As a current member of the appointed Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education and a former member of Henry Hudson Board, Highlands representative Donald H. Krueger Is seeking election to a one-year term in November because he feels he can be useful “as one who understands complex organizations like the school board.”

Krueger, who lives at Eastpointe with his wife Ming Zeng and has two grown children, has been a resident of the borough for ten years, and said he has always had an interest in education.

He has been an adjunct professor of business for the last ten years at Baruch College and previously served in the same capacity at Fordham University for seven years. He holds a master’s degree from the university of Rochester and a master’s from Harvard Business School.

The candidate said he first ran for the Board of Education in 2021 as a write-in candidate, appalled there was not a candidate on the ballot for the three-year term. “Education is too important to ignore,” he said, “and I believed I could be helpful to the community by filling that spot.” He won the election over two other write-in candidates, the first time he has run for any seat since high school student council.

Krueger feels the current Superintendent, Tara Beams, is one of the primary benefits of the Hudson schools, citing her intelligence, dynamics and energy who, he said, with the support of all three prior boards of education, Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson, “successfully brought us through the intensely politicized and bureaucratic process to regionalize, an effort that included collapsing three school districts into one and three separate teachers’ union contracts into one.

Praising Beams for all her efforts, Krueger added “her leadership and the capabilities of the people on her team now have the flexibility, the tools, and the wisdom to focus on and improve student outcomes for our students. All are on improving student outcomes both academically and socially.”

With fewer than 800 students in the three schools, Kreuger also noted it allows the students to get to know each other in ways not possible in larger school districts, citing the schools as almost “Private.” Further, he said the district’s STEAM Academy (Science Engineering Arts and Mathematics) is highly regarded and even attracts students from other school districts. There is a sense of “Admiral” pride at events including student awards night, and pride in sports, drama, music, media, art, poetry and academics.

The fact there is still a need to improve student outcomes is the major problem facing the district now, he believes, blaming Covid for affecting Hudson students as it has all schools.

Neither language nor math performance on standardized tests has been as strong improvement. To correct this, Krueger said, the board has approved expenditures to provide more resources for improvement including more focus on professional development programs for teachers, identifying students in need of extra help, and providing that extra help.

“We have also agreed tools to capture data more frequently on student performance in order to more quickly give students assistance and provide teachers with programs that improve their students’ academic achievement,” he added, noting his belief the board is intensely “student focused.”

While Krueger said he is in favor of regionalization with Sea Bright, and in regionalization the district has new tools for making new experiences possible for students and efficiencies for our taxpayers, he believes Sea Bright should only be included “under the right conditions.”

These include getting permission from the NJ Department of Education to bring those students into the HHRS school district; understanding the nature of the student body: elementary/middle school//high school/special needs; having a funding formula that is fair and would benefit the individual taxpayer households’ of Highlands, Sea Bright, and Atlantic Highlands, a formula, that should recognize the “ high fixed costs and very low variable costs of operating a school district.”

Krueger cited his own studies in the past that he said showed Sea Bright’s funding formula overwhelmingly benefited that borough’s homeowners at the expense of Highlands’ and Atlantic Highlands’ homeowners on that same basis. He said he has had his “finger on the pulse” of financial information including both grants and state and federal funding and praised Beams for schooling him on “the arcane nature of public education finance.”

He wrote a metaphor in which he described the Sea Bright situation with a couple who fall in love, marry, have disagreements, she meets another, goes through court proceedings and costs, and eventually the new attraction agrees to halt the union until the courts settle the couple’s original marital problems, culminating with his assessment that “we don’t want to be bigamists.”

Krueger will face three other candidates who have filed for the two one-year terms to be decided in November in Highlands, Allison Burel, Regina Melnyk and Kevin Ege. Highlands voters will also vote on candidates for the two- and three-year terms to bring a total of five Highlands representatives to the new nine-member school board.

Krueger Krueger Krueger

Cheers The 23rd Annual Oktoberfest sponsored by the Highlands Business Partnership will be celebrated in Veterans Park , Bay and Shrewsbury avenues, Saturday, October 5 from noon until 7 p.m.

Authentic German food, live music, and other exciting entertainment will be part of the festivities with admission and parking free.

Oktoberfest originated in Munich, Germany, in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Beer, traditional foods, and Bavarian culture have made this event a worldwide phenomenon.

Highlands’ Oktoberfest aims to bring this rich tradition to the local community with festivities and authentic experiences. As with the traditional Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, the festival emphasizes eating, drinking, and having a good time. Veterans Park is festive with fall decorations, delicious food, and several varieties of German beers, with authentic German food a highlight of this famous festival.

