All five candidates for the two seats up for election in West Windsor for the WW-P school board agree on many issues. The issues they disagree on, however, may be among the most important facing the district in the near future.##M:[more]##
On April 10 the League of Women Voters and the PTA held a forum for the five candidates running for two seats in West Windsor — Brett Boal, Jay Bryant, Michael Donnelly, Robert Johnson (incumbent), and Hemant Marathe (incumbent) — and Ellen Walsh (incumbent), the uncontested candidate for the Plainsboro seat. The election is Tuesday, April 17.
Brett Boal, running for a seat for the second year in a row, charged that the current school board members have been too secretive about the selection process for the next superintendent to replace Robert Loretan, who is resigning effective August 31. The school board started its search for a replacement with a request for applications from internal candidates.
Board President Marathe said the school board decided to keep the applicants’ identities confidential, and that according to state law, a sitting school board can not appoint a superintendent before the board elections.
“I believe the board has already selected someone who thinks the district is doing just fine,” said Boal. “If they announce who it is before the election, the incumbents would be voted out. This process has been so closed, it engenders concern. I hear concerns that one candidate is being railroaded in.”
Speculation about the contenders has included the name of Victoria Kniewel, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, who has taken the lead in school board meetings on several occasions since Loretan announced his decision.
Marathe, who is running for a third term, said at the forum: “A lot of people know who the candidates are. The board made a decision to look for an internal candidate first,” said Marathe.
Walsh, who is running unopposed for re-election to her seat in Plainsboro, said, “I’m in disagreement with my fellow board members. I think we should do more to make the process more open.”
Johnson, an incumbent, said, “Not all of the candidates wanted it to be public that they were applying for the position. We sought a great deal of input from the public.”
Bryant, another challenger, said, “I would urge the board to look for external candidates as well. It is important that we do all we can to find the best person for the job.”
Said Donnelly: “The process needs to be open. However, I can appreciate the concern of candidates wanting it to be confidential to avoid embarrassment if they don’t get the job.”
The six candidates were in agreement on the answers to many of the 12 questions they were asked, but showed their particular differences when asked how they would reduce the budget if given the opportunity.
Walsh said the idea of charging building fees to groups that use the schools after hours has been discussed in board meetings, and that she favors that idea as well as sharing services with nearby districts.
Johnson said he would like to look for other ways to mirror the success of an integrated Pre-K class. “Special Ed is very costly, but integrating those student sin a regular pre-K class was an example of the way our creative and hardworking financial team finds reductions.”
Marathe said, “We should keep the financial team we have in house now. We have been tightening our belts, and we have been able to keep the budget increases very low, lower than other towns in the area.”
Boal favored taking a business approach to the finance issue. “I think we have an opportunity to implement quality programs here. I recommend using a database approach, and applying the statistics effectively. We should implement good business practices.
“I favor the idea of a data warehouse, the key is in good analysis of the numbers,” said Bryant.
“I would like to see the school board expand on some of the things it has already done. We could look into tuition and transportation fees to generate some income,” said Donnelly. “That’s one program I’d like to help with.”
Donnelly said he would like to help WW-P better serve a class of student that he believes goes largely unrecognized. “We need to look for ways to increase available services to children with such challenges as dyslexia and ADD but who do not qualify to receive services under state and federal laws.”
Boal also believes the district is underserving its students, but is more concerned with students he believes are being held back by the district’s policies. “There are a lot of kids in this district who would be in advanced algebra in middle school if they were in a standard school district but they are being held back here.” said Boal. “Scheduling the right classes would cost nothing.”
Boal ran on a similar platform last year. His opponent and the eventual winner of the election, Stan Katz, agreed that his concerns were valid. Boal says nothing has been done to remedy the situation. “I also do not think the district’s strategic plan is effective. I think it is a lot of vague happy talk. I think there is a basic attitude of complacency within the district.”
Bryant says he would like to help the district continue its excellence by integrating more technology into its teaching methods. “Most of our current teaching methods are based on principles meant for industrial and agricultural based societies,” says Bryant. “Our students are digital natives in a global information age that is constantly changing. We need to provide the professional development and support to our teachers to transition their instructional methods into the information age.”
Marathe pointed out that as president, he has overseen a school board has passed every budget as well as a $27 million facilities referendum. He said the budget increases for the school district are among the lowest in Mercer County. “Things have been relatively quiet and we have stayed out of the headlines,” said Marathe. “The members of the board all work well together, and we get a lot done as a result.”
Both he and Johnson say it will be helpful to have a school board with experience during what is likely to be a tumultuous three years. The district will hire a new superintendent, and will face state-imposed caps on its budget .
Said Johnson: “Those caps that are going to be very difficult for this district to work under. The current board has spent a lot of time learning what kinds of decisions will face the board in the future.”
All of the candidates urged voters to support the referendum question that, if approved, will change the district’s tax apportionment. The split is currently determined by equalized assessed land values. If each town approves the proposal, the tax split will be based on the number of pupils each township sends to district schools. Voters will also decide on whether to approve the proposed school budget.
