It was my great fortune to be a co-librarian/media specialist with Deborah Marinsky from 1999 to 2015 at WW-P High School South. We were a two-person department, working side-by-side everyday, and during our tenure I was able to collaborate with Deborah and benefit from her pedagogy, creativity, and best practices. The library was the hub of the school – a place where students and faculty sought answers, prepared or completed assignments and gathered to exchange ideas and information. Deborah was always in the middle of this – assisting, guiding, encouraging and often just listening when a student needed someone to turn to.
Deborah is the ultimate team player, whether part of a committee or working with faculty on classroom initiatives, she was always willing to listen and consider ideas that might be different than her own, and always committed to doing what was best for the students and meeting their educational goals. Among her other outstanding qualities are her honesty and sincerity. I have never known Deborah to strike a false note. On those rare occasions when she didn’t know the answer to a problem she would be the first to admit it and equally be the first to search out the answer until she was satisfied. And, as someone else has written, you can’t fool students. They came to her because they knew she was on their side and had their best interests at heart.
As a resource for so many students and classes, and as a parent to three daughters who attended the WW-P Regional School District, Deborah has a personal interest, an abiding concern and a history of day-to-day contact with the district’s academic curriculum that are vital to a school board member. She has seen the value of a strong curriculum in both the success of her students and of her children. Deborah has been a long time resident of West Windsor and has seen the school district grow and change dramatically. She has had the experience of working with students, teachers, parents and administrators. It would be sound and beneficial to all to have a board member who has all of these qualifications, and one who has worked in the WW-PRSD for most of her career. She will bring a valuable perspective to the decision making process.
When you combine these traits with her desire to serve and help the educational community of the West Windsor–Plainsboro Regional School District, you have a formidable combination. Elect Deborah Marinsky on November 8. The West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District will be better for it.
Randye McBride
McBride is a retired librarian media specialist at High School South.
