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 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 my faculty and staff union of 30,000 members. This requires an understanding and ability to read and analyze state and municipal budgets. It also requires experience in government relations and in navigating the legislative process through which budgets are created. I have deep knowledge of how to advocate for increased funding for public schools and a proven track record of doing so. For example, as CUNY's Legislative Representative, I helped secure an additional $5 million in funding for academic advisors as well as an OMNY card pilot program for students. Based on my experience, I was selected to serve on the EB Board of Education's newly created Advocacy Committee to help the Board create a legislative strategy for upcoming budget cycles.
Additionally, 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 am also a member of the East Brunswick Education Foundation.
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 believe deeply in volunteerism and would be honored to serve on our Board of Education.
Priorities
Technology and AI Policies; Curriculum
Responsible Budgeting
Long-Range Facilities Planning
Issues
Technology Policies, AI Policy, and Curriculum
We must address our district's use of technology since COVID, especially the use of laptops by very young children, and the move away from writing, reading, and spelling offline. Studies show that students learn better and remember more when they write things down and there is a national movement away from unproven educational technology in the classroom. Our test scores have not returned to their pre-COVID levels and we must as ourselves why!
Technology should enhance education, not replace the social, developmental, and academic experiences that help students thrive. We should use technology thoughtfully and follow the evidence, which shows that too much technology is a distraction that does not improve learning. Do we really need every second grader to have an individual computer? Providing a laptop is not the same as preparing students for a digital future. In older grades, students can quickly circumvent website restrictions, turning devices into distractions rather than learning tools. We should establish clearer expectations: when technology is not necessary, students should close their computers and focus on learning, writing, reading, discussion, and critical thinking, with appropriate accommodations for students with special needs. We also need a comprehensive AI policy that protects students while teaching them how to use AI responsibly and effectively. It is time to rethink what is not working.
Additionally, 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. We need to focus on the fundamentals: reading and writing using pen and paper. The return of typing classes is also needed as our students do not learn to type though they are expected to take essay exams by computer. Finally, we need to consider returning to differentiation in the classroom and trusting our teachers to do this, so that students in the middle (not in AP or special ed courses) are not given equal opportunities to shine.
Long-Range Facilities Planning
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 Hammarskjold 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.
I would push to review the cost assumptions behind the old 2023 high school proposal, convene a committee of experts in the field, talk to other schools that built for cheaper, get community input, get new estimates and move quickly toward finalizing a better plan and redistricting.
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 to maximize the use of our resources.
Safety for our Students
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. The latter option is possible based on enrollment projections if we add on to one elementary school.
Responsible Budgeting and Staff
As a union and student advocate, I have experience with public school budgeting and efforts to fully fund public education. I would continue the work I have been doing as a recent member of the Board’s Advocacy Committee to create a sustainable, multi-year legislative strategy rather than reacting to predictable cost increases. I would also work to require administration to identify grants and scrutinize spending. In a pinch, I would protect the quality of instruction and our educators first.
Additionally, we need to make real progress on redistricting to save money and rethink facilities usage to pursue new revenue generating ideas such as renting out our Board of Education building. We should advocate for fairer state special education funding, which is a particularly important issue for East Brunswick. We should work to increase our shared service agreements and review our contacts to find savings.
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. Finally, we need to recognize that neurodivergent students face additional struggles transitioning to HUES, and this is another reason not to keep the 5th grade in that building.
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.