VOTE411 Voter Guide

I am motivated to run because I care deeply about Hunterdon Central and believe the district needs change. I graduated from Central in 1993 and had tremendous pride in our school. I want today's students to have that same experience. I believe we need greater transparency and accountability, less politics in decision-making, and a renewed focus on educational excellence and school pride.

Professionally, I have practiced law in this community for 26 years and run a local law firm. A significant part of my practice involves school-related matters, which has given me firsthand experience with how school districts operate and the consequences when difficult decisions are not handled properly. As an attorney and litigator, I am trained to ask difficult questions, examine facts, listen to different perspectives, and make reasoned decisions rather than simply accepting what I am told.

I have also coached baseball for 30 years, including countless Hunterdon Central students. Coaching has taught me leadership, accountability, teamwork, and how to communicate with young people and their families. More importantly, it has kept me closely connected to HC students and families.

Finances have to make sense. Before discussing cuts, I would want to carefully review the budget, line by line, to understand where taxpayer dollars are being spent and what results we are receiving from that spending.

Our instructional goals, mandated programs, and ability to attract and retain quality teachers and staff must remain priorities. Cost savings should come from identifying administrative inefficiencies, unnecessary or duplicative expenditures, and programs or initiatives that are not producing meaningful results for students.

As an attorney and business owner, I understand the importance of making difficult financial decisions and establishing priorities. Every dollar spent should have a purpose, and the Board should be able to explain that purpose to the public. Fiscal responsibility does not mean sacrificing educational quality. It means making thoughtful decisions so that our resources are directed toward what matters most — our students, teachers, and classrooms.

The Board needs to do a better job of listening to and being visible within the entire school community. I do not believe the current Board is visible enough to our students, parents, and community. Board service should involve more than attending meetings. Board members should be present at school events, interact with students and families, and understand firsthand what is happening within the school.

Parents, students, teachers, alumni, and taxpayers should feel that their voices matter and that important decisions are not predetermined before the public has an opportunity to be heard. That requires greater transparency, open communication, and meaningful opportunities for input from people with different viewpoints.

Listening does not mean everyone will agree with every decision. It means people should know that their concerns were genuinely considered and understand how and why decisions were made. A more visible, accessible, and transparent Board can help rebuild trust and strengthen the connection between Hunterdon Central and the community it serves.

AI is here to stay, and Hunterdon Central should prepare students to use it responsibly. I would support common-sense policies that allow AI to be used as an educational and research tool without allowing it to replace independent thinking, original work, or academic accountability.

Students and teachers need clear and consistent guidelines regarding appropriate use, academic integrity, and privacy. Our responsibility is to prepare students for the future while making sure they still learn how to think, research, write, and solve problems for themselves.

That is part of Common Sense Leadership — embracing innovation while never losing sight of the fundamental purpose of education.

I was recruited to run by a concerned group of residents from our community who see the need and know the importance of a collaborative Board culture. My decision was based on my business background that is completely aligned not only with the school goal of fiscal responsibility and oversight but also strategic planning as part of a team. My commitment is to ethical leadership, and a collaborative approach to issues and their resolution. I intend to make sure that our school is a safe and effective place for teachers to teach and students to learn. I promise to serve in the best interest of our students before politics. I support educational excellence for all students at Hunterdon Central Regional High School.

I bring private sector experience to the public sector. When times are tough, I believe in zero based budgeting, as you can sometimes uncover savings opportunities that may have been overlooked. Each circumstance of rising costs has to be evaluated and reacted to in that moment and situation and how it affects our students and teachers. There is no one cure for rising costs and budgetary constraints. How we plan and manage the physical campus is one important piece of the budget. Is preventative maintenance being done timely to prevent more costly reactive repairs and replacements? Are we as energy efficient as we can be? Do we have a solid Capital Reserve plan? If we don't plan wisely and realistically in these categories, we defer problems to future years when things generally become more costly. It doesn't get easier to make these decisions when that happens. The business administrator can also be a great resource and partner to the Board in regard to expenses as they have insight into the budgeting, current costs and potential opportunities for savings as well as grants as they become available.

Hunterdon Central Regional High school completed the NJSBA's Strategic Planning process this year. A series of 3 strategic planning meetings included Board members, parents, community members, students, staff, and administrators. Outcomes of these meetings included Strengths and Challenges of HCRHS, Portrait of a Learner/Vision 2026-2031 and the Strategic Plan, Goals and Objectives. The Superintendent and the administrative team then developed action plans to implement the vision and goals developed in these sessions. The final strategic plan was presented to the BOE and the community in June . The plan, in it's entirety, can be found on the HCRHS website for staff, parents and community members to access and follow. This was a well publicized effort over a period of 3 months to engage with parents and the community to have input in setting the direction of the district. There is also time set aside at every Board Meeting to hear feedback from parents and the community.

There is a well written article on Edutopia on this topic. I discovered it as I was reading many articles about AI with it being so prominent in the news lately. Here are a few things that they suggest; I cannot improve upon them:

"Teachers who have been working on how AI can work in the classroom recommend a collaboration with students to develop the plan. In this manner, the policy is not handed down but a partnership to define how to use it.  Some of the tenets they have explored are : AI is a thought partner...not a replacement for thinking.  Your ideas are more important that a perfectly written essay by a machine. When you use AI, be prepared to explain what AI suggested . Why does your final product reflect your thinking?  Use AI to deepen your thinking and ideas.   Ask what am I missing? What evidence would support my claim? The goal of school is not to produce assignments but to develop curiosity and critical thinking. Technology should make you a stronger learner, not a more dependent one."

As far as classroom instruction, it can be a plus for teachers. It should not be used in student assessment.