I am running because Dover's students, parents, and residents deserve a Board of Education member who understands the ever-changing world facing our students and will fight to ensure that we prepare them with an education and experience that will make them competitive, capable, and ready to pursue their dreams while also being responsive to the needs of the district and families.
Dover Public Schools face a state budget cut, along with PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) programs from the town's municipal government that favor developers over our students, which compounds the existing issues facing our district, such as overcrowding, tax hikes, and current cost-of-living difficulties facing families in Dover and Victory Gardens.
I will advocate from day one to ensure our students not only get by, but get ahead after they graduate high school, ensure working-class families get the most out of the taxes that go to our schools, and promote efficiency in how we work as a board.
I graduated from Dover High School in 2023 and am currently a college student at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, majoring in Political Science with minors in criminology, pre-law, and psychology; I plan to graduate in December of this year.
For the past two years, I have been a community organizer fighting for social and economic justice for working-class families here in Dover and across Morris County, working with federal, state, and local officials to ensure that families and vulnerable people feel represented, heard, and seen.
As a former student, organizer, and advocate, I will proudly bring these skills to the Board of Education.
I aim to use my skills as an organizer and advocate for students and families to ensure families are aware of how policies and budgets are made, how they support the educational development of students, and the efforts put in to ensure we keep the taxpayers' burden to a minimum while doing so.
However, the school district faces a $1 million cut in state funding and PILOT programs, which place a heavier burden on existing Dover and Victory Gardens families. We must educate residents on these issues and work with the town's municipal government to find recourse for families already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and who don't need another tax hike.
I will continue to seek other remedies such as grants and efficient budgeting, but in the meantime, I will advocate for a bolder approach on the board to ensure that students' education, families' pocketbooks, and retention of good educators aren't diminished due to these issues facing the district.
As new technological advances such as A.I. continue to advance and become commonplace in our lives and workplaces, we must ensure that students are educated and prepared as they enter the workforce or higher education.
I will seek to add to and improve technological literacy education for our students.
I will also work to further improve English/ELA and Math, so more of our 3rd and 4th grade students reach proficiency levels through tutoring and coaching. 3rd- and 4th-grade reading and math proficiencies are paramount to a student's pathway to success.
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There is a list of issues that I and other residents/parents of Dover Students have concerning our public schools and what they could or could do more of. One most important to me is giving the students all the resources they need to succeed from elementary school to walking across the stage for their diploma. Not only academically but socially with family and friends. This is important to any child's development. I believe going to Dover Schools is an unbelievable experience and, as board members I believe we are held to uphold that experience. Concerning students, something we can do more of is cracking down on the drug use in and outside of schools. Let me clarify that this is not only a Dover Problem but an America problem. I still stand firm on doing our part as Board Members to ensure the best experience for Dover Students but we also have to ensure the safety of staff and students. In the current day and age these drugs are easier than ever to purchase, distribute, and consume. With Stricter Policies and harder regulations we can combat this growing issue not only in our schools but in our community and beyond.
I am Class of 2024 alumni, I went to Dover K-12. I am proud to say I am a product of living in Dover and going to its Public Schools. It was not too long ago I was facing the same struggles that students today face. With that being said I believe I would be able to translate my in school experiences to the Board of Education and the needs of Dover Students. I am a firm believer of students rights and as a Board Member being able to offer students K-12 any and all opportunities to succeed inside and outside the classroom is immense. In addition, my service as Voter Outreach Coordinator on the Executive Board for the Democratic Committee of Dover has helped me involve myself in our community more, speak to more people, hear their concerns, and get them to vote in our important elections . Currently I am on the Board of Education filling a vacancy until this year's election. Each and everyday after being sworn in has been a learning experience to say the least. By the time Election Day comes around I will no longer be a rookie Board of Education Member but a member that can analyze and contribute to not only meetings but to Dover as a whole.
As many of us know Dover Public Schools lost about $2million in state funding in the 2026-2027 school year. The current School Board and Superintendent have done an amazing job of understanding, managing and acting to lessen the strain on students, staff and taxpayers.To Be able to manage something like this truly takes a lot of time and consideration to produce the best budget with the interest of students and taxpayer's in mind. Retention of good teachers will come at a cost as with anything that has quality. I believe teachers that go above and beyond the same way as students should be rewarded fairly. That in turn will transformation the students learning experience with a teacher that is fairly compensated and eager to teach. None of this is going to be possible without our fair share as a Public School program that not only Services Dover and Victory Gardens but the greater surrounding areas. As a Board of Education Member I will fight with every tool possible to not only secure the funding we lost but to get more from the State to not only invest in our schools but relief the tax burden on taxpayers and parents of students that will have that money put back in their pocket.
If I could make any changes to the current curriculum I would change the Financial Literacy requirements to Graduate. Dover is headed in the right direction. I believe with more requirements in general and/or financial literacy courses it will push students to work harder to achieve their goals and finish their schooling. Another thing I would also be interested in adding is History Classes or electives on minorities. America was built on the back of minorities and I think it's important to tell that truth. People like the Native Americans, Africans, and Palestinians and many more minorities that deserve recognition.
