Five candidates are vying for election to three open seats on the Ewing Board of Education on Election Day, Nov. 7.
The race for school board is the only local contest on the ballot this year—this is an off year for municipal elections (mayor and council).
Incumbents Jennifer Miller and Sandra Herrington have joined with Brandi Robinson on the “Advocacy, Community, Equity” slate.
Also seeking election to three-year terms on the board are Erica Brandmaier and Elyse Carmichael Henderson, who is running under the slogan, “Citizenship, Caring, Fairness.”
The Ewing Observer asked each of candidate to provide biographical information and a statement explaining why they are running. Their answers are presented below.
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Erica Brandmaier is a 1996 graduate of Ewing Public Schools who is currently pursing bachelor’s degree in labor relations and management at Rutgers University.
She is employed with the Mercer County Board of Taxation as the assistant tax administrator. Prior employment was with Ewing Township as the assistant assessor.
Brandmaier and her husband, Ralf, have a son who is currently a student at Ewing High School.
Candidate’s statement: I am running for school board to ensure that every student has a safe and inclusive learning environment, to maximize their potential. To achieve excellence in education, we need to adopt policies and procedures to deliver a thorough and efficient education.
I will support the recruitment and retention of quality educators, ensuring they have the tools necessary for success. I want to safeguard educational programs that currently serve our students and facilitate the development of modern educational programs to help our students compete in the competitive workplace of tomorrow.
Our students need to develop and enhance their critical thinking and creative skills in our public education system. Excellence in education can be achieved through a team effort of educators, parents, and students. As a lifelong resident of Ewing, I will fight for our schools to achieve progress in delivering a quality education, to all students, in an efficient manner. This is my pledge to you as a neighbor and as a proud mother to a Blue Devil.
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Elyse Carmichael Henderson is a lifelong resident of Ewing Township. She and her husband, Lionel W. Henderson, have twin boys—Elon and Shiloh—who are 6th graders at Fisher Middle School.
A graduate of Ewing High School, Henderson holds bachelor’s in communications and sociology from Douglass College, and a master’s in social work with concentration on children and families from Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work.
She works as a social worker for Newark Board of Education, and has been a program specialist for the Office of Grants and Federal Programs/Centers for Disease Control; a grants management team member for the Newark Board of Education, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools; student assistance coordinator for the Newark Board of Education Office of Student Life; and director of social services for Mercer County Head Start Child Development Program Inc.
She works as a volunteer at Anchor House and works on its fundraising committee.
Candidate statement: I am a lifelong resident and proud product of the Ewing Township Public School system. My faith has guided me to serve as a strong advocate for children and work effortlessly to enhance their quality of life.
I have successfully provided effective services for children and families for over 30 years. I began my career with Mercer County Head Start Child Development Program, Inc., where I served as the director of social services, serving for over 15 years.
I then transitioned to the Newark Board of Education as a program specialist for the Office of Federal Programs and Grants. I also served as a member of the Grants Management Team for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and I now hold the position of school social worker. Through my administrative and frontline experiences, I’ve gained a heightened awareness of societal issues that have an impact on the local and state level as well as the global environment.
Over the past three years we have been faced with a tremendous threat to our society. As a result, we have had to overcome human, economic and social crisis. And for this reason, my role as a wife, parent, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor, citizen, educator, and social worker is even more essential.
As I wear these multiple hats, I recognize that we have to emphasize strengths and gains, as well as stressors or pains.
I believe that in order to ensure successful outcomes in education, our school district needs to prioritize and address the following issues: enhancement of school culture and climate; school safety; restorative practices; social emotional learning-mental health support; recruit, prepare and retain a diverse and well supported education workforce; create opportunities for enrichment programs; and strengthen collaborations with parents and community members.
My philosophy on education is that every child is special and unique, where we should be highlighting strengths and celebrating talents. “Education truly is the passport to success.” All children should be free to learn in a safe and stimulating environment. With that in mind, I believe learning should be seen as individualized, allowing students to work towards progressive goals and skill building. There should be a seamless process of facilitating rigorous instruction and social emotional learning.
