Six candidates are running for three seats on the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education: Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan and Meredith Higgins for the “Listen, Learn, Lead” slate; and Daniel Caplan, Ashley Donahue and Ashwat Rishi, for the “Progress, Partnership, Promise” slate.
Village Green asked voters to send statements of support for their candidates of choice. Below are the statements sent for Nayar, Stephan and Higgins. The trio has also been endorsed by former BOE President Annemarie Maini and by SOMA Action. The slate has also provided a list of endorsements on their website here. Find the statements of support for Caplan, Donahue and Rishi here.
Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, Meredith Higgins
Read the statements of support for Nayar, Stephan and Higgins here:
As Maplewood residents for five years and parents of a South Orange Middle School student, we’ve seen firsthand how important strong, collaborative leadership is for the success of our schools, and we are writing to share our enthusiastic support for Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins for the Board of Education. These candidates have shown clear commitment to ensuring all students thrive academically and that special services are fully supported, and for our family, it has been particularly meaningful to see Garden State Equality endorse their dedication to inclusive, equitable schools where every student feels seen, supported, and safe. Nayar’s extensive experience in community development finance is exactly what’s needed on the board as we face tough decisions about the district’s complex financial future and transportation issues, while Stephan’s professional mediation skills and Higgins’ proven community-building expertise will be essential in guiding our community through these challenges with empathy, transparency, and integrity. We highly encourage everyone to visit their campaign blog to read their thoughtful positions on these issues firsthand, and hope you will join us in turning over your ballots and voting 1E, 2E, 3E – Nayar, Stephan, Higgins: Listen, learn, lead! — Lisa Reardon & Erika Burbach, Maplewood
I proudly support Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins three dedicated community members who embody the spirit of Listen, Learn, Lead. Malini, Paul, and Meredith bring deep roots in Maplewood and a passion for equity not just for a few, but for all children. They have invested countless hours laying out strategies, developing solutions, conducting surveys, and listening to the community to ensure every voice is heard. Their commitment to inclusive, compassionate, and accountable leadership has earned them my full endorsement. Together, they will help our schools and community thrive. — Jane Collins-Colding [Democratic candidate for Maplewood Township Committee]
I am voting for the Nayar, Stephan, and Higgins slate for our Board of Education because they understand good governance and embody the qualities that are important to me in a board member- to listen, consider all perspectives, and make thoughtful, fair and budget-conscious decisions that put our students and district first. It is also essential for me that Malini, Paul and Meredith reflect the progressive, inclusive values of our community that strengthen our schools and are dedicated to meeting the needs of all students. — Stacy Merriweather Fontil, South Orange
I’ll be casting my vote for Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins for the Board of Education this year. The Listen, Learn, Lead slate has put forward clear, evidence-based, and data-driven policies on everything from transportation and the Intentional Integration Initiative to the budget and special education. They believe deeply in the promise of our district and the future of our students, and they embody the values that mean so much to our community. I hope others will join me in voting for these candidates who share our community’s commitment to equity, excellence, and the success of every child. — Sara Kirkwood, Maplewood
After having spent some time with the candidates, I believe them to be a cohesive and collaborative team, dedicated to serving and advocating on behalf the community of South Orange and Maplewood. It is rare to find a team with such a clear vision, and a group of people that bring so many different, and wonderful, qualifications to the job. It gives me hope that they could be our advocates during such a tumultuous political time for our children and country. — Eunice Lee, Maplewood
Nayar Stephan and Higgins’ vision for the district aligns with my own: academic excellence alongside equity. They stand out for their thoughtful, strategic, and data-driven approach that looks at data as a whole—and over time—to see a full and honest story emerge. Their approach relieves my concerns that the III might be slowly undone by cherry picking incomplete data and making reflexive changes that benefit a select few while undermining the equity side of the equation that makes our community so unique and valuable. They have developed smart and immediate solutions to quickly improve pain points like transportation and ballooning administrative costs, while maintaining focus on our long-term values and goals. — Matthew Bloom, Maplewood
