Bridgewater-Raritan School Board Election 2022: Jessica Ivan

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education general election on Nov. 8 has eight candidates running for four open seats.

There is one, one-year unexpired seat representing Raritan open. There were zero candidates who filed in time for the deadline for that seat. However, Jessica Ivan of Raritan has applied for the position and will be a write-in candidate on the ballot.

Seven other candidates — Emily Calistri, Saad Toor, Steven Singer, Sally Bartlett, Lynne Hurley, Lanfang "Lucy" li, and June Wang — are all running for one of the three, three-year full-term seats representing Bridgewater.

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.

(All of the candidates were given the same questions)

Jessica Ivan

Age: 48

Town of residence: The Borough of Raritan

Position sought: Member, Board of Education, Raritan

Family: Husband, Rob, Sons, Alex, 14 and Ben, 13 (my two nieces are also students in the district)

Education:

• A.S. in Respiratory Care from RVCC/UMDNJ, 2008
• B.A. Public Health, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers, in progress.

Occupation: Respiratory Therapist

Previous or current elected appointed office: Member, Board of Health, Borough of Raritan, current

Campaign website: jessicaivan.com

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

My family has been blessed by the excellent teachers and programs throughout my boys’ time in the district. I want to give back and help keep BRRSD great and support and implement programs that can make us better and continue educating the future. I’ve never been afraid to >fight for what was right for my patients, and I will bring that same strength to my job on the Board of Education.

School security has been an issue raised recently. Do you feel the Board and administration are handling this properly? And why?

Every parent believes that security is one of a handful of priorities in our district. Our elected board has collaborated with the towns for several years, making needed safety improvements and constantly improving the process (security cameras, electronic keyed doors). Unfortunately, politics is rearing its ugly head, and the ones who will suffer are the students and staff. We must set aside political differences to do what’s best for everyone in the district. Education shouldn’t be a blue or a red subject. Everyone wants what’s best for their children, no matter their political affiliation.

Personally, it’s notable that Raritan has been left out of the larger conversation about security that has been in the media spotlight recently. I want to ensure that Raritan is continuously represented in decision-making and that our voices are heard. We may have only one elementary school, but all our students attend intermediate, middle, and high schools in Bridgewater Township. The political grandstanding is pulling attention away from what matters. We need to let the people responsible for these decisions do their jobs without political chaos added to the mix.

It is important to remember that safety isn’t only about school shootings and security but also about traffic safety, building safety, and so much more. I think parents, students, and staff have a right to feel safe on our campuses. This can only happen when we stop wasting time arguing and ensure that all stakeholders know that the steps being taken are in their best interests and aim to keep them safe. We need to take the politics out of our safety measures and focus on the security necessary for all campuses to be safe without exposing sensitive and confidential information that could risk the safety of all involved.

In the end, I don’t have all the details of this situation, but if I do end up serving on the board, I will listen to every concern and help voice them. The most crucial part of representing a borough's citizens this way is being open-minded and supporting the best measures for our students and district.

A referendum is in the works looking to focus on fixing school building infrastructure and adding full-day kindergarten. How do you feel about this?

Students and families would benefit immensely from full-day kindergarten, however, the referendum is about much more than this.

Full-day kindergarten, while expensive, is highly beneficial and backed by years of research in the educational community. Students benefit socially and emotionally, and working families have often struggled to accommodate the half-day program. Full-day kindergarten benefits our students as well as families with working parents. This is near and dear to my heart as I was raised by a single mother, and things like full-day kindergarten can make such a difference for families who struggle to make ends meet while also giving their children better educational opportunities than they might have otherwise. It’s important to remember that our BRRSD community consists of families of a wide range of means and that everyone needs to be represented by their Board of Education members.

From an article in The Atlantic, “according to a 2020 UNICEF report, America ranks near the bottom of developed countries on child wellness, which includes socialization and achievement in math and reading.” (Parssinen, 2022) These crucial subjects are a part of the kindergarten curriculum and are critical foundational skills for early learners to make them successful in the >future. Full-day kindergarten also doubles opportunities to increase social, emotional, and motor skills. A majority of well-rated districts in the country offer full-day kindergarten, and I feel that BRRSD will improve our students’ access to necessary foundational education by implementing it.

Aside from implementing full-day kindergarten, the referendum focuses on improvements at the >intermediate and middle schools, which will be beneficial! Question 2 proposes moving our middle school back to a traditional model of grades six through eight in one building and putting fourth and fifth grades together at our intermediate levels. It includes improving science labs and additional state-of-the-art classrooms. Current curriculum guidelines support this type of model. Even more importantly, this would help give our older students more time to dive into these hands-on subjects and gain better preparedness for high school.

By creating these programs and implementing them, we are improving the educational programs here in our school district, benefitting two-income working families and increasing the appeal of our community for the future.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

We must strive to serve all students and families, not just those we identify with most. Our district has been doing an excellent job in this area, and I look forward to having a chance to help in the process.

One area I feel might be improved upon is the cost of clubs, activities, and sports. Some students end up dropping activities and sports as they reach the high school level due to the inability of their families to fund them or find time to get students to and from events. It’s a shame that an amazing football player, musician, or coding student won’t continue to participate in these activities because they have become unaffordable. I want to find ways to help the less-privileged students in our district continue with their passions without worrying that their parents will struggle to pay for them.

What sets you apart from the other challenging candidates?

I’ve dedicated my work life to serving others and I want to bring that same focus to serving our students and school community. I worked my heart out through the pandemic in critical care as a respiratory therapist, but now that I’ve left the hospital setting, I have time to focus on our school district and community. My years working in the hospital alongside doctors, nurses and other health professionals has honed my problem solving skills, taught me how to collaborate with many different personality types and given me the confidence needed to really help make things happen in the district.

My diverse background really gives me the knowledge base needed to strongly represent all of the stakeholders in Raritan. I’m passionate about public education, have experience in both the academic independence programs as well as special education in the district and I want to work to make our district a powerhouse for students and staff! We’re a great district but we can always do better and be better. I have great relationships with several amazing teachers in the district and I want to work hard to make our district a place where this amazing staff wants to continue to work and where all of our students want to learn.

In the past, I’ve served as class parent at JFK School, Hamilton and Eisenhower and loved collaborating with teachers and fellow parents. My sons went through the AI program and one receives special education support through an IEP. I’ve also served on the Special Education Alliance, our special education parent association, as a new parent contact. I will be applying these experiences to my work on the board.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I will be a write-in candidate in November so please don’t forget: WRITE IN IVAN on your Raritan ballot!