Ashish 'A.J.' Joshi​: Bridgewater School Board Candidate

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School Board has seven candidates vying for three seats in the upcoming election on Nov. 2.

Incumbent Ashish "A.J." Joshi is one of the candidates running. The other candidates include:

• Kimberly Lucci
• Jennifer Loughran
• Stacey Friedlander
• Richard Myers
• Hiral Desai
• Fabiola Folino

All of the candidates are running for the three, three-year seats on the board.

Are you running for office in Bridgewater? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Bridgewater Patch.

Ashish "A.J." Joshi

Name: Ashish "A.J." Joshi

Age: 51

Town of residence: Bridgewater

Position sought: Bridgewater- Raritan Board of Education

Family: Married. My wife and I have two children. One daughter in 10th grade attending Bridgewater-Raritan High School and one sone in 7th grade attending Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School

Education: Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology

Occupation: Environmental Scientist at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Previous or current elected appointed office: I have served on a Board of Education (BOE) in a town we previously lived in, and I am running for re-election for the Bridgewater-Raritan BOE (I was elected in 2018).

Why are you seeking to run for school board? I come from a family of teachers. My grandfather founded a high school in India and was the principal of this high school. My father was also a high school principal. My uncle was a physics professor, and I was invited to be an adjunct faculty member at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) (for five years). In fact, my first job was at the Hackensack Meadowlands Environmental Center in Lyndhurst as an Environmental Educator! Education is near and dear to my heart.

I have over nine years of Board of Education (BOE) experience and as a result I have learned that by being on the BOE I can help the children, as well as teachers and school personnel. Throughout my tenure on not only the Bridgewater-Raritan BOE but other BOEs, I have supported and approved many programs via the budget. I have advocated for resources for the school district by approving necessary items needed in the classrooms. I strongly believe that by providing needed resources to the staff, the learning experience of the students is enhanced. Furthermore, I am a firm believer in retaining excellent teachers. Being on the BOE allows me to help all the children who attend the schools, and it also gives me an opportunity to enhance the learning experience of the children by providing all the necessary resources our outstanding teachers need to be successful.

One of the most important reasons I am running for re-election this year is that I believe our district needs experience more than ever. We are still dealing with the deadly coronavirus and safety of our children and school employees is of utmost importance. Every decision that is made must consider every aspect of the school environment. A rash decision can bring unwanted consequences. I believe I bring a calm demeanor to the decision making of the BOE that utilizes my experience and integrity. Being on the BOE is a huge commitment I have upheld and taken to heart. I completely understand my role as a BOE member, and I bring experience and integrity to the board. I look forward to serving another three years on the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education.

What is your stance on masks in schools? There is no doubt that it has been a difficult year for our students and faculty. We have one of the largest school districts in the state with over 8,000 K-12 students and over 1,200 staff members. Keeping our school family healthy and safe has been and should remain a priority. Currently masks are required to be worn in all school buildings as mandated by Governor Murphy’s Executive Order. I believe that we must follow every mitigation method available to bring COVID-19 virus and variants under control so that we all can get back to our normal lives as soon as possible.

Should schools offer a virtual option? Governor Murphy has required that all students must be back in-person with no access to remote learning. As I mentioned above, health and safety of our children and faculty must be a priority. We must also remember that elementary-aged students (under the age of 12) have not been vaccinated and some of these students may be immunocompromised. Keeping this in mind, I voted yes to approve a resolution seeking guidance from the Governor’s office for a virtual option for those children who may have health concerns. I believe that parents who may have concerns for their children should be given a choice. Parents who want their children back in school should also be given that choice to send their children to school. Let me emphasize, this does not mean we will be back to hybrid learning. Nevertheless, no decision should be made without the input from all the stakeholders.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district? Currently, safely opening our schools is paramount. As we tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, safety of our children and entire school family should be given top priority. Furthermore, the Board of Education is in the process of assessing the infrastructure upgrades and building safety for all our schools. This includes securing entrances to all buildings, vehicle, and pedestrian safety as well as upgrading indoor climate control measures for all schools. I strongly believe that it is time we bring air conditioning to our buildings. However, to achieve this goal, we will need a well balanced and experienced Board of Education that can accomplish many of the above-mentioned tasks via the budget process.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates? In one word – Experience. I am an experienced board member and have built an excellent rapport with our school family. I understand our district’s needs and I am looking forward to approving futures budgets that may include new program enhancements and facility improvements. Going into next year, our school district will need an experienced and fair-minded BOE member. I believe I am that candidate.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign? My family and I moved to Bridgewater in 2016 because of the excellent schools! Once we became familiar with the surroundings, I immediately got involved in the schools by volunteering to be on several committees. In 2018, I ran for the BOE position with no preconceived notions or agenda. My goal as a BOE member has been, and always will be, educating our children. We have an outstanding school district with excellent staff, and this is evident when every year Bridgewater Township is ranked highly on the most desirable places to live in New Jersey. In fact, our school district was recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education. If re-elected, I will advocate that we protect all existing programs, and I will support new programs that will benefit our students.