Four candidates applied for the Board of Education vacancy created by the resignation of long-time board member Robert Johnson: Cornell Edmonds, Rakesh Kak, Louisa Ho, and Yingchao Zhang. After a public interview held at the April 30 meeting, board members convened in closed session to pick the new interim board member: Louisa Ho.
“We had a vigorous debate,” said Board President Hemant Marathe. “No one candidate was the first choice of all of the board members; nor were any strongly opposed to any of the candidates. We all felt that any one of them would be a valuable asset to the board. We spent a long time discussing each candidate. Each candidate brought something to the table, and we were lucky to have so many strong candidates.”
Ho, who will be sworn in at the next board meeting, if not before, will serve from now until the end of 2013. Should she wish to remain on the board, she will have to run for the position in November. Another West Windsor spot as well as a Plainsboro spot will be up for election as well.
“When you hear my name, you think of Girl Scouts,” Louisa Ho told the Board members during her public interview. Ho is the co-service unit manager for all of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Girl Scout troops. In addition, she is the troop leader for three girl scout troops, including one for kindergartners at Wicoff School that she co-chairs with daughter Rebecca, who is a senior at High School South.
“I became involved with Girl Scouts because I thought I was doing it for my daughter. But the youth development in Girl Scouts is amazing. It is something I want to bring to the board. Although our school district is amazing, we still have voids that are filled outside of school. Like the Education Foundation talent show — kids need extra opportunities. I would like to see more in the way of personal development for students.”
Ho and husband Carl Van Dyke moved to West Windsor from North Brunswick in 1996, when they decided to have children. “We liked West Windsor because it has good schools and a good community atmosphere. We plan to stay here in the foreseeable future.”
In addition to daughter Rebecca, Ho has a son, David, who is a sophomore at High School South. Both children play in the marching band; Rebecca is a percussionist in the concert band; and David plays cello in the orchestra.
Husband Carl, who owns the Grover’s Mill barn building, is also a partner at management consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Ho, who is currently a stay-at-home mom, formerly worked in the transportation industry. She earned an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in transportation from MIT, and worked full-time for 12 years for NJ Transit in bus operations. She then became a part-time consultant for Transystems, located in Boston, for 14 years.
“I found that being a parent and working with Girl Scouts was far more rewarding, so that’s what I decided to focus on. But I believe my numerous years of experience in the public sector transportation industry, will help me as a Board member. I worked in both customer service and day-to-day operations for years. And I know when a board can be meddling — when it gets involved in day-to-day operations instead of focusing on policy.”
The biggest challenge for Ho? “I have a lot to learn. As a parent you don’t necessarily focus on policy issues, so I have much to learn there. But I am looking forward to working collaboratively with the other Board members and the administration, and I do plan to run for the seat in November,” Ho said.
“I am excited to be selected. I was very impressed with the other candidates and thought that any one of them would have done a great job as well,” added Ho.
#b#Runners-Up: Rakesh Kak#/b#
This is not the first time that Rakesh Kak has sought a seat on the board; he ran for a seat in 2010. “But I ended up running against Johnson and Marathe, so it was a very tough election,” said Kak. “I want to be on the Board so that I can volunteer my time and my services to our school district.
“Plus, I think my finance background would be an asset,” he added. “The biggest single challenge the district faces is the budget, to maintain our academic excellence while remaining within the mandated two percent cap. Costs are going up, employee benefits are going up — this is a very big challenge.”
Kak was born in Delhi, India, and graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology as an electrical engineer. He came to the United States to attend Columbia University, where he earned an MBA in finance. Kak founded View Partners, an investment bank, in 2007, and serves as the managing partner.
Kak and wife Suneeta have two children, a son in ninth grade at High School South and a daughter in fifth grade at Village School. “We moved to West Windsor from Somerset in 2004, primarily because of the strength of the school system, and also the trains. And we have one of the top school districts, both nationally and state-wide.”
Kak does believe certain areas can be improved upon. “Security should be increased. We don’t want to be lulled into a false sense of security because this is such a safe community, because so was Newtown. I want to see the safety pilot program [currently running at Village and Millstone schools] expanded. My biggest concern is that my children are safe. I know additional security measures will cost more, but it should be a priority. A lot of parents are focused on SATs or grades, but ancillary issues such as security are just as important.”
Kak has been involved in the Ambassadors of Columbia Business School program, and mentors new MBA students. In addition, he has been a WWPSA recreational assistant soccer coach.
#b#Cornell Edmonds#/b#
Cornell Edmonds moved to West Windsor with his wife, Barbara, and three children because Edmonds decided on a career change. A successful public interest litigator in New York City, Edmonds found that “I was inspired more by the ‘cause’ than by the generation of money, and wanted to be doing the right thing rather than the financial thing. My involvement in my church was growing as well. So I decided to move my entire family to New Jersey so that I could attend Princeton Theological Seminary.
“It was a wonderful decision, for me and my family. West Windsor is a wonderful community with wonderful schools. All three of my children attended High School South. Two are now enrolled in college, and the third has graduated.”
Edmonds has been involved in school and community activities here in West Windsor. “I coached Little League baseball, as well as basketball. My wife Barbara is the chairperson of the Township Human Relations Committee, and I have helped with the committee, too. I am also involved with the African-American Parent Support Group and have worked to transform that organization and strengthen its partnership with the school district.”
Edmonds, an ordained minister, currently works as a consultant for faith institutions in the NY/NJ metro area. “Now that my children are grown, I have much more free time to dedicate to our community, and our school district. I believe that my legal background would also be a benefit to the board because I represented education entities.”
Edmonds attended Cornell University, where he majored in developmental psychology. He then earned a JD from New York Law School and a masters of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.
“I am very happy with our school board. They have done an outstanding job. I would like to be a part of the board to contribute something back to the district that has done so much for my family,” said Edmonds.
#b#Yingchao Zhang#/b#
As a young child, Yingchao Zhang was curious about everything and anything. “Physics is about the most fundamental understanding of everything. That’s why I became a physicist, and that’s one of the reasons I want to serve on the school board.
“I think it is important that we keep our competitive advantage in science in this district. We should promote and expand science programs like the Science Olympiad, Model UN, and Future Problem Solvers. We should bring in more of an international perspective as well. This will make our students become more global citizens.”
Zhang, who was born in China, came to the United States to earn a PhD in nuclear physics and has lived in West Windsor since 2000. He and wife, Fong Shu, have three children: twins Jasen and Jeremy, who are ninth graders at High School North, and Julian, a seventh grader at Community Middle School. Zhang now works for NetScout Systems in sales, covering IT departments for financial industry clients in the NY/NJ metro area.
Zhang is also active in West Windsor. “I am a self-taught musician. I play guitar and harmonica. I usually play soft and classic rock. I play at Plainsboro Founders’ Day.”
Zhang was an advisory board member of the West Windsor Arts Council for many years. “I have also been involved with Cub Scouts. I was a parent chaperone for Outdoor Ed, and I had to chaperone eight boys by myself. I gained a new level of respect for our teachers!”
Zhang has also served on the board of the Chinese School. “We had some issues at the school, and I was able to work with all of the individuals resolved to come to a compromise. It is important to be able to understand all sides of an issue. I would bring what I learned from this experience to the school board.”
