10/06/2025
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
My name is Louan Austin and I am running for re-election to the River Vale Board of Education.
I am a proud resident of the beautiful town of River Vale and have lived here since 2016. My husband and I are the proud parents of our two incredible daughters, ages 15 and 10, and I have proudly dedicated the last 15 years of my life to raising my family as a full time stay-at-home-mother. During this time, I also gained professional experience working part time as an ABA Therapist, one of my life’s passions, working with and supporting children on the autism spectrum. Finally, I own and operate a small photography business where I focus on family photography while managing all aspects of my business including client engagement, scheduling, and creative direction.
For the last three (3) years I’ve been serving as a member of the River Vale Board of Education. In addition, I have volunteered a substantial amount of time in my community. I have been serving as a Girl Scout Troop Leader for the last six (6) years, a natural extension of my service as a Girl Scout Cookie Coordinator, and have made ancillary time commitments within that organization. Finally, I’ve dedicated countless volunteer hours to our local PTA while serving as a Lunch Chair, Class Parent, and Picture Day Chair. I have also contributed additional volunteer hours wherever additional support was needed and while working closely with the teachers and school staff to support classroom activities.
As a mother who has experienced my daughters’ education alongside them, I believe very firmly in the importance of a strong educational foundation for all children. This foundation is essential and it serves as the cornerstone upon which future successes and meaningful chapters of their lives will be built. I am passionate about my contributions to the quality of the education provided to the children in my community and I believe it is my responsibility to support and enhance it in any way that I can.
During the pandemic, I made it a priority to attend nearly all meetings of the River Vale Board of Education. While I was initially drawn to the meetings by high-profile topics that were generating widespread attention among parents across the country, my involvement quickly deepened and I developed a strong interest in understanding and engaging with the full range of issues before the board.
Since my elections to the board, I have had the privilege of contributing collaboratively to the Curriculum and Technology Committee, the Buildings and Grounds Committee, and the Personnel Committee. One of my primary goals as a board member has been to foster an enhancement of our district’s academic achievements by strengthening our curriculum and supporting our educators through ongoing professional development. I am consistently impressed by the level of attention to detail that I’ve seen within the development of our curriculum. Moreover, the data-driven approach taken ensures that any areas of concern are promptly identified, thereby allowing for timely and targeted support to meet the diverse needs of our students.
During my time on the board, our district has made significant strides towards the creation and improvement of a transparent and accessible curriculum for our community. Key initiatives have included a redesign of our district website and newsletter to improve the communication of critical information, as well as the continuation of clear and accessible opt-out-forms. These efforts reflect the districts ongoing commitment to keeping families informed and engaged in their children’s education. If re-elected, I will continue my advocacy for open communication and transparency while encouraging our district to clearly communicate educational goals, materials, and decisions within our community.
As parents and educators, it is our shared responsibility to work collaboratively to equip our children with the tools they need to build a bright and successful future. As I begin my campaign for a second term, I look forward to encouraging new conversations, and most importantly, listening to the voices of our community.
Sincerely,
Louan Austin
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