Hayward · Calvez · Robinson Election day · Nov 3

Excellenceand stability.

Edmund Hayward, Elizabeth Calvez and Damali Robinson for the Glen Rock Board of Education.

Three seats, three sitting board members, and a record you can look up. We're asking to keep doing the work.

Join the campaign Meet the candidates
The winning team
The Winning team of Hayward, Calvez & Robinson

Why we're running together

Glen Rock schools are the reason many of us moved here and the reason many of us stayed. That reputation was built over decades, and it is easier to lose than to rebuild.

During our time on the Board, we have faced decisions that were neither simple nor popular. We responsibly navigated a significant budget challenge driven in large part by dramatic increases in healthcare costs, working to protect the educational programs and opportunities our students depend on while remaining mindful of the burden on taxpayers. We have carefully and publicly debated major school-safety decisions, including the difficult question of armed security. And today, we are engaged in one of the Board's most important responsibilities: selecting a visionary superintendent with the leadership, experience and skills necessary to move an already high-performing district forward.

We also know the last several years have not always been easy. Glen Rock has experienced superintendent turnover, difficult Board discussions and moments when our community expected greater stability from its leadership. We have learned from those experiences. Good governance requires listening before deciding, asking difficult questions, respecting different viewpoints and remembering that disagreement does not have to become division. Our commitment in another term is to bring experience and perspective to the table while working collaboratively with every member of the Board and our new district leadership.

For us, "Excellence and Stability" is more than a campaign slogan. It means protecting the academic excellence families expect from Glen Rock while providing steady, thoughtful and prepared governance. It means making decisions openly, asking hard questions before the vote, planning beyond the next budget year and supporting our administration while holding it accountable. Most importantly, it means keeping the needs of students at the center of every decision we make.

What we'll work on

Five commitments we're willing to be held to.

Steady leadership

The selection and support of our next superintendent will be one of the most consequential responsibilities of the next Board. We are committed to a thoughtful and transparent process that identifies a visionary educational leader who understands Glen Rock's high expectations and can build trust throughout our community. Once that leader is in place, the Board must establish clear goals, provide appropriate support and accountability, and allow the superintendent and professional staff to lead the district. Stability begins with a Board that understands the difference between governance and day-to-day management.

Academics that stay strong

Our recent budget challenges demonstrated how quickly factors outside the district's direct control — particularly dramatic healthcare cost increases — can affect Glen Rock taxpayers and our schools. We will continue to insist on transparent budgets, responsible multi-year planning and a clear connection between spending and educational priorities. We will look for efficiencies, shared services and responsible savings wherever possible, but we will not balance the budget by simply weakening the programs that make Glen Rock schools successful.

A budget taxpayers can read

Our recent budget challenges demonstrated how quickly factors outside the district's direct control — particularly dramatic healthcare cost increases — can affect Glen Rock taxpayers and our schools. We will continue to insist on transparent budgets, responsible multi-year planning and a clear connection between spending and educational priorities. We will look for efficiencies, shared services and responsible savings wherever possible, but we will not balance the budget by simply weakening the programs that make Glen Rock schools successful.

Every student supported

Excellence means more than high rankings and test scores. It means every student has an opportunity to succeed. Students receiving special education services, students facing academic or emotional challenges, students who need additional support and students ready for greater academic challenges all deserve programs that meet their needs. We will continue to focus on student achievement, student wellness and ensuring that families can navigate district services with clarity and confidence.

Buildings and safety

Safe, well-maintained schools require long-term planning. Aging facilities, security improvements and major capital projects should be anticipated and prioritized before they become emergencies. We support a comprehensive facilities plan that clearly identifies needs, costs and timelines.

School safety deserves the same thoughtful approach. We have demonstrated that we are willing to publicly discuss difficult issues, including armed security, rather than approaching them with predetermined answers. Safety decisions should be based on professional guidance, evidence, our community's needs and a careful assessment of both benefits and risks. Our obligation is to continually evaluate how best to protect students and staff while maintaining the welcoming school environment that Glen Rock families value.

Meet the candidates

Three people, one slate, and three votes on November 3.

Damali Robinson, Glen Rock Board of Education President

Dr. Damali Robinson

President, Glen Rock Board of Education

Damali Robinson is a longtime Glen Rock resident, an Army veteran, and the parent of a Glen Rock Public Schools student. She has served on the Board of Education since 2021 and is its current President.

She is a nurse anesthetist practicing in New Jersey and New York, with more than two decades in healthcare and public service and a doctorate in nurse anesthesiology. It is a field where decisions are made from evidence, under pressure, by a team — and that is how she approaches governing a school district: shared responsibility, fiscal discipline, student safety first.

Background and involvement

  • Board President; trustee since 2021
  • United States Army veteran
  • Practicing nurse anesthetist in New Jersey and New York
  • Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesiology
  • Parent of a Glen Rock Public Schools student

"I'm running again because experience matters, and I want to continue bringing thoughtful, evidence-based leadership to the decisions that affect every Glen Rock student."

Elizabeth Calvez, Glen Rock Board of Education Vice President

Elizabeth Calvez

Vice President, Glen Rock Board of Education

Liz Calvez was elected to the Glen Rock Board of Education in 2023 and serves as its Vice President. She is a Glen Rock resident, a mother of three, and a leader with Troop 15 Scouts.

