Bridgewater-Raritan School Board Election 2023: Mike Pepe

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.

Incumbent Michael M. Pepe is running for the one, three-year seat representing Raritan. Opposing candidates include incumbent Jeff McNally and Umesh Agrawal.

There are also three, three-year full-term seats representing Bridgewater open. Candidates include Barry R. Walker, Rebecca Hassouna, Jarrett Hahn, and Hector Menendez. Harini Rajagopalan withdrew her name and will not be running this year anymore.

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 Bridgewater Patch.

Mike Pepe

Age: 35

Town of residence: Raritan Borough

Position sought: Re-election to the Board of Education

Family: N/A

Education:

• Rutgers College, BA in Political Science
• Rutgers University, Masters in Education

Occupation: Fifth grade teacher

Previous or current elected appointed office:

• Appointed to Raritan's Board of Education seat, 2022,
• Elected member for Raritan, 2023
• Member of Raritan's Library Board of Trustees, 2023

Campaign website: N/A

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

My first term as a member of the Board of Education started when I was attending a meeting, and I heard that Raritan needed someone to step up. Raritan's only member had moved away, and no one had applied to fill our seat for over a month. With my background in education, and having attended meetings on and off for a few years, I decided to reach out and apply.

Once I was appointed, I took on roles on the Finance & Facilities committee, and made it a point to tour as many of our buildings and attend as many school events as I could. I also began attending Borough Council meetings in order to introduce myself to the community and look for opportunities to help. Just by listening, I was able to learn that the town had been unable to use the gym at JFK school to run recreation programs for some time. Simply by being there, listening, and letting the schools know there had once been an issue, both sides happily got them back into the building.

The Board considers many policies affecting everything from academics, staffing, and how taxpayer funds are spent. I believe my experience as an educator, along with what I have learned as I have served, give me a unique perspective to analyze potential decisions. But more than anything, seeking out opportunities to help and serve the community and to shine a light on the great things our students and teachers do is what drives me to seek reelection this November.

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

I supported the first phase of the referendum because it quickly became apparent that our facilities were in real need of major updates. The Board did not ask the public to put in swimming pools and turf playing fields: the focus was on essentials like replacing 60-year-old windows, replacing dingy restrooms, and upgrading security. I believe the voters saw that need, and I am thankful they approved this work.

Full-day Kindergarten is equally essential. The math and reading skills children learn in Kindergarten propel them into the rest of elementary school. Our students deserve the time to meaningfully learn these skills. Our teachers deserve the time to create and enriching activities that will fascinate and encourage our youngest children to love school and want to learn even more.

During Covid, we sadly saw how kids fall behind when they have half-day, part-time instruction. I don't want kids from Raritan to start out their school careers already behind their peers in other Somerset County towns who have a full day of learning. This question largely provides funds for Kindergarten teachers, and I hope residents will consider supporting it.

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?

While serving as a long-term substitute in another district, I was asked to ride along on a bus for a couple of weeks. It was great to ride with dedicated, hard-working drivers, and I thank everyone who helps provide this essential service to the kids in our district. I also saw how much the driver shortage impacts bus routes and planning.

One absence, one missed stop, or one closed road can throw an entire schedule out of whack. While this can sometimes be a minor inconvenience, I agree with the district's stance that the first few weeks of this school year were much more than that for some families. I am happy to hear that the routes are improving and to see that the district is taking steps to make sure transportation becomes more consistent and reliable.

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?

There is no higher priority than making sure our students and staff are safe during the school day. I am fortunate to have come onto the Board at a time when there are far more people – both police officers and recently retired members of law enforcement – serving in our schools than ever before. I would like to see this presence grow in the coming years

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

One area I'd like to see kept front and center is opening opportunities up to more after-school opportunities for students. Being involved in just one club, one community service project, or one team can make a major impact on a young person's life and shift their attitude towards education.

While there are many students who are engaged in extracurricular activities, numbers in the district and around the country have not recovered since the Covid shutdowns. I would like to see many more students involved!

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I am proud to be the only working teacher serving on or running for the Board of Education. While every perspective is valuable, my job helps me make connections between what the Board does and how it impacts our students and how schools run during the day.

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

I just want to thank everyone in Raritan for their work on behalf of our children. I've met so many great teachers, paraprofessionals, support staff, and volunteers who live in town and support young people, alongside the parents who work hard to give their children everything they need to thrive. Whether it is in Bridgewater-Raritan, schools in other towns, or any of our area's great youth programs and athletics teams, this group makes the work schools do possible.