Meet The Moorestown School Board Candidates: Julie Woodrow

MOORESTOWN, NJ — When voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 elections, they will be asked to choose three people from a field of six to serve on the Moorestown Public School District's Board of Education.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation. Below are the responses from candidate Julie Woodrow.

Previous elective office, if any

None

Does anyone in your family work for the school district or in politics?

No

Education

Degree in Nursing. I’m a Registered Nurse.

Occupation

Clinical Review RN at a local home care agency.

Why are you seeking a seat on the school board?

Because I want to be a voice truly representative of the wants and needs of our community.

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

If anyone wasn’t paying attention before, THIS is the year that all eyes are on the administration and the board of education because of how COVID-19 has affected all aspects of our lives. My hat is off to the amazing teachers, administration, and the families adapting to these changes in the landscape of education. This is unprecedented change, and has proven to be a challenge for everyone involved. The hybrid model was adopted by our school system and the next obvious question is: How do we get to the point where our kids are back in school, safely, full time. As a nurse, I have a knowledge base that will allow me to look at proposed options from a health and safety perspective and as a parent of two kids in Moorestown schools, I will not only seek out community input, but I will utilize that input in my decision-making. It is critical that we take into consideration how this affects families who don’t have the means for a parent to stay at home to facilitate learning or families who may have a family member with chronic illnesses who may be at higher risk of serious complications should they fall ill with COVID-19.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board seat?

I, and other parents I’ve spoken to, don’t feel as though our thoughts and concerns about the reopening plan were heard or really taken into consideration. These are our children and this is their education! Our voices should be the loudest and most persuasive! Back when the referendum was up for a vote, so many of us didn’t feel as though we were fully informed, spending plans seemed vague, and accountability for how the millions of dollars would be spent seemed lacking.
If members of the community want the status quo, they are welcome to vote for the candidates seeking re-election. But if they want someone who will ask tough questions, demand answers on their behalf, and really listen to their concerns, they can vote for me.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Sometimes when people run for a public position, they feel they could benefit personally or professionally from the connections made, or see it as a stepping stone on the way to further a political career. I’m a nurse, a mom, a daughter, and a sister. I have no political aspirations, I very simply want to serve my community. I want to be a voice for our parents and kids. I was approached to run for the board of education because I speak my mind. I passionately defend what is true and good. I’m not afraid to have a different opinion and I have no idea about the “Who’s Who” of Moorestown. We all love our kids and just want what’s best for them.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective on the school board?

As I mentioned in my bio when I began this run, it’s really my different jobs as a nurse that will make me effective on the Board of Education. When caring for patients, my priority is their health and safety. I’m their advocate. I don’t worry about upsetting a physician by waking them up at 1 a.m. for a patient. I stand between the patient and errors that could harm them. As a Board Member, I will fiercely advocate for our families and children.

In my current job as a Clinical Review RN I read, in exhaustive detail, hundreds of pages of hospital/rehab/nursing home documentation every day. I assign medical codes based on that documentation and make sure that our agency clinicians’ documentation is correct so it can all be sent to insurance companies for reimbursement for our services. I can’t make mistakes and I can’t miss any detail or my agency receives lower reimbursement and in turn loses resources to effectively care for our patients. So I can assure this community that I’m prepared to study anything up for a Board vote, line by line, with a fine tooth comb. Nothing will get by me.

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

I can’t stress enough how important community and parental input is to me. I will not make decisions without their input. I want to be as transparent as possible and as accessible as possible. As someone who will be elected by the community, I will vote as a representative of the community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Keep Your Side of the Street Clean.

***I stress this with my kids too. Don’t worry about what other people may or may not be doing, you make sure you’re doing the right thing.