Six candidates, four from West Windsor and two from Plainsboro, will be seeking a seat on the WW-P District Board of Education. Three of the four West Windsor candidates, Louisa Ho, Yingchao Zhang, and Rakesh Kak, had sought to fill the temporary vacancy created when Board member Robert Johnson resigned (The News, May 10). Ho was selected for that position. Board president Hemant Marathe’s seat is also open, as he is running for mayor rather than seeking re-election.
The fourth candidate, Scott Powell, has lived in West Windsor since 2006. “I was born in Boston, but lived in Ventura County, California for 32 years,” Powell said.
Powell, a director of the pension risk transfer department at Prudential, leads a team that provides technical support to financial clients. He holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon and earned an MBA in finance from the University of Southern California.
“Because of an employment opportunities, we needed to relocate from California. We researched New Jersey school districts, and found that West Windsor had consistently high test scores. From California, this was the best way we could evaluate schools. We have found that the schools here have lived up to our expectations.”
Powell and wife Michele have two children: Spencer, who attends Village School, and Grant, who attends Maurice Hawk. Both have been involved in numerous community youth activities. Scott has coached soccer and basketball, and was involved with the Cub Scouts, and Michele, currently the vice president of marketing for the Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association (SEPTSA), is its incoming president.
In addition, Powell, a cycling enthusiast, liked that West Windsor is bike and pedestrian-friendly. “There are lots of good areas where you can ride, with minimal traffic interference. There is plenty of open, green space, and recreational facilities,” added Powell.
He ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2011. Said Powell: “I very much want to be a member of the school board. I want to give back to the district and to our community. I also believe that with my work experience and financial expertise, I can bring some valuable ideas about financial discipline to the board. I didn’t run during the last election because running and losing was very emotionally draining, and I just needed a break. But I am very excited to be running again.”
Plainsboro Race. Two candidates are running for one Plainsboro seat: Alapakkam “Mani” Manikandan and Taylor Yu Zhong.
Manikandan, currently a member of the board, was first elected to the board in 2009. He ran again in 2011 but was narrowly defeated by current board member Rachelle Hurwitz Feldman. In 2012 he applied for and was selected to fill a vacancy created when Ellen Walsh moved from Plainsboro. He is now seeking election to that seat.
“I have served a full term on the board, and then another full year. The current board is very different from previous boards. It is a very young board, and with Marathe and Johnson retiring, I am now the third most senior member. I believe the board needs people who have some experience as well as new members. I have served on all three of the board committees, have been on contract negotiations committees and other special committees, and I believe my ability to provide continuity and experience is critical to the board’s continued success,” he said.
“Also, I really enjoy being on the board. It is the most collaborative government position, in my view. Everything is accomplished in combination with eight other members, which is the first level. Beyond that, the board must work with the administration and set policies without getting caught up in day-to-day operations. Thirdly, we represent all of the students, which really is the main reason we are there. And the fourth level is that we must consider the needs and interests of parents and the community.”
He continued, “being a board member is quite challenging as well. People from the outside, from the corporate or even nonprofit worlds, do not realize how different the experience is. Even I did not realize the level of complexity involved until I began to serve. But if you keep the students’ interests as your primary objective, that helps clarify your thinking and decision-making.”
Manikandan, his wife, Vasudha, daughter Sanjara, and son Suraj have lived in Plainsboro since 1999. “We moved from India to Cincinnati. My then-employer relocated me to New Jersey. Plainsboro was attractive and suitable to our tastes. It was part of an excellent school system and close to Princeton.”
An IT professional, Manikandan is currently employed by Appirio Inc., a cloud solution company. Though the company is located in Silicon Valley, he works virtually from his home in the Grande at Ashford, where he serves as president of the homeowner’s association. He has been involved with the Plainsboro Recreation and Cultural Affairs Committee; has coached his son’s Little League team; is an executive committee member of New Jersey Softball Cricket League; has helped out with his daughter’s science Olympiad team and National History Day; and is an active member of Chinmaya Mission Tri-State Center, a spiritual center, where he teaches classes and moderates study groups.
Said Manikandan: “I believe I have multiple perspectives that allows me to benefit the board. I am a first-generation immigrant and an IT professional, with a real passion for education, which runs throughout my family. My parents and siblings have taught training and other courses in various fields in India, as I did. We believe that education is your real wealth; everything else is secondary.”
Taylor Zhong also sought a position on the Board when Ellen Walsh stepped down. A resident of Plainsboro since 2007, he and his family moved here from the Livingston area because of the schools. “My wife and I really liked Plainsboro, and we are very happy to have moved here. And we are very pleased with the schools. I love school, and I love education,” said Zhong. “That is why I wish to be on the Board of Education.”
Zhong is currently on the board of the Chinese School. “I have worked with literally hundreds of parents, and 700 students, as well as the administration. I enjoy working with parents, and have been told I am good at it. I enjoy communicating with them. Before moving to Plainsboro, my children went to a different Chinese school in northern Jersey. Because they were in pre-K at the time, their class was only two hours, and I stayed at the school while they were there. I became involved with the school, and helped out with everything: the newspaper, photos, dancing class, basketball — whatever was needed. I am a good writer, and got along well with the parents.”
“I have served two terms on the board of the Chinese School, and my term is up. It is good timing, and I want to continue to contribute to the schools, on a much larger scale. I believe my experience and my passion for education will be assets to the board,” he added.
Zhong holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, as well as a master’s degree. For the past 15 years Zhong has worked as a risk manager at a financial firm in New York and believes his background will be beneficial to the board.
“But my love of education is most important. Both of my parents were math teachers in China. I grew up in a school, surrounded by teachers, and learned first-hand just how important education is. That’s why I have gotten involved in educational and community activities here. In addition to serving at the Chinese School, I was a member of the Plainsboro Environmental Advisory Committee from 2011-’12; and served with Louisa Ho on the ad hoc facilities committee set up by David Aderhold. I have helped out with my kids’ basketball teams, and am a member of the Plainsboro Historical Society, because I love history and the lessons it can teach us.”
Zhong lives with wife, Jennifer, twin boys who attend Grover Middle School, and his mother. “All of them support me. My mother is very proud of me, and my kids are helping me plan campaign strategies,” he said.
“I have read extensively on the issues facing the board, as well as education issues generally. I have researched how other districts have handled some of the same issues. I am volunteering on Rush Holt’s campaign because I support his strong commitment to STEM education. Our school district is one of the strongest STEM districts in the state, and I have learned that we may be able to leverage additional federal education funding to help offset reduced state funding. I am applying some of the techniques I have learned on Holt’s campaign to my own campaign.”
“I have been trying hard to communicate with Plainsboro residents. Some people think I am aggressive because I write so many letters, but that’s just my way. I find writing to be an effective to way to communicate. But I have also spoken with hundreds of residents to learn their opinions and ideas. If I am elected, I will do my best to balance people’s main concerns: school safety, superior education level, and school tax rates,” Zhong said.
