East Brunswick Board Of Education General Election 2025: Maria Mueller

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – Meet Maria Mueller, the youngest candidate to run for a seat on the East Brunswick Board of Education.

A graduate of the Class of 2025, the 18-year-old says her experience as a student would add critical insight to conversations about student wellbeing and policy-making.

In a Q&A with Patch, Mueller shared her ideas for the school district and more.

Patch sent out a questionnaire to all candidates seeking a seat on the BOE. Their profiles will be published as received.

Are you running for office in East Brunswick? Contact Sarah Salvadore at sarah.salvadore@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Maria Mueller

Age: 18

Town of residence: East Brunswick

Family: Living with two parents (all of us have been East Brunswick residents since 2009) and one rescue dog

Education: Diploma, East Brunswick High School (Class of 2025, Weighted GPA: 4.6/4.0); Summer coursework at Harvard Extension School (2025, received A in Expository Writing and A in Linguistics)

Occupation: Commuter Student at Rutgers Honors College in New Brunswick, New Jersey

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None

Why are you seeking a seat on the Board of Education?

I'm running for the East Brunswick Board of Education to give back to the community that helped shape who I am. I deeply value the education I received in East Brunswick, and I want to ensure that every student has access to the same or better opportunities than I had.

I'm also running to bring a unique perspective to the Board. While the current members bring valuable experiences as parents, educators, and professionals, there is no voting member who has recently experienced the school system firsthand as a student. I know what it's like to navigate standardized testing pressure, technology shifts, and evolving extracurricular options. I believe that having someone on the Board who has lived these experiences adds critical insight to conversations about student wellbeing and policy-making.

What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?

One of the most pressing issues facing our district is superintendent accountability. While the Board of Education does not run the district, it has the responsibility of ensuring that the district is run well.

That means holding the superintendent accountable through clear expectations, measurable goals, and transparent evaluations. If elected, I will advocate for increased communication between the superintendent and the community. This includes pushing for the Board to publish regular, accurate updates and school-oriented goals. Parents, students, educators, and staff deserve to know about the district’s progress and how decisions are made.

Are you happy with the way the district has handled state aid cuts and budget issues? What would be your approach?

While I understand that state aid cuts present major challenges, I believe the district was not adequately prepared for this financial reality. It was fiscally risky for the Business Administration to build a budget based on the assumption of receiving a certain level of state funding.

My approach would be to push for a budget that assumes no state aid to ensure that the district is resilient no matter what happens. Then, if aid is received, those funds can be strategically allocated based on public input from town halls and polls. This method would create a more democratic and transparent budget process. Moreover, if elected, I will push for ways that the district can save money. Examples include reducing electricity usage when schools are not in session, meeting with bus companies to see if money can be saved by changing bus routes, and engaging with contract vendors to ensure that the district is paying fair prices.

Additionally, I want to explore methods for revenue generation. This includes allowing local East Brunswick businesses to advertise in district venues, such as the football stadium. This would not only give us additional funding but also provide these businesses with recognition.

I also support strengthening our alumni network. I've seen the power of this approach firsthand through my participation in the 2024–2025 "We the People" program, where alumni support made a tangible difference in donations and mentorship for students. If elected, I’ll push for the creation of an alumni engagement committee.

Another important focus is maximizing the use of our district’s facilities in a way that balances revenue generation with community engagement. Growing up, I attended East Brunswick’s Chinese school, which was held in the Churchill Junior High building on Saturdays. This experience showed me firsthand how providing access to our facilities can help foster strong cultural exchange in the town while creating revenue for our schools.

