Robin McKeon: Bernards Township School Board Candidate

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township School Board has seven candidates vying for four seats in the upcoming election on Nov. 2.

Robin McKeon, an incumbent and current Board Vice President, is one of the candidates running for one of the three-year seats. The other candidates include:

• Timothy Salmon -incumbent,
• Kirsten Light
• Carl Bird
• Herpreet "Guddia" Singh - incumbent

Those running for the unexpired two-year seat include:

• Ruchika Hira - incumbent
• Lawrence J. Nastro

Are you running for office in Basking Ridge? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Basking Ridge Patch.

Robin McKeon

Name: Robin McKeon

Age: 53

Town of residence: Bernards Township

Position sought: Bernards Township Board of Education — 3 year term

Family: Husband Jeff, children Kelsey 27, Connor 25, Devon 23, Brynn 21, James 16 and Trevor 12

Education: B.A. Sociology FDU Madison, M.A. Sociology NYU

Occupation: Instructor and PhD candidate at Rutgers Graduate School of Education

Previous or current elected appointed office: I have been on Bernards Township BOE for 12-plus years

Why are you seeking to run for school board? I am passionate about education! I have worked as a college instructor and research assistant, as a K-12 substitute teacher, and most recently I have gone back to school myself, to pursue my PhD in Education Theory, Organization and Policy. I have volunteered in the education world for over two decades, on the boards of The Summit Cooperative Nursery School, St. John’s Nursery School, and the Liberty Corner School PTO and have helped out in my kids' schools every chance I have had! My six children have had amazing experiences in the Bernards Township School District and I want to make sure that our schools continue to provide that kind of top quality education to every student in our community.

What is your stance on masks in schools? It is the law in New Jersey that everyone wears masks indoors in schools unless they have a disability or medical condition that precludes them being able to wear a mask. In other parts of the country where there are no mask mandates, we are seeing COVID outbreaks in schools and large numbers of students home from school in quarantine. NJ Department of Health and NJ Department of Education guidance allows us to not have to quarantine children who are 3 feet apart if they have masks on, which allows kids to stay in school. The last thing we want is large numbers of children home in quarantine or worse yet, sick with COVID!

Should schools offer a virtual option? The state of NJ should offer a state-run virtual option like most other states. It is not fiscally viable for local districts to offer a quality virtual option on a long-term basis without having a huge impact on the quality of in-person instruction. It is frustrating that the state has not responded to create a solution for those families who have situations where in-person school is not appropriate.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district? Our priority is to keep students in school and help the students who have struggled the most during the pandemic by meeting their academic and emotional needs. A huge fiscal challenge for the district continues to be the rising cost of health care. Unfortunately, the newly required state health benefits programs, which were intended to save districts money, actually increase the cost for the small number of districts like ours that have been saving money by self-insuring. We also have to deal with many of the issues currently facing schools across the country, including a shortage of bus drivers, food service workers, and substitute teachers. And we need to acknowledge the stress our staff members have been under over the past two years. We are so lucky in Bernards Township to have amazing teachers and staff members and we need to work to support them personally and professionally as they meet the needs of our students.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates? My 12 ½ years of experience on the BOE gives me a unique perspective and experience. I am able to provide institutional knowledge of the district. I have served as BOE President four times and have led BTEA and BTAA contract negotiations over the past 6 years. I have served on and chaired the BOE Finance, Curriculum, Personnel, and Policy committees and I love being a member of our recently formed Wellness committee. I have been a BOE liaison to the PTOs and the Bernards Parents of Exceptional Children for 12 years. In addition, my experience in NJSBA as a legislative representative and my networks at Rutgers GSE and around the state can benefit the district.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign? I feel that my biggest strength is being able to work with all types of people and listen to and respect their perspectives. We are in a critical time in our country’s history, and if we do not find a way to build bridges and create an inclusive society we are really in big trouble. My most important priority is to work to make our schools places where EVERY person feels valued and respected.

For more information visit hira-mckeon-salmon-singh.com.