We’re Laura McKenna and Julie Mchedlishvill, and we’re running for school board in Ridgewood, NJ.
Julie Mchedlishvili has lived in Ridgewood for over twenty years and volunteered in for Jamboree, RHS Bands, Ridgewood Art Council, and more. She has over twenty years of experience in educational leadership in New York City public schools, as a high school principal and assistant superintendent. She is currently working for the central office on policy and strategy around different education initiatives. Last year when students got back to school she was one of the authors and organizers of the parental survey about the effects of the pandemic on our children and the identification of needed supports, the results of which were publicly shared with the district administration, Board of Education, and on the various social media outlets. She is a mom to a RHS graduate and a current tenth grader.
Laura McKenna is a life-long resident of Ridgewood and Bergen County. Her sons have experienced the full range of Ridgewood education, from AP classes to our autism program. She has 35 years of experience in education as a special education teacher, researcher, college professor, and writer. She holds a PhD with a specialization in politics and education policy. She held leadership positions on the LSHSA, organized social activities for autistic youth in Ridgewood, supported special education parents with the transition from high school, and is the administrator for Ridgewood Special Moms and Dads Facebook page. When Ridgewood had a staffing crisis, she got her certification and worked last year as a substitute paraprofessional in Ridgewood's autism program.
