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I have previous experience in Chery Hill as a member of the board of education for six years, including being the President. I have been attending BOE meetings for over ten years. I believe our district is in trouble with finances and clear communication.
Learning what goes on behind public meetings-Clear communication to the public and answering questions in public.
Financial integrity with long term planning beginning now. A review of all programming available to our students.
I do not believe that chronic testing is the best way to improve any students performance. I believe that our teachers know our students best on a day to day basis.
Currently, I believe we are where we can be as far as security. But, we have much needed physical improvements such as doors, locks, cameras and review training for our staff and students to be prepared.
Finances/Budget/Special education needs not being met. A total breakdown of communication to the public.
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I’m a big believer in the idea that you can always find a way to leave something better than you found it.
My own professional background is in librarianship, where I'e worked with children and teens in both public and K-12 libraries. With my background as both an educator and public servant, I’ve spent my adult life dedicated to building community, ensuring accessibility, and finding ways to meet the needs of children and their families.
Now, I’m ready to bring that same dedication to the Cherry Hill Board of Education. I’ll make use of my years as a K-12 educator and my passion for meeting community needs to be an advocate for the students, staff, and families who call Cherry Hill’s schools home.
1. Continuing the fight for fair funding. I feel fortunate to have experienced success advocating in Trenton with my colleagues in the library community for important legislation. I know it’s slow but important work that requires coalition-building and perseverance.
2. Finding ways to improve communication with families by bringing clarity to complex issues, reducing jargon and ensuring focusing on accessibility. Families should have access to information that is timely, easy to understand, and not difficult to find.
3. Preparing for the future. Succession planning, identifying strategic goals, and making thoughtful choices choices about programs, facilities, and budgets that carry us into a successful future.
Like a lot of other data, I think test scores can be a useful metric, but only insofar is they inform further exploration. A test score tells us one thing - how a child performed on that test.
If we want to know why a child performed that way - which we should - we need to use the test scores as a jumping-off point for asking further questions. Test scores can help us identify where trends are, they can inform the kinds of inquiry we want to do, and maybe even where we need to focus some attention or resources.
If improvements are needed, I believe firmly that asking those questions and engaging in that inquiry is the only way to begin that process.
I feel strongly that New Jersey's bell-to-bell device ban is a great first step toward improving safety in our schools.
I know that when asked to consider security most individuals consider the possibility of physical threats. As an educator and information professional I know that the the concerns around safety as they pertain to misinformation, social media, and student privacy (or lack thereof) aren't possibilities, but real concerns in this constantly-connected world.
Continued efforts to engage students in real-world community building and help them disengage from concerning aspects of the digital world will have concrete impacts on student's psychological safety, school climate, bullying incidents, and much more.
1. Budget and funding: The state's funding formula has left CHPS underfunded for years. It's not fair to our students, staff, or taxpayers and needs to be addressed.
2. Communication: A district of our size requires clear, consistent, and easy-to-access communication, and this has not always been the case. Ineffective communication has too often led to confusion, missed opportunity, and mistrust.
3. Equity: With so many schools serving such a diverse community, it's natural that there will be differences in school culture and student experience. But the consistency in enforcement of policies, the accessibility of opportunities and resources, and the ability of all to be included should be a constant throughout CHPS.
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I’m running for re-election to the Cherry Hill Board of Education because I believe deeply in the power of public education. I believe Cherry Hill deserves Board members who understand both the big picture and the day-to-day realities of our schools. I’d also like to state that any comments are that of my own and do not reflect the Cherry Hill Board of Education. I’m an educator, spent nearly two decades working in public education, from the classroom to leadership roles, and I’ve seen firsthand what happens when schools have the resources, leadership, and support they need to help students thrive. I have a Masters in Teacher Leadership, a NJ School Supervisor Cert, and my Principal Cert is in progress.
School climate means ensuring every student and staff member feels safe, respected, valued, and that they belong. Equity and access means asking who has opportunities, who faces barriers, and how we can remove those barriers, including providing students with the supports they need and staff with the resources, training, and support to meet those needs. Clear, timely, and consistent communication builds trust. Special education support is a critical part of this work, including meaningful family engagement and a strong MTSS framework that identifies needs early. Ultimately, every student and staff member should feel they belong, every staff member valued, and every family heard.
NJDOE's reporting specifically allows districts to examine performance by student group and assessment, including both proficiency and Median Student Growth Percentile.The important Board question isn't simply “What are our scores?” It's “Where are students struggling, who is struggling, and what are we doing about it?” The Board sets expectations, monitors outcomes, asks questions, and provides resources. Administration and educators determine the instructional strategies.
