Rhonda Dunten Will Fill Seat On Board of Education

Basking Ridge, NJ -- Rhonda Dunten was appointed by the Bernards Township Board of Education to fill an open seat on the board.

Dunten was appointed at the Jan. 18 board meeting. She was chosen out of three other candidates to fill Elaine Kusel’s seat

Former board member Kusel resigned from her post on Nov. 24 , leaving the seat open for someone to fill the remaining term. The term will run through 2016.

Dunten has lived in Baking Ridge for 12 and a half years and has three children. Two of her sons are out of the school but her youngest still remains.

“I had been interested in the board before but my resonsibility was to my kids,” Dunten told Patch. “They are a big time commitment. Now that my youngest son got his driver’s license, I have more freedom.”

Although Dunten has not served on the board before she has been volunteering in various aspects of the school system for years including serving on the PTO and many district committees.

“This opportunity is exciting and is the next step in volunteering,” Dunten said. “I think my first and foremost goal is to learn and get acclimated with the board.”

Dunten will fill the term through the end of 2016. The seat will expire at the end of the year, however, Dunten can apply to run in the election in June for the next term. Dunten plans to run in the upcoming election to continue serving on the board.

(Photo by Jeremy Mazumder: Rhonda Dunten being sworn in at the Jan. 18 meeting)