Education should be seen from a holistic perspective, focusing on all aspects of a child’s growth and development. Schools should encourage and welcome parent input and participation. I believe one of the most successful unions is that of home and school. Parents should be encouraged to take their rightful place as their child’s first teacher. Schools should strive to keep children and families excited and engaged. Administrators and faculty should work towards building healthy partnerships with parents and community members. Thus, creating a stronger sense of communities in schools and ultimately stronger communities overall.
As a current Ewing parent, I am committed to upholding and inspiring the board to work as a “whole.” As a mother of two young children, I have a firsthand understanding of the benefits and challenges that students and their families face on a daily basis.
Most recently, we were faced with making the decision to send our children to private school. The thought of them possibly losing the connection to their elementary school friends and community forced us to reconsider our decision. The choice to transition to private school should be based on meeting a specific need and not based on fear. For our family, our choice is to stay in our community and contribute to its vitality through active community service.
I am encouraged to be an active and thoughtful school board member striving to maintain those things that are effective and developing innovative strategies to address those areas of concern. My first priority would be to assist the Human Resource Office in developing a HR subcommittee; and strive to identify community mental health agencies to implement wellness programs.
I hope to serve as leading voice for meaningful social change, working to break down barriers and provide effective service. I believe our children can and will surpass expectations, maximize their potential, and prosper on an educational journey as lifelong learners.
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Sandra Herrington has lived in Ewing since 2005 with her husband, Steve. She holds a BA in sociology from Arizona State University, and she completed her teacher preparation program at California State University (along with the bulk of classes towards a MA in Educational Foundations). Her move back east for my husband’s work interrupted that program.
Herrington earned her teacher leader endorsement through The College of New Jersey, and she also has a certificate in Clinical Studies and Regulatory Affairs through Mercer County Community College.
She currently works as a public-school educator in the Hamilton Township School District, and she also taught in Los Angeles for LAUSD. She started her education career in a nonprofit academic outreach program serving at-risk youth, East Village Youth Program, in Chicago. When She first moved to Los Angeles, she worked as a benefits specialist for Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association.
She and Steve have three children, all of whom attend Ewing Public Schools. They are in 5th, 8th and 11th grade. “I may be one of the few families that have had a child attend each of our schools,” Herrington says. “My oldest went to kindergarten at Parkway, before being placed in a program at Antheil. My daughter attended Antheil for kindergarten and first grade. We moved across town, so my youngest has attended Lore since kindergarten. We got the full Ewing tour.”
Herrington is involved in local, county and state education associations. She is the current corresponding secretary for the Hamilton Township Education Association and the second vice president of the Mercer County Education Association. She sits on committees that focus largely on community outreach programming and legislative advocacy for students, working families and her profession. She is also a supporter of the Special Olympics.
Candidate statement: I am a proud, public-school teacher and mother of three students in our district, one at each level: elementary, middle, and high school. My husband and I made Ewing our home in 2005.
I am running for the three-year term on the school board because I believe in giving back to your community through volunteerism, and education is my passion. I am deeply aware of the challenges schools face in this era, as both a parent and educator.
As an active member of my education associations, I serve on many committees that advocate for students, educators and working families in Mercer County and across New Jersey. I want to continue that commitment by serving our Ewing community as a member of our board of education.
Our Ewing schools offer an amazing educational experience. We have an unparalleled school-supported Special Olympics and Unified Club, award-winning sports, robotics and theatre, culinary arts, ceramics, and an expansive music program.
We offer forward thinking courses in public health and digital media/graphic design, life skills, advanced placement, and dual enrollment/college credit-eligible courses, as well as countless clubs. I want to make sure all of our families know about the variety of opportunities their children have so they can take full advantage of what we offer. I want to make sure all of our students have access to a meaningful connection with school and a path to success.
I would also like to serve on our school board to continue advocating for educators, as well as our students. I firmly believe that good working conditions for our staff are good learning conditions for our students. Across New Jersey, we are facing a teacher shortage.
