So that voters can better know me as a BOE candidate, I answered many questionnaires for the upcoming Tuesday, November 5, 2019 General Election.
I am a 17-year Hillsborough resident.
Do you have children/grandchildren who attend Hillsborough Township Public Schools? If so, which schools?
I have 3 children and they attend HHS (11th grade), HMS (8th grade) and ARIS (5th grade).
Why are you seeking a position on the board?
In 2016, in response to this question on the HEA questionnaire, I wrote: “I’m running for the school board because I want to improve communications, have more transparency in decision-making and engage the public in the conversation of its priorities.”
I am running for re-election because these reasons still stand. I am fully invested in Hillsborough as a parent, homeowner and fellow resident. I care about kids and I want to do something good for the school district. I believe I can do this most effectively as a member of the school board.
What do you see as the top three education issues that our board must address?
Academically, we are a highly ranked district. Three areas that could use additional focus are (1) finances, (2) student & staff mental wellness and (3) communication.
The board must reconcile its educational philosophy with fiscal reality. Blaming Trenton won’t balance the 2020-2021 budget and not settling the contract with the district’s largest bargaining unit is counterproductive. The board can accomplish a lot with its $130M budget but it can’t do everything and will need to prioritize programs.
Mental wellness is important for both students and staff. Without it, anything else the board does is less effective. In 2016, I proposed two ideas – delayed school start times and a balanced school year schedule. In 2019, I am happy to share that Somerset County school districts are beginning the conversation about teenage sleep cycles and seriously considering how later high school start times might work.
The board must be a communications leader and meet the community where they are. The school district does great work, but without effective communication, how can the community know and support the district? Is the community A.W.A.R.E.* of the partnerships between the school district and township to support students? You can learn more at
www.boroaware.org and find out more at our monthly meetings. The next meetings are Friday, November 1, 2019, and December 13, 2019 at 9am in the Hillsborough Municipal Building conference room.
* Advocating Wellness through Addiction Resources and Education
What is the greatest strength of the school district?
The greatest strength of the school district is its people.
What is the greatest weakness of the school district?
The greatest weakness of the school district is poor communication.
What would you do as a school board member to sustain the strength and address the weakness?
If re-elected, I will work to build trust and nurture positive relationships with all stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, staff and the community, so that it is clear the school board truly values its people.
The school board should engage the community by acknowledging and responding to their concerns, and by sharing as much of the “behind the scenes” (i.e. transparency) as is legally possible to build understanding in and trust of the school board.
The community has a lot of good ideas, but it’s not easy to share those ideas unless you 1) know one of us personally, 2) feel comfortable speaking at a public meeting or 3) feel comfortable emailing us at
boe@htps.us with your name. My idea is to have an anonymous, online feedback form (similar to the budget feedback form) that is always available where anyone can share their ideas, and that goes directly to the school board without any filter. I know the staff have great ideas that could improve the district if they felt someone was listening. I want to listen and then I want to act on those ideas.
Budgeting:
What is your philosophy about developing a school district budget?
A budget reflects the district’s priorities. Why does the school district exist? As a gedanken experiment, let’s consider a district that educates only one child. What is needed? I posit, you’d need a teacher who teaches math (to think logically), English (communication), Social Studies (civic engagement), science (life skill) and gym (physical activity is important to long term health), and a classroom. Then, as the number of students increases, teaching staff can specialize and you’d also need additional support services. My point is that the core of a budget should be the student and the teacher. This is what I meant when I talked about budgeting from zero. Start with the core subjects and then add what you can afford. I encouraged the board to have this discussion during the 2019-2020 budget cycle, but was rebuffed as being “too late.”
Despite the job losses of the last budget cycle, what has changed? Costs are still rising faster than the board’s ability to raise the tax levy. Therefore, the board needs to map out plans for the 2020-2021 budget or in April 2020, we will be in the same position of cutting more jobs.
And when making budget cut decisions, my idea is to cut the “stand-alones” that can be more easily re-instated when the money is available.
