2023
Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Board of Education Candidate Information
and
Election Resources
We at R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF believe that the members of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education have a responsibility to ensure that our district acknowledges, includes and is responsive to the needs of our increasingly diverse community.
Because of that, we interviewed all Board of Education candidates to better understand each individual and how they align with our vision for inclusivity in our schools.
Below are their answers to our questions, additional information about each candidate, plus other election resources to help us all make more informed decisions and ensure our voices are heard on Election Day.
Our students are counting on us. Let’s get R.E.A.L.
R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF Team Leaders
Table of Contents:
Election Resources
Find more details about each candidate below.
- Incumbent up for re-election
- Column #1 on Fanwood Ballots
"I am passionate about cross collaboration between community, corporate and the education world and am happy to see the strides we’ve made in this area in our district."
Current BOE Committees:
- Chair: Student Activities/Athletics
- Community Relations
- Wellness & Equity
- Racial Equity Task Force
- Special Education Task Force
- SEPAG Liasion
- NJ School Boards Liasion
ANSWERS TO OUR 2023 CANDIDATE INTERVIEW
1. What accomplishments in your current Board of Education role and/or in your personal/professional life demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?
Coming out of the Pandemic, the board was able to return much of our focus on our commitment and focus on various initiatives, but the highlights for me personally was my focus on diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Specifically being part of the inaugural Racial Equity Task Force and Special Education Task Force.
Over the past two years SEPAG (Special Education Parent Advisory Group) was reestablished, providing countless resources for parents with students who have special needs. As the liaison of this group, and similar to the work we have done with the Racial Equity Task Force, I attend and collaborate at Monthly meetings, bringing back important talking points, perspectives and real life experiences.
I have received several honors throughout my career both as a business owner (Be Craftful), as a nonprofit strategist and as a volunteer. I just stepped down from the Board of Women in Development of New Jersey and serve as Chair of the Speaker Committee for Princeton Community Works, a nonprofit conference attended virtually by 500+ professionals in the nonprofit field.
I am passionate about cross collaboration between community, corporate and the education world and am happy to see the strides we’ve made in this area in our district.
2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?
My vision for the future does not stray far from the strategic plan which is:
● Diversity Equity and Inclusion: Providing opportunities for every student to succeed. We continue to educate ourselves on opportunities, learning experiences, listening to our students, and so much more.
I take great pride in the committee work I’ve done and having the Strategic Plan in place to further guide the district on how to continue expanding these efforts.
Additionally, I was so excited to see our special education students participate in Junior Achievement’s programs this year which were taught by our own High School students.
● Educating the Whole Child: I’m excited that this initiative is so clearly laid out and provides the opportunity to really explore ways to enhance our learning opportunities and create various avenues for learning and educating students beyond the classroom so that they are set up for success in the future.
● Community Partnership and Engagement: I am on the Community Committee and I’m thrilled that this was so important to our community. By utilizing our local network and collaborating with our community through more partnerships and engagements, it’s a win-win.
● Facilities and Infrastructure: As a former member of the Facilities Committee, we spent time looking at our infrastructure and what it would look like in the future. I am glad the community supports this initiative.
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?
Like most districts across the state, SPF is actively recruiting a more diversified staff, which I am very supportive of. We’ve taken a lot of measures and expanded our recruiting methods, however I think it’s important to mention some of the student leadership efforts that we have put in place that are a direct result of providing more diversified role models.
The SPF Black Student Union has taken on the leadership role as role models, providing High School and Middle School students with educational programs on social equity and Justice.
This year (23-24) we introduced the first Teaching Academy of Social Justice Academy with one of the goals being to create a pathway for students to return to SPF for teaching opportunities.
Our district staff is regularly speaking within our local network but expanding their outreach, always looking for new ideas and opportunities.
Along with programs such as Junior Achievement, our students have spearheaded several initiatives this past year such as the creation of the multicultural club and the various events they brought to the district. This is something that I anticipate will expand as we’ve seen in the elementary schools.
