Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education in the Nov. 5, 2024 election. Village Green invites voters to submit Letters to the Editors in support of candidates. See guidelines below.
As we approach this year’s general election with early voting beginning and voting by mail underway, one of the more contested elections in our community is the SOMA Board of Education. This election cycle, there are several candidates running with different ideas and perspectives on how our School District should move forward in the coming years.
As voters, a contested election is healthy for our democracy as it provides us with a choice for who we envision will take our School District forward with the community’s best interests and most important assets in mind – in this case our students.
Your vote is your true voice. I encourage everyone to use the power of their vote this November.
By Tuesday November 5th I will be casting one of my votes for Arun Vadlamani.
There are several reasons why Arun has earned my vote.
Arun is highly focused and brings essential qualities for our District’s success: a balanced temperament, stability, commitment to follow-through, continuity on the Board, and a collaborative approach with our administration, teachers, and the community.
I have had the honor of serving with Arun on the Board of School Estimate. As colleagues, we were tasked with the initial discovery and funding assessment for the District’s Long-Range Facilities Plan.
I had the opportunity firsthand to witness Arun’s commitment, passion and collegiality as a public servant for our community.
During our Board of School Estimate meetings Arun was always prepared and well read on agenda items. He was engaged in our discussions with thoughtful questions and comments. It was clear that his votes on the board were grounded in being well informed on important topics.
I observed Arun take a balanced approach, considering the needs of all of SOMA when evaluating the costs of the Long-Range Facilities Plan and their impact on household budgets within our community. He fostered collaboration and compromise, actively listening to the public and addressing issues from various viewpoints.
I was particularly impressed by his unwavering commitment to the community, as he remained focused on critical issues despite the public swirl that can overshadow critical issues.
Arun has earned my support due to his commitment to ensuring equitable access to attention and resources across our School District. He advocates for process improvements by identifying bottlenecks and failure points within our departments. His consistent calls for administrative action, along with follow-ups and progress updates, demonstrate his dedication to accountability.
Throughout his tenure, Arun has championed enhancements in Special Services and is now focused on implementing the recommendations from the recent Special Services Audit.
He was an early key stakeholder in our Intentional Integration Initiative and is now part of the driving force to ensure the completion of the Initiative.
As a father of a recent CHS graduate and a current CHS student, Arun brings valuable parent perspectives to the table.
This election, Arun is running alongside Bethany Joseph, a longtime SOMA resident who has been instrumental in collaborative efforts with the SOMA YMCA, where she currently serves as Board Chair. Bethany’s background as a product of our School District provides unique insights that will greatly benefit our District.
Arun is also joined by Dr. Qawi Telesford, who has collaborated with him on various initiatives and is a proud graduate of our School District. Qawi is committed to giving back to the community that shaped his success. During his tenure on the Board, he established the Data and Technology Committee, a crucial step towards data-driven decision-making in our District.
With a strong track record in community and coalition building, Arun, Bethany, and Qawi are well-positioned to lead our District into a forward-thinking future. They understand our community deeply and will foster collaboration among key stakeholders, including residents, Board Members, teachers, and administration.
Please cast your votes by November 5th for Arun Vadlamani (6J), Bethany Joseph (7J), and Qawi Telesford (5J). Thank you to all who stepped up to run for office and to every resident participating in our political process.
With gratitude,
Frank McGehee
Maplewood, NJ
Letters to the Editors guidelines: Village Green publishes Letters to the Editors in support of candidates. Publishing these letters is at the discretion of the editors. We do not publish letters attacking competing candidates or any person. We aim to publish as many letters as we receive; however, if there is a large volume of letters and they are received late in the race, we cannot guarantee that they will be posted. Letters to the Editors can be submitted to villagegreennj@gmail.com. Please send as a Word or Google document, not as a PDF. Letter writers should provide their name and place of residence (town and state). The deadline for submitting a Letter to the Editor for the Fall 2024 election is Tuesday, October 29, at 5 p.m.
