Five candidates are running for three open seats on the Robbinsville School Board.
Dilip Kovuri is the lone incumbent seeking reelection. He is being challenged by the “Transforming Tomorrow, Together” slate comprised of Amanda Hill D’Angelo, Harry “Anthony” Ray and Nadia Bandukda. Also running is Palak Shah. The Advance’s coverage on the school board candidates begins on Page 17.
The Robbinsville Advance asked each of the candidates to provide biographical information about themselves and a statement regarding why they are running for the school board. Their answers are presented in alphabetical order below.
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Nadia Bandukda has lived in Robbinsville with her husband, Asad, since 2020. The couple have children in Pond Road Middle School and Sharon Elementary School.
Bandukda holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law. She has also completed fellowships in diplomacy and international affairs from Princeton University and social enterprise from Columbia Business School. She received a management in law training certificate from Harvard University.
She currently works in employment litigation and counseling in New York City and New Jersey law firms. I am now at in-house Johnson & Johnson handling global human capital shifts andHR compliance.
Yes, I am heavily involved in MCGP in supporting professional development, social services, and youth mentorship. I’ve previously served on the Robbinsville Township Planning Board and organized various local food and clothing drives. I’m also a frequent volunteer with my kids’ school and classrooms
Candidate statement: We are at a seminal time that we should ask ourselves about the successes of our community holistically. Schools are the core of our community- whether you have school age children or not, know teachers, or administrative staff, you understand the promising impact strong schools have on our home and community values. The success of the public question to make our schools whole is paramount to keeping our schools strong through academics and athletics and keep our vision future focused.
The $4.8 million public question on this year’s ballot is intended to add dollars to the operating budget to maintain how the district is operating and eliminate the need for further cuts to staff, cuts to sports and extracurriculars and cuts to kindergarten. We respect that the town is entrusting us to ensure every dollar of this investment is spent appropriately. I have personally advocated for increased transparency by having a more user-friendly budget available as well publishing meeting minutes where budget-related items are discussed.
When this year’s budget crisis came to light in March, I joined the grassroots community, an effort formed out of a mutual concern about the financial state of our schools and their future. We researched how we got here, how our state funding changed and most impactfully, took action through a letter writing campaign to our state legislatures with a request for additional funding, with a door-to-door effort yielding over 2,000 letters. Being part of this group taught me what so many people in town value, which was preserving our education system and our home values.
An ongoing theme for the past few years has been the need for increased transparency and respectful communication. There have been steps to increase the transparency of the board by publishing monthly newsletters of meeting highlights and links to minutes. I will work to ensure that this continues on a consistent basis and expands to include a user-friendly budget update. If elected, I would advocate for a return of the monthly curriculum update newsletters, so parents can stay informed on things that matter.
I plan on asking all the right questions, probe into current issues and challenge the status quo to think more strategically and future focused. As a vocal community member who attends board meetings to share my opinions whether they are research-backed, or as a concerned parent, I hope to continue to encourage community partnership by having our community feel heard and welcomed at the meetings to share their insights, ideas, and feedback. I would also encourage our administration to bring back town hall meetings on a regular basis, not just for specific issues.
Our community’s success depends on partnership; it is critically important that we work together. To that end, I will foster a culture of collaboration among the Board, parents, staff, and community members. By working hand in hand, collaborating respectfully and transparently, we can achieve meaningful and lasting change.
I am dedicated to the future of our children, families, and town. Our slate will be true partners to the community as members of the board of education elected to represent you. I pledge to work towards ensuring a strong next three years that empowers our dedicated educators and encourages our students to look beyond the horizon and feel excited about their present and future. Together we will create a flourishing school district that prioritizes the holistic well-being of each individual student. We will cultivate an inclusive and supportive space that nurtures the overall health and vitality of everyone within our district. With your support, we can make Robbinsville’s schools the best they can be.
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Amanda Hill D’Angelo has lived in Robbinsville since 2012. She and her husband, Anthony, have three children— Maggie (4th), Liam (3rd) and Abby (1st) at Sharon School.
For undergrad, she majored American history and psychology major. Her master’s degree was in elementary education K-6 and special education K-12. She is currently in her post masters at Rowan for Learning disabilities teacher consultant (LDTC).
She currently works as the lead case manager and special education administrator for a K-6 school in Philadelphia. She has been teaching special education since 2009 and has been in education since 2006.
