Candidates: Chris ConZEN, ANNETTE BROOKS and JENNIFER MARCHESE
The Roxbury Township School District has 3 open seats for the Board of Education in 2025. Candidates Christopher Conzen, Annette Brooks and Jennifer Marchese are well qualified to help our district by addressing educational needs, fostering respect for all students and staff, and looking at ways to manage growth and development.
Meet the candidates
we are parents who care about our community and our schools!
CHRISTOPHER CONZEN
CHRISTOPHER is originally from Parsippany, having happily moved to Succasunna in 2018 with his wife, mother-in-law, and 2 children, who both attend Roxbury Public Schools. Chris earned his B.A. in Social Work from The Catholic University of America, his M.Ed. in College Student Personnel from The University of Maryland College Park and his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University.
For the past 6 years, Dr. Christopher Conzen has worked at a community college in Northern NJ, with his primary role providing opportunities for high school students to earn college credits, either through taking college-taught classes or through dual enrollment opportunities at their home high school. Since he started his role, over 100 high school students have earned an Associate Degree as they completed high school.
Operating in both the higher education and K-12 sectors simultaneously, Chris has a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing young people as the consider what their futures hold after high school graduation, whether that be a degree path or immediate employment. In professional role, Chris represents his college on many county committees, including the School Superintendents’ Roundtable and individual high school CTE advisory boards.
Chris is a member of St. Therese of Succasunna Parish, serving as a lector and previously as both a catechist and organizer of the altar servers. Chris also served on the Kennedy Elementary PTA for two years as their recording secretary, and even had the privilege of being a room parent for a year.
As a member of the Board of Education, Chris wants to see the Board serve in its true, non-partisan role, not focused on personal agenda, but on how the Board can support the school district in providing a safe and enriching environment that honors all students’ interests and backgrounds, and, most importantly, providing them with the tools they need to be “future-ready” and be successful in whatever they decide to pursue once they walk across the graduation stage with their diplomas in hand.
ANNETTE BROOKS
ANNETTE, a 33 year resident of Roxbury, is deeply committed to the success of our schools and the future of our children. Annette previously served on the Roxbury Board of Education, including time as Board President, and is now seeking to return to help refocus our district on what matters most—Education, Policy, and Budget accountability. She has raised three children, all of whom attended the Roxbury school system and were well prepared for their futures. Today, she is a proud grandmother and remains committed to ensuring that every student in Roxbury has the same opportunity to thrive.
With a long-term career in software development, Annette brings an analytical mindset, problem-solving skills, and a deep respect for structure and process—qualities that are critical for effective board governance. She believes our Board of Education must be guided by the policies of the district and work in partnership with the Superintendent, ensuring that our schools are well-run—not run by the board.
Roxbury has the potential to be a top education destination again. But she believes we’ve strayed into idealisms that have distracted us from our core mission: to educate, prepare, and protect our students. Strong schools are the foundation of a strong community—both for our children and for our property values. Students must be ready to face the world—whether they choose college, a trade, or another path—and they must feel safe and supported in every environment: in the classroom, at home, and online.
Annette is running to bring focus, experience, and integrity back to the Roxbury Board of Education. Together, we can make Roxbury a place where excellence in education is more than a goal—it’s a standard.
JENNIFER MARCHESE
JENNIFER (AKA Mrs. KZ) is a Jefferson Elementary mom and a substitute teacher for Roxbury Township schools. Mrs. Marchese studied Theater Arts at Rutgers, Visual Arts at CCM and Ramapo, and received a Masters in Teaching along with two K-12 teaching certifications from Montclair State in 2016. Until 2019, she worked to lift up others through arts and education. In July of 2019 Jennifer became a mom at 45 years old, and her daughter became her central purpose and reason for seeking a seat on the Board of Education.
Since returning to teaching in 2022, Mrs. Marchese covered a leave at Randolph High School for Mass Media, another leave at Ironia Elementary, and a third at Canfield Ave School in mine hill. During the 2024-2025 school year, she stepped in at Jefferson Elementary for a vacant paraprofessional position in order to help the school where her daughter started kindergarten. Most kids know her at Mrs. KZ, or the art teacher with the blue hair, or as “Sadness” from Inside Out. Jennifer is the kind of person who always steps up when people are in need.
Now, Jennifer Marchese is stepping up to run for the Roxbury Board of Education because she feels her unique perspective and personal history can offer insight to the board about the needs of both students and staff. Understanding the financial difficulties all school districts will be facing in the coming years, Mrs. Marchese wants to help the Roxbury Board of Education figure out what the priorities are and work to preserve policies and programs that are most beneficial to the students. Jennifer is eager to work with the board to find solutions to problems such as teacher burnout, growing class sizes, and students’ waning attention. She does not seek to push a personal agenda, rather she is excited to collaborate with fellow BOE members to make Roxbury a great school experience for every student.
education. COMMUNITY. OPPORTUNITY.
EDUCATION:
Fair, Transparent, and Student-Focused
✅ Keep the focus on students, not personal agendas
✅ Support teachers with training, resources, and trust in their expertise
✅ Reestablish SEPAC with Board attendance at every meeting
✅ Listen to parents & guardians and make transparency a priority
COMMUNITY:
A Board That Serves Everyone
✅ Put students’ education first — decisions made by the full Board, not outside agendas
✅ Be present in the community: PTA/PTO events, family outreach, and accessible updates
✅ Share Board information in easy-to-understand ways so all families stay informed
✅ Promote Roxbury as a place where great teachers want to work and stay
OPPORTUNITY:
Open Doors to New Opportunities for All
✅ Expand AP/IB courses, dual enrollment, and workforce programs
✅ Remove barriers caused by income, language, learning differences, or mental health
✅ Create leadership opportunities and hands-on job training for students
✅ Partner with families on mental health, nutrition, and civic engagement
And MORE….
FINANCE
✅ Be fiscally responsible while protecting quality education
✅ Make budgets clear and transparent for taxpayers
✅ Find creative, cost-saving solutions that won’t harm classrooms
✅ Maintain safe, modern schools for students and staff
TEACHERS AND STAFF
✅ Address the teacher shortage by making Roxbury a district educators want to join and stay in
✅ Provide professional growth, innovation, and support
✅ Celebrate teacher & staff success — strong schools build a strong community
OPPORTUNITY:
Open Doors to New Opportunities for All
✅ Forward-thinking policies
✅ Understanding student needs
✅ Transforming schools with innovation
✅ Upgrading technology & resources
✅ Readying graduates for all pathways
✅ Empowering educators to help every student thrive
ONE MORE THING!
📌 We pledge to uphold the New Jersey Code of Ethics for School Board Members and always act in the best interests of Roxbury’s students and families.
UPDATES
Visit us at Olde SUckasunny Day!
Olde Suckasunny Day is Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 10AM to 3PM and we’ll be there!
Stop by our table to meet our candidates, find out more about what the Board of Education does and what our goals are to help Roxbury School District thrive.
IMPORTANT ELECTiON DATES
Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025
The Voter Registration Deadline to vote in the November election is October 14.
Early in-person voting (at select polling locations in each county) runs from October 25 to November 2.
Mail-in Ballots for voting by mail begin to be mailed by the county clerks on September 20. Completed ballots can be mailed in or dropped off in any secure drop box in Morris County. The Roxbury Township drop box is at back entrance of town hall on Rt 46 W in Ledgewood.
For more information on these important dates and details about polling location, voter registration status, early in-person polling locations and vote by mail applications, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/vote.shtml