New Jersey State Assembly Majority Conference Leader, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-35) visited RYNJ through Teach NJS—a coalition of 20 New Jersey Jewish day schools, the Jewish Federations of Northern New Jersey and the Heart of New Jersey and the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center—”Schools in Session” program on March 9. After a tour of the school, Ms. Sumter spent time with the seventh grade girls, capturing their attention as she shared some of the many responsibilities embedded in her political role. She answered the students’ many questions with tremendous knowledge, poise and respect.

Ms. Sumter then met with 25 RYNJ parents and lay leaders as they discussed issues pertaining to education affordability, particularly the issue of achieving parity with public school funding for security, nursing aid, technology and textbooks. Ms. Sumter urged the RYNJ parent body to make sure their voices are heard and that their legislators recognize the issues that impact RYNJ families.