Holland Township School, a hub in a developing rural community, is committed to providing the strongest educational foundation on which all students can build a successful and productive future. The Holland Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Holland Township Elementary School. The seven members of the School Board have a dual role: to represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents to the school administrators, and to represent the needs of the students and school district to the citizens, taxpayers and parents of the community. The School Board sets the policies, goals and objectives for the district and holds the superintendent responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the goals. School Board members are elected for staggered three-year terms.
Slogan
Focusing on Student Achievement
I am running for another term as a Holland Township school board member because I want to continue my work putting student achievement first. I fully support our mission statement to provide “a safe, nurturing and academically challenging environment where successful futures are built for all children”.
The most important characteristic for a school board member is a willingness to do the work necessary to be fully prepared to discuss issues. During my 12 years as a board member, I have tried to be informed on every decision by seeking information from school staff and administrators, professionals at the New Jersey School Board Association, our district policies and regulations, and statistics from the state like the School Performance Reports and the Taxpayers Guide to Education Spending.
I believe the principal responsibility of a school board is not to run the school, but to see the school is well run. I think there are three main areas school boards should focus on:
1) Oversight of superintendent - The board should set clear expectations for the superintendent and hold them accountable for student achievement.
2) Setting policy - The board should set district policy based on the goals of the full board, state laws, and feedback from professionals and school staff.
3) Control of the budget - The board should be responsible stewards of taxpayer money. This means digging into details during the budget process to make sure money is being utilized in the best possible manner. This also means comparing our school spending to other districts across the state.
I believe that we have a responsibility as a public school to provide a well founded instructional program that shows respect and dignity to everyone. I support the rights of parents to know what curriculum is being taught and strongly believe that parental involvement is essential to student success. I believe the current school policy provides a fair process for parents to challenge instructional materials. And I support the state statutes that allow parents to opt their children out of specific lessons.
I believe that the certificated professionals in the school are the most qualified people to be suggesting educational materials for approval by the board that are age-appropriate and meet our learning standards. For example, it’s my understanding that the HealthSmart curriculum used in our school was developed by medical and child development professionals and provides health lessons geared towards specific age groups; however parents should have the right to teach these topics to their own children in their own way if they choose.
1) I would like to see improvements on the NJ Student Learning Assessments. Our district did see some improvements this past year but I would like to see further progress made in the lower grade Math/ELA results and in science. I think the full board should set this as a priority for the superintendent and provide funding for resources (updated educational materials, professional development, etc.) as needed.
2) I would like to see the board evaluate the climate in our school. I believe that climate surveys to students, staff, and parents could help identify areas that need to be addressed so that all students can meet their full potential.
3) I want to ensure that our building and grounds provide the best available opportunities for our students. We have a bond referendum on the ballot this November, and regardless of the outcome the school board will need to find a way to produce meaningful educational and extracurricular experiences, through clean and safe classrooms and spaces that enable fun opportunities outside of the classroom.
1) The most important quality of a superintendent is being able to drive student achievement. They must be able to identify areas of focus, create a plan for action, effectively coordinate people/resources/money across multiple areas, and closely monitor progress.
2) While the superintendent is ultimately responsible for the school, they should recognize when decisions need support from stakeholders and incorporate them into the process. This applies to working with the school board, school staff, parents, or the Holland Township community.
3) Vision is another important quality for a superintendent. Handling the day-to-day issues is critical, but schools need a leader that can drive meaningful change and inspire those around them.
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