Six Hardyston Board of Education candidates running for three seats

Three seats are up for grabs on the Hardyston School Board of Education, each with three-year terms. Six candidates are vying for those spots: Michele Van Allen, Anthony Alfano, Jean Barrett, Edward Reidle, Brian Drelick and Kristy Lavin.

Anthony Alfano

I’m running for Hardyston Township on the “Kids First” slogan for three main reasons:

Parents Rights — Parents should know what their child is being taught by our school system (K-8). The new curriculum includes guidelines for sex-ed that may be objectionable to parents but there isn’t an easy way for the parents to “opt out” of these teachings. I would want all curriculum to be distributed to each parent for an “opt in” or “opt out” option. The best way to avoid any concerns is to simply let each parent decide on their child’s education.

Critical Race Theory – This is part of the new curriculum guidelines but, I believe CRT teaches children racism and sexism. I’d rather they learn the “Golden Rule” (treat people the way you wanted to be treated). I learn this in school, and I believe it’s the best way for developing children to become respectful citizens.

Fiscal Responsibility – I serve as commissioner of the Hardyston Township Municipal Utility Authority (water and sewer) as well as serve on the Hardyston Planning Board. Part of my role is to help advise the town council to make optimal use of taxpayer’s funds. Thirty-five percent of our taxes fund the K-8 classes. That cost is for only 8% of our population. I believe there is wasteful spending that can be eliminated. We outsource special education at a very high cost. We could develop our own special education program at a much lower cost. In addition, we have two school properties that are well underused. If we combine the elementary school property into the middle school property, we can save money while we reduce our carbon footprint. We can also lease/sell the elementary school to a charter or private school to create offsets.

Brian Drelick

My name is Brian Drelick and I would like to first thank the Hardyston community for electing me to serve on our Board of Education three years ago. Public education remains a central piece of my life as the proud son of two teachers and the father of four young boys (11, 8, 6, and 3) who will be students in our district for the next decade. My wife and I chose Hardyston as our home almost 13 years ago in part because of our school system. Education is my career, as I have served the students and staff in the High Point Regional School District as STEM supervisor for the past eight years, and as a teacher there from 2001-2015.

I hope my presence, participation, perspective, empathy, and career experience have contributed to our district’s success in navigating the pandemic. State mandates and executive orders can be challenging, but we worked together to do what was best for the students in our district. I have not brought and will not bring politics, party affiliations, regional or national agendas, or social media conversations into my decision-making as a board member. In fact, I do not have a personal social media presence. I think independently about each proposal, decision, and vote.

I ask for your support so I can continue the efforts to expand our new academic programs, discuss and hopefully approve sweeping facility upgrades (especially to the elementary school), and promote our district through improved branding and visibility. There is a drastic teacher shortage, and we must work together to ensure we attract the best and most qualified candidates for our students. I hope to lead and support more community events, and see increased engagement in the academic, social-emotional, and athletic success of our students.

Edward Reidle

I’m running for Hardyston Township Board of Education on the “Kids First” slogan.

I’ve been in Hardyston Township for over 20 years. I’m a husband and a father of three, all of whom go to our Hardyston Township school system. My youngest goes to Hardyston middle school. My wife and I operate Cravin Thai restaurant and are blessed by having many Hardyston Township families support us.

Our children, and business, have connected us to this great community. I believe our township’s has a great traditional culture and it starts with our children. I want the best education for our children and believe a quality education and parent involvement is the key to their success. We must assure that they grow and develop into well-rounded and knowledgeable adults. They will be our future, teachers, businessman, bankers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, and yes, even future world leaders.

I believe a strong basic curriculum is needed to prepare them for their future careers. Our children also need to learn respect for others, charity, honesty, and kindness as they grow into respectful adults.

