Board of Education election is on Wednesday this year
There’s less than one week before the Board of Education election, and while the six candidates agree on some issues they still have many differences.
Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, not the traditional Tuesday. Voters should check their sample ballot on the location of their polling place; some have changed since the last election.
Voters will vote yes or no on the $77.4 million property tax levy in Hillsborough and $811,219 from Millstone to support the $110.7 million operating budget, including debt service. If the levy is defeated, the Township Committee would review the budget and recommend any cuts.
The budget discussion has focused on the prospect of privatization of 270 jobs being obviated by an agreement with the education association, comprised of teachers, custodians, secretaries, bus drivers and aides. That will hold, as long as the budget passes, the school board has said. There’s also been some discussion of expenditures for curriculum and technology.
Three board seats, each for three years, will be decided. One incumbent, Judy Hass, is running, but Wolfgang Schneider and Neil Hudes decided against seeking new terms.
The other five candidates are David Wald, Frank Herbert, Jennifer Haley, Marissa Sladek and former board member Chris Pulsifer.
Each candidate supports foreign language classes returning to elementary schools, and they all agree that nixing the Spanish language curriculum was a terrible idea, in addition to being against state regulation.
”We’re not in compliance with the state,” said David Wald of Bywater Court. “The state requires it to be in the elementary schools. We need to be in compliance but more so we need to give the kids the language. It absolutely should be a part of the curriculum.”
In addition, the six men and women think the tuition-based, full-day kindergarten program is a fantastic idea and a great way to bring in revenue. However, one candidate thinks the tuition part is a bit much.
”I think the full-day kindergarten is absolutely necessary,” said Marissa Sladek of Dover Court. “However, it’s my understanding that they want to charge a fee for that, and I think the fee is a little ridiculous. They said that (the fee will be) competitive with the Goddard School and other private kindergartens; if I wanted my kid to go to a private kindergarten I would’ve sent them to a private kindergarten.
”I have twins who actually are going to be in kindergarten next year, and it kind of makes those who have multiples choose which one they like. Now I’m forced to choose who I want to send to a full-day kindergarten if I want that.”
Frank Herbert, of Baird Drive, believes he is the right man to fill one of the three spots because he has lived in the township the longest. Plus, he is retired now, with the time to apply to the job.
”I’ve been here the longest 38 years,” he said. “I’ve taken interests, since we’ve moved here, in the school system. I still have the first budget letter that they sent us when we moved here. That year the budget was $5.5 million and about 3,500 kids, and I’ve been following that each year. Hillsborough has been very good to me and I want to return that now that I have the time. I would have the time to devote to the activities because I’ve limited my work.”
Mr. Pulsifer, of Ditmars Circle, said that his four years of service on the board give him the experience and understanding to serve the community well. Titus Court resident Judy Haas also cited her xx years of experience, as she is the only incumbent running although Mr. Pulsifer also has experience.
Mr. Wald cited his experience on three different boards in the township.
”I have a good working knowledge of how government and schools work due to that experience,” said Mr. Wald. “I think with my management background, currently as a sales manager, I know how to deal with people and numbers and facts and figures.”
Jenn Haley said that she felt she was the “only candidate at the moment that is thinking about the future and what the future of education is going to look like with regards to technology and what the global economy demands” for the children. The Mulford Lane resident said that this perspective helps her stand out among the candidates.
Ms. Sladek said she stands out over the other candidates because she is the only candidate with an educational background, while all the others are in business.
”I have two degrees in education, so I think that kind of helps,” she said.

