To the Editor:
I am writing in support of Tony Mazzocchi’s candidacy for the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. Mazzocchi’s credentials as a musician, teacher, nonprofit board member and administrator are well known, and his conviction that “it is possible to innovate within the confines of our current system” is based on his direct experience carving more services out of fewer resources in our own school district. His candidacy has promoted sensible, undogmatic ways of addressing critical needs and priorities in SOMSD, such as creating an Arts/Technology magnet school at Seth Boyden to promote integration and reduce elementary school overcrowding, using online courses and agreements with county colleges to allow students to earn high school credits, and seeking public-private partnerships to increase arts programming.
In his former role as SOMSD’s Director of Fine and Performing Arts he expanded our middle school students’ access to music programming without incurring extra costs, introduced dance programming at Seth Boyden, and established a Suzuki program with the Adult School, among other achievements.
I believe Tony Mazzocchi will bring balance to the BOE and work well with its other members to help guide our district’s administration in the best interests of our students and community. I hope you will join me and my family in casting a vote for him for Board of Education on November 8th.
Jennifer Crohn
South Orange
