I’m a lifelong EB resident and member of the EBHS Class of '81. I hold a BA in Music Ed K-12, a Masters in the Art of Teaching and a Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership. In 1987 I became the Hammarskjold orchestra director. I also taught at Irwin and CJHS before retiring in July 2021. The success of students with special needs is a subject near to my heart. Having a child with autism and another with ADHD, I know the challenges of advocating for one’s child and the difficulties navigating the 504 and IEP processes. My husband teaches at a school for students with autism and multiple disabilities and my daughter is an instructional aide at CJHS. I’ve been an outspoken advocate for the Arts throughout my career. I was named an NJMEA “Master Music Teacher” and received the EBEF’s “Partner in Excellence” award. My educational expertise provides insight that others without K-12 classroom experience don’t have. I understand through first-hand experience the pressures our students and staff face.This personal knowledge gives me a unique perspective. I experienced how executive decisions, whether they be budgetary, procedural or schedule-related, impact students. I am an expert in my field and therefore hold myself and others in the business of education to a high standard. When I was sworn into my position on the board, the budget process was already in progress, and I strove to find alternatives for some of the drastic cuts that were proposed. Although the outcomes didn’t reflect my personal vision, my goal to put our students and staff first has never come into question. I’ll continue to work towards improved accountability and transparency. My personal belief is that we should not continue to borrow and spend the way we have. As a taxpayer, there is too much at stake for our children and our community not to advocate for alternative solutions.
My priorities remain the same as when I ran for my current 1 year term: to demand improved communication and transparency; to find innovative ways to deal with repeated budget shortfalls; to minimize the impact of state aid cuts on student programs and to address the culture of what has been previously self-described as a “board of consensus.” For a board to function smoothly, being able to come to a consensus and respect the views of all is a necessity. Open and respectful dialog among board members as well as embracing the right of each member to offer conflicting opinions without judgement helps for any organization to function smoothly. I’ve voted over 400 times in concert with the rest of the board. Conversely, I haven’t hesitated to be the only “no” vote. As a retired EB teacher, I understand the intricacies of how curricular issues, policies and budgetary decisions impact the classroom. No one can be an expert in everything, which is why having experts on the board in different fields is valuable. Because my expertise is education, however, I won’t give up my right to dissent when it's the right thing to do. Having gone through my first budget season as a board member, I reject the notion that top down decision making is best; it may work in some fields but isn't best practice in education. We have highly-trained staff and should be tapping into their shared expertise. Principals and teachers are the closest to our students and know what is needed for students to be successful because they do it everyday. I’ve been reminded that “You don’t need to be a teacher to be on the BOE.” That’s a true statement. Given the learning curve involved with sitting on the BOE, it's also true that being a retired EB teacher gives me a significant advantage when it comes to recognizing good educational practice and ineffective practice.
Our district has been hit with devastating state aid cuts for 2 years, resulting in the loss of many valued staff. We must make it a priority to protect the educational program of all of our students and services related to mental, physical and emotional health and safety. Innovative ways to increase district revenue streams and trim every penny of non-essential budgetary expenditures must be found, discussed and prioritized over reduction in staff (RIF). Rental of under-utilized properties, increasing enrollment in the current parent-paid Early Learning Academy preschool program, maximization of solar power, pursuing corporate sponsorships and increased grant writing are some suggestions. Cost savings might include redistricting so students can attend their neighborhood elementary school and decrease bussing costs. Achieving a debt-level service fund budget is admirable but we need to decrease borrowing to reduce the yearly debt service. Having seen the detailed budget, I was able to identify significant cuts that would not directly impact the classroom. Budget savings and cuts need to be examined year-round to avoid having to scramble at the last minute. At the 3/3/25 budget meeting, I was shocked we weren’t provided a preview copy of cuts or at least a few minutes to read through the document. Instead, we received the list of potential cuts when we sat down at the dais. How can one make an informed decision without having time to thoroughly examine catastrophic cuts in staff positions and student programs? I am not going to wait for the results of an election before pushing for change in how the budget cycle is approached. I have seen first-hand from my three decades of experience as an East Brunswick teacher how looking at things primarily from a budget line item view is not educationally sound nor fiscally responsible. I will use whatever time I am afforded to change how things are done.
I believe in being proactive on issues affecting the schools instead of reactive. We can’t wait for issues to boil over before they are addressed, and regular communication with the public is key to avoid misinformation and misunderstandings that can create conflicts among stakeholders. The BOE needs the results of yearly climate surveys provided to students, parents and staff such as the free NJ School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey to help drive decision making. I don’t agree with a top-down management style–major decisions should have input from staff since they're the most knowledgeable in the day-to-day workings of their building. I believe including staff in decision making will go far in avoiding the escalation of issues before they become contentious. There are times suggestions are made that are contrary to state or federal law, which is why educating the public as to why some policies are in place is important. Improved communication and transparency will go far in gaining the trust of the community and foster a sense of partnership between the Board, the Administration and the public. It is unacceptable to ignore community concerns, whether that be during the public comment portion of a meeting or by not responding to emails when questions are asked. I appreciate the emails received from constituents because it is sometimes the only way for me to know what the pressing issues are that parents and students are facing.
The first priority is protecting the safety, health and well-being of ALL of our students regardless of their residency status or national origin. Under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), immigration status as well as student records are protected from disclosure. The NJDOE provides detailed guidance on state and federal laws pertaining to the protection of students and families. Schools must have a plan in place with security protocols and a safety plan to follow in case a student is in jeopardy. School staff are trained in these protocols and the procedures to follow in the event ICE agents were to come to the school. Schools are NOT required to provide information about a student's presence on school grounds. Even with a federal warrant or court order, an agent is NOT permitted to enter a school building without review of those documents by the district's legal council and the Chief School Administrator. If an agent comes on school grounds and detains a parent/guardian, schools must have procedures in place to care for and protect students. The school must provide immediate emotional support to families and students who are facing immigration-related actions. The NJDOE offers guidance on how to best support students affected by deportation-related trauma. It is the responsibility of members of a Board of Education to know what the laws are protecting students and to oversee that the Chief School Administrator has an emergency plan in place, that staff are trained in what to do in the event an ICE agent comes to the school, and that information and support are provided to children and families in jeopardy. For detailed information, go to https://www.nj.gov/education/security/studentrights/
Drastic cuts to Arts programming were suggested both in 2024 and 2025 as a way to balance the budget, including the elimination of the entire 4th grade elementary band and orchestra program, in which 70-75% of students participate. This year, it was proposed to cut half of the band and orchestra staff in grades 5-9, a program that enrolls nearly 1000 students. An attempt was made to eliminate electives at the upper elementary level, thus changing HUES to an elementary schedule. The elementary schools were hit with a 25% reduction in the time students receive instruction for specials (including Arts.) It was proposed to cut middle school and junior high sports teams but fortunately they were saved. There was a reduction in world language offerings as well as cuts in other programming. There is persistent lobbying of the state to provide equity in their funding formula to prevent the need for drastic cuts in student programs. Sadly, we have been warned to expect 3-5 difficult years when developing our yearly budget. Our district motto is “Excellence in Academics, Athletics and the Arts” yet this year’s budget seemed to disproportionately affect the Arts. Once we are through this budgetary crisis period, community members have requested the addition of more vocational classes. We need to work with apprenticeship programs and come up with programming for students to explore opportunities in a wide variety of jobs, including those that do not require a college degree.
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