?  

Feel free to use any or all of my answers.

Click here to return to the 2022 SPF BOE Candidate Endorsement and Election Resources page.

• Incumbent, up for re-election
• Column #1 on Scotch Plains Districts 1, 2, 7 and District 3-6, 8-23 Ballots

A longtime outspoken advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, Stephanie Suriani (LCSW) looks at everything through a lens of wellness, asks thoughtful, important questions, then gets involved to move progress forward for all students.

She is particularly proud of helping get counselors on site at every SPF school, increasing access to mental health support throughout the district.

Learn more about why we are endorsing her here.

INTERVIEW ANSWERS

1. What accomplishments, either in your current Board of Education role or in your personal/professional life, demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?

I have always strongly believed in the importance of civic engagement. As a licensed clinical social worker since 2001, my career has been focused on improving the lives of children and families, first in child welfare and for the last 15 years, in child behavioral health care. Six years ago, when my second child was entering the public school system, I thought that Board membership was the perfect combination of my desire to be community-involved using my strengths and skill set as a social worker focused on youth. Over the last 6 years as a Board member, I have been involved in various committees, such as facilities, finance, community engagement committee (which I actively supported to bring back to our Board structure) and I currently chair the curriculum committee. I participate in every way possible in events that bring together the school board and community, such as the coffees with the Superintendent and the Board, because I believe community feedback is valuable. When the national model of Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation was brought into our towns by Social Justice Matters and each town government and the school district were asked to participate to bring this model into practice, I volunteered to be the school board liaison, as I believe having the tools and community conversations around race and equity are vital to our community. I have served in this role consistently for the past 3 years.

2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

This is a very big question! McGinn just being named a national blue ribbon school reflects my vision for the whole district, to be looked at statewide as a district to replicate in terms of the top-notch education it provides for ALL students. I think there are several areas of focus and these are really highlighted in our strategic plan. Preparing our students for the world after they leave SPF is of utmost importance, which includes focusing on student achievement and giving them the most optimal education with an innovative curriculum that evolves for the changing world. This would include continuing to explore “academies” at the secondary level as well as expanding clubs and activities at the middle and high school levels, exposing students to alternative pathways for the future (trades or other opportunities) and linking them to real-world expeirences by utilizing members of our community. I have always championed diversity and equity in our schools, through curriculum and learning, but also through hiring more diverse staff and giving all staff training to help first identify any gaps in student inclusion and then knowing how to intervene. Also, you cannot speak about the future without acknowledging the changing future of our towns. As there is current development, we will need to carefully look at expanding our school facilities, also modernizing the facilities and adapting them to changing trends in instruction (more outdoor spaces, etc). In addition, I am committed to exploring ways we can improve transportation, not just bussing, but streamlining drop off and pick up at our schools, perhaps by creating a community committee in partnership with town and law enforcement to look into this.

3. The SPF School District’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan’s first goal is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to “increase opportunities to develop a district committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through hiring practices of educational and support staff, curriculum development and student empowerment.” How important is this goal to you? What concrete actions will you take to actively help our district achieve these goals?

This goal is of primary importance. My profession as a social worker is premised on recognizing the impact of oppression and the importance of valuing diversity, in ways that acknowledge these issues openly and move forward in creating equity. There have been several times throughout my time on the board when we have received feedback from students (sometimes in response to an incident of hate in the community) that we have work to do in creating safe spaces for learning for students of all races and cultures. I take this very seriously as school should be a safe, comfortable place for all. I chair the curriculum committee and have supported over the last few years adapting our curriculum to involve more literature that provides windows and mirrors (windows into other ways of life, races and cultures) and mirrors so that minority students can see their race, culture, gender orientation reflected in what they read and learn. I have supported implicit bias training for teachers so they can identify their own potential biases, training which I regularly have as a social worker and believe anybody who works to serve or education youth and families should have. I will continue to use my role as a board member to ensure this type of training is ongoing for all staff in our district as part of professional development. I also have supported efforts to increase the diversity of staff, especially at the administrative/supervisory level. This has been challenging due to ongoing educator shortages and fewer people going into teaching as a profession, but I have been engaged in discussions and will continue to be, around how to bring diverse staff into our community. A large part of what I do professionally in providing wraparound services to youth and families is incorporating student voice into treatment planning. We have made strides in our district in terms of engaging the community more including students, who were part of the development of the strategic plan. This year, we will have a student member of the BOE, which I have been championing for years. I am committed to look for areas where we can continue to use student voice, such as aspects of the curriculum and deciding what texts and resources to use in classrooms, that would reflect the diversity of the student population.  As I mentioned before, I am also the BOE liaison to the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation committee in our towns, and as such am going to be trained to facilitate “Racial Healing Circles” – these discussions actually are not about race but about bringing diverse groups together to discover common humanity. As the liaison, I will be able to discuss with the other Board members an appropriate way to bring these discussions into the district.