Professionally she is Vice President of Human Resources for a national clinical research organization, running organizational strategy, talent development, communications and compliance across multiple states. On the board she is known for insisting on the line between governance and daily operations: the board sets direction and holds the district accountable, and the professionals run the schools.

Background and involvement

  • Board Vice President; elected in 2023
  • Vice President of Human Resources, national clinical research organization
  • Leader, Troop 15 Scouts
  • Mother of three

"I'm running again because strong schools require both high expectations and responsible governance, and I want to continue helping Glen Rock make thoughtful decisions for the long term."

Ed Hayward, Glen Rock Board of Education trustee

Ed Hayward

Trustee, Glen Rock Board of Education

Ed Hayward has lived in Glen Rock for twenty years and is the father of two sons, one of them currently at the high school. He was elected to the Board of Education in 2020 and holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the College of Saint Elizabeth, with more than 25 years working in education.

Most people in town know him from somewhere other than the board: Scoutmaster of Troop 15, a board member of the Glen Rock Pops Orchestra, a familiar face at Glen Rock TV and on youth coaching sidelines, and the person who has quietly fixed the technology at Borough Hall and at several local congregations. His professional career has been in organizational development and operations, leading teams through growth and change.

Background and involvement

  • Board trustee; elected in 2017
  • Scoutmaster, Troop 15
  • Board member, Glen Rock Pops Orchestra
  • Volunteer with Glen Rock TV and youth coaching programs
  • M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, College of Saint Elizabeth
  • 25+ years working in education

"I'm running again because I've spent my career in education and decades serving this community, and I want to use that experience to protect what makes Glen Rock exceptional while helping our schools prepare for what comes next."

Get involved

Local elections turn on a few hundred votes. Neighbors talking to neighbors is the whole campaign.

  • Take a lawn signWe'll drop one off and pick it up after the election.
  • Host a coffeeInvite eight neighbors. We'll bring the coffee and answer everything.
  • Write a letterLocal papers and community pages carry real weight in Glen Rock.
  • Chip inSigns, printing and postage are most of a school board budget.

I can help with

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How to vote

Three seats are open. You can vote for three candidates — vote for all three of us.

Election day
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Polls open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Register by
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Register online at nj.gov or with the Bergen County Board of Elections.
Early in-person voting
October 24 – November 1
Any early voting site in Bergen County. Check the county for locations.
Vote by mail
Apply by October 27
By mail by Oct 27, or in person at the County Clerk until 3:00 p.m. on November 2.

Check your registration and find your polling place at nj.gov

Questions

Why should voters reelect sitting Board members when the district has experienced leadership turnover and difficult Board meetings?

Because experience is most valuable when you learn from it.

The last several years have presented Glen Rock with significant challenges, including superintendent turnover, budget pressures and difficult public discussions. We do not pretend those challenges did not occur. We have learned from them.

We believe the next Board must provide greater stability, establish clear expectations for the next superintendent, work collaboratively even when members disagree, and focus its energy on governance rather than personalities or politics. We know the district, we understand the responsibilities of the Board, and we are prepared to apply the lessons we have learned to the next three years.

Are you a political party ticket?

No. New Jersey Board of Education elections are nonpartisan, and so are we. We are running together because we share a commitment to strong public schools, responsible governance and putting students ahead of politics. We will not agree on every issue or every vote — nor should independent Board members — but we agree on the principles that should guide the district: excellence, stability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and respect for our community.

How will you address the district's financial challenges without hurting education?

We start by protecting the classroom and the educational opportunities that make Glen Rock schools exceptional.

At the same time, every expenditure deserves scrutiny. The district recently confronted substantial financial pressure caused in large part by dramatic increases in healthcare costs. Challenges like that demonstrate why the Board needs multi-year forecasting rather than simply balancing one budget at a time.

We will continue looking for efficiencies, shared services, appropriate staffing structures and other responsible savings. Our goal is not simply to spend more or spend less. It is to make sure Glen Rock taxpayers receive the greatest educational value possible from every dollar the district spends.

Where do you stand on school security and armed guards?

The safety of our students and staff is one of the Board's most serious responsibilities, and we believe decisions of this magnitude deserve more than a slogan or a predetermined answer.

We have spent considerable time discussing and debating the advantages, limitations and potential consequences of armed security. We will continue evaluating professional recommendations, security practices in surrounding communities, changing threats and the needs of each Glen Rock school.

Our commitment is to make school-safety decisions based on evidence, professional guidance and what best protects our students and staff — and to have that discussion openly with the community.

What is your priority in hiring the next superintendent?

We want more than someone who can simply manage the district. Glen Rock needs a visionary educational leader capable of moving an already high-performing school system forward.

That means finding someone who can earn the confidence of teachers, administrators, families, students and the community; build an effective leadership team; communicate clearly; manage resources responsibly; embrace innovation thoughtfully; and establish a productive relationship with the Board.

Hiring that person is only the beginning. The Board must then provide clear goals, appropriate accountability and the stability necessary for that superintendent to succeed.

Can I meet you before I vote?

Absolutely. We want residents to ask us questions — especially the difficult ones.

We encourage you to speak with us at community events, candidate forums or whenever you see us around town. You can also contact the campaign directly to ask a question, arrange a conversation or invite us to meet with a group of neighbors.

We believe voters should know not only what candidates promise during a campaign, but how they think, how they listen and how they approach difficult decisions.

How do I get a lawn sign?

Fill out the form above, or email us and we'll bring one by.