Considering the age of several of our schools, how would you prioritize the budget to address infrastructure concerns?
I acknowledge that going to referendum for infrastructure improvements gives the district the benefit of state debt service aid and allows the district to handle repairs at the same time.
However, I would have done it differently, similar to my personal finances, by saving money each year and paying for projects as we go, thereby saving interest payments. Previous boards made the decision to prioritize saving jobs over infrastructure investments, which I understand. However, growing the district’s programs, such as adding Chinese and sign language and the one-to-one Chromebook initiative (vs. bring your own device), feel irresponsible given our aging infrastructure. I would have prioritized core subjects (jobs), then infrastructure (with a long-range plan), then extras if money were available. That’s how I run my household. I think that’s why the community gets so angry about the board asking for yet more money because they don’t think we budgeted our finances appropriately.
Do you believe that our school district should budget to cap?
The law currently allows school boards to raise the local tax levy by 2% plus specific waivers. Given that costs which are out of the board’s control, such as health insurance premium increases and special education costs, are rising faster than the 2% tax levy, the board really has no choice but to use all the available funds. So yes, I believe the district should budget to cap each year. If the 2% number changed, then I would need to re-consider. Please note, the board can only increase by 2% the portion raised by local property tax and not on the entire budget, which includes state aid.
What should the board do to gain community support for our schools, and for the school budget
Communication. Communication. Communication. We don’t do enough communication and residents’ not knowing what is happening in the town and the school district is difficult to combat. An idea is the board could design a six degrees of separation kind of phone chain as a matter of course. The school district is the town’s largest employer and the school board should be a community leader. If this kind of information sharing system were implemented before it were needed, it could really improve the way residents view its school district.
Another idea is to improve communication is invite a member of the Association and a member from the community to participate in committee meetings. This would add another level of transparency in the decision-making process. Other school districts have included the community in their committee meetings, so I would look to them for best practices.
How accountable do you feel to taxpayers when it comes to budget issues?
I do feel accountable to taxpayers. The district cannot spend money it doesn’t have. But I balance the taxpayer with what the students need. Given the projected loss in state aid, I have advocated on Hillsborough’s behalf that we be allowed to take a waiver to go above the tax levy cap in order to meet the state’s definition of local fair share. Depending on ratables, etc, if granted, that likely means a tax increase.
Would you ever consider subcontracting services? If so, what areas?
In 2016, in response to this question, I wrote: “One of the district’s core competencies is to educate students, so I am not against the idea of subcontracting services that are not in the district’s core competency. However, without analyzing the budget, I’m not convinced the district would achieve long-term benefits from subcontracting services.”
My points still stand. Here are some additional thoughts: I did a line-by-line review of the proposed 2019-2020 budget and I’m not convinced the district would save money by additional subcontracting. There’s benefit to the district in hiring its own employees. Also, it’s important to me that our employees have health insurance and can support their families because that is concrete evidence that we believe our people are our greatest asset.
What is your position on the failed 2019 referendum? What is your position on the proposed future one(s)?
I acknowledge that some feel I hurt the district with my opposition to the March 2019 referendum. Please allow me to defend my position. The referendum ask sounded great in theory, but it was not well designed because there were too many assumptions of things that had to occur perfectly for the solution to be successful. It was risky to assume full increased state aid for changing the weighting of half day kindergarten students, counted as ½ a student, to full day kindergarten students, counted as a full student. The problem is the state does not fully fund the state aid formula and underfunds the state’s portion by approximately $1B. Once the state calculates a district’s fair share, to apportion state aid across the 581 school districts, it uses a multiplier to assign each district its lesser state aid. Which means that Hillsborough wasn’t guaranteed to get the full benefit of its new full day kindergarten students because there is only so much money to be distributed.
Secondly, this referendum was only part one of the roll-out. Permanent space for FDK required additional space. What if the community did not approve a second referendum? Would the district continue FDK or would future boards decide to scrap the plan and allocate the money elsewhere? That is why I said the referendum was not well engineered.
