Elaine Jackson: Hillsborough School Board Candidate

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ —The Hillsborough Township School Board has four candidates vying for three seats in the upcoming election on Nov. 2.

Elaine Jackson is one of the candidates running. The other candidates include:

• Allison Laning-Beder
• Krzysztof "Chris" Golas
• Jason R. Albanese

All of the candidates are running for the three, three-year seats on the board.

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

Elaine Jackson

Name: Elaine Jackson

Town of residence: Hillsborough

Position sought: Member of the Hillsborough Board of Education

Family: Two children, 19 and 16

Education:

• Graduate of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Economics from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD

Occupation: IT Business Systems Analyst in the Health Insurance Industry

Previous or current elected appointed office: None held

Why are you seeking to run for school board? I believe it’s important to have diverse and fair representation of community stakeholders on the Board. Parents can offer a valuable perspective on the educational experiences of their children, nurturing their children to help them grow into healthy and successful adults, and the economic challenges of funding the best possible district resources for their children.

What is your stance on masks in schools? I believe that masks should be optional. Given the choice, I have trust that parents and students will decide on the right thing to do to protect themselves and others.

Should schools offer a virtual option? I think it’s most beneficial for children to be physically in attendance in school. I also believe virtual capabilities are imperative to provide an emergency option if necessary whether due to Covid-related or environmental issues – including snow closures.

What other issues do you feel must be tackled in the school district?

• Curriculum: Content should be factual and free of perspectives. Teaching kids to think critically for themselves is an important skill to foster at an early age and continue throughout their educational experience.
• Emotional well-being: Finding an effective balance of making sure students are emotionally healthy while simultaneously teaching skills that will help them develop into confident, independent and thoughtful adults.
• Safety: Safe and equitable transportation. Safe and healthy learning environments.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates? I think every individual has the opportunity to bring a valuable perspective to a team environment. I’ve had the unique opportunity to work within a multicultural environment, collaborating on projects with individuals with different views and skill sets. It teaches you to communicate effectively and leverage the varying contributions of everyone to reach a single, specific end goal.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign? In the early school years, I had the privilege of participating in many parent volunteer activities. As kids get older it’s still important for parents to have a presence in their educational experiences, especially as they prepare to embark on their continued education or vocational careers. Parents who presently have children in the school district are uniquely poised to offer relevant feedback regarding how decisions could impact the educational experience. A parent is a child’s best advocate.