Two candidates will vie for one seat to represent Medford Township on the 11-member Lenape Regional High School Board of Education.
Currently there are two members representing the township. Incumbent Jennifer Levas will face Amanda Fitchett for the three-year term seat.
The candidates were asked to complete a questionnaire. Answers have been lightly edited for space.
Name: Amanda Fitchett
Age: 43
How many years have you lived in Medford? 12
Family: Husband Ryan, two daughters, 12 and 10.
Education:Â Master’s in special educationÂ
Profession: Adjunct professor of education at Camden County College, Educational Consultant/Advisor
Have you ever run for office before? No
Community involvement: Former educator (science and special education) at Shawnee High School from 2017-2024, Medford Youth Athletic Association (MYAA) soccer coach during 2021-2022 season, room parent and school volunteer at Allen Elementary school from 2023 to present.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
As a former teacher within the district, I have seen the direct results of policies the district has put in place that impact the students directly. The policies make sense on paper, but in practice, they lower the bar for student achievement. I want to make changes to policies to hold our students to the high standard that the district projects to the public and that I know our students can achieve. Â
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
I’d like to concentrate on finding and keeping great substitutes. Students are currently required to go to Sub-Class, a large area like the cafeteria, to complete work assigned on Google Classroom when their teacher is absent. It’s possible to have multiple teachers absent during the same period, thus a possible 200-plus students in Sub-Class. If a student has multiple teachers absent, they are in the cafeteria for two-plus hours. As a former Shawnee teacher, I’ve monitored Sub-Class. There has to be a better way for our students to be successful when their teacher is absent.
Name: Jennifer Levas
Age: 52
How many years have you lived in Medford? 15
Family: Husband Robert Levas, three children
Education: Rutgers University, computer science
Profession: Software Engineer for RunSignup Inc.
Have you ever run for office before? Yes. I filled a vacancy in 2022 and ran for election that November for a three-year term. In total, I’ve been on the board a little over three years.Â
Community involvement: I have been actively involved in our community through a variety of volunteer efforts, from supporting races like Stamp Out Hunger, to serving at a small soup kitchen in Camden, to reading books online with Bookmates. As a parent, I’ve also dedicated my time to supporting school activities such as Project Graduation, the school musical and the music program. Giving back to both the community and our schools has always been important to me, and I look forward to continuing that service.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
I am a strong advocate for public education and am honored to represent Medford as a board member. As both a parent of a current student and an active member of our community, I bring a valuable perspective to the board. I am running to continue supporting and advocating for our students, families and community.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
Everything ultimately comes down to the budget. Many community members have expressed a desire to see certain resources restored, things that were cut because of budget constraints. My focus will be on advocating with our state legislators to adjust the school funding formula so that our district receives the state aid it needs. With fair funding, we can responsibly consider bringing back the resources our students and families rely on.
