Meet The Candidate: Jeffrey Winston For East Brunswick BOE

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Four candidates are seeking three open seats on the East Brunswick Board of Education in the upcoming November elections.

Incumbent Jeffrey Winston is seeking another term as a Board member. A lifelong resident of East Brunswick, Winston said he’s “highly pragmatic” and prides himself on making decisions that are right for the district, instead of opting for the “popular” choice.

Winston hails from a family of educators, and in his tenure as a Board member has always demanded “results with fair representation of the community.”

Read below to learn more about Winston and his platform for the upcoming election.

Name: Jeffrey Winston

Position Sought: Member, East Brunswick Board of Education

Age (as of Election Day): 59

Party Affiliation: Non-partisan

Family: Dana (wife), Noah (20), Sophia(17), Simon (16), Zach (14), Josh (14)

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

Education: BA, The College of New Jersey

Occupation: Financial Consultant for 23 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Board Of Education (Board Member), East Brunswick Arts Commission (President)

Why are you seeking elective office?

To continue my efforts representing students, staff, administration, and the community. My aspirations are purely to serve the community of the BOE and I have no desire to use my position to further any future political aspirations.

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

Mental Health – I plan to address specific needs in the operations and expectations of our Guidance Department, being highly aware that the pandemic has the potential to create lasting effects that will exist long after the virus is brought under control.

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

I’m highly pragmatic, I ask the tough questions and expect accountability. I’m approachable, available, and responsive to all stakeholders. As a Board member, I demand results with fair representation of the community. I believe in our district and push to never rest or compromise on continued excellence.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Navigating the new reality of life with COVID-19 along with an urgent need to address facility space in the district.

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

I’ve held many positions - Chair of Finance and Transportation BOE Committee, Professional Financial Consultant; I’ve also proposed a response team for public communication for quick public information on district-related issues.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Seek first to understand before understood. When dealing with a situation, you can either do something or do nothing. If you choose to do nothing, you give up the right to complain about it.

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

I have been a resident of East Brunswick for nearly 59 years. I come from a family of educators including my 93-year-old father who was among the original teachers to open the high school back in 1957. I have four of my five children enrolled in East Brunswick schools. I pride myself in decision-making to do what is right and not what is popular among my colleagues. As a financial professional, I am trained to recognize problems to respond proactively as opposed to reactively.

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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