Meet the Bloomfield residents running for the Board of Education in 2022

Five Bloomfield residents are running for three open seats on the township’s Board of Education in 2022.

The Board of Education is the elected body that oversees Bloomfield’s public schools. Boards are non-partisan and board members don’t get paid for their service. They set the policies and goals for the district and oversee its administration by the superintendent, the district’s chief executive officer.

Bloomfield Pulse asked this year’s Bloomfield Board of Education candidates to respond to a set of questions to help voters decide which three of the six to vote for in the 2022 election.

Below are the responses, republished unedited with permission from Bloomfield Pulse.

Click the candidate’s name to skip to their Q&A:

Ben Morse, running with the Together is Better slate

Reasons for Seeking Election

What motivated you to want to become a board member? In what school or district activities have you been involved? What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

I’ve lived in Bloomfield for nearly 20 years and been involved with Bloomfield public schools since dropping my daughter off for her first day of kindergarten at Franklin Elementary in 2008. After moving to the Watsessing neighborhood the next year, I was a Watsessing Home & School Association member and on its board for the following 6 years. From International Nights to Fish Fries and Smart Board fundraising efforts, I had a front seat in trying to improve the experience of students at the school. This was also a time when the state’s education policy directly harmed Watsessing and I first got involved with the Board of Education to right those wrongs.

Since then I’ve been able to learn the art of school boardery through 5 years of experience on the Board and training via the New Jersey School Boards Association, which resulted in the Board and myself becoming certified.

The fruits of those labors can be seen in the way the district is well-positioned as we continue to recover from the pandemic. As the Curriculum Committee chairperson over the last year, we worked hard to implement meaningful afterschool, summer school programs to help students get their educational groove back after two years of covid.

Education Issues and Needs

What are 2-3 strengths of which our school district can be proud of? Why do you see these as strengths? What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

The breadth of offerings in Bloomfield High School is a strength and a testament to the diversity of our students and skills of our staff in being able to offer courses as wide-ranging as Ceramics and native-speaker Spanish Language AP. We have award-winning Arts, Athletics and Robotics programs and the Board is committed to expanding them. This can be seen by our burgeoning E-Sports club, and vertically integrated K-12 theater program that will be capped off by a new Black Box theater in the high school–if all goes according to plan.

We can also be proud of the diversity of our school community and as someone who embraces the melting pot ideals of the US, I believe the more exposed students are to differences and possibilities of life the better prepared they’ll be to take advantage of all life has to offer. It’s a priority for myself, and I’m proud to say, the Board as a whole to make sure the diversity of the community remains an asset and doesn’t create divisions. To that end we’ve opened the district to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings and devoted substantial resources to make sure we live up to our mission statement:

“The Bloomfield Public School district, a culturally diverse system, is committed through cooperative efforts within an educational community to provide an equal opportunity for all learners to achieve individual success and to be prepared to meet the needs of an evolving Society.”

While the process has led to many challenging conversations, we are committed to continuing the progress.

Another priority for the district is to establish new pathways to becoming “career ready.” We are undertaking a multi-year plan to develop Career & Technical Education opportunities for students who want other options apart from college or the military after graduation.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Board

What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

An effective school board communicates and acts in unison to achieve its goals. We don’t have to agree on every issue but we should always put what’s best for students ahead of politics.

An effective board member should have patience, persistence, passion for student achievement and willingness to communicate.

Responsible Board members that train as much as possible continuously learning, asking questions and bringing back vital information home earn various certifications. In May of 2020, I was recognized for reaching the highest level: Certified Board Leader.

Specific Issues

What do you see as the role of technology in education for all students?

For education and technology, the ideal is to create a virtuous circle where curriculum needs are bolstered by technology, and as new technologies emerge new subjects of learning open up and a progressive dialectic ensues.

Technology also allows for real time student monitoring so we never lose sight of how they are doing and can adjust our educational approach accordingly and in a timely manner.

