COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS CANDIDATES FILE PETITIONS TO RUN FOR PLAINFIELD SCHOOL BOARD POSITIONS

COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS CANDIDATES FILE PETITIONS TO RUN FOR PLAINFIELD SCHOOL BOARD POSITIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2010

CONTACT: Christian Estevez – 908-643-9116

Plainfield residents Christian Estevez, Martin Cox, Mary Burgwinkle and Carmencita Pile have filed petitions to run for open school board positions today. Calling their team the “Coalition for Better Schools”, members point to their shared vision for continued improvement in the Plainfield Public Schools.

Incumbent Christian Estevez said, "Despite some setbacks, our schools district has made significant progress over the past few years including the change to K-8 and K-6 grade configurations in our elementary schools and the establishment of the Plainfield Academy for the Arts and Advanced Studies as well as the Barack Obama Academy for Academic & Civic Development".

Martin Cox, also an incumbent school board member added that, "While we know that we still have a lot of work left to do, our community should be proud of the progress that we have made such as getting Plainfield High School removed from the state's list of 'Persistently Dangerous Schools' as well as the implementation of the mandatory school uniform policy. The main high school and the Barack Obama Academy continue to represent areas in need of improvement that our board needs to focus on so that all of our children receive a quality education."

School Board candidates Mary Burgwinkle and Carmencita Pile share the same optimism for what can be accomplished if the Plainfield community were to truly come together to do what is required to improve the city's public schools. Burgwinkle and Pile are both long time residents of Plainfield. Mary Burgwinkle filed to run for a three-year term and Carmencita Pile has filed to run for the one-year unexpired seat which became vacant when School Board President Bridget Rivers resigned from the Board of Education to assume her seat on the Plainfield City Council representing the city's 4th Ward.

School Board members Christian Estevez and Martin Cox are both running for three year terms.


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