Election 2023: Denise 'DJ' Schultz For Hatboro-Horsham School Board

Candidates running in the May 16 primary election are providing background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —Denise "DJ" Schultz is running as a Democrat for re-election to the Hatboro-Horsham School Board in the May 16 primary election.

Schultz —and all the school board candidates —has cross-filed to run on the Republican and Democratic tickets.

She is one of eight candidates vying for four, four-year school board terms along with Bill Daly, David P. Brown, Theresa E. Brown, Vince Varallo, Susan Hunsinger-Hoff, Janine Solley, and Clarice Schillinger.

Biographical Information

Name: Denise (DJ) Schultz

Age: 53

Town of residence: Hatboro

Position sought: Hatboro-Horsham School Board Director

Are you an incumbent? Yes

What Towns Does Your Position Cover? Hatboro-Horsham

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Spouse: Tim Schultz (Mayor of Hatboro), 5 kids-all HH alumni, 1 granddaughter

Education: BA - The College of New Jersey

Occupation: Small Business Owner/Creative Marketing Professional

What are the top issues currently facing your position and how do you plan to address them?
A school board’s top concern must be student achievement. Many issues need to be addressed to help students reach their goals, including safety and student wellness, teaching excellence, fiscal
responsibility, and community trust. During the past 3 1⁄2 years, my board colleagues and I have
prioritized resources to improve building and technology infrastructures, safety, and a learning task force was instituted; we have kept tax increases low while maintaining student programming; and we created policies that enhance community engagement and board transparency.

In 2021, the board passed an Educational Equity Policy. The policy is designed to ensure that no child’s level of education is predetermined by race, gender identity, socioeconomic level, physical challenges, or any other factor, and every student has the resources they need to succeed. Educational Equity is not just a policy, it is an ongoing initiative that must be tirelessly pursued. I will continue to insist that expectations for teaching and learning are high and that the district is providing the appropriate resources for all of our students.

Identify specific goals or ideas you have to enhance life in your position:
My goal is to continue the positive progress we started. When my running mates and I were first elected in 2019, the district’s rankings and test scores needed improvement. Our work in focusing on updating the curriculum and improving the student learning experience is paying off—as evidenced by the significant upward spike in Hatboro-Horsham High School’s overall testing ranking in the Public School Review and our 13th-place increase in the Niche Best Schools State rankings this year (from No. 111 to No. 98 out of 495). The district is moving in the right direction, but there is more work to be done. We’re committed to continuing this upward trend.

What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office?
In addition to my tenure as school board member and policy committee chairperson, my experience as co-founder and foundation director of H.A.T. Packs has prepared me to serve on the school board. H.A.T. Packs is an all-volunteer non-profit organization. We help fight local childhood food insecurity by providing weekend meals for kids in the Hatboro-Horsham community. Our organization has long-running relationships with counselors, principals, and administrators that stretches back to even before my first term on the Board. But students need more than meals, and that is why I’m running again. My focus is to help ensure that every Hatboro-Horsham student has the tools, support, and opportunity necessary to achieve their highest potential. To learn more about my running mates and me, please visit
www.Dems4hhsb.org.