Board of Education
The Board of Education has nine members who serve staggered three-year terms. Each year, three of the seats are up for election.
Why do you want to serve on the Board of Education ?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
First is my commitment to public education. As a child of immigrants, my parents emphasized the importance of a quality education. And as a product of New Jersey public schools, I have a deep appreciation for my public-school education having prepared me for higher education and the workforce and having made me a civically engaged member of our community. Serving on the board offers the unique opportunity to channel my passion for education into meaningful improvements on the quality of education in our district.
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Second is to be directly involved in the decisions that affect our children’s education, ensuring their experience continues to be of the highest quality and aligns with the values of our community. Serving on the board offers a seat at the table in shaping the direction of our district, including educational policies, curriculum decisions, budget allocations, facilities usage, etc.
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Third is to be an advocate for students in our elementary and middle schools. Serving on the board ensures that the needs and concerns of our youngest students are acknowledged and addressed, and that educational policies and decisions prioritize their well-being and education.
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Fourth is civic responsibility and community engagement. My public-school education cultivated a strong sense of civic duty to actively participate in the democratic process and public service, which has motivated my candidacy today. Not to mention, a strong school district is vital for the overall well-being and prosperity of our community, our state, and our nation. Serving on the board also offers the opportunity to connect with fellow members of our community and help parents to navigate the administration.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I am a firm believer in community engagement. I have always been involved in my community, whether it was serving on the Boards of my children’s preschools or working for a local nonprofit. Most of my career has been spent in the field of workforce development – namely, supporting people to build the skills they need to secure the job they want. Education is a natural extension of that interest and connects to the building blocks that we give our children to be successful in their adult lives. With three school-age children, I have a vested interest in ensuring that our District offers strong programs to all its students.
Duval Hopkins Graham
I feel like I’m just getting started in this job – and there is more to do! Nothing was “normal” when I was elected to the board in 2020, nonetheless, we forged ahead during the pandemic keeping students and staff as safe as possible while conducting two special audits and a strategic plan. I was fortunate to learn and benefit from that introspection, and now I’m eager to continue putting that investment of thought and analysis to use.
How many Board of Education meetings have you attended in the past year ?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
I have attended all 17 meetings over the past year except for three: January 4, May 16, and July
25. If I were elected to the Board, I would attend all meetings and any absence would be due to only the most serious of unforeseen circumstances.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I have attended all but one BOE meeting the past (3) years, missing one to attend a funeral in Pennsylvania.
Duval Hopkins Graham
All of them!
What committees are most interesting to you?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
Of the five committees—communications, curriculum, finance and facilities, negotiations, and personnel and policy—the first three interest me most and offer greatest potential for impact were I to be elected as a first-term board member.
With respect to the communications committee, there is still progress that can be made to improve the emails sent to parents from the district and administration. For example, drafting an internal communications policy for the district to standardize what information is communicated and how it should be communicated (e.g., PDF attachments should be made accessible, messages should not be written in all caps). The finance and facilities committee offers the opportunity to leverage my professional experience in balance sheet risk management and to advocate for an “audit” of district properties to ensure space at each school is optimized. Finally,
a seat on the curriculum committee would be invaluable given the critical role it plays in shaping the quality of education and the overall educational experience within the district.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I have served on the Negotiations committee the last three years, and Policy & Personnel the last two. They’re both fascinating- but honestly, I think that all the committees are interesting and would be happy to serve on any of them.
Duval Hopkins Graham
I have served on Finance and Communications for three years and really value the perspective from both those committees. Finance, especially, offers the most comprehensive view of district operations and planning.
What are the most pressing issues facing our school district?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
Many of the challenges facing our school district are shared by other districts in the state. This includes economic pressures such as the reduction or loss of federal and state aid, particularly pandemic-related funding; the oft-cited 2% property tax cap limiting revenue growth; a high rate of inflation raising the cost of goods and demanding higher wages for teachers, and staff; and higher interest rates making financing any future capital expenditures through bond issuance costly. Districts are also contending with a teacher shortage, making attracting and retaining teachers even more challenging.
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Our children are also growing up in an unprecedented digital world. The ability to distinguish information from disinformation is becoming increasingly difficult, and the potential negative impacts from social media around mental health, self-esteem, distraction, addiction, and privacy and safety make it essential for parents and teachers to be actively involved. At the same time there is the challenge of maintaining civility, tolerance, and open-mindedness in a polarized political climate.
