Meet The 3 Middletown School Board Candidates This Year

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — On Nov. 3, will be an election for three seats on the Middletown school board.

Longtime Board president and vice president Frank Capone, Jacqueline Tobacco and board member Caterina Skalaski all chose not to run for re-election this year. Their time on the school board will end in January.

Here's who's running for those seats:

Bernard Daus — Dependable, Achievement, Trust
Susan Henderson — Back To Basics
Amanda Faryar — Back to Basics

Three candidates seek three seats, so it's not a competitive school board election this fall in Middletown. Nevertheless, Patch asked the three candidates to introduce themselves to the voting public, since some people may not know who they are.

We also asked all three: "Did you support school closings last year? This is a yes or no question, but you can give reasons why or why not."

Meet Bernie Daus

I am Bernie Daus, and I grew up in Middletown and always wanted to raise my family here. My wife and I have been married for 20 years, and our three sons currently attend Middletown’s public schools — one in elementary school, one in middle school, and one in high school. Like many families in this community, we are invested every day in the quality and future of our schools.

My family’s connection to Middletown spans roughly 100 years, beginning with my great-grandmother. Five generations of my family have called Middletown home, and my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews are part of this community today. I attended Middletown’s public schools from kindergarten through high school, continued at Brookdale Community College, earned my undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, and later earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University.

I have worked continuously since my first paper route at age 10. For the past 21 years, I have worked for the same organization, overseeing real estate operations, development, construction and maintenance across a large industrial/commercial/office property campus in Edison. That experience has taught me that strong organizations depend on clear accountability, reliable information, disciplined planning, responsible financial management and consistent follow-through.

I am running for the Board of Education because Middletown families deserve a dependable, trustworthy school district focused on student achievement and responsible use of taxpayer dollars. I believe we need strong decision-making and clear public communication; taxpayers should understand what the district is proposing, what information supports it, what it will cost, and how it will measure success. I have closely reviewed district budgets, reports, facilities plans and supporting materials, and I believe discrepancies and unanswered questions deserve closer examination and clear answers. I would bring a practical management perspective to the board: ask tough questions, verify the facts, set clear priorities, and inspect the results. My goal is to help the BOE earn public trust through dependable services, responsible financial oversight, and measurable progress for students.

Did you support school closings last year?

No, I opposed the school-closure proposal because it was poorly prepared and predictably headed for failure; I knew the county superintendent and NJ Dept. of Education would not recommend and approve the proposal. Specific deficiencies included an unresolved long-range facilities plan, inadequate supporting enrollment projections, unanswered capacity questions at Thorne and Thompson middle schools, and insufficient analysis of traffic/transportation. The board did not do the feasibility analysis needed to pass this proposal. In my analysis, the closure proposal would not produce meaningful net savings, either. A credible financial analysis needed to account for moving expenses, additional transportation, renovations/conversions at Bayshore (i.e., furniture, lowering restroom fixtures and adding a playground), and any building expansions needed at the remaining middle schools. Any statements about revenue from selling the closed school properties proved false because they didn’t own the land, or the land was encumbered and/or unmarketable.

Meet Susan Henderson

I’ve lived in Middletown for 30 years. My husband, a retired Local 3 electrician, and I originally moved here because of the strength of the school system, and it’s where we chose to raise our family. Today, we live in a multi-generational home in Middletown, and my granddaughter attends River Plaza Elementary. I am also a senior, homeowner and taxpayer, so I understand that the decisions made by the Board affect not only students and their families, but everyone who calls Middletown home. After 30 years here, my family has made a commitment to another 30.

I’m a veteran of the Air National Guard and a long-time community volunteer. Over the years, I’ve been involved in our schools as a parent, PTA leader and volunteer. Education has always been personal to me. My mother was an elementary school teacher for over 40 years, so I grew up with a deep appreciation for the dedication teachers and school staff bring to work every single day. Professionally, I have a degree in labor relations from Rutgers University, and I am a certified project manager. I currently work as a non-profit consultant and grant writer, which has given me experience identifying outside funding opportunities and finding ways to bring additional resources into an organization. That perspective would be useful on the Board as we look for appropriate grants and responsible revenue-generating opportunities that can support our schools and reduce pressure on local taxpayers.

