Election 2023: Michelle Lambert, Freehold Twp. Board of Education

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — Michelle Lambert is one of seven candidates seeking three full-term seats on the Freehold Township Board of Education in the Nov. 7 election.

Lambert, of Trinity Place in the township, has served on the board for the past 13 years and is the current president of the Board of Education.

Lambert is running with current board members Meg Thomann and Michael Amoroso on the Respectful Educational Leadership team. The team's campaign link is https://www.facebook.com/LTAforFreeholdTwpBOE.

Other candidates are Zane Howcott, Carmela Spieler and Denise DuMont (all designated Protecting Parental Rights); and Peter Conforti.

In these profiles, candidates provide voters with background about themselves and their positions on the issues, as they see them.

Lambert said one major challenge facing the district is student achievement post COVID. The board, she said, has taken proactive steps the past two and a half years to dedicate educational resources to correct this, including the hiring of a new assistant superintendent of curriculum.

She said her personal background in finance and law helps her in balancing the need for allocating funds for resources while mindful of the impact on taxpayers. "Every decision requires a knowledge of the finance processes and a considerable amount of vetting and prudence," Lambert says.

Read more from Michelle Lambert:

Background:

Candidates were asked to provide their professional or volunteer information, school board experience and personal background.

My husband and I are have lived in Freehold Township for 31 years, and raised three children here. Each attended school in our district and went on to high school, college and now work.

I have a good perspective of what it really means to prepare our students for high school and beyond because I am living it. I spent countless hours volunteering in our schools prior to my BOE tenure.

My professional background in finance and law provides a comprehensive understanding of the district budget and finance operations. Every decision made is balanced between what is needed, what is in the best interests of the children, and how does that decision affect the taxpayers of Freehold Township.

Many Freehold families are still trying to recover from pandemic economic losses. Students need resources to help close achievement gaps. Resources cost dollars. Dollars affect taxpayers. Therefore every decision requires a knowledge of the finance processes and a considerable amount of vetting and prudence.

In addition, understanding the law as it pertains to education, special education, and government provides a framework of understanding that is necessary many times to make the right decisions for the district and the students.

Top issues:

Candidates were asked about the important issues in their district, and how the school board can address them.

The three main challenges facing the district are student achievement, support staff shortages, and facility infrastructure and safety improvements.

Post-COVID, student achievement in reading, math, and science is not on par with district standards. The past two and a half years, our board and administration implemented a plan to correct this, starting with hiring a new Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum. Specific and comprehensive resources were dedicated to phonics, reading tools, high impact tutoring, etc. and will continue moving forward until each child is achieving to her/his best ability.

This takes time, considerable budget resources, teacher training, the right balance of technology and traditional resources, and student engagement. The post pandemic effect on students' behavior, social and emotional skills, and overall engagement has been a challenge that our teachers work through every day.

Correlative to that, hiring and retaining the right teaching staff for our district students is a continued priority and challenge. It is about understanding our community, families, and students in addition to being a highly qualified educator. In addition, the bus driver shortage has presented unique challenges that we continue to find creative solutions for.

Finally, our facilities and mechanical systems are old and in need of improvements that will cost tens of millions of dollars. Keeping our buildings safe for our students and staff is paramount.

Policy 5756:

Candidates were asked if they wanted to comment on state Policy 5756, which provides guidance regarding transgender students, including communication with parents. Some districts in the state are repealing or amending the policy.

Policy 5756 as written reiterates protections that are already afforded under statute and don't need a policy to be followed, while other provisions allow for discretionary application, which can create inconsistencies among different districts.

What must remain paramount is balance. There are multiple federal and state laws, as well as state, federal, and Supreme Court cases that guide the balance between parental rights and student rights.

I recognize that parents have a fundamental right to raise and educate their children as they deem appropriate. Even that right, however, is qualified in specific circumstances, such as when a child is in imminent danger of being harmed.

I will continue to support the balance federal and state law protecting parent rights and any individual circumstance regarding a student.

Candidates for Freehold Township Board of Education: (Full term; vote for three)

• Zane Howcott: Protecting Parental Rights
• Carmela Spieler: Protecting Parental Rights
• Michael Amoroso: Respectful Educational Leadership
• Peter Conforti
• Mary "Meg" Thomann: Respectful Educational Leadership
• Michelle Lambert: Respectful Educational Leadership
• Denise DuMont: Protecting Parental Rights

In a separate vote, the election to the Freehold Regional High School Board of Education representing Freehold Township is not contested:

Candidate for Freehold Regional High School District: (Full term; vote for one)

• Elizabeth A. Higley

Note: Candidates who have not received their request for profile information from Patch should check their spam folders or can contact Pat McDaniel at patricia.mcdaniel@patch.com for the email with candidate questions.