By Kaitlyn Kanzler, Special Writer
CRANBURY — Five candidates are competing for three Board of Education seats in the April 17 school elections.
Incumbents Lynne Schwarz, Nicole Pormilli, and A.W. Schraudenbach are being challenged by Ashutosh Hadap and newcomer Karen Callahan.
In February, the board decided to keep the school elections in April instead of moving them to the general election in November as many other school districts opted to do.
Voters will also decide on the district’s proposed $15 million budget during the election.
Voting will take place from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 17 at the town hall. Mail-in ballot applications due by April 10, and mail-in ballot applications in person are due by 3 p.m. April 16 at the county Clerk’s Office, according to officials.
Ms. Schwarz is seeking a fourth term on the board and has also served as Cranbury’s representative to the Princeton Regional School District for three years, a position now held by Evelyn Spann.
”I would like to have the opportunity to continue the positive momentum that we have begun over the last year. With our new chief school administrator in place, and so much dynamic new talent added to the ranks of our excellent teaching staff, we are moving in a positive direction in many programs and professional development areas,” Ms. Schwarz said. “Our teachers are the front line of our community’s commitment to delivering an excellent education to our children.”
Ms. Schwartz said she wants to continue being part of the process to improve the school district and the community.
Ms. Schwarz has been a resident of Cranbury since 1988 and both of her sons attended the Cranbury School. She has been employed by Impact Unlimited, a global exhibits and events agency located in South Brunswick, for the last 25 years.
She has also been involved in both Cranbury and Princeton parent teacher organizations and is a founding member and trustee of the Princeton High School Boys Soccer Booster Club.
”Our reality is that little can be done at the local board of education level that can affect the public education system,” Ms. Schwartz said. “Rather our primary responsibilities are to set a direction for the Cranbury Township School District that supports the community objectives, and to put the right management team and policies in place to insure these goals are met and all within budget.”
Ms. Promilli has 20 years of public school experience including teaching, building administration, curriculum, assessments and programs. She is currently a director of assessment and instructional support in a K-12 public school district.
”This experience gives me the background knowledge of state mandates, regulations, curriculum and the workings of a school system,” Ms. Promilli said. “Most importantly, it allows for a clear understanding of how our decisions at the board level directly affects the students in Cranbury School. Being the only board member and candidate with specific knowledge in the educational field, including knowledge of laws and regulation, I truly believe I am in the unique position to help guide the Cranbury School.”
If re-elected, this would be Ms. Pormilli’s second term on the board.
”I would love to be afforded the opportunity to serve another three years. I value education, the small community, and feel strongly about giving back to my community. Serving on the board provides me this opportunity,” Ms. Pormilli said.
Ms. Pormilli is the chair of the Curriculum Committee and the board’s delegate for the New Jersey School Board Association and has two sons that attend the Cranbury School.
Mr. Schraudenbach is seeking a fifth term on the board. He has a master’s degree in economics and has worked at the Social Science Research Council as an economist.
”It may be a stereotype, but economists really do view the world in terms of opportunity costs. This is an approach that is well suited to the decision-making environment our schools face with a hard budget cap,” Mr. Schraudenbach said. “Every additional dollar spent at Princeton High School is one less spent at Cranbury School. More funding spent on sports and extra-curricular activities is less money spent on transportation.
”In the abstract, there are a variety of worthwhile activities and programs on which to spend additional monies,” he said. “The reality is that these programs must be carefully weighed against what we will have to forego in order to achieve them. The economist in me knows that even in a school system there is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Mr. Schraudenbach had two children who graduated from the Cranbury School and is the chair of the Facilities Committee and is on the Township/Liaison Committee.
”I bring 12 years of experience to the Cranbury Board of Education. I have, in the past, been chairman of curriculum and personnel committees,” Mr. Schraudenbach said. “I have most recently brought my experience to bear in the negotiations, facilities and finance committees. I have also been a member of the last three contract negotiations teams.”
Mr. Schraudenbach said that the district will face some challenges as several experienced educators look toward retirement.
”Our master teachers are retiring. Many of the faculty members who were instrumental in making Cranbury School arguably the best school in the state, have recently or soon will retire,” Mr. Schraudenbach said. “While it is sad to see our friends and educational leaders move on, it is a wonderful opportunity for the board members to assist (school superintendent) Dr. (Susan) Genco in identifying and nurturing our young faculty to form the next generation of educational leaders for Cranbury School.”
Ms. Callahan is running for the first time for one of the open three-year terms on the board and is the former director of global service operations at the StorageApps division of Hewlett-Packard where she was responsible for the business units annual budget of $25 million.
She currently is a stay-at-home mother of three children, all of whom attend the Cranbury School.
”I believe that the next three years will be particularly challenging with respect to the budget,” Ms. Callahan said. “In recent years, Cranbury has seen a loss in tax ratables as well as cuts to state aid. Estimates are pointing towards 2015 as the time frame when we will begin to see significant increases in home values and tax revenues, making it difficult to balance the budget.”
Ms. Callahan stated that she would like to provide a quality education while staying below the 2 percent tax cap and controlling costs.
”I have experience balancing budgets and cutting costs while continuing to provide services to my clients,” Ms. Callahan said. “During my tenure at StorageApps, I converted the business unit from a cost center to a profit center within the first two years.”
Ms. Callahan is also a former candidate for the Township Committee and moved to Cranbury from Plainsboro because she believed in the “Cranbury K-8 experience.”
”I hope to help identify areas for connections and partnerships between the township and school that will forge stronger relationships to benefit the entire community,” Ms. Callahan said. “I want to provide a fresh perspective and new point of view to this board. I cherish Cranbury and I am committed to giving back.”
Mr. Hadap was unavailable for comment by press time.
