Bordentown City and Township will have two vacancies on the school board this year, as a single candidate for both city and township are the only listed contenders to fill the respective openings.
Although candidate and current school board member, Salvatore Schiano, is the only listed official running for the open position on behalf of the township, he will be competing against a write-in candidate, Aneka Miller.
Michael T. James, on the other hand, will be running unopposed and will likely fill the vacancy on behalf of Bordentown City.
At 66 years old, Schiano has lived in Bordentown for 14 years. He’s retired from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He worked with them for 26 years and retired as a police detective. He’s currently the treasurer of a federal credit union (XCEL FCU) and has been on that school board for over 30 years. He’s also presently a fire commissioner in Fire District 2 (Derby) for the last six years, serving as its secretary.
At 37 years old, James is currently a history teacher Hightstown High School since 2006. He has lived in Bordentown City over 30 years. He has a bachelor’s degree from the College of New Jersey in History Education and a master’s degree from Monmouth University in World History. He is also the father of two kids.
Aneka Miller is a write-in candidate for the township’s ballot on the school board and a parent of two children, one of whom attends Regional Middle School. Bordentown School District. Along with her husband, Clint, she has have lived in the township for more than 12 years. She’s been an active part of the community; including being a part of Bordentown Bulldogs football family and BABL teams, and a recent PTO/co-Chair of McFarland Intermediate School’s Program. She also has experience in service and volunteerism from Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA), Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), to the Alzheimer’s Association. Miller is a regulatory manager and project manager in the pharmaceutical industry. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD, she earned her MBA degree in Strategic Business Management from Rutgers University, and is also a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP).
In order to provide candidates with an equitable platform to discuss their plans for the township and city school board, all candidates were given the same questions and the same amount of space for their responses.
Why are you running for a spot on the school board? What drives you to public service?
Schiano: I am running for re-election to the school board. I believe in giving back. I have been involved with community volunteer service for the last 35 years.
James: Public service has always been a part of who I am; my parents provided me with an excellent example of how to live a life for the betterment of country and community. My father served in the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve, and my mother is a registered nurse. Both of my parents have spent over 30 years in their fields and stressed the importance of public service and care for others. I am running so that I can be an advocate for all of the children in our community: to ensure that our schools provide an enriching and safe environment for our children, to make sure our children get the best education that our tax dollars can provide, to use my voice to elevate those who have been historically marginalized. Just as my father dedicated his career to the USAF and my mother provided comfort to countless patients, I have dedicated my professional career to education and to building our future. Being able to pursue those goals in the community I grew up in is very exciting.
Miller: I am running for the Bordentown Township School Board position to present new ideas and challenge the status quo, for our students to be more competitive and become future leaders. There’s much to be said about “giving back” and public service. In actuality, if your heart and effort is in the right place, what you “get back” is immeasurable. Public service is my way of honoring “the village” that contributed to my own personal growth and development.
Other than taxes, what would you say are the most pressing issues facing Bordentown schools? If elected, how do you plan to tackle those issues?
Schiano: The major issue of the district is the same that other districts face. That is, funding by the State. The district has had a number of budget cuts in previous years. What I would like to do is bring back some programs that were cut in the previous years. An example that I would like to bring back is to have Spanish teachers teaching the language to the elementary students instead of the way the language is presently being taught. The present Board is working on these issues. I would help to continue the work.
James: We are a small district with an incredibly dedicated, caring staff. The goodwill and concern that the faculty and staff have for our children is present in so many ways. Yet, we have problems to solve. In many ways, we need to modernize our school district. From the lack of technology in our classrooms, to the antiquated curriculum in some subject areas, to the absence of robust data in the decision-making process, to the aging elementary and intermediate school facilities, to the concerns of special needs students, to school safety, BRSD needs serious updating. We need to leverage the positive attributes of our schools and look closely at ways in which we must improve. It will take a village to make these decisions, and community stakeholders must be involved in ways that respect their point of view and take their concerns into account. The focus in all of these decisions must be the children and their future. It is my belief that good schools mean bright futures, but also good schools make good financial sense for the taxpayers.
Miller: Competition: How do we compare to school systems that rank higher or private institutions? What are the driving factors for parents who consider alternative schools? Tackling these issues begins with understanding our baseline, defining SMART objectives, challenging the status quo by asking “why not?” and executing ideas/plans.
How would you say you differ from your opponents? Why should voters choose you?
Schiano: As of today, I am running unopposed. But I bring years of working with budgets. I am presently Treasurer of a Federal Credit Union (XCEL FCU) and have been on that Board for over 30 years. I have been a Fire Commissioner for the last 6 years working with that budget. I have substituted in the High School in the past (2005 – 2006) and saw first-hand how the students were taught. Having a Master’s degree in Education has and will help in understanding and developing programs presently being used or may be used in the future.
James: As things go, my name will be the only one on the ballot for Bordentown City voters. However, I would like to take the time to recognize the great job that Josh Fausti has done in his tenure on the BOE. It is his seat that I will be filling. I first met Josh when he knocked on my door three years ago when he was out campaigning. Since that moment, we became friends, and we worked together on several issues relating to our schools. Josh has represented Bordentown City remarkably well and done a fine job for our children as well as represented the interests of the taxpayer. I am grateful for his service to our community, and his hard work and dedication to educational excellence.
Miller: I chose Bordentown Township as the place to raise my children. I share similar concerns of parents and taxpayers, and want our kids to think BIG and think global.
What, in your opinion, makes the Bordentown school district somewhere you want to serve?
Schiano: Bordentown School District is where I live. My neighbors send their children there. I want to give what is best for their children.
James: Bordentown is an amazing place with residents who are best described as “the salt of the Earth.” As a lifelong resident of Bordentown City, I cannot think of a greater place to raise my children, nor can I think of a better undertaking to dedicate my time and energy to. Our roots run deep in Bordentown, and the educational facilities in our community have always been a part of that. From Clara Barton’s first public school, to Rev. Walter Rice’s Bordentown School, to the Bordentown Female College, and Bordentown Military Institute; our community has always valued educational excellence. These schools produced graduates who rose to the occasion and thrived, many of whom defied the odds of their historical circumstance. Our public school system is among these fine institutions and it will be a great pleasure of mine to serve a community with such a storied educational tradition. I can only hope to live up to the precedent that many in our community have set.
Miller: My son is a sixth grader in the middle school. I am inspired by the diversity of his friends. Despite their differences, they connect because of common interests: sports, Fortnite, and developing values. Bordentown is strengthened by people of good character, who share core values.
