Election 2022: Cherry Hill School Board Candidate Benjamin Ovadia

CHERRY HILL, NJ — In the 2022 general election, residents of South Jersey will be voting for state and local officials. Patch has asked candidates in contested races to answer profiles about their campaigns.

Here is the candidate profile for Benjamin Ovadia, running for another term on the Cherry Hill Board of Education.

Note that some voting locations have changed for the special election on October 6 in Cherry Hill.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact Michelle.Rotuno-Johnson@patch.com.

Name: Benjamin Ovadia

Age: 42

Town of residence: Cherry Hill, NJ

Position sought: Member–Cherry Hill Board of Education, Unexpired/1-year term

Family: I live with my amazing wife of 16 years and our three wonderful children: 15, 14, and 4 years old.

Education: Undergraduate business degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; MBA from Rutgers Business School.
Occupation: Community Relations & Development Director – nonprofit sector

What previous or current elected/appointed offices have you held? I was appointed to the Cherry Hill Board of Education in August 2019 and elected for a three-year term in November 2019 that expires in January 2023.

Why are you seeking to run for the school board? I seek re-election because I believe in the Cherry Hill Public School District and its vital importance in our community. There are many issues that I feel passionate about and would like to continue to make progress on, working with other Board members and in conjunction with our District professionals.

What sets you apart from the other candidates? I am currently one of the longest-seated Board of Education members in Cherry Hill, having served in many capacities: as an appointed Board liaison (Camden County Educational Services Commission), as an appointed Committee chair (Strategic Planning), and as the Board of Education President, unanimously elected in January of this year. Prior to serving on the Board of Education, I served in various roles on the Sharp PTA, including as PTA President. I was also an active member of the Zone PTA Cherry Hill Fair Funding Committee and was involved in several other districtwide advocacy efforts. As a District parent and community stakeholder, I have spent a significant portion of my time volunteering in the school ecosystem in Cherry Hill for over a decade.

What is your stance on the bond referendum that is before Cherry Hill School District voters?

In accordance with requirements of the Code of Ethics for School Board members, I first must state that I am answering in my personal capacity and not as a member of the Cherry Hill Board of Education, and this statement is not authorized by or written on behalf of the Cherry Hill Board of Education. This applies not only to my response to this question, but also to all of my other responses here. I am an enthusiastic supporter of the bond referendum. I have spent years aiding in its development by engaging Board members, District administrators and other subject-matter experts, and many diverse community stakeholders.

Would you have voted to transfer the teachers from Cherry Hill East to Cherry Hill West?

Yes, my affirmative vote is on the public record.

What is your stance on the sexual education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

What Governor Murphy proposed was not a specific curriculum, but I do support the curriculum developed in Cherry Hill based on the State guidelines.

What is the most important issue in your district and how do you intend to address it?

Recovering from COVID-19 learning and social disruptions while focusing on improving student achievement, at all levels, are critical areas of focus for the coming 5-10 years in education. Regular analysis of performance and executing strategies to improve this performance over time combine to be the most critical issue we face in Cherry Hill, and nationwide.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in your school district that have not been discussed already and how would you tackle these?

Implementing work approved in the bond or coming up with a less-ideal “Plan B” will take much effort, analysis, hard work, and planning. Maintaining progress on the District’s three strategic vision goals while capitalizing on best practices and 21st century learning trends/opportunities are critical to maintaining our top tier schools and well-earned reputation. Attracting and retaining top educational talent is also a priority; we have a first-rate staff that we rely on for the sustainability of our educational excellence. The path forward on all of these issues is broad-based community engagement, hard and diligent work, and planning through a strong issue profile, aggressive timeline on each issue, and consensus-building with our many stakeholders.

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

A critical role of the Board is to understand our community’s vision for its schools and to make this vision a robust reality through our work, in partnership with the administration and staff. It has been my privilege to serve as a volunteer on the Board of Education for over 3 years and I look forward to this next one-year term to make significant progress on our strategic vision goals, District goals, and our overall two-way communications across a broad range of issues with our community. We have made significant progress during my tenure on the Board, and I do believe the best days, for our schools and for Cherry Hill, are ahead.