Bridgewater-Raritan School Board Election 2023: Jarrett Hahn

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education general election on Nov. 7 has seven candidates running for three open seats representing Bridgewater and one open seat representing Raritan.

Jarrett Hahn is running for one of the three, three-year full-term seats representing Bridgewater.

Other candidates include incumbent Barry R. Walker, Rebecca Hassouna, and Hector Menendez (who is Hahn's running mate). Harini Rajagopalan withdrew her name and will not be running this year anymore.

There is also one, three-year unexpired seat representing Raritan open. Candidates include Umesh Agrawal, incumbent Michael M. Pepe, and Jeffrey McNally.

Additionally, there is a referendum question on the ballot. Voters previously approved the first part of the District's referendum in March to make significant renovations to district-wide schools and to have full-day kindergarten.

The second question appearing on the ballot in November will ask the two communities to approve the total operating costs of the full-day kindergarten for $2.46 million.

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 the Bridgewater Patch.

Jarrett Hahn

Age: 41

Town of residence: Bridgewater

Position sought: BRRSD BOE representing Bridgewater

Family: Wife and two sons

Education: Broward College; additional in strength and conditioning

Occupation: Owner and Fitness coach of M.O.V.E. NJ, a health and fitness facility.

Why are you seeking election on the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education?

The reason I am running for the Board of Education is to be the voice of parents who care about the quality of education, health, wellbeing, overall development, and safety of our students. My running mate Hector Menendez and I hold the same goal of ensuring the best possible education system for Bridgewater students, which is why our campaign slogan is, “For Bridgewater Kids”.

We would like to encourage parents to get more involved and informed on the curriculum. We also would like parents to be aware of the safety and security concerns of the schools and be conscious of both the mental and physical health of our children. We would like to help parents become more engaged and informed about their child’s school. We also would like to see further improved transparency, communication, and overall parent involvement and partnership with the schools.

The second portion of the referendum will go up for a vote in November. Are you in favor of this? Why or why not?

In order to better understand the November 7th referendum vote, you first need to know what the referendum is about. In March,the community voted on two questions. Question one addressed capital improvements to our district and question two was the approval of full day kindergarten and the expansion of the middle school. Both of these questions passed, but in order to implement full day
kindergarten and the expansion of the middle school, we need to vote on the operating budget, which is occurring in November.
Bridgewater is a diverse community with people and families in all stages of life. This comes down to what is best for our community as a whole and I encourage people to learn more about this project and get out to vote.

Transportation is a statewide issue. Do you feel transportation issues are being handled well by the Board? Why or why not? If not, how do you propose improving it?

Transportation has been a disaster with most parents I have spoken with. As far as I can see the transportation issues have not been handled well. The issue begins with the quality of transportation providers. Unfortunately, as stated in the latest board meeting, the district is forced to select the lowest bid from all service providers quoted. The cheapest option is almost never the best option. With the limited information shared with the public, it is difficult to devise a well thought out plan without all the facts, but I will make this an urgent priority for the school district to find a solution.

Security at schools remains a high priority. Are you happy with the district's security plan for students and staff? If not, what would be your alternative?

I think the security upgrades over the past couple of years are an improvement, and the first part of the referendum approved the addition of some excellent security measures, namely the secured vestibules. I commend the district for making security a priority and addressing these upgrades through question one of the referendum. The class three officers and security hired by the district are a step in the right direction, but I still feel that the local law enforcement agencies would be the safest and most effective approach. The last thing we would want to have is an emergency situation where security and local law enforcement are not on the same page, which could lead to unexpected outcomes.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I have expertise in health and performance. Examples of a few issues that have been brought to my attention include student sleep quality, nutrition and food selection inside the school, and lack of physical activity and fitness. If we do not address the physical and mental health of our children, then all other concerns seem to be of less importance. As an owner and operator of a small business, it is paramount to have tested and true systems to increase efficiency and efficacy. I think with my experience in human performance and administrative skills of a business owner, I could make sustainable suggestions and changes in order to best serve the students, tax payers, and stakeholders in town. In addition to my skill set, my running mate Hector Menendez and I have the mindset of looking out for the kids and families. The most important factor is to be in it for the right reasons - the kids. We are For Bridgewater Kids.

For additional information on our campaign you can visit our campaign website at www.forbridgewaterkids.org.