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 don’t think any one of these issues is more pressing than the other and I’m not sure we would have success if we were not focussed on all of the above.
There is a ton of behind the scenes work being done on all fronts, as well as what we’ve seen come to fruition. Some of the initiatives we’ve seen are: student representation on the board of education, bringing more local historical knowledge and learning opportunities into the classroom such as Shady Rest Country Club, the renaming of Park Middle school to Nettingham which provided multiple learning opportunities to our entire district, this year we have robust enrollment in the first AP African American Studies course.
We know the presence of diverse role models can play a valuable role in broadening students' perspectives and aspirations and there are numerous statistics that show the benefits of a student being able to identify with their teacher. This stands true for seeing themselves in literature.
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
Learn more about Amy Boroff:
"I am really proud of the work I have done as a volunteer and professional in and around education. My experience in education is rooted in my upbringing,
I graduated cum laude in Elementary Education and Sociology Major at UMass. While I didn’t continue on to teaching I worked in various nonprofit organizations and finally returned to the classroom (on a volunteer level) when I was working as the Development Director at Junior Achievement of New Jersey.
It was at JANJ that I really experienced my first meaningful diversity initiative, the Latino Professional JA Community Day which brought together hundreds of corporate Affinity groups together providing 1000+ Latino youth with JA programs.
Additionally I was a member of the White House Initiative on the Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and received a Barack Obama Presidential Proclamation recognizing my contributions."
From the SPF School District Website:
"Each candidate was asked to answer questions about themself for the public to learn more about them, their interest in volunteering for the Board and their plans for Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools."
Read Amy Boroff's answers here.
- Column #1 on Scotch Plains Ballots
"I believe in creating opportunities where students feel like they have a voice in shaping the community they are a part of. I think this is crucial in shaping the next generation of citizens of the world."
Current BOE Committees:
- N/A
ANSWERS TO OUR 2023 CANDIDATE INTERVIEW
1. What accomplishments in your current Board of Education role and/or in your personal/professional life demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?
I am uniquely invested in this town.
I grew up in Scotch Plains and went through the school district (Coles, Terrill, and SPFHS). Then I taught mathematics in the district for 5+ years, first at Nettingham Middle School (Park) from 2009-2014 and then at SPFHS in 2019 until I had my son.
Now I am a parent in this district with my son in Pre-K 3 at Coles.
I believe in the incredibly important role that education plays in the lives of children.
2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?
I envision a school district where students feel welcome and feel like their voice matters.
In this ever-changing world, it is not only important for students to be academically proficient but they need a good social emotional foundation.
I believe in creating opportunities where students feel like they have a voice in shaping the community they are a part of. I think this is crucial in shaping the next generation of citizens of the world.
I would like our district to be accepting of diversity and prioritize the whole student over just academic success.
I truly believe that schools and educators can change students' lives and have a positive lasting effect on them.
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?
As a former educator, I know how important this goal is to creating a wonderful school community.
I think it is important to hire staff that come from diverse backgrounds and bring different viewpoints into schools. I also believe that even with the staff that we have, we have a lot of diversity in the student body and the parent community that can be used to give our students amazing experiences and opportunities to learn about people that are unlike themselves.
Also I believe that we have to trust our staff and support them in their efforts to give students rich experiences in the classroom.
As a board member, I will support every action and initiative that supports this goal and try my best to bring a teacher’s perspective to each discussion and decision. I think it is important to remember that teachers are the ones who make our visions a reality in the classroom for our students.
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?
All of these issues are crucial in creating a strong school district.
As a board member I would be committed to supporting policies around anti-racism and equity in schools.
I would also love to talk to students and teachers and hear about their experiences in our schools so that we can make sure that all the members of our school district are welcome and that we value diversity.
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.
Learn more about Sonali Phatak Barve:
"I have a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and a master’s degree in mathematics education from Columbia University.
I had attained tenure in the Scotch Plains - Fanwood School District when I was teaching in the district. I was also awarded a “Friends of Park” award when I was teaching there."
