Cynthia Longley Richards, a three-year Millburn Board of Education member, is seeking a second term in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election, pitching middle school improvements as her next focus.

Richards is one of seven candidates competing for three open seats on the board, according to Patch. The nonpartisan seats carry three-year terms and no pay.

An educator and mental health professional, Richards told Patch she ran in 2023 because she believed the district could do more to support every student and help each one reach their potential. She said three years of board service taught her how to translate community concerns into policy conversations with administrators.

During her first term, the district expanded access to AP, honors and dual-enrollment courses, added pathways to calculus and physics, broadened guidance services and adjusted grading and test-correction policies, Richards said. Elementary school consistency also improved, she said.

Her top priority for a second term: the middle school. She said she wants grading, assessments and course access at that level to better prepare students for the transition to Millburn High School.

Richards also said she would continue pushing for support beyond traditional academics.

"Music, the arts, athletics, clubs and enrichment opportunities are not extras," Richards told Patch. "They are an important part of how many children find their confidence, community and sense of belonging."

On technology, she said the district should adopt tools that improve learning but protect time for books, human interaction and critical thinking.

Richards grew up in neighboring Maplewood. Her father and siblings graduated from Millburn High School, and her family moved to the township in 2015 for its schools. She has two sons in the district and has volunteered with Rocktoberfest and served as a team manager for the Millburn Bluefish.

She was first elected in November 2023 alongside board members Priya Shivani and Andrew Finkelstein. Both Shivani and Finkelstein are also listed among the seven 2026 candidates, along with challengers Anna Ostrovsky, Prasoon Saurabh, Christian Germa and Gyan Mishra. Ostrovsky, Saurabh and Germa are running as a slate.

Voter registration closes Oct. 13. Early in-person voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, and polls on Election Day open at 6 a.m.