Anthony Mazzocchi reports that he is withdrawing his candidacy from the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education election.
In a message to The Village Green earlier today, Mazzocchi wrote, “I have to bow out for personal reasons and I am disappointed that my voice will not be heard in the campaign in this pivotal year in our district. I have resolved to be of help to our school system in other ways this coming year. As a voter, I am looking for candidates to dig deep into the search for a new superintendent, the way and speed in which we implement current initiatives, and learn more about how administration communicates with teachers and our community.”
Mazzocchi, the former Director of Fine and Performing Arts for the South Orange-Maplewood School District and a Maplewood resident since 1981, had announced his candidacy in June. Mazzocchi said he was running because he could “play a knowledgeable role in helping the district through a time of turnover.” Mazzocchi is currently Associate Director and Professor of Trombone at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University.
On the filing deadline of July 28, Mazzocchi completed a 12-hour round trip from Vermont to file with the Essex County Clerk’s Office to run for the South Orange Maplewood Board of Education.
None of the three incumbents whose terms are up this year — Bill Guadelli, Andrea Wren-Hardin and Sandra Karriem — are running for re-election.
Earlier Friday, Elissa Malespina, former librarian at South Orange Middle School, announced that she was withdrawing from the race in order to spend time on a recent book deal.
Four candidates remain, vying for three seats: Maureen Jones, Elizabeth Baker, Donna Smith and Dr. Godwin O. Molokwu MD. Jones and Baker have announced that they are running together on a ticket. Malespina had been running on a ticket with Smith.
The election takes place November 4, 2014.