From the SPF School District Website:
"Each candidate was asked to answer questions about themself for the public to learn more about them, their interest in volunteering for the Board and their plans for Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools."
Read Sonali Phatak Barve's answers here.
- Incumbent, up for re-election
- Column #2 on Scotch Plains Ballots
"I am the son and husband of strong women who have dedicated their lives to teaching in the public school system.
I want to ensure that the students of Scotch Plains-Fanwood continue to be adequately prepared to enter a competitive and diverse world by receiving unique, research-based educational experiences."
Current BOE Committees:
- Facilities
- Finance
- Student Activities and Athletic
- Superintendent's Evaluation
- Teamsters
ANSWERS TO OUR 2023 CANDIDATE INTERVIEW
1. What accomplishments in your current Board of Education role and/or in your personal/professional life demonstrate your commitment to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district community?
I have been a member of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education for the past 9 years.
In my tenure on the Board of Education, I have been the chairperson of the Facilities Committee as well as the Student Activities and Athletics Committee, member of the Finance Committee, member of the Policy Committee and Board liaison to NJ School Board Associations. I am currently serving as the President of the Board.
Some of the achievements during my tenure have been the appointment of a Student Assistance Specialist for Diversity and Equity, the implementation of full day kindergarten, resource officers in all of our school buildings, implementation of regularly scheduled partner meetings with the Mayors and CFO’s of both the Township of Scotch Plains and Borough of Fanwood and field lighting at the high school athletic fields.
In addition to my tenure on the Scotch Plains – Fanwood Board of Education, I have served on the Scotch Plains Library Board of Trustees for over 7 years. While on the Board, I served as both Vice President and President. While on the Board, we upgraded the technology offerings for library patrons.
As for my personal life, I am a lifelong resident of Union County, a resident of Scotch Plains for almost 13 years, the son and husband of dedicated public school teachers, who have seen the best that public education has to offer and a parent with two children currently enrolled in our school system.
I fully understand the needs of our two communities from the perspective of both parents and the school administration.
I have coached multiple youth sports in town, including football, basketball and soccer.
In my professional life, I have responsibility for managing a global team of operations associates from very diverse backgrounds. We have continued to implement a variety of DEI initiatives and trainings across the firm. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening more inclusive behaviors across the many teams.
I also support and participate in many events throughout the year for our employee affinity groups. These groups provide an opportunity for employees with similar backgrounds and interests to share about their specific group’s interests.
2. What is your vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?
My vision for the future of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District would be to ensure that all students continue to be adequately prepared to enter into the competitive and diverse world by receiving unique, research-based, educational experiences.
Ensuring that all students have the support they need in order to succeed by providing them with all available opportunities and resources.
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 critical to the future success of our District and our communities as a whole. I want to ensure that our schools are a safe and secure learning environment including educational equity where every student has access to the resources regardless of their race, ethnicity or disability.
I have been and am committed to ensure that teachers are culturally responsive in the classroom and that the district continues to provide them with professional development that is specific to DEI both in-district as well as workshops offered by professional organizations.
With regards to the curriculum, we have continued to focus on ensuring that there is diversity of offerings available to our students. A couple of the most recent additions are Teaching Academy for Social Justice and AP African American Studies.
From a staffing perspective, we need to continue to prioritize this in our hiring practices to ensure we have diversity and it is fair and equitable across all district employees. Sourcing of candidates needs to be evaluated and accountability needs to be measurable.
We need to continue with the collaboration and engagement with Social Justice Matters and Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation. The work that is being done on the Wellness and Equity Committee will need to continue to tap into existing and emerging community organizations that align with this work.
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?
All of these diversity issues are important, however I believe Equity and Anti-Racism are most pressing.
I want to ensure that our schools strive for full educational equity, where every student has access to all of our resources, regardless of his or her race, ethnicity, or disability. Only by providing students with every available opportunity can they be guaranteed the support they need in order to succeed as both students and citizens.
