Election 2022: Ryan Howard, Shrewsbury Board of Education

SHREWSBURY, NJ — Ryan Howard is one of four candidates for three full terms on the 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.

Howard has entered the race as a challenger to the three incumbents seeking re-election. He says the board needs "fresh eyes and fresh ideas."

Here is more from candidate Ryan Howard:

Name: Ryan Howard

Age: 44

Town of residence: Shrewsbury

Position sought: Shrewsbury Board of Education

Are you an incumbent or have previous school board or civic experience?: Former Rent Leveling Board member in Red Bank

Do you have a campaign designation or slate?: Serving the Community, Defending the Children

Campaign website: https://ryanhowardforsbs.godaddysites.com/

Family: Wife, Nicole; children Joey, 8, and Dylan, 7.

Education: Toms River North High School and Montclair State University

Occupation: Technology Sales/RapidScale

Experience:

I coached lacrosse at Red Bank Regional HS from 2009-2015 and genuinely enjoyed coaching and interacting with my players and hope that my role on the board would allow me to get more involved with the educators and students once again.

My wife volunteers for both the Foundation for Shrewsbury Education and the SPTA. I was looking to do my part to volunteer for the community and after attending some Board of Education meetings, I knew what needed to be done. The board needs fresh eyes and fresh ideas. There needs to be debate, not obedient followers who continue to vote our school ratings down the tubes.

Practically every vote is unanimous and with zero discussion. There are no checks and balances when the board always votes yes. We also need to be recruiting the best and brightest teachers for our kids, not watching seven teachers go in a year. We need to ensure that both the academically gifted and those who need more help are taught too, not just teaching to the median. We need to do better.

Issues:

• Recruiting and retaining the best and brightest teachers for our school.
• Teaching beyond the median- both gifted and slow learners are made to learn at the median pace and that's not fair to anyone.
• Ensuring that as our superintendent retires in a few years, that his successor has the values of the town at the forefront of their vision.
• Making sure that the parents and citizens of town have a say in how the school is run.

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

• Transparency and accountability between parents, teachers and students.
• Parental engagement in the academic process
• Teacher retention

Candidates for Shrewsbury Board of Education:

Full Term - Vote for Three

• Ryan Howard
• Karen Hepburn Goldberg
• Carolyn Barber
• Jessica Groom