The Freehold Regional High School District has consistently faced funding issues under the state’s disastrous S-2 funding formula. As a member of the FRHSD School Board, Zack will fight to ensure that our schools receive the funding they deserve. He will work with local and state leaders to pursue fair and sustainable solutions that prioritize student success while easing the tax burden on our local community.
Zack is a fiscally responsible candidate. He believes that we must make the most of every taxpayer dollar by demanding transparency and cutting inefficiencies. Moreover, he will prioritize spending where it matters most: the classroom. Zack supports recent legislative measures that reduce the impact of aid cuts on school districts, but ultimately hopes to fight to reverse such deductions in state aid. By prioritizing smart budgeting and state advocacy, Zack hopes to deliver further relief for our burdened property owners.
All too often, our schools’ gym classes fail to foster healthy exercise habits among our students. Zack supports raising the bar for physical education across the Freehold Regional High School District. That means a more structured, consistent PE curriculum across our schools’ gym classes. Physical education should be rigorous, engaging, and focused on developing real-world fitness, teamwork, and personal discipline.
Zack’s goal for physical education is inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s vision for physical fitness among American youths. Like Kennedy, Zack firmly believes that promoting healthy habits throughout one’s life is critical to the development and health of not only our local communities but the nation as a whole.
Zack believes that proper nutrition is essential to academic achievement and student well-being. When students are adequately nourished, they learn better, focus longer, and perform at their best. Therefore, our school meals must be both nutritious and appealing.
Zack will advocate for partnerships with food vendors who prioritize high-quality ingredients and balanced meals in student lunches. Students deserve real, nourishing food that fuels their minds and bodies, not processed shortcuts.
Zack will also work to remove unhealthy food and drink options from our schools. Most notably, he supports banning the sale of energy drinks in our school cafeterias. Despite guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics against energy drink consumption by adolescents, products like Kickstart energy drinks remain in our schools. As a board member, Zack will take action to align cafeteria offerings with proper nutritional standards, putting student health first.
Zack firmly believes that curriculum and instruction should keep pace with technological advancement to keep our students competitive in the 21st-century world. As a board member, Zack will implement policies and guide curricula that encourage instruction that fosters 21st-century skills.
Artificial Intelligence
Most notably, Zack will work to see that proper instruction on the ethical usage of generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, is included in school curricula. He believes that AI skills will be vital in evolving career fields. Those who use generative AI effectively will have a competitive advantage over those who cannot. Zack will work to implement board policies that advise on the ethical usage of AI by students and teachers. By promoting AI literacy and ethical usage within our schools, Zack will ensure that students are prepared not only to adapt but lead in this age of innovation.
Media Literacy
Additionally, Zack will push to strengthen instruction of media literacy skills in school curricula. In our increasingly polarized political environment, it remains all-important that students are taught the necessary skills to distinguish fact from opinion, truth from falsehood, and credibility from dishonesty. By equipping students with these skills, our schools can cultivate engaged and literate citizens.
As a board member, Zack will ensure that all students have access to high-quality post-secondary education, whether that means college, vocational training, or a trade apprenticeship. While college is the right choice for many students and their families, it should certainly not be a one-size-fits-all approach. Often overshadowed by a traditional college education, vocational schooling is a practical and rewarding path for many students.
Zack is committed to expanding the availability of technical education in our high schools to increase student awareness and exploration in these career options. Furthermore, he will work with our guidance counselors to develop district policies to help students explore post-secondary options best aligned with their strengths, interests, and career goals.
Zack applauds the cell phone ban during the instructional period implemented this past school year. While he acknowledges that technology has played a vital role in improving the quality of education, it also can pose a significant distraction to learning in our classrooms. Such is the case for cell phones. For that reason, the school district is justified in banning cell phone usage in our classrooms.
On the school board, Zack will see that our students are held to rigorous academic standards. Recent trends of grade inflation across the nation have eroded the merit of academic metrics. Zack hopes to implement a series of changes to ensure that universities and employers hold rigor and academic standards of the Freehold Regional High School District in a high regard:
I. Zack will encourage the district to adopt more rigorous curricula and examinations in classes at or above the honors level.
II. Zack will push to recalibrate the district’s formula for calculating grade point average (GPA) calculations. To do this, he will change GPA to a 4.0 scale and alter the weighting for higher level classes. Dual enrollment and Higher Level (HL) under the International Baccalaureate (IB) will be given an equivalent weight to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, whereas Standard Level (SL) IB classes will be assigned a weight equivalent to that of an Honors course.
III. Zack will implement an increase in the minimum required grade point average (GPA) for admittance to the National Honor Society (NHS). In comparison with surrounding local high school districts, FRHSD standards for NHS candidacy are remarkably low. To make our Nation Honor Society chapters competitive and prestigious, Zack will change district policy to outline a more rigorous application process.