Support your local school board member

Running unopposed for a public office isn’t always a good thing, although it is nice to think that you continue to enjoy the community’s confidence. In the case of being a Wharton school board member, we do have great schools, and they are getting better.  So I’m proud to be a member of a team that includes six other board members, highly-competent administrators, and a fantastic teaching and support staff.

You might not even find the section of the ballot for school board (it’s on the far right). In a contested election, I would have to explain my position on critical issues, put up signs, make promises, and make sure you did find my name on the ballot. But I would like to give you good reason to find my name, and maybe even seek me out with any questions about me or our schools. Here’s why:

Because it’s not about me – it’s about our community’s aspirations for our schools,

and all of our students.

Like many of you, I don’t have children in Wharton schools. I was a local school board member for most of the time my children were growing up – they are now 29 (a primary care doctor completing residency), 25 (a registered nurse), and 22 (finishing nursing school). During that time, I was selected board president for four consecutive years, until I had to resign when I took a position with New Jersey School Boards Association (2009). In that role, I offered training to school boards and individual members on their role in public education, and best practices in governance. In May of 2015, I obtained Master Board Member status by NJ School Boards Association for having achieved a high level of training, and participating in policy-making on a statewide level. In my current job, I support the professional learning needs of public K-12 school systems in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. My youngest of two stepsons is a junior at Morris Hills, both having gone through the Wharton elementary and middle schools.

Believe what they say . . . 

time flies ! ! !

The best that a board member can do is add value to the board, and by extension to the schools. The worst thing a board member can do is pretend to represent any one segment of the community. I do believe I’ve added value to the Wharton board since becoming a member in 2013. Some of our accomplishments in that time include:

• Hiring an outstanding superintendent, who has built a strong team of education professionals.
• Spent millions in building improvements, including heating and air conditioning (no missed days due to heat this September!), roof repairs, new bleachers, improvements to the grounds (drainage, playground).
• Working with the Wharton PD, we have vastly improved safety and security measures, including new entry systems, security cameras accessible by the police department, all new doors and locks throughout both buildings.
• We accomplished these improvements without asking our taxpayers to fund them through referendum. In fact, we have kept school-related tax increases within the state cap for every year on which I’ve been a member.

These are all outwardly evident improvements; but there are many that aren’t so evident:

• We are now a goal-oriented board. We meet in June for the sole purpose of collaborating with the administration on how best to deploy our resources to maximize gains in student achievement and educational services.
• These goals are directly tied to the Strategic Plan that was completed with staff and community participation in 2017.
• This board supports, through goal-setting, the 21^st century skills that children need in order to “thrive in a dynamic world.” These include communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity – social and emotional skills that those of us with grown children recognize cannot be overlooked.
• In the 21^st century, schools can no longer ignore the fact that our children come from different backgrounds and experiences; and when we improve service to our most challenged students and families, the educational experience improves for everyone.  It is now board policy that all communication to parents goes home in both Spanish and English. We have a full-time bilingual liaison serving all parents in the district, as well.
• As a board and as individual members, we hold ourselves accountable “doing the right thing,” and created policy that prohibits public election campaigning of any sort on school grounds.

Perhaps most importantly, we are meeting new educational challenges head-on, recognizing that the new emphasis in education is not on teaching, but on student learning.  I believe my fellow board members feel as I do, that it is our obligation to see that all students learn at high levels.  Toward that end, we are now a standards-focused school district, meaning that the only thing that matters academically is that our students master what it is they must know and be able to do at each grade level. Parents can now better understand where there students stand in their progress through reporting that is aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

My hope is that you will find my name on the ballot next Tuesday, and you will give me your vote because we need board members who will continue to find ways to continuously improve our schools with integrity and fiscal responsibility, and so that our collective aspirations for Wharton Public Schools continue to be met.