Election 2022: Deborah Wilson, Holmdel Board of Education

HOLMDEL, NJ — Deborah Wilson is one of eight candidates seeking three full-term seats on the Holmdel Board of Education in the Nov. 8 general election.

In these profiles, based on questions provided, the candidates give voters background about themselves and their positions on the issues. Patch is publishing individual profiles leading up to the election.

Wilson has been a teacher for 14 of 18 years in Freehold Township, and is currently the early literacy interventionist. Her campaign designation is "School and Community Advocacy."

"I have always been committed to advocating for the children and families within my professional community and would like the opportunity to bring this experience and perspective to Holmdel Township," she says.

Read more about candidate Deborah Wilson:

Name: Deborah Wilson

Age: 44

Town of residence: Holmdel

Position sought: Board of Education

Are you an incumbent or have previous school board or civic experience? No

Do you have a campaign designation or slate? School and Community Advocacy

Family: I have lived in Holmdel for 14 years and have two children that attend Holmdel Township Schools. When I first stepped into Holmdel schools, I was inspired by the positive energy and commitment to education. Since moving to Holmdel in 2008, my sons and I have had the privilege of meeting so many amazing educators, neighbors, and friends.

Education: I have a B.A. in Education from Loyola College in Maryland and a Masters of Education in Administration and Supervision from Rutgers University.

Occupation: Teacher

Experience:

I have been a teacher in Freehold Township for 18 years. I spent 14 years as a classroom teacher and currently serve as the early literacy interventionist. In my role in Freehold Township, I am a member of the School Safety Team, School Improvement Panel, Intervention & Referral Services Team, Data Team, and Curriculum Writing committees.

I have always been committed to advocating for the children and families within my professional community and would like the opportunity to bring this experience and perspective to Holmdel Township.

Issues:

The issues that I believe are most important to address are student achievement, social and emotional well-being, and teacher retention.

I believe it is important to look at the district, school, and grade level data to determine areas in which students need further support and use a tiered intervention framework to provide instruction, therefore increasing achievement.

I believe we need to breathe life into our School Safety Teams to further support students' social and emotional well being. In Holmdel, we are fortunate to have wonderful guidance departments, a partnership with Rutgers Behavioral Health Care, and support professionals in the buildings. I think we can capitalize on the knowledge of these professionals, as well as our administrators and teachers to develop tools for prevention and intervention for students' social emotional well being.

To maintain schools that have high academic achievement and social emotional safety, we need to hire and retain the best educators. We should actively gather information from the educators in our district to determine the advantages of working in Holmdel and what the Board of Education can do to further support their work.

What changes or improvements do you see for the district that could enhance educational life and is there a way you might accomplish that?

If elected, I am committed to strengthening the relationship between all stakeholders to create a cohesive and collaborative community. I value communication, transparency, respect and relationships. I look forward to working together to ensure that we create the best experiences for all of our children.

Candidates for Holmdel Township Board of Education:

Full Term - Vote for Three

• Deborah Wilson, School Community Advocacy
• Elizabeth Urbanski
• Chris DiMare, Save Holmdel Schools
• Jeff D. Mann, Save Holmdel Schools
• John Buckley, Save Holmdel Schools
• Joanne Lam, Education First
• Alicia Unusan, Education First
• Mathew Weisfeld, Education First