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Holmdel board president defends district and administration after critical Patch article
Summary
Board President Demarre and other board members publicly rebutted a Patch article titled 'Money Down the Drain' and urged community members to engage with district leadership rather than publish criticisms without first asking questions.
Board President Demarre used the meeting to defend the Holmdel Township School District and its administration after a series of critical articles published on Patch by Prakash Santana.
“Anybody who feels negatively about the Holmdel Township School District is just not paying attention,” President Demarre said, urging community members to reach out to district staff before publishing criticisms. Demarre criticized the author for not contacting district leaders and called the article’s headline — “Money Down the Drain” — “extremely misleading.” He said district administrators, including Business Administrator Debbie Donnelly and Superintendent Dr. Cascone, respond to inquiries and have invited community members to meet and discuss concerns.
Other board members echoed the call for community engagement and emphasized the amount of praise the district receives in private correspondence. One board member noted the district’s close relationship with the township committee in recent years and said elected partners should work collaboratively with the school board.
Superintendent Dr. Cascone was defended repeatedly for his work leading the district. Board members said they will continue to invite residents to use the board email address (boardmembers@holmdelschools.org) and to contact administrators directly with questions about finances, programs or operations rather than relying on media posts alone.
No formal action was taken in response to the article; board members framed their remarks as an appeal for civil engagement and a reminder that many administrative matters are confidential during budget preparation.
