MARLBORO – Four seats on the nine-member Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education will be on the ballot when voters go to the polls on Nov. 2.
July 26 was the deadline for New Jersey residents to file a nominating petition and declare their candidacy in a school board race. Elected school board members serve without compensation.
Marlboro residents will face the task of sorting through 11 candidates who are seeking the three available three-year terms and two candidates who are seeking the one available two-year term.
The terms currently being served by Robyn Wolfe, Stephen Shifrinson and Kathleen Amster will end in December.
Wolfe, who is the current board president, and Shifrinson are not running to retain their seats on the board.
Wolfe said, “I have truly enjoyed my seven years as a member of the board and feel I have made meaningful contributions to the students, faculty and community.
“Given that both of my children are no longer in the district, I believe it is time for me to pass the baton to other members of the community, particularly those with children attending Marlboro schools. I plan on devoting my time to other public service and charitable endeavors,” she said.
Shifrinson did not state why he is not running for re-election.
The 11 candidates who are running for three-year terms are Amster, Irene Dekhterman, Angelo Del Giudice, Kelly Dowd, Elizabeth Sugarman Lawrence, Sean McCauley, Andrew McCormack, Valentina Mendez, Aldo Patruno, Christina Russotto and Paul Ferland, who was recently appointed to the board to fill a vacant seat.
The two candidates who are running to complete a two-year unexpired term are Jessica Piernik and Debra Venedam.
The 13 residents who filed nominating petitions to seek the four available terms on the school board is the largest field of candidates who have run in a Marlboro K-8 election in many years.
The nine residents who sit on the school board oversee the operation of the K-8 district which includes the David C. Abbott Early Learning Center; the Asher Holmes, Robertsville, Frank J. Dugan, Defino Central and Marlboro elementary schools; and two middle schools, the Marlboro Middle School and the Marlboro Memorial Middle School.