Two three-member tickets are seeking to win three, three-year terms on the Asbury Park Board of Education in the April 19 election.
The school board recently voted to move the elections back to April from November, which cuts all recently-elected board member’s terms by eight months. Board member Corey Lowell has decided not to seek reelection.
Incumbent Nicole Harris, who is also the current school board president, is running on the “From the Community, For The Community” ticket along with former assistant city manager and former school board president James Famularo and Derrick Grant, vice-president of the Asbury Park chapter of the National Action Network.
“We are for stronger schools, building a better curriculum which will lead to a stronger community, and strengthening teaching skills among the staff,” Harris said.
The “From the Community, For The Community” campaign is being challenged by the “Moving Ahead Together” campaign, comprised of incumbent Connie Breech, former board member Barbara Leskinski, who narrowly lost her seat in last year’s election, and newcomer Dominic Latorraca, a director of career training at Brookdale Community College.
Leskisnki said the ticket represents fiscal responsibility, career readiness for graduating students, and conducting school board business in an ethical and open way.
“We also believe our community needs to do things together and we do not believe in dividing the city up into factions,” she said.