BOE Candidate: Joel Rosen

Editor's note: Joel Rosen is one of seven candidates vying for three spots on the Bloomfield Board of Education (BOE) in the April 27 election. Bloomfield Patch will be profiling each candidate by alphabetical order every day leading up to the April 20 in the Bloomfield High School auditorium.

Below is Rosen's biographical information and candidate statement.

JOEL ROSEN - LINE 7A

FAMILY
Wife, Lesley; Two children, in college; One step-son in high school  

YEARS IN BLOOMFIELD
Just over a year. Moved from Montclair.

OCCUPATION
Real estate attorney

STATEMENT
I have been an attorney practicing real estate law in New Jersey for almost thirty years. I have been an effective advocate for all of my clients, large and small, corporate and individuals, throughout my career. I negotiate, communicate, and advise people on many important issues. I am now asking the community to give me their trust, as my clients have, by electing me to the Bloomfield Board of Education.

The Board faces many challenges. The greatest of these is maintaining an exemplary level of teaching and a nurturing atmosphere in the schools, while establishing fiscal responsibility during a period where many funding sources have been diminished, or eliminated altogether. I applaud the current Board for proposing a zero increase budget, while also finding the room to hire more teachers. My goal is to maintain this financially and educationally sound budgeting in the future.

I believe that my negotiating skills and business acumen that have helped me succeed professionally can be put to effective use as a member of the Board. I am confident that a good contract can be reached with our hard working teachers - one that retains and rewards our most experienced educators, while also attracting new teachers beginning their careers, and would be a major asset to our community for many years to come.

I received my undergraduate degree from Columbia University in 1978 and my law degree from Boston University in 1981. I have devoted time to the advancement of public policies and I know that what I have learned will be a major asset if I am elected. I received the New Jersey State Bar Association Legislative Advocacy award, largely because of my support of consumer rights dealing with the sale of residential real estate. My wife, Lesley, is a local realtor and award-winning photographer and filmmaker. I have two children who are in college, and a stepson completing high school. My son was a special education student, and I am aware of the difficulties in developing effective strategies for children who learn differently, and the rewards that come when those strategies are successful. I will work to keep these programs in our district, and fight for the funding necessary to allow all of our children to learn in our community - where they belong.

I ask for your support on April 27 and look forward to having the opportunity to serve you!