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Specific to our school district is the issue of class sizes. While this has been addressed for those in first grade and lower, students in second grade and higher—students who were the most impacted by the pandemic—continue to be the largest classes in our district. Class size reductions for these grades should be a priority.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
One critical issue facing our district is how we will create a positive district culture and educational climate. Given the challenges posed to student mental health by the covid pandemic and social media effects, we must design an educational environment that supports our students and fosters their emotional well-being. Offering programs that reinforce positive mental health helps to create the stability to be open to learning.
The fiscal environment and teacher shortages are two other pressing issues facing our district. Fortunately (or not?), our district is not alone facing these problems, and there is little that we can do to address them other than budgeting carefully and continuing to support our current educators to create a teaching environment that values their work and creativity.
Duval Hopkins Graham
A broad concern is student mental health and wellbeing. We, along with districts everywhere, have seen upticks in behavioral issues that could be attributed to many factors including emotional delays from the pandemic (still), social media, real world events, cultural ignorance, etc. Our board is focusing on ways to improve climate and culture in our schools with the intention of creating safe and welcoming spaces for all students, where they can learn and thrive.
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In terms of operations, staffing and budgeting are perennial issues in part because of unknowns and uncertainty around state funding every year. We are careful to have reserves, but resources are still limited.
What would your goals be as a member of the BOE?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
Given that each board member operates as part of a collective body and decisions are made collaboratively as a unified board rather than in isolation, my goal at the outset would be to demonstrate to the other eight board members that that I am a dedicated, proactive, and collaborative colleague that wants to make a meaningful positive impact on our district. Other goals include the following:
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Improving Student Achievement: Ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education and have opportunities to excel academically by addressing class sizes, enhancing the curriculum where necessary, and monitoring student outcomes.
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Making Decisions Driven by Data: Using data to inform decision-making to enhance educational outcomes and improve the overall functioning of the school district, including areas such as student achievement, resource allocation, budget planning, program evaluation, and community engagement. Sharing data with the public to demonstrate accountability and transparency.
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Enhancing Transparency & Communication: Maintaining open and transparent communication with the public regarding district policies, decisions, and performance. Drafting a communications policy for the district to standardize what is communicated, how it should be
communicated, and how it is archived.
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Optimizing the Budget & Facilities: Ensuring the effective allocation of the district’s financial resources that meets the educational needs of our students while fairly compensating our teachers and staff. Performing a facilities audit and forecasting the future student population to ensure space at each school is optimized.
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Engaging the Community: Serving as a contact for parents that need assistance navigating the administration (See Bylaw #0142: “No elected Board member shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information on behalf of a constituent, [as long as they are not compensated in return]”). Building positive relationships with parents, teachers, staff, and the broader community to foster collaboration and support for the district’s goals.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I learned a lot in my first term about how our District works, its programs across schools, and its policies. In my second term I would like to use this knowledge to be more confident in my approach to our Board work – asking more pointed questions, considering systems that might need attention, and overall approaching discussions with an openness to change. The equity audit, special education audit and strategic plan (which all took place/were adopted during my current term) resulted in long lists of recommended actions. My goal in this term would be to ensure the District accomplishes these recommendations, and that it communicates the work it’s doing across these areas to our community.
Duval Hopkins Graham
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I’d like to see our district embrace even more expansive and holistic practices around social-emotional learning and proven learning techniques, such as the Orton-Gillingham approach.
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I want to engage and include the GR community more in our efforts to create an atmosphere of growth and acceptance in all our schools, one where students feel safe, secure, and ready to learn.
What skills, experience, and/or background do you have that would apply to this position?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
I would bring a quantitative skillset from my professional experience of over fifteen years in banking covering liquidity and funding risk management. Complementing this analytical background is my education in policymaking and legal analysis which I acquired while attending law school part-time at Seton Hall the last four years.
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I would also bring a unique perspective from my background as a first-generation American, as a graduate of the New Jersey public schools, as a parent of elementary school children, and as a member of the millennial generation.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I have spent my career working in the nonprofit and public sectors. After receiving my MBA from Yale School of Management, I spent some time consulting to nonprofits before settling into an organization that provided job training, coaching, and professional development for incumbent workers. For the past decade, I’ve worked as an independent consultant to many organizations doing great work in this field, assisting them with developing strategy and designing programs.
On a macro level, I have a deep understanding of how education connects to someone’s life opportunities. On a micro level, I understand the many competing factors that must be considered when designing a budget or developing a policy, and how to analyze potential scenarios for the desired results.
Duval Hopkins Graham
My professional background in marketing and PR focused on communications and client service, which I now apply to serving our community and schools.
