Here's where Westwood school candidates stand in district fired up by parental rights
It's been a tempestuous time for the Westwood Regional School District Board of Education.
Since the spring, meetings in the K-12 district have routinely drawn hundreds of people to debate the board's decisions and statements concerning sex education, parental notifications and LGBTQ+ Pride signs. One meeting was stopped after a scuffle broke out. At another, conservative activist James O'Keefe offered to provide cameras for parents and students to secretly record classroom discussions.
Not surprisingly, the Nov. 7 school board election will be just as contested.
Who's running for Westwood School Board?
Eight people are running for four seats on the board, each with their own ideas on how to move the district forward. The board will also have to choose a new superintendent, with current schools chief Dr. Jill Mortimer planning to retire at the end of the school year.
The seats up for grabs include two three-year terms and a one-year unexpired term, all representing Washington Township, and another three-year term representing Westwood. The district serves about 2,800 students from the two towns.
Incumbents Irene Fenarjian and James Parrino are seeking to retain the two three-year Washington Township seats and will face newcomers Heather Perin and Loni Azzolina in the election.
Jorge Pertuz will challenge incumbent Stacey Price for the one-year unexpired term in thw township.
Newcomers Nicole Martin and Darren DeLuca are running for one three-year Westwood seat.
Azzolina, Perin, Pertuz and Martin appear together in a flyer on Azzolina's Facebook page, asking the community to stand with the four of them as they focus on "equitable public education for all students." Similarly, a flyer on Parrino's Facebook campaign page shows he, DeLuca, Fenarjian and Price running together on a "parental rights" platform.
Board decisions have stirred controversy
April's board meeting was packed, following a meeting the previous month at which the board discussed an elementary school health class in which a teacher noted some families may have two mothers or two fathers. Fenarjian and fellow board member Kristen Pedersen called that a "sensitive topic," and board member Laura Cooper added that parents have the right to opt their children out of such classes and complained of teachers "taking liberties with their manual." Critics called such comments insulting to LGBTQ+ members of the community.
The board majority has also raised concerns about new state sex-education standards and directed its curriculum committee to "advocate for the age-appropriateness of the health curriculum,"
In May, some residents spoke out against a policy restricting what flags can be displayed on school grounds. Acting on that ruling, the administration ordered the removal of LGBTQ+ pride lawn signs outside of the district middle school in June. (The policy allows such banners to remain on display inside school buildings.)
In August, the board updated an existing policy concerning the discussion of “controversial issues” inside the classroom. The new policy included stricter language on teachers expressing personal opinions and added a requirement that parents be notified when such discussions arise.
In September, meanwhile, the board approved a policy requiring that parents be notified when children display behavior deemed potentially harmful, such as the use of alcohol or drugs or a change in academic performance. But bowing to concerns about student privacy, the district policy also stated notification cannot be based solely on characteristics protected by the state's anti-discrimination law, including race, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Elections: Grassroots groups battle to affect NJ school board races. Who are they? What's at stake?
The candidates make their cases
The Record and NorthJersey.com asked the candidates for statements detailing their backgrounds and top concerns. All but Parrino and Price submitted responses. We also reviewed comments at a September candidates forum, which Parrino, Price and DeLuca did not attend. Here's what the contenders had to say:
Loni Azzolina
Hi neighbors, I'm Loni Azzolina, and I'm seeking a seat on the WWRSD Board of Education.
I've been a part of this community since moving here in third grade, graduated from Westwood High School in 2002, and started my career as a paraprofessional at Washington School. As an adult, I purposefully moved back to the town that has given me so much. My family is actively involved with our children’s wonderful elementary school and my husband and I dedicated over a decade to running the WT/WW Rec Wrestling program. My deep connection to our community and school district is what drives my decision to run for this position.
I strive to be both fair-minded and patient, but I admit my patience is waning. I'm embarrassed with our district frequently making headlines for the wrong reasons. I'm extremely frustrated with biased attempts to dictate what is appropriate for our children to learn, what books they have access to read, and by the unethical overreach in classroom decisions and teacher lesson plans. All of these actions seek to undermine educational integrity and dismantle our public schools.
My goal is to restore a sense of normalcy to our schools and our community. I'm here to listen to all parents, support all teachers, and provide and safe and secure learning environment for all students. Together, we can go back to achieving excellence in education by reprioritizing goals so that our district can go back to focusing on the student experience. Please consider voting for me this November 7th!
Darren DeLuca
My name is Darren DeLuca and I’m running for the Westwood Board of Education. I’m running because I believe that academic excellence and strong student achievement are paramount in ensuring success for our community’s youth as they grow in a constantly evolving global society. Success is different for each student and I believe our schools need to equip students with a skillset that empowers them to excel regardless of their path post-graduation.
My wife and I have an 18-month-old son and I would like to ensure that our schools are well-positioned not only for the current students, but also for the next generation. I feel that education should focus on History, English and Arithmetic. Children need to learn the real history of the United States so they know where they came from, where they are and where they’re going. Just like building a house, children need a strong foundation so they are successful as adults and I feel these are fundamental issues that should not be neglected.
If I am elected, I would like to work with parents, teachers, administrators and students to understand their thoughts on how we can continue enhancing our school district. They are our front lines and listening to their needs will help me to make the best decisions I can. I plan to be committed to complete transparency to parents about their children in school. If a child is going to make a life-altering decision, their parents should know about it. Aside from these key items, I believe it’s paramount to let kids be kids and enjoy their childhood without the interference of politics. As adults, we are bombarded with politics, our children shouldn’t be. A child’s youth is gone in a blink of an eye and they shouldn’t be neglected of all the joys that youth has to offer.
Growing up in Westwood was a great experience for me and I would like all children to able to have that same experience. If elected, I plan to pursue all these points, in collaboration with my board colleagues, to the best of my ability.
