Two candidates came forward to replace Millstone Board of Education member Holly Deitz, who resigned her seat in July.
Peter Kudrick, a former board member, and newcomer David DePinho made their cases for appointment during the public portion of the board’s Aug. 24 meeting. After the board returned from executive session, it announced that DePinho would serve in the open seat until April, when he would have to seek election to retain the seat for the next school year.
DePinho, 48, is married with three young children, two of whom are in the school system. He graduated from Rutgers University in New Brunswick where he received a Bachelors of Arts in communications and specialized in business studies. DePinho founded and serves as director of Medicor Learning, LLC, a company that develops certified medical education programming for health care professionals.
DePinho said he sought appointment to the board for three reasons.
“As a parent of children in the school system, I would like to do what I can to maintain and, as possible, improve the quality of education the district currently provides,” he said. “As a resident of Millstone, I believe education is a cornerstone in any town, and a high quality, competitive school system can raise the value of a community.”
He continued, “Finally, as a taxpayer, recognizing the burden we all share, I would like to offer whatever assistance I can to ensure the school budget is developed and implemented as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
As far as the most important issues in the school district, DePinho said economics is a major issue. He noted that the district’s budget did not pass this year and that the district now has to operate within that deficit.
“Maintaining and further improving the quality of education in light of these challenging economic times is a key issue,” DePinho said. “Looking forward, we must also begin the process of establishing a budget the community can embrace based on the value and importance of education.”
DePinho believes it is important for the district to continue establishing bridges with the community.
“This is a vital issue because the more we, as a community, understand and appreciate the achievements and challenges of our district, and vice versa, the closer I believe we can get to achieving our mutual goals, whether it is passing the right school budget or improving test scores,” he said.
When asked what particular skills he brings to the board, DePinho responded that he hopes to bring fresh perspectives and ideas based on his business and life experiences.
“I am honored and pleased with the opportunity to serve,” he said.