Are These Really the Best Options? Early Hardyston BOE Candidate Names Emerge
Three names have surfaced as potential candidates for the Hardyston Board of Education - but are they the best choices for our schools?
The announcement came with no name attached - no attribution, no explanation, just a quiet endorsement from behind the curtain.
If these are the strongest candidates for our schools, why hide who is backing them?
- Ed Reinle - a sitting board member seeking another term,
- Dana Kalczuk - a relative unknown whose child’s residency in the district has been a recent topic of scrutiny, and
- Ellis Marples - a new name in the BOE conversation, though not unfamiliar to many in town.
Reinle, despite being an incumbent, is most often noted for his 61% meeting attendance record - not exactly a glowing endorsement when it comes to showing up for the job. Kalczuk, meanwhile, enters the race under a cloud of controversy regarding her family’s eligibility to reside in the district, an issue that reportedly reached the level of internal board review earlier this year. As for Marples, little is known yet about his platform or priorities.
With the filing deadline still ahead, this early list triggered one reaction over and over: Is this really it?
There’s still time for others to step forward. And many are hoping they do.
Our students deserve more than familiar names and politically convenient picks. They deserve commitment, transparency, and people who actually show up.
We’ll find out soon whether better options are on the way. Stay tuned.