My work has also taught me to start by gathering the facts, asking good questions, seeking relevant expertise, hearing from affected stakeholders, and considering different perspectives before deciding on a path forward. I have experience with budgets, timelines, stakeholder coordination and moving projects from planning through completion.

Did you support school closings last year?

I did not support the school closures last year because I did not believe the foundational data, analysis, and implementation plan were sufficiently developed to support a decision of that magnitude. Given the limited timeframe, I did not believe there was adequate opportunity to fully evaluate the need, alternatives, costs, and potential impact before moving forward.

I’m running for the Middletown Board of Education because our district needs steady, thoughtful and informed governance. I’m encouraged by the strategic planning work now underway, and I believe the Board should use that plan as a real guide for decisions moving forward. I want decisions to be based on clear data, objective information and thoughtful short- and long-term planning, and then carried through with the resources and accountability needed to make them successful. It’s also crucial that Board members respect the line between governance and administration while working constructively with teachers, staff, administrators, and parents. At its core, my campaign is about excellence in our schools, responsible budgeting, fair resource distribution across all our buildings, and modeling respectful civic discourse. My goal is simple: to help Middletown plan well, make sound choices, and keep our schools strong for everyone who calls this town home.

Meet Amanda Faryar

I'm Amanda Faryar and I'm running for Middletown Board of Education. My husband and I decided to raise our children in Middletown because of its strong public school system. Since living here, we have fallen in love with the town and serving the community. My husband proudly dedicates himself to our local Middletown volunteer fire department. We have two children, with our oldest in 1st grade and our three-year-old at a local preschool. I am deeply invested in the long-term strength of our school system. We are in an exciting period of school events, dance classes, and birthday parties that bring us to every corner of Middletown, meeting so many wonderful residents.

Professionally, I am a transportation engineer with a background spanning planning, civil engineering, stakeholder engagement, and project management. My career requires me to be responsible and transparent with taxpayer dollars, long-term planning, public engagement, and creating safe public spaces. I will bring each of those skills to this school board at a time when we need to get a solid strategic plan in front of our taxpayers. I am also eager to get my hands on a transportation study to explore what improvements and efficiencies we can make with our buses as I have heard from many parents about their struggles. I entered my career with the desire to improve communities and I intend to do that on the school board as well.

I am grateful to have been raised by an educator and value all of the hard work that goes into making our schools successful. My mother was a special-education teacher in Brick and has ADD herself. She took great pride in showing her students that they can achieve and succeed beyond any obstacle they may face. Inspired by her, I am proud to use my background and skills to inspire and uplift future generations. During my undergrad at The College of New Jersey, I was president of our chapter of Engineers without Borders and have visited several schools to talk to students about careers in engineering and encourage STEM education. I manage a pro-bono program through my job with Girl Scouts of New York Troop 6000, which supports children in the shelter system and provides them with interactive and educational STEM activities.

Drawing from my own personal history with breast cancer, I am interested in strengthening education at the high school level. At 36 I found an abnormality in my body with uncertainty, because I was never taught what to look for. If possible, I’d like to explore the opportunity to provide our students (and interested staff), in an appropriate manner, the confidence to advocate for their health and understand early detection.

I am running for the Board of Education because I want to show up for Middletown at a time when responsible leadership is needed. As with my job, I would handle this role with respect for public dollars, public involvement, transparency, data-driven decision making, and long-term planning. The decisions made by the Board impact students, staff and extend to every single resident in Middletown. The strength of our schools and Middletown's reputation have a major, direct impact on the vitality, desirability, and quality of living in Middletown. I am running to be a steward of Middletown's schools, to leave them better than I found them.

Did you support school closings last year?

A decision to close any school must be grounded in verifiable data and must show clear, long term, financial reasoning. Middletown residents have not received either. Additionally, the cost implications of the necessary building modifications to accommodate students were underrepresented. Alternative measures for financial stability were not considered nor presented by the Board. The timeline for implementing these changes were impossible to accomplish with any expectations for student safety. I am not beholden to a building, but I am beholden to maintaining quality schools, fair and equal access across our district, and a structured process. I would not support a proposal without sound reasoning. Our students, faculty, and Middletown community deserve that.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early, in-person voting runs Oct. 24 - Nov. 1; early voting can be done in Middletown at Croydon Hall, 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo, NJ 07737.

Related: Frank Capone, Jacqueline Tobacco Won't Seek Re-Election To Middletown School Board