South Brunswick Board Of Education General Election 2025: Laura Hernandez

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ – The President of the Board of Education is running for reelection in November.

Currently an ESL teacher and previously a school principal, Laura Weber Hernandez has a long history as an educator, which she feels makes her perfect to serve on the board.

Read about her platform in the profile below.

Patch sent out a questionnaire to all candidates seeking a seat on the BOE. The profiles will be published as received.

Are you running for office in East Brunswick? Contact Sarah Salvadore at sarah.salvadore@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Laura Weber Hernandez

Town of Residence: South Brunswick

Family: Married for 47 years, 3 Grown Children (All went through SBSD,) 6 Grandchildren (4 are in SB schools)

Age: 65

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Secondary Education American Studies, Rider University

• Master’s Degree in Educational Administration, Rider University

Master’s Certification, English as a Second Language, The College of New

Jersey

Occupation:

• Currently ESL Teacher

• Supervisor of Student Teachers, Rutgers University

• Previously, School Principal

• School Vice Principal

• Director of Testing and Assessment, Supervisor of World Language and ESL

• District Director of Service Learning

Previous or current elected or appointed Office:

• Current President of South Brunswick Board of Education

• Previous Vice President of South Brunswick Board of Education

• President of Kean University, Statewide Diversity Council

• Morris County Representative with the State of NJDOE for Service Learning

Why are you seeking a seat on the BOE?

As you can see from my experience, I am currently the President of the South Brunswick Board of Education. The South Brunswick School district is in the middle of many important endeavors. Such as choosing and acclimating a new Superintendent, redistricting our students due to the rapid increase in the SB housing developments and the continued battle with the state’s S2 budget formula, which has had a negative impact on our district. I am in the center of all of these changes and I believe that continuity is crucial and I would very much like to see all of these transitions through their entirety.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

My vast amount of experience in education definitely gives me a much broader view and understanding of the many aspects and decisions needed to be made by board members. I have served in a plethora of positions in the education world. I not only have been employed as an educator in some type of capacity for the past 30 years, I have worked in every level of education ranging from kindergarten through college. I have worked first hand to help with the transition students must face and issues educators are up against. Making decisions for children regarding their education takes a village, and I have sat in all positions in each arena:, a mom, a teacher, an administrator, a student, a union rep and a tax payer and for the past several years, a board member and current Board President. Along with my 4 siblings, we have all attended school in South Brunswick K-12, all of my children, nieces and nephews, have attended South Brunswick Schools K-12, now my grandchildren and some of my great nieces and nephews are attending South Brunswick Schools. I know the past, the present and would hope to be a part of the future of the South Brunswick School District.

What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?

The monies received from the state and the federal government is always a major challenge. We have no control over what funds will be allocated to South Brunswick from the state or the federal government. They play by their own rules and change those rules as they go along, without informing districts. Although we have gone before the state senate to speak our peace,it is the government that dictates the funding. That makes it very difficult to plan, grow or implement programs we would like or need in South Brunswick. The board was forced to make very difficult decisions the past several years due to the vast reduction in state and federal funding. If we are put in this position again this year, our options will be extremely limited.

As new housing comes in and enrollment grows, the school district is grappling with redistricting. Do you have any suggestions on how the district could handle this?

I have been involved with this situation since the inception. The district has been proactive regarding this and I am well versed with respect to our options. The district has formed 2 committees concerning redistricting: a core committee and a community committee. Both committees are led by district administrators , and I serve on both committees. So one can say that I got in “on the ground floor.” I have attended all meetings regarding redistricting and have spoken to superintendents of other districts who have been in the same situation. At these meetings, I contributed suggestions and listened to many others. We will continue to meet as both the core committee and the community committee to figure out the best approach and the least interruptive situation for our students. We are currently exploring several options, such as busing students, redistricting routes, balancing out building enrollment, grade level splits , and a number of other options. At my request, the district administrators who have led this charge will keep the district apprised at an upcoming board meeting.

Are you happy with the way the district handled state aid cuts and budget issues? What would be your approach?

South Brunswick has had the good fortune of strong district leadership. Our Business Administrator has navigated us through some very turbulent waters. Along with the Superintendent and the Board of Education, he has stretched our tax dollars to give our students a first-class education. Over the past several years, the state has taken away almost 7 million dollars from our budget, while surrounding districts have been given millions. South Brunswick has been given a very hard hit for numerous years, yet we have not cut programs or denied student services. What most people don’t understand is that a budget in education is run much differently and has many more restrictions than a budget in the corporate or private sectors. The state and other entities dictate what monies we can spend on what line item. I have listened many times to people stating how they would change our budget, spend our money, or resolve our financial situations, but not one of them realizes the restraints and regulations that school districts must abide by. The board runs by committee, and one of those committees is finance. It is here that we initially debate/question/discuss our budget before it is brought to the entire board. The administration is scrutinized by the board regarding district spending before any decisions are made. But with every year we develop the budget and with each board meeting updates where we approve or not, our finances, there is always room for improvement.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

Student school supply lists that parents are expected to fill have gotten a little off track. There is the “general” school supply list, given according to grade level and then there are “course/teacher” supply lists. This can be very costly to parents, especially to parents with multiple students in school. I believe there can be a better/different way of having students obtain what is needed. This goes for the cost of class trips also. Some trips are very costly to parents and something that should be further looked into for a better outcome.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

This question is similar to question #2. What sets me apart is my 30+ years of experience in education, serving as the current board president, and being a 65-year South Brunswick resident. I am a mother, grandmother, educator, administrator, board president , and child advocate. I have sat in every seat possible to understand the position of all stakeholders. This sets me apart.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I have lived in and loved South Brunswick for my entire life. I was raised here and chose to raise my children here. They are now raising their children here. In South Brunswick, I have seen many changes and improvements, along with changes and not-so-great improvements. I have dedicated the majority of my life to improving the lives of children. Not only have I done this in the public school system, I have also served as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)for children in the foster care system. I served as an elder in my church and have written the children’s ministry curriculum. South Brunswick is home, and as the saying goes, “Home is where your heart is.”

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