4. Which Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity issues do you think are most pressing for SPF students? If elected/re-elected, how do you think you could help improve those for our students?

I think they are all pressing issues, but creating safe and inclusive learning spaces for our students is the most pressing (for black and brown students, LGBTQ+ community and every single student. A free and appropriate public education for all students is the cornerstone of our entire public education system. Diversity is stated as a mission in our strategic plan. I support having all teachers trained in cultural competency (a mandated training for social workers) as part of professional development to ensure safe and inclusive learning spaces, and also continuing to engage student voice around their opinions on gaps and areas for improvement. Two years ago, the district developed the Wellness and Equity Committee, which was a large step in moving forward with the district’s goals in this area. Again, I think I can help keep these issues front and center as a member of the BOE, and truly bringing student and parent voice to the forefront.

5. For transparency purposes, we may share quotes of your partial or complete responses. Does R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF have your consent to publish your responses in the mediums we see fit?

Yes

Click here to return to the 2022 SPF BOE Candidate Endorsement and Election Resources page.

• Incumbent, up for re-election
• Column #2 on Scotch Plains Districts 1, 2, 7 and District 3-6, 8-23 Ballots

A multiple-award-winning educator of educators whose professional experience and personal efforts have improved the lives of NJ students and faculty throughout the state for years, Nancy Norris Bauer's unique value to the district is one that cannot be overstated.

Add that to being a long-serving member of the Finance Committee, and she has the tools, insight and commitment to successfully address challenges facing our district (like increased enrollment and staffing shortages) in partnership with the rest of the Board.

Learn more about why we are endorsing her here.

INTERVIEW ANSWERS

1.What accomplishments, either in your current Board of Education role or in your personal/professional life, demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?

Over the years as a parent I was active in PTA, was a Girl Scout leader for 13 years, helped establish pay to play sports creating an SPF ice hockey organization and made connections for the district with programs/groups like the Met Opera and the Sankofa Collaborative. I am also the longest serving member of the current BOE and an educator preparing teachers so I believe these two things provide needed perspectives that are important on a BOE.

2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

My vision has always been for a district that empowers students, staff and parents with a shared vision of success. Key to this is an emphasis on the whole child and student voice and choice. Students need to be heard and provided opportunities to lead. One visual demonstration of this will be when our first student member of the BOE is sworn in this fall. Learning takes place when students are engaged, feel valued and are respected. We want students to leave SPF with the knowledge, skills and confidence to be successful and engaged citizens.

3. The SPF School District’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan’s first goal is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to “increase opportunities to develop a district committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through hiring practices of educational and support staff, curriculum development and student empowerment.” How important is this goal to you? What concrete actions will you take to actively help our district achieve these goals?

It was gratifying to see the community recognize this as a priority in the most recent strategic planning process. Personally, and professionally, this is a very important area to me. Much of the concrete action takes place in BOE committee meetings where questions are asked about the diversity in extra-curricular activities, or about curriculum decisions regarding materials, access to advanced placement courses, student input in textbook purchasing decisions, where candidate recruitment is occurring, etc. Often, we ask staff to come back to us with additional information and data. This is crucial to BOE oversight in policy development, personnel and curriculum decisions and I will continue to ask these important questions if re-elected.

In addition, I will continue to make connections with groups like the Sankofa Collaborative which expands the connections and knowledge base for staff and provides resources and opportunities for professional development. Another connection I made for the district was with the statewide “Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Convenings”. These are important conversations which the district is now participating in annually.

4. Which Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity issues do you think are most pressing for SPF students? If elected/re-elected, how do you think you could help improve those for our students?

It is hard to say that one area is more important than another. I believe that we need to be committed to improvements in many areas. Certainly recruiting more diversity in staffing is a priority. We need role models for our students as well as a variety of staff perspectives and experiences. We also need to continue to educate not only our students, but our staff and community about racism and its continuing impacts today. I suggested a community viewing of the recent PBS film “The Price of Silence” about slavery in N.J. I know there are currently conversations taking place about this possibility. The filmmaker is open to coming to speak about the making of the film and the inspiration behind it. Many, if not most, New Jerseyans do not know that there were slaves in N.J. and that N.J. was the last northern state to eliminate slavery. And most do not consider the ongoing legacy of slavery today. Of course, diversity includes more than race and we must be aware of bias in other area too e.g. religion, disabilities, etc.

Having access to age-appropriate books of interest to students that reflects multiple perspectives, experiences and role models is essential.

5. For transparency purposes, we may share quotes of your partial or complete responses. Does R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF have your consent to publish your responses in the mediums we see fit?

Yes.

Click here to return to the 2022 SPF BOE Candidate Endorsement and Election Resources page.