For Bridgewater Kids - Board of Education Candidates

Thank you, Bridgewater, for your support along the way. Your trust and support propelled us throughout this incredible journey.

If you have displayed our sign, please feel free to dispose of it at this time. Your assistance in bringing visibility and awareness to the campaign can not be thanked enough.

Jarrett Hahn & Hector Menendez, DDS

Thank you for your support! - For Bridgewater Kids Thank you, Bridgewater, for electing Jarrett Hahn to the Board of Education. We greatly appreciate everyone’s trust and support throughout this incredible journey. Jarrett is looking forward to getting to work. If you have displayed our sign, please feel free to dispose of it at this time. Your as...

Early voting starts today at the municipal building.

This is Jarrett Hahn and Hector Menendez. We are running for the BOE and would like your support.

We stand for education quality, full transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Most importantly, we support parents and will make sure your voices are heard in your child’s education.

Vote entire column C

Hahn & Menendez
For Bridgewater Kids.

Learn more about us and watch our speeches at our website:
www.ForBridgewaterKids.org

We support full transparency and we support families. See our response regarding parental rights group.

Press Release - Supporting Groups - For Bridgewater Kids For Bridgewater Kids Board of Education Campaign For Immediate Release  Bridgewater, NJ, Oct 22. 2023 It has recently come to our attention that a BOE candidate has made baseless claims against us being backed by an “extremist group”, referring to New Jersey Project. This is a grassroot group a...

Jarrett Hahn's Candidate night speech -in words

Jarrett Hahn's Candidate Night interview at BRTV - For Bridgewater Kids Introduction Good evening, thank you to the council of students,  Mr. Black and Mr. Linzer and the BRTV for hosting this event.  It is great to see practical application of skills learned with in our school district. My name is Jarrett Hahn. I was born and raised in New Jersey and a proud product ...

Hector Menendez's Candidate night speech -in words

Hector Menendez's Candidate Night interview at BRTV - For Bridgewater Kids Opening statement: Good evening, I would like to thank BRTV, the council of School administration, including mr Black and Mr Linzer that have kindly hosted this FORUM. I would also like to thank my running mate, Jarett Hahn, for his dedication as we work together in our campaign. My name is Hector M...

http://forbridgewaterkids.org/

Welcome - For Bridgewater Kids Jarrett Hahn and Hector Menendez for Bridgewater Raritan regional Board of Education (BRRSD BOE)

2023 Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education Candidates Night The 2023 Board of Education Candidates' Night for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District (NJ). There are seven candidates seeking election for the ...

6pm tonight
Bridgewater-Raritan Council of School Associations
2023 BOE Candidate’s Night

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC16iRE_OPR7-u_yk5od2Aig/live

Congratulations to the girls and boys on the BRHS Marching Band!

Marching band wins first competition of 2023 season News Detail - Bridgewater-Raritan HS

Important voting information….

Candidate profile as appear on Patch.com
Jarrett Hahn-

Why are you seeking election on the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education?

The reason I am running for the Board of Education is to be the voice of parents who care about the quality of education, health, wellbeing, overall development, and safety of our students. My running mate Hector Menendez and I hold the same goal of ensuring the best possible education system for Bridgewater students, which is why our campaign slogan is, “For Bridgewater Kids”.

We would like to encourage parents to get more involved and informed on the curriculum. We also would like parents to be aware of the safety and security concerns of the schools and be conscious of both the mental and physical health of our children. We would like to help parents become more engaged and informed about their child’s school. We also would like to see further improved transparency, communication, and overall parent involvement and partnership with the schools.

The second portion of the referendum will go up for a vote in November. Are you in favor of this? Why or why not?

In order to better understand the November 7th referendum vote, you first need to know what the referendum is about. In March, the community voted on two questions. Question one addressed capital improvements to our district and question two was the approval of full day kindergarten and the expansion of the middle school. Both of these questions passed, but in order to implement full day

kindergarten and the expansion of the middle school, we need to vote on the operating budget, which is occurring in November.

Bridgewater is a diverse community with people and families in all stages of life. This comes down to what is best for our community as a whole and I encourage people to learn more about this project and get out to vote.

Transportation is a statewide issue Do you feel transportation issues are being handled well by the Board? Why or why not? If not, how do you propose improving it?

Transportation has been a disaster with most parents I have spoken with. As far as I can see the transportation issues have not been handled well. The issue begins with the quality of transportation providers. Unfortunately, as stated in the latest board meeting, the district is forced to select the lowest bid from all service providers quoted. The cheapest option is almost never the best option. With the limited information shared with the public, it is difficult to devise a well thought out plan without all the facts, but I will make this an urgent priority for the school district to find a solution.

Security at schools remains a high priority Are you happy with the district’s security plan for students and staff? If not, what would be your alternative?



I think the security upgrades over the past couple of years are an improvement, and the first part of the referendum approved the addition of some excellent security measures, namely the secured vestibules. I commend the district for making security a priority and addressing these upgrades through question one of the referendum. The class three officers and security hired by the district are a step in the right direction, but I still feel that the local law enforcement agencies would be the safest and most effective approach. The last thing we would want to have is an emergency situation where security and local law enforcement are not on the same page, which could lead to unexpected outcomes.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I have expertise in health and performance. Examples of a few issues that have been brought to my attention include student sleep quality, nutrition and food selection inside the school, and lack of physical activity and fitness. If we do not address the physical and mental health of our children, then all other concerns seem to be of less importance. As an owner and operator of a small business, it is paramount to have tested and true systems to increase efficiency and efficacy. I think with my experience in human performance and administrative skills of a business owner, I could make sustainable suggestions and changes in order to best serve the students, tax payers, and stakeholders in town. In addition to my skill set, my running mate Hector Menendez and I have the mindset of looking out for the kids and families. The most important factor is to be in it for the right reasons – the kids. We are For Bridgewater Kids.