Months later, I stand by my original comments. I am very sorry real people lost their jobs, but if the referendum had passed, the district would have simply postponed the pain for approximately three years and the layoffs would be even worse in three years. The district definitely needs more money. I had an alternative proposal to temporarily eliminate programs that could more easily be re-instated if the community agreed to fund them via a targeted tax levy referendum.
As I respond to these questions, the board has already decided to reserve the December 10, 2019 date for an infrastructure referendum. I voted no on the December date because I wanted to have this referendum at the November 5th, 2019 General Election because of greater voter participation. I do support the infrastructure referendum in theory but I disagree on the timing and I have not decided yet how I will vote on the referendum wording.
Negotiations:
What is your perception of the negotiations process that presently exists? Is there anything you would change?
I’m a member of the negotiations committee. In 2016, in response to this question, I wrote: “I don’t understand why contract negotiations take so long. Prior to starting negotiations, it would be helpful for the BOE and HEA to communicate with the public the top issues and their budget impact.
I understand the BOE’s position that it represents the community and therefore must vigorously negotiate the contract. However, I disagree that the BOE must achieve the lowest possible tax increase. As a community, we should remember that this is a contract with people who spend most of the waking day with our children. Teachers and staff do an amazing jo and they deserve a fair contract.
Not being on the negotiations committee, I may be way off target in my criticism. But that circles back to my point about increased communication so that the general public understands the issues.”
My points still stand. Here are some additional thoughts: The board needs to repair its relationship with the staff and community. One way to do this is to approach the % salary increase as a way of signaling the board’s positive intentions, rather than as a philosophical “line in the sand” that cannot be crossed. Regardless of where the contract settles, I predict there will be additional layoffs for the 2020-2021 school year, for reasons unrelated to the contract. Specifically, costs, such as health insurance and special education, are rising faster than the board’s ability to raise the tax levy.
Realistically, there are very few “knobs” left to address the budget shortfalls. The board has already implemented fees, increased class sizes, reduced staff and eliminated programs. The last “knob” that hasn’t been considered is self-insurance of health insurance and is a radical idea that could be a win-win for both board and staff. Other school districts have done this and I would look to them for best practices. Specifically, my idea is there would be no change in level of care, and reductions in health care use that result in savings to the district would be shared with staff. Extremes in health care needs would be covered by stop loss insurance. From personal experience, I know the stress and the importance of health insurance. For this idea to have a chance of success requires a working foundation of trust.
Here’s another radical idea. Take one person to represent the board and one person to represent the Association, stick them in a room and don’t let them out until they hash out a new contract. I think there’s compromise to be had outside of negotiation by committee.
What are your views on completing contract negotiations before the contract expires?
This is the goal. However, the BOE and HEA started meeting approximately 7 months before the contract expired and could not reach agreement.
Educational Quality:
With an eye to maintaining top-quality education and innovative programs, what do you think is a reasonable class size?
In 2016, in response to this question, I wrote: “Intuitively, small class size seems like a good idea. However, similar to full day kindergarten, my research shows mixed evidence and that the largest impact is for lower income families. Also, smaller class size seems to be more important in the lower grades (kindergarten through 3rd grade). The question is what’s the most effective use of our limited educational dollars? For example, does class-size reduction generate as much return as raising teacher salaries or offering additional teacher professional development opportunities?”
What is your position on the fees that have been implemented for student activities, sports, etc?
I am against “pay to play” and voted against the board majority to implement activity / sports fees. I think the reason these fees are so frustrating is that after academic subjects, clubs and sports are the most visible to parents and the community. That’s how the community knows and interacts with the school district – through football games and the marching band, to the drama productions and robotics team, to name just a few. It’s frustrating because as club parents know, there’s not equity in how clubs are funded vs. how sports are funded. To sports parents, it’s frustrating because they already support the school district through booster clubs.
