Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Qualifications/Experience
Degree in Biochemistry, Polymer chemist as a career, Substitute teacher, taught Green belt class for Six Sigma at RVCC.
Involvement in Community
Member at Holy Trinity Lutheran
Slogan
Excellence in Education, Fiscal responsibility
The school system has failed our kids with only 40% at grade level in Math and English. The BOE budget is over taxing everyone in Franklin Township, especially seniors. With business background, if it doesn't add value to the system, either kids or the school, why are we spending money on it. Therefore we need a very detailed explanation on all items of the budget to locate the wasteful spending. The current BOE budget on page 9 of the pdf, lists cost Per Pupil calculations. Comparative cost = $23,761 X 8,509 projected enrollment =$202,182,349! The next 13 items = $44,855 x 8,509 students = $381,671,195.. Far exceeding the total cost on page 5 of $186,036,037.
We should obey all state, local and Federal laws.
As stated before, if it doesn't add value why are spending the money on it. I fell foreign languages should be offered in first and second grades rather than waiting to 7th or 8th. We need to bring back shop classes!
Qualifications/Experience
Public school advocate. PTA school involvement. Franklin public school Alum children. Commercial banking and finance professional. Served on corporate DEI committees.
Involvement in Community
MLK Foundation Board member, Planning Board member, Civic engagements.
Slogan
Choose All Three (slate of three candidates)
I am running for the Franklin Township Board of Education because I believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed in an environment that is inclusive, academically strong, and fiscally responsible. A proud resident of Franklin for 38 years, and a graduate of both public schools and a public college, I strongly believe in the value of public education. My children all attended Franklin schools from kindergarten through high school, giving me firsthand experience with both the strengths and challenges of our district.
With more than 30 years in commercial banking and lending, I bring expertise in credit analysis, budgeting, and fiscal oversight - skills essential to ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely while protecting students’ academic adequacy.
Beyond my career, I have long been engaged in Franklin civic life - as an active parent and PTA member, a Planning Board member, and a Board Member of the Martin Luther King Foundation since 1999.
I will work to raise academic standards, support our teachers, manage financial resources responsibly, and safeguard education by teaching history honestly while preserving the freedom of access to knowledge.
Schools are not immigration enforcement agencies—our duty is to educate and protect children. Every child, regardless of status, has the right to a public education, and schools must never serve as an arm of immigration enforcement.
As a parent and long-time Franklin resident, I know how important it is for families to feel safe sending their children to school. Our role is to safeguard privacy, keep schools welcoming, and ensure kids can learn without fear. Student records are protected by federal law (FERPA), and ICE should not have access without a judicial warrant.
Other states show the way. California and New York require warrants before ICE can enter schools; Oregon and Washington bar schools from collecting or sharing immigration status; some Texas districts have declared schools as safe zones.
In Franklin, I would support clear policies that do the same—protect records, train staff, and reassure families that schools are safe spaces focused on learning, not enforcement. This is how we uphold the law while building trust between schools, families, and the community.
In Franklin, I see the school budget as more than numbers—it reflects our values and priorities as a community. Our adequacy numbers show that we spend less per student than comparable districts, which means we must be especially careful not to shortchange the classroom.
The areas I believe must always be protected and in some cases increased—are those that directly touch our students: classroom instruction, student services, and teacher development. That includes strong curriculum, mental health support, manageable class sizes, and professional development so teachers have the tools to help every child succeed. These investments are how we close proficiency gaps and raise academic standards.
Where I see room to reduce is in non-instructional and administrative costs—by reviewing contracts, eliminating duplication, and making sure every dollar outside the classroom still supports student success. With more than 30 years in finance, I know how to do line-by-line reviews, benchmark with other districts, and find efficiencies without compromising adequacy or core programs. My approach is simple: protect what supports students, streamline what doesn’t and maximize every tax dollar.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Qualifications/Experience
Educator with over thirty years of classroom experience
Involvement in Community
Member of Franklin Woman's Club and several national organizations for history and civics teachers
Slogan
"Choose All Three"
My mother came to the US as an adult, but her formal education had ended after eighth grade. I saw from her that learning and intelligence did not mean the same thing as education, but that a strong education could open doors to opportunity. I took from her example both a passion for learning and a desire to ensure that all students have access to an excellent education.
I am a career educator. I taught social studies in Passaic for over thirty years at a range of levels: ESL, on-level, honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual/Concurrent Enrollment. I briefly was out of the classroom as an Early College Coordinator, creating opportunities for AP, DE, and CTE courses for the students in my district. Today, I teach history at Montclair State University, and work as an educational consultant, supporting teachers of students learning English. I am eager to use my knowledge and experience as an educator to support our schools in Franklin.
The loss of the “sensitive locations” protection in schools does nothing to make our schools and students safer. It does, however, cause students trauma and erodes the trust that students and families have in their neighborhood school. The right of students to access their classrooms safely, and of their families to come to the schools to support student learning, must be a non-negotiable. While school staff and leaders must comply with judicial warrants, they must also do everything in their power to protect their students.
I am eager to protect and expand instructional programs, and I hope to be able to invest more resources in early childhood education as well as Advanced Placement and Career and Technical Education classes in the high school. I would like to examine the expenditures our district currently has on charter schools. Currently, our district spends $26 million annually in tuition for approximately 1300 students, which seems to be a disproportionate per pupil figure. Further, there is no transparency with the district about the way those funds are used. It is in the interest of the taxpayer, especially in the current economic climate, that the charter schools who receive Franklin students are as transparent with their oversight and spending as the traditional public schools are required to be.
Qualifications/Experience
Taught Music and Math for 15 years
Involvement in Community
Resident for 12 years; teacher for 15 years; mother of two young boys; local piano technician
Slogan
Choose All Three
From K-12, I went through the public school system. I earned my B.S. in Music Education from Rutgers University. I taught at the middle school level for 15 years before starting my own business.
My teaching experience has provided me with much experience and knowledge. I taught both music and math at public, private, and commission schools in both urban and suburban settings. I have taught in high and low income areas, inclusion classrooms, and ESY (Extended School Year). I loved learning about each school and community I taught in. My students ranged from grades 4 through 9 and each year was exciting. I come from a family of teachers, and I look forward to seeing all students flourish and teachers enjoying what they love doing—teaching.
I would like to focus on retaining more students in the district instead of families feeling like their children need to attend charter schools to have their needs met. The district pays charter schools over $26 million per year for tuition and bussing in-district students. The public school has much to offer including robust Fine, Visual, Performing, and Practical Arts departments, exceptional clubs, and a variety of athletic programs.
The role of schools is to keep every child safe and their school day free from disruption, which includes fear of being abducted while getting an education. The possibility of being detained is traumatic and unhealthy, especially for minors.
Teacher salary and staff numbers should be revisited to keep classrooms from being overcrowded. Educators are what makes a school successful and it’s in our best interest to retain talented teachers. Reduction is difficult but we would need to assess the budget line by line to see where costs could be cut without disrupting the classroom.
In the long run, why are so many parents sending their children to Charter School? Do they feel like their children's needs aren't being met in the public schools? Our schools need to revisit the reasons why we are losing so many students and paying over $26 million for Charter Schools. While some students return to Franklin Township Public Schools for the amazing programs they offer, we need to investigate why they are leaving in the first place.