From my background studying economics in high school, I understand that setting competitive yet fair pricing for facility use can actually increase demand, thereby supporting revenue generation. Lower, reasonable prices encourage more community groups to utilize school spaces regularly, which benefits both the district’s budget and strengthens the bonds within our diverse population. Fairness in school pricing supports the financial health of our schools while making their space a welcoming area for all residents.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

1. AI Literacy: I experienced the district's early AI policies as a student, such as the tiered usage levels, which were at the teachers’ discretion. While those were a good start, we need to go further. I support introducing AI literacy in upper elementary and junior high school to ensure that students understand how AI will shape their futures. AI is a tool, not a substitute for human intelligence, but our students deserve to learn how to use it in a responsible manner.
2. Mental Health and Test Pressure: Mental health awareness should not begin in higher grade levels. As someone who saw friends struggle during elementary school due to state testing pressure, I believe we must start earlier. Specifically, we need to address the pressure of standardized testing and build environments that teach students it’s okay to learn at their own pace. We should help students understand that their test scores do not define their worth and that everyone has a unique, valuable skillset that benefits our community.
3. Teacher Support: My teachers made a lasting impact on me, and their support is one of the reasons why I’m able to run for a position now. I support policies that prioritize staff well-being such as anonymous feedback surveys, mental health days, and increased classroom autonomy. Teachers are the backbone of our district, and supporting them ensures student success.
4. Vocational Opportunities: While East Brunswick offers many enriching academic electives, students interested in vocational careers deserve just as much support. I will advocate for more electives and hands-on learning pathways in fields like automotive technology, plumbing, and electrical work. I also want to build relationships with local vocational-based businesses to offer internships and apprenticeships to our students.
5. Board Culture and Collaboration: Division within the Board distracts from its core mission. If elected, I will promote a culture of active listening and mutual respect, where every member feels safe expressing their views because each person brings valuable perspectives shaped by their own experiences. I also believe that good governance depends on all Board members being well-informed about policies and communicating accurate, consistent information to the public. To improve transparency and accessibility, I will advocate for the creation of a central communication system or designated liaison role to connect the Board with key stakeholder groups (i.e. PTA, SEPEG) so that the public is consistently informed of their meetings, updates, and initiatives.

What, according to you, is the one thing the district has been most successful in doing this past year?

One of the district’s greatest successes this past year has been its ongoing commitment to preparing students for life after high school. As a recent graduate and current freshman in college, I’ve seen firsthand how East Brunswick equips students with not just strong academics, but also the real-world skills and confidence they need to succeed in college, the workforce, or wherever their goals take them.

Beyond the classroom, East Brunswick offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities that help students discover their interests and grow as individuals. Through clubs and programs, students can explore new passions, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and gain experiences that shape who they are. My own involvement in student organizations played a huge role in helping me learn more about myself and what I wanted to pursue after graduation.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

What sets me apart is my recent, relevant experience as a student in the East Brunswick school system. I bring 13 years of direct knowledge of our district, such as navigating state testing, adapting to district technology policies, and seeing the evolution of extracurricular opportunities over time.

My age also allows me to think differently about key issues. For instance, rather than supporting a complete ban on cell phones, I support giving educators discretion within their classrooms. I understand how students use technology, and I believe this issue should be approached with nuance rather than restriction.

Additionally, my peers who are still within the school system see me as approachable. I’m someone they can talk to without fear of being dismissed. I want to be a bridge between students and the Board, amplifying voices that often go unnoticed.

In addition to my fresh perspective, I’ve lived through the very issues the Board is currently trying to solve. I’ve experienced the stress of standardized testing, the transition to digital learning, the early rollout of AI policies, and the social and mental health challenges students face today.

Unlike candidates who view these issues from the outside and can only speak from the perspective of a parent, I can speak to their impact from a first-person perspective. I believe this gives me a deeper, more empathetic understanding of what students need to thrive and how the Board can better serve them.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

My campaign is guided by the slogan “New Voice. New Ideas. New Generation.” While I might be young, my age is an asset to the Board of Education as it navigates a set of new challenges.

I want to be a voice for students, an advocate for educators, and a solution-seeker to current issues. East Brunswick gave me so much, and I’m ready to give back to our community.

I would be honored to earn your vote on Nov. 4, 2025. Thank you.