D’Angelo is a girl scout leader of two troops. She has been the vice president and philanthropy chair of both the local Robbinsville moms club and the Mercer moms club when her children were younger. She is on the board of the Junior League of Princeton and directly works with nonprofit organizations and women leaders across Mercer and Bucks counties to mitigate hunger and food instability in seniors, college students and families since 2020.
She is actively involved and has worked with the JCC Abrams in East Windsor and belong to the Nassau Presbyterian Church. She is also involved with leading revolutionary war tours for kids. Within the schools, she serves on the teacher appreciation committee, served on the strategic planning committee, and has been actively engaged in the community effort to raise funds for the schools with the door-to-door effort in May.
Candidate statement: Robbinsville School District is asking for an investment from the community of $4.8 million. We are asking for this investment in the schools to maintain the level of education we currently have. As a team we can promise the following changes: the way in which leadership interacts with our community and teachers, and the lack of transparency in finances and future planning. Every cent will be spent with the question in mind, “Is this best for children?”, and “will your investment be appropriately spent?” We do not take your investment lightly. Strong schools build strong communities.
From the months of January through May 2023, myself and about 100 other community members participated in the Strategic Planning Group, a district sponsored group designed to capture the community’s 5-year vision of the district. The statement was bold “don’t worry about money.” In March of 2023, we were faced with the reality that not only was there now a budget deficit, the idea of a “new pool” and “new tennis courts” was unrealistic.
We were told to continue to plan as though money wasn’t an issue. This was a red flag as large staff cuts, sports and kindergarten were on the chopping block. A large grassroots effort was born to get as many signatures as possible and petitions to our local legislatures to shed light on our district’s issues. My slate and I were part of this group, volunteering to obtain signatures, researching, collaborating, and partnering. I believe this public question is needed to maintain this district and new accountability is needed to ensure its managed appropriately.
I am running for a seat on the Board of Education because this is my family’s town. We love it here; we’re invested, and we want the best educational experience for all. I’m running because I am a teacher and administrator with the ability to reach across the aisle and form teacher relationships. My work experience allows me to fight for the best curriculum, advocate for special education and mental health and finally, stand up for what is best for the WHOLE child. I’m running because I understand the parents of Robbinsville. I will fight to make sure all concerns are heard. I am running because my slate and I will do better at leading the school to become the best, and not just status quo.
As parents, we always strive for a better life for our children. My husband and I picked Robbinsville as we saw it as both the best town and school to help develop our children into great people and scholars. When I was a child, I grew up in extreme poverty and struggled with food instability, but education was my equalizer. My teachers, my activities, and the foundation I was given allowed me to rise to the top and become the first to graduate high school, college, and even earn a master’s/postmaster. In breaking the cycle of poverty, I picked a school where my children can soar, and invested in the beauty of the Robbinsville community.
Our team is promising to bring back trust, to have financial transparency, to plan curriculum for the whole child, and build back strong relations with our teachers and community. We must make these changes in Robbinsville. We look forward to working alongside you.
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Dilip Kovuri has lived in Robbinsville for more than 6 years with his wife, Lakshmi. The couple have two children, both attending Robbinsville Public Schools in Sharon and Pond.
He holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina, and currently works as a principal technology architect’ at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center leading multiple projects and new initiatives in healthcare and technology. He previously worked in the finance industry and in research and teaching roles at the University of South Carolina.
Community involvement includes coaching various Robbinsville recreational and travel sports teams for boys and girls in basketball, soccer, softball, baseball and cricket; serving as a board member for the Robbinsville Cricket Association; and as member of the executive committee for Robbinsville Premier League (cricket). He is also an active participant in various cultural, sports and charitable initiatives in and around Robbinsville.
Candidate statement: Disclaimer—The following statements are made in my capacity as a private citizen running for the Board, and not in my capacity as a board member. These statements are also not representative of the board or its individual members, and solely represent my own personal opinions.
I am running for the Robbinsville Board of Education to represent my community and ensure that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to a quality education and the opportunity to learn and grow. I am committed to working with the school administration to ensure transparency, improve communication, and promote fiscal responsibility and accountability.
I have been serving on the Robbinsville board of Education on a 1-year term since December 2022. I am dedicated to working with the community and administration, so our schools are well-funded with adequate resources, programs and staff, have a strong and well-rounded curriculum and provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.
As a first-generation Indian immigrant, I arrived in the US in 2001 to pursue a Master’s in Electrical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, where I specialized in research and technology for the US Navy. My mother was a teacher, and my grandfather was an administrator and a professor. Being surrounded by educators from my childhood helped me to develop my values, my interests, and my sense of self. This environment instilled in me a deep appreciation for the importance of education and the role that it plays in shaping the lives of children.
