Election 2022: Haddon Heights School Board Candidate Monica Schrank

HADDON HEIGHTS, NJ — In the 2022 general election, residents of South Jersey will be voting for state and local officials. Patch has asked candidates in contested races to answer profiles about their campaigns.

Here is the candidate profile for Monica Schrank, running for the Haddon Heights Board of Education.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact Michelle.Rotuno-Johnson@patch.com.

Name: Monica Schrank

Age: 40

Town of residence: Haddon Heights

Position sought: Haddon Heights School Board Member

Family: Married with two elementary aged sons

Education: BS in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters in Engineering Management from Rowan University

Occupation: Engineering Manager

What previous or current elected/appointed offices have you held?

None

Why are you seeking to run for the school board?

I am seeking to run for the school board to be a voice at the table for our most vulnerable population, our students with disabilities, IEPs, 504s and tiered interventions. As a small district with a little creativity we have a unique opportunity to level the playing field for all of our students by providing the necessary resources to set them up for success in the least restrictive environment. Adopting a more inclusive education model will benefit all of our students.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am very collaborative and have a unique ability to pull people together to come up with creative solutions to problems. When it comes to conflict, I am able to see both sides of a situation and make an informed decision with both parties' interests in mind. I would use this in my approach when hearing concerns from parents and in working to make decisions to best support all of our students.

What is your stance on the sexual education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

I think that it is a great addition and is a needed step toward inclusion. I am confident the teachers and administrators in Haddon Heights School District will work to ensure that grade and age level appropriate material is used in its roll out.

What is the most important issue in your district and how do you intend to address it?

I feel the most important issue is the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) of our students coming out of the pandemic along with addressing any academic concerns. Ensuring all of the students at the elementary, middle school, and high school level have access to necessary resources to support them will be critical as we move on post pandemic. To address this issue we need to make sure that the resources available to our students are communicated to both parents and students consistently and that we continue to increase the resources available.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in your school district that have not been discussed already and how would you tackle these?

Communication and collaboration across the sending districts. I feel that there are some missed opportunities to partner with Barrington/Merchantville/Lawnside/Haddon Heights at the elementary level. Exposing the students to each other consistently at a younger age would benefit all when they transition to middle school and high school. One area where I would look to improve if selected is to combine the Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG) groups across the sending districts. Combining the SEPAG would be a step in the right direction to bridge this gap and would be a forum to share best practices for inclusion which would benefit all of our learners in the district.


What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I appreciate the opportunity to run for the school board and if selected I promise to be a voice for ALL of our Haddon Heights students. Thank you for your consideration.