About Heather James-Zuckerman for
East Brunswick Board of Education
I am a college professor who believes in the transformative power of a quality public education. I've spent nearly 15 years in the classroom and know the struggles our young people face since COVID. I see firsthand what happens when students come to college unprepared and know the difference that one dedicated person can make in the life of a student. I purchased a home in East Brunswick in 2018 so that my oldest son could begin kindergarten in our town's excellent public schools.
In addition to my background in education, I have experience analyzing budgets and fighting for more funding for schools. When I am not in the classroom, I serve as the Legislative Representative for the PSC-CUNY. The PSC is a faculty and staff union representing approximately 30,000 members. This requires work similar to what is necessary to understand East Brunswick's public school budget and its relationship to state and municipal budgets.
I've spent many years volunteering in our schools beginning when I was the room parent for oldest son's kindergarten class. When he was in first and second grades, I served on the Warnsdorfer PTA Executive Board as the VP of Cultural Arts. In this role, I collaborated with the principal and faculty to bring assemblies that augmented the curriculum. During COVID, I worked with two other PTAs to create a virtual assembly for three elementary schools. I also brought a presenter from Ohio to educate students on the centennial of the 19th Amendment. During my son's third and fourth grade years, I was the Warnsdorfer PTA president. In that role, I served as a liaison between parents and the school and helped fundraise for a new sound system for the cafetorium. When my older son was in 5th and 6th grades I ran the HUES school store and served as the PTA Executive Board Secretary. Currently, I am the Membership VP of Churchill Junior High School PTA. Additionally, I was a founding member of the East Brunswick Educational Justice Alliance, which sought to bring parents together to address bias issues in our schools and promote anti-bias education curriculum such as Facing History.
I became interested in the East Brunswick School Board in 2022 because of a busing issue in my neighborhood. In response, I organized my community to attend board meetings to advocate for change. When our HUES electives, music, and arts programs faced cuts, I continued to work with my fellow parents or organize student and parent stakeholders to speak out at board meetings, write letters to elected officials, and act as public voices for change (by writing op eds etc). I now serve on the Board of Education's Advocacy Committee, which brings together community members to find creative ways to help solve East Brunswick's budgetary concerns. I believe deeply in volunteerism and would be honored to serve on our Board of Education.
Priorities
Technology Policies and AI
Curriculum
Facilities Use: High School, TCUs, Redistricting Elementary Students
Issues
Curriculum
Curriculum is the core of our schools. Some areas of focus include: helping our students learn post-COVID, evaluating test scores so we can adjust if they are lagging, making sure that the average student is seen and that our focus does not only go to the most in need students and the best performing students, and investing in electives to keep our schools vibrant and competitive. Specifically, we must make sure to protect our award-winning art and music electives. Art and music are critical to brain development and support overall academic success. Moreover, our investment in these programs is one of the reasons our district is recognized throughout the state.
Technology Policies and AI
We must address our district's use of technology since COVID, especially the problem of in-class distractions (access to YouTube and games on student laptops), the use of laptops by very young children, and the move away from writing and spelling. Two years ago, we reassigned a staff member who had been focused on AI due to budget cuts. However, we must refocus on a clear AI policy that provides guidance to teachers and protects student learning. While our students need to be prepared for a world where AI is a job market feature, we must make sure that they know how to use AI properly and that they build the underlying skills to be creative and critical thinkers.
Facilities
As a district, we need to make progress on plans regarding a new or renovated high school and redistricting. I want our kids to have the best facilities possible while being mindful of taxes. New board members with new perspectives can help move this conversation forward. We must also address the use of temporary classroom units (TCUs) at Churchill. These TCUs are not a permanent solution. Moving our 5th grade to Hmmarskjold did not make sense. We need to think creatively about how to move students out of the TCUs without losing additional money. Moving the 5th grade back down to the elementary schools instead of closing an elementary school may be one solution.
Transportation and Redistricting
Busing concerns are the initial reason that I became interested in the Board of Education. Though redistricting is not always popular, we must redistrict to make our bus routes more efficient and cost-effective. Redistricting will also allow us to address disproportionate class sizes across some schools.
Inclusivity and Anti-Bias Education
All students should feel safe in East Brunswick. Adopting anti-bias curriculum that reflects our religious, cultural and other diversities will not solve all issues but may help set a tone for the culture of our schools. Incidents should be thoroughly investigated and have appropriate consequences, including restorative interventions.
Hammarskjold Playground / Redistribution of Students
HUES students have mandatory recess (mandatory for 5th grade) but they do not have age-appropriate play spaces. Recess is important to children's development and ability to focus. The district should work with parents and the staff at HUES to find a creative solution to the problem or consider moving the 5th grade back to the elementary schools.
Budgeting and Staff
As a union and student advocate, I have experience with public school budgeting and efforts to fully fund public education. Since we expect that the full implementation of the state funding formula will result in cuts to East Brunswick next year, we must plan to reduce costs so that we are not surprised. Vacancy reductions do generate enough savings and come at the expense of students. Leaving positions unfilled after a retirement or resignation should be a last resort not a quick solution.
Special Education
I value the commitment of the Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG), which is a key partner in this area. As a fellow parent, I would be responsive to parents and faculty experts. Additionally an audit of special education programs and staffing levels is needed as more students require services each year. Additionally, the Board's Advocacy Committee (of which I am a part) seeks to better understand and help address chronic underfunding of special education by the State of New Jersey.
Mental Health
My oldest son was in first grade during the COVID shutdown. Luckily, I was working from home and had the flexibility needed to help him. Many families could not provide the same support. I saw how kids and parents struggled during this time and the ways in which social and emotional learning stagnated. While mental health services have always been important, COVID highlighted the importance of mental health services for me in a new way. In the face of a nationwide shortage, it can be difficult to hire mental health professionals. At a minimum, we should make every effort to keep these positions staffed and should never subject them to budget cuts.
Sustainability
I support the creation of a sustainability committee on the board. Auditing our vendor contracts to make sure they are following laws and have sustainable practices could help make our school a leader in this area. We must also do more to enforce recycling policy in our lunchrooms.
Communication
Transparent communication is the key to building community trust. The current Board of Education has taken tremendous steps toward more open and informative communication and responsiveness. We must continue to build a Board of Education that is a community-focused and cooperative institution.