Note: There are a few ways to use this page. It mixes objective source material with light analysis and first-hand reporting so voters can choose their depth.
Where we add context or opinion, it’s to help busy voters make sense of gaps in local information. Not everyone has time to be a volunteer politico.
 
         Makema Douglas is a lifelong Vineland resident, graduate of Vineland High School, and says she is the only current candidate who has taught in Vineland Public Schools. She spent 16 years teaching in Vineland and Salem before transitioning into early intervention work with Inspira and a private company, as well as educational consulting. Douglas also holds certifications in education, leadership, supervision, and administration, and has served as a youth pastor, community program developer, author, and entrepreneur.
Her agenda centers on clear communication, accountability, and early support—ensuring parents and staff know what resources exist and how to access them. She advocates stronger coordination between administrators, teachers, and local service providers so that students with developmental or special-education needs receive timely, effective assistance. She also supports raising Vineland’s academic standards to remain competitive with schools like CCTEC while expanding mentorship and trade-readiness opportunities.
Douglas views the school board as a non-partisan body that should focus on student outcomes rather than politics. She values constructive disagreement, favors private discussion before public confrontation, and believes the district benefits most from a board with diverse professional and lived experiences. Overall, she brings both classroom insight and community engagement that distinguish her as one of the more accessible and responsive candidates in this year’s race.
This election is on November 4th, 2025
 
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
             At the Vineland Food Truck Festival, InformTheVoteNJ.com caught up with Makema Douglas, who is running for the Vineland School Board in a competitive race with three open seats and eight candidates. Douglas shares her motivations, values, and vision for the district.
Why She’s Running:
              Douglas describes herself as a concerned citizen and an educator who believes taxpayers should know where their money is going. She emphasizes her passion for making sure the school system works for students, teachers, and parents alike.
Teacher & Parent Support:
              Having spoken with teachers in transition and facing vacancies, Douglas argues that educators need more support and that politics should not interfere with providing quality education. She stresses that students must come first.
Transparency & Collaboration:
              Douglas calls for better communication between parents, teachers, administrators, and the board. She wants the process to be less about political battles and more about building trust and finding practical solutions.
Final Thoughts:
              Douglas encourages other candidates to be transparent and open to dialogue, stressing that working together is the only way to improve the school system. Her message is rooted in faith, practicality, and a commitment to community-driven solutions.
This table highlights the key takeaways from the Food Truck Festival man-on-the-street conversation.
| Timestamp | Topic | Key Takeaways | 
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Introduction | Steven introduces InformTheVoteNJ.com and Makema Douglas, noting the three open seats and competitive race for Vineland School Board. | 
| 1:00 | Festival Outreach | Douglas shares her positive experience meeting residents, answering questions, and hearing concerns about local education. | 
| 1:45 | Why She’s Running | Douglas frames her candidacy around concern for education, taxpayer accountability, and creating a system that truly works for students and families. | 
| 2:30 | Teacher & Parent Concerns | She highlights teacher vacancies, morale issues, and the need for more support, alongside parental concerns for transparency and trust. | 
| 3:25 | Encouraging Transparency | Douglas urges fellow candidates to be open, communicate honestly, and work together—emphasizing that mistakes can be fixed if everyone is willing to try. | 
Commissioner Doug Albrecht interviews Makema Douglas, a Vineland Board of Education candidate. Douglas explains how a past special-education case she helped the board resolve motivated her to run again, and how her background—16 years teaching (Vineland & Salem), current early-intervention work with Inspira and a private company, and experience as an educational consultant—shapes her platform.
Why She’s Running & What She’s Done:
                Drawing on perspectives as a parent, teacher, administrator, and board member, Douglas says she helped steer a family complaint toward settlement by asking practical, system-level questions. That experience fuels her focus on special education coverage, staff support/training, and cross-agency collaboration.
Early Intervention & Family Resources:
                She stresses that many families and teachers don’t know what services exist. Her priority is clearer communication and partnerships (including possible mobile outreach) so parents, teachers, and counselors can quickly connect to resources.
Budget & Standards:
                She’s hearing anxiety about “what’s coming down the pike” (food/SNAP, insurance, costs). While some issues sit outside BOE control, she sees the board’s role in informing families and aligning supports. Academically, she wants Vineland to compete with CCTEC by raising expectations (including trades pathways) and expanding mentoring for students lacking support at home.
Board Style & Representation:
                Douglas likes private conversations first to avoid grandstanding, but will speak up publicly—“no time to waste” on core issues. She argues a stronger board includes diverse professional and lived experiences (she notes her perspective as a woman of color, mother, and grandmother).
Community Touchpoints & Ballot Note:
                The conversation also recaps local events (seniors’ luncheon, homecoming, sorority service, Mexican festival, Bridgeton Rotary). Douglas encourages early voting and notes she is #5 on the ballot.
