Pamela Chirls Seeks Re-Election To Livingston School Board

LIVINGSTON, NJ — An experienced educational advocate with deep roots in Livingston is running for re-election to the local board of education.

Pamela Chirls is among three candidates vying for two open seats on the Livingston school board in the 2021 general election, which takes place Tuesday, Nov. 2. Read More: 3 Candidates Running For Livingston School Board

Chirls, who has served three terms on the Livingston Board of Education, also serves as the Essex County representative on the New Jersey School Boards Association.

“Our children enjoy a high-quality education in the Livingston Public School District, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t always be searching for ways to improve it further,” Chirls said in a campaign statement.

Chirls’ campaign provided the following statement about her background and qualifications:

“A proud graduate of LHS, Pam studied political science at Brandeis University and discovered her passion for the publishing business as editor of Kether, the campus literary magazine. An award-winning editor, she is currently Manager, Content Strategy and works with academic scholars and thought leaders on narrative, multimedia, and assessment content for students in Advanced Placement and Higher Education courses, from Art History and U.S. History to American Government and Politics and Psychopathology and Clinical Science. Dedicated to professional development, Pam earned a Certificate, Diversity and Inclusion, Cornell University. She was selected for a collaborative work group, conducting focus groups with professors and students; creating professional development programs for editorial staff; and incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into content standards across disciplines.”

Chirls’ campaign continued:

“She is pursuing a M.A. in Counseling with a Specialization in School Counseling at a local university, also helping students discover their best-fit college. Her family has raised nine puppies for The Seeing Eye Institute, and you can often see Pam with them, or her adopted puppy, Esma, around Livingston. Pam is a mentee for the National Federation of the Blind, working with one member on their professional development goals. She is also a nine-year member of 6 AM Spinners, a top fundraising team for Cycle for Survival.”

Along with the recent addition of Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, for which she is working with community members on a fall panel discussion, these activities have informed Chirls’ day-to-day work with Livingston stakeholders, her campaign stated.

Some of her recent accomplishments include:

Strategic Planning Committee – “Pam has taken an active role in the development of the Strategic Plan, first as a parent representative and later as a board member. This plan outlines the core beliefs and the strategic goals for four identified strands, each of which informs the day-to-day decisions of LPS.”

Grade Weighting Committee – “Pam was a member of the first working team to assess grade weighting structure at LHS, with an adjustment that now allows a full-credit 4.0 for each student who earns an A. This committee also made suggestions about equitable access, which encourages students to freely and responsibly pursue their academic passions.”

Middle School Sports and Gifted and Talented Art and Music – “Pam was a member of the first working team to assess middle school sports and g/t art and music programs. As a result, elementary and middle school students have been taking part in g/t art and music, and students have been participating in middle school sports under the management of the YMCA. These programs are the basis for healthy lifestyles at a critical time for social, emotional, and physical development for our students.”

Parent Advocate Group for Excellence, District Chair – “In coordination with teachers and administrators, Pam organized and supervised social programs for children in the g/t academic program, and she also designed and ran parent education programs.”

School-Based Committees – “Pam was a leadership team representative, a publicity committee chair, a budget task force representative, a classroom mother at Riker Hill School, and a school safety team member at LHS.”

Livingston Municipal Alliance Committee – “Pam organized parent education programs and worked with district administrators to coordinate school-based professional development programs. She has created programs with bestselling authors, including Rachel Simmons and Wendy Mogel; informational programs with highly regarded psychologists such as Maurice Elias and Matt Bellace; and film screenings like Race to Nowhere, which fostered discussions around the topic of student stress, and Bully, which featured a discussion led by the movie’s creator. Pam worked with media specialists and counselors to create The Toolbox of Character, a booklist that aligns with the guidance curriculum, enabling parents to support the district’s efforts at home. She earned a Certification, Mental Health First Aid (MHANJ).”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Livingston Facebook page.