On the topic of clubs, I would really like to find a way to fund more clubs at ARIS so that every student can participate in at least one club, if they want. Also, I would like to find a way for every club advisor to receive a nominal stipend vs. many that are supervised by volunteer advisors.
What is your position on using fees, Chromebook protection policies, etc as a source of revenue for the district?
I think it’s unfair. I understand the district needed to raise revenue in order to not let go as many staff. However, on principle, it’s unfair that the district gives every student a Chromebook to use for the year, but then tells families they could pay $60 to insure against damage for this “privilege.”
I’d rather buy the Chromebook outright and pay SquareTrade $75 for a four-year protection plan.
How important are athletic and fine art programs to the overall success of the educational process and why?
They are important, but secondary to the core subjects of math, English, Social Studies, science and gym.
What is your position on charter schools? What experience, if any, have you had with them?
I do not have personal experience with charter schools. Based on my research back in February 2017 when the Franklin school board asked for Hillsborough’s assistance in passing a resolution for a moratorium on charter school expansion, I am against charter schools in a strong educational district like Hillsborough because it pulls money away from Hillsborough schools.
What is your position on full day kindergarten?
Let me share the reasons full day kindergarten (FDK) is not my highest priority. I have grappled with this issue as I have three children who have gone through half-day kindergarten. My analysis of FDK is the greatest benefits are to low-income students and that long-term academic benefit is unsupported by the research. There are reasons to invest in FDK, such as improving non-academic skills that may raise overall achievement. However, if this was a priority for previous boards, they could have re-allocated money from the general fund to implement.
What steps do you think should be taken to maintain a reasonable class size?
In 2016, in response to this question, I wrote: “I don’t know. We’ve already separated our 5th and 6th grades into the intermediate school and our 7th and 8th grades into the middle school. This arrangement offers more flexibility in averaging out class sizes whereas the six neighborhood elementary schools have less flexibility. I like the K-4 set up and I am less interested in the idea of a K-2nd and 3rd and 4th grade specific school.
The research I looked at indicates that the largest benefit comes from reducing a class size of 22 to approximately 15 and it’s not clear the community would support such a small class size. There is a much smaller benefit by reducing class size by only 1 or 2 students.”
These points still stand. However, as the board discussed future plans for the district, we learned there is a significant cost savings in moving to schools with K-2 and 3rd-4th grade, which would allow averaging out class sizes.
What is your position on courtesy bussing and how it was implemented?
My understanding is that the communication to specific families who would no longer receive courtesy busing was rolled into the same email as subscription busing information. Although parents may have known there was the possibility of losing courtesy busing, combining the two related, but separate items, was confusing and poorly communicated.
Reducing courtesy busing does not mean students have to walk to and from school. What it means is that the responsibility of transporting some students to and from school shifts from the school district to the parents. The high school took the brunt of the budget cuts this go-around, from the majority of courtesy busing loss to new sports and activity fees. Though I am not opposed to the reduction of courtesy busing because it allows the board to keep teaching positions, I would have included a smaller radius around the high school and implemented a pilot program for the three elementary schools that are walkable, specifically the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to these schools.
Staff Morale & Development:
What ideas do you have for enhancing staff morale?
I believe that feeling like you don’t have a voice and you don’t have control of your circumstances are big morale downers. HTPS staff have a wealth of ideas and suggestions that could improve the district, if anyone asked and listened. On my own behalf as a fellow resident, and not authorized by the school board, I’m asking, and I’m listening:
https://forms.gle/uvftri3kaDmJerTr8 Specifically, I would like to know: 1) What do you like most about the Hillsborough Township Public Schools? 2) What do you like least? 3) What would you change if you could?
I believe that happy teachers equal happy students. It’s important for our staff to feel that the BOE is supportive through its actions.
What is your understanding of the role of education support professionals in our school community?
I think education support professionals refer to the school’s support staff, such as guidance counselors, custodians, secretaries, nurses, instructional aides, etc. I know they are incredibly important in a well-run school and they are additional trusted adults that children can rely on.
