Holmdel School Board Elects New President & VP, Swears-In New Members

HOLMDEL, NJ — The Holmdel Board of Education elected a new president and vice president, and swore in new board members at their annual reorganization meeting on Wednesday night.

The meeting follows a long election season in Holmdel and other NJ municipalities that overlapped with the 2024 Presidential Election.

With seven candidates running for three open seats on the board, Kimberly Tuccillo, Surekha Collur and Raymond Kim ultimately won the election and were sworn in to the board Wednesday night.

Once the board’s new members were appointed (or re-appointed, for incumbents Collur and Tuccillo), the school board took a vote to nominate their new president and vice president.

Christian DiMare (who was serving as vice president of the board) and Peter Reddy were both nominated for the role of president, with DiMare ultimately winning in a 5-4 vote.

Following DiMare’s election, the board took a vote on the role of vice president and nominated Alison LoPresti and Kimberly Tuccillo. LoPresti ultimately won in a 5-4 vote.

“As a proud Holmdel Hornet since 1983 and a graduate of Holmdel High School’s Class of 1996, I am deeply honored to serve as the President of the Holmdel Township Board of Education in 2025,” DiMare said. “I want to extend my gratitude to my colleagues on the board for putting their trust in me in this leadership role — I appreciate the nomination.”

Following her appointment as vice president, LoPresti thanked the board members for placing their trust in her.

“It’s an honor to step into this role,” LoPresti said. “We’re going to unite and continue to do the good work that we do as a team. That’s what this is about.”

Though Reddy and Tuccillo were ultimately not elected as president and vice president, board members still showed their appreciation for them throughout the meeting.

Reddy was described as someone with a thoughtful approach to problem-solving that “ensures that everyone has a voice,” while Tuccillo was named as someone who has a “depth of understanding” of how the school system works.

“This dedicated team will guide us through the coming year as we continue to strive for excellence in serving our students, staff and community,” DiMare said. “With the appointment of our new board and election of our president and vice president, we’re now ready to begin business.”

Throughout Wednesday night’s meeting, DiMare went over his goals for the upcoming school year.

He highlighted safety, school rankings and HIBs (harassment, intimidation and bullying) as three of the most important areas to focus on while also acknowledging challenges such as transportation expenses, courtesy busing and HTEA (Holmdel Township Education Association) teachers' contracts.

According to DiMare, transportation expenses have become “increasingly difficult” to manage, with what once cost the district $2.2–2.8 million annually now surging to over $5 million annually.

Compounding the issue, DiMare said ongoing industry challenges (such as a shortage of bus drivers) have further strained resources.

“This sharp increase in transportation costs places a significant burden on the district’s budget and underscores the need for discussions around the courtesy busing program,” DiMare said.

According to DiMare, the program costs about $600,000–800,000 annually and is provided to K-8 students living within 2 miles of their school and 9-12 students living within 2.5 miles of their school. Overall, the program affects approximately 750 students.

In addition to transportation costs, DiMare also discussed the upcoming renewal of teachers' contracts, which are set to expire on June 30, 2025.

Moving forward, DiMare said he is committed to working collaboratively to create a new agreement that is mutually beneficial to teachers and Holmdel taxpayers.

“We have faced financial challenges, and in 2025 we will have some difficult budget decisions to make,” DiMare said. “As we navigate these financial challenges, it is essential to evaluate how best to balance the district’s budget while continuing to support our students and families.”

At the midpoint of the meeting, the board also held a moment of silence for Billy DiMaio, a former Holmdel High School student who was killed in the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans. The board asked those in attendance to pause for a moment of reflection and remembrance.

“Billy truly embodied the spirit of a Holmdel Hornet,” DiMare said. “His life, and the countless ways he enriched the Holmdel schools, the Holmdel community, Chesnut Hill College and his professional circles, stand as a testament to his extraordinary character and legacy.”

To close out the meeting, the board solidified its 2025 meeting schedule. Though the schedule reads that meetings begin at 6 p.m., the public portion of those meetings start at 7 p.m.

To see the Holmdel Board of Education meeting schedule, you can click here.

To read the agenda for Wednesday night's meeting, you can click here. To watch a recording of the meeting, you can watch it here.

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• Holmdel Board Of Education Election 2024: Raymond Kim
• Holmdel Board Of Education Election 2024: Surekha Collur
• Holmdel Board Of Education Election 2024: Kimberly Tuccillo
• A Remarkable Young Man: Holmdel Mourns Athlete Killed In New Orleans

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Vice President Alison LoPresti's name.