Thinking of Running for the Board of Ed in Matawan-Aberdeen?

Let's say you're concerned about the services your special needs child is receiving at school. Or maybe you think testing scores for your district should be higher. Perhaps the school portion of your tax bill just seems out of whack to you. Then there's the possibility that you think the education your older child is receiving is top notch and you hope that that level of excellence continues for your younger kids.

If any of these notions resonates with you, perhaps you'd like to consider running for your town's school board, but you need to bust a move because the deadline for filing is next Tuesday, June 5.

School board seats in 468 of New Jersey’s school districts will be on the ballot Nov. 6, the date of the General Election. For November school elections, the candidate’s nominating petition – the document that places their name on the ballot – must be submitted to the county clerk, not the local board of education office.

In Matawan-Aberdeen, there are (3) three-year sets and (1) one-year unexpired term, according to business administrator James Strimple. Elizabeth Hayward, Kenneth Aitken and Gerald Donaghue hold the three-year seats and Patricia Phillips holds the one-year term.

“Serving on a school board is a challenging and rewarding form of public service,” said John Bulina, New Jersey School Boards Association president. “It certainly is one way to make a profound impact on your community.”