A contentious teachers contract issue last year required all of us as a community to evaluate or priorities and goals which prompted me to apply for the open board position so that I could better understand the challenges and contribute to a resolution. I was selected in a public interview process and appointed as a school board member in late December 2022.
As a new board member and part of the negotiations committee in January 2023, I was able to work with the union, school administration and our members to develop a clearer perspective on the challenges at hand and helped resolve the impasse with a contract that was fair to both our teachers and our community.
Since I joined the board, we have made progress on some of the other key issues with updated curriculum standards for improving our test scores, reviewing policies, new technologies, programs and resources. I now have a better understanding of the challenges facing our schools today, as well as the many opportunities to enrich our students lives by adding new clubs, sports and musicals and other activities. I am grateful for the collaborative work of my fellow board members, but we know there is still more work to be done.
Our school district is now facing an important public question to approve a $4.8 million increase on the November ballot to address the crucial financial situation the district is currently facing due to a projected $2.1 million shortfall in fixed costs and an additional $2.7 million cut in state aid. The question is vital for our schools to maintain our resources, programs, sports, staff, clubs and bridge the financial gap posed by the deficit in state aid funding and rising inflationary costs.
I believe that a strong public education system is the foundation of any community and is essential for our future generation. I am dedicated to providing our children with a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in college, career, and life. I look forward to having the opportunity to continue serving my community as a member of the Robbinsville Board of Education.
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Harry “Anthony” Ray has lived in Robbinsville since December 2020 with his wife Melissa. The couple have two daughters—Nadhya and Ronnie. Nadhya is a UNC graduate with a BS in Psychology; a Masters in Human Nutrition from Columbia and a Master of Cognitive Science from Université PSL. Ronnie is a 3rd grader at Sharon school.
Ray holds a degree in administration of justice from Rutgers University. He currently works as an ITSM Specialist for Princeton University focusing on IT project management and business analysis. Prior to that, he worked at Mount Sinai hospital, where I served as an associate director for information technology within population health.
His community involvement includes serving as an assistant softball for Robbinsville Little League and a basketball coach with Robbinsville Basketball. He volunteered as part of the district’s Strategic Planning Group earlier this year. He is actively involved with several Princeton University Employee Resource Groups who share common backgrounds and interests to provide opportunities to enhance engagement; from food drives, collecting shoes for donations, and working with other Mercer County agencies for community goals such as distributing emergency go bags.
Candidate statement: Just like you, we are painfully aware of the challenging situation presented by the current budget crisis and the potential challenges that may arise if it is not addressed. Our plan is straightforward: to act as responsible representatives of the students and community, ensuring that every dollar spent is utilized with a clear objective in mind.
The Robbinsville Board of Education approved placing a public question on the ballot, giving the community the opportunity to vote on permanently increasing the operating budget by $4.8 million. These funds are needed to simply maintain the level of program and staffing we currently have. Our slate understands the financial burden this could place on many Robbinsville families. We do not take that or the importance of this public question lightly. If elected, we promise to prioritize the needs of our students. We will increase fiscal transparency and accountability by developing a process for long-term financial planning. We stand on a platform to rebuild trust and confidence in our community. We promise our unwavering commitment to our students by responsible stewardship of public resources.
Earlier this year, I participated in the Strategic Planning Group, a district sponsored group designed to capture the community’s 5-year vision of the district. It allowed me to better understand the complexities of budgeting and the reality of the significant budget deficit facing the district. Staff cuts, and the removal of sports and programs set in motion a grassroots effort that my slate and I are proud to have been a part of. The community came together researching solutions, educating each other, and gathering signatures in a petition to state officials advocating for a revision to our state aid. This public question needs to be met with the same effort and vigor; with assurances that decisions made moving forward are what is best for our children and town.
My family and I moved to Robbinsville to ensure the best education possible for our daughter, Ronnie. We’re invested in this diverse community. We love our neighborhood, our neighbors, we love the small-town appeal of Robbinsville. We are a strong community; strong communities build strong schools to develop leaders to build a legacy that traces back. Children’s education is a foundation for their lifelong success; we as a community must recognize and come together towards this unified, singular goal. The education students receive in Robbinsville will pay dividends not only for them but for our community.
