Election 2022: Cherry Hill School Board Candidate Renee Cherfane

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 Renee Cherfane, running for 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: Renee (Solimeo) Cherfane

Age: 35

Town of residence: Cherry Hill, NJ

Position sought: 3-year term for BOE

Family: My Family, the Solimeos, consists of my parents and my brother and his family whom all live in Cherry hill and are from Cherry Hill. My brother and I attended Paine, Carusi, and West. My In-laws, the Cherfanes, Matars, and Awaidas, are Lebanese Americans and live in Cherry Hill as well. They make up six families in the town with children that have attended and graduated from various elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the district. I have 3 daughters, ages 8, 4, and 1. My oldest attends third grade at Kingston Elementary school and we absolutely love the school, teachers, principal, and neighborhood. My husband and I graduated from CHW, in 04’ & 05’. We've both lived in different parts of the country due to college and the military (Peter served 7 years in the US Army), but love our hometown so we have settled back here in Cherry Hill to raise our daughters.

Education:

Cherry Hill West - Class of 2005
Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry - Rutgers University 09
Master of Science in Chemistry - Rutgers University 12
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Rutgers University 17
Master of Science in Nursing Education - Walden University 22

Occupation:

Nurse Educator

What previous or current elected/appointed offices have you held?

None

Why are you seeking to run for the school board?

To do my part in serving the community I've been a part of almost my entire life. I am an invested parent in the district who wants what is best for all Cherry Hill students. There are many hot topics on the Board's plate right now, and I feel that my perspective and professional experiences will help to work through these difficult issues by incorporating community views into effective strategies to improve the schools.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I have a very diverse background with a lot of different life experiences. I have experience in secondary and higher education, healthcare, and the pharmaceutical and fitness industries. I have lived in various areas of this country and have been a part of a few different educational systems. I have also served at-risk populations of students in both high school and college and at-risk patients at a neighboring inner-city hospital. With all my experiences, I can bring a broader perspective sensitive to many different populations of people without excluding anyone. Because of the professional positions I have held, I am a strong problem solver and critical thinker with a lot of planning experience with the big picture in mind.

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

As a former student and current parent in this district, I know firsthand how dire the situation is with our schools. As a taxpayer in Cherry Hill, I also feel extremely frustrated that we've been short-changed and that my already high taxes apparently aren't enough to cover the basic needs of the school, students, and teachers. I have tried to spend as much time as I can informing myself about the bond and the history of our district with respect to state funding, or lack thereof. There seems to be an overwhelming outcry of support for the bond, so I believe it will pass in October. With that, I will 100% make it my top priority to ensure we are completing the promised projects and receiving the funds promised to us by the state and federal governments. I think that the fundamental view of the opposition to this bond is that they don't trust the money will be handled appropriately, and as someone that can appreciate that skepticism, I will ensure I am sounding the horn to any injustice surrounding the spending of the nearly $400M. Building the trust of the community is very important. These are parents, taxpayers, students, etc., and the BOE's obligation is to ensure policies are followed and that trust is built and maintained.

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

Yes. If we are going to be a district that prides itself on diversity, equity, and inclusion, that should not be conditional. There is a massive divide between the east and west side of Cherry Hill, and it seems that this issue further perpetuates that. I've tried to see the other side's perspective but cannot seem to understand why moving teachers (which has happened many times in the past) is holistically negative. I can appreciate wanting to maintain consistent staff in the schools, but if we are constantly seeing a significant difference between East and West, why wouldn't we want to try something different to close that gap?

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

I am a nurse, educator, and parent, and I have taught in a high school in Texas, where state standards vary quite differently than in NJ. In my opinion, there are topics under the umbrella of sexual education that belong in the classroom, and there are topics that do not belong in the classroom. It is a benefit to have the opt-out option, but it is unfortunate that parents have to choose between their child receiving no sexual education or sexual education on topics they are uncomfortable with. This decision has already been made for Cherry Hill, so I expect, as a parent, to receive information as to what exactly is changing and what the curriculum will look like, down to the actual lessons. I understand the importance of learning these things from the right source, but I also think the voice of the parent is being diminished in public education. Parents should be given as much information as possible in relation to the education of their children, and if needed, they should be provided educational materials to share with their children if they choose to opt-out but still want them to receive the education.

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

Currently, the bond is the district's top priority. We will have a decision by the time voting takes place for the BOE seats, so I will either be maintaining a budget, potentially even working towards cutting costs if the opportunity arises, and ensuring we are receiving the promised 35% or so in aid from the government, or I will be working with the rest of the BOE to create a plan B or new bond details. On top of that, I believe the looming redistricting issue is a major topic to discuss. Rosa is officially not a lottery anymore, so we need to focus on how we will be assigning elementary schools (I believe there has already been a decision) and how this will affect the future redistricting of elementary schools.

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?

Other topics to discuss include current bullying policies and the community's frustrations with inaction, the mental and physical health and wellbeing of our children, the quality of the food in the district, school start times, elementary redistricting, continued increasing enrollment, and overcrowding of classrooms, and improving communication with the majority of the population of this district that does not have the time to attend all BOE and council meetings. This cannot all be tackled at once. Prioritizing these issues and any other issues I am not privy to will be the start of tackling them one by one. The BOE has focus groups that we've been told are productive within their meetings, so these will assist in tackling the issues. Continued and improved collaboration with the township is a must. I will tackle every issue by inquiring and obtaining as much information as possible to make the most informed decisions to improve the health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff.

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

I'm a normal, down-to-earth mom and citizen of Cherry Hill. I have no ulterior motives or hidden agendas. I am just looking to ensure district decisions are being made with as much input from the community as possible. I think the hardships of the last 2.5 years have really distorted the community's perception of the BOE and their role, and I am looking to be a friendly face for the parents and other stakeholders to trust that their kid's well-being is considered just as much as mine when I am making decisions for them.