With the Nov. 3 election approaching, Hello Highlands invited Henry Hudson Regional School District Board of Education candidates Diane Knox and Rebecca Wells to answer questions about their experience, school costs, transparency and the district’s future.
Knox submitted responses to all seven questions. Wells’s submission included responses to questions about transparency, school finances and her background; responses to the first four questions were not included in the material provided. The candidates’ statements have been lightly edited for spelling and readability.
Diane Knox
How long have you served on the Board of Education, and what successes have the schools seen during that time?
“I have been a Board of Education member for over 10 years. I am most proud of our commitment to student achievement. The board supported a redesigned curriculum and instruction office to provide more support for staff and students, improvements to our multi-tiered system of supports, and the expansion of special education.
“We have also navigated several difficult budgets. While some districts have had to cut staff and programs, we have maintained a balanced budget without sacrificing a teacher or a program.
“I am proud of our commitment to community strategic planning. I served during the development of the last two strategic plans and the community’s creation of the Road Map of a Henry Hudson Graduate. Our district is stronger when the community and stakeholders come together to set goals.”
What separates you from the other candidates?
“Experience. Serving on a school board is different from holding other elected offices. Board members complete mandatory training and follow a strict code of ethics. There is a real learning curve, and board members need to understand the limits of the role.
“I believe deeply in policy and process, and I am committed to the five-year strategic plan developed by our community. That plan focuses on better communication, stronger academics, supporting every student, stronger community ties and better facilities. I understand the budget process, our policies, and the difference between the board’s role and the administration’s role.”
Why is Sea Bright not part of the regional district, and where does the matter stand?
Knox said Sea Bright did not have the required Department of Education approvals when regionalization was underway. The district received approval to merge Highlands Elementary School, Atlantic Highlands Elementary School and Henry Hudson Regional High School into one PK–12 district. She said the communities voted in favor of that plan.
“Regionalization involved tough, complex choices. There was no perfect answer. We investigated every option over several years, followed the law and protected our taxpayers by avoiding litigation and financial challenges that could have taken funding away from students.
“We are legally bound to protect our communities and our current settlement agreement. While no outside districts or municipalities have approached us in months, our stance remains firm: any future proposal must follow the legal process, be fiscally responsible and put our students first.”
Knox’s response did not provide a specific dollar figure for the costs of the regionalization effort.
What school board training and certifications have you completed?
Knox said she has attended training every year and holds New Jersey School Boards Association certifications as a Certified Board Member, Master Board Member and Certified Board Leader, the association’s highest certification level. She earned the Certified Board Leader designation in 2022 and said her NJSBA transcript contains just under 200 credits.
How do you respond to concerns about transparency?
“Transparency is always a top concern, and an area where we can do better in explaining how school governance works. Transparency is a legal requirement under the Open Public Meetings Act, or Sunshine Law.
“Certain topics must be discussed in executive session under state law, including student privacy, confidential personnel matters and legal situations. Committee meetings allow members to examine details and ask questions of the administration. Committees then report recommendations and share their reports with the full board and the public at a board meeting.
“Our board meetings and agendas are posted as required by New Jersey law. No votes are taken without public input. The first public-comment section on our agenda is specifically for agenda items. I encourage anyone with concerns to attend a board meeting or contact a district official.”
What are your concerns about rising school costs and the district’s financial outlook?
Knox said Henry Hudson and Highlands were S2 districts and have been losing state aid since 2018. She credited grants, careful budgeting and fiscal stewardship with allowing the district to continue improving its schools and facilities despite the aid reductions.
She said state-level action is needed to address the school-funding formula, stabilize aid changes, manage rising health-benefit costs, and provide stable funding for facilities and special education. Locally, she said the board should continue pursuing grants and careful budgeting.
Tell voters about yourself and why you are seeking re-election.
Knox said she has lived in Highlands for about 20 years. She and her husband are raising two daughters who attend Henry Hudson Regional, and the family owns a home and a small business.
“I believe in public education, and I believe the community has a responsibility to shape its school district. I bring over 10 years of experience to the board. My training and experience mean I understand the rules of school governance, including budgets, policies, ethics and the law. I also enjoy looking at situations through different lenses and learning new ideas that I can bring back to our district.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished in the last 10 years, and I still see things that need to improve and goals to achieve. Our students deserve a district where every student is known, challenged, supported and part of a community that is truly connected to its district.”
Rebecca Wells
How do you respond to concerns about transparency?
“Thank you for asking. I take that concern seriously, because everyone deserves to understand how decisions about our schools are made.
“Our meetings are open to the public, and agendas, minutes and budget documents are posted on our website. Meetings are also streamed. The budget is presented publicly each year, and we built our strategic plan with input from the entire community. When something must be discussed in closed session, state law limits that to specific topics such as personnel, legal matters and contract negotiations. Our votes are taken in open session.
“If people feel in the dark, that tells me we can do better at explaining the ‘why’ behind decisions, not just posting documents. I would welcome community Q&A sessions and a regular district newsletter. I invite anyone with a question to attend a meeting or contact me directly at 732-673-6543 or rebeccakanewells@gmail.com. You’ll always get a straight answer.”
What are your concerns about rising school costs and the district’s financial outlook?
Wells said school costs are rising faster than available revenue across New Jersey. She identified health insurance as a major cost, saying district health-benefit expenses rose by more than 70% over the past four years. She also cited increasing special-education costs, out-of-district placements and transportation expenses, alongside limits on local tax increases and state-aid growth.
“Many districts responded by cutting teachers or programs. We protected both, kept our classrooms stable and still expanded offerings. We also pursued competitive state and environmental grants to pay for facility and campus upgrades without impacting the local tax levy, and followed a strategic plan so every dollar supported our long-term goals.
“Going forward, I’ll keep asking hard questions, keep pursuing outside funding, explain the budget in plain language and push for relief from health-cost increases. I can’t promise costs will stop rising, and no responsible candidate can. I can promise every dollar will be scrutinized, and students and taxpayers will both come first.”
Tell voters about yourself and why you are seeking re-election.
Wells said she has lived in Highlands for 49½ years and graduated from Henry Hudson Regional in 1995. She said she served five terms on the Highlands Town Council from 2002 to 2018, joined the Highlands Fire Department in 1999, became the borough’s first woman chief in 2009 and now serves as deputy chief. She also serves on the Highlands Housing Authority and has spent more than a decade on the Board of Education.
Wells said she and her husband are raising their daughters, Parker and Lucie. Both graduated from Highlands Elementary School and attend Henry Hudson Regional.
“Over my time on the board, we built a strategic plan with input from our whole community and carried it out step by step. We protected our teachers and programs while health costs rose over 70%, expanded our special education and inclusion programs so families can keep their children in our schools, put interventionists in every building, and secured grants that improved our campuses without impacting the local tax levy.
“I know there’s more to do, especially in explaining how our district works so every resident feels informed. I’m asking for your vote on November 3 to continue that work. Strong schools, strong Highlands. Thank you.”