Kimberly Lucci: Bridgewater-Raritan 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.

Kimberly Lucci is one of the candidates running. The other candidates include:

• Ashish "A.J." Joshi - incumbent
• 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.

Kimberly Lucci

Name: Kimberly Lucci

Age: 55

Town of residence: Bridgewater

Position sought: Board of Education

Family: Married 19 years to husband Patrick Scaglione; one daughter - Isabella (15). I am originally from Raritan, but have lived in Bridgewater for more than 50 years. I grew up in a family that believed strongly in community service and volunteerism. For many years my father was an active member of the Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Department and was instrumental in helping to raise funds to construct the current main fire station. I can still recall the sound of the Plectron going off in our house (frequently in the middle of the night!) to alert firefighters of an emergency. Continuing this tradition of service, my husband and I have volunteered countless hours in support of many local non-profit organizations. Currently, our entire family volunteers at the Matheny Medical and Education Center in Peapack. I have also volunteered at Lyons VA Medical Center, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge, and The Raptor Trust.

Education: I am the daughter of an educator (my father was a Reading Specialist in the Hillsborough school district for 30 years) so, of course, education and learning were always core values in our family’s home. I am a 1983 graduate of BRHS East (Go, Minutemen!) where I was fortunate to receive an excellent education and preparation for college (and life) from many incredible teachers. I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Languages & Linguistics and Political Science (International Relations) from Georgetown University. After college, I left DC and came back to my home state to begin a PhD program in Comparative Literature at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. I consider myself a lifelong learner, and in my house you’ll find several floor-to-ceiling bookcases overflowing with books attesting to this!

Occupation: Over the course of my professional life, I have had the opportunity to work in several different sectors: higher education, the pharmaceutical industry, media & communications, and small business entrepreneurship. My educational experience is fairly diverse — I have served on the teaching faculties of Rutgers University, Saint Elizabeth University, and Raritan Valley Community College. I am also certified with a "highly qualified status" to teach K-12 World Language (French and Italian).

After spending nearly 15 years in education and educational consulting, I transitioned to a corporate position with Merck as a Senior Medical Writer & Editor in the Worldwide Human Health Division. In 2012, I was recruited by the Walt Disney Company and invited to join the plan Disney Panel as a Walt Disney World Specialist. Working for Disney enabled me to gain invaluable experience with immersive entertainment and theming, and direct access to renowned world-class guest service. Two years ago my husband and I opened Ultimate Xscape Rooms, a live-action entertainment venue in Downtown Somerville where family, friends, and corporate groups can try to "escape" our custom-designed themed rooms.

Previous or current elected appointed office: I was appointed to the Bridgewater Township Wildlife Task Force Committee by former mayor Dowden. The committee was composed of people with very different backgrounds and widely conflicting (and often contentious) viewpoints; despite this, I’m proud to say that we ultimately found the path to working together collaboratively while learning to respect and value our different perspectives before agreeing upon a set of recommendations to present to the Township Council and Mayor. As an added benefit, my husband and I initially met through my participation on this committee.

Why are you seeking to run for school board? Having grown up and gone to school in Bridgewater, I know firsthand what a wonderful town and outstanding school system we have. My husband and I chose to stay in Bridgewater and send our daughter to BRRSD because of the quality education we knew she would receive.

Over the past 10 years, I have been actively engaged in our school community, including as a class parent for multiple years and as co-advisor to the Math Olympiad Team at Hamilton School. I have served on four school district committees: Curriculum & Instruction; Transportation; Health & Wellness; and the AI Standing Committee. I also participated in the strategic planning sessions facilitated by our former superintendent and was part of the initial search committee for the middle school principal which involved interviewing and providing feedback on the final candidates. Through my participation and experience on numerous committees, I have had the opportunity and privilege to meet and work alongside many administrators (including three superintendents), supervisors, teachers, staff members, and board members. I would like to continue to be of service to our school community and I believe that I can bring a balanced perspective to the table given my broad school district involvement and diverse professional background.

What is your stance on masks in schools? Our district has returned to full-day, in-person learning this school year. To help ensure that our school buildings remain open for in-person learning, it will be important to follow the guidance of federal (CDC), state (NJDOH), county and municipal public health experts. The public health measures currently in place (e.g., masking, social distancing, frequent hand washing/sanitizing, proper ventilation, and contact tracing) will help keep the learning environment as safe as possible for our students and educators.

Should schools offer a virtual option? Considering that the petition asking the governor for a virtual option has garnered nearly 30,000 signatures, it is clear that many families in our town and our state want this choice for their children. More than 30 other states offer a virtual learning academy, and I support this option for NJ families. That being said, due to the logistics and cost, I feel strongly that virtual learning should be facilitated and coordinated at the state level rather than at the local school district level.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district? Due to the unprecedented challenges we all have had to face during the past 18 months, it is critically important that the district provide extra support for both the mental and physical well-being of students and staff. Many children and their families struggled due to all the changes and uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Continuing to enhance and expand mental health initiatives should remain a top priority. We also need to close any learning gaps and accelerate those students as quickly as possible.

Another issue that merits immediate attention is the condition of our school facilities and grounds. There needs to be a better, more comprehensive plan in place for maintenance and upgrades to the infrastructure, especially considering that the majority of our school buildings are more than half a century old at this point. As we move into the fall and winter, proper ventilation within our school buildings will again become a concern. Similarly, air conditioning (or the lack thereof) is a concern in the late spring when temperatures inside our schools can often rise to extremely uncomfortable levels. I would like to see more transparent communication to stakeholders regarding the status of our HVAC systems.

Overall, the board and administration should prioritize the goals of clear, effective communication and increased transparency with stakeholders. Live-streaming of board meetings, for example, is just one of several ways to increase access and transparency.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates? What I hope my fellow candidates and I all have in common is the same fundamental motivation: a strong desire to serve our community and to help make our school district the best it can be — first and foremost for our students and their families, but also for our educators and staff. As to what might set me apart, I think my varied experience working in higher education, for two Fortune 500 companies, and now as an entrepreneur and local small business owner, and my direct experience serving on many school district committees over the past decade, will enable me to hit the ground running and make a positive contribution on the board.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign? I’ve attended many board meetings during the past 10 years and have gained a very good understanding of how the board functions and its specific role in overseeing the smooth operation of our school district. With a new superintendent just recently hired and new to our district, I believe this is an ideal time to serve on the board and work collaboratively to refine the strategic plan and steer the district successfully into the future.

As a board member, I will strive to promote transparency and fiscal responsibility. I am fully committed to representing our diverse community and will work hard to ensure that all voices are heard and all perspectives are considered when making decisions affecting our school district and our children. If elected, I pledge to work collaboratively with my fellow board members, the administration, teachers and staff, parents, and other community stakeholders to ensure that our school district provides the best and most equitable education possible to all our students.