Meet The Candidate: Barbara Reiss For East Brunswick BOE

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Four candidates are vying for three open seats on the East Brunswick Board of Education in the upcoming November election. Incumbent Barbara Reiss is seeking reelection to the BOE.

She was first appointed as a Board member back in 2016 and believes in the "power of volunteerism." "My number one priority as a board member is to support our district in its ongoing efforts to provide our students with a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn," Reiss told Patch.

Reiss will be seeking reelection alongside incumbents Vicki Becker and Jeffrey Winston. They are being challenged by newcomer Denise Medford.

Read below to learn more about Reiss and her platform for the upcoming elections in East Brunswick.

Name: Barbara Reiss

Position Sought: East Brunswick School Board

Age (as of Election Day): 51

Party Affiliation: The Board is non-partisan.

Family: I have lived in East Brunswick for 19 years with my husband Larry, a United States Air Force veteran and founder of the East Brunswick NFL Flag Football League. We have two children, who proudly attend East Brunswick schools and are currently students at EBHS.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooklyn College where I graduated with honors from the Scholars Program. I also have a Master’s degree in Education from New York University.

Occupation: Public school and/or religious school teacher for a total of 15 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Board of Education Member

Why are you seeking elective office?

I was fortunate that both my parents believed that education would be their kids’ ticket to a successful life. My father emigrated from Argentina in the 1950’s and learned to speak English at night school. He worked long hours in an electrical supply warehouse for many years. Unfortunately, earlier this year, my father passed away from COVID. One of his proudest moments was when he was recognized for being a 55-year-member of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers). He often worked overtime so that we would have enough money for extracurricular activities. My mom also worked a second job as a community college teacher. They valued hard work and education. It is that strong belief that continues to motivate me to work towards helping to ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive a high-quality Public School education in East Brunswick.

The single most pressing issue facing our board is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

My number one priority as a board member is to support our district in its ongoing efforts to provide our students with a safe and nurturing environment in which to learn. This includes continuing to support the use of COVID-19 mitigation procedures in our facilities, supporting our students and staff in their transition to full-time in-person learning as well as providing the critical tools they need to achieve these goals.

With the ever-changing nature of COVID-19, it is important for our district to be ready to pivot so we may continue to provide our students, teachers, and staff with a safe and healthy learning environment. I advocate continuing to use a multi-layered approach to reducing COVID-19 risk within our schools so that our students and staff can remain engaged in meaningful, in-person learning.

As the recent chair of the Student Services committee, I also strongly supported the efforts of our Superintendent and Student Services department to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students and teachers during this extremely stressful time. Whether it is through student and teacher support groups, presentations to parents about student wellness and mental health, or marking period credit recovery programs, our counseling department and teachers are providing the expert guidance and kindness that our students need so much right now. I will continue to support our district’s ongoing efforts to provide all our students and teachers with access to important health and wellness resources.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My family and I strongly believe in the power of volunteerism to make positive changes in the community. Shortly after we moved here, I co-founded and ran the EB area chapter of the MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club, which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in town. The group is dedicated to assisting new mothers in navigating the challenges of parenthood through educational and social activities.

I have also proudly served as a member of the EB Human Relations Council, as a parent member of the Community Programs Advisory Committee and as a volunteer producer and reporter for EBTV. I co-led my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop and am a Juliette parent volunteer.

Once my kids entered Frost Elementary, I became an active member of the PTA. I volunteered for various fundraising, multicultural and educational committees, serving as President of the Frost PTA until my appointment to the school board.

I have been a member of the Board of Education since 2016. During this time, I have served on a variety of school board committees, including as the chair of the Special Services, Technology, and Policy Committees. I currently serve as Chair of the Community Programs Committee.

As a school board member, I strive to be balanced and open-minded when considering proposals. I value research and look to hear from a variety of voices that represent all sides of a situation. I believe in maintaining strong lines of communication between the board, the administrators, the teachers and parents of our district. I will continue to work diligently and cooperatively with my fellow board members to build upon past successes and discover new learning opportunities.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

During this past year, our community has faced unprecedented health and economic challenges. Our Board of Education, administrators, teachers, and staff have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to ensure that our schools were ready to open safely. Our dedicated teachers, paraprofessionals, nurses, counselors, and staff worked alongside our administrators, to make sure our children had the best possible educational experience during a worldwide pandemic. As both a Board member and parent, I am forever grateful.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a former chair and current member of the school board’s technology committee, I am proud to be a part of Dr. Valeski’s and the Board’s ongoing efforts to support our teachers with strong technology infrastructure. Our skilled technology department made it possible for our students and teachers to have access to the laptops, software, and technical support they needed to continue remote learning during a global pandemic.

During my time as chair of the school board technology committee, I worked with my fellow Board members and the administration to expand our coding offerings to our elementary classrooms and after-school programs. Our teachers do an excellent job incorporating technology into our children’s day-to-day assignments. Our students are learning how to use various programs and present their findings using top-notch computers and software. Our district continues to add age-appropriate coding activities and projects that will help prepare our children for the jobs of the 21st century.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel - Maya Angelou

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In my life, I have always had a strong connection to the field of education. My mom was a high school Spanish teacher for 27 years and my Grandma Rose was an elementary school teacher for many years as well. I hope to continue to serve as a school board member and be a part of the East Brunswick educational system that provides our children the access to the tools they need to live successful and rewarding professional lives.

In anticipation of the upcoming election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

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