To the Editor:
It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I write to support the candidacy of Ms. Annemarie Maini for the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education.
I have gotten to know Annemarie through her role as directer of South Orange Country Day School, the special place known affectionately as the “blue school” to the many families who consider it a supportive second home.
My husband and I chose to send our children to SOCDS after observing several young alumni of the school who embodied the qualities we wish our own children to possess: confidence, empathy, curiosity about the world and resiliency in the face of challenges. This is now our third year with the school (our son recently “graduated” and our daughter is in the preschool program) and it has exceeded all expectations. I know the reason why: Annemarie Maini.
Annemarie runs the school in a way that promotes both academic excellence and good citizenship. As evidence increasingly shows that emotional intelligence is a strong indicator of future success, Annemarie and her staff effectively tune in to their diverse student body, helping them resolve conflicts and build the confidence they need to learn. (No easy feat in a population of two to five-year-olds.)
The staff at the school frequently credit Annemarie with creating a warm and supportive atmosphere that makes them want to stay. I have spoken to many parents who recounted times Annemarie has helped them in numerous ways large and small — without fanfare and without looking for anything in return. So many people have told me they are part of the SOCDS community because they like the way Annemarie “runs things,” which is rooted in common sense and sensitivity to the complicated challenges we all face.
My son has recently started kindergarten at Clinton and is off to a great start thanks in large part to the preparation he received at SOCDS. However, as a parent who is navigating the public school system for the first time, I have some concerns about the frustrations I have heard from fellow parents within the district — concerns I never had to ponder before thanks to Annemarie’s special school.
I consider it a gift to have Annemarie running for a spot on the SOMA school board. I have witnessed the way Annemarie seeks to help all children succeed, something I am confident she would continue to do for all SOMA students once elected. Plus, her extensive background in mathematics and her years at J.P. Morgan Chase demonstrate that she has the financial savvy to navigate the complicated district budgeting process.
As Annemarie herself says on her campaign website, she has decided to run in part because “I see with my own eyes what’s happening. What is most distressing is that I have seen at least a few of my pre-school graduates start to wilt instead of blossom.”
It is imperative that every child in our special community has the chance to bloom, and Annemarie is undoubtedly the candidate who will strive to make that happen.
A vote for Annemarie is a vote for every child in this community, a uniquely qualified candidate we are so fortunate to have running in this year’s election. Please join me in supporting Annemarie Maini for Board of Education. on Nov. 3.
Kathy Ehrich Dowd
Maplewood