Irene Fenarjian
I am a 10-year resident of Washington Township and I currently sit on the board of Education today and request your vote for a three-year seat. My husband and I are parents to three children.I work full-time supporting Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Within my work over these past 20+ years, I have created and implemented Individual care plans, ensured that policies and procedures were carried out per federal and state requirements, reviewed and processed Individual and Programmatic budgets, and above all advocated on behalf of Individuals and their guardians.
Striving for Academic excellence, especially around learning loss and underperformance post-lockdown continues to be a challenge. My first priority is helping our district continue to improve our children's academic performance.I also recognize that the search for our next superintendent is of paramount importance. Our current superintendent has worked very hard and tirelessly for the benefit of our district and we need to find someone who brings just as much experience, dedication and commitment.Regarding the rights of parents to understand what is happening at school, I am in full support. Parents are the most integral part of the intellectual, and psychological development of a child, and they choose to collaborate the growth, development and education with schools as part of a team approach. We must continue to hold their rights sacrosanct.Heather Perin
My name is Heather Perin, and I am running for a full-term Westwood Regional School District Board of Education seat for the Township of Washington. I have lived in the township since 2010, but my family ties to the area go much further back. I am the mother of two Westwood Regional students, who began their education in our district’s preschool. I have been an educator for the last 20 years and before that spent 10 years in the corporate world.
I am running for the Board of Education as a uniter and a champion of public education. Ideological turmoil has shaken our community since the pandemic, and our district schools have become a battleground for culture wars. There will always be differences of opinion, but our school board must work as a team to serve the needs of all of our students and represent all members of our community. Our shared goal must be to strengthen our public schools, which are the vibrant beating heart of this place we call home.
As a Board of Education trustee, I will focus on rebuilding unity and listening to all stakeholders to determine the priorities of our district. As I have spoken with members of our community, the two main concerns I have heard are the school climate itself and school facilities. If elected, improving these will be my goal. As new challenges arise, we will face them together.
Together we are Cardinal Strong!
Nicole Martin
My name is Nicole Martin and I am running for the Westwood Board of Education seat. I am a passionate advocate for education with lifelong experience in NJ's public school system. With a daughter in the fourth grade, my dedication extends to roles as a class parent, theater week chair, and Girls on the Run coach. Professionally, as a Human Resources executive, one of my greatest strengths is team and individual development.
My candidacy is motivated by my concerns about the current state of the district. I believe the WWRSD district has been sidetracked by the desires of a few, putting our strong public school system at risk. Recent events, such as media coverage and the loss of over 40 teachers, have only compounded these concerns. If elected, I aim to address this by partnering with parents to empower students and regain community trust.
I place a high priority on fostering community engagement through active listening and open dialogue. I am a strong advocate for the rights of parents, and believe parental involvement is crucial. As a trustee, I envision Q&A forums for the community to express their concerns and ensure diverse perspectives are heard. I welcome challenging conversations, much like I do in my professional capacity.
Rebuilding a positive image for the Westwood Regional School District is another central goal. I intend to make teachers feel valued, which will enhance teacher retention. I recognize the dedication of educators in providing a safe and enriching learning environment daily. My aspiration is to transform the district's reputation to one known for supporting and developing its educators to better serve all students.
Together, let's empower student success in Westwood. Please vote Nicole Martin, Westwood BOE column #1, and together, we'll work toward a brighter future for our community.
Jorge Pertuz
My name is Jorge Pertuz, and I am running for a one-year term on the Westwood Regional School District Board of Education. BOEs around the state have become ground zero for cultural politics, instead of working for the students. I would like to take this opportunity to address what a School Board of Education in New Jersey does, in hopes that more moderate New Jersey citizens run to fill board seats.
I recently attended a state-run Board of Education training, and what I learned was that the BOE has one employee: the superintendent. The superintendent and other administrators run the district. The teachers teach and create the lesson plans. The board oversees the superintendent and, much like a corporate Board of Directors, makes forward thinking decisions that affect the future of the district.
That’s it. End of story.
BOE members cannot: put hidden surveillance cameras on a teacher, write their own curricula, or ban books. Anyone who tells you these actions are necessary to address certain issues are unaware of the mechanisms already in place. The local school board is a representation of the state school board, and the state board runs the public school system. If someone doesn’t like this, they need to lobby Trenton, not run for school board, or the results can be disastrous for the district.
This is what the state board taught us last week. It is not our place, as a school board, to play games with our children’s education or to flex our political muscle. That is why I am running; because of my sincere hope that our school boards can get back to operating the way they should: Planning for their district’s future, supporting their staff and preparing our children for their future.
Thank you.
James Parrino and Stacey Price
Stacey Price did not submit a candidate statement to us. However, in a flyer posted online on Parrino's Facebook campaign page, she described having "25+ years of teaching experience in New Jersey public schools" and was "a tremendous asset to the board for curriculum and policy." The flyer also states she is the current chair of the curriculum committee and member of the policy committee with "three years of current BOE experience." She described herself as a "lifelong resident, wife and mother" and an "enthusiastic track coach promoting health self-motivation and development." She also states that she is "passionate about giving back and making positive thoughtful impact on the community."
Parrino did not respond to multiple messages seeking a statement. However, on a flyer on his Facebook campaign page, he said he “priorities academic achievement by leveraging goal setting, critical thinking and directed strategic vision." He also called himself a "servant leader who positively impacts youth through coaching rec and high school athletics." He also described himself as a husband, father and current member of the board of education. He also graduated from Virginia Military Institute and has "applicable experience from professional teaching and medical sales."
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: noda@northjersey.com
Twitter: @snoda11
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Parental rights has shaken up Westwood NJ schools. Now voters weigh in