Proper use of technology has also facilitated our development of a portfolio assessment so that we aren’t simply relying on test scores to evaluate students.

What should our school district be doing to ensure the safety of students and staff?

The district has invested heavily to protect our students and staff by installing new doors and security cameras and hired a new security company at the high school. The district has a responsibility to provide a safe environment to our students and staff and will do whatever it takes to make an optimal learning environment possible.

What responsibilities, if any, should district’s assume for dealing with such societal problems as poverty, hunger, emotional illness or drug abuse?

The district’s approach to education is to educate the “whole child.” As such, we are committed to the social and emotional well-being of our students. We have implemented the Sandy Hook Promise and the Wings of Change–Wingman Program as well as signed an agreement with Rutgers University’s school of social work to provide additional support for our students. The community’s pandemic experience has been traumatic in many ways and the district aims to provide whatever services we can, within financial reason, to get our students back on track.

How can schools address the learning needs of students from other cultures and other languages?

We have an obligation to address the learning needs of all students, regardless of where they are from.

For those whose first language isn’t English, we have a Dual Language Learners program as part of our English Language Learners curriculum.

We will continue to expand our offerings so that no student is left behind the academic curve due to a language barrier.

We also have a robust Parent ESL program and Saturday Academy.

The district also offers a Native Speakers program, which is an Honors level literacy program for grades 7-11 and culminates in the AP Spanish Literature and Culture class and the grade 12 Seal of Biliteracy.

Jill Fischman, running with the Together is Better slate

Reasons for Seeking Election

What motivated you to want to become a board member?

I think that this is the easiest decision I have made. I want to continue to be a board member to continue to be able to give back to a school district and community that provided me with the necessary educational background and community support to be successful in my life. I am a proud product of the Bloomfield School District, from Franklin School to BMS to graduating from BHS. There is nothing I enjoy more to helping the students of Bloomfield along the same path!

Being a board member affords me the opportunity to be part of the decision making process in order to provide each Bloomfield student with the absolute best possible learning experience each day until they graduate!

In what school or district activities have you been involved?

Over the past 9 years on the board of education I have had the privilege and opportunity to be involved in many different school and district activities. Some of those activities include: the opening of the ECC building, being recognized as a high achieving district from NJDOE, winning several accolades for our district website, curriculum, SEL initiatives, sportsmanship awards from our Atheltic department, award winning fine arts department.

Then there are the daily achievements much less publicized but just as important if not more so. For example, how much our back stop program has helped our students who are struggling coming out of the pandemic, the countless HSA events district wide, the numerous concerts and plays, athletic events, partnerships with different Unions for our non college bound students, college courses offered to our HS students just to name a few.

I am honored to take part in each of these events and spotlight our fabulous staff and students and all of their accomplishments.

What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

I believe that being an educator of 24 years is my biggest qualification. Having had the opportunity to teach all grade levels from Kindergarten through College allows me to better understand what our faculty and staff go through on a daily basis to provide the best education for our students.

Followed closely by being a current member of the board for the past 9 years. This experience allows me to understand the needs of the district as a whole as well as how we can continue to make improvements for our ever changing educational world in order to provide for our 6000+ students.

Education Issues and Needs

What are 2-3 strengths of which our school district can be proud of? Why do you see these as strengths?

I believe as a district we have many strengths to be proud of. If I had to chose two they would be our commitment to all of our students improving their achievements and the second would be our fiscal responsibility to enable our funding to directly impact our staff and students in a positive manner.

What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

While there are always things that we as a district can improve on, I believe that we are in a good place right now as we continue to move forward. If I needed to pick 2 things that would be a priority in the next few years, they would be: to continue to strive to add more diversified staff during our hiring processes. And the second would be to continue to meet our students where they are coming out of the pandemic.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Board

What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

The most effective characteristics of an effective board are three things. The first things would be proper training both as the entire board as well as the individual board member. The second would be communication both amongst the board as well as the administration and community, to have a high level of transparency. Thirdly, is to work collaboratively with our administration to make difficult decisions based on how it will effect 6000+ students and 1000+ employees.

