PLATFORM
Holmdel Should Mean Academic Excellence
When people hear of Holmdel, they think of excellent schools. In fact, Holmdel was specifically mentioned in Governor Christine Todd Whitman's 1996 Annual State of the State Message:
"Let me point out that the district with the highest average SAT scores in the state — Holmdel in Monmouth County — spends below the state average." - Governor Christine Todd Whitman
For a long time, Holmdel consistently ranked among the top ten school systems in all of New Jersey. In fact, 68% of our property taxes go toward Holmdel schools, Yet, in recent years, Holmdel’s school rankings dropped below the top 100!
Our children deserve better. A vote for Collur, Tucillo, and Wang means:
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Leadership that believes in bringing back Holmdel’s academic excellence
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Effective school budget – tax dollars spent directly on improving our children’s education while still being spent less than the state per average student
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Greater communication and transparency with the BOE
OUR FOCUS
Transparency
Holmdel residents know that the Board of Education makes decisions affecting our children’s schools. But often, parents don’t know how the Board make decisions. Or, equally important, we don’t know if the BOE listens to the taxpayers’ needs.
As residents and taxpayers, we have a right to greater transparency from the Board of Education. We believe that an effective Board of Education maintains an open communication with parents and teachers to better tackle issues that affect our children’s education. A strong Board of Education consistently communicates to the residents various plans and goals that can improve our schools, whether they are:
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COVID—19 policies around exposure, quarantine, and safety that could impact in-person learning
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hiring strong teachers to teach classes in the multimillion-dollar classrooms built from our tax dollars, or
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developing an effective budget that positions Holmdel to be academically on par with comparable school districts.
School Budget
Did you know that Holmdel’s school budget is separate from the township's budget? Approximately 68% of property taxes paid by Holmdel residents go to our school district!
Earlier this year, the Board of Education passed a budget that included a $1 million increase in taxes despite getting an extra half-million dollars from in-state aid. Since 2016, taxes have increased by almost $5 million. But we don’t know how the money has been spent. We DO know that there is more classroom overcrowding, less teachers, and lack of enrichment programs that were promised by the current Board of Education.
In the past, Holmdel was able to achieve academic excellence AND spend less than the state per-student average. A recent analysis shows that Holmdel may not be getting effective results for the dollars spent. In fact, some portions of our school budget are higher than comparable school districts!
A strong Board of Education reviews the budget line by line and directs funds wisely so that our school district’s goals and objectives are effectively met.
Education
It wasn't that long ago that Holmdel was known for its academic excellence while spending less than the state per-student average. For a long time, Holmdel consistently ranked among the top ten school systems in all of New Jersey. Last year, our ranking dropped below the top 100!
Parents move to Holmdel so that their children can receive a world-class education. A visionary Board can KEEP these parents in Holmdel by hiring top-notch teachers and providing enrichment programs for all students starting from kindergarten, fun and engaging after-school clubs for students of all ages, and cutting-edge STEM programs that prepare our children to excel in a tech-driven future.
STEM
STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - is critical in achieving academic excellence and preparing our children to succeed in a tech-driven society. Comparable school districts address these goals by providing, as early as elementary school, opportunities for students to get hands-on experience in coding, robotics, and other technology through trained, qualified teachers in school, and in after-school clubs or enrichment programs. Classrooms are equipped with the latest Smartboards and other teaching tools to enhance the teaching AND learning experience. An effective Board of Education needs to have the vision and understanding to better integrate STEM in our academics.