I want to make sure our district is doing everything possible to make our district competitive in order to attract new teachers and support staff and retain our invaluable, experienced educators. I want to make sure our district is giving our educators the resources, support and structures they need to meet the needs of our diverse student body.
My children have had many opportunities and positive experiences through our schools. I know that is what every family wants. For this reason, I want to continue to serve on the Board to preserve and expand our great programming. I want to be sure we are doing our very best to communicate the opportunities available to our community, so every Ewing student finds their home in and future through our schools.
These statements are made as a private Ewing citizen, and not in my role as a board member. These statements are also not representative of the board or its individual members, and solely represent my own personal opinions.
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Jennifer Miller is an assistant principal at Achievers Early College Prep in Trenton. She has a bachelor’s degree from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in educational administration from Rider University.
Miller, a 24-year resident of Ewing, lives in West Trenton with husband Michael and her children. Peyton, 19, graduated EHS in 2022, and finished his first year at MCCC working towards a degree in exercise science. He is currently in Australia working as a lifeguard. Daughter Chloe, 16, is a junior at EHS, and Brodie, 14, is a Freshman at EHS.
Candidate statement: As a resident of Ewing for 24 years and an educator, I am running for re-election for the board so I can continue the important work of maintaining the many excellent programs we already have and improving the schools in Ewing.
I am proud of the work we have accomplished over the last 3 years, including hiring a new superintendent, successfully leading our district through the pandemic and recovery, maintaining positive relationships with the teacher association, developing and implementing social and emotional support for students, and offering challenging curriculum at all levels from K-12.
As a lifelong educator and a current school administrator, I bring experience and knowledge to my position on the board. I understand teaching and learning methods, I am current on the trends and changes in education, and I am currently a school leader as an assistant principal. I am a committed public servant.
Moving forward, I am excited to be supporting the strategic plan developed by our superintendent, including implementing policies to support restorative discipline practices so students can develop important social skills, and moving to build relationships with our community and families. This includes ensuring all stakeholder voices are included when developing programming and policies for our schools.
As we have moved into the recovery phase of the pandemic, we are recognizing that many students are struggling with conflict resolution skills due to the loss of valuable time with their peers during virtual instruction.
Therefore, I am an advocate for implementing discipline policies that employ strategies to support student social learning. Students who are struggling socially will be more successful when restorative practices such as understanding when they have caused harm in their school community and are taught how to repair that; and then learn strategies and methods to resolve conflicts will better serve all involved and lead to true change in behaviors. I support the initiative to ensure that discipline is implemented equitably across race and gender within our schools, so all students have equitable access to a quality education during their time in the Ewing Schools.
I will continue to support teachers and staff initiatives to attend training and workshops that keep our educators informed of best practice and up to date on curriculum. It is imperative that we adopt and implement a curriculum that ensures our students are ready for a diverse world.
As a member of the District Curriculum and Evaluation Committee, I am proud of the work I have supported to ensure we are providing relevant training for all our teachers to provide our students with world class instruction in the classroom. The students that graduate from Ewing Schools are well prepared to face the many challenges in our current society. This is due to the challenging curriculum we provide them in Ewing Schools.
As a member of the board and the DEAC committee, continuing this work is critical. Teaching students how to think critically for themselves, read with comprehension, understand and apply math concepts, have true science knowledge, and learn about all aspects of our history is critical for our scholars. I will continue to support curriculum initiatives and policies that teach students tolerance, understanding, critical thinking skills, and civil responsibility.
My own children are involved in the many sports and arts activities that Ewing has to offer. As a board member I fully support these activities and will work to keep them as an integral part of our budget for all. Our students have many talents and supporting music, arts, and sports is part of the fabric of our community. Budgeting lines and what we allocate funds to reveal the priorities of the board. I am proud to be part of a board that supports students in all areas that run valuable programs such as Project Unify, a robust athletic department, talented musicians and artists, and a variety of clubs and opportunities for all students.
