#b#I have known#/b# Michele Kaish for the past six years. We have worked together on the PTA executive boards of Dutch Neck Elementary School, Village School, and Community Middle School. She is a pleasure to work with on a personal and professional level.
Michele always takes a measured approach to any decision, examining all mitigating factors and considering the ramifications of each course of action prior to making a final decision. She approaches problems methodically and analyzes details intelligently; I have never known her to rush to judgment.
As a PTA board member, she has an uncompromising awareness that the budget comprise members’ dues and strives to be a responsible steward of those monies. In voting on PTA mini-grants, for example, she will always look for projects that benefit the greatest number of students. At the same time, she supports smaller-scale proposals that help level the playing for students with special issues.
As a leader, Michele is fair and collaborative. She always listens to all sides of an argument, even if she disagrees, and treat all participants respectfully and professionally.
Communication and transparency are very important to Michele. To enhance communication with parents, for example, she created weekly E-mail “blasts” at Village School and currently writes the weekly blasts at Community. She is always looking for new ways to reach out to parents with information and to explore the means by which existing technology may be used to communicate district information, with the goal of creating an inclusive school environment.
Her 12 years in the district also gives her a broad frame of reference. She has been involved since her children started in the district and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience about how things were done in the past; what worked and what didn’t; and the optimal course of action for the future given the challenges the district faces.
She demonstrates a high level of integrity in all of her undertakings. The myriad hours that Michele has volunteered for the school district come out of a passionate commitment to do all she can to help enhance the experience of every child affected by her actions.
Allegra D’Adamo
#b#I encourage all#/b# West Windsor residents to vote for Michele Kaish in the upcoming election. Michele possesses the qualities that I believe are important in a school board member. Michele is intelligent, dedicated, responsible and respectful of others. Her insightful, intelligent nature is evident in her ability to listen to all sides of a situation and construct reasonable solutions that best serve the whole, not a particular agenda.
I have had the privilege of working with Michele on the Community Middle School PTSA Executive Board for several years. I have witnessed her tireless commitment to improving the educational experience of all students in the WW-P district. She has continually taken on key roles within our organization, and at all the schools her children have attended, that have directly led to improvements within our classrooms, our curriculum, and the overall school experience of our students.
Michele is keenly aware of the increased economic impact education has on our entire community. She realizes that we need to be prudent with our funds, and as a board member I believe that she will always work to balance the needs of our students with the cost to our taxpayers.
Dawn O’Brien, Garnet Lane, West Windsor
#b#I enthusiastically endorse#/b# Michele Kaish for School Board.
When I started in the district four years ago, Michele was the first parent I met at Dutch Neck Elementary School. She was helping guide students to their classrooms on the first day of school. I was nervous and a little overwhelmed starting a new school. She was a big help to my son and me.
Michele remains a tremendous support and resource till this day. Her knowledge of the school system and her dedication to volunteering continues to inspire me. There isn’t a day that passes that she is not running to at least one to three meetings at one school or the district offices. She seems to have never-ending energy and a deep sense of duty to do what she can to make our schools better. If there is one word I would use to describe Michele, it is fair. While she has an opinion, she is open to others and wants the outcome to be reasonable and serve the greatest good. She is able look at a situation from all views and clearly communicates a concise and fair plan to move forward.
Michele would take being the voice of the families in this district very seriously and would be a valuable asset to the school board.
Elise Aquino, West Windsor
#b#I am writing#/b# to ask support for Michele Kaish. Michele is budget-conscious, fair minded in her decisions, and a person of integrity. She devotes time and energy to educate herself about the issues prior to making decisions.
I have worked along side her for the past seven years on numerous school committees and activities and Michele is one of the best people I have worked with in terms of how much effort she puts into her tasks and her friendly style of leadership and management.
I have known Michele for nine years and she puts children first, wants to do the best and will accomplish the best for our schools.
Micki Kermani, West Windsor
#b#We are writing#/b# to enthusiastically support Michele Kaish’s candidacy. Like Michele, we chose to relocate to West Windsor many years ago based on the strength of the school district. Since then, we have been dedicated to community service and outreach –– both in our schools and on the athletic fields. Like Michele, we believe that parental engagement is fundamental to maintaining and strengthening our public schools. We cannot think of anyone more committed to this ideal than Michele Kaish.
Over the years we have worked with Michele on numerous classroom and PTA projects, including a highly successful partnership on the Community Middle School PTA Executive Board, when Michele served as Vice President/Fundraising and Mary served as Co-President. Under Michele’s leadership, we launched our first Just Write A Check Campaign with immediate success.
Michele’s experience, resourcefulness, organizational skills, sound judgment, and leadership enabled the PTA to exceed its financial goals and make important and lasting contributions to CMS for the benefit of the entire student body. Michele exhibited the same strengths in making PTA Mini Grant recommendations to benefit important, but unbudgeted, projects requested by CMS teachers. Throughout those years on the Executive Board, Michele was a consistent, enthusiastic and tireless advocate for all children. This is exactly what we need on our School Board.
Michele’s involvement in our school district at every level – from classroom volunteer to PTA President to monthly Superintendent meetings –– has made this a better community in which to raise and educate our children. At a time when the issues we face have grown more complicated and the budgets more constrained, we need a person of Michele’s intellect, judgment, compassion, fairness, fiscal responsibility, conscientiousness and drive on our School Board.
Michele wants the same thing we want –– a high-quality education for our children with a focus on the “whole child, every child.” If Michele is elected to the School Board, we all win!
Mary and Mike Meduski, West Windsor
#b#If you survey#/b# people in the West-Windsor Plainsboro area, the top two reasons for moving in the area are the school district and the convenience of taking the train to the city. Over the years, despite tough economic times, the school budget has been approved time and time again. I believe the primary reason for this vote is the firm belief amongst the residents that the school district will make reasonable efforts to maintain its top ranking in the state. This not only benefits our children while they are in school, but also serves to maintain our home values.
Some of us have lived in this district for over 20 years and have seen our older children go through the district into colleges and successful careers while our younger ones are still in the elementary and middle schools. We have clearly noted over the years that the quality of teaching in this school district is inconsistent and this needs to be addressed. This calls for action on the school board to implement the drivers that will ensure that a top ranking for the school district is maintained.
Residents of WW-P have such an opportunity on April 17 by electing Michele Kaish to the Board. Michele is an ideal fit for the school board. As a mother of children who have graduated and are currently in the district, she has a good perspective on what works and what needs to be changed. She has been actively involved in the school district over the years as an executive member of the PTA. During tough economic times, she demonstrated financial savvy by supporting impactful programs on the schedule while cutting back on unnecessary overage; exactly what we need on the board during this difficult period. Like most of us with children in the district, Michele’s motivation to run for this position lies in making an impact on the school district. In my personal conversation with Michele, she has assured me that she will continue to be the voice of parents who are concerned about consistency in education.
Over the years, as a PTA volunteer and through daily involvement in her kids’ education, Michele has heard a consistent message from other parents in the district. This message is “ensure that the goal of this school district must be to maintain the highest level of education that is consistent, appropriate and lays a good foundation at all grade levels.” Michele will be an excellent addition to the school board as a spokesperson for all parents and taxpayers.
Kalpana Patel, West Windsor