Bahrs Landing, a Highlands favorite for over 100 years is preparing the menu with plenty of traditional German favorites hot off the grill, including bratwurst, knockwurst, kraut, potato pancakes, and sauerbraten. For the less adventurous, there will be other festival favorites including Spanky’s Sandwiches, and Highlands’ own Chilangos. Thirst quenchers include a large variety of Oktoberfest Beers, both light and dark.

The beer garden will also be serving Fresca Mixed, sangria, and wine.

Thousands of visitors annually attend and enjoy live Oompah, and polka music performed by Dance Hall Detour. The Newark Bayern Verein German Dancers will also be performing throughout the day. Festivities will include the popular Feats of Strength Beer Stein Holding Contest with men and women categories and special prizes for the winners.

The festival is family-friendly and there will be a wide variety of retail, specialty, and craft vendors. T

The Highlands Business Partnership is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Programs and events are made possible by generous sponsors including, Monmouth County Tourism, Montecalvo/Bayshore Family of Companies, Bahrs Landing, Bridge Marina, Dovetail Vintage Rentals, Farmacie by the French Market, Hufnagel Tree Service, In the Garden, Off the Hook, Proving Ground, Seafarer, Sandbox at Seastreak, Valley Bank, and WRAT, 95.9. Special thanks also go to Colliers Engineering and Design, and Driftwood Real Estate Group, Keyport for their generous sponsorship of the 2024 Oktoberfest. For directions or any additional information on Oktoberfest, please visit www.highlandsnj.com or call (732) 291-4713.

Cheers Cheers Cheers Cheers Cheers Cheers

Hear Listening to the 27 minute meeting of the Highlands Borough Council this month indicated how polite and courteous the Mayor is to people who speak up in the public portion. She listened carefully to what one gentleman had to say, thanked him for speaking up. Then, just as courteously and politely, she suggested he check his information sources more carefully before going forward, pointing out where she said he was in error. He even thanked her before sitting down again.

That was one indication that whether you voted for her or not, she indeed wants to hear the opinions of her residents, and furthermore, gives them a polite platform on which to express them. And she and the entire council even appear to listen carefully to the residents.

But there is even stronger evidence the mayor wants to hear from the people . Simply looking at the Highlands ballot for the November election proves that.

Unlike its neighboring town, where the mayor thought it was frivolous, Mayor Broullon insisted regionalization be on the ballot, not as a done deal, but simply to find out what the people want to do.

The school regionalization question has been around so years. Yes it is costing taxpayers money while feuds which include other towns go on. But now that Oceanport and Shore Regional have included the Monmouth County Clerk of Elections in their battle, it’s even costlier. More money for more lawyers, yes. Hardly frivolous, no. Not when not one, but two Superior Court Judges are involved, the matter is pushed to the top of the file for immediate decision and action and more attorneys are called in to represent officials.

Mayor Broullon and Sea Bright Mayor Brian Kelly are right. All three towns MUST agree on regionalization or it can’t happen. Rather than spend a bundle more money, a huge waste of time and angst and disagreement among neighbors, why not simply put the questions to the people? It doesn’t cost a cent. If a non-binding ballot shows any one of the three towns does not think regionalization with Sea Bright is a good idea, then the towns can quit wasting time and money. But the Atlantic Highlands Mayor said no. Frivolous was the word she used in a late night call to a journalist. Frivolous to listen to the people for their thoughts.

Irony here once again. The regionalization question is frivolous, the Mayor said. Yet, Atlantic Highlands DOES have another question on the ballot. That question is asking them whether they want to increase their taxes by one cent per $100 assessed valuation to add to the fund they already have to use to preserve open space. Why isn’t that opinion seeking frivolous?

In Highlands, however, the Mayor wants to hear opinions on two questions, regionalization for one, then a second one on whether residents want the Army Corps to build a storm wall around the town to save it from future flooding.

Both seem to be huge questions that will impact taxpayers and residents for the rest of their lives living in Highlands.

So perhaps that is why Mayor Broullon is not only insisting on two questions on the ballot, she wants to be certain voters have every opportunity to learn everything they possibly can about them before they vote. That’s why the Highands Council is having not one, but TWO hall meetings and inviting, even urging everyone to attend. Council even rented the gym at Henry Hudson for the flood wall info session because the officials want to be sure there would be plenty of room for everyone to see and hear, ask questions, get answers, and learn as much as possible. It appears that there will be enough room at Borough Hall to accommodate those who still want to know more about regionalization, since that’s a subject that has had plenty of publicity in both school districts and municipal meetings.

Go to the Highlands webpage and see the times dates and locations of both town halls. Then put them on your calendar and be sure to attend. The Mayor and council are doing all they can to be sure the public is as knowledgeable as possible and asks as many questions as they want before casting ballots which could change their lives.

Hear Hear Hear Hear Hear Hear Hear