Hi, my name is Julie Steinberg and I am running for the Westfield Board of Education.
One improvement I would like to propose is to increase dual credit in our public schools.
Dual credit is a policy that NJ and other states have been encouraging that allows students to: Earn high school credits Attend a post-secondary university Earn college credits One of the only dual credit courses at Westfield High School (WHS) is the new Holocaust and Genocide elective, a program I was proud to champion. The class is offered in conjunction with Kean university, and our kids can earn college credit. No standardized testing required.
Not only do students get to experience a college level class, but those credits are fully transferable to most colleges upon successful completion of the course. In short, dual credit is cost effective for both the district as well as the students.
Dual credit classes are also very flexible; some are designed to be implemented in a district school, like the Holocaust and Genocide studies elective at WHS. Others are done onsite or remotely through the colleges. Either way, cost efficiencies are realized in curriculum design, as well as possibly staffing and space. Many other districts also maximize federal funds to help manage these costs.
I would like to see our district utilize this model and use it to create new offerings at WHS. My first order of business would be to recommend considering STEM courses such as Robotics and Engineering. As a FIRST robotics coach and mentor over these past four to five years, I have been impressed with the role Kean University plays in this space and would love to see us further leverage this relationship.
Further, I would love to expand both vocational and humanities class offerings through Kean and Union County College, which have considerable course catalogs that can be leveraged to expand our students’ options.
I want to be clear that my advocacy for new dual credit courses runs as strongly as my ongoing support for AP classes, which provide a rigorous and valuable experience for our students. Dual credit means more choice for parents, students, and the district.
Thank you, and I look forward to earning your vote on April 16th.
Julie Steinberg Candidate Westfield Board of Education
