Mendham Borough School Board Election 2024: Cristin Adinolfi

MENDHAM, NJ — Election Day is nearing, and Mendham voters will soon head to the polls to cast their votes for open seats on the local school board.

Residents in the Mendhams will see choices for their K-8 school districts on the ballot, including current members running for re-election and any challengers.

There are no borough or township candidates for the West Morris Regional High School District, as those seats are not up for re-election this year.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates, seeking their responses. Here is the response from candidate Cristin Adinolfi.

Cristin Adinolfi

What drove you to seek public office?

As a mom, coach, and educator, I am running for three main reasons: I believe in strong education; I am passionate about serving youth in our community; and I want to continue to offer a balanced voice of a parent and educator to the board.

Besides a loving home, I think the greatest foundation we can give our children is a strong, well-rounded education. In my first three years on the board, I have been a part of some amazing accomplishments by the Mendham Borough Schools: the redesignation of Mountain View as a School to Watch, the hiring of a new literacy coordinator with focus on bringing research-backed practices into the classroom, and the development of a new 5-year community-created strategic plan for our schools.

However, I am most proud of Hilltop Elementary's Blue Ribbon School award following years of a continuous pursuit of excellence. I am hoping to continue this work for another term.

Additionally, I love kids and love to support youth development in the community. I am a member of the Mendham Basketball Association's board, I teach catechism, and I coach cross country and baseball. These interactions bring me joy and having the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of our community's children in such a meaningful way means everything to me. With the increasing complex and changing demands of the world, we must give the kids of Mendham the best education we can to prepare them for the future.

As a mom of two sons, the success of the Mendham Borough Schools is personal. Over the last three years, I have continuously been the voice of parents on the board, making sure that our voices are heard in important matters such as budget and curriculum planning. Being a parent in the world today is demanding work and we must have a strong school system that walks in step with us to ensure the continued growth of our children.

I love our small town, and I want to continue to be a part of making it extraordinary.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am the only candidate who is a parent and brings experience as a school board member and an educator. I have been a parent in the district for 10 years and have another 4 ahead of me. My oldest son has transitioned to high school, and I have seen firsthand the preparation required to be successful at the next level.

As a seated board member, I have also had the privilege to be a part of the conversations that shape the path of the school district and ensure that we continue to provide the best education in the most fiscally responsible way.

Finally, I am teacher who after nearly two decades in a corporate position saw an opportunity to pursue my passion in education and pivoted towards a career in the classroom. I can lend the voice of a frontline educator to conversations about curriculum, test scores and student needs. I can also add a voice of experience in discussions about teacher retention and the pressures that teachers face every day.

This combination sets me apart from the others on the ballot.

What do you see as the biggest issue facing the school board in Mendham Boro?

As a parent and active community member, I hear the community's biggest fears and concerns every day. There are two topics that are at the top of everyone's mind right now: the impact of planned housing developments on the schools and teacher retention.

Mendham is facing the addition of an apartment building located behind the Kings shopping center. There are also rumors of other developments that will add additional housing to the town. While the basis for construction is the increase of affordable housing in Mendham, the overall impact to the town resources, including the schools, is unknown. To the community members I have spoken with, maintaining a blue-ribbon education with small class sizes is a priority. I fully intend to continue my work on the school board to plan for impacts to the school district and make sure that any additional student population does not water down the education offered to all students.

The second issue that comes up time and again is staff retention. The most important piece of a high-quality school district is the placement of high-quality educators in the classroom. There is no technology or curriculum program that can replace a well-trained, experienced teacher. With the increasing cost of living and health care costs, maintaining quality staff must be paired with an eye on a fiscally responsible budget. For a variety of reasons, from economic uncertainty to increasing professional demands, the number of people entering the teaching profession has decreased.

As a small district, Mendham Borough must work even harder to attract the best talent. As a teacher myself, I can contribute to the conversation by bringing light to the issues that impact the overall morale of teachers and what tools and resources can impact retention. With my reelection, I will continue to support the superintendent in finding ways to hire and retain the absolute best teachers and staff.

How much does COVID learning loss and school security impact your plans?

With agile management, highly qualified educators and a practical eye towards learning gaps, the Mendham Borough Schools have shown great resilience in the face of learning loss. Hilltop's Blue Ribbon designation in 2023 is testament to the dedication of the schools and community to our students' academic needs. The emotional and developmental toll the pandemic took on students and staff are still there, and I continue to support resources directed towards the overall well-being and safety of our students. With a dedicated school counselor in each building, the prioritization of character education, and programs such as Mountain View's parent book club and advisory, I believe we are giving our students the best tools to help them put the effects of the pandemic behind them.

What is your favorite thing about the Boro schools?

It's difficult to pick a single thing. The schools are educating students to be well-rounded and empathetic leaders in the community. The district connects to the community and the current strategic plan was made with significant community input. Having a school district that is so strongly supported by the community is amazing. So, perhaps, I have nearly 5000 favorite things – the people of Mendham Borough that continue to support the success of the schools and the success of our kids. Serving the people of Mendham Borough has been a privilege and I humbly ask for another three years to continue this good work.