For additional information on our campaign you can visit our campaign website at www.forbridgewaterkids.org.

Jarrett Hahn & Hector Menendez are running for the BRRSD BOE seats

http://forbridgewaterkids.org/jarrett-hahns-article-to-patch-election-profile/

Jarrett Hahn's Article to Patch Election Profile - For Bridgewater Kids Name: Jarrett Hahn Age: 41 Town of residence: Bridgewater Position sought: BRRSD BOE representing Bridgewater Family: Wife and two sons Education: Broward college; additional in strength and conditioning Occupation: Owner and Fitness coach of M.O.V.E. NJ, a health and fitness facility. Why are you s...

Candidate profile as appear on Patch.com
Hector Menendez-

Why are you seeking election on the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education?

I am volunteering along with my running mate Jarrett Hahn in order to help the community at large. I understand the important role that education plays in the proper development of children and adolescents. I believe the ultimate goal of education is to encourage and foster independent thinking and learning. Jarrett and I have spoken about and agree on many important issues including giving parents a voice, ensuring quality of education, health, wellbeing, overall development, and student safety. We would like to encourage parents to get more involved and informed on the curriculum. Our slogan sums it up best “For Bridgewater Kids”.

– The second portion of the referendum will go up for a vote in November. Are you in favor of this? Why or why not?

I believe it’s important to understand what the referendum is all about. There are three questions, separated in two portions. The first portion had two questions and the vote happened in March. The first question in the March vote was a districtwide renovation of all schools which passed. The second question is related to full day kindergarten and middle school expansion, and this question has two parts, one part was voted on this past March and the other part will be voted on this coming November. Both parts need to be approved by the public in order to proceed. The first part is the infrastructure expansion of the middle school, which passed conditionally in March, pending approval of the second part in November. The second part is for the recurring operational costs of full day kindergarten, including teachers, supporting staff, material and other associated costs. Currently, seven (7) elementary schools host grades 4 and below including half day kindergarten, two (2) intermediate schools host grades 5 and 6, one (1) middle school (BRMS) hosts grades 7 and 8, and one (1) high school BRHS hosts grades 9-12. According to the referendum, the grade alignment would be: elementary schools with grades 3 and below including full day kindergarten, intermediate schools with grades 4 and 5, middle school with grades 6-8, and high school stays the same.

I think it would have been more straightforward for the public to understand, if all parts were presented at once to be voted on.

Bridgewater is a diverse community with people and families in all stages of life. This comes down to what is best for our community as a whole and I encourage everyone to learn more about this proposal and vote.

– Transportation is a statewide issue. Do you feel transportation issues are being handled well by the Board? Why or why not? If not, how do you propose improving it?

At the past few board meetings, there have been parents voicing their concerns about the quality and safety of transportation. Buses being late, several instances where buses have missed a child’s stop and occasions where students have been left on the bus. This is a problem that should not happen. I believe we could consider a better system and protocol based on precise logs, education and awareness on the part of drivers and students, strict adherence and reinforcement. On the equipment and infrastructure side, there could also be improvements. A recent board meeting approved GPS equipment on the buses.

We also need to realize that with the statewide shortage of bus drivers, and overall higher cost of operation there are inherent challenges in transportation.

– Security at schools remains a high priority. Are you happy with the district’s security plan for students and staff? If not, what would be your alternative?

Student safety and security is of the utmost importance. If I am elected as a BOE member I would expect the security force to be the best trained and equipped to handle emergencies. They should have all of the necessary resources, and a clear chain of command.

– What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

I believe we should remain focused on academic achievement. We need to continue to maintain our tradition of a high performing blue ribbon school district. Our rankings have been declining and we should strive to improve our performance. Test scores are not everything, and we should strive for a well-rounded education for children with physical fitness and mental health in mind. A well-rounded education cannot be achieved with sub-optimal academic preparedness. We need to provide a strong foundation for the students to succeed in life.

I recognize the efforts and actions the district makes to communicate and would like to improve upon it, and increase transparency, so that all residents, whether they have children in the school district or not are aware of important issues.

– What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I’m a father to three great children who are currently attending or recently graduated from our public school system. Professionally I am a small business owner and worked as a healthcare provider for over 20 years and have maintained long lasting relationships with my patients. I also apply best practice from an evidence-based approach. I believe these qualities will help me serve on the board of education.

– What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

After I graduated college in 1994, I spent two years teaching part time at Essex County College and tutoring science courses for undergraduates. I’m aware of the many challenges involved in developing lesson plans, engaging students and I admire and respect the important role teachers play in all of our lives.

I am running with Jarrett Hahn, under the slogan of For Bridgewater Kids, for more information about our campaign or get in touch, please visit campaign website: ForBridgewaterKids.org

http://forbridgewaterkids.org/hector-menendezs-article-to-patch-election-profile/

Hector Menendez's Article to Patch Election Profile - For Bridgewater Kids Name Hector Menendez Age 51 Town of residence Bridgewater Position sought: Bridgewater Raritan Regional School District Board of Education Family: married, 3 children Education: DMD Occupation: Dentist Previous or current elected appointed office Campaign website: FORBRIDGEWATERKIDS.ORG Why are you....

Congratulations to [TEAM 303]!!!

Team 303 rumbled to the championship at Raritan Valley Science and Technology Showcase News Detail - Bridgewater-Raritan HS

Happy World Teacher’s Day to all our wonderful educators!