My experience has equipped me to appreciate the significance of collaborating with stakeholders, despite tight schedules and financial constraints, to identify top priorities and achieve meaningful outcomes. Financial planning for a school district’s future should always begin with its subject matter experts–staff and building administrators. Research analysis on the current educational landscape, needs of the students and additional feedback from community stakeholders are all necessary to determine a school district’s priorities. Every step of the process must have clearly defined timeframes, feedback monitoring and status check-ins to ensure transparency throughout the planning and implementation process. My priority is to guarantee equitable access to quality education for all children in our town. Additionally, I advocate for teachers to have a greater voice in decision-making processes that impact their daily interactions with students. We will work with our administrators to bridge gaps and ensure resources are distributed where and as needed. Most importantly to show parents that we too are parents; we hear you and we will do our best to deliver upon promises we make. We will be available, we will advocate for your child, we will listen and respond.
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Palak Shah has lived in Robbinsville with her husband, Amar, for two years. The couple have two sons who attend Pond Road Middle School.
Shah graduated from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in finance and holds a master’s in teaching from Montclair State University. She obtained a Certificate of Supervision and Administration from a post-master’s program in educational leadership from Thomas Edison University.
She began her career in the financial sector, working on Wall Street in corporate banking. Unsatisfied with that career choice, she went back to school for teaching and then began a new career at Elizabeth Public Schools. She taught middle school mathematics and served as an instructional mathematics coach at both the building and district levels.
She then became the math supervisor of K-5 and also returned to the classroom in a hybrid teacher-director position teaching a new technology-based personalized math program. She then transitioned out of the classroom in 2019 to focus on her family. Over the last 2 years, she began managing small businesses in the commercial rental and investment space.
She has been an active member of the BAPS organization, including the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville. She participated in walk-a-thons benefitting the Robbinsville High School Robotics Club, and charity drives that donate to local organizations.
Candidate statement: Schools are more than just institutions of learning; they provide safe spaces for children to grow into themselves. It is within the walls of school buildings that kids navigate the complexities of character development, social ambiguities, educational exploration and 21st century skills. I am running for the Robbinsville Board of Education because I believe in the sanctity and responsibility to safeguard that expansive, critical education that will transform our children of today into the adults of tomorrow. With my professional experiences and passion for education, I would like to serve the students and residents of Robbinsville as an informed and moderate voice who is well-versed in policies, curriculum, budgeting and other factors that impact schools. I have worked in the financial sector, and as an educator I was a middle school mathematics teacher, instructional coach and district Math Supervisor for K-5…all of which have poised me with a unique array of experience and perspectives needed as a School Board member.
I believe a handful of priorities should capture the essence of any school district, ours included. These priorities of fiscal responsibility, maintaining the well-rounded needs of our students, transparency and communication should drive our decision-making. The interconnectedness of these key factors underscores the range of components that impact our students and teachers, and the overall quality of education that Robbinsville Public Schools can offer.
The reduced state funding for Robbinsville was extremely frustrating news to receive. Given that the state of New Jersey has consistently gained national recognition for the quality of our public education system, the long-standing supports from the state are critical in helping maintain both that reputation and quality. It is no secret that the funding formula needs to be revised, and our situation is a shining example of the detrimental effects of this issue not being prioritized at the state level. Equally important is the $4.8 million public question that is on the ballot for this election. The truly unfortunate reality is that consistent revenue sources for school funding are relatively fixed, and the heaviest burden of that falls upon the shoulders of local residents, like you and me. None of us welcome increases in our tax bill, or any other costs for that matter. However, growing our investment in public education will translate to an investment in our town. What we stand to lose should the ballot question not pass is irrefutable – quality of programs needed to offer our children and community a well-rounded education for future success, a strong early-childhood foundation for the next generation, and the ability to retain and recruit exceptional teachers.
This lesson cannot be forgotten, and the heightened awareness of fiscal responsibility rings loud in everyone’s ears. I am committed to helping turn things around for our schools through deeper analysis of the school budget and use of funds. The answer to this ballot question will reflect our values and commitment as a community, so I urge everyone to reflect upon the seriousness of this question. My vote will be YES.
The road to the shared vision of thriving schools and community in Robbinsville needs to include people who are willing to overcome personal beliefs to engage in open conversations that address the diverse needs of our school system. We can accomplish much more together through respectful, productive discussions than would be possible by singularly focused narratives. I not only have the wide breadth of experience both within and outside of education to serve as a highly qualified School Board member, but I also possess the maturity and ability to work with people of differing minds to accomplish common goals. Our students, parents, faculty, staff and larger community need the service of someone, such as me, who is fully vested in the success of our schools, while being open-minded enough to comprehend the innumerable factors that contribute to that success.
Palak Shah,