An individual school board member has no authority; only the board as a whole can make decisions for the district. What skills or traits will allow you to contribute to effective operations of the board as a whole?

As an individual board member whether coming in brand new or returning as a veteran, board members must understand their role in the process of board operations. The best way to learn this is to go to as many trainings that are offered by NJSBA (New Jersey School Board Association). The role of a board member is very structured by what we can and cannot do.

Next would be to understand that egos and personal agendas get checked at the door, when the board sits down to conduct business, it is functioning as one voice to make decisions as policies and procedures that our administration will make the action plans to be able to handle the data to day operations.

Specific Issues

What do you see as the role of technology in education for all students?

The role of technology is not going anywhere, we as a district have understood this and this is why we implemented our 1:1 initiative prior to Covid. The use of technology in today’s society is ever present. Our job as a district is to prepare our students for when they graduate to be able to contend with the world with their ability to use different platforms of technology.

In the classroom the use of technology is driven by our curriculum. Meaning that the use of technology is infused in the daily lesson based upon what the curriculum calls for and not the other way around.

What should our school district be doing to ensure the safety of students and staff?

Safety and security of our staff and student is always on the the forefront of our planning as a district. Teaching and learning cannot happen effetely if our staff and students do not feel that they are in a safe environment.

I believe that our safety procedures are multi leveled and some are required to be building specific. Some of the levels of security are things that we can publicize and others are meant to operate in under cover manner. Otherwise it is like potentially showing our playbook to someone trying to cause harm.

What responsibilities, if any, should districts assume for dealing with such societal problems as poverty, hunger, emotional illness or drug abuse?

Our district has made the issues of social emotional learning a priority especially over the past few years and throughout Covid and as we return. We continue to make strides to focus on the whole child and not just the academic needs of our students. We have put into place several initiatives to work on these social and emotional issues. For example our work district wide with The Sandy Hook Promise organization, The Wingman Program with Dylans Wings just to name a few. We have also made sure we have proper personnel in place to help with our students who are struggling in the form of our canceling services in house.

In terms of socioeconomic levels district wide as well as food insecurity we have made sure that we have breakfast and lunch offerings for all free and reduced lunch students, and not just a cheese sandwich but a full breakfast and lunch. We have also helped provide our students that qualify for hot spots to make sure that they have internet coverage at home to be able to continue their studies while at home.

How can schools address the learning needs of students from other cultures and other languages?

As a district, we strive to meet the needs of all of our ELL/Bilingual students. As a board leader, I have supported initiatives to bring additional ESL/Bilingual staff into the district to properly educate our students.

Bloomfield Schools takes great pride in celebrating the many different backgrounds and ethnicities that make up our educational community. From cultural celebrations, to standards based curricula, along with other initiatives, we recognize all cultures.

Josefina Rosario Solis, running with the “Bloomfield Strong 4 Kids” slate

Reasons for Seeking Election

What motivated you to want to become a board member?

We moved to Bloomfield 5 years ago to grow our family and we now have an 8-month-old and we will like to make sure that she will have an excellent school district to attend to.

In what school or district activities have you been involved?

None yet but looking forward to getting very acquainted with some of them down the road.

What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

In the Dominican Republic I worked with many communities serving the students and their families, helping them connect with assistance. I come from a family of multiple educators where achieving high education and serving the community was always a most.

Education Issues and Needs

What are 2-3 strengths of which our school district can be proud of? Why do you see these as strengths?

The ability of Bloomfield to embrace new initiatives introduced to the school district. Sports achievements and programs

What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

Better and broader mental health assistance to child starting from kindergarten. A stronger teacher retention and more diversity when hiring new teachers.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Board

What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

Transparency, hearing and communicating with the parents. Having effective communication and the ability to put our kids first.

