Election Profile: Jill Perez For Holmdel BOE

HOLMDEL, NJ — Three seats are open for the Holmdel Township Board of Education and six candidates are in the run.

Terence Wall, Surekha Collur, Kimberly Tuccillo, Weiping Wang, Jill Perez and Kristy O'Connor are all vying for a seat.

Perez, 44, works part-time for Seton Hall supervising student teachers. She is also self-employed as an educator at Tranquil Teachings Learning Center, where she creates educational programs for children and adults with a focus on academic subjects as well as yoga and meditation.

Aside from running her business, Perez is also a mother of four daughters. She has a master’s degree from Rutgers University in social and philosophical foundations of education.

READ MORE: Holmdel 2021 Election: Who's Running, All The Ways To Vote

Why are you seeking elective office?

During the school year of 2020-2021, I homeschooled my children. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it, but I also realized that there were some experiences I was unable to provide. As I worked to homeschool my eighth-grade daughter, I also wanted her to enjoy the special memories of the eighth-grade graduation ceremony and the end of the year dance. I reached out to the board regarding these matters and they offered my daughter the opportunity to take part in these special events. This involvement with the Board of Education helped me realize the impact of their decisions and the way in which the board members shape our schools and community. As an educator myself I want to serve the next generation. In order to have a healthy society, it is necessary to have educated and informed citizens. Serving on the board offers a unique opportunity to ensure our students have the best possible education. My goal is to work to implement programs and systems that best equip our students with the skills, compassion and civic-minded duty needed to foster opportunity and maintain a prosperous society.

Why should you be elected over other candidates?

I have worked in education for over 20 years and have worn many hats. I initially worked with teen moms in urban school districts and provided services to encourage higher graduation rates. Later I decided to work with middle school students and became a certified math and social studies teacher. I worked in the classroom for many years and then began to design and present professional development workshops for educators. After pursuing my master’s degree, I was hired by the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers to teach and supervise student teachers. I still continue to work in this capacity but I am now employed by Seton Hall University. My broad experience in education has afforded me the opportunity to work in dozens of districts throughout the state.

What is the most important issue facing the school community and what are you planning to do about it?

As a district, Holmdel has had several staff departures in a very short period of time. This turnover of more than ten administrators is extremely concerning. There is also a lack of transparency about this issue. It is important to examine the root causes contributing to this problem. Our children deserve lasting role models and this also raises concerns about other matters and whether or not individuals within the school feel valued. As Holmdel begins the task of hiring a new superintendent, these matters must be addressed. Additionally, the search for a superintendent must also involve community input and feedback.

What are other important issues you are running on?

We all know that it takes a village to raise a child. Currently, we are educating generation Z and this generation has been referred to by some researchers as the loneliest generation. Generation Z has the highest rates of mental health challenges and students with special needs. Social media and stress have had many implications on our students. Additionally, this is also the generation in which families are raising children with increased special needs. As a school community, we must recognize these changes in our society and provide meaningful services to our students and their families.

Is there anything else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am running with Kristy O’Connor and we identified five areas that we want to focus attention on:

• Academic Excellence - We will focus on meeting each student’s needs. Education is not a “One Size Fits All” approach.
• More Family Involvement - We appreciate the diversity of our families and their core values. We will strive to maintain a safe and appropriate learning environment.
• Consistent Leadership - We want to examine the root causes of turnover. Our children deserve lasting role models.
• Fiscal Responsibility - Our community and taxpayers need to know where and how money is being spent in our schools.
• A Voice For Our Community - We will act with integrity to ensure accountability. Let’s help everyone feel more connected again.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a wife and mother of four daughters, I have worked to balance both family and work. I manage my household as well as a learning center and yoga business. In order to manage these areas and projects, I carefully create schedules and draft budgets. Some early experience with elections was when I was voted in as the president of a townhouse association with over 400 units. During this term, I worked to install new siding and fencing for all homeowners. This was a sizable budget with many different deadlines. It was an introduction into working with different committees and writing public reports. This experience also demonstrated the importance of clear and open communication with all residents.