Meet the 10 candidates for three seats on the Edison Board of Education

Classroom overcrowding and transparency are top issues among 10 candidates running for three seats on the Edison Board of Education.

Three incumbents – Vice President Shivi Prasad-Madhukar, Xiaohan "Shannon" Peng and Kevin Hajduk – are seeking reelection, while Nisha Banginwar, Christo Makropoulos, Manasi Mathur, Yash Pandya, Minesh Patel, Vishal Patel and Joseph Romano are looking to join the school board.

'Stronger Brighter Futures'

Running on the "Stronger Brighter Futures" slate, Hajduk, Prasad-Madhukar and Mathur see the district's main issues as introducing pre-K districtwide, addressing classroom capacity, improving support services for mental health and wellbeing and building a stronger partnership between the district and parents of children with disabilities.

Hajduk, a principal at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in South Plainfield, is the father of four children, has been an educator for 23 years and Edison resident for 17 years. He was appointed to the board in early 2022 after member Carol Bodofsky stepped down. A former New Jersey Educator of the Year, Hajduk said that "classroom capacity is the biggest struggle" facing the district.

"We need to balance the number of students in the classrooms learning so that they can have the best opportunity to be active learners and are prepared for the future that is ever-changing," he said. "I have been involved in the trenches of education as a teacher, coach and administrator. This experience has given me the opportunity to make decisions that are good for kids and improve areas that are necessary."

Hadjuk added that as a former teacher of students with disabilities, he can be "a productive member" of the board "who can visualize how all students needs can be met with the appropriate resources and staff."

Prasad-Madhukar and Mathur agree overcrowding is a major problem.

A mother of three children, Prasad-Mathur works as a policy analyst and was named vice president of the school board in 2022. A resident of the township for 18 years, she is seeking her third term on the board while Mathur, who has lived in Edison for more than 17 years, is making her first run for a seat.

"The biggest issue facing the school district is increasing school enrollment on one hand and lack of space to accommodate students on the other. The district currently has the plan to address classroom capacity and make infrastructure upgrades in all schools," Prasad-Madhukar said. "We are in fact adding classroom space in many other schools across our town at no additional cost to taxpayers, the blueprints for these are ready."

"We have already started in the right direction this year to address this issue by implementing a building improvement plan," said Mathur, a former two-term PTO president and Human Relations Committee member with one child attending J.P. Stevens High School. "I believe that we need to improve not only the infrastructure of the buildings, but also increase the capacity of various programs to have adequate amount of opportunities for students in various extracurricular activities and advanced placement programs. We can tackle this by applying for more state and federal aid, cutting wasteful spending and utilizing our savings."

A marketing and branding strategist, Mathur said that her prior experience with the PTO is an asset for the board.

"I believe I can be valuable in bringing parents, teachers, students and the board to collaborate and function as one team − the school system can work more efficiently with the inclusion of all stakeholders," she said. "I believe my experience in collaborating with students, staff and parents allow me to listen and understand diverse points of views and build consensus among all stakeholders."

Prasad-Madhukar added that she believes "it is important to elect people who work well with others, people who focus on solutions, people you can trust, people who are respectful regardless of your opinion, people who rise by lifting others."

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"Because at the end of the day, we are representing children and children learn by example," she said. “While my leadership has set the ball rolling on many long-standing issues affecting the district such as overcrowding, my goal is to see all plans to fruition and ensure they are executed well, and in a timely manner. I want to represent Edison school board for another term so I can oversee the implementation of these projects and so we do not derail mid-way. My ultimate objective is to work tirelessly to create a school system that is attentive, responsive and transparent."

'Students First'

Peng, Romano and Vishal Patel make up the "Students First" slate, with top issues stated as accountability, parental choice, expanding schools with $0 tax increase and a "path to success" for all students.

Peng is seeking a third term. She is a software engineer and has lived in the township for 15 years with two children in the district. Since coming to the board in 2016, Peng said she has focused on "reforming district finances and solving the overcrowding crisis."

"To answer and solve these problems is why I run for the Board of Education," she said. "Over the past few years, I helped the board save about $10 million in the budget – by cutting fraud and waste and voting out over-charging vendors. Our team feels the imminent responsibility to see this money to be used wisely, and in our schools/programs. Without an independent and transparent board to oversee, no matter how much money is saved for taxpayers, they can be abused and gone soon before the public ever knows. A master plan for school expansion has been designed and is on the way to start. We have the money, a plan, all we need is a good team for successful executions."

Peng said she "could have retired from the board, but the situation changed, and the superintendent is leaving, the master plan is on halt."

"Knowing how corrupted some of the elected officials are, and how much dirty politics are in this town and infiltrating into our schools, as well as the almost zero transparency the board has, the future is not promising," she said. "I feel it is an obligation to stay on the board to follow things through, finish the last mile of the long run."

