The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The only local race in the November 5 election is for the Board of Education.
Four contenders – including three incumbents – are vying for three available terms on the Board.
Those running are incumbents Sami Shaban, the current Board Vice-President; Laurie Merris, Dr. Dennis Hopkins, and newcomer Nick DiMeglio.
We sent questionnaires to every candidate to determine their stands on issues. Presented below are the answers from those who completed the forms.
Nick DiMeglio
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served: N/A
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
This is first elected position that I am running for
Membership in any civic organizations:
President of Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce 3 years
Volunteering for Franklin Township Schools from K
Parent Chairman of Referendum for Schools 20
President Franklin High School Project Graduation 8 years
President Franklin Township PTO/PTSO Parent Organization 9 years
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
Teacher retention
Better communication to the public from central office
Create hiring polices for staff
While board members do not run the day to day operations of the school district, I plan to meet
with members, the respective committee members and have open discussion and plans to present
policy proposals to the Superintendent.
Goals
What are your top three goals, should you be elected?
Teacher retention
Better communication to the public from central office
Create hiring polices for staff
In general, why should residents vote for you?
For those who may not know me, I’ve had the privilege of volunteering for our school district
for the past 18 years. My journey has taken me to each building across the district, where I’ve
seen firsthand the incredible spirit that makes our schools special.
In 2013, I led the parent committee for the referendum and successfully rallied the support of
over 4,000 parents. Through that experience and many others, I have come to know the unique
fabric of our district. I’ve worked closely with our administration, advocating for our students,
parents, and teachers, even in challenging times.
My dedication to this community runs deep. I am committed to our schools, our families, and
our future. My years of involvement, my knowledge of the curriculum, and my understanding
of the needs of our district have prepared me to take the next step. I am ready to be on the Board
of Education.
With your support, I’m ready to bring my experience and passion to the Board of Education. I
ask for your vote on November 5th.
JUST PICK NICK!
Thank you for your support.
Laurie Merris
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
Incumbent Served 9 years
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Membership in any civic organizations:
Franklin High School PTO, Athletic Boosters, Church organizations
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Continuous improvement of student achievement by addressing learning gaps throughout our school population.
- Data driven exploration of the areas, and population segments where our students are continuing to struggle to meet state standards.
- Individualized instruction pointed toward each specific student. We often speak about the learning gap as though it was one identifiable characteristic, the reality is that the root cause of each student’s learning gap is individual.
- Part of the individualized instruction that we offer must provide intensive support in the areas that are preventing the student from succeeding, (EG: English as a second language focus, Social and emotional learning, and most importantly encouragement.) Making sure that each student knows that they are valuable and that their future is limitless.
- Improve communication with the community
- Increased visibility at school and community related functions
- Liaison meetings between the BOE and the PTO Presidents Council
- Continue the publication of all BOE public meeting notices through local news outlets and via the videotaped presentation of meeting proceedings on public access television.
- Increase classroom availability for our youngest learners
- Renovation of the Middlebush School building on Amwell Road to accommodate additional preschool; 3 and preschool 4 classrooms.
Goals
What are your top three goals, should you be elected?
- Continue to offer rigorous and relevant courses that will address the needs of our future generation of learners.
- Continue to build additional capacity in preschool 3 and preschool 4 classrooms to service all township students with high quality preschool education at no cost.
- Continue to build relationships with Rutgers University, RVCC and the College Board to provide additional Advanced Placement and Career Technical Education opportunities.
- Continue to emphasize individualized instruction that offers intensive support in the areas that prevent the student from succeeding, (EG: English as a second language focus, Social and emotional learning, and most importantly encouragement.
- To provide a safe, supportive and stimulating environment that encourages the desire to learn
- Technology in the classroom can be a great support to individualized instruction. We all learn differently and have different interests. By utilizing technology effectively, the teacher can offer lessons on an individual basis that address learning gaps or provide reading assignments that cater to an individual student’s interests.
- Stay abreast of and implement improved techniques to enhance student safety both on a building level, as we have done through the renovated vestibules, and internet filtering as well as on an individual level through programs that give factual information on harmful trends. We also offer tiered levels of counseling to students experiencing social and emotional challenges at home or in the school environment.
- To continue to remove roadblocks to learning, such as food insecurity and lack of access to proper physical and mental healthcare.
- As you may be aware, the board has entered a partnership with Zufall Health to provide health care services to our students in the form of physical examinations, and vaccinations free of charge.
- We have an agreement with community organizations such as the Franklin Food Bank to provide land that will allow them to expand their facility footprint, enabling them to serve a larger population and grant more convenient access to those that need the services.
In general, why should residents vote for you?
Across the 9 years that I have been on the BOE we have worked as a team to:
- Provide increased pay for our teachers, the foundation of our educational system.
- Achieved recognition through US News and World Reports as one of “America’s Best High Schools”
- Created a new medical Center that provides no charge medical care to our students and our teachers
- Expanded our Pre-school enrollment capacity to over 600 students, and still growing!
Dennis Hopkins, Jr.
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
3 years
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Membership in any civic organizations:
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
1. Ensuring that education meet the demands of the workforce and higher education for today and tomorrow
2. Teacher’s retention
3. Having a safe environment
Goals
What are your top three goals, should you be elected?
Continue to vote on policies and goals from my first term such as:
1. Enhancing safety
2. Boosting curriculum
3. Giving the Teachers necessary tools to produce successful outcomes for our students
In general, why should residents vote for you?
I will continue to ensure that our stakeholders’ investment, our students, is priority. Also, voting on policies that will give our students every opportunity available to have successful careers.