An individual school board member has no authority; only the board as a whole can make decisions for the district. What skills or traits will allow you to contribute to effective operations of the board as a whole?

I am an architect making sure I hear all the trades suggestions and expertise from builders, to engineers, to product reps is key for the projects I work in be successful. Effective communication that includes active listening and collaborating are key for the success of the district board and ultimately our kids.

Specific Issues

What do you see as the role of technology in education for all students?

Our kids are coming with a set of traits that most of us didn’t have growing up, there’s no separating technology/automatization and our daily lives. There’s only one way forward EMBRACING it.

What should our school district be doing to ensure the safety of students and staff?

Introduction of a robust mental health system that includes more support teachers and inclusion to start addressing issues as they present.

What responsibilities, if any, should districts assume for dealing with such societal problems as poverty, hunger, emotional illness or drug abuse?

Community engagement, food drives, identifying students and family needs and helping to connect them with the proper assistance, more mental health and support teachers

How can schools address the learning needs of students from other cultures and other languages?

As a Latina I see the need of more Spanish speaking teachers and leaders in the school district. Bloomfield as a growing and culturally diverse community we would only have the need for more representation in every aspect in the classroom.

Joshua Trojak, running with the “Bloomfield Strong 4 Kids” slate

Reasons for Seeking Election

What motivated you to want to become a board member?

As a parent of two elementary school students, I have been actively engaged in my children’s education since before they began kindergarten. During this time, I have attended and commented at many school board meetings as well as having been an active participant in numerous district activities from the Start with Hello initiative across the district to various efforts that focused on only one school at a time. During this time I have learned a great deal about our schools, our teachers, our community and most importantly our kids and their families.

With the world having changed throughout the pandemic and as we enter 2023 and beyond, the Board of Education needs members who are accessible and transparent. This has been a major shortcoming over the past few years. Moreover, we need to be more creative, more transparent and more aggressive to attract new, diverse teacher talent to our district as well as retaining much of the talent we already have in our schools. I was motivated to seek election to the Board of Education as these are challenges that I can help address much more effectively than they have historically been.

In what school or district activities have you been involved?

Along with my wife, Angie Koeneker, I have taken an active role in implementing the Start with Hello program across the Bloomfield School District and continue to assist with this initiative. The Start with Hello program provides resources and techniques to help combat social isolation and I am proud to have played a role in helping to maintain this important program in our community.

Additionally, I have taken a role in supporting in other initiatives in the school district, including working with to help secure a washer and dryer for the high school and the subsequent detergent drive. I have worked to support a number of the school food drives and helped to establish personal care product closets at different schools throughout the district.

What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

Since my eldest daughter entered the school system, I have stayed close to all happenings within the Bloomfield School District from the Board of Education and down to the classroom level. I have connected with numerous parents, teachers and administrators during this time and have a good understanding of their needs, concerns and their hopes. By way of my background I also bring unique understanding to issues involving technology and its evolving role in our society and immigration and the struggles that many families face as they seek to integrate into the fabric of our community.

By way of experience, being an engaged parent is one of the strongest endorsements that a Board member can have. Previously, I have worked for former US Congressman Rush Holt supporting immigration case work and legislation. I have also served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. In this role I helped take steps to support our research universities including designing a program to support doctoral and postdoctoral students at small, NJ tech companies. Presently, I am in-house counsel at a large consumer products company responsible for technology. I am also an in-town soccer coach who is fortunate to have the chance to work with a number of kids from across the district.

Education Issues and Needs

What are 2-3 strengths of which our school district can be proud of? Why do you see these as strengths?

Many of our teachers are among the greatest assets in the Bloomfield School District. We have a number of standout educators across the district who not only go the extra mile for our kids, but just as importantly have the talent, creativity and skills to meet their changing needs. Over the past six years, I have come to know numerous exemplary teachers across the district and of this strength we can all be proud.