With overcrowding of schools as a major issue, Peng said that "only a board that has no political ties, no business connections and no personal gains, can select an independent, highly qualified superintendent to execute the master plan."

"Our team is here to make sure every decision is made for the benefit of students and taxpayers," Peng said. "Our team has a dream − kids should have enough classrooms to take any course, beautiful sport fields to play on, state-of-art auditoriums to perform at and bright-shining cafeterias to dine in. Our teachers should have all the tools and training they need, come to school every day with something to look forward to and go home feeling accomplished and rewarded. Our kids, teachers and taxpayers deserve this – call it a dream, but if we don’t have this dream, we should not be running for school board."

A former two-term school board member, Romano served as vice president for four years. He has lived in the township for more than 43 years and volunteered on numerous community groups.

Romano said he is looking to return to the board to better make sure costs are controlled and the budget is followed as well as "see that the curriculum is followed with fidelity." He also aims to "work with the board and school community to ensure that students are first," "work with the town to ease the overcrowding of schools" and "hire teachers and staff from within the school system."

A local business owner and an entrepreneur in the technology sector, Vishal Patel has been a Math Club coach for Menlo Park Elementary School students as well as a coach for many community sports teams and volunteer for several community and nonprofit organizations. He is a father of two school-age children and has lived in the township for more than 12 years. He is "committed to ensuring that there is transparency in the health curriculum and that parents are fully informed as to what is taught in the classroom."

Vishal Patel sees "holding school administration accountable" as a priority for board members. He said it is important "to have a vision and a strategic plan."

"Unfortunately, that’s missing in our schools right now," he said. "We need to create a strategic and long-term plan, with input from parents, taxpayers, educators and students. Once that’s done, my team and I will ensure that the school administration meets specific and targeted goals. We will implement quarterly reviews of the administration that are open to the public."

'Protect The Children'

A staple at school board meetings, Makropoulos feels strongly about his "Protect The Children" slogan. Running for a board seat is his way of serving the community, he said.

"I believe in the importance of ensuring that every child receives a quality education in order to be successful," the Edison High School graduate said. "Education is the most powerful tool to build a healthy and vibrant community. I will be an advocate for students and parents who need a leader that is transparent. Many in our community are concerned that our children are being taught values they do not share, whether it is the curriculum or mandates from Dictator [Gov. Phil] Murphy. I want to be the voice for all those frustrated students, parents, teachers and taxpayers."

According to Makropoulos, the "biggest issue facing the school district is the same as it has been for years."

"It's the political corruption that plagues the Edison school district every election cycle," he said. "I am against the radical left-wing agenda that Dictator Gov. Murphy calls sex education curriculum. I call on Gov. Murphy to stop his sexual indoctrination of children and to go back to Boston."

'Students, Teachers First'

Pandya, who unsuccessfully ran for the board in 2020, is on the "Students, Teachers First" slate with Banginwar and Minesh Patel. The three feel that the district needs "new leaders with fresh ideas to maximize on innovative opportunities."

"While our property and our school taxes are pushing the boundaries of the 21st century, our school system is stuck in the 20th century," said Pandya, a township resident for 23 years and graduate of the district. "Our collaborative effort will help us with better governance, resulting in better articulated ideas. We all three share a common cause − betterment of the Edison township school district."

Minesh Patel, who has lived in the township for 19 years, added the trio may "come from different walks of life, with different views," but they all complement each other. "Make our students and teachers a priority, they come first," the three said.

"As for issues, I would like to concentrate on finance, curriculum and transportation," said Minesh Patel, the business and director of operations at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan USA and father of three children.

"We have a real task to do in terms of making sure there’s a clear pathway for young people to help them achieve their dreams and make sure that our school system is at the forefront of it," Panya added. "We are bringing the focus and efforts to our students and teachers, to ensure resources and support is available to ensure and sustain the highest level of academic excellence."

The mother of two daughters who attended district schools, Banginwar has lived in the township for 24 years and is the founder and owner of Natraj Dance Studio. Like Minesh Patel, this is her first bid for a school board seat.

"I want to keep this town a great place to live and raise a family, and as a homeowner, business owner and parent of a special-needs child that went through Edison school system, I have vested interest," Banginwar said. "I have the experience and community service necessary to be an effective board member. I will work hard and make sure all voices are heard."

Banginwar also sees student mental health as a necessary and immediate focus.

"Student mental health challenges have occurred for decades, but the recent pandemic brought the subject to the forefront," Bandiwar said. "We need a support system for school kids to ensure students achieve their program requirements. There are tools and diverse solutions to help students and establishments overcome mental health challenges and I will work hard to make sure that these are available to all students in the Edison school district."

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ election: Edison Board of Education race preview