Election 2022: Moorestown School Board Candidate Danielle Miller

MOORESTOWN, 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 Danielle Miller, running for the Moorestown 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: Danielle Miller
Age: 38
Town of residence: Moorestown
Position sought: MTPS Board of Education member (3-year term)

Family: I have four children with my husband, Chris, who is a Moorestown native and graduate of MHS. Our eldest, Matthew, is also a graduate of MHS (Class of 2017). John (4th), Charlotte (2nd), and Olivia (Kindergarten) attend Moorestown elementary schools.

Education: M.S. Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania; B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Villanova University

Occupation: I am a Lead Structural Analysis Engineer at The Boeing Company, where I have worked for over 16 years.

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

I served as a charter member on the board, Advancing Women in Engineering, during graduate school at University of Pennsylvania. This board is committed to providing resources, support, and opportunities to women in the field of engineering. The percentage of women enrolled in undergraduate engineering at Penn has increased by over 40% since the inception of this program.

Why are you seeking to run for the school board?

With so much lost over the past couple of years, I am seeking a position on the board to advocate for our children and to ensure an encouraging academic and social environment where every student is given the opportunity to thrive. In an effort to give our children the best possible education we can as a community, I hope to reinvigorate academics by reinstating and expanding course variety, programs, and services so each student can reach their highest potential and their individual goals.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

With a background in engineering, I am a logical and critical thinker who is data-driven, detail oriented, and weighs all impacts before making a decision. I am a dedicated and passionate problem solver. I hold certifications from multiple governments, foreign and domestic, to ensure compliance of engineering changes and field repairs to the design criteria of military aircraft. In the aerospace industry, if an incorrect assumption or seemingly minor mistake is made, the result could be catastrophic. My acute attention to detail would be valuable in all facets of the board.

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

I personally believe that sexual education should be incorporated into a child’s life by the parents, when the parents believe it is developmentally and age appropriate. Parents know when their individual child is ready for this subject matter and how to best approach these conversations with their child. I also understand that at a district level, it is the board’s responsibility to implement curriculum that meets state standards. It would be prudent for the board, in collaboration with parents, to further consider potential alternatives. Open discussion and consideration of alternate methods of implementation would create an inclusive environment and ensure that every voice is heard. Additionally, communication and transparency is crucial. If the details of this subject matter are communicated to the parents with the utmost transparency, parents will have the information they need to decide if and how they plan to pursue this course content with their child in our schools.

What would have been some of your important considerations if you had been on the board during the recent negotiations with the Moorestown Education Association?

In order to maintain the reputation and high quality education that precedes MTPS, the voices of the teachers and the community must both be heard throughout the process. However, during the recent negotiations, it should have been abundantly clear that the negotiations were between two parties and two parties only: the board and the Moorestown Education Association. Should future negotiations stall, it is imperative that the children are not caught in the crossfire.

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

The most important issue in our district is the ability to manage the budget efficiently in an effort to be agile when necessary. Space constraints already exist in various buildings and we must be proactive in anticipation of increased enrollment in the future. This is a community effort, not only as to how and where school taxes are collected, but also to better understand the pulse within the community and how the money is allocated by the board to better serve our children. Year after year, popular courses have been eliminated for various reasons, many tied to resources. We must effectively balance keeping taxes low while promoting the growth of programs and services. I would like to reinstate programs and services that have been eliminated, to give our children the opportunity to reach their individual goals through a variety of course offerings. This will be executed by a thorough budget investigation while ensuring fiscal responsibility is at the forefront. Performing a detailed cost-benefit analysis will enable the board to determine how to most efficiently allocate funds.

To empower our children to reach their highest potential and to keep our district competitive, I would like to reinstate advanced mathematics and world language at the elementary level. At the middle school level, courses like woodshop, drafting, and basic life-skills, would ensure a well-rounded education while promoting hands-on creativity. As the world and technology evolve, it is important to understand that goals, expectations, or even career fields, are not a one-size-fits-all approach to education and our future.

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?

While I commend the district for the current entry and generic safety protocols at each school, I have in the past, and continue to ask for a dedicated, armed school resource officer at each school. Minutes matter. Rotating officers may not be able to make an emergency situation in time. I also stress the importance of an armed officer; the single, most effective defense against an armed intruder is an armed defender.

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

In order to give the children the best and most well-rounded public school education, it is vital to collaborate and work together. This involves active listening, transparency, communication, accountability, and determination to effect change. We must listen to parents, teachers, staff, administrators, the board, and third party service professionals, to truly bring the community together and to understand the perspective and needs of each group. This will help stimulate innovation and invigorate problem solving. Only then will we be able to work most effectively and most efficiently for the betterment of the children.