School Board Candidate Melissa Heyboer Senatore: Communication is Key

Name: Melissa Heyboer Senatore

Neighborhood: Lake Hopatcong now, but grew up in Oak Ridge. Township resident for 33 years.

Age: 39

Children in District: one special needs child out of district, one to begin kindergarten in September. Senatore also has two stepchildren that have now graduated.

Occupation: Business owner—interior designer

Civic Involvement: Senatore is on the board of the Jefferson Township Chamber of Commerce, and won Businesswoman of the Year in 2010. 

Senatore also works on Autism Awareness Month, which is coming up in April. She has spearheaded a program where teachers throughout the district will be wearing special t-shirts on April 21.

Senatore has also been very involved in the Challenger Sports League, one that specializes in play for special needs children.

Finally, Senatore has been a regular attendee at Board of Education meetings for the past four years, speaking out on issues and asking pertinent questions.

What Senatore Brings to the Race:  Senatore has experience with special education in Jefferson. She has a son who is educated out of district due to his needs.

“I want to see all children in Jefferson be able to be educated here,” Senatore said. “I would love to be able to bring my son back into district, but we need to have the programs here to help him and other children that need extra help.”

Senatore’s also believes her experience as an interior designer will also help the district, particularly as it relates to the administration’s move from its offices on Bowling Green Parkway to Drummond School.

“I would like to be sure that the district’s money is being spent wisely,” she said. “I’d also like to know that furniture and equipment are being moved and reused when the offices are moved.”

Senatore’s List of the Most Important Issues Facing the Board: Communication is key to Senatore. She wants to see an improvement in communication between the board and the public.

“The way information is transferred from the board to the public needs work,” she said. “If the board doesn’t talk about issues, I realize that sometimes it’s because they can’t. But sometimes it seems as if they are withholding information, and the public feels deceived. I don’t want to see that happen.”

Over the next several days, Patch will be inviting all 11 candidates for the three available Jefferson Township Board of Education seats to participate in profiles.