Letter: Vote for Shaina Ciaccio for Robbinsville school board

From: Shaina Ciaccio, Robbinsville.
To the editor:
   In my work each day as a child welfare investigator, I see the importance of beginnings. Children are so much a product of their environment, and a long time passes before we see how much those early years affect our children. While schools can never take the place of parents, good schools are crucial to shaping who we are as adults.
   I am running for the Robbinsville Board of Education because I believe I have a new perspective on giving our children the best beginnings in life. No candidate has been elected to our school board in a contested race in years. Most are appointed to a vacancy by the other board members and then run unopposed in the next election.
   I hope to change that by letting you, the voters, elect me to the Board of Education. I am passionate about the issues and want to be a voice for parents and residents throughout our town. You, the voters, should make the decisions on who sits on our board, not the school board members. A school board should speak for the community, and as an independent candidate, I pledge to take your opinions into account.
   As a Robbinsville resident who deeply loves my community, I have a stake in our schools. My husband and I are planning to have a family, and we both feel that our schools will be a safe haven for them to learn and grow. Like all of you, I have a responsibility to ensure that my children will have the tools they need to be successful adults. Because I take this responsibility seriously, I am seeking a seat on the Board of Education. I bring not only a passion for education but also direct knowledge of our district: I studied the effects of Robbinsville’s school resources for my master’s thesis at Villanova University.
   If elected, I hope to accomplish many things. I want to foster stronger relationships between the Board of Education and our community. I believe that recording school board meetings and making them accessible to all will benefit those residents who may not be able to attend meetings, due to their schedules or for health and safety reasons. I hope to bridge the gap and increase interest for our “future stakeholders,” young couples planning families and those who have young children not yet enrolled in school. I hope to bring fresh ideas and a new level of energy to our board. Most of all, I pledge to be honest, fairand not play political games. I truly hope to serve my community in any way I can.
   It would be an honor to serve you, your children, and the future children of Robbinsville.

Shaina Ciaccio

Robbinsville