Bordentown: Candidates run for board of ed seats

Candidates will run for seats on the Bordentown Regional School District Board of Education in the election Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Michael T. James, who is serving as board president, will run unopposed for the Bordentown City seat. Incumbents Raquel Parker and Richard Shenowski and Vrinder K. Mann are running unopposed for the three Bordentown Township seats.

Board member Katherine Clark, of Bordentown Township, is not seeking re-election.

Carmen Rivera is running unopposed for an unexpired one-year term.

All were asked to submit an election questionnaire. As of deadline, James and Mann had not responded.

Name: Raquel Parker

Age: 46

How many years have you lived in Bordentown Township? My husband and I bought a home in the township in 2005, 19 years.

Family: I have been married to my husband, Christopher Parker, who is a lifelong Bordentown resident, since 2006, but met in college in 1998. We have one daughter, Kara Parker, who is a junior at Bordentown Regional High School. My daughter has attended school in the district since kindergarten. We also have a fur-baby, Clara Belle, our little Chiweenie. We were fortunate enough to rescue her and she has become such an important part of our family.

Profession: Former Early Childhood Educator

Is this the first time you have run for a seat for BOE? This is not the first time I have run for the board. I ran last year for a three-year term. When a one-year vacant seat was available, I decided to apply. I was chosen to fill the seat and was appointed and sworn in by the board in the fall of 2023. I have served for one full year and have attended 100% of those meetings.

What is your involvement in the community? I am fully involved in the community and that is something that I pride myself on. All of these roles are on a volunteer basis and I have made profound connections all through Bordentown and beyond. I am a Girl Scout leader of a local middle school and high school aged troop. Co-chair of the Bordentown Township Environmental Committee where we help educate and bring alternative sustainable opportunities for our local community. I am the vice president and a member of the Dorothea Dix Unitarian Universalist Community where we help feed the local displaced families living in our local motels. I’ve had the privilege of teaching preschool to many of our local students who attended Play and Learn Preschool before they closed down.

Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running because I have a passion for education and community well-being makes me an excellent candidate for the board of education. I have community roots: As a community member, I understand the unique needs and dynamics of our schools firsthand.  I have teaching experience: My background as a former early childhood educator brings valuable insights into education. I am an advocate: My commitment to prioritizing teachers, staff, and students shows integrity and dedication.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I have two areas I would like to concentrate on if I am elected. I’d like to address the budget and mental health. While the budget is very challenging, as a school board member, I can focus on clear goals, student advocacy, collaboration with district leadership, fiscal responsibility, equity, community engagement, and state-level advocacy. Remember, teamwork matters, effective boards work together for positive student outcomes! Mental Health also needs to become more of a priority in our schools. As a board member, I can help the district by raising awareness about mental health, to help destigmatize it, and help allocate resources for the schools. We can partner with the community for support, and help ensure staff receive mental health training to recognize and address student needs.

Carmen Rivera

Age: 43

How many years have you lived in Bordentown Township? Four years

Family: Married, four children, youngest are a 10th grader and a first grader.

School and degree: Suny State Dowling College, MBA Profession: Assistant Director of Finance Operations for MTAC&D 

Is this the first time you have run for a seat for BOE? Yes it is.

Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running for an elected seat because I believe my qualities, values, and skills would make me a great board member. 

I am a strong believer in communication and transparency! I advocated for our children and our community back in March at the State House Annex when our school district was experiencing a drastic cut in state funding.

I did so by using data and metrics to support my beliefs and decisions and conducted my conversations with administration professionally.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Funding.

Name: Richard Shenowski

Age:  43

How many years have you lived in Bordentown Township?:  19 Years

Family: I am a lifelong resident of Burlington County who moved to Bordentown in 2005.  My wife joined the Bordentown community in 2011 after we were married.  We spent a few years as newlyweds then were blessed with our daughter who now attends PMES.

School and degree: Associates from Burlington County College in electrical engineering.

Profession: Vice President of Operations for a local manufacturing company.

Is this the first time you have run for a seat for BOE? I was appointed to the board in February of 2022 then ran for a one-year term last year to complete year three of the seat I’m currently in. This year I am running to renew that seat for a full three years.

What is your involvement in the community?:  Since joining the board in 2022 much of my community involvement revolves around board and other school activities like PTA. We also enjoy our involvement with recreation soccer (Go Team Lightning!) and a local church on Sundays.

Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running for another term because I am passionate about making our schools great. I take my board responsibilities seriously and am never a “Rubber Stamp.” I am a committed advocate for both our students and taxpayers, always striving to balance quality education with fiscal responsibility. As an integral and influential member of the board, I’ve built strong working relationships with the administration and my fellow board members. These relationships have allowed me to contribute meaningfully to key decisions. Our board president appointed me to chair the curriculum committee and fill a vacancy in the policy committee, further demonstrating my abilities and commitment to shaping the future of our district.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? If elected to the board of education, I will continue to support and advance the ongoing efforts and initiatives the board is actively engaged in. This includes my leadership of the curriculum committee, continuing the important work of the policy committee, and with a focus on sustainable budgeting through the finance committee.

A key area of focus moving forward will be the budget, as it requires strategic, long-term planning. My goal is to ensure we preserve essential programs while managing resources responsibly. I am committed to finding a balanced approach that protects the quality of education while maintaining financial stability.