Affording students the ability to see themselves and learn about others through the curriculum is essential. More importantly, children need to see representation of themselves outside of traditional methods, such as textbooks.
Teachers need to be culturally responsive in the classroom and provided with professional development in-district as well as workshops offered by professional organizations in order to prepare our children for the world at large.
We need to provide students with the tools and resources to advocate for equality, recognize and stand up against racism and injustice.
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, the R.E.A.L. Parents X SPF have my consent to publish my responses in mediums that they see fit.
Learn more about Evan Murray:
"I have served as a Volunteer youth baseball, basketball, and soccer coach and has coached Pop Warner football for nearly two decades."
"I believe that the school board should run like a business and decisions should be well thought out, strategic and the most cost effective."
"We should continue to work to align priorities between the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Board and Township of Scotch Plains and Borough of Fanwood for the best interests of our students."
From the SPF School District Website:
"Each candidate was asked to answer questions about themself for the public to learn more about them, their interest in volunteering for the Board and their plans for Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools."
Read Evan Murray's answers here.
Whether by mail or at the polls, look down to the very bottom of your ballot in order to make your selection(s).
See the Fanwood sample ballot here.
See the Scotch Plains sample ballot here.
The best way to make an informed voting decision is to learn as much as you can about each candidate and the position they are seeking.
Here are some resources for how to do so for this and future SPF Board of Education elections.
- Learn more about what the Board of Education is, what it does, the expectations and limits of its members, etc.
- See which committees current SPF BOE members sit on/chair, then listen to them speak at BOE meetings (like those on 8/29/23 & 9/20/23) during committee updates, or read the meeting agendas and meeting minutes to see how they participate, which projects they support (2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024).
- Check the finer details, progress or resources behind what they say by searching the district website, NJ Dept of Ed website and/or reaching out to them directly.
- Read election interviews for each candidate as they come out in local media publications, then check the finer details behind what they say.
- For current BOE members, the district newsletter has "Meet the Board" mini interviews that are also shared on their Facebook Page.
- Google them! Use search terms like award, honor, community, or others that are of particular interest to you to see their accomplishments and activities.
- Search for their name in local media coverage (like SPF Patch and TAPIntoSPF) for articles that could show what they've been up to in the community.
- Talk to them. Meet them at public appearances or reach out and ask them what you'd like to know.
- Ask trusted community members what they look for in a BOE member, who they are considering voting for, and what convinced them to do so.
The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education consists of nine individuals (two in Fanwood, seven in Scotch Plains), each elected by voters in their home town for a three-year term. As of the 2022-2023 school year, per new NJ legislation there is also at least one student representative, as well.
Per NJ state law, all elected BOE members must complete New Jersey School Boards Association's mandated trainings to retain their seat. Additional training and certifications are available to all members throughout their term(s) via the NJSBA Academy.
For more details, please read:
- New Jersey School Boards Association's FAQs about the roles, rules, limits and legal requirements of Board of Education members
- New Jersey School Boards Association video series and additional resources on the role of Board Members
- NJ Leader's "13 Things School Board Members Wish People Knew About Them"
- Current SPF Board of Education and their Committees
- SPF Board of Education District Policy on Public Participation in Board Meetings
- SPF Board of Education District Policy on Board Member Use of Social Media
- SPF School District 2022-2025 Strategic Plan
- Vote By Mail ballots were sent out late September.
- Voters can use them once they arrive.
- Drop your ballot off at a certified drop-box:
- Fanwood residents: Fanwood Historic Train Station & Museum, 230 North Avenue
- Scotch Plains residents: Scotch Plains Library, 1927 Bartle Avenue
- Then track your ballot
- Early Voting is from 10/28-11/5/23.
- Find where to vote early in person
- Find your polling place for Election Day
- Look at your sample ballot (Fanwood, Scotch Plains) to get ready for the big day
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
We are Scotch Plains-Fanwood public school parents, alumni, neighbors and educators united to bring more Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity to our school libraries, lessons and leaders.
Click the button below to join us!
