Three incumbents will face challenger for seats on Woodbridge Board of Education

WOODBRIDGE – Three incumbents will face a challenger for three three-year seats on the Woodbridge Township School District Board of Education in the Nov. 5 election. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Jonathan Triebwasser is seeking his fifth term; Akshar Sidana and Joseph Velez are both seeking their second terms; and Nelson Louis Owen III is seeking his first term.

 

Akshar (AJ) Sidana, 36, has lived in Woodbridge for 19 years. He is
seeking his second term on the Woodbridge Board of Education.

He is a small business owner. He earned a bachelor’s degree in
Information Technology from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

In the community, Sidana volunteers his time for several community
activities and with different organizations around Woodbridge.

“As a former student of the [Woodbridge Township School District] it
is my privilege to continue to serve as a board member,” he said. “The
academic careers of the students in our district play a big role in
shaping their lives. I would like to make sure that, as a board
member, no stone is left unturned to give them every opportunity
possible. The faculty, staff and administration are the ones moving us
forward and with the right resources they will be able to take bigger
better strides in the right direction.”

 

Jonathan Triebwasser, 60, has lived in Woodbridge for 29 years. He is seeking his fourth term on the Woodbridge Board of Education. He has three children.
Triebwasser serves as a manager for transportation and food service. He has an associate’s degree and a Culinary Institute of America degree.
“In the three terms on the [board], we have been able to achieve many infrastructure improvements that have provided better service to the staff and students,” he said. “There have also been significant cost savings due to the infrastructure upgrades [and] improvements.”
If re-elected, Triebwasser said his goal is to continue looking for areas that will provide the best educational opportunity/environment to the district’s staff and students.
“Although we have made steady forward progress in our district, I feel that we must continue to move forward and address all aspects of our education,” he said.

Joseph Velez, 59, is a 50-year resident of Woodbridge. He and his wife have two daughters who attend Woodbridge public schools. He is a graduate of Woodbridge High School and is a detective lieutenant with the Woodbridge Police Department.

In the community, Velez has served as instructor of the Woodbridge Police Junior Police Academy, has volunteered at area churches performing fingerprint services, and has volunteered with Boy Scout merit badges.

“I’m very proud to live and work in Woodbridge,” he said. “My children and my extended family also have children in the school system. My wife and I attended the Woodbridge school district. Woodbridge has been very good to me and I want to contribute in whatever way I can.”

Velez said his main concern is the safety of children.

“We need to ensure a safe school system in order to produce a distraction-free learning environment,” he said.

Sidana and Owen could not be reached by press time.