An Advocate for the Entire School Community
Hi, I’m Dr. Erica Schmid.
In my 20+ year career in education, one thing has always held true: students thrive when they and their peers get the support that they need.
A school district is first and foremost a community that is fueled and enriched by the unique contributions of each member. I am running for the Collingswood Board of Education because in this particularly tumultuous time in education, I want to use my knowledge and skills to help ensure that all students are both supported and celebrated.
As a board member, I will advocate for our entire school community, guided by my core belief that education is vital to an empathetic, just society where all people can thrive.
My Background
I am a lifelong learner who values education as both an end in itself and as an essential foundation for an empathic society. My wide-ranging experience gives me a 360-degree view of the educational system, the student journey from preschool to college, and the difficulties that teachers currently face.
Starting at age 16, I spent 16 years volunteering at a YMCA speciality camp for kids affected by/ infected with HIV. In addition to serving on the planning and programming committee, I was a counselor and village chief. I began this work in the mid-90s and thankfully a lot has changed since then. But the current political turbulence and the federal targeting of kids who are living in a society that already marginalizes them brings me right back. I will always fight to protect kids (and adults) who are vulnerable to and victimized by policy changes.
I have a PhD in English with a graduate certificate in Gender Studies from Temple University, and I received my teaching certification through Rowan University’s alternate route program.
I was an educator for the first half of my career, teaching English Language Arts and Literature in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. I had the privilege of teaching multilingual and neurodiverse learners from a range of backgrounds at Temple University, Rowan University, Community College of Philadelphia, Maple Shade and Lindenwood High Schools, Y.A.L.E. School, and Paul VI, among others.
For the second half of my career, I shifted my focus to supporting teaching and learning from outside of the classroom through work on assessments, simulations, and gamification of learning. I currently manage a team of Assessment Specialists at a mission-driven EdTech company that helps teachers and administrators support multilingual learners.
I have two children at Garfield Elementary, where I have been a PTA member and classroom parent since my oldest child was in kindergarten. I am also a coach in Collingswood’s exceptional Odyssey of the Mind program. My husband, Dr. Marc Brasof, is a Professor of Education at Arcadia University who volunteers on the Student Voice Committee at Collingswood High School.
As a family, we’re not just committed to the schools — we’re committed to the community. My husband is a local small business owner who you can find at the Farmers’ Market selling BBQ or playing drums at Porchfest with the Stereotytans. You might also see us walking our two rescue dogs, Steve and Nancy (yes, they are named after Stranger Things characters).
Why I’m Running for BOE
I am and have always been personally committed to supporting and advocating for public education. I am also guided by the belief that we need education, specifically in the Liberal Arts, to stretch and grow as people and to ensure that we are building spaces of belonging.
Education is not just a constitutional right, it is a civil right. But state and federal changes are threatening school districts and students all over South Jersey. These changes aren’t just “politics.” They have real impact on our students, teachers, and community.
Whether it’s facing state school funding challenges or federal policies that individually target and isolate some of our community’s children, our students and schools must have fierce leaders who will fight for their rights, needs, and values. As a board member, I pledge to be this kind of leader.
How Do We Get There?
“Poetry is not a luxury… It forms the quality of the light within which we predicate our hopes and dreams toward survival and change…”
Her vision of spaces that welcome and celebrate the full, authentic self has motivated me as an educator, a parent, and a citizen and will continue to motivate me as a board member. Kids deserve a comprehensive, empowering education that honors them and allows them to be — or become — their favorite selves. To ensure that the Collingswood School District is such a space, I have the following goals:
Focus on data-driven, evidence-based policies and practices.
Address longstanding performance gaps.
Increase data literacy across the district.
Open more spaces for community dialogue and actionable feedback.
Trust that everyone is coming with the same goal of helping kids.
Be vulnerable and transparent and embrace radical honesty.
Work with the curriculum committee to support interdisciplinary, project-based learning experiences – think Odyssey of the Mind – that provide opportunities for all kids to shine.
Advocate at the state level for fair funding.
Collaborate with other districts to support legislation that addresses the flawed funding formula.
Join existing coalitions like the New Jersey Fair Funding Collective.
Promote a culture of professional learning.
Ensure that teachers and staff have the time and resources to develop themselves professionally.
Build organizational capacity so we can be more limber in turbulent times.
Advocate at both the state and federal levels to protect our vulnerable students.