Bloomfield is also strong in its willingness to get out in front of supporting new initiatives. This is evident in the support the district demonstrated in getting behind Start with Hello and subsequently the Wingman program. Academically, the New Citizens program implemented by the social studies faculty is another example of the school not waiting to adapt to better ways of teaching.

What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

Teacher recruitment and retention need to be at the forefront of the needs that the Board of Education needs to address. We lose to many quality educators and miss out on others who can bring the much needed diversity to the classroom. Ensuring that our schools have teachers who have the capability to reach and teach our kids is how we make Bloomfield strong for the years ahead.

The pandemic has also laid bare the need for our schools to provide more robust mental health services for our kids. The challenges of not only ensuring our kids make-up education lost during the pandemic, but also have the mental health resources to meet their unique needs stemming from the pandemic as well as other situations needs to be a paramount consideration in shaping our schools for the next generation.

Finally, our Board of Education needs to embrace transparency. The Board needs to expand access to allow for more virtual participation by members of the community in its proceedings. It needs to provide more detail on what it is considering and the thought process behind some of its larger decisions. The era of headlines and dropping things on the community at the last minute without explanation needs to change.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Board

What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

An effective school board is one that is transparent and seeks out input and engagement from the community. It is one that is not insular, but rather one where its members go to the classrooms and meet parents where they are to help address the concerns of parents, kids and teachers in the classroom.

An effective school board member is one who knows that our kids, all of our kids, are worth fighting for. It is an individual who does not seek to mete out punitive punishments; an individual who listens to and adapts to our changing community. An effective school board member is one who goes against consensus when the consensus is wrong or when their decision is unpopular in the room. In short, an effective school board member is one who has faith in their convictions and their chief conviction being that making sure the needs our kids is being met is top amongst those.

An individual school board member has no authority; only the board as a whole can make decisions for the district. What skills or traits will allow you to contribute to effective operations of the board as a whole?

By trade I am a transactional attorney which requires that I represent my company to reach agreement with outside parties each and every day. Many of these agreements are complex and oftentimes our goals are not at all aligned. However, at the end of the day, being effective (and being able to keep my job)< means that I need to reach a settlement more often than not. This type of negotiation and understanding will serve me well in forming a constructive and ultimately effective relationship with other members of the board. Each member comes with their own understanding, knowledge and preconceived notions of what is best for the students in our district. As a member of the Bloomfield Board of Education, I will use my unique skillset to help build a consensus when possible and to ensure that my concerns are heard and ideally addressed when not.

Specific Issues

What do you see as the role of technology in education for all students?

All of our students are digital natives and as such there is no separating them from technology. A school’s role needs to be one of teaching them how to understand, moderate and, as needed, separate from the technology that permeates all aspects of modern life.

Despite being digital natives, technology is going to play an even more increasing role in these students’ lives and as such, it is incumbent on the school district to incorporate an understanding and a comfortability with this, not when gimmicky, but rather when more likely than not to be the future tense of our kids. This includes making sure our kids have a fundamental understanding of the connected world and how it works. They need to understand at least the basic underpinnings of hardware and the languages that make them work. Our kids do not all need to become coders, but they need to have an understanding as to how to interact with code as more than just a consumer.

What should our school district be doing to ensure the safety of students and staff?

The Bloomfield School District has been successfully using the Start with Hello program from Sandy Hook Promise as well as other programs from Sandy Hook Promise over the past few years to combat issues surrounding social isolation. The district would be well served to look to implement its Say Something Anonymous Reporting System as a useful upgrade on our existing platform.

Moreover, a comprehensive focus on mental health for students and staff should be undertaken to ensure that problems are met before they can metastasize. By providing these resources, our kids will have support system that would help to alleviate many potential concerns in the classroom and hallways.

What responsibilities, if any, should districts assume for dealing with such societal problems as poverty, hunger, emotional illness or drug abuse?