I believe the safety and security of our schools is an important responsibility, and I am confident that our district has systems and procedures in place to protect our students and staff. At the same time, safety is never something we should consider “finished.” There is always an opportunity to review what we are doing, identify areas for improvement, and make sure our practices reflect current needs and best practices.
School safety is about more than physical security. It includes safe buildings and secure entrances, emergency preparedness, effective communication, mental health and student support, appropriate staffing, and creating a school climate where students and staff feel comfortable speaking up when something does not feel rig
The top three issues are budget, clear and timely communication, and consistency.
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Cherry Hill has been my family’s home for more than 30 years. My late wife, Cheryl, taught at Cherry Hill West for 27 years, and our two sons attended Cherry Hill schools and graduated from High School East. I spent 19 years in Cherry Hill as a social studies teacher, department supervisor, assistant principal, and principal. I later served as principal at Cinnaminson, Triton Regional, and Eastern Regional High Schools, followed by 14 years as superintendent of Eastern Regional. I am running to give back to the community that has meant so much to my family and to use my experience to help ensure every student has access to an excellent education. With my grandchildren growing up in Cherry Hill, this commitment is deeply personal.
My priority in my first year would be to listen and learn. I would listen to students, families, teachers, administrators, and community members to better understand what makes Cherry Hill Public Schools successful and where we can grow. My three goals would be to continue strengthening student achievement through meaningful data, effective instruction, and appropriate student supports; support our teachers and staff by helping recruit, retain, and develop talented educators while ensuring they have the resources they need; and maintain a strong, sustainable school district through thoughtful, transparent financial decisions that balance resources, long-term needs, and our commitment to keeping students at the center of every decision.
I believe test scores are an important source of information that can help us understand how our students are doing, but they are not the complete picture of a student’s education or the quality of a school. I would use assessment data to identify where students are thriving, where additional support is needed, and which instructional practices are most effective. I support targeted interventions, monitoring progress, and sharing successful practices across schools. Additionally, we must recognize that tests cannot fully measure creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance, leadership, character, or a student’s sense of belonging. My goal would be to improve student learning and growth, with assessment data serving as a guide.
Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and welcome at school. Every parent should feel confident that their children are learning in a safe environment. I support a comprehensive approach that includes strong building security, effective emergency procedures, appropriate communication systems, and continued collaboration with local law enforcement and emergency responders. I believe school safety is about much more than physical security. Building strong relationships between students and adults, providing appropriate mental health and behavioral supports, maintaining a positive school climate, and ensuring students know where to turn when they need help are all essential. A safe school is where students can focus on growing.
I see these three areas not simply as “issues,” but as opportunities to strengthen Cherry Hill schools. First, we must continue improving academic achievement so every student has the support and opportunities to succeed. Second, we must maintain financial sustainability through thoughtful, transparent decisions while protecting classroom instruction, student programs, and our dedicated educators. Finally, we must support our entire school community by prioritizing student well-being, special education, school climate, family engagement, and recruiting and retaining excellent educators. By working together, we can continue moving forward as “One Cherry Hill.”
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I am running to bring my 20 years of experience and knowledge as both a teacher and union president in the Cherry Hill School District to the Board of Education as well as my perspective as a parent of a current student and graduate of the schools.
My goal will be to ensure that the Board of Education practices and work are embedded in the following three areas.
Collaboration-working together for students and staff.
Community Connection- students, staff and parents make up the entire community and have experiences that need to be valued.
Building Consensus - allowing for diverse perspectives while making thoughtful difficult decisions in the best interest of the entire school community.
Test score strands need to be reviewed and analyzed to identify strengths and weaknesses; however, test scores don't show the full picture of a student. There are other characteristics and traits that won't necessarily show up with a test score that make a student a successful and productive contributor to society.
Currently, through the bond work we have several security vestibules completed with the remaining schools' vestibules to be completed in next cycle of bond work. On a daily basis, we need to work on all students have a sense of belonging that ensures a safe and secure school environment.
The biggest issue facing all districts in NJ are the rising costs of benefits, transportation, special education services and facilities. Budgets are tight and have been impacted not only by costs but by state aid numbers that fluctuated from year to year. The district will need to prioritize how to continue to provide an excellent education for all students given the constraints of budget with rising costs while reducing the impact of any budget cuts that may need to occur.
