For the April 11 issue
By:
Dolgon thankful
for endorsement
To the editor:
I would like to thank the East Windsor Educational Association, our children’s teachers, for endorsing my re-election to a seat on the East Windsor School Board. It is very gratifying to know that this group of highly dedicated individuals believes that in the past four years I have, in at least some small way, provided them and the children of this district with the tools necessary for a quality education, and trusts that my ideas and judgment will continue to assist in continuing to move the district forward over the next three years.
East Windsor
The writer is a member of the East Windsor Regional Board of Education and is seeking re-election on Tuesday.
Board has history
of being reactive
To the editor:
The East Windsor Regional School District is in transition and insuring that the aspirations of the district are met will require careful and deliberate planning on the part of the school board. The demographics of the district are changing and performance of the schools must be improved to meet the educational requirements of a changing world. The future success of the borough, township and the nation as a whole will require better skilled and educated young people. At the same time we are facing resource challenges, construction costs, rising insurance costs, and rising special education costs, paid for by an already strained local tax base.
In order to improve the academic performance of our students it is crucial for the district to formulate a plan for academic improvement. From there, continually assess performance to plan and make adjustments in order to meet the mission of high quality education for all the district students. It is also essential to maintain and justify a reasonable level of expenditure. This exercise represents a continuous challenge to the board in its policy oversight role. My assessment is that the present board has failed to meet these obligations.
I cannot point to any actions taken by the present board that demonstrates it is thinking beyond facilities’ expansion, as a means of addressing long-term concerns. Indeed in recent presentations of curriculum and testing data, the subsequent discussion was shorter than that pertaining to hiring of a transportation consultant. I point this out not to trivialize the transportation issue but to illustrate the lack of vision. Further, in a Feb. 16 priority setting workshop, public relations, student achievement, community involvement, mentoring and resource management were all rated as low priorities for growth by the present board.
On policy issues the incumbent school board has a history of being reactive instead of proactive in addressing the districts needs. Indeed they have served as a virtual rubber stamp for the recommendations of the former chief school administrator. However, in a recent public forum the incumbent members sought to distance themselves from the administrator that they themselves have almost unswervingly supported. This is an abdication of the responsibilities for oversight entrusted to them.
I believe that we need to implement a full-day kindergarten; improve English education for non-native English-speakers; raise the bar across the spectrum of academic performance; understand what works in our schools, what doesn’t and why; and fully involve the community through student service programs and non-traditional resource partnerships. It is a truism that an involved community fosters a better school.
I urge all residents of East Windsor to vote in the upcoming school board election. Communities succeed when they value their schools as vital participants. Everyone has a stake.
East Windsor
The writer is a candidate in Tuesday’s East Windsor Regional Board of Education election.
Grunwerg asks
for voter support
To the editor:
My name is Sheri Grunwerg and I have served the East Windsor Regional School District as a school board member for the last nine years. My husband, two children and I have been a part of the East Windsor/Hightstown community for over 24 years. I started out over 15 years ago as a parent volunteer in the Perry L. Drew Elementary School moving through the PTA ranks to the position of PTA president. From there, I moved on to the board of education serving my time and eventually holding the position of board vice-president for one year and the position of board president for four years. I currently serve as the Mercer County school board president.
As an East Windsor Regional school board member. I have served on a variety of district committees from the School/Community Relations Council and the Staff Development Council to the Governor’s Teacher of the Year Committee not to mention both teacher and support staff negotiation.
Further, I have personally supported our school district in all areas from our D.A.R.E. program at the elementary school level to our athletic teams, bands and choirs, academic endeavors and most recently, the high school’s Teen Pep program. As the current senior board member, I know and understand the big picture of this school district as well as the many details. I have attended numerous New Jersey School Boards Association advanced boardmenship workshops.
Why am I seeking a fourth term on the school board? I believe I bring experience and balance to the board table. Over my years on the board, the needs of our student population have changed. Today, we have a much more diverse student body with a great range of needs and abilities. The present board has addressed the issues related to potentially overcrowded facilities through the recent referendum. Next, we need to make inroads into providing even more educational opportunities for all our students, not just those targeted by the "No Child Left Behind" legislation.
During the next two to three years our district will be faced with making major decisions. The selection of a new superintendent who will lead our staff and this school district forward in the years ahead is paramount. Through my daily interactions with the previous superintendent and the present interim superintendent, I know first-hand what strengths we should be seeking in a potential candidate as well as some of the weaknesses to avoid. I also wish to continue to contribute to the decision-making and excitement that will be generated through the new construction projects that will greatly enhance our student’s instructional programs.
I am dedicated to providing all of our community’s children with the best educational opportunities possible to prepare them for a productive future. I would appreciate your support for the school budget as well as my candidacy at the polls on April 15. Together we can make the East Windsor Regional School District an even better district for which we can all be proud.
East Windsor
The writer is a member of the East Windsor Regional Board of Education and is seeking re-election on Tuesday.

