I have filed to run for a seat on the West Windsor-Plainsboro Board of Education. As an official candidate, I would like to explain to readers why I am doing so. Hopefully, I can win the support of Plainsboro voters on Tuesday, April 17.
We moved to Plainsboro from Queens, New York, in August 2007. The primary reason we moved in was because of the high reputation of the school system here. I am happy to say now that the schools here not only live up to, but exceed, their reputation. Last year, we had a record number of graduates go to Ivy League universities, and the two high schools were ranked first and fourth in the state. My eldest son, Jonathan, graduated from High School South last year, and is a freshman at New York University, majoring in pre-medicine. My younger son, Alex, has learned how to count, read, and write at Town Center Elementary School. Both of them have received high-quality educations here. As a parent, I thank the current and previous board members for their hard work.
I have always had a passion for community service. Whenever my time and energy allow, I serve my communities. Mostly recently, I served as the president of the board of directors of one co-op in Queens. Currently, I am a trustee of the Walker Gordon Farm Homeowners Association Board. These opportunities have provided me good experience working with other volunteers to solve complicated or delicate issues in a friendly and honest way. I am an educator, specifically, a college professor of mathematics. I have a thorough understanding of the education systems in the United States and in China. Over the past four years, I have observed a number of challenges WW-P schools face. One of them is how to keep a balance between a high quality educational system and minimal tax burden on the residents. Another one is how to better serve the needs of a growing and diverse population. Given my experience and background, I believe that I could offer new thinking on how to tackle these challenges.
West Windsor and Plainsboro have a large Chinese population. As a Chinese-American, I think we should do our part in the community. By doing so, we may win more respect from residents of other ethnic backgrounds. We together may live in friendlier and more harmonious community.
It will be an honor if Plainsboro voters give me the opportunity to serve on the West Windsor-Plainsboro Board of Education.
Yibao Xu
55 Elsie Drive, Plainsboro
