A three-way race has shaped up for two open seats representing East Windsor on the East Windsor Regional School District Board of Education, following the July 26 deadline to file to run for the school board in the Nov. 2 general election.
Incumbent school board members Christina “Tina” Lands and Colleen Murphy are facing challenger Jagruti Patel in the race for the two seats earmarked for East Windsor residents. The term is for three years.
But two incumbent school board members – Robert Laverty and Jenna Drake – are running unopposed for re-election.
Laverty is seeking a two-year term on the school board representing East Windsor, and Drake is seeking a three-year term on the school board to represent Hightstown.
Seven of the nine seats on the school board are set aside for East Windsor residents and two are earmarked for Hightstown residents.
Murphy, who is seeking one of the two open seats for a full term to represent East Windsor, is a lifelong resident of the township. She is a graduate of Hightstown High School. She is an editor and writer for a health website.
Murphy does not have any children enrolled in the East Windsor Regional School District.
Murphy is seeking a second term on the school board. She said she ran for a seat on the school board three years ago because she wanted to ensure that students had at least as good an experience in the school district as she had – and possibly a better one.
“It still holds true today. I am running for re-election because I want to continue to be a voice on the board that advocates for every student,” Murphy said. “I feel as though the perspective I have added to the board these past three years has benefitted the board and, in turn, the district, its students and the community as a whole. It is my hope that I will be able to continue to do this.”
Drake, who could not be reached for comment by press time, is completing her second term on the school board.
Lands is completing her first term on the school board. She could not be reached for comment by press time.
Laverty has served on the school board since 2001, with a couple of brief gaps in his service between elections and appointments. He could not be reached for comment by press time.