This table highlights key moments and takeaways from the interview with Commissioner Doug Albrecht.
| Timestamp | Topic | Key Takeaways | 
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | Why she’s running; special-ed case | Used multi-lens experience (parent/teacher/admin/board) to help settle a family complaint; commits to stronger special-ed supports. | 
| 03:48 | Background & career path | 16 years teaching (Vineland → Salem); now early intervention (Inspira + private) and educational consulting. | 
| 06:26 | VP rejection → civic curiosity | Not getting a VP role pushed her to scrutinize district operations and get involved on the board level. | 
| 10:33 | Early intervention 101 | Many families/teachers don’t know services exist; wants better resource connection and potential mobile outreach. | 
| 11:15 | “Connecting the dots” on services | Boots-on-the-ground communication among agencies, schools, and parents closes support gaps. | 
| 19:03 | Board diversity | A board benefits from varied professional/lived perspectives (notes her lens as a woman of color, mother, grandmother). | 
| 19:45 | Willing to speak up | Fourth-time candidate; prefers side conversations first, but will go on-record—“no time to waste” on key issues. | 
| 24:02 | Budget anxieties & family supports | Hears concerns on food/SNAP, insurance, costs; sees BOE role in informing families & building partnerships. | 
| 27:07 | Inside-school priorities | Continue follow-through on prior district questions; focus on practical fixes and clear processes. | 
| 31:04 | Early-voting plug | Emphasizes close local races; encourages early voting; notes she’s #5 on the ballot. | 
| 32:15 | Community events recap | Senior luncheon, consumer-protection scams talk, local services roundup. | 
| 41:00 | Competing with CCTEC | Raise academic standards and options (including trades); expand mentoring for students lacking home support. | 
| 45:01 | Recent local happenings | Homecoming & parade, field hockey shout-out, sorority service projects, Mexican festival, Bridgeton Rotary. | 
| 51:00 | Roots & acknowledgments | Vineland-raised teacher; thanks local supporters; invites questions and engagement. | 
| 53:20 | Closing | Final calls to vote and stay involved; show sign-off. | 
Makema Douglas has continued to demonstrate meaningful transparency and accessibility throughout this election season. In addition to responding to our candidate questionnaire and participating in an earlier “man-on-the-street” interview, she took part in a full-length sit-down interview with Commissioner Doug Albrecht, where she discussed her background, motivation, and priorities. This format allowed voters to hear directly from her about special education, early intervention, board diversity, budget concerns, and the importance of raising academic standards in Vineland.
Compared to many other candidates in this race—roughly half of whom have offered little or no direct communication—Douglas’s willingness to speak publicly, answer questions, and attend community events sets her apart. Her comfort discussing both personal experiences and administrative issues shows a genuine commitment to open dialogue and civic accountability.
While scheduled meet-and-greets or other campaign events would have been ideal to round out her campaign, it’s also fair to note that those components often reflect the status quo in Cumberland County rather than a shortcoming unique to Douglas. A longer-form interview was also offered through this project but ultimately did not occur. Whether that was due to busy schedules, an email lost in spam, or any other reasonable explanation—or perhaps, in today’s political climate, a more deliberate campaign decision—remains unknown. Hopefully candidates like Douglas will take that observation as constructive: if you don’t want independent media outlets or voters wondering what happened, make sure your campaign communication is robust, responsive, and beyond question. Even with that uncertainty, Douglas’s participation in a public interview and her ongoing community presence firmly establish her as above average for transparency and accessibility in this race.
Strengthen communication and transparency between administration, faculty, parents, and students. Timely parent notification regarding changes in academic performance, scheduling, transportation, grade-level promotion, and graduation readiness.
In her interview with Commissioner Albrecht, Douglas also emphasized the need for better coordination among departments and community agencies — especially when it comes to informing parents about available programs and early intervention services. She noted that too many families are unaware of existing supports until it’s too late, and pledged to improve “boots-on-the-ground” communication between the district and local organizations.
Work closely with administration so all departments follow updated regulations, policies, standards, and best practices—especially as new Department of Education changes unfold. Ensure that funding, job security, and the school experience are managed openly and responsibly for all stakeholders.
Douglas reiterated that strong leadership requires cooperation “from the head all the way down to the person turning off the lights at night.” She believes aligning administrators and teachers with community partnerships—such as early intervention providers—can help ensure that students are identified, supported, and tracked more effectively.
Believes too much politics has crept into what should be a non-partisan school board system. Calls for “simple approaches” to solving problems and keeping the focus on educating students.
During her interview, Douglas underscored that she prefers to resolve disagreements privately before public meetings, explaining that professionalism and collaboration keep the board’s focus on outcomes rather than politics.
Supports high academic expectations and targeted accommodations for struggling students, alongside supportive and extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, theater, arts, community work, and collaborations. Stresses that one size does not fit all, and each student deserves a holistic approach to education.
In her interview, Douglas compared Vineland’s schools to CCTEC, saying she wants Vineland to be just as competitive by raising standards while still meeting students where they are. She also highlighted the importance of mentoring programs for students who may lack support at home, noting that guidance and consistency can make a critical difference in long-term success.
States the board should remain a non-partisan entity, though personally aligned with many Democratic views. Promotes finding common ground and an amicable way to approach disagreements for the benefit of students.