While the school district cannot be the driver in tackling all of the problems that plague our society, it has an outsized role in addressing these issues for our kids and to an extent their families. My wife, Angie, and I have recognized this need directly and as such have worked to secure a washer and dryer for the high school and have organized food drives for when kids have extended periods away from school.

Our schools represent a significant portion of the waking time our kids spend each day. While they may not be able to overcome the societal problems that these kids see outside of its walls, they need to be a healthy place where they have some respite during the day and potentially serve as a place where they can find the tools and support to emerge from these issues whether through increased mental health services or future opportunities.

How can schools address the learning needs of students from other cultures and other languages?

The Bloomfield community recognizes that one of its greatest strengths lies in its diversity. The schools need to address this with more than just broad platitudes. More Spanish-speaking teachers need to be recruited and existing faculty should be encouraged and supported in learning at least basic Spanish. Every kid in our community should receive a quality education and part of this is meeting our kids where they are and providing them the exact support they need.

Phyllis Gerber, running with the “Together is Better” slate

Reasons for Seeking Election

What motivated you to want to become a board member?

The major factor is that I am a lifelong resident of Bloomfield. I attended Brookside, North Junior High School and graduated from BHS in 1981. Now my great-nieces and great-nephews are part of the Bloomfield School District and I would love to give to them the education and support to be as successful as they can be in the global community. Being part of the Board would give me the chance to be a part of the decisions made to prepare every student to reach their full potential. It would also give me the opportunity to prepare the whole child to engage and thrive throughout their education.

In what school or district activities have you been involved?

I haven’t been involved in any activities but do support the HSA events, concerts, plays, and athletic events in the district.

What particular skills or experiences qualify you to serve as a school board member?

One particular experience I feel is important is my nursing career of 33 years. Not only would I be able to make decisions to provide every student with the best education, I would also be able to take into consideration the emotional, social, and psychological needs of the staff, students, and/or parents. Another factor is that I am currently a school nurse in a middle school and see what the students, faculty, and staff experience on a day to day basis.

Education Issues and Needs

What are 2-3 strengths of which our school district can be proud of? Why do you see these as strengths?

I believe our school district has many strengths. If I am elected as a board member, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts on these strengths.

What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

As I said in the previous response, I have a few needs in mind and if elected, would be more than happy to share them.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Board

What do you believe are the most important characteristics of an effective school board? Of an effective school board member?

I believe the most important characteristics of an effective school board is to have a collaborative relationship with the staff and community. Another important characteristic is establishing a strong and open communication to inform both internal and external individuals in setting and achieving district goals. Thirdly, being that I haven’t served as a school board member, I believe training the new board members would be very beneficial and effective to the entire board.

An individual school board member has no authority; only the board as a whole can make decisions for the district. What skills or traits will allow you to contribute to effective operations of the board as a whole?

Being a novice if elected, I would attend as many training sessions as possible that are offered so I know what my role is and how I can contribute to effective operations.

Specific Issues

What do you see as the role of technology in education for all students?

Being a life long learner, I see the role of technology in education for students as only getting more advanced to facilitate learning and preparing students to succeed in life.

What should our school district be doing to ensure the safety of students and staff?

Safety and security should be the most important priority in any district. Again, if elected, I would help in the development of safety and security policies to keep the staff and students as safe as possible.

What responsibilities, if any, should districts assume for dealing with such societal problems as poverty, hunger, emotional illness or drug abuse?

As a nurse, patients are treated as a whole person, not just the illness(es) they have. The same should be applied to students. The focus should be on the whole child and not just academics.

How can schools address the learning needs of students from other cultures and other languages?

The first step is to be aware of the culture. Educators should learn the cultural backgrounds of students and respecting and accepting his/her culture. Diversity in teaching styles can also address the needs of diversity. For those students with other languages, teachers can work closely with and ESL teacher or interpreter. Also, making things as visual as possible by writing on the board and using pictures. Finally, developing a relationship with the parents of students from other cultures/languages, builds a sense of trust and acceptance.