Our Board needs to hear the needs of the entire community –especially those with the smallest voices — collaborate effectively, and brace for what are sure to be major budget cuts incoming. I trust Malini, Paul, and Meredith to preserve the thousands of hours of work put into the Intentional Integration Initiative and allow it time and space to show its value and importance. I believe they will best understand the perspectives of our teachers and work to support them in every way possible. I am proud to support Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins for our Board of Education. — Kathy Greenstone, South Orange
We are 10 year residents of Maplewood, with 2nd and 6th graders in the district. We are proud to have voted for the Nayar Stephan Higgins BOE slate for a variety of reasons, including their commitment to social and emotional learning, fiscal transparency and the Intentional Integration Initiative. We appreciate that they immediately released a statement condemning the local ICE kidnappings, in a sign of commitment to protecting and welcoming our most vulnerable students and families, which strengthens the SOMSD school district as a whole. Their endorsement by Garden State Equality further highlights the values that are important to us as a family, and that’s why they have our vote and our full support. — Eli Bolin & Allison Posner, Maplewood
I am writing to emphatically express my support for the Nayar, Stephan, Higgins ticket for the Board of Education. As a queer parent of two children currently enrolled in elementary and high school here in our towns, it is of the utmost importance to me to seek out representation that would best advocate for our district’s students and teachers. I feel very strongly that these candidates align strongly with my values, both as a citizen and as a parent. Their campaign pledge, “listen, learn, lead” feels very genuine to me, and
it is my opinion that if elected I can trust Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan and Meredith Higgins to use this approach to inform their advocacy and decision making. — Steph Mazzarella, Maplewood
I am voting for Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins for two main reasons. First and foremost, they are all open-minded people with one goal: to make our district the best it can be for ALL students, and I believe they’ll be willing to work with everyone on the board and in the administration to make that happen. Secondly, I believe their varied backgrounds make all three of them qualified for the roles individually, and also give the slate balance of background and opinions. — Jamie Ramsburg, South Orange
I am voting for Nayar, Stephan, and Higgins because of their support for Trans Youth in our community. They have all been involved in conversation and efforts to support and learn more about our communities, and I trust them to do the right thing by some of our most vulnerable students. — Zoe (Berkovic) Zela, South Orange
I am proud and delighted to share my enthusiastic support for three wonderful community leaders – Malini Nayar, Meredith Higgins and Paul Stephan – for the SOMSD Board of Education. The candidates’ experiences in classrooms, as parents, and in their roles managing complex community development projects makes them the only clear choice to protect and continue improving upon our district’s successful and thriving Intentional Integration Initiative, which is now widely considered a national model for school integration. And at a time when our most vulnerable children and families are waking up in fear of being kidnapped and separated, I want a team I know will fight to keep our schools safe havens for all children. The best thing I can do for my own two sons is build and nurture a school community that reflects our family’s values; there is no such thing as excellence without equity. — Jessica James, Maplewood
We are proudly and enthusiastically voting for Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan and Meredith Higgins for the BOE. Since they launched their campaign, these candidates have been gathering information, asking questions, and crafting solutions that meet the needs of our district members, while upholding our community values and maintaining a commitment to integration. Malini has the distinct capacity to expertly manage and make sense of the budget and as we approach a financial cliff; a public interest lawyer and former teacher, Paul fights corporate bullies in pursuit of equity and accountability; and Meredith leads with a focus on mental well-being and community engagement as a way to find collaborative solutions. Nayar, Stephan and Higgins represent the best of our community, we thank them for running, and are thrilled to cast our votes for them. — Tara Mallon & Harsh Kalra, South Orange, NJ
As a life-long SOMa resident, the parent of two children in the district, and an educator for over 20 years, it is clear to me that Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan, and Meredith Higgins represent the best of our community, and would be assets to our district as members of the Board of Education. Each candidate in the “Listen, Learn, Lead” slate brings varied strengths and perspectives that will ensure that our board is deeply thoughtful and well-balanced as we tackle the known (and unknown) challenges ahead. Malini has demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the budget and the constraints we face going forward; Paul would bring expertise in policy and advocacy; Meredith has shown her commitment to building and participating in a strong, supportive community. I fully trust and whole-heartedly endorse Nayar, Stephan, and Higgins, knowing they will creatively and effectively solve district problems, and simultaneously celebrate and uplift district successes. — Amanda Mazzarella, Maplewood
