Belleville 2023 School Board Candidate Profiles: Kenia Arroyabe

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A Belleville native who has "dedicated her life to education" is running for the Belleville Board of Education in the 2023 general election.

There are seven candidates running for two open seats on the board: Nelson Barrera, Lissa Missaggia, Kenia Nicole Arroyuabe, Erika Jacho, Esteban Leon, Brenda Pacheco and Michael Sheldon. Another candidate, Ruben Rodriguez, filed to run in August, but has since dropped out of the race.

School board members are non-partisan and unpaid. Learn more about voting in Essex County and see key election dates here. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here. See sample ballots for Belleville and Nutley here.

In an effort to learn more about each candidate, Patch reached out to them via email with the same three questions. We will share any replies we receive in future articles (sign up for Patch Belleville-Nutley news alerts here).

Here is the reply we received from Kenia Arroyabe, who is running under the slogan, "Bridging the Gaps."

PATCH: What are your qualifications to serve on the Belleville Board of Education?

ARROYABE: I have dedicated my life to education. I am currently a bilingual literacy instructional leader. I coach teachers in bilingual literacy instruction. I have a bachelor's in elementary education with an emphasis in mathematics. I also hold a master's in educational leadership and administration. I have an active New Jersey teacher certificate, a principal CE, and bilingual education CE.

I grew up in Belleville and attended School 8, Belleville Middle, and Belleville High School. I have six children, four of which are enrolled in the Belleville school district. I am fully invested in our community and serve as a baseball, softball, and boys basketball coach for the Recreational Department.

PATCH: What are the biggest issues/problems the district is facing, or will face in the future? What are your plans to address these problems if elected?

ARROYABE: After the pandemic, our district, like many other districts, is facing huge learning gaps. We have students that have come to the country with no prior schooling, and students that have just slipped through the cracks and are now in testing grades and failing. Our district as whole has not been performing as well as other schools in our state and has failed to meet the state goal when it comes to state testing, NJSLA.

PATCH: Tell us something about the Belleville public school system that always makes you smile.

ARROYABE: I love all of the family activities that have been put together by the superintendent and board of education members. I believe that the school and community must come together for a positive change in our children's education.

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