Jennifer Martinez
to represent Scotch Plains on the
Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Board, 2027-2029
Who am I?
I am a mental health advocate, small business owner, and future school psychologist. You may have seen me at my booth at one of Scotch Plain’s annual Pride or Mental Health fairs.
I loved my first career in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And then, while taking what I thought was a break, I decided to substitute teach. Almost instantly, there was nowhere else I wanted to be. Within a year-and-a-half I was in grad school to become a school psychologist. This shift has been so complete that I already hold a seat on the national APA school psychology ethics committee and am here today asking for your vote for school board.
As a substitute teacher, I’ve seen the inside of every school in our district as well as in many surrounding communities. I’ve already met and made connections with so many of your amazing littles (and not-so-littles) that it’s only inspired me to find a greater role through which to support them. It’s an honor to say your kids are my inspiration.
I’m a proud mom of a large, blended family that includes a high school junior and a kindergartner (class of ‘39!) in our schools and others who have graduated from public school and are in the early stages of building their own full lives.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and after a stint in Florida, found my forever home in Scotch Plains in 2019. Nothing compares to the sense of community I found here, and there isn’t a day I am not grateful for it. There is nowhere else I want to raise my children.
What is it?
School boards “sets the policies, goals and objectives for the district – and it holds the superintendent responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the goals…. they represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents to the school administrators, and to represent the needs of the students and school district to the citizens, taxpayers and parents of the community“
- NJSBA FAQ,
Why me?
Because, simply put, I want nothing short of what’s best for our kids. Not by opinion, but by data; data that includes the voice of our community.
Because I think schools are one of the most important places on the planet. The decisions we make for our kids impact them forever, and I want to be a part of making the best happen for them.
Because I think your opinion matters more than my own. I take my responsibility to those I represent seriously. Listening and responding to concerns is non-negotiable.
My links
Additional resources
Piorities, proudly subject to change
Community engagement
Disability advocacy
Curriculum selection
Classroom technology
Budget management and growth preparation
Skilled areas
Advocacy and leadership
Budget management
Change management
Communications
Data and analysis
Financial management
Project management
Research and training
Strategy development and execution
A little more about me
In my corporate career I regularly demonstrated advocacy by identifying areas of opportunity in our data, designing the solutions and strategy to address it, gaining the support needed to execute solutions, and monitoring progress to ensure success. I’ve led large-scale projects, managed budgets, and understand how to look at a process to determine outliers…. and do something about it. As a testiment to that commitment, I currently hold a 3-year position on the American Psychology Association’s national ethics committee.
But more importantly, I have a lifetime of experiences that remind me both how vulnerable our children are, and how much more we can do to meet their unique needs and help them grow. Study after study only deepens our understanding of how important these formative years truly are.
In my personal life, I am a diverse learner, as are most of my children. I’ve seen the difference it makes for a child when the right support is provided and I want to be a part of ensuring the right support is received for all of our children.
Mental health and neurodiversity are passions of mine; I started a company, Spectrums are Pretty, that sells merchandise and attire in support of mental health acceptance. I had a booth at last year’s Scotch Plains Mental Health Fair and Pride event, pictured above.
I am thrilled to have found a place where my skills and my passions meet.
My priorities are shaped by data and those I represent. Tell me what’s on your mind.
I can’t do this right without hearing from those for whom this matters most. To that end, all identifying fields are optional in case anonymity helps encourage honest and candid feedback.
If you would like a yardsign, please provide your Scotch Plains or Fanwood street address in comments and I'll personally leave one on your doorstep. Thank you for your support.