Three candidates for 3 spots on Board of Education

Two incumbents and a newcomer are running opposed on Tuesday, Nov. 7 for the three open, three-year seats on the nine person Glen Ridge Board of Education.

Jocelyn Gottlieb, an incumbent, is running for her second three-year term. She has served on the Personnel/Policy Committee and chaired the Negotiations Committee.

“I feel there’s a ramp-up period when you are first learning about policy,” she said. “It still takes a good year to become versed in what you’re doing and for people to get to know you.”

Gottlieb has a masters in business administration from the Yale School of Management and has 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector in program development and strategy. For the last 12 years, she has been a consultant working with leadership teams on key decisions.

“Public education is a fundamental experience for every kid and family in Glen Ridge,” she said. “Being involved with schools is, for me, the greatest way to have an impact on the community.

“Schools can be an amazing place for kids to understand what excites them and to identify these interests that build toward lifelong learning.”

Gottlieb said she was a “great listener.”

“If people have concerns, I’m available to them in a way to foster greater communication through the district,” she said.

She said her professional work helps people in the workforce. Helping children she sees as providing a stepping stone into the workforce.

As for the challenges facing the district, Gottlieb said funding will always be one.

“Also hiring in education,” she said. “After the pandemic, people are leaving education and schools are graduating fewer teachers. There are easier jobs that make money.
Gottlieb said the key to attracting quality teachers is to create a positive workplace for teachers.

Duval Graham is also an incumbent. She is on the Finance/Facilities and Communication committees. She has tenth- and eleventh-grade children in Glen Ridge High School.

“Three years on the board is no time at all,” she said. “It went by so fast. Previously, I’ve done a lot with Home and School. I had an idea early on to run for the board, but now I understand it’s a steep learning curve.”

She said the pandemic made everything “abnormal.”

“The whole first part of my tenure, it was hard to look forward,” she said. “I feel the work is just getting going. There’s so much more to learn.”

Graham said she has always been interested in education.

“My professional background is marketing and communications,” she said. “I worked in public relations for 13 years, always in client services. Now I’m a
stay-at-home mom. But I feel the school system is a big client. I have that mind-set.

“But it’s very satisfying to be on the board, with children in the system,” she continued. “The board is very collegial and I think I contribute. I do my homework. I try to make it a job and I want to do the best job that I can for the community. We all learn from each other on the board and I think I still have a lot to contribute. That’s why I want to do it again.”

She said the world is “fractured” and forces, external to the district, press down on the community.

“A lot of issues are raised that are so high level,” she continued, “but at the school level, it’s dealing with student issues. I have a cool head. I don’t do drama very well.”
She said the Glen Ridge School Board is even-keeled.

“We won’t get pushed around, but it’s everywhere, not just New Jersey,” she said. “I hope people running for school boards are doing it to help children and not another
agenda.”

Student mental health is a concern especially after the pandemic.

“We’ll be dealing with the fallout for a long, long time.” Graham said. “Hopefully, we can provide the support students need. It all comes back to school.”
Darius Dehnad is also running.

“I ran last year, but I came up short,” he said. “I wanted to give it one more go for the same reasons: to get representation for parents with younger children.”
Dehnad said this is directly linked to classroom size.

“We have to make sure we’re tracking student data and similar methods to keep track of potential pandemic learning loss,” he said.
He believes more classrooms for second-, third- and fourth-graders are needed.

“I would like the district to review facility usage in Ridgewood Avenue and the three elementary schools,” he said.

He is currently working on risk-management for a large bank and believes he has the qualifications to play a role on the board with budgets.

“On the policy side, I’ve been going to Seton Hall Law School for the last four years, part-time, and recently learned I passed the bar. But my best qualification for being on the board is that I have children in the school system.”

Dehnad said all schools are facing increased costs for services and goods.

“The teacher shortage is pretty significant,” he said. “It’s a challenge to bring in the best qualified.”

He said his experience would also be helpful with increasing bond rate if the district faces a significant spending project. He is also concerned about the politicalization of certain subjects and the need to maintain civility and good manners.

“It’s something facing school boards nationally,” he said.

  Glen Ridge, Glen Ridge Board of Education