VOTE411 Voter Guide

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I am running because I care deeply about ensuring Branchburg students have the best possible educational opportunities. I want to help create schools where curiosity, problem-solving, and critical thinking are at the center of learning, and where every child feels supported in reaching their full potential.

My professional background has given me a strong understanding of how schools can balance high academic expectations with the practical realities of budgeting and staffing. I know how vital it is to support and retain high quality teachers, listen to families, and make decisions rooted in what is best for students. My goal is to bring a collaborative, student-centered voice to the Board of Education.

Schools must remain safe, welcoming places for every student. Immigration status should never be a barrier to a child’s right to attend school or to feel secure in the classroom. When it comes to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), schools should prioritize student safety and privacy, follow the law, and ensure that all students are treated with dignity and respect.

The school budget is a reflection of community values. For me, protecting investments in classroom instruction, student services, and teacher support is essential. These are the areas that directly impact student learning and well-being, and they must remain strong.

At the same time, the Board has a responsibility to be fiscally responsible. That means examining administrative costs, non-essential programs, or inefficiencies to identify where savings can be made without reducing the quality of student learning. My approach is to prioritize long-term planning, transparency with the community, and making sure every dollar spent supports the mission of providing excellent education to Branchburg students.

As a small business owner in town and a proud mother of two young children in the district, I’m deeply invested in the success and quality of our schools and our community. I understand firsthand the importance of strong, forward-thinking public education. I'm running for a seat on the Board of Education to help ensure our schools are not only meeting today’s needs but also preparing our children for a changing and dynamic future. With a background in both business and parenting, I bring a practical, community-minded approach to problem-solving, budgeting, and long-term planning. I’m committed to fostering open communication, supporting our teachers, and making student-centered decisions that reflect the values and needs of our growing town.My goal is to support our educators, listen to families, and help shape policies that put students first.

In a dynamically changing society, the presence or actions of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) can have direct implications for our schools. While we must abide by all federal and state laws to ensure the safety of all citizens, we also have a fundamental duty to protect the rights of every student.

As members of the Board of Education, we are committed to ensuring that every child has the right to a full K–12 education, regardless of their background. We will fully support their safety, dignity, and educational access.

Although we, as board members, do not directly engage with law enforcement or immigration authorities, we have full confidence in our school administration and the policies in place to handle such situations appropriately. We trust they will act in the best interest of students—upholding the law while safeguarding student rights and ensuring schools remain safe, inclusive learning environments for all.

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of serving on the Budget and Finance Committee, where I’ve gained a deep understanding of what goes into developing the school budget each year.

This past year, I was actively involved in maintaining a balanced budget within the 2% tax levy, all while retaining all of our staff and teachers—a significant achievement given the financial pressures many districts face.

While there are always limitations and tough decisions involved in the budgeting process, our students must always come first. Their educational, emotional, and mental well-being remain our top priorities when making financial decisions.

I also believe strongly in the importance of creative, outside-the-box thinking to make the most of limited resources. For example, over the past year, we improved our shared services agreements and implemented more efficient bus routes, helping to reduce financial strain while continuing to serve students effectively.

I’m Bindu Shah, proud mom of three boys and longtime Branchburg resident. For the past three years, I’ve served on the Branchburg Board of Education — always focused on putting students first. Throughout my tenure I have consistently partnered with my other board members in advocating for our children's and staff needs, no matter the individual's background, while maintaining my relationships in the community to understand what the needs and gaps are. From a professional standpoint, I have been in leadership positions for the last 10 years, specifically within marketing, strategy and extending into sales and finance, so I have a holistic understanding of collaboration, public relations, and thinking about how others will perceive certain decisions.

Schools should always protect our children first as schools have always been a safe haven for children to learn and express themselves.

This is a challenging question as budgets have been consistently tight, with numerous priorities. From infrastructure needs, to extracurricular activities to ensuring we have highly qualified staff to providing for outsourcing of special education needs. I recently was a strong advocate of communicating our school referendum, which was voted down. This referendum was critical to ensuring our children and staff are able to maintain a strong ratio, while making critical upgrades to our aging infrastructure. So now my priority is to assess how to get this referendum passed as our schools desperately need these projects in order to maintain a high quality education. Outside of the referendum, the basic needs have to be met - do the children have access to food, school materials, and high quality teachers. Following that is a long-range plan to maintain our roofs, HVAC and other infrastructure needs. Following that is assessing how we manage our out of district expenditures.