The deadline to file a nominating petition to run for a seat on the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education is 4 p.m. March 2. The annual school election is scheduled for April 21.
The terms of current board members Joan Leimbach of Howell, Patricia Horvath of Manalapan and Bunny Hammer of Freehold Borough will be ending in April. Those three three-year terms will be on the ballot on Election Day.
In addition, a two-year unexpired term for the board’s representative from Marlboro will also be on the ballot.
Under the board’s voting system, residents of Howell and Farmingdale will vote for the Howell representative, residents of Manalapan and Englishtown will vote for the Manalapan representative, residents of Freehold Borough and Freehold Township will vote for the Freehold Borough representative, and residents of Marlboro and Colts Neck will vote for the Marlboro representatives.
Prospective school board candidates can obtain a School Board Candidate Kit at the FRHSD administrative offices, Pine Street, Englishtown.
Published by the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), the School Board Candidate Kit includes a sample nominating petition and information about legal qualifications for school board candidacy and the role of the school board member.
Information about the New Jersey School Ethics Act, important dates in the school election process, and briefing sessions for school board candidates is also included in the kit.
According to the NJSBA, there are several requirements that must be met in order for an individual to run for election to a school board in the Garden State.
Those requirements include being able to read and write; holding U.S. citizenship and at least one year’s residency in the school district; having no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the board; not holding office as the mayor or a member of the municipal governing body or, in the case of county school districts, the county governing body; and being registered to vote in the school district.
“One of the most meaningful contributions a citizen can make to their community is serving on their local board of education,” said Harry J. Delgado, NJSBA president. “I encourage all interested citizens to consider school board membership. It doesn’t require a degree in education or a background in politics. However, it does require a sincere interest in the community, its children, and their education.”