As a Board of Education slate, our primary goal is to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that prioritizes Robbinsville School District's long-term resilience and adaptability.  We are dedicated to exploring innovative ways to overcome the school budget crisis and restore vital student programs and services to support students in achieving their fullest potential. My name is Barbara Gould.  Leveraging my 20 years of educational leadership and on behalf of my slatemates, Fizza Seehra and Christopher Emigholz, I would like to answer how our slate can plan for the Robbinsville school district’s future by building resilience through strategic budgeting and restoring student programs and services.

Build Resilience through Strategic Budgeting

Transparent Budgeting: Engage in straightforward, collaborative budgeting discussions  with regular community updates and solicited feedback.

Efficient Resource Allocation: Conduct thorough audits to eliminate inefficiencies and direct funding to areas significantly impacting student outcomes.

Explore Alternative Funding: Identify grants, partnerships, and fundraising opportunities to supplement district funding and lessen residents' financial burdens.

Government Advocacy: Engage in advocacy efforts to secure support and funding from state and local governments and advocate for policies that benefit the district.

Long-term Fiscal Planning: Develop a multi-year financial plan to anticipate future needs and ensure sustainable fiscal health.

Build Resilience by Strategically Restoring Student Programs and Services

Restore Core Academic Programs: Review and align math and literacy programs with best practices in educational research.

Expand World Language Offerings: Offer more opportunities for students to learn various languages, especially in middle school, to build a foundation for language acquisition and global citizenship.

Diversify Electives: Restore elective courses in the arts, humanities, and technology to accommodate diverse student interests and talents. 

Expand Dual Enrollment Opportunities: Increase dual enrollment program offerings, allowing more students to earn college credits while in high school.

Support Vocational, Career, and Technical Education (CTE) Programs: Develop partnerships with local businesses and trade schools to expand vocational, career, and technical education and community-based instruction programs.

Support Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Anti-Bullying Efforts: Partner with the district to increase access to social-emotional, mental health, and anti-bullying resources for our community.

As Robbinsville Board of Education candidates, Fizza Seehra, Chris Emigholz, and I are fully committed to strategically planning for Robbinsville's future with resilience by addressing the school budget crisis and restoring vital student programs and services to support students in achieving their fullest potential.