She emphasized that as a four-time candidate, her goal is no longer to “win arguments” but to use her experience to help the district function better through collaboration and clear communication. “We don’t have time to waste on certain issues,” she said.
Acknowledges growing concerns among parents and teachers about how upcoming budgetary shifts may affect students and families. Douglas believes the board’s role includes communicating updates and helping families connect with assistance programs such as SNAP, healthcare, and early childhood services.
Lifelong resident of Vineland and graduate of Vineland High School. Parent of children who graduated from Vineland Public Schools.
In her interview, she reiterated her deep ties to the city—born, raised, taught, and now serving families within the same community. She highlighted that this continuity gives her an authentic perspective on what Vineland students and educators face daily.
Only current candidate who has taught in Vineland Public Schools. Holds certifications in education, leadership, supervision, and administration.
Douglas taught preschool and first grade for 16 years in Vineland and Salem, later moving into early intervention and educational consulting. She explained that after her parents’ passing, she transitioned to flexible work that allows her to serve families directly—visiting homes and connecting children with developmental resources across New Jersey.
Community activist, former youth pastor, community program developer, author, and entrepreneur. Emphasizes that neither she nor her husband is employed by or under contract with the city or its schools, nor holds a paying county position. Serves purely as a volunteer for the community, from youngest to eldest residents.
Recently active in community outreach events such as the Triad Senior Luncheon, Mexican Festival, and Bridgeton Rotary, Douglas also participates in public resource events through Inspira to promote awareness of early intervention and mental health services for children and families.
Believes the Vineland School Board should remain a non-partisan entity. While personally aligned with many Democratic views, emphasizes finding common ground and approaching disagreements amicably to provide students with the best opportunities for success.
Highlights being a lifelong Vineland resident, a product of Vineland Public Schools, and the only current candidate who has taught in the district. Holds certifications in education, leadership, supervision, and administration. Her children graduated from Vineland Public Schools, and she is a community activist, former youth pastor, program developer, author, and entrepreneur. Notes that neither she nor her husband is employed by or under contract with the city or its schools and she does not hold a paying county position — underscoring her intent to serve purely as a volunteer for the community.
Additionally, Douglas stands out as the only educator actively working in early childhood intervention while running for the board. She draws on both classroom and home-based experience to advocate for stronger resource navigation and higher academic standards across the district.
Overall agenda: My focus is to address the current school environment as it relates to parent notification about anything impacting their child's school experience, academic performance changes and schedule, transportation grade level promotion and graduation readiness. These issues are concerning for most taxpayers, School faculty, parents and even students. There are changes that are expected to occur within the Department of Education. Most of the changes have yet to unfold and many people are concerned with how it will impact their school experience, funding, and job security.
I plan to accomplish these things by addressing administration to keep transparency in communication throughout channels and to work together so that all departments are following updates, regulations, policies, standards, and best practices.
Issue Positions: I believe the issues arise because we haven't used simple approaches to finding solutions for issues. I believe that politics have played too much a part of a non-partisan system. It is important that we keep the issues, goals and main focus about educating our students and providing them with access to a quality education that has high academic expectations, accommodations to support those students that are struggling to reach the goals and outcomes put in place, to provide supportive and extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, theater, arts community work, and collaborations. These factors should be present to ensure that each student will receive a holistic approach to education, in ways that best suits their ability to learn because one size does not fit all.
Party Affiliation: I believe the school board should remain non-partisan entity. However, I am aligned with most Democratic views. Nevertheless, if we must deal with people and their ideology , theology, or psychology we should agree to agree and agree to disagree. I believe there's an amicable way to approach every situation and that we should be able to find common ground. We must in order to do the best in providing our students with optimum opportunities for success in the school system.
Upcoming Campaign: I would love to be invited to more events, radio shows, and podcasts. I currently have a few interviews posted online. You can continue to look for me at more local community events and social media platforms.
Distinguishing Yourself from Opponents: My background distinguishes me from my opponents. I am a product of Vineland Public schools K through 12. I am the only running mate and potential person on the board that has taught in Vineland Public Schools. My certifications are in education, leadership, supervision, and administration in education. My children attended and graduated from Vineland public schools and are productive citizens. I am a vested community activist, former youth pastor, community program developer, author and entrepreneur currently, Also, I nor my husband is employed by the city or has a contract with the city or its schools. I also do not hold a paying position for the county. My sole goal is to serve this community and its residence starting from the youngest to the eldest. I have no other agenda, and this is a volunteer position.
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        Supports multiculturalism. Reposted on 
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        Supports voting for change of leadership on the board. 
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        Wants to fortify security at schools.  
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        Supports methods to ensure school safety for students and staff. 
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        Redirecting focus on programs that reinforce school resilience for teachers and students.
        Restoring community faith in the Vineland School System and its administration's ability to effectively lead.
        Ensuring that teachers, parents, students, and residents have representation in decision making regarding practices, policies, and procedures.
        Supports fighting for fair and equitable wages for staff and faculty.
        Wants to focus on core studies such as language arts, math, and sciences.
        Supports parent involvement.
        Stands on fair, reasonable, and equitable thinking and representation. 
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