When elected to the Board of Education, I’ll be prepared to make it my priority to promote parent’s rights to know, curriculum transparency including “opt in” or “opt out” of the new sex ed and CRT mandates, all while practicing fiscal responsibility. My goal is to return our children

to the successful paths that they were on before the COVID-19 shut down, Gov Murphy’s new curriculum mandates, and the liberal extremist’s agenda derailed our children’s success.

Please vote for me, and all the “Kids First” team on Tuesday, November 8th.

Jean Barrett

My name is Jean Barrett and I am a candidate for the Hardyston Township Board of Ed with “Kids First.” I have lived in Hardyston Township for 38 years where my husband and I raised our four daughters.

Some of my life experience includes: being the office manager for my husband’s plumbing and heating business, serving as an administrator for a co-op where my responsibilities included scheduling and drafting policies, I was a leader for humanitarian groups to Egypt, India and the Philippines, I have teaching and public speaking experience and am currently a legal assistant for a law office in Morristown.

When my children were young, life was busy and left no time, or need, to concern myself with school policies or curriculum.

It was a more innocent day, but that is not this day!

This day we are facing pressure from powerful lobbies in Trenton to teach the highly contested and controversial sex ed curriculum; diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum; and critical race theory. These mandates have taken the choice away from families.

Parents and caregivers should remain their children’s sole authority and retain the right to choose what they are taught in the classroom, especially when what is before us can come against a family’s faith, morals and values, and, in some instances, is divisive and damaging to young children.

First, as a school board member, I want to be a voice for parents — to protect and preserve their right to choose through transparency and communication about current issues.

Second, I believe we need to focus on core subjects like math, science, language arts and history.

Third, I feel the board has the responsibility to use your hard-earned money using wisdom and discretion.

Finally, we should continue to provide our children with teachers who have a standard of excellence!

Kristy Lavin

I have worked with children and families in Hardyston through my private practice as a child and family psychotherapist for years. Given my profession, I have over 20 years experience working closely and cooperatively with the school districts within our county. As a parent with children in the Hardyston school district, serving on the board of education is especially relevant and important to me. Parents feeling they can provide feedback and be an active participant in their children’s education is a priority that I will emphasize serving on the board.

In any capacity of advocacy, I have demonstrated in our community, I have reinforced the importance of people fully understanding and utilizing their choices. Serving on the Hardyston Board of Education, I will have a greater ability to help parents and families be aware of opportunities to have their voices heard in regard to their children’s education. Having directed the Center for Youth program, I have experience with budgets, facilitating staff and providing education and training. I have served on other boards in the past and have found that the strongest boards contain members that have the capacity to disagree with respect. I may not agree with everyone about everything but I have the ability to maturely express my point of view respectfully and truly listen to others. My core values are: integrity, transparency and safety (emotional and physical). I seek to serve for our children, our community because they are our future.

Michele Van Allen

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time that I have spent as a Hardyston Township Board of Education member and as an incumbent. I can testify to how closely the superintendent and board have worked together the last three years. I started my term right before COVID started and witnessed how our school faculty/administration operated during the pandemic in sync with the board members. Our concern was, and still is, the welfare of the children — not only academically, but emotionally and mentally as they navigated everyday life while trying to keep up with their schoolwork. I applaud the parents and children as well because these were unprecedented times, and I am proud of everyone involved while continuing on this journey. Knowing our school district is educating our students to be ready for their future is so important.

I have an associate degree in early education from Sussex County Community College and have been owner/operator of my business for 24 years educating students in the tri-state area presenting environmental and social studies programs. It is pure joy working with young children.

I have been a Hardyston resident for over 35 years, my children were educated in our district, and I have always been a contributing part of our community — scout leader, cheerleading coach, and baseball coach. I was an executive board member for Habitat for Humanity for eight years, past MUA board member in Hardyston, as well as other organizations, and I love giving back — being the change I want to see in the world.

I would be honored and humbled if the residents of Hardyston Township, once again, elected me to represent our school as a board member this November 8th.