By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
Five township residents have filed to run for the three open seats on the Cranbury Township Board of Education, according to Middlesex County officials.
Up for grabs are the seats currently held by Lynne Schwarz, Karen Callahan and Dominique Jones. Their terms expire January 2016. All three seats are full three-year terms.
Ms. Schwarz did not file to run again but Ms. Callahan and Ms. Jones did as did Brian Barry, Michael C. Franke and Laurel S. Quinn.
The school board election was moved to coincide with the Nov. 4 general election in 2013. School board candidates run on a non-partisan basis — not as Democrats or Republicans — even though they will be listed on the same ballot as political party candidates for municipal, county, state and federal elected offices.
Prospective candidates had to file a nominating petition signed by at least 10 registered voters who live in Cranbury Township at the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office by 4 p.m. on July 27.
Ms. Quinn has lived in town for 11 years and decided to run “because there is a need for good board members.”
“Knowing my skill set, several friends and neighbors have requested that I run and, finally, I am,” Ms. Quinn said.
Her three daughters graduated Cranbury School.
“I was an involved parent during their time at the school,” she said. “I substitute taught for a short while. I currently have no children at the school, so I will be unbiased in my decision making, intending to do what is best for the school as a whole.”
She said she would focus on what the board decides is the greatest need.
Ms. Quinn has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master of business adminstration degree, both from the University of Virginia.
“So I have a good educational background for the board,” she said. “I have taught elementary school in both public and independent school settings. I know what it takes to be a good teacher. As a businessperson, I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility and of careful analysis in the decision making process. I have our children’s best interest at heart and will do my best to make sure that their educational needs are met fully.”
Prior to staying home to raise her three children, Ms. Callahan served as the former director of global service operations for the StorageApps division of Hewlett Packard.
“During my tenure I was responsible for the call center, level one, two and three engineering groups,” Ms. Callahan said. “I also managed a budget totaling approximately $25 million annually, and converted the business unit from a cost center to a profit center within my first two years.”
In addition to raising her family, she has also been actively involved in the community since 2008.
“As a member of the Cranbury School PTO, I co-chair the annual ‘Spaghetti Dinner’ and have been a room parent for a number of years,” Ms. Callahan said. “I have worked with the Cranbury Education Foundation as a volunteer at the annual ‘Craft Fair.’ I was co-president of the Cranbury Area Mother’s Club and attended Cranbury Arts Council fundraising events in years past. My children participate in Cranbury Recreation camps and sports, Cranbury Plainsboro Little League and local Scouting troops.”
As of mother of three children attending the Cranbury School, Ms. Callahan said she understands the importance and value of a quality education.
“I have committed many hours to serving on the Cranbury Board of Education over the past three years, and would appreciate the opportunity to continue the work I began during my first term,” she said. “This is both an exciting and challenging time to be involved with public education. I hope to play an integral role in serving the community in a second term as a member of the Cranbury Board of Education.”
When Mr. Barry and his family moved to town a little over three years ago, he said they recognized many of the special characteristics — the historic nature, the relatively small size of the community, and the excellent educational opportunities for children — that make Cranbury such a wonderful place to live.
“I have a great appreciation for the role that the Cranbury School, including its board members, administration, faculty and staff, play in the lives of our children, as well as the broader Cranbury community,” Mr. Barry said. “It is the volunteers and countless residents, both past and present, who have collectively played essential roles in establishing and maintaining Cranbury’s unique living experience. Therefore, as a homeowner, an individual with an interest in public service and a parent of two young children who are attending Cranbury School, I have a vested interest in the overall quality of the school.”
In an effort to do his part, he said, he has found ways to try and make a contribution to the wellbeing of the community.
“I was a member of the Cranbury Zoning Board and participated in this year’s ‘Cranbury School vs. Harlem Wizards’ PTO fundraiser,” he said. “Today, I serve as a member of the board and finance committee of the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society, in addition to helping coach a youth boys Cranbury travel soccer team.”
Over the course of his professional career, he said, he has had the opportunity to develop a unique set of skills that he believes can be used across a variety of disciplines.
“I have spent the last 17 plus years working for Lehman Brothers, pre- and post-bankruptcy, in a wide range of positions including operations, new business originations, restructuring/workouts and asset management,” Mr. Barry said. “This December 2015, as part of the final step in an effort to pursue a career change, I will graduate with a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. I have experiences that collectively demonstrate the importance of communication, collaboration, thoughtful negotiation processes, and maintaining excellence in a fiscally responsible manner. I understand the significance of maintaining strong relationships, such as the one in place with Princeton High School, in addition to the need to implement financially prudent smart growth strategies as Cranbury’s population expands.”
Mr. Barry believes that his skill set and commitment to the community can be an asset to the board and administration, as they work to deliver, in the face of potentially unforeseen challenges, the highest quality education for the school’s current and future student body.
Mr. Franke’s family has lived in Cranbury since 2007 and his parents have lived in town since the 1990s.
“I decided to run for the Board of Education because I have three children in Cranbury School,” Mr. Franke said. “I feel it is my civic duty but also a way to shape quality education and extracurricular activities for future Cranbury school children.”
His involvement with the school stems from his three children currently attending — CJ is in 8th grade, Danielle is in 5th grade and Ryan is in 4th grade.
“We have been involved with many aspects of their education and activities at Cranbury School,” he said.
If elected to the school board he would focus on retaining attendance for Cranbury students at Princeton High School; maintaining curriculum that develops and challenges minds to reach students’ maximum potential; supporting athletics as a way to develop healthy bodies, personal goals, conflict resolution and team skills; incorporating teacher feedback into curriculum and school planning; integrating the proposed new library within the extended school campus; and ensuring school budgets are sufficient to meet educational goals while being responsible and fiscally accountable to taxpayers.
The skills and traits he would bring to the board include financial planning and budgeting, marketing and technology, and management and leadership, with both small business and Fortune 500 company experience.
“I have a BS in economics from Rutgers University and an MBA from the University of Maryland,” he said. “My wife Rebecca is a special education teacher and worked at Cranbury School for three years. While an undergraduate student, I was a substitute teacher for several years. I am a coach for the United with the Cranbury Soccer Club.”
Ms. Jones said she has not decided if she is going to move forward with the petition.