What qualities do you have that make you a good candidate?
Darius Kevin Dehnad
Describing the qualities that make me a strong candidate feels like an awkward step into self-promotion territory, as I must admit I am a little biased in favor of my own candidacy. However, I have provided my honest and genuine perspective on the attributes that I believe make me a good candidate and a good fit for the board of education.
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I consider myself to be an amenable, civil, and mild-mannered person that would be a productive partner for group decision making. As anecdotal evidence, my manager at work wrote that my “‘can-do’ attitude and easy-going demeanor embody [Royal Bank of Canada]’s values and culture.”
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I also consider myself to be self-aware, and I actively seek to understand my own strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. Self-awareness empowers me to recognize areas for growth and leverage my strengths and plays a pivotal role in building positive relationships with colleagues, as it enables me to empathize, communicate more effectively, and collaborate within
teams.
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Like many others, I grapple with imposter syndrome, which results in my tendency to over-prepare and over-study. However, I've come to view it as an unexpected ally fueling my drive for continuous self-improvement and serving as a reminder to continuously push my boundaries and step out of my comfort zone.
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Politically, I am nonpartisan and open-minded. However, I am willing to make tough decisions, even in the face of opposition, so long as the available evidence compels those decisions, and those decisions are in the best interest of students, the district, and our community.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I am a great listener and empathetic to the needs of our students. I do not waste energy judging people, but instead try to understand people’s motivations and perspectives. In addition, my work experience and education have taught me how to synthesize information in actionable ways. Understanding what is driving choices we make as a district also enables me to unpack whether those choices are the ones we need to continue making. I am respectful of my colleagues on the Board and will continue to work collaboratively with them in the future.
Duval Hopkins Graham
I approach work and life with curiosity, integrity and a positive attitude. I listen closely. I ask questions. And I do my best to put aside my own interests for the benefit of the greater good.
Describe any involvement you've had with any Glen Ridge community or volunteer organizations.
Darius Kevin Dehnad
I am a driver with the Glen Ridge Ambulance Squad, which provides free emergency medical care and transportation to all those sick and injured in Glen Ridge. As a member of the Squad, I have had the privilege of riding with some of the most selfless and generous individuals in our community, including incredibly talented high school students.
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I am also currently a class parent for my younger daughter’s second grade class at Linden Avenue School and my older daughter’s fourth grade class at Ridgewood Avenue School.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
I spent my first five years in Glen Ridge volunteering regularly and getting to know the different schools. Early on, I became involved with GRASE (Glen Ridge Association for Special Education), helping families navigate the realm of special education. I championed the Abilities Awareness Week that took place at Forest, Linden and Ridgewood Avenue schools in 2019 (and Forest in 2018), providing participants a deeper understanding of their peers and a greater appreciation for difference. In 2020, I began my first term on the Glen Ridge Board of Education. In September 2022, I was selected by the NJ State Board of Education to serve on the NJ State Special Education Advisory Council
Duval Hopkins Graham
I’m a trustee of the Glen Ridge Educational Foundation which funds innovative programming for all GR schools, and I volunteer in myriad ways for the Home & School, notably as former president of the Forest Avenue HSA.
Describe your platform for this election.
Darius Kevin Dehnad
I am putting the finishing touches on my platform/priorities for this election, which I will share with GlenRidgeVotes.org and post to my campaign website at GRBOE.com.
Jocelyn Michelle Gottlieb
There are five elements that are critical to providing students with a strong foundation, and together they are greater than the sum of their parts. They infuse my approach to decision-making and priorities for my Board service. These are:
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Student-Centered Policy Making: Adopting policies that will prepare students to be motivated lifelong learners.
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Project-Based Learning: Teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills through an in-depth investigation of a real-world topic.
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Inclusive Practices: Incorporating diversity in the classroom—diversity of educational sources, of teaching methods, of experiences, of students and teachers.
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Empowered Teachers: Supporting teachers in bringing creativity to their classrooms and offering them the latitude to adopt instructional strategies that best serve their students.
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Transparency in Communication: Encouraging administration, teachers, students, and parents to share their best ideas, increasing trust and building engagement.
Duval Hopkins Graham
My platform is to keep promoting high quality education in Glen Ridge. Our high school is ranked one of the best in the state, but we can’t take anything for granted. We have to continually look for ways to improve, to create welcoming school environments, to accommodate many kinds of learners, to challenge and engage students at all levels/ages, as well as support our staff, teachers and administrators.