Included in the many programs I support are dual college enrollment opportunities, senior work experience, Life Skills Programs, and Vo-Tech schooling with Mercer County. Students who attend Ewing Schools have a myriad of choices for the paths they want to follow. It is a priority to continue to offer these many choices so that we are meeting the needs of all our students, including students who have special education needs. The educational opportunities for ALL of our students are many, and I will continue to support these initiatives to ensure all student needs are being met and exceeded.
Finally, as a board we have been able to provide our students with a quality education while maintaining a budget that our taxpayers can bear. We are proud that we have kept below the 2% cap set by the state on budget increases. This has enabled us to present a budget to the taxpayers of Ewing that has implemented minimal and some years, no tax increases for our residents. We recognize the importance of keeping Ewing affordable, while also providing an educational experience of which we can all be proud.
I was honored to be elected to a position on the Ewing BOE in 2020 and I ask for your trust and vote again in 2023. Our children are our most precious resource and serving as a member of the Ewing BOE is a responsibility I do not take lightly. Our schools are the heart of the community. When people are making the choice of where to live, the quality of the schools is a top consideration. As we move forward, I will continue to keep students at the center of all the decisions we make, while also respecting the taxpayers. I humbly ask for your vote to be reelected so I can continue my service to our students, families, and community at large.
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Brandi Robinson is a 9-year resident of Ewing Township. She currently works as an event planner for Landmark Hospitality and has spent over 20 years in customer service and hospitality through various banking institutions, government and private-sector entities.
She is currently pursuing a degree in biblical studies, and she has more than 500 hours of trauma informed care and responsiveness. She also holds a number of certifications focused on youth mental health.
Robinson has a daughter who attends Fisher Middle School, and a son, who graduated from Ewing High School in 2022 and is now a sophomore in college.
Robinson founded Stillh3r3, an anti-gun violence non-profit that serves at-risk youth in Mercer County. She is also part of the Anti-Bullying/School Safety Climate Team at Fischer Middle School, and she sits on the advisory board for NJC4, a group created by Catholic Charities. She also invests numerous hours in organizations that serve underserved communities.
Candidate statement: I am a dedicated mother of two children that are/were part of the Ewing Public School District, as well as a youth advocate, problem solver and author. My love for children and their experiences when having to navigate life changing obstacles, created in my true passion for youth and community.
I realized that what my family has been through is not unique to my family, but unfortunately exists in many families and communities all over this country. I decided that I wanted my family to be part of the solution. That passion and desire is what drove me to create “STILLH3R3” in 2015, which later became a nonprofit organization that focuses on serving at-risk youth, by creating a village that encompasses safe spaces for acceptance, healing and success. (stillh3r3.com).
My mission through the organization is to remind people, especially at-risk-youth, that everyone may be dealing or have dealt with some level of unforeseen obstacles that are/were traumatic, so it is important to BE KIND, and create support systems that breed success. My life mission has not only led me to serve my community, but also groomed me into a visionary with a focus to see communities healed and have safe and progressive school systems.
My daughter is currently an outgoing middle school student in the Ewing Public School District, and my son is a graduate of Ewing High School, class of 2022. Understanding the importance of quality education and how it shapes the future of our children, I know first-hand that each child does not always get to experience an equal opportunity to thrive in this district.
My life’s work serving at-risk youth is what helped me to see that there is a void in the school district. I believe the need for equity and trauma-informed care for everyone is great, but I believes that void can be filled through progressive policies, ethical practices, innovative programs, and trauma-informed care throughout the community.
I believe that it will take everyone, not only the school district, but the township of Ewing to make Ewing one of the healthiest districts one could be a part of. It is with this commitment to mental health and a safer community that I am running for a seat on the Board of Education. I am hoping that my service will be the bridge that is needed between the many resources offered by the Ewing Public School District and the misrepresented families within it.
Thriving students are a product of thriving schools, and thriving schools are the heart of thriving communities. Thriving schools don’t exist without supporting educators, passionate faculty and informed parents. As a board member I vow to keep our children at the forefront of everything I do. While standing on the belief that advocacy, community and equity are essential tools within a thriving school district.
Brandi Robinson,
