By Sunayana Prabhu
HOLMDEL – Six candidates have filed to run for three open seats on the Holmdel Board of Education in the Nov. 4 election.
Of the three board members whose terms expire in December, current board president Christian DiMare is not seeking re-election, while incumbents John Buckley and Jeffrey Mann are running to rejoin the board. New candidate and lifelong Holmdel resident Kevin Schroeter has joined Buckley and Mann under the Preserve Holmdel Schools banner. They will be facing a team of candidates running as Education Not Politics, which includes Joanne Lam, Brittany Manning and Gregory Fernandez.
On the Education Not Politics website, Lam, Manning and Fernandez introduce themselves as a wealth manager, a corporate CPA and a physician, respectively. The team promises to provide expertise “to help resolve the budget deficit of more than $2 million, ensure a positive school culture with accountability, and restore Holmdel’s top academic ranking.”
In a July 14 Facebook post, Mann said, “In the year ahead, the Board will face significant budgetary challenges and continue contract negotiations with the HTEA (Holmdel Town- ship Education Associa- tion). Steady, experienced leadership will be essential.”
DiMare who ran alongside Mann and Buckley in 2022, expressed “full support” for the Preserve Holmdel School’s team in a social media statement – as a resident and not in his capacity as board president.
The experience of Mann and Buckley “is invaluable as we work to sustain this upward trajectory while facing significant financial challenges and negotiating a teachers’ contract that will be critical for our district’s future,” DiMare said in the statement, adding that he will conclude his time on the board in December.
As the election approaches, candidates are expected to address several pressing issues that could shape the district’s future.
In the tentative school district budget presented earlier this year and posted on the Holmdel Schools official website, the board concluded that the district was confronting a projected budget deficit of approximately $2.4 million for the 2026-27 school year. In response, the board introduced a tentative $76.4 million budget for the 2025- 26 school year, which included a 3% reduction in state aid.
Of significant concern for parents was the potential elimination of the courtesy busing program, which serves 700 to 800 students at an annual cost of $600,000 to $800,000. The board suggested alternatives, including paid or subscription-based busing, to address the financial shortfall.
The school board reached out to the township seeking financial support and the committee approved approximately $600,000 in one-time funding to help sustain the busing program. This financial support was crucial in bridging the gap caused by budget shortfalls and keeping the service running for students this year.
Board members also had to weigh in on school staffing decisions this year to cut costs. The possibility of outsourcing over 100 service roles and eliminating at least 10 positions was discussed during the budget presentation this spring. These proposals have met with strong opposition from staff and community members.
Infrastructure improvements are currently underway, including road renovations along Crawfords Corner Road to ensure safe access to the middle and high school complex.
Candidates in the upcoming election will need to navigate all of these challenges, balancing fiscal responsibility with the needs and expectations of the community.
The board selects a president and vice-president among themselves after the new board reorganizes in January 2026.
The article originally appeared in the August 14 – 20, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
