Shrewsbury Board of Education President Jessica Groom sees her vision through

By:  | July 15, 2024 |  Features |  Shrewsbury

By Bill Clark

Jessica Groom first ran for the Shrewsbury Borough Board of Education in the middle of a tense campaign to pass a referendum. 

The mother of two young sons at the time, she wanted to get involved in some capacity. Former Board member Don Sweeney encouraged her to gather her signatures and appear on the ballot. Sweeney himself was in the middle of attempting to convince the community that the small school was worthy of some big upgrades. 

Groom’s quest was ultimately successful. She easily garnered enough support from residents to secure a spot on the nine-member board. The referendum, however, was not. Its failure was felt by stakeholders in the school’s future. Groom believed in the vote but thought that there were better ways to promote the ask. She was sworn in and years later, when the time came to ask the township for their support for a new referendum, took on the role of Board President. 

The Colts Neck native settled in the small borough in 2006 with an eye on the K-8 school district. As the Board President, she would be front and center when it came to promoting the new referendum which went up to voters in October 2022. Before leaving the workforce for a time to raise her family, Groom worked in financial services, using skills she acquired from her studies in International Relations to build connections in the industry. She would leverage that experience with the Shrewsbury community, some of which questioned the value of passing a referendum that would directly impact their tax burden. 

Groom’s family had a direct impact. Her mother also lives in the small borough. 

“I think at first she was a little nervous, but she came to an information session with one of her friends and they left so grateful to be informed and were able to share information with their friends,” Groom said. “We actually ended up doing an informative event in the community in town where my mom lives.” 

Though the district had taken modern approaches to informing the public by creating a website, hosting Zoom sessions and loading up their social media feeds with information, the best value may have come from being directly in front of the people they were lobbying. 

“When you get to put people's faces and their intent to a project, it helps,” she said. “Otherwise, it's flyers and mailers and websites, and it can be a little daunting trying to digest all the information.”

The second referendum passed easily. The strategizing based on the lessons learned from six years prior secured funding for a new lunchroom, multipurpose room, three new classrooms and other infrastructure improvements. As of April, the construction began clearing away space and laying the concrete which will eventually provide the foundation for the building addendum. With summer break looming, the expectation is that students will come back in the fall to see substantial progress. 

Groom sees it as the perfect time based on the changing nature of the town. The improvements are “going to make the educational experience richer for the kids that are coming down the line,” Groom said. “I see so many people pushing baby strollers around town and it makes me giddy.”

Groom looks forward and is happy with the work she has put into her role in her two terms. With the referendum construction started and expected to wrap up in just over a year, Groom will step aside and not run for reelection. Until then, she and the other board members will be monitoring the progress and keeping the community informed. That communication objective is also a point of emphasis in general. The school is finding new ways to share what happens during the day and after. Parents receive monthly newsletters that detail field trips, guest speakers, concerts, athletic events and more. The community can follow postings on each of the major social media feeds where students are highlighted visiting the Statehouse in Trenton, the beach in Sandy Hook, memorials in New York City and museums in Washington, D.C. 

Groom approves all of these functions with her other board members each month. Groom said that the members have a positive relationship amongst themselves. As with any other governing body, there may be a disparate vision and philosophy when it comes to the group as a whole, but Groom is happy to say that friction results in positive outcomes. 

“We work well together,” she said. “We don't always necessarily agree but we all have the same goal in mind of making things better for the kids. Maybe another unique thing about us is we're not mired in egos. We all want the same thing. Not everyone needs to agree for things to improve.”

Groom understands that she also represents the interests of the community. Although Shrewsbury Borough is small, it holds a diverse array of opinions and perspectives. Groom doesn’t brush off any concern that parents or community members have, nor does she consider comments to be frivolous. 

“I’d like to think for the most part when there's frustrations, I hear about them. And that's expected,” she said. “I think we could always improve our outreach and communication. It is something we are working on as a board.” 

When difficult times hit, people have questions. Groom understands how those can be fielded and addressed. 

“Shrewsbury is a great place to live, and I think the residents here get it and appreciate it. A lot of people volunteer regularly because they want to keep this great thing we have going,” she said. “We really take care of each other in town. We've had some tough things that have happened in this little community, and everybody rallies and really holds each other up. That is a wonderful thing about Shrewsbury.”

Groom points to Mayor Kim Eulner and Monmouth County Commissioner and former Mayor Erik Anderson when it comes to the loyalty that residents of the borough have. Each graduated SBS and chose to settle back down in the town with their families. 

The hope for the future is based on Groom’s own experiences with the district. Her younger son will attend Biotechnology High School, a Monmouth County specialized vocational school, next year. Her older son is finishing his sophomore year at Red Bank Regional. Each had different needs throughout K-8 for which Groom said the school exceeded expectations. 

“I have two different children with different educational needs and both of their needs were met and actually surpassed by the educators in this building.”   

Groom and her husband try to provide enriching experiences for their children at home as well. The family is well traveled both abroad and at home. When her sons were younger, she would frequent the various Monmouth County parks. All four ski, hike and utilize the other outdoor recreation of the area, even if it is just sitting on a beach. 

Groom will also have the responsibility of addressing the eighth-grade commencement, which she has done twice so far. Each time she has admittedly become emotional at watching the students go off to their chosen secondary schools. She fully expects to choke up knowing that her youngest son will be walking across the stage just moments after she finishes her remarks this year. 

But the promise that each of the fifty students hold is what keeps Groom invested in her role as Board President. The school has provided the foundation for her children and others to succeed at the next levels of education. 

“When I think about it, practically speaking, everything these graduates will learn is built on building blocks that teachers gave them here,” she said.  “I am eager to see the different paths these children choose.”