Responsibilities of the Board:
When evaluating Superintendent performance, do you believe that areas such as facility deficiencies, safety issues and/or staff morale should be considered?
Yes, these areas should be part of the Superintendent’s evaluation. The board literally has four jobs: 1) set policy 2) adopt the budget 3) negotiate with its bargaining units and 4) hire and evaluate the Superintendent. That this board did not evaluate the Superintendent is mind-boggling.
All board motions are prefaced by the words: “On the recommendation of the superintendent,” if elected, will you accept the recommendation of the superintendent without question? If not, what sources of information would you consider when making board decisions?
I think my voting record proves that I do not accept the recommendation of the superintendent without question. I am active on the state and county level with New Jersey School Boards Association, so I learn about best practices from districts around the state. I also rely on personal experience. One of the most effective tools for analyzing an issue is “thinking through the details, step-by-step,” as in how would this proposal work from start to finish? Are some assumptions flawed? Can a catastrophic downside be insured against a predicted upside? This thought process partly explains why I was opposed to the March 2019 referendum.
What is your understanding of the role of the Superintendent? How does this role relate to the board of education, the community, students and staff?
The board sets policy and the Superintendent translates this policy into running the day-to-day business of the school district. The board and the Superintendent are also supposed to set yearly district goals so that there are guiding principles for the school year. Finally, the board is supposed to interpret the will of the community to the Superintendent. I strongly believe Hillsborough is a generous community that cares about its public schools but its residents also want to know their money is well spent.
What qualities do you believe define an effective board of education member?
The day after I was first elected to the school board in 2016, I was at the pediatrician’s office. I shared that I had just been elected and the nurse told me she had previously served as a board member for over ten years. She told me when she first started, she was given this advice: the first, “does this benefit the kids?” and the second, “every kid has something they can do. It’s our job to figure it out.” I keep this advice in mind with every decision I make.
I keep trying to be an effective board member. I talk to board members in other districts to learn their best practices, I advocate for Hillsborough on the state level, I use NJSBA as a resource to keep learning and improving and I make myself accessible to the community as a resource for navigating the school district.
What defines a successful board of education meeting? How do you view your role in ensuring meetings are conducted as such?
Here’s an interesting distinction: board of education meetings are meetings that are held in public, but they are not for the public. What does that mean? It means that because the board of education is a publicly elected body, they must conduct their action business in public per the NJ Open Public Meetings Act, aka the Sunshine Law, and set aside time for public comment. The meeting is a time for the public to observe their elected officials conducting the board’s business but not comment, except during the specially designated public comment times. I recognize this can be an incredibly frustrating experience when it seems the board is “just voting.”
As elected officials, I believe board members should behave respectfully to each other and especially to the public. We are community leaders. I am far from perfect, but I strive to behave where I would not be ashamed to have my actions reported on the front page of the newspaper. Finally, a successful board meeting is one where we did something good for the kids.
Conclusion:
What additional comments would you like to add in support of your candidacy?
Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with the HEA membership and the wider community. As I reviewed my responses to the 2016 HEA questionnaire, I am struck by how many points are still true today in 2019.
In 2016, in response to this question, I wrote in part: “I’m an engineer by training and the most important thing I learned in school was to recognize when ‘I don’t know.’ I think that’s why I ask so many questions and try to learn from the answers. It’s also part of the reason I want to represent the Hillsborough [and Millstone] communities on the school board – I think a lot of us have questions we’d like answered.”
I was part of the board that added three elementary school counselors so that each elementary school now has its own dedicated guidance counselor. Also, I was part of the board that added a third student assistance counselor at HHS, approved varsity letters for academic teams and strengthened the vaping policy.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and how I think. I don’t know everything, but I listen to residents, I’m accessible and I try to keep the community informed. I’m asking for your vote on Tuesday, November 5th, 2019 in the General Election so I can continue to do